in the efforts of the latter period of the proprietary government to enforce the point of payment for surplus land, for a coercion attempted and not maintained always leaves the party attempting it in a worse state than before. The cajoling system of the second period answered the purpose much better, and, in fact, no one of the proprietaries knew the people of Maryland well except Charles, the son of the original founder; who, as governor, and proprietary, spent upwards of five and twenty years in the province. He made little noise about surplus land, but encouraged resurveys and availed himself of them to get paid, and at very high rates, for the surplus. In cases where considerable quantities of land were believed to be held in that way, as in the instance of colonel Thomas Taillor noticed in a former chapter, he ordered resurveys to be made, and his mandates were not disputed; for, the persons holding quantities of surplus large enough to attract the notice of the proprietary were, of course, men of prominent note, who either held, or hoped to obtain, offices or favours from the government, and when these men submitted it was natural for others to do so. I shall now insert the several proclamations here referred to, preceded by a proposition, &c. in council, which will corroborate what has been said concerning the address used by the second proprietary, in relation to this subject. ¾¾ At a council held at the Ridge, in Anne Arundel county, the seventh day of November, Anno Domini, 1683.     " Proposed by his lordship whether it might not be necessary to sett forth his proclamation for the satisfaction of the inhabitants, to give them time convenient for the sueing to his lordship for the surplusage of their lands before any other persons who make it their business to prye thereinto, and are daily suitors to his lordship on that score.     " Advised nemine contradicente, that the same would be of greate moment and satisfaction to the people, and that his lordship please to issue out proclamation accordingly, taking his measures (as to the consideration for all surplusage to be given) from the quality of the land reduced to three heads, (viz.) meane, indifferent and good.     " Advised also, and it is the opinion of this board confirmed by his lordship, that the words (more or less) in all It must be acknowledged however that, of all the various rights and claims for which the sucessive proprietaries had to struggle against the growing spirit, intelligence and strength of the people this was the most unmanageable, and that its intrinsic justice was every day decreasing through the increased length of possession of the lands in question.