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Lib. C. B.
No. 20
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with our holy Religion, or a discipline evidently formed on
Puritanical Principles and which we shall hardly need to
observe to your Lordship, holds such enmity with the forms
of Civil Government, as here established that in the End it
must of necessity prove destructive to it is not remote. Al-
ready do Evils of this Class make an alarming appearance for,
owing to the irregular Circumstances of the Clergy and a
total want of Discipline a motley variety of Sectaries ever
watchful to Seize every prospect of Advantage to themselves
are making hasty strides not only to overturn the Religious
Establishment but the Civil one also. The Instances are num-
erous in which they have avowedly denied your Lordship's
right of Patronage, and however futile and undeserving of
Notice such an Opinion may be deemed when singly considered
yet when viewed in Conjunction with a long train of other
opinions of a similar complexion all equally unwarrantable we
cannot but think it not beneath your Lordship's Attention, and
we trust we shall be thought by your Lordship strictly to be in
our Duty and acting agreeably to your Lordship's expectations
from us, while thus with all becoming deference we point out
Evils that call so loudly for immediate Remedy. This Remedy
we beg leave to repeat it can nowhere else be found but in
the introduction of Bishops; an object no less interesting to
your Lordship's Civil Government and the Welfare of your
faithful People than it is to the preservation of our excellent
Church. We do therefore with all humility most earnestly
implore your Lordship to second and Support our Application
to the Throne to have a Bishop sent to America whose influ-
ence we are persuaded, will not be less favourable to the
Support of Civil Administration than we assure ourselves it
will be to the maintenance of true Religion and Virtue. And
we do fervently pray to the Almighty the Giver of every good
and perfect Gift to Crown your Endeavours with Success
We are for ourselves and Brethren, Your Lordship's
The Right honble faithful humble Servants
Lord Baltimore Signed by Order
Robert Read, Secretary
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p. 121
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My Lord
We take the Liberty of enclosing to your Grace a Petition
to his Majesty requesting his Majesty to indulge us with an
American Episcopate. To those Reasons which our Con-
science dictates for this Application may be added some De-
signs of late agitated in this Province relative to ecclesiastical
Matters.
The established Church was endowed in Maryland by an
Act of Assembly passed in the year 1701, 2, and tho' it has
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