USA > Maryland > The Day-star of American freedom, or, The birth and early growth of toleration, in the province of Maryland : with a sketch of the colonization upon the Chesapeake and its trobutaries, preceding the removal of the government from St. Mary's to Annapolis > Part 5
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REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS TO THE INDIANS.
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23 AUGUST, 1689.
S. P. O.
B. T. Maryland,
Vol. 1, B. D. 25}.
August ye 23d, '30.
These may acquaint yow, that we whose names are underwritten bave, according to request, bin and treated with ye Indians, and doe find 'em to be very civill and kind, and desire nothing butt peace and quiettness, butt yt in part thorough ye instigation of bad people, and chiefly doe instance Andrew Gray, that y. English in one moone would cutt them all of ; likewise, con- cerning an Indian woman, web they say was kill'd by Cornelius Mulraine's wife, weh they have expected some satisfactory answer, concerning which as yett they have not received. Also, y' y" s4 Cornelius since their departure offer'd great abuse in robbing them of their cannous, corn, matts, bowles, and basketts, and they say their chests have been broke open, and since they have bin gone out, ye sª Gray bath bin with 'em and threatned them if they
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. has ever disgraced any religious or any political party-by the story, in a few words, that the would not come home, he would gett a party of men and fetch 'em ? force. Likewise they say they have ten Indians weh went between Oxford towne and Coll. Lowe's, and that their time of return is relapsed, and are not satisfyed what is become of 'em. Whereof all these things being computed together, hath seized them with feare, butt that they were very joyfull att our come- ing and were takeing up their goods to return to their habitations.
John Stanley Wm. Dickenson
John Hawkins · Wm. Stevens
Clement Sales. Wm. Bealey.
This is ye copy of the answer sent to the
Burgesses from ye Indians.
The next discloses the nature of the charge against the Roman Catholic governors :
REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF SECRECY.
REC. 31 DEC. 1689. S. P. O. B. T. Maryland,
Vol. 1, B. D. 5. 1
The Committee of Secrecy appointed by this present Assembly, the Representative Body of this Province doe make their Report as followeth, vizt.
Wec bave diligently faithfully and with all due circumspec- tion made inquisition into the severall affaires and concernes committed to our care. for discovering of the truth thereof, and
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REVOLUTION OF 1689.
Roman Catholics had formed a conspiracy with the Indians, to massacre the Protestants! The
we find, First, that the late Popish Governors have contrived con- spired and designed by severall villanous practices and machina- tions, to betray their Majties Protestant subjects, of this Province, to the French, Northern, and other Indians ; and that there hath been and still is eminent danger of our lives libertyes and estates, by the malitious endeavors and combinations of the said Governors with the Indians and Papists to assist in our destruc- tion and the subversion of our Religion. And wee also find by the informations, examinations evidences and depositions by us taken, that the late Governors did prorogue and obstruct the last Assembly from meeting, least the truth of their unjust con- trivances and wicked designes should be made manifest.
And wee the Committee aforesaid doe also discover and appa- rently find the trayterous undertakings of the said Governours in their Renunciation disowning and denying the right title and Soveraignty of King William and Queen Mary to the Crowne of England and its Dominions.
The verity of the above particulars is to be further proved by other numerous circumstances and evidences that are now in the custody of the said Committee, for their Majties service.
Read approved of and ordered to be entered in the Journall of the House of Assembly.
(Memorandum on the back.)
Memorandum, notwithstanding the Country have
often desired a proofe of the accusations this
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testimony comes from the most respectable sources -not only from the members of the Church of
Comittee charged upon some of ye Lord Pro- prietaryes Deptyes, yet the same could never be obtained, or was any wayes made appear.
(Indorsed.)
" Report of the Comittee of Secrecy, touching the late Governmt: Copy.
" Recd fro ye Ld Baltemore, 31 Dec. 1689."
Voted in Assembly, 28 Aug., 1689.
I beg to invite especial attention to the narrative of Mrs. Smith :
NARRATIVE OF MRS. BARBARA SMITH.
30 DEC. 1689.
S. P. O. B. T. Maryland
Vol. 1. B. D. 17.
The Narrative of Barbara wife of Richard Smith of Puttaxent J :er in Calvert County in the Province of Maryland.
Upon the 25th of March last a rumour was spread abroad about. the mouth of Puttuxent River, that ten thousand Indiaus were come down to the Western branch of the said river. Whereupon my husband went up to the said Western branch, where he found noe Indians, but there a strong report that nine thousand were at Matapany, and at the Mouth of Puttuxent, and that they had cutt off' Capt. Bournes family, and had inforted themselves at Mata-
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REVOLUTION OF 1689.
