114 Assembly Proceedings, August 11-16, 1737.

U. H. J.
Lib. No. 33

of them as he could find in order that they might be forthcoming to
answer in a due course of Law for their Misdemeanor in attempting
to disturb the Peace of this Province by their avowed Disobedience
to the Laws thereof & as this Government was not ignorant that
these unfortunate people had been privately encouraged by some
persons daring enough to protect, them against any Prosecution
therefore the said Sheriff had directions to take to his Assistance in
the Execution of his said Office some of the militia of his Country in
pursuance of which Commands the said Sheriff attended by Several
of the Militia Repaired to that Part of his County where those Inhabi-
tants resided there he found them shut up in an House which an
armed number of men Inhabitants of Pennsylvania had taken pos-
session of and after his demand of their being delivered to him was
obstinately refused the said Sheriff with the said militia departed
in a peaceable manner and Distrained some few of their Goods for
their Proportion of Taxes
This Conduct of the Government of Maryland we humbly hope
will Appear in your Majestys Great wisdom proper & reasonable but
we presume to acquaint your Majesty that the Government of Penn-
sylvania thought fit not only to consider it in another Light but to
make Use of it for Purposes destructive of the Lives & Properties
of your Majestys Subjects for that Government under pretence that
those parts of the Country lay to the northward of a Line mentioned
in the Agreement now under the Cognizance of your Majestys high
Court of Chancery to Determine whether it should bind the Lord
Proprietary of this Province was pleased to issue a Proclamation

p. 501

under a Specious Colour of Preserving Peace but really to inflame
and incite the Inhabitants of their Borders which that Government
then acknowledged was filled with People of more than ordinary
Spirit to the Commission of horrid & Cruel Violences
It is with the most sensible Concern may it please your Majesty
that we found those designs of the Government of Pennsylvania had
too soon their desired Effect for divers your Majestys Subjects who
had nothing to support themselves with but their Labour and
Industry were violently Dragged from their Habitations and thrown
into Loathsome Goals to the ruin of their poor families and not
Content with these Violences an armed multitude pretending to be
Inhabitants of the Province of Pennsylvania headed by a Sheriff and
a Magistrate of that Province beset the house of one Thomas Cres-
sap who had always held the Land he then Lived on under a Title
from the Lord Proprietary of Maryland Acknowledged himself
Tenant of that Province and Constantly paid his Taxes & Dues to
the same and acted for some time past as a Magistrate thereof and
in further Execution of their pernicious intentions these outrageous
people set fire to the house (in which there was then the Owner his
Wife and Children and six other men) and burnt the same down to