at the pleasure of those who imploy them: So that it cannot be presumd, That Gov's made by the proprietors, only as Such are impowered or in any wise concernd to put in Execucon, the Acts of Trade in their Governments, But on the Contrary.

I am humbly of Opynion that twill be Judgd a high Misdemenour, in any of them to attempt it, untill they are first qualified as by the Sd Act for preventing ffrauds, is directed: the proprietors themselves have no Such power, nor can have Granted them by their Patents.

I humbly lay before your Hon an Acct of the present Govs of the proprieties, & of their Qualificac'ons, in Relation to the Acts of Trade

BAHAMA ISLANDS: m! Nicholas Trott is the present Gov these Islands have been & still are, a common retreat for pyrates & illegall Traders: Cadwallader Jones, the late Gov! under pretence of A power to make all Officers, Made One Boulton, Collector of the Customs: he Enterd & Cleerd Vessels, according as the Gov & he pleasd. In the year 1693: Thomas Carter Master of the Ship Bridge Town of Barbados, richly laden from Jamaica to London, run the ship willfully aground upon the Islands; the Master & Saylors divided the Money & the best of her loading, the Gov made his Advantage by it; all Appeales lye from their Courts, to the Lords-proprietors in England.

CAROLINA: m John Archdale, a Quaker, is deputed Gov! by the Lords proprietors (as I am informed) during his Sons Minority, who is one of the Lords proprietors; the chiefe Town for Trade, is Charles Town, free to all, from all places. They trade to Carasaw from whence the Manufacture of Holland is brought to Charles Town, & carryd by New England men & other illegall Traders, to Pensilvania Boston &c: Returns are made for them in plantac'on Com

modities, which are carryd from Carolina to Carasaw & thence to Holland. About 3 years agoe 70 Pyrates, having run away with a Vessell from Jamaica, came to Charles Town, bringing with them a Vast quantity of Gold from the Red Sea; they were Entertained & had liberty to stay or goe to any other place: the Vessel was Seiz" by the Gov for the proprietors as a Wreck & Sold they have no regard to the Acts of Trade. The present Gov! is a favourer of the illegall Trade, having given his permit to the Mas' of a ffarraigne Vessel to trade takeing no Notice of m Guerard, Appointed the Collector by your Hon' Deputac❜on as by a Copy of the Gov's permi No appears; all appeales are likewise from the Courts in this province, to the Lords proprietors in England.

NORTH CAROLINA, has 60 or 70 Scatterd families, but under no regular Governm! One Jarvis was appointed the Gov by Coll Ludwell then Gov of all Carolina, he had no Sallery. The Inlet of Currituck, lies conveniently, for carrying away the Tob! made in the Southern parts of Virginia: The Inlett of Roanoake, is frequented, with Small Vessels Trading to & from the West India Islands. Pyrates & runaway Servants, resort to this place from Virginia &c. PENNSILVANIA, m! W Markham is the present Gov! Sam! Carpenter & Jo" Goodson (both Quakers) were Joind in the Government with him, but they refused to Act. The Acts of Trade, (what ever they pretend) are not Observed here: A plain discovery has bin made of Nine Vessells, loaden with Tob: which have from the rear 1690: to the year 95; gone directly from this province to Scotland (besides Gustavus Hamilton the chiefe ffactor for the Scotch Merchts) who last year carryed out of Delaware, 300 hhds of Tob: without Cleering, as allso, other Vessells from the Same place,

Tobacco.

went with tob: to Scotland, as Appears by letters from your Hon Agent in that Kingdome. The Brigantine Wm & Mary (calld the New Castle Brigantine) when in August 1694, Shee Cleerd out from Pensilvania for England) W Righton mas! & Maurice Trent a Scotchman, An Old transgressor Merchant (One of her Owners lives in London) imported into Pensilvania a great quantity of Scotch Goods, and was Admitted to an Entry in the year 1695: By the Collector in Pensilvania: She was afterwards Seizd in West Jersey by Cap Meech, Appointed by Coll: Nicholson, pursuant to her late Sacred Ma'tys Order in Councill, of the 9th of August 1694: He Seizd allso, another Vessell, called the Mill Everett Johnson Mas from Some port in Norway (as Ime informed) loaden with Wine & European Goods, having no Cleering, from any port in England. The mas! confessd himself to be a Dutch man as appears by Cap Meeches Journall Ng her Tryall was put of, the Mas being gone to New Yorke, & afterwards Suspended, till further Orders from England. The Gov! Entertains Severall pyrates, from the Red & South Seas, who carry on an illegall Trade to Carasaw, & other prohibited places; It appears by a Copy of m¦ Markhams letter to me Ng that he has but a Small Maintainance, desireing me to make him Colle of the Customs in Pensilvania by which your Hon's may pleas to take Notice, that Gov's under Such Necessities, will be easily tempted to doe & Connive at Unlawfull things. The Charge to Maintain Officers of the Customs in That Province, together with a Vessell of about 40 Tuns, & men Sufficient to Cruise upon the Coast thereof, as by her late Sacred Ma'tys Order in Councill, Coll Nicholson is directed to provide, will amount to above 2000 lb: a year, to prevent the illegall Trade in Pensilvania & the Shipping of tob: brought over land from Maryland to Deleware Bay which not withstanding will be carryd on, untill there

