574   Appendix to Council Proceedings, 1696—1729.

                B. M. which is the softest term I cand find, to engage thy patieence

                Vol. 25. to read and weigh this complaint of mine agst thee to thyself.

                       When Thou left'st England, I well remember, thou wert

                     pleased to desire to see me, and at that time offer'd me friendly

                     Offices. I took it as became me, very civilly and kindly.

                     After tht I feared no night stabs, or secret Designs against

                     me and my Interest, for I cant help believing any gentleman,

                     when he gives me so much ground for it.

                       It is true, Thou hast shewed Col. Markham an exterior re

                     spect for some time, but tht makes him take this late Turn of

                     Treatment so much the harder. For if he were as culpable

                     as he represented, methinks he might first have been advised

                     of such irregularitys, and if not speedily mended, thou must

                     complain at home. But, instead of this method, to carry

                     smoothly there, & at the same time to encourage Edrd Ran

                     dolph to impeach him and the province here, two years sucess

                     ively, and thn first invade the Province by force, drums beat

                     ing and colours flying, & afterwards write against us; and all

                     this immediately after an appearance of a good Understanding,

                     seems to me not very prudent, and, to be sure, very unneigh

                     borly.

                       A letter of complaint to Mark. with a warning, in case he

                     were not more careful, to complain at home, with an order to

                     the Messenger to take his receipt for the letter, would have more

                     effectually touched him, and have obliged his care, or exposed

                     him much more to censure upon neglect.

                       But this is not all. Governr Nicholson, when in my province,

                     upon his return home, if not as he came, made it his business

                     to spy holes in our Coat, and glean up our weaknesses (if any

                     were) by asking and pumping at private houses how they

                     were governed, what Trade, what ships frequented them, if

                     they were injur'd or oppress'd in any respect, as I am assured

                     from thm, which has not a good Face with it, in my opinion,

                     nor can it tend to peace among the King's subjects & Colonys.

                       But yet a more disingenuous thing I complain of, to wit,

                     holding a Correspondence with people in my Province, in

                     order to expose the Government at home, which must end in

                     the disgrace of it, if not in mine, and my suffering Family's

                     Ruine.

                       This is what I believe Col. Nicholson would think very ill in

                     me; if I should, or could, provoke any of our Friends in Mary

                     land, or any else to serve thee so, thou wouldst punish it

                     severely.

                       I know tht Cpt Snead, Gr Jones (lately of M. land) & one

                     Moor, &c, have been thy correspondents, at least are of a

                     Cabal to blow us up. And for thm to doe this, and never send