26 ~  [11 September 1695]  Letter from Governor Nicholson appointing Edward Green officer for disposing of drift whales and wrecks on the seaboard side.

Maryland ~ 
Francis Nicholson Esq’re Capt Genr’l & Governor in Chief in & over this his Ma’ties Province of Maryland, the islands & territories thereunto belonging & Vice Admiral of the Same  ~~~~

To Edward Green of Somerset County, Gent,  Greetings  ~~

Whereas upon the humble petition of the said Edward Green unto me & Councel sett forth that living convenient to the seaboard side in Somerset County & having a right to the greatest part or share of those marshes sandbanks & breakers so termed adjoining upon the same, there prayed a power might be granted you for the seizing all wrecks thither coming & by Law condemned.  As also to preserve & take care of drift whales, grampuses and other Royall fishes unto his Ma’ty belonging being driven or cast upon the said seaboard side, with liberty to try for oyle what can be gott from the Blubber thereof. And for as much as their Ma’ty did by their Royal Commission under the great seal of the high Court of Admiralty of England bearing date in London the fifth day of March 1693/4 and in the sixth year of their said Ma’ties Reign give & grant unto me the said Francis Nicholson full & ample Jurisdiction of a Vice Admiral within all the Bayes, Rivers, Creeks, harbours, Inletts Islands & territories whatsoever belonging to or coming within any the precincts limits or jurisdictions of the Province afsd. By virtue whereof I reposing special trust & confidence in your fidelity care & circumspection in & about the matters above petitioned for I doe hereby constitute depute and appoint you the said Edward Green Chief and only officer under me for the takeing seizing cutting up and trying the blubber and makeing such other use & benefit as you shall think fitt or possibly can for the most advantage of all such drift whales or wrecks whatsoever as shall at any time hereafter happen to come or be cast on shore on the seaboard side within the limits & jurisdictions of this Province, hereby fully authorizing & empowering you the said Edward Green to make depute & employ under you so many deputies or other persons for the better management of the said affaire as you in your discretion shall think fitt and requisit, provided you the sd Edward Green shall at all time & times (as occasion shall offer) render a true & perfect acc’t (as well of all your proceedings herein & the profits & advantages which thereby hence forward shall accrue, as also of all other profits by you or any other person in those parts by means of such drifts or wrecks aforementioned heretofore made and yett unaccounted for) unto his Ma’ties Court of Admiralty on the Eastern Shore and pay or cause to be pd unto his Ma’ties Reciver Genr’ll such part & share of all such drifts & wrecks as by the said Court shall be adjudged unto his Ma’ty to appertain & belong and likewise pay & satisfie unto me the sd Francis Nicholson Esq’re what shall be found to be my due as Vice Admiral willing & requiring all Magistrates & Officers Military & Civill within this Province & other the Inhabitants thereof to suffer & permit you the sd Edward Green & such person & persons to be by you authorized & empowered as afsd quietly & peaceably to execute & perform the powers & authorities hereby given & granted you and to resist oppose & prevent all others strangers intruders or interlopers whatsoever that shall presume at any time hereafter to intermedle or concern themselves therewith without leave or license so to doe for first legally had & obtained.  To have & to hold the place & office afsd & the powers and authorities herein & hereby given & granted to you the said Edward Green for and dureing pleasure.  Given at the Port of Annapolis under my hand & seal this 21st day of August in the seventh year of his Ma’ties Reign ~ Anno Domini 1695. 

                                                                                                Fr Nicholson