the Stocketts of Maryland, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey are descended.
The arms of this branch, as given in the family archives, are “Or a Lyon rampant sable armed and Langued Gules a cheife of ye second a castle Tripple towred argent betwixt two Beausants—to ye crest upon a helm on a wreath of ye colours, a Lyon Proper segeant supporte on a stock ragged and trunked argent Borne by the name of Stockett with a mantle Gules doubled Argent.” These agree with the arms given by Burke as the arms of the Stocketts of St. Stephens, county of Kent.
Thomas Stockett’s will, dated April 23, 1671, was proved on the 4th of May in the same year, so that his death must have occurred within the ten intervening days. He left his estate to his wife for life, then his lands to his son Thomas, and his posthumous child if a son, and his personal estate to be divided among his daughters. His executors were his brothers Francis and Henry and his brother (in-law) Richard Wells. His dispositions of property are brief, much of the will consisting of pious expressions and wishes. {15}
To return to the early Maryland emigration, at the time there was evident need for some popular tract to remove a prejudice that had been created against that colony, especially in regard to the redemptioners. The condition of those held for service in Maryland had been represented as pitiable indeed, the labor intolerable, the usage bad, the diet hard, and that no beds were allowed but the bare boards. Such calumnies had already been refuted in 1656 by Hammond, in his Leah and Rachel. Yet it would seem that ten years later the proprietor of Maryland found it necessary to give Alsop’s flattering picture as a new antidote.
The original tract is reproduced so nearly in fac simile here that little need be said about it. The original is a very small volume, the printed matter on the page being only 2 18 inches by 4 78. (See note No. 1).
At the end are two pages of advertisements headed “These Books, with others, are Printed for Peter Dring, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Sun in the Poultrey, next door to the Rose Tavern.”
Among the books are Eliana, Holesworth’s Valley of Vision, Robotham’s Exposition of Solomon’s Song, N. Byfields’ Marrow of the Oracle of God, Pheteplace’s Scrutinia Sacra, Featly Tears in Time of Pestilence, Templum Musicum by Joannes Henricus Alstedius, two cook books, a jest book, Troads Englished, and ends with A Comment upon the Two Tales of our Renowned Poet Sir Jeffray Chaucer, Knight.
At the end of this is the following by way of erratum: “Courteous Reader. In the first Epistle Dedicatory, for Felton read Feltham.”
View here the Shadow whoſe Ingenious Hand
Hath drawne exact the Province Mary Land
Diſplay’d her Glory in ſuch Scænes of Witt
That thoſe that read muſt fall in Love with it
For which his Labour hee deſerves the praiſe
As well as Poets doe the wreath of Bays.
Anno Dõ: 1666. Ætatis Suæ 28. H.W.
AM PHOTO-LITHOGR. OC (OSBORNES PROCESS.)
A
CHARACTER
Of the PROVINCE of
MARY-LAND,
Wherein is Deſcribed in four diſtinct Parts, (Viz.)
I. The Scituation, and plenty of the Province.
II. The Laws, Cuſtoms, and natural Demeanor of the Inhabitant.
III. The worſt and beſt Vſage of a Mary-Land Servant, opened in view.
IV. The Traffique, and Vendable Commodities of the Countrey.
ALSO
A ſmall Treatiſe on the Wilde and Naked INDIANS (or Suſquehanokes) of Mary-Land, their Cuſtoms, Manners, Abſurdities, & Religion.
Together with a Collection of Hiſtorical LETTERS.
By GEORGE ALSOP.
London, Printed by T. J. for Peter Dring, at the ſign of the Sun in the Poultrey; 1666.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE CÆCILIUS LORD BALTEMORE, (see note No. 2) Absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces of Mary-Land and Avalon (see note No. 3) in America.
MY LORD,
I Have adventured on your Lordships acceptance by guess; if presumption has led me into an Error that deserves correction, I heartily beg Indempnity, and resolve to repent soundly for it, and do so no more. What I present I know to be true, Experientia docet; It being an infallible Maxim, That there is no Globe like the occular and experimental view of a Countrey. And had not Fate by a necessary imployment, consin’d me within the narrow walks of a four years Servitude, and by degrees led me through the most intricate and dubious paths of this Countrey, by a commanding and undeniable Enjoyment, I could not, nor should I ever have undertaken to have written a line of this nature.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
If I have wrote or composed any thing that’s wilde and confused, it is because I am so my self, and the world, as far as I can perceive, is not much out of the same trim; therefore I resolve, if I am brought to the Bar of Common Law for any thing I have done here, to plead Non compos mentis, to save my Bacon.
There is an old Saying in English, He must rise betimes that would please every one. And I am afraid I have lain so long a bed, that I think I shall please no body; if it must be so, I cannot help it. But as Feltham (see note No. 4) in his Resolves says, In things that must be, ’tis good to be resolute; And therefore what Destiny has ordained, I am resolved to wink, and stand to it. So leaving your Honour to more serious meditations, I subscribe my self,
My Lord
Your Lordship most
Humble Servant,
GEORGE ALSOP.
To all the Merchant Adventurers for MARY-LAND, together with those Commanders of Ships that saile into that
