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

Lib. J. R.
& U.S.

and does Shoemaker's Work for Samuel Webb, and he be-
lieves never made any Crop, either of Corn or Tobacco.
That Thomas Burgen has a Wife, and several small Children
but no Negroes or Servants, that he has a small plantation
but is very poor; that Darby Tool is a Shoemaker and works
at his Trade for Samuel Webb, that he has a wooden Leg
and that the Shoemakers Business is his chief Employment,
that Burgen, Tool & M^cDonald live in the Forrest and are
very near Neighbours, he likewise saith that the person now
shown to him he doth not know to be either Johnson or
Murphy, this Deponent also saith that M^r Bennet Neale
never told him nor did he ever hear any other person say that
one M^r Digges who lived near York or any other M^r Digges
had Arms or Ammunition by him and would be of Service
if the French should come down, or that M^r Digges would
furnish any Person with Arms or Ammunition to assist the
ffrench, or for any such purpose, and he likewise says that
he never heard any one say that Ulick Burk or any other
Burk would do all that lay in his power towards furnishing
any Persons with Arms and Ammunition to assist the
French; this Deponent likewise declares that he never heard
M^r Ignatius Wheeler, Thomas Shea, or any other person say
it would be necessary to provide Arms lo assist the ffrench
if they should come down, but on the contrary he says that
he has heard Thomas Shea advise the People to keep their
Arms in good Order to defend themselves if the French

p. 143

should come down; and that M^r Bennett Neal should have
offered to lend to M^r Lee a Captain of the Militia in the
said County two Guns for the use of the Militia if they
should want them; this Deponent likewise further says that
he has heard M^r Bennett Neale to the best of his Remem-
brance at the House of M^r Thomas Shea say, that this prov-
ince could be nothing bettered by being under a ffrench Gov-
ernment than a free Enjoyment of the Roman Catholic
Religion that what Conversation might pass, or by whom
spoken that could lead M^r Bennet Neale to make such a
Remark he cannot tell, nor does he remember who were
present at that time, it happening to the best of his Knowl-
edge about two or three years ago :
Sworn to this 30^th Day of John Cretin
November 1756..

The said William Johnson being brought in was asked if
he knew the above Deponent and declared that he did, and
that it was M^r Bennet Neale the priest.
Darby Toole of Baltimore County Shoemaker being sworn
on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God deposeth and saith