and sent over by Lord Baltamore,) Captain Stone, and all Maryland fall to arms, and disarm and plunder those that would not accept the aforesaid Oath. A part of them at last stood upon their guard, onely sought to Captain Stone to shew his Commission, and they would submit; he caused to imprison their Messengers, and being of far greater number, assaulted them at their houses, threatens to have their blood, calls them Round-head Rogues and Dogs, brought whole bagfuls of chewed Bullets, rolled in powder, saying, The Devil take him that spares any; and so falls on upon the day dedicated to the Virgin Mary, with the word Hey for St. Mary: but the Protestants commanded their men not to shoot upon pain of death, until some being slain by a volly of shot from the Marylands, they defended themselves, and God confounded Capt. Stone and all his Company before them: there were near double the number in Prisoners to the Victors, twenty slain, many wounded, and all the place strewed with Papist beads where they fled; but the Proceedings thereof, and how the arm of the Lord was revealed, and his mighty power manifested even to admiration, together with the success, and the evils drawn upon themselves, appears by the relation thereof, at this time also published by a Messenger from thence.

The Lord Baltamore pretends in print, his entertainment into Maryland of the Parliaments Friends thrust out of Virginia; but those very men whom he so stiles coming thither being promised by Captain Stone, that he would declare urging the Oath upon them, complain of it to the Parliament, are in answer thereunto vilified by Lord Baltamore, and publickly taxed for obscure factious fellows, and in his later Letters termed the basest of men, and unworthy of the least favour or forbearance; such advantages doth he make on all sides, at such a distance, and in such incomposed times, that he confidently takes the liberty to aver such extream and contrary things which amaze other men that see them. The place as himself confesses, had been deserted, if not peopled from Virginia. He might with more reason scruple to supplant the Rights of the most considerable conjuncture of worthy men that ever undertook such an Adventure, as Plantation out of England; which hath been the beginner and parent of all the rest.

The late King James revoked the Virginia-Companies Patent, for denying him to alter the Government, for which he had fundamentally provided to give Instructions from time to time, and was the same, which the last King did by his Commission to Sir Willian Davenant, of which the Lord Baltamore speaks so

much, and makes such inferences as serve his own ends. But the Truth is, all that can rightly and properly be collected from thence is onely this, (his right to the Soil being in express words reserved) if the King might dispose of the Government of Maryland, why not the Parliament, as they have done; and why not the Lord Protector as he also hath done? Another of those Fundamentals was, That no Papists should be tolerated to remain in Virginia, but sent away if they would not take the Oath of Allegiance, and was so practised: this the old Lord Baltamore refusing, stayed not in Virginia; and, Hinc illa lachryma, to all those that were of the Councel, who with their wives and children have not suffered a little for it; of which onely Colonel Matthews and Colonel Claiborn remain alive. His son this Lord Baltamore now publishes himself a Recusant, and avers contrarily that the Laws against Papists and Recusants extend not thither; yet his Patent sayes, No interpretation shall be admitted thereof, by which God's holy and truely Christian Religion, or the allegiance due to the Successors of the State of England, should suffer any prejudice or diminution.

By all which surely it's most evident, This County Palatine aimed and coveted by him, appears disagreeable to Law and to his own Patent: and as a Monster unlike the rest of the Dominions of the Commonwealth of England, and contrary to the late Platform of Government under his Highness the Lord Protector; yet hath he omitted no means to inforce his Dominion on those men that are most unwilling to submit to him as an absolute Prince and hereditary Monarch. Neither doth that instance of the Roman Commonwealth in his printed Pamphlet hold for him, who though they permitted and continued many Kingships over people that formerly had them, as is now done in Virginia among the Indians; yet he cannot shew, that ever they constituted King over the people of Rome to govern absolutely over them, as this case pleads for, to have a negative voice, yea, and a power ad placitum, in all things that is before specified, to the great regret of the Inhabitants, the oppression of many, and the obstruction of justice, of which Maryland hath afforded no mean examples and Complaints.

But although Virginia seeks the re-establishment of her bounds so often assured under the great Seal of England, and otherwise, yet to renew any such Authority as this of Maryland, or that of the Company over her, she desires it not; but to be from time to time under such Government as the State of England shall appoint.

B

Duplicate Instructions for Captain Robert Dennis, Mr. Rich. Bennet, Mr. Tho. Steg, and Capt. William Claiborn appointed Commissioners for the reducement of Virginia, and the Inhabitants thereof to their due obedience to the Commonealth of England.

W

Hereas the Parliament of England by an Act intituled, An Act prohibiting trade with Barbadoes, Virginia, Bermudas and Antego, hath committed to this Councel several powers therein expressed, for the setling, reducing, and governing the said Islands, printed copies of which Acts are herewith delivered you. In pursuance whereof, a Fleet is now set forth victualled, armed, and manned under the command and conduct of Captain Robert Dennis, to effect by the blessing of God the ends aforesaid; and for the management of that service you are hereby joyntly nominated and appointed Commissioners and for your better directions and proceedings therein, you are to follow these Instructions following:

Such of you as are here to repair on board the ships, John or the Guinny Friggot of the States, which of them you shall think fit, and winde and weather permitting to sail to Virginia, as Captain Robert Dennis shall direct and appoint. And upon your arrival in Virginia, you, or any two or more of you, (whereof Captain Robert Dennis to be one) shall use your best endeavours to reduce all the Plantations within the Bay of Chesepiak to their due obedience to the Parliament and the Commonwealth of England.

