Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1750. 481

into his papers have released him, and received for his Charges
for taking up &c twenty seven shillings and Six Pence Given
under my hand the Day and Year above written
R Boyce Shf of Bait. Co^ty

The Sheriff and Magistrate attending this Board and the
aforegoing Letter and Receipt being read to them, M^r
Ridgeley in his Justification says, That the Person appeared to
him to be a Runaway, for that he was very ill dressed, talked
impertinently and was in Company with Two others who were
runaways and committed as such at the same time, that he
does not remember to have seen any Endorsment upon the
Back of a Letter with M^r Lee's Name, and that the same was
not done by him in Contempt of Authority, but if he was
mistaken, he begged Pardon; M^r Boyce says, that the Person
being committed as a Runaway to him by a Magistrate, he
was obliged to receive him, that his Goaler confined him, he
not being at the Prison at the time of his Commitment but
upon his coming to the Goal which was the next Day, & see-
ing his Papers he released him, and took the aforementioned

Lib. C. B.

Sum for his fees: All which being considered of by this Board
It is recommended to them both by his Excellency that Each
of them write a Letter to the honble the President of Virginia
seting forth the Case as It really was and beging his Pardon,
and that the Sheriff return the Money taken by him for the
fees; This Board being unwilling to shew any Resentment for
the same, believing it to be a Mistake.
His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board the fol-
lowing Letter

May it Please your Excellency

Having an Opportunity by M^r Harris was willing to acquaint
your Excellency that on August the 26^th by distress of Weather
the Commodore of a Spanish Fleet of Ships bound from Cuba
to old Spain Stranded on our Beach And the Chief who they
called their Commodore with his crew of Soldiers got of the
Neighbours Small Crafts and Came a Cross our Sound to the
Main, and got his Riches Over and Carted them to Snowhill
which Consisted Chiefly in Silver Several very heavy Chests
and got two Sloops at Snowhill and went down to Norfolk
in Virginia where three more of the Fleet lies that got into the
Bay Mastless and are now refitting in Order to Proceed their
Voyage We hear there is one more in Northampton on Shoar
which makes five And two not heard of as there was Seven in
the Fleet, which they think are lost I thought it my duty to
write to your Excellency to have your Oppinion whose Prop-

p. 408