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

Lib. J. R.
& U. S.

spiring & Attempting to Poison a Certain Richard Duckett
the younger Ordered that Negro Harry the Slave of Philip
Key the younger be hung at Choptico on Friday the last day
of this Instant October and afterwards to be hung in Chains
at the same Place And that Negro Cork the Slave of Philip
Key Esq^r be hung at Choptico on Wednesday the Twelfth
day of November next and afterwards to be hung in Chains
at Budds Creek in the said County of S^t Marys, and that
Pardon issue to Negro Thomas the Slave of John Prather af^d

Ordered that the following Letters Received by his Excel-
lency be Entered
Sir
In order to Consider upon the Subject of M^r Ross's Letter
by your Excellencys direction Sent us relating to the Con-
duct of the Roman Catholicks and Negroes in this County
We lately appointed a meeting at the Court house and En-
deavoured to inform Ourselves so as to be able to Send your
Excellency an Answer with some exactness.
We cannot find that the Roman Catholicks in this County
have given any Cause of Complaint or Shewn any Signs of
Satisfaction at the late unfortunate Defeat of the brave
General Braddock
Whether it has been from principals of Prudence or
Policy We cannot pronounce, But their behaviour here as

p. 66

far as has come to our Knowledge hath been without offence.
About three or four Months ago one M^r Ellis a Priest who
lived at New Town in this County went from thence in order
to go as it was said to Settle at a Danish Island in the West
Indies and has never Since Returned and We know of no
other Priest who has lately lived among Us who has been
Absent from his Residence nor do we know of any unlawful
Meetings of Negroes.
We are not yet informed who have been the Authors of
those Reports mentioned in your Excellencys Letter which
have been in some Places so industriously spread, If we
should Discover them we should take Proper Measures for
their being brought to Justice as Enemies to their Countrys
Peace and friends to a faction who labour to foment ani-
mosities amongst Us to the Endangering our Common Se-
curity. We are with the greatest regard
Sir Y^r Excellencys mo: Obed^t Serv^ts
Philip Key, Tho: Aisquith, Jn^o Bond,
Zach Bond, R Barnhouse, I Hill
H W Williams, Tho^s Greenfield.
To His Excellency Horatio Sharpe
Esq^r Governor of Maryland