be Such a Regulac'on in the Governm of That province, as by the S Act for preventing frauds &c: is Enacted. Pensilvania lies in the Center between Maryland & New York, most Commodiously, to carry on all illegall Trade, and that place will Soon become A Staple of all European & Plantac'on Commodities.

EAST & WEST JERSEYS: m Andrew Hamilton, a Scotch man, is the Gov of those Provinces; Appointed by the Proprietors to Leas out their Lands & receive their Quit Rents; He is a great favourer of the Scotch Traders, his Countrymen, & woud not allow of Cap Meeches power, when he had Seizd the Brigantine W & Mary W Righton Mas' the Gov! Sate Judge in Court, the Vessell was favoured upon the Mass Setting forth in his petic'on that the ffrench met him at sea, & took away his Cognets, She is Since gone to Barbados: Patrick Robison a Scotchman, the Secretary & David Loyd, the Attorney Gen in Pensilvania, went to the Court, in West Jersey, to Defend the Vessell against the Prosecutors for his Ma'ty.

CONNECTICOTT IN NEW ENGLAND, Coll Robt: Trent [Treat] is the present Gov of that Colony granted to the Inhabitants by Charter, to have a Gov Annually Chosen, with Power, to Purchase & Sell Lands: The Inhabitants, are generally husband men & Planters. The Gov permitted a vessell from Holland, under pretence of Wanting Wood and water, to come into New Haven where she Unliverd great parts of her loading, which was carryd to New Yorke, & having taken horses aboard, Saild with the Remainder of her Goods to Barbados. Thomas ffisher, Mas of the Brigantine Adventure of London, imported about December 1691: a very great Cargoe of Scotch goods at New London, in that Colony, they were seizd by m Brenton, the Collec' he thought it most Adviseable, to Admit Gustavus Hamilton to a Composition (which he willingly agreed to) than Submit the Cause, to a Tryall, in that Colony,

ROAD ISLAND. Caleb Carr was late Gov of that & providence plantac'on, granted by Charter allso, tis become a free port to illegall Traders, & Pyrates from all places. Tho: Tew A Pyrate, came thither from the Red Sea, in the year 1694 and brought with him £10000; in Gold & Silver, he Shard £12000: for himself & his sloop, the people are Enriched by them. Tis necessary That place, be taken care off & put under a Regular Governm the present pretenders to Govern, being either Quakers or Annabaptists.

PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: m Wm Patridge, being Nominated by m Sam! Allen the present proprietor, is Allowed of by his Ma'ty & Made the Deputy Gov of That Province.

PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY. Tho' his Ma'ty has the Appointing, the Gov! of That Province, yet the illegall Trade is carryd on, as much as ever, to Scotland, Holland, ffrance &c: for want of a Govern, to Suppress that Trade, & to Support and countenance the Officers of the Customs, in the Execuc'on of their Duties. m Wm Sloughton, is the Liev" Gov! he is a good Schollar, but not bred up to Military Discipline. The country lying open, is exposed to the fury of the ffrench & Indians, when ever they pleas to Attacq them. They have in their Laws hitherto Made no provision for a Gov's Maintenance, as is done in all Other, his Ma'tys Governm's & was likewise in that Province for their former Gov's on purpose to discourage men of Hono! & abilities, to live amongst them; but what ever it Costs, That Country, & the Trade thereof, ought to be taken care off.

Now from what has bin herein humbly Offerd, it cannot reasonably, be imagined that the Proprietors Gov's are persons qualified or fit, to be Entrusted with the Conduct & Execuc'on of the principall powers, reposed by those Acts, only in the Govs & Command's in Chiefe, in the Plantac'ons, under his Ma❜tys imme