Words of Praise

Once we were beyond arrow-shot from the land, John thought fit to give me great praise for holding myself as steady as a man at a time when even the bravest need not have felt shame at being afraid; and both he and Jacob vowed that the matter should be known to my advantage when we were come once more to our town of St. Mary's.

There is no good reason why I should set down more concerning this voyage when I was commander, for we met with nothing in the way of adventure, and were returned to William Claiborne's fort late in the evening of the second day, weary enough to fall asleep even as we walked, because of having traveled all through the night previous, in order to make more speedy end of our task.

Governor Calvert was pleased to give me much praise because of what had been done, and bade his servant show me to the room next his own, where I might sleep in peace and security so long as was my pleasure.

During five days we remained at Kent Island, and then George Evelin, who had been on a visit to Virginia, came to find that strict justice had been done the mutineers.

Those who had been found guilty of having striven to stir up the brown men against us, meaning Butler and Smith, were to be tried at St. Mary's for their crimes. All of William Claiborne's property that could be come at was taken as prize of war, and by such means our Province of Maryland was the richer by seventy thousand pounds of tobacco, two hundred cattle, sixteen servants who had yet many years to serve before they would become freemen, together with tools and other goods to the value, so I have heard said, of not less than seven thousand pounds, meaning nearly thirty-five thousand dollars, as money is now reckoned among us.

I went back to St. Mary's in the same ship with the governor and his gentlemen, and right proud was I when, during the homeward voyage, my father, having heard certain matters from John, said, as he took me by the hands, kissing both my cheeks, that he was well satisfied I would bring no reproach either to his name, or to that given me by Captain Cornwallis:

And now, because I have told all of moment concerning our homes in the Province of Maryland, during that time when we were struggling to make ourselves respected by the Indians as well as by the Virginians, there is no good reason why I add more words.

We who had left England in the Dove  and the Ark  to build up a province in the land given by the king to my Lord Baltimore, had finished our task, and it is for others to say how we prospered in later days, and how fair was the work of our hands, after we had conquered the wilderness and earned the respect of our neighbors both white and brown.

That we have lived in peace these many years, is well known to all the world, and I have fair cause to hope, without seeming to boast, that when the full story of our Province of Maryland shall be told, among the names of those who had a goodly share in the building up, will be found that of Calvert of Maryland.