USA > Maryland > Anne Arundel County > A history of Anne Arundel County in Maryland : adapted for use in the schools of the county > Part 5
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7. " Whereupon," says Mr. John Langford, "the said commissioners demanded of Captain Stone the Lord Baltimore commission to him ; which he showed them ; and, then, without any other cause at all, they detained it, and removed him and his lordship's other officers out of their employment in the province under him, and appointed others to manage the government of Maryland, independent of his lordship."
8. Bennett and Clayborne ordered, " that all writs, warrants, and process what- soever, be issued forth in the name of the keepers of the liberty of England ; and that they be signed under the hand of one or more of the council hereafter named, viz : Robert Brooke, Esq., Col. Francis Yardley, Mr. Job Chandler, Captain Edward Windham, Mr. Richard Preston, and Lieutenant Richard Banks."
9. The new council, or any two or more of its members, was empowered to hold courts, and to direct and govern the affairs of the province.
10. Thus the disaster that Lord Baltimore, by his personal intercession with Parliament, had been able to ward off in the legislative branch, was consummated by his enemies through the executive power of the Council of State.
11. Maryland reduced to subjection, the commissioners returned to Virginia, where Bennett was made Governor, and Clayborne, Secretary of State.
PARAGRAPH 5. (a) When did the Commissioners enter Maryland? (b) At the head of what did they come? (c) What did they propose to Governor Stone and the Council? (d) What did Governor Stone declare he would do?
PARAGRAPH 6. (a) From what did Governor Stone ask to be excused?
PARAGRAPH 7. (@) Upon this what did the Commissioners demand of Governor Stone? (b) What did the Commissioners do with this commission? (e) Whom did they remove from office and appoint in their stead?
PARAGRAPH 8. (a) How did Bennett and Clayborne order the writs to be issued? (b) By whom were these to be signed? (c) Who composed this Council?
PARAGRAPH 9. (#) What was the Council empowered to do?
PARAGRAPH 10. (a) How had this disaster to Lord Baltimore been consummated?
PARAGRAPH 11. (a) After reducing Maryland to what place did the Commissioners return?
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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
12. Handsomely provided for in Virginia, the commissioners visited Maryland to rivet more firmly their hold upon it. Discovering that Gov. Stone was exceed- ingly popular with the people, as well as affable to the commissioners, Bennett and Clayborne resolved to make him Governor once more. In order to justify their actions in onsting him at their previous visit, they declared, in their proclamation restoring Governor Stone to his office, and Mr. Hatton as Secretary of State, that these were left out of office "upon some misapprehension or misunder- standing, as they alleged, in that particular of issuing out writs and all other pro- cess whatever, in the name of the liberties of England by authority of parliament," that Captain Stone was "contented to resume his former place," on condition that he might "reserve and save to himself, as also to the aforesaid Mr. Thomas Hatton, Robert Brooke, Esq., and Captain John Price, their oaths made to the Lord Balti- more, Lord Proprietor of this Province, until the pleasure of the State of England be further known." The proclamation bore date of June 28th, 1652.
CHAPTER TWELFTH.
PROVIDENCE SENDS A PETITION TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
1. Whilst Maryland was made a shuttle-cock in the hands of opposing forces, the Puritans of Severn addressed a petition :
" To Honorable Richard Bennett and Col. William Clayborne, Esqrs., Com- missioners of the Commonwealth of England for Virginia and Maryland." It was styled : " The Humble Petition of the Commissioners and Inhabitants of Ser- erne, alias, Anne Arundel county, sheweth." It read : "That whereas, we were invited and encouraged by Captain Stone, the Lord Baltimore's Governor of Mary- land, to remove ourselves and estates into his province, with promise of enjoying the liberty of consciences in matter of religion, and all other privileges of English subjects. And your petitioners did, upon this ground, with great cost, labor and danger remove ourselves, and have been at great charges in building and clearing. Now the Lord Baltimore imposeth an oath upon us by proclamation, which he requireth his Lientenant forthwith to publish ; which, if we do not take within three months after publication, all our lands are to be seized for his lordship's use.
PARAGRAPH 12. (a) Who returned to Maryland? (b) What did they discover? (c) What did the Commissioners resolve to do? (d) How did they justify this action? (e) What was the date of the proclamation restoring Governor Stone to the office of Governor?