Rome, but also from many of the most prominent Protestants of the province ; including the Honor-
pany, ; which was all false. Upon these rumours the country rose in armes, but after diligent search and inquiry in all parts of the Province, this rumour was found to be only a sham, and noe Indians any where appeared to disturb or molest any the people of our Province. All which reports I doe verily beleeve were designedly spread abroad to incite the people to rise in armes as afterwards by the like sham they were induced to doe. For in the latter end of July following one Capt. Code; Coll. Jowles, Majr Beal, Mr. Blakiston, with some others appeared in armes, and gave for their pretence that the Papists had invited the Northern Indians to come down and cut off the Protestants, and that their descent was to be about the latter end of August when Roasting Eares were in season, & that they therefore rose in armes to secure the Magazine of Armes and Amunition and the Protestants from being cut off by the said Indians and Papists. This was their pretence to those they found very apprehensive of the said Indians ; to others they said their designe was only to proclaim the King and Queen; but when the aforesaid persons with some others had gathered together a great number of People together, they then came and seized upon the Government, who withstood them first at St. Maryes i the State House where the Records are kept, whom the said Code and his party soon overcame and seized upon the Records, from thence he proceeded with-his party to Matapany House wherein Coll. Darnall with some forces, as many Protestants as Papists, had garisoned themselves, but were soon forced to capitulate surrender and yield to the said Code and his party. They haveing thus possessed themselves of the governmt, one Johnson master of a ship being bound for England, they gave him charge he should carry noe letters but what was sent from themselves, & my husband they arrested and put in
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able Thomas Smyth, the ancestor of the Smyths of Trumpington, subsequently of Chestertown ;
prison for fear he should goe for England with the said Johnson to give an accompt of their proceedings, and as soon as the said Johnson was gone they released him again. The said Cole and his complices then sent out letters to all the Countyes of the Pro- vince to choose an Assembly. What was done in the rest of the Countyes besides Calvert and Ann Arrundell I am not acquainted with, but when the sd letters for the chooseing of Burgesses came to our Sheriff to sumon the people for that purpose, he refused the same. They then went to Mr. Clegatt, Corroner, and he alsoe refused (who are both Protestants). Whereupon Coll. Jowles rode about to give the people notice himself. When the County were come together most of the Housekeepers agreed not to choose any Burgesses, and drew up an abhorrence against such proceedings ; ye which election was alsoe much opposed by our Sheriff. Where- upon Coll. Jowles gathered his souldiers and caused the election to be made by the number he had, which was not above twenty, and of them not above ten that were capable of electing. Coll. Jowles himself and Majr Beal his next officer were returned for two of the Burgesses elected, and because Mr. Taney, the Sheriff, & my husband endeavoured to oppose the said Election, the said Code caused them to be ut in Prison. Neither for this Election nor in their cause did almost any of our county appear that were men of estates or men of note, but they to the contrary pub- lished an abborrenee against such proceedings, and were them- selves, as are most of our County, Protestants. The County of Ann Arrundell, which is accounted the most populous and richest of the whole Province, and wherein is but one Papist family, unanimously stood out, and would not elect any Burgesses. About the 21st of August the Assembly of their calling met, before whom was brought Mr. Taney our Sheriff and my husband ; and
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THE PROTESTANT REVOLUTION.
· from Major Joseph Wickes, at one time chief jus-
· tice .of the County Court, and many- years a
Capt. Code and his complices haveing pretended they had the Kings Proclama" for what they did, my husband demanded to see the same ; but their answer was, take him away, Sheriff. Mr. Taney likewise asking them by what authority he was called before them, Code answered What, this is like King Charles, and you are King Taney, take him away. Notwithstanding upon the said Code's riseing as before is said, their pretence was cheifly to. secure the Country against the Indians, yet all this while nor untill my comeing away which was the 26th of September last, there was not the least appearance of any forreign or homo Indians comeing to disturb us. What was their further procced- ings in their Assembly I am not able to give any accot of, but Mr. Taney and my husband were detained 'prisoner at my comeing away.
(Signed) BARBARA SMITH.
Dated in London, the 30th of December, 1680.
(Indorsed) " Mrs. Smith's Narrative of the troubles in Maryland."
The testimony from the Protestant county of Kent is exceed- ingly valuable :
ADDRESS OF PROTESTANTS OF KENT COUNTY.
NOVEMBER, 1689.
S. P. O.
E. T. Maryland,
Vol. 1, B. D. 41.
TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTTE :-
Wee your Majesties most loyall and dutyfull subjects the ancient Protestant Juhabitants of Kent County in your Majties Province of Maryland, who have here enjoyed many halcyon dayes under
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distinguished representative of Kent; from the Honorable Henry De Courcy (then written Cour-
the imediate Governmt of Charles Lord Baron of Baltemore and his honble Father, absolute Lords Proprietaries of ye said Province by charter of your Royall Progenitors, wherein our Rights and Freedoms are so interwoven with his Lordships prerogative, that wee have allwaies had ye same liberties and priviledges secured to us, as other your Majties subjects in the Kingdome of England. And wee againe by vertue of the said Charter (as it enjoyned us) have alwayes paid our obedience to the said Lord Baltemore and his honble Father, by whom equally and indifferently were justice, favour, authority & preferment administered, bestowed con- ferred and given to and upon your Majties subjects of all perswa- sions : Doe in prostrate and humble manner testifie to your Matie that we abhorr & detest ye falsehood and unfaithfullness of John Coade and others his Associates and Agents, who first by dispersing untruc reports of prodigious armies of Indians and French. Papists invadeing us, did stirr up unjust jealousies and dismall apprehensions in ye less cautious sort of people of this Province, and then haveing thereby created unnecessary feares & disposed ye people to mutiny and tumult, made further insur- rection, and extorted the lawfull governmt from the Lord Pro- priety, who was alwayes ag ready to redress our aggrievances as wee to complaine. And Low the said John Coade and his accom- plices haveing assumed the Government upon themselves, and procured a Convention to be tumultuously assembled, did tyran- nically imprison, restrain and turn out of civill and military Comission severall of your Majties good subjects of unquestion- able loyalty and affection to the Church of England, who approved nott of his actions, and who might justly by your Majties proclamation have continued in authority, and done your Majtie good service. And those Delegates in that manner con-
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THE PROTESTANT REVOLUTION.
. sey), a descendant, it is strongly presumed, of an illustrious Anglo-Norman family, and a perfect
vened, (being part or most of them factious persons of no com- endable life and conversation) have arbitrarily decreed and ordained many things to the inconvenience of your Majesties people, placed the Militia of severall Counties in the hands of unworthy and infamous persons ; and the better to make their decrees to be observed, many of the said Delegates have procured themselves to be putt in judiciall places, to the terror of your Majties more peaceable subjects. From the dangers and apprehen- sions whereof, Wee your Majesties most loyall, dutyfull, and Pro- testant subjects, in these our Addresses humbly crave by your Princely care and prudence to be freed and enlarged, and that the Government together with your Majties favour and a lasting settlement may be again restored to the Rt. Honble Lord Balte- more, which will make him and us happy, and give us new occa- sion to bless God, and pray for your Majties life and happy reign.
(Signed) Wm. Frisby, Griffith Jones, - Robert Burman, Jno. Hynson,
Henry Coursey, Josh. Wickes,
Philemon Hemsley, Simon Wilmer,
George Sturton, Lambart Wilmer,
William Peckett, Gerrardus Wessels,
Richard Jones,
Josias Lanham, Thomas Ringgold, Tho. Smyth,
Philip Conner.
(Indorsed)
" Kent County in the Province of Maryland. Address to His Majty."
N.B .- There are several other addresses from various Counties, with numerous signatures. ...
R. L.
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1
master of the whole aboriginal diplomacy of that period ; from Michael Taney, the high sheriff of
Col. Darnall was a Roman Catholic. But he surely should be allowed to speak :
COL. HENRY DARNALL'S NARRATIVE. 31 DEC., 1689.
S. P. O. - B. T. Maryland,
Vol. 1, B. D. 16.
The Narrative of Coll. Henry Darnall, late one of the Councill of the Rt. Honble ye Lord Proprietary of the Province of Maryland.
On the 15th of March last Coll. Jowles sent word to the Coun- cill (then at St. Maryes) that three thousand Indians were comeing down on the Inhabitants, and were at the head of Puttuxent River, and required armes and amunition for the people to goe against the said Indians, all which was with all expedition sent him by Coll. Digges. The next morning I went up myself to Coll. Jowles, where I found them all in armes, and they told me they heard there was three thousand Indians at Matapany (from when I then came). I assured the People it was a false report, and offered myself to goe in perso. if they could advise me where any enemyes were, Indians or others, whereat they seemed very well satisfied. I began to suspect this was only a contrivance of some ill-minded men, who under this pretence would raise the Country, as by what happened afterwards we had reason to beleeve. Upon the most diligent search and enquiry into this whole matter, noe Indians any where appeared, and when ever any messenger was sent to the place where it was said the Indians
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THE PROTESTANT REVOLUTION.
