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I cannot omit this Occasion of presenting You my—
most humble service, tho I have but short notice of it; Mr. Blair is now—
returned from Scotland and (I suppose) will write himselfe particularly.—
In my last I acquainted Yo^r Excellency that Sir Thomas Lawrence was—
ordered to put in an answer to M^r Sly's Articles, which is done, and by
all I can learne, that matter is quite asleep no body saying any thing of
it, I believe Sir Thomas will write by this Conveniency, & give an acc^tt
of this affair more particularly, so it is needless for me to do it.

We are now looking homeward apace Yo^r Excellency's Comicon hath passed
the Seales some dayes, but the Instruccons are not yet finished, they are—
expected this very day, so that wee shall take the first Ship which will
be sometime this monoth; In the Instruccons there are some very—
considerable alteracons, as, that none of the Council shall enjoy any—
place of profit, that no one man shall be Collector and Navall Officer too;
that the Quit rents shall be sold publickly by inch of Candle; that no great
Merchant shall be a Collector or Navall Officer; that the best method must
be considered of putting the Auditor's place & that of Receiver Generall in
two hands; & severall other direccons are given, about a house for the—
Governour, Towns, takeing up & Seating of Lands, &c, but not a word of
the College, Church or Clergy, that I can Learne, for they keep all these things
as mighty secrets, & perhaps it may be for Yo^r Excellencye's Service to
make 'em secrets with You, till You come to pursue the Instruccions when
you are entered upon the Government, for by that meanes, You knowing
all, & every body Else being in the darke (as I dare promise they will be)—
it will give You great advantage of dealing with Every one as You shall
think fit, for ^by reason of the lose of places to the Councellours, You may
certainly contrive to be rid of which of 'em you please, if the Question
comes Suddenly upon 'em; there are many reasons for keeping these
things secret, which time permits not write, I begg pardon for Interposing
so much. M^r. Blair is not of the Councell & Doct^r Bray is
refused to be of the Councell of Maryland thô the new Govern^r desired
it, by which Yo^r Excellency may perceive the Humour of the times.
Cap^t Page and My Father are added to the Councell, & one John Armistead
which I suppose to be Coll. Armistead who is dead.

The King is still in Holland; the Parliament is prorogued by Proclamacon to
the 27^th of this Instant, Inclosed is a List of the Parliament men, some say it
is not a true one but it is all I have yet seen, & I chose the rather to send this
because there is a mark in it prefixed to the names of all those who have—
places of Profit, & consequently (as some People suppose) are obliged to Vote
for the Court. Inclosed are also some other Pamphletts by which Yo^r. Excell^cy
will see the different tempers of men. Sir Henry Hobart (one of the Com^rs:
of the Customes) was lately killed in a Duell by one M^r. Neve of Norfolke;—
they say two other Gent: of that Countrey are likewise killed lately in—
Duells.— The Great news now on foot, are preparacons for new wars
upon the Death of the King of Spain which is every day expected, almost
all the Princes in Europe are arming on one side or the Other; Our
King ('this credibly said) takes part with the King of Portugall, & some
think the Emperour will be brought to favour his pretensions, what
are the particulars of the Propositions & Articles on each Parte are not
yet known. There is great hopes of a Peace with the Turks.

1698