PARAGRAPH 1. (a) Who addressed a petition to Bennett and Clayborne? (b) What did the petition say had been promised the petitioners? (c) What did the petitioners state they had done at
THE COUNCIL HOUSE, ANNAPOLIS. This building was erected about 1697, and was used as the meeting place of the Governor and his Council. Under the State it became the Treasury Building, and was so used until 1901. It is now the office of the Maryland State Board of Education.
PUBLI LA
O
-
THERE
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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
This oath we conceive not agreeable to the terms on which we came hither, nor to the liberty of our consciences as Christians and free subjects of the Commonwealth of England ; Neither can we be persuaded in our consciences by any light of God, or engagement upon us, to such an oath ; but rather humbly conceive it to be a very real grievance and such an oppression as we are not able to bear ; Neither do we see by what lawful power such an oath, with such extreme penalties, ean by his Lordship be exacted of us who are free subjects of the Commonwealth of England ; and have taken the engagement to them. We have complained of this grievance to the late Honorable Council of State, in a petition subscribed by us, which never received an answer, such as might elear the lawfulness of such, his proceedings with us, but an aspersion cast upon us of being factions fellows ; neither have we received any conviction of our error in not taking the said oath, nor order by that power, before whom, our petition is still pending, to take it hereafter ; neither can we believe that the Commonwealth of England will ever expose us to such a mani- fest and real bondage (who assert themselves, the maintainers of the lawful liberties of the subject) as to make us swear absolute subjection to a Government, where the Ministers of State are bound by oath to countenance and defend the Roman Popish Religion, which we apprehend to be contrary to the Fundamental Law of England, the covenant taken in the three Kingdoms, and the conscience of true English sub- jects, and doth carry on an arbitrary power, so as whatever is done by the people at great costs in assemblies, for the good of the people, is liable to be made null by the negative voice of his Lordship. But affirmative propositions and commands are ineessantly urged, and must not be denied.
2. "In Consideration, whereof, we humbly tender our condition and Distraction, upon this occasion, falling upon the hearts of the people, to your view and con- sideration, intreating your honors to relieve us according to the Cause and Power wherewith you are entrusted by the Commonwealth of England. We rather, because, upon such an exigent as this, we have none to flie to but yourselves, the Honorable Commissioners of the Commonwealth of England ; not doubting but God will direct you into what his mind and will is in this matter concerning us, and that you will faithfully apply yourselves to our redress in what is just and our lawful liberty, which is the prayer of your poor petitioners. Severn River, the 3d of January, 1653."
3. This petition was signed by Edward Lloyd and seventy-seven others of the housekeepers, freemen and inhabitants of Severn.
4. The people of North Patuxent sent a similar petition under date of March
great cost? (d) What did the petitioners say was imposed on them? (e) What would be the result if the oath was not taken? (f) What did the Puritans allege that the oath was not agreeable to? (g) What did the petitioners allege the Ministers of State were bound by oath to defend?
PARAGRAPH 2. (a) Of what did the petitioners entreat their honors to relieve them? (b) What was the date of this petition?
PARAGRAPH 3. (a) Who signed the petition?
PARAGRAPH 4. (a) Who else sent a similar petition? (b) Who signed this petition? (e) What 3
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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
1st, 1653. This was signed by Richard Preston and sixty others. On March 12, 1653, Bennett and Clayborne returned an encouraging answer to the petitioners of Severn and Patuxent, in which reply they counselled that the settlers "continue in your due obedience to the Commonwealth of England, in such manner as you, and they, were then appointed and engaged ; and not to be drawn aside from the same upon any pretence of such uncertain relations as we hear are divulged among you. To which we expect your real conformity, as you will answer the contrary ; notwithstanding any pretence of power from Lord Baltimore's Agents, or any other whatsover to the contrary."
CHAPTER THIRTEENTH.
CROMWELL'S COMMISSIONERS REDUCE MARYLAND,
1. Information of Cromwell's elevation to the protectorate having been received, Governor Stone proclaimed him Protector on the sixth of June, 1654. The same year, on the fourth of July, Governor Stone, in public proclamation, charged the commissioners, Bennett and Clayborne, and the whole Puritan party, mostly of Anne Arundel, with drawing away the people, and leading them into faction, sedi- tion and rebellion against the Lord Baltimore.
2. This proclamation is not now extant, but Mr. Leonard Strong, a Puritan writer, and a leading citizen of Providence, contemporaneous with the document, says that the paper called "that which was done by commission from the Council of State in England, rebellion against the Lord Baltimore, and those that were actors in its factions and seditious persons, which was done by a proclamation full of railing termis, published at Providence in the church meeting."