Calvert, and the ancestor of the present chief jus- tice of the United States; from Richard Smith, a
were come, there the Inhabitants would tell them they heard they were landed at such a place ; but after long search from place to place and noe sign of any Indians, the people were pretty well pacified, and Coll. Jowles himself wrote a Remonstrance (the copy whereof is here inclosed) which he signed, as did severall others who had the examination of this matter, the which was published in order to quiet the People, who in a few dayes seemed to be freed from their apprehensions. From this time untill the 16th of July foll. the country was all quiet and noe appearance of. any enemy to disturb them, Indians or else. On the said 16th of July, a messenger came to me at Matapany, in the night time, to acquaint me that John Cood was raiseing men up Potowmeck ; whercupon I informed the Councill thereof, who immediately dis- patched a person to know the truth; but the said person was taken by Cood as a spy and by him kept, soe the Councill bad noe notice untill two dayes of any thing, when they were assured that Cood had raised men up Potowmeck, and that some were come to him out of Charles County, who were all marching down toward St. Maryes, and in their way were joined with Majr Camp- bell and his men. Coll. Digges, haveing notice whereof, got toge- ther about an hundred men, and went into the State House at St. Maryes, which Cood and his pr -ty came to attack, and which Coll. Digges (his men not being willing to fight) was forced to surren- der, wherein were the Records of the whole Province, which Cood and his party seized. In this while Majr Sewall and myself went up Pattuxent River to raise men to oppose said Cood and his party, where wee found most of the Officers ready to come in to us, but their men were possessed with a beleef that Cood rose only to preserve the country from the Indians & Papists, and to
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brave and generous spirit, connected with the family of Somerset, and the forefather of the
proclaim the King & Queen, and would doe them noe harm, and therefore would not stir to run themselves into danger ; soe that all the men we could get amounted not to one hundred and sixty, and by this time Cood's party were encreased to seaven hun- dred. The Councill seeing how the people were led away by false reports and shams, in order to quiet them and give them all imaginable assurance they were clear and innocent of inviteing the Indians down, as was laid to their charge, offered to make Coll. Jowles (who was the cheif of their party next to Cood) Gen" of all the forces in the Province, and sent such an offer to him, who returned a very civill answere, that haveing comuni- cated what we wrote to his own men he had with him, they were extreamly satisfied therewith, and gave us hopes he would come down to us; but to the contrary he went & joined Cood at St. Maryes, to whom and to all then in armes there, the Councill sent a Proclamation of pardon, upon condition they would lay down their armes and repair to their respective habitations : the which Cood (as we were credibly informed) instead of reading to the People what was therein contained, read a defyance from us, thereby to enrage and not to pacify them. Cood and his party haveing thus made themselves masters of the State House & the Records at St. Maryes, borrowed some great guns of one Captain Burnham, master of a ship belonging to London, and came to attack Matapany Ilouse, the which when he came before, he sent a Trumpeter & demanded a surrender. Wee desired a parley and personall treaty in the hearing of the People, which Cood would never consent to. We knew if we could but obtain that in the hearing of the People, we should be able to disabuse them and clear ourselves of what they were made beleeve against us ; but
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THE PROTESTANT REVOLUTION. 99
Smiths of St. Leonard's Creek, and of the Dula- nys and the Addisons ; and from Captain Thomas Claggett, the progenitor of the first Anglican bishop of Maryland. The opposition of these Protestants is, indeed, honorable, in the highest degree, to their memory. Taney was one of the
this we could never get at their hands, but to the contrary they used all possible meanes to keep the People ignorant of what we proposed or offered, and made use of such artifices as the follow- ing, to exasperate them. They caused a man to come rideing Post with a letter, wherein was contained that our neighbour Indians had cut up their corn and were gone from their towns, and that there was an Englishman found with his belly ript open, which in truth was no such thing, as they themselves owned after Matapany House was surrendred. We being in this condi- tion and noe hopes left of quieting or repelling the People thus enraged, to prevent effusion of blood, capitulated and surrendred. After the surrender of the said house, his Lordships Councill endeavoured to send an accot of these transactions by one John- son master of a ship bound for London, to his Lordship, the which the said Johnson delivered to Cood. When we found we could send noe letters, Maj S- wall'and myself desired of Johnson we might have a passage in hun for England, to give his LordsP accot of matters by word of mouth, which the said John- son refused, upon pretended orders to the contrary from Cood. Whereupon Majr Sewall & myself went to Pensylvania, to endeavour to get a passage there; upon which Cood and his party to occasion to give out we were gone to bring in the Northern Indians ; but we missing of a passage there, came back and stayd in Ann Arrundell County (who never had joyned with
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. victims of a cruel imprisonment, accompanied with gross insults and indecent taunts, in conse- quence of his cool and inflexible refusal to sanction the iniquitous proceedings of Col. Jowles, and the other leaders of the revolution. Smith also was a victim.
