in the year 1684, being called thither to defend himself against several heavy imputations, one of which, namely, that he had obstructed the custom house officers in the collection of the parliamentary duties, was unluckily, not without foundation. The other complaints turned chiefly upon his alledged partiality to those of his own religion in the disposal of offices; and he was required, under the threat of a writ of quo warranto against his charter, to reimburse a considerable sum stated to have been lost to the customs by his interference. He submitted to this exaction, and continued to parry the efforts of his enemies, till about the close of the reign of James II. when the violent animosities that prevailed in England against the religious faith professed by that monarch, reached the province of Maryland, and produced similar effects. The moment that James's abdication, and its immediate consequences, were announced, this spirit displayed itself in a manner not to be controuled. The administration of lord Baltimore had, upon news of the seeming invasion of England by the Dutch, put the province into some state of defence, and took other measures of security, which to the jealous conceptions of the people indicated a design to strengthen their own hands to the danger of the protestant colonists. The first suggestion of this idea was sufficient to produce the highest degree of alarm and exasperation. The proprietary had, moreover, been unfortunate in the miscarriage of the orders sent to his deputies to proclaim William and Mary, or at all events it had not been chearfully and seasonably done: All these circumstances concurring to impress on many a degree of real alarm, and to furnish the more designing with means to augment it, an armed (a) association was at length formed in 1689," for " the defence of the protestant religion, and for the asserting " the right of king William and queen Mary to that province " and all the British dominions;" but the real and open object of which was the immediate suppression of all authority in those whom the proprietary had left charged with the administration of his government. The deputies made some attempt towards defence, but wanting support, surrendered their powers and their persons to this violent association.     (a) At the head of this association was a certain John Coode, who is treated by writers on the affairs of Maryland with still more severity than either Cleyborne or Fendall. It is not an agreeable thing to abuse men a hundred years after their death, and I shall therefore say nothing further on this subject. In regard to the manner in which I speak of the popular alarm, and its effects, it will be deemed excusable, I presume, that I do not admit there was a plot to massacree the protestant inhabitants, and that I cannot therefore consider the alarm and ferment here related as having any just foundation. As to spleen or prejudice in regard to those long past events, I feel none, and trust therefore that none will appear in the slight references I have had occasion to make to the subject of religion. V