Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 115

At a Council held at the City of Annapolis on Thursday
the eighth Day of April in the fifth year of his Lordship?
Dominion Annoque Domini 1756.

Present

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.

The
honorable

Benjamin Tasker Esq^r
Samuel Chamberlaine
Esq^r
Colonel Benjamin Tasker

Richard Lee Esquire

Benedict Calvert Esq^r
Colonel Goldsborough

The Record of the Conviction of Negro Simon the Slave
of George Layfield for a Felony by him committed, trans-
mitted by the Justices of Worcester County, being read, and
also the following Letter:
S^r
I am informed a Death Warrant, is ordered for the Exe-
cution of a Negro Man, the Slave of one George Layfield of
Worcester County in consequence of a Conviction before the
Justices of that County for the Offence of store breaking.

M^r Layfield informed me that he proposed to join with
some Persons in Worcester County of Repute in an Applica-
tion to your Excellency for a Pardon at the same time that
the Transcript should be sent up. Why that has not been done
I cannot tell unless it may be thought that I would mention
the Matter to your Excellency I shall therefore beg leave to
lay before you Sir, all that I have been made acquainted with,
in regard to the Criminal; since I came to Town M^r Joseph
Ensor of Baltimore County (who lately sold the above Negro
to M^r Layfield) informed me, as to the past Character of the
Fellow that he had been guilty of some little pilferings, but
never accused of any Offence like to that for which he is now
condemned: he is very young I believe not more than twenty
years of Age, and it is said much concerned for his Offence ;
it is also generally believed below that the present Criminal
had for his Accomplice a Negro Fellow (charged by the
Confession of the Criminal only who was the greatest Rogue
of the two, and escaped Punishment for want of legal Testi-
mony to convict him: I am convinced your Excellency's
merciful and humane Disposition inclines you to spare Life
where there may be a probability of Reformation in the
Criminal, I know little of him and submit the Matter to your
Excellencys Determination, whether Life or Death; I am
with all due Regard.
S^r Your most obed^t Serv^t
April 8^th 1756. Robert Jenckins Henry.

It is the Advice of this Board to his Excellency that he be
pleased to direct a Pardon for the aforementioned Negro,
which issued accordingly.

p. 93