3. Bennett and Clayborne promptly returned to Maryland. Eleven days from the date of Governor Stone's proclamation, "they applied themselves to Capt. William Stone, the Governor and Council of Maryland," "in a peaceable and loving way to persuade them into their due and promised obedience to the commonwealth of England."
answer did Bennett and Clayborne return, to this petition? (d) What did Bennett and Clayborne counsel the petitioners to do ?
PARAGRAPH I. (a) What proclamation did Governor Stone make on receiving information of Cromwell's elevation? (b) What proclamation did the Governor make in relation to Bennett and Clayborne?
PARAGRAPH 2. (a) What did Mr. Leonard Strong say of this proclamation?
PARAGRAPH 3. (@) Upon the issuing of the Governor's proclamation, how did Bennett and Clayborne act?
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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
4. The commissioners, in their published statement of the occurrence, declared that Governor and Council, "returning only opprobious and uncivil language, pres- ently mustered his whole force of men and soldiers in arms, intending to surprise the said commissioners, and to destroy all those that had refused the same unlawful oath, and only kept themselves in their due obedience to the commonwealth of England under which they were reduced and settled by the parliament's authority and commission. Then the said commissioners, in quiet and peaceable manner, with some of the people of Patuxent and Severn went over the River of Patnxent, and there, at length, received a message from the said Capt. Stone, that the next day he would meet and treat in the woods ; and, thereupon, being in some fear of a party come from Virginia, he condescended to lay down his power, lately assumed from the Lord Baltimore and to submit to such government as the commissioners should appoint under his highness the lord protector."
5. Frequent and violent changes in the government of the province had their legitimate sequence finally in a recourse to arms.
6. On the last reducement of the Maryland government by Bennett and Clay- borne, July 15th, 1654, they had appointed Capt. William Fuller, Mr. Richard Preston, Mr. William Durand, Mr. Edward Lloyd, Captain John Smith, Mr. Leonard Strong, John Lawson, Mr. John Hatch, Mr. Richard Wells and Mr. Richard Ewen, or any four of them, whereof Captain William Fuller, Mr. Richard Preston, or Mr. William Durand were to be always one, to be commissioners, for the well ordering, directing and governing of the affairs of Maryland, under his highness, the Lord Pro- tector of England, Scotland, Ireland and the dominions thereof, and in his name only, Fand no other. The commission gave anthority to hold courts, to summon an assembly, and prohibited Roman Catholics from voting.
7. The names and the spirit of the commission bear evidence that the majority of the commissioners were Puritans of Providence and its adjacent settlements.
8. Captain Fuller and his associates summoned a Legislature, and it began its sessions at Patuxent, October 20th, 1654; the Assembly sitting as one House. The most remarkable law of this Legislature was the one that "enacted and declared that none who profess and exercise the Popish (commonly called the Roman Catholic) religion can be protected in this province by the laws of England, formerly established and yet unrepealed."
9. Never had the fable of the camel, who asked to put his nose in the Arab's tent, and who finally turned the owner out, been more completely realized than it
PARAGRAPH 4. (a) What did the Commissioners say that the Governor and Council did? (b) What did Governor Stone agree to?
PARAGRAPH 6. (@) On their last reducement of Maryland, what appointments did Bennett and Clayborne make?
PARAGRAPH 7. (a) What evidence do the names and spirit of the commission bear evidence? PARAGRAPH 8 (a) What did Captain Fuller and his associates summon? (b) What was the most remarkable law of this Legislature?
PARAGRAPH 9. (a) What stringent laws were passed by this Assembly?
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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
was with the Puritans and Catholics of Maryland. Stringent laws were passed by the same Assembly against drunkenness, swearing, false reports, slandering, tale- bearing, violations of the Sabbath, and acts of adultery and fornication.
10. An Act was also passed changing the name of Anne Arundel County to the County of Providence, and prescribing the bounds thereof to be Herring Creek, including all the plantations and lands unto the bounds of Patuxent County (sup- posed to be the present Calvert), that is, to a creek called " Mr. Marshe's Creek, otherwise called Oyster Creek."
