Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 87

and are Ignorant if any whose residence are in other Coun-
tys have been absent from the Places of their abode. We
have made Strict enquiry by Our Constables of the Number
of profest Papists within this County and by their returns do
find the Number of Persons of that Persuasion to be forty
three Males and Eight Females and few of these People of
Property but Chiefly of the meaner Class, These things Sir
Our Court have desired me to inform you in order to be laid
before his Excellency and the honourable Board I am
Sir Y^r very humble Servant
Chester Nov^r 24^th 1755. L. Hands.

Sir
We have since the Receipt of yours made Strict enquiry in
relation to the Tumultuous meetings and Caballings among
the Negroes (within this County) and also in respect to the
behaviour of the Roman Catholicks which are very few here,
and upon the Strictest Enquiry find such Reports to be
Groundless and without foundation, as to this County, for that
there has been no such meetings & Caballings among the
Negroes neither has those Persons of the Roman Catholick
Persuasion in any manner (as we can learn) misbehaved
themselves, and as for Romish Priests there is not any that
we know or hear of that reside within this County and Are
Y^r Most Humble Servants John Henry, Jn^o Scarborough,
Adam Spence, Jos^a Mitchell John Evans, Jo^s Dickinson, Tho^s
Handy, John Laws.

Worcester County 8^th Nov. 1755.

Sir

In Answer to yours from the honourable Council Board
dated Aug^t 15^th Ult We Certifie that upon the Strictest En-
quiry into the matters therein to Us recommended, We find
that there is not any Popish Priest resident amongst us and
but very few Papists and they by all Accounts Peaceable and
of good behaviour nor have We any Information of any
Tumultuous Meetings or Caballing of Negroes but that in
every Respect his Lordships Peace is well kept in this County
of Calvert
Signed p Order of Court
W Ireland Cll Com. Cal. Co.
Decem. 3^d 1755 Sedente Curia

Lib. J. R.
& U. S.