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

Lib. J. R.
& U. S.

Sterling. By this two hundred and twenty Families are
turned out of Doors, the greatest part of whom being by this
Misfortune rendered incapable of Subsisting themselves are
become the proper Objects of Charity. And although I have
at the Desire of both Houses of the Legislature sent Briefs
throughout the Province to procure Relief for the unhappy
Sufferers, yet the Calamity is so great and extensive that the
means of Relief from among Ourselves & the Contributions
of our own Inhabitants must be greatly inadequate to the
Loss. I would therefore (as has been practised on the like
Occasions) desire your Excellency would be so good as to
recommend it to the People under your Government to assist
in relieving their Distressed Fellow Subjects, and that you
would cause what may be Collected on this Occasion to be
remitted to the Select men and Overseers of the Poor of the
Town of Boston, with whom will be lodged the Collections
made in this Government to be distributed among the Suffer-
ers as they in their Discretion shall judge proper. I have
the Honour to be
Sir
Your Excellencys most Obedient hum^l Serv^t
J Pownall

Sir
The Secretary tells me He is uncertain whether he sent
forward the foregoing Letter to your Excellency at the Time
of its Date. If it has been already forwarded you will please
to receive this as a Copy, and Excuse my troubling you with
a Duplicate to prevent any further uncertainty about it.
Your most Obedient humble Serv^t
J Pownall

Which being Read Ordered with the Advice of this Bord
that the following Brief be issued together with Letters to
the several Sheriffs of this Province.

p. 251

By his Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq^r Governor and
Commander in Chief in and over the Province of Maryland

A Brief.
It having been represented to me, by his Majesty's Gov-
ernor of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, That on
the twentieth of March last, a Fire broke out in the Town
of Boston, in such Manner as to elude all Means for Sup-
pressing the same, untill it had (according to the best In-
formation that could be obtained) destroyed One hundred
and seventy four Dwelling Houses and as many Warehouses,
Shops, and other Buildings, which with the Furniture and