44 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1698/9.

        Lib. X.  an act for preventing frauds & regulating Abuses in the

                 Plantation trade to his Excellency Collo Nicholson which he

                 delivers to his Excellency Collo Blakiston & withal tells him

                 that he thought it for his Majestys Service that the several

                 Officers of the Customs in this Province should take the same

                 oath which he had caused to be administred to them & deliv

                 ers the Commission to Collo Blakiston

                   Then read his Majestys Commission under the Seal of the

                 Admiralty impowering his Excellency the Governor of this

                 Province to constitute & Commissionate a Iudge Advocate &

                 Register in the Provinces of Maryland Pensylvania & West

                 Iersey which the Clark of the Council is ordered to keep

                 his Excellency say that he has appointed Iudge the honble

         p. 197  Tho Tench Esqr One of his Majestys Council Iudge in this

                 Province who he has always found faithful & Loyal to his

                 Majsty & had more then ordinary Trouble in attending upon

                 Councils at this place

                   And he has appointed the honble Robert Quary to be

                 Iudge of the Court of Admiralty in Pensylvania & West Jersey

                   His Excellency delivers the great Seal of the Provs to his

                 Excellency Collo Blakiston & acquaints him that he did ap

                 point Colo Iowles to keep it whereto his Excellency Colo

                 Blakiston says a very good hand

                   Then his Excellency proceeds to give a Character of the

                 Gentlemen of his Majestys honble Council whom he says he

                 has always found very Loyal & Faithful to his Majesty &

                 ready in their duty

                   Acquaints his Excellency that upon his Accession to this

                 Govt he had found the Country in some distraction & in debt

                 which difficulties by the assistance of the Gentlemen of the

                 council he had waded through as also Some other Difficulties

                 as suspending Attorneys and denying the oath of Secresy to

                 the clerk of the house of Delegates

                   Recommends to his Excellency Collo Blakiston all those

                 Persons whom he leaves in Commission & Particularly Major

                 William Dent & William Bladen whom he had always found

                 very Loyal to his Majesty and ready in their duty

                   Acquaints his Excellency of the late Comotions & Disturb-

                 ances in this Province set on Foot by Clark Sly Cood &

        p. 198   Mason then a Letter being read from his Excellency Collo

                 Blakiston dated at London to Collo Nicholson

                   His Excellency Col Nicholson is pleased to say that he

                 shall in Honour to his Majesty afford the Correspondence

                 desired & in respect of Collo Blakistons person the friendship

                 therein so kindly wished which his Excellency Collo Blakiston

                 says he will always endeavour to maintain as well for his

                 Majestys Service as for Colonel Nicholsons merit