500 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1728.

        Lib. M.  persons therein Concerned may be brought to Condign Pun

                 ishment, for such their Disturbance of the good Rule, Peace

                 and Government, of this Province; And for the better Dis-

                 covery of the Authors and Dispersers of the said papers, I

                 do hereby (by the Advice aforesaid) Offer and Promise the

                 Sume of Fifty Pounds Current Money to any person or per

                 sons that shall make Discovery before some Magistrate of any

                 Author or Authors, Disperser or Dispersers, of the Papers as

                 Aforesaid, so that the said Offender or Oflenders, shall be

                 Convicted thereof by Due Course of Law; And I do hereby

                 Strictly Charge and Command the Severall Sheriffs of this

                 Province to make this my Proclamation Imediatly publick in

                 their respective Countys (in the Vsuall manner) that all per-

                 sons may yeild Due Obedience hereto, as they will Answer

                 the Contrary at their Perils. Given at the City of Annapolis

                 this 26th Day of October, In the fourteenth year of his Lord-

                 ships the Lord Proprietarys Dominion &c Annoq Dm. 1728

                 Which Isued to Ann Arrundell & Prince Georges Countys

                 Accordingly

                   At a Council held at the House of his Excellency on the

                 31st of October Anno Dm: 1728

                               Was Present

                 His Excellency Benedict Leonard Calvert Governour

          p. 3     Coll: Wm Holland          Benja Tasker Esqr

                   John Hall. Esqr           Philip Lee Esqr

                   Phil: Lloyd Esqr          Nicholas Lowe Esqr

                   Coll Richd Tilghman       Charles Calvert Esqr

                   Coll: Matthew T. Ward

                 Members of his Lordships Honble Council

                   Mr John Abington of Prince Georges County being sent for

                 Appears at this Board and being shewn the Scandalous Sedi

                 tious paper lately Dispersed in the said County Deciars he

                 knows not the hand writeing but had before seen one of the

                 same purport which he believed to be the handwriteing of

                 Prat of the County Aforesaid and being Interrogated what he

                 knows of the said paper makes the following Deposition Viz.

                   “On Wednesday last was Seven ight comeing from my

                 “Store at Rock Creek I meet with John Allison about half a

                 “Mile from the Ferry on Rock Creek side, I askt him what

                 “news from Annapolis (understanding he came from Patuxent)

                 “he told me he could not tell, but I might know if I would

                 “Look on a Note he pin'd up at the Ferry Landing on a Tree