Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98. 89

      allowed the benefit of their old Customs, t'will be in vain for P. K. 0.

      me to prosecute illegall Traders, and forfeited Bonds &c as Maryland, 9.

      also to endeavour to new modell the Countrey, whether in

      Church or State.

        With most humble submission to your Lordships great

      Judgements, I humbly propose that his Majesty would be

      graciously pleased to grant an Act of pardon to his Subjects

      of this his Province. For it having but lately been under his

      Majesty's immediate Government (the former having been

      very loose) severall, have been guilty of Crimes and misde

      meanors which they generally pretend is not out of disobedi

      ence to his Majesty's Laws and Government, but that they

      were not used to them before: And therefore they are in

      hopes that his Majesty (according to his wonted goodness

      and Clemency) will forgive their Crimes and misdemeanours.

        Here are two women under the Sentence of death, and N°

      9 are the Abstracts of their condemnations; and they are

      thought to be objects of his Majesty's mercy.

        I now send to Your Lordships the Collectors, and Naval

      Officers Lists of Ships. No 10 is the particular Accot of

      them. The Assembly's not sitting this month, and having

      so lately received your Lordships Commands and the passage

      over the Bay being very difficult I could not have them

      sworne before my self and Councill And George Layfield

      Esqr his Majesty's Collector of Pokomoke sent me word that

      a great fitt of Sickness had hindred him from sending his,

      And by these Lists Your Lordships may please to see the

      increase and decrease of the Trade of this his Majesty's

      province mostly depending upon the plenty or scarcity of

      Tobacco, which by the coldness of later years, visibly de

      creaseth: For a great many very good planters do not make

      two thousand pounds of Tobacco a year for a Man; whereas

      formerly four thousand a man was looked on an ordinary

      Crop.

        It hath pleased God that this winter hath been the longest

      that hath been known in the memory of man, for it began

      about the middle of November, and little Signe of any spring

      yet. It was very uncertain weather; severall frosts and snows,

      one of which was the greatest that hath been knowne.

        These extraordinary accidents make the Planter conclude

      that he shall at last be forced to leave off planting Tobacco, or

      at least imploy more of his time in provideing for the neces

      saryes of his Family by reason that his Stocks &c must be a

      great deal better looked after in providing of them Fodder

      &c for they formerly took little care of them.

        This very long and unseasonable winter is supposed to

      have spoiled or very much damnified a great deal of the