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shall bind Your Lordship, was pleased to issue a Proclamation
under a specious Colour of preserving Peace, but really to
inflame and incite the Inhabitants of their Borders (which that
Government then acknowledged was filled with People of
more than ordinary Spirit) to the Commission of horrid and
cruel Violences
It is with the most sensible Concern, may it please your
Lordship, that We must own those Designs of the Govern-
ment of Pensilvania had too soon their desired Effects, for an
armed Multitude pretending to be Inhabitants of the Province
of Pensilvania headed by a Sheriff and Magistrate of that
Province beset the house of One Thomas Cresap who had
always held the Land he then lived on under a Title from
Your Lordship as Lord Proprietary of Maryland, acknowl
edged himself Tenant of this Province and constantly paid
his Taxes and Dues to the same and acted for some time past
as a Magistrate thereof; And in further Execution of their
pernicious Intentions these outrageous People set fire to the
house (in which there was then the Owner his Wife Children
and Six Other men) and burnt the same down to the Ground
with all the Effects of the said Owner to a very considerable
Value; nor was the Spirit of these Incendiaries allayed by this
bold Violation of all Laws, but when the unhappy Wretches
then in the House endeavoured to eave and defend themselves
from the flames and those merciless Men, a continual firing of
Guns followed, which occasioned the Death of One and
wounding Others of his Majestys Subjects and Your Lord-
ships Tenants who had been in the house; then the Owner
with four of his Companions were seized and hurried into the
Goals of the Province of Pensilvania where they now lye
This Proceeding by Fire and Sword to establish the Bounds
which are now in Dispute before the high Court of Chancery
filled Us with such terrible Apprehensions, that an immediate
Application was made from this Government to the Govern-
ment of Pensilvania for their Assistance in discountenancing
such Violences and bringing the Offenders to condign Punish-
ment, and lest they should escape a just Return lor their
Wickedness by any Doubt which the Government of Pensil-
vania might pretend to entertain of the Place where they
ought to be tryed; This Government requested that Govern-
ment to cause the Offenders to be immediately apprehended
in Order that they might be amesnable to Justice in such
Place as His Majesty should be pleased to direct; but contrary
to all reasonable Expectation that Government of Pensilvania
was pleased to decline any Complyance with that Demand by
deferring their Apprehension till His Majestys Pleasure should
be signified herein, nor could any Remonstrance from this
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Lib. M.
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