Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 edition. Excerpt: ... chapter ix. Fendall at first seemed zealous enough for the interests of the province and the proprietary. For one thing he organized the militia, districting the whole province, and appointing commanders for each district, to whom instructions were sent for due mustering and training of the whole fighting population. This had been very much neglected: several of the officers had died and not been replaced; training-days were unattended; arms and ammunition were not looked after; and in case of a sudden alarm few knew'the place of rendezvous, or were sure that there would be any officers to command them if they assembled. Stone, in the affair at Providence, instead of summoning all the fighting men of the province, simply marched with the men of St. Mary's, as if it had been a squabble between two counties. This was all now amended: there were two regiments organized, for the southern and northern halves of the province; and these were made up of local companies, each having its proper officers and rendezvous. By the agreement with Bennett and Matthews a modified engagement of fidelity to the proprietary was drawn up, intended for the relief of those who had scruples about the former oath; and the governor bestirred himself to have this taken, as the law prescribed, by all who took up lands or settled in the province. This gave rise to the only instance of persecution of Quakers under the proprietary rule, if indeed that may be called persecution which was inflicted, not for religious belief, but for open defiance of the law of the land. Certain missionaries of the sect had come in 1657 from Virginia, where they were harshly treated, into Maryland, where they were unmolested, and began to make converts. They were perfectly aware of what...