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U. H. J.
Liber No. 35
May 4
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his Authority to relieve and protect the Person molested, and cause
the Person offending to be punished :
The Oath of Fidelity taken by the Inhabitants of this Province
in Virtue of an Act which passed in 1650: was to the following
Effect " I will maintain to the utmost of my Power his Lordship's
just and lawful Rights &c : as granted to his Lordship in his Patent
under the great Seal not being any way understood to infringe or
prejudice Liberty of Conscience in Matter of Religion
The Grant to Lord Baltimore who was a Papist, his Lordship's
Promises & Declarations, the Confirmations of them by Act of
Assembly, and the Oaths we have recited, we hope will amply justify
our Assertion that the Roman Catholics were promised and allowed
an Asylum here.
As you have been pleased to say that you have not discovered
any Thing in History or otherwise to countenance our Assertion
we shall mention some Passages from Books for your Satisfaction
tho' we must observe to you that Writers may be mistaken or mis-
represent, but the Evidence we have produced can't mislead.
M.r Bowen speaking of Maryland says, " the first Colony sent to
Maryland was in the Year 1633. and consisted of two hundred People,
the Chief of these Adventurers were Gentlemen of good Families,
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p. 320
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and Roman Catholics for Persons of that Religion being made
uneasy /as well as protestant Dissenters/ they transported themselves
to this Province hoping to enjoy there the Liberties of their Con-
science under a Proprietary of their own Profession as the then Lord
Baltimore was. King James 2 :d before the Revolution intended to
take from the Proprietary the Power of appointing a Governor being
instigated thereto by Father Peters which seems something surpriz-
ing since Lord Baltimore was of the same Religion with himself, but
it must be observed that Lord Baltimore, tho' a Roman Catholic,
had been so moderate or so politic as to grant full Liberty of Con-
science to all those who should settle in Maryland." so far Bowen. —
Ogilby in treating of this Province says " that Maryland at the vast
Charge and by the unwearied Industry and Endeavour of Lord
Baltimore was at first planted, and hath since been supplied with
People and other Necessaries so effectually, that in the present Year
1671: the Number of English amounts unto 15: or 20,000: for
whose Encouragement there is a fundamental Law established there
whereby Liberty of Conscience is allowed to all who profess to believe
in Jesus Christ so that no Man who is a Christian is in Danger of
being disturbed for his Religion." Morden upon the same Subject
says, " that the Peopling and Trade of the Province of Maryland by
the vast Expence and Industry of the Lord Proprietary hath been
improved to that Height; that in 1670: there were reckoned near
20000 Inhabitants & that which keeps them together in the greatest
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