530 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1751.

Lib. C. B.

ment that We are Sorry we have cause to Name it, how to
Palliate or give reasons for such uncommon Behaviour we
should be at a Loss, was it not apparently propagated, and
infused into the heads of the Vulgar by a Person in the Parish
who makes Popularity his Darling drift and to Appearance
looks upon all manner of Government as a Nuisance Expressly
declaring that no Regard he will pay to his Excellencys Order
touching the Premises; Persons and Familysof the first Rank
among us (even of the fair Sex) who cannot Engage with the
Robust, often times with difficulty are obliged to Accept of
some incommodious Place to Sit down upon when others of a
Different Sex & Rank are commodiously Placed who will not
give Ear to decency and Order Alledging their Right is
Equal to any ones; by this Confusion and irregular behaviour
the Service of the Church becomes tiresome to us and the
Insults we meet with from a Number of People, who rather
chuse to follow their own Giddy fancy than any Order, may
easily be conjectured; the Number of Protestant Taxables in
this Parish as near as we can Collect is about 500 and the
Proportion we bear, may be discovered by the Number of
Taxables to Our Names put down
Therefore humbly Pray Your Excellency and Honours to
take this our case into your Serious Consideration, we fully
conceiving when the Reins of Government in Church as well
as State are once departed from a Melancholy Confusion must
immediately Ensue especially from the Low part of Mankind,

p. 467

hurryed into wild disorder by their own humors & undigested
Reasonings and the Pleasing thoughts of being every Persons
Equalls, Humbly hoping your Excellency and honours will be
pleased to make and enforce such an Order, that proper Pews
or parts thereof in our Parish Church may be Assigned, as
well for the Honourable Richard Lee Esq^r and his Family, as
for us your Petitioners & Familys Agreeable to the Numbers
our Familys Severally Consist of, the proportion we pay
towards the Support of the Church and the Characters we
Severally bear, If a general Regulation, by your Excellency
and Honours should not be thought proper
William & Mary Parish Benj: Fendall 33 Taxables
November 25^th 1751. Geo: Dent 24 Taxables
Rob^t Yates 12 Taxables

May it Please your Excellency & Honours —

I humbly conceive from the present disturbance in the
Parish, and the disorders and contentions which frequently
happen in & about the Church, that your Interposition in the
Premises is absolutely necessary, and that the Gentlemen
Petitioners have just cause of Complaint
Sam^l Clagett Rect^r