HISTORICAL SKETCH. 87

In 1648, Baltimore sent out as Governor William Stone, a
Protestant and a friend of the parliamentary party; and at
the same time reconstructed the Council, so as to give the
Protestants a majority.

Baltimore's instructions to his first colonists, as we have
said, forbade any discrimination on account of religious dif-
ferences, or any disputes on matters of faith, and all were
allowed, under the common law of the province, the undis-
turbed enjoyment of their religion. In 1649, this policy was
made written law and placed on the statute book in the
famous "Toleration Act." In this Act, the calling of others
by reproachful names on account of religious differences was
forbidden under penalties, and "the better to preserve love
and amity," it is enacted that "no person professing to
believe in Jesus Christ shall be in any way molested or dis-
countenanced for, or in respect of his religion, nor in the free
exercise thereof." This Act remained the law of the land
until the Puritan supremacy in 1652.

The Puritans came into Maryland in this way: In 1643,
the Virginia Assembly passed a law expelling all non-con-
formists from the colony, upon which many came over to
Maryland, where they were kindly received by the Proprie-
tary, and wide and fertile lands in Anne Arundel were al-
lotted them, which they joyfully accepted, and settling about
the Severn Eiver in 1649, near the site of the present city of
Annapolis, called their new home Providence.

After the execution of Charles I, the Virginia Assembly
proclaimed his son, Charles II, as lawful King, in defiance of
the statute which made such a declaration high treason. So
Parliament sent out commissioners with a force to reduce to
submission "the plantations within the Chesapeake Bay,"
thus including Maryland, where no opposition to Parliament
existed. Under this authority Governor Stone was displaced,
and William Fuller, a Puritan of Providence, with a body of
commissioners, was put in possession of the government.
These repealed the Toleration Act of 1649, and submitted an
act visiting with penalties all adherents of "popery and pre-
lacy," as well as Quakers, Baptists and other miscellaneous
sects.

Cromwell, disapproving of their doings, wrote to the Vir-
ginia commissioners commanding them to leave Maryland
undisturbed. Baltimore then ordered Stone to take the gov-
ernment again. As Fuller refused to surrender it, Stone
marched against him with the men of St. Mary's and a battle
was fought on the shore of the Severn, on March 24, 1655, in
which Stone's party were defeated, and he himself wounded.