11. All was peace in the Province until January, 1655, when the ship Golden Fortune, Captain Tillman, arrived in Maryland. On it came a gentleman named Eltonhead, who brought the information " that the Lord Baltimore kept his patent and that his Highness (the Lord Protector) had neither taken the Lord Baltimore's patent from him nor his land."
12. By the same ship, it appears, came a letter from Lord Baltimore upbraiding Governor Stone for resigning his government unto the hands of the commissioners of the Lord Protector and commonwealth of England, without striking a blow.
13. Governor Stone needed no more encouragement to act. He re-assumed the duties of Governor under his former commission, and determined to make a manly struggle to obtain possession of the government of the province. He pro- ceeded immediately to issue military commissions to officers, and to organize an armed force in the loyal county of St. Mary's.
14. Which of the two sides, Lord Baltimore's or the Commissioners', Cromwell sustained, is difficult to tell, in view of two letters on the subject, one written January 12th, 1655, and the other September 26th, which are palpable contradictions of each other. This conflict of rights had gone so far, war, and not words, could only decide it.
15. The overt act was committed by Governor Stone who despatched Mr. John Hammond to recover the records of the province and to seize a magazine of arms and ammunition gathered at Mr. Richard Preston's house at Patuxent, and belonging to the Puritans.
16. Mr. Hammond says : "I went unarmed amongst the sons of thunder, only three or four to row me, and despite all their braves of raising the country, calling in his servants to apprehend me, threatened me with the severity of their new made law, myself alone seized, and carried away the records in defiance."
PARAGRAPH 10. (a) What name was given to Anne Arundel county ?
PARAGRAPH 11. (a) What disturbed the peace of the Province?
PARAGRAPH 12. (a) For what did Lord Baltimore upbraid Governor Stone?
PARAGRAPH 13. (a) What did Governor Stone re-assume?
PARAGRAPH 14. (a) Which side did Cromwell sustain?
PARAGRAPH 15. (a) What overt act was committed by Governor Stone?
PARAGRAPH 16. (a) What did Mr. Hammond say of this event?
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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
CHAPTER FOURTEENTH.
THE BATTLE OF THE SEVERN.
1. About the 20th of March, 1655, Governor Stone started from St. Mary's to bring the unruly Puritans of Providence into subjection to Lord Baltimore's gov- ernment. The forces of the Governor consisted of one hundred and thirty men. Part of these marched by land up the southern peninsula, and were ferried across the mouths of rivers and creeks in eleven or twelve small boats which the Governor had pressed into his service. Advised of the advance of the St Mary's forces, the Puritans sent messengers to meet the Governor, whom they found at Herring Bay, in Anne Arundel county. No satisfactory answer being received, the Puritans sent another message, of which they declared "that those that sent it, were grieved at their hearts that ever it went out of their hands." This message recited that having considered "the present transaction on your part, and have not a little marvelled that no other answer of the last message hath been made, than what tendered rather to make men desperate than conformable; yet, being desirous of peace, do once again present, to your serious consideration, these ensuing proposals." These pro- posals were: "If you will govern us so as we may enjoy the liberty of English subjects ; and that we be, and remain indemnified in respect of our engagement, and all former acts relating to the reducement and government ; that those who are minded to depart, the Province, may freely do it without any prejudice to them- selves or estate ; we are content to own yourself as Governor and submit to your government. If not, we are resolved to commit ourselves into the hands of God, and rather die like men, than be made salves." No answer was returned to the proposals ; but, the Puritans declare, that the "paper in scorn" was sent back to them. The proposals of peace were not only rejected, but the messengers were seized. Three escaped and carried the news of the treatment of embassay back to Providence.
2. On the appearance of Governor Stone and his fleet at the mouth of the Severn, Captain Fuller, commander of the Puritans, called his counsellers together, and sent his secretary, Mr. William Durand, and another of his counsellors, on board the merchant ship Golden Lyon, Rogers Heamans, captain, then lying in the harbor. There they made a requisition upon the captain for the services of him- self, his ship and his crew in defence of the town. Durand, at the same time,
PARAGRAPH 1. (a) What did Governor Stone start upon in March, 1655? (b) Of what did this force consist? (c) In what manner did these march? (d) How did the Puritans act on the approach of the St. Mary's forces?
PARAGRAPH 2. (a) How did Captain Fuller act on the appearance of Governor Stone's fleet? (b) Upon whom did he make requisition for help? (e) What did Heamans manifest at first? (d) What did Heamans offer?