For which purpose, you, or any two or more of you, (wherof Captain Robert Dennis to be one) have hereby power to assure, pardon, and indemnity to all the Inhabitants of the said Plantations that shall submit unto the present Government, and Authority as it is established in this Commonwealth; in which pardons you may make such limitations and exceptions, as you or any two or more of you, whereof capt. Robert Dennis to be one, shall think fit.

And in case they shal not submit by fair wayes, and meanes you are to use all acts of hostility that lies in your power to enforce them, and if you shal find the people so to stand out as

that you can by no other wayes or means reduce them to their due obedience, you or any two or more of you whereof capt. Rob. Dennis to be one have power to appoint captains, and other Officers, and to raise forces within every of the plantations aforesaid, for the furtherance and good of the service, and such persons as shall come in unto you and serve as soldiers, if their masters shal stand in opposition to the present Government of this Commonwealth, you or any two or more of you whereof capt. Rob. Dennis to be one, have hereby power to discharge, and set free from their masters all such persons so serving as souldiers.

You shall cause and see all the several Acts of parlament against Kingship, and the house of Lords to be received and published; as also the Acts for abolishing the Book of common prayer, and for subscribing the ingagement, and all of their Acts therewith delivered to you.

You or any two or more of you have ful power to administer an Oath to all the Inhabitants and planters there, to be true and faithful to the commonwealth of England as it is now established without a King or house of Lords: You or any two or more of you, whereof cap. Robert Dennis to be one, have power to give liberty to the inhabitants, and planters who shall have taken the engagement formerly mentioned to choose such Burgesses as they shall think fit, and send to the place you shal appoint for the better Regulating and governing affairs there; provided that nothing be acted contrary to the Government of the commonwealth of England, and the Laws established.

You shall cause all Writs, Warrants, and other processe whatsoever to be issued forth as occasion shall require, in the name of the Keepers of the Liberty of England, by authority of Parliament.

In case of Mortality, or absence of Cap. Rob. Dennis, you or any two, or more of you have power to put in execution these instructions. In case of Mortality or absence of Cap. Rob: Dennis, Edmund Curtis commander of the Guinny Frigot is hereby impowered to act as Commissioner with you, or any two or more of you, and he is also in the absence of Capt. Robert Dennis to take the charge of the Fleet so far as concerns the shipping, according to the power given to Cap. Rob: Dennis. And lastly as we doubt not but you will use your best dilligence, and care in carrying on of this affair of consequence with which you are intrusted, and that by your good endeavours it will have a good issue, so the Counsel wil take the same into consideration that respect may be had of your pains, and travel therein, and of a recompence agreeable to your service, when the same shall be

finished.

compleated, and work upon which you are imployed shall be Signed in the name and by order of the Councel of State appointed by authority of Parlam. John Bradshaw President.

Whitehal 26

Sept: 1651.

I

Jo: Thurloe Cler: of the Counsel.

Committee Navy 31 December: 1652.

N pursuance of an order of Parlament of the 31 Aug. 1652. whereby the 4. and part of the 7. and 8 Articles agreed on at James City for the surrendring, and setling of plantation of Virginia, with certain parchments concerning Mariland, and the petition of the Inhabitants of Virginia, are referred unto this Committee to consider what patent is fit to be granted to the said Inhabitants of Virginia, and to hear all parties, and to consider of their particular claims, and to report the same unto the Parlament. This Committee upon examination of the matter of fact, and upon hearing both parties, and their Counsel, do find, and humbly certifie.

That by a Patent dated the 23 day of May, in the 7th year of King James, there was granted to divers Adventurers and Planters by the name of the Virginia Company, all those Lands, Countries, and Territories scituate in that part of America called Virginia, from Cape, or point comfort all along the sea coast to the Northward two hundred mile; and from the said Cape, or point comfort all along the sea-coast to the Southward 200 miles; all that space of Land lying from the sea-coast of the precinct aforesaid up into the Lands throughout from sea to sea, West and Northwest, and all the Islands lying within 100 miles along the coast of both seas of the precincts aforesaid, with the soyls &c. thereunto belonging to hold to them and their heirs forever under the several reservations therein mentioned.

That the said patent was afterwards by a Quo warranto in the 21 of the said King repealed, and made void.

That in the 8th year of the late King, upon the humble petition of the Ld. Baltemore, that he might have and enjoy a collony or parcel of ground in America then uncultivated, and not inhabited by any save the Indians there was by patent dated 20 June 8 Car. granted to the said Lord Baltemore all that parcel of Land lying in the part of America, from the sea on the East to the Bay of Chessaphia on the West, extending from Watkins point to Delawar Bay, and from Delawar Bay to

* See Note, page 46.