Cood and his party) until the 20th of September, when (Maj" Sewall then being sick) I myself got a passage hither in one Everard. As to their proceedings in their Assembly, I can give noe accot, only that they have taken severall Prisoners.
(Signed) HENRY DARNALL.
LONDON, December 31st, 1683.
(Indorsed)
"Coll. Darnall's Narrative of the troubles in Maryland. 1689."
The following is from the ancestor of the Chief Justice :
MR. MICHAEL TANEY TO MRS. SMITH.
14 SEPT., 1689.
S. P. O. 1 1 B. T. Maryland, Vol. 1, B. D., 26. )
MADAM SMITH :-
I doubt not but you have heard what pretence those gentlemen who have lately taken up arms here in Maryland, in their majes- ties' names (to pull down ye lawful authority of ye Lord Ballta- more here, which he held under their said majesties), makes for · my confinement in prison along with your husband, the which I
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ERECTION OF COUNTIES.
Besides Anne Arundel and Charles, six counties, between the years 1649 and 1698, were erected-
hope neither you nor any good Christian or moral honest man or woman, which ever had any acquaintance with my life and con- versation, will credit ; and that you and all persous to whom this shall come, may know what I have done, whereby they ground their pretence. I therefore hereafter write down ye heads of the whole (viz.) : At the first of my knowing of their taking up arms, which was some time in July, 1689, I endeavored, with what arguments I could use, to persuade all people, but chiefly Col. Jowles (my now chief enemy), to lie still and keep the peace of ye country, until their majesties' pleasure should be known ; for that I looked upon it to be rebellion for persons here, without order from their majesties, to take up arms against ye lawful authority, which then rested in ye lord proprietary under their majesties, as I did conceive ; which arguments, with some, I presume, prevailed, so that they lay still, but not with Col. Jowles. Then afterwards, when they besieged Mattapony, I went first to the gentlemen's camp, and afterwards to Mattapony, and, as an instrument of peace, so far as I could with my weak endeavors, Mr. Marsham being with me, persuaded both parties to comply without shedding blood, and accordingly they did. At which time Mattapony by ye Governors being surrendered, and the magazine of arms and am. unition all over the country, as soon as they possibly they could, seized on by those gent., so that they had the strength and command of most of yo country in their hands; and all papists in general desisting to act any further in government and office ; but Col. Jowles and ye rest of those gent., not content to rest there, or not thinking themselves safe in what they had done, sending out precepts in their majesties' names, requiring the sheriff's of each county to warn the people to meet together and choose delegates and representatives to meet and
THE NEWBERRY
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four upon the eastern, and two upon the western shorc. And at the period of the Protestant revo-
assemble together, under pretence of settling affairs; and also a proclamation that all officers not being papists, or having been in actual arms, nor any ways declared against their majesties' service, Lonor, and dignity, should continue in their places; and also a declaration of their own aggrievances to be publicly read; and Col. Jowles showing me some of those papers, being directed to me, as sheriff of Calvert County, I not being willing to execute their commands, endeavored to excuse myself, saying, I look upon myself, by ye surrender of ye government, to be discharged of my office. Whereupon Col. Jowles took some other course to have it done ; but afterwards I finding most people of our county, and being informed it was so generally through ye country, that all people, except such as had been in arms or abetters to their cause, was willing to remain as they were, until their Majesties plea- sure should be known, and I conceiving that my consenting to choose delegates and representatives to sit in such Assembly, and they countenancing the thing that was done, although they were «wed to it, would make me guilty as well as they that did it ; Iserefore I resolved not to choose, nor consent that any should be chore ; however, being modest forbore railing or speaking grossly of what was done. And when the time appointed was come for y. dection, Col. Jowles and divers of . is soldiers being at ye place, and I also and divers of the better sort of the people of our county, discourse arose about choosing representatives, and I and many others, being much the greater number, argued against choosing any. Amongst which discourse, Col. Jowles threatened that if we would not choose representatives freely, he would fetch Shemu down with ye long sword, and withall required ye deputy d'erk to read some papers that he had. Whereupon I asked Col. Juwles whether those papers were their majesties' authority, and
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