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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
posted on the mainmast a proclamation by which Heamans " was required in the name of the Protector and Commonwealth of England, and for the maintenance of the just liberties, lives and estates of the free subject thereof, against an unjust power, to be aiding and assisting in this service." Heamans manifested a real or fictitious unwillingness to take part in the engagement, but says, after seeing the equity of the cause, and the groundless proceedings of the enemy, he offered him- self. ship and men, for the service, to be directed by the same counsellors. Dr. Barber, a partizan of Governor Stone, says, Heamans was hired by the Puritans to take the part he afterward played.
3. Heamans relates that, on seeing the " company of sloops and boats making towards the ship, the council on board, and the ship's company would have made shot at them, but this relator commanded them to forbear, and went himself upon the poop in the stern of the ship, and hailed them several times, and no answer was made He then charged them not to come nearer the ship, but the enemy kept rowing on their way and were come within shot of the ship; his mates and company having had information of their threatenings, as well against the ship as the poor distressed people, resolved to fire upon them without their commander's consent, rather than hazard all by the enemy's nearer approach, whereupon he ordered them to fire a gun at random to divert their course from the ship, but the enemy kept still course right with the ship, and took no notice of any warning given. He then commanded his gunner to fire upon them, but one of his mates, Mr. Robert Morris, who knew the country very well, the malace of the adversary against these people who were then near worn out with fears and watchings, made shot at them, which came fairly with them ; whereupon they suddenly altered their course from the ship, and rowed into the creek, calling the ship's company dogs, rogues and round-headed rognes, and with many execrations and railings, threatened to fire upon them in the morning."
4. Governor Stone entered the mouth of Spa Creek, which forms the southern boundary of the present city of Annapolis, and landed his forces on Horn Point, a peninsula opposite Annapolis, and south of Spa Creek.
5. While the Governor was landing his men, Captain Heamans fired another shot upon them. "The shot thereof lighting somewhat near to them, the Governor deemed it most prudent to send a messenger on board the Golden Lyon to know the reason of their conduct, with directions to the messengers to inform the captain of the ship, that he (Gov. Stone) thought the captain of the ship was satisfied. "To which, Captain Heamans, who and a younger brother," Mrs. Stone says, " were great sticklers in the business," answered in a very blustering manner-
PARAGRAPH 3. (a) What account of his action did Heamans give?
PARAGRAPH 4. (a) What creek did Governor Stone enter, and where did he land?
PARAGRAPH 5. (a) When the Governor was landing his men, what action did Captain Heamans take? (b) What did Governor Stone send to Heamans? (c) What conversation took place between them?
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A HISTORY OF ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
"Satisfied with what? I never saw any power Captain Stone had, to do as he hath done, but the superscription of a letter. I must, and will, appear for these in a good cause."
6. "The same night," says Heamans, "came further intelligence from the enemy in the harbor, that they were making fireworks against the ship." On this the Puritans "commanded a small ship of Captain Cut's, of New England, then in the river, to lie in the mouth of the creek to prevent the enemy's coming forth in the night, to work any mischief against the ship."
7. The St. Mary's men evidently looked upon the campaign as one of certain triumph, and like Goliah of Gath, before the armies of Israel, they defied the hosts of the Puritans.
8. Approaching on the morrow by a narrow neck of land, near which their vessels were moored, the Cavaliers, with sound of drum and railings loud, called to their enemies : "Come, ye rogues ; come, ye rogues ; roundheaded dogs." On this the Captain of the Golden Lyon fired his fourth and this time, fatal shot, killing one of the St. Mary's men.
9. The day, the 25th of March, was the Sabbath, but religion and fighting are professions the Puritans always mix. So, while the Governor was putting his troops in martial array, the Puritans were already in his rear. Their little band of one hundred and twenty, under Capt. Wm. Fuller, had marched out of town, around the head of Spa Creek, a detour of six miles, and now appeared behind the Governor's army.
10. The sentry of the St. Mary's men fired the signal shot, when " Captain Fuller still expecting, that then at least, possibly they might give a reason of their coming, commanded his men, upon pain of death, not to shoot a gun, or give the first onset, setting up the standard of the commonwealth of England, against which the enemy shot five or six guns, and killed one man in the front before the shot was made by the other." "Then," continues Mr. Leonard Strong, "the word was given, 'In the name of God fall on; God is our strength.'" The cry of the St. Mary's men was : "Hey, for St. Mary's." Thus the battle of the Severn began.
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