Maryland the 13. of April, 1655.

For the Right Honourable the Lord Baltimore, these present.

Right Honourable:

I am sorry at present for to let your Honour understand of our sad condition in your Province. So it is, that my Husband, with the rest of your Councell went about a month agone with a party of men up to Anne-Arundell County, to bring those factious people to obedience under your Government. My Husband sent Dr. Barber with one Mr. Coursey with a Message to them, but they never returned againe before the fight began. Also he sent one Mr. Packer the day after, with a Message, and he likewise never returned, as I heard: but so it is, that upon Sunday the 25. of March they did ingage with the people of Anne-Arundell, and lost the field, and not above five of our men escaped; which I did conceive ranne away before the fight was ended; the rest all taken, some killed and wounded; my Husband bath received a wound in his shoulder, but I heare it is upon the mending. My Husband, I am confident, did not thinke that they would have engaged, but it did proove too true to all our great damages; They as I heare, being better provided then my Husband did expect; for they hired the Captain of the Golden Line, a great ship of burden, the Captains name is Roger Hemans a yong man, and his Brother, who have beene great sticklers in the businesse, as I hear. Captain Heman was one of their Councell of War, and by his consent would have had all the Prisoners hanged; but after Quarter given, they tried all your Councellors by a Councell of Warre, and Sentence was passed upon my Husband to be shot to death, but was after saved by the Enemies owne Soldiers, and so the rest of the Councellors were saved by the Petitions of the Women, with some other friends which they found there; onely Master William Eltonhead was shot to death, whose death I much lament, being shot in cold bloud; and also Lieutenant William Lewis, with one Mr. Leggat and a Germane, which did live with Mr. Eltonhead, which by all Relations that ever I did heare of, the like barbarous act was never done amongst Christians. They have Sequestred my Husbands Estate, only they say they will allow a maintenance for me and my Children, which I doe beleeve will bee but small. They keep my Husband, with the rest of the Councell, and all other Officers, still Prisoners; I am very suddenly, God willing, bound up to see my Husband. They will not so much as suffer him to write a Letter unto mee, but they will have the perusall of what hee writes. Captaine Tylman and his Mate Master Cook are very honest men, and doe stand up much for your Honour; they will informe you of more passages then I can remember at the present; and I hope my Brother will be downe before Captain Tylman goes away, and will write to you more at large; for he is bound up this day for to see his Brother, if they doe not detain him there as well as the rest; the occasion I conceive of their detainment there is, because they should not goe home, to informe your Honour of the truth of the businesse before they make their owne tale in England, which let them doe their worst, which I do not question but you will vindicate my Husbands honour which hath ventured Life and Estate to keep your due heere, which by force he hath lost. And they give out words, that they have won the Country by the sword, and by it they will keepe the same, let my Lord Protector send in what Writing hee pleaseth. The Gunners Mate of Hemane, since his comming down from Anne-Arundell to Patuxent, hath boasted that he shot the first man that was shot of our Party. All this I write is very true, which I thought goode to informe your Lordship, because they will not suffer my Husband for to write himselfe; I hope your Honour will be pleased for to looke upon my Sonne, and for to wish him for to be of good comfort, and not for to take our afflictions to heart. And nothing else at present, I rest

Your Honours most

humble Servant

Verlinda Stone.

Post-script.

I hope your Honour will favour me so much, that if my Sonne wants twenty or thirty pounds you will let him have it, and it shall be payd your Honour againe.

Hemans the Master of the Golden Line is a very Knave, and that will be made plainly for to appeare to your Lordship for he hath abused my Husband most grosly.