Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/106

82 During the civil war in England, Clayborne, urged by a desire for revenge, stirred up rebellion in the province. Repossessing himself of the Isle of Kent, while Calvert was in England, and Giles Bent in charge of the administration, Clayborne, in conjunction with one Ingle, endeavored to profit by their present success. Early in 1645 the rebels were triumphant; but Calvert obtaining assistance from Virginia, suppressed the rebellion, though not without bloodshed. Clayborne and Ingle managed to destroy or carry off a large part of the records, and were guilty of other acts of disorder and misrule; yet it was judged wise to pass a general amnesty for all offences, and rightful authority resumed its sway. Calvert died in 1647, and Thomas Greene succeeded him. But the proprietary deemed it expedient to displace him, in 1648, and appoint William Stone, a zealous Protestant and parliamentarian, as governor of Maryland.

On receipt of the news of Charles First's execution, quite a burst of loyalty was stirred up by Greene, at the time temporarily in charge of the government, Stone being absent in Virginia; Lord Baltimore, who wished to avoid collision with the dominant party, does not seem to have approved this step, by which he gave offence to Charles II., who appointed Sir William Davenant governor, without regard to the chartered rights of the proprietary. Maryland was now claimed by four separate aspirants; Virginia, who had never looked upon the colony with favor, Charles II., because of his displeasure against the time-serving policy of Lord Baltimore, Stone, who was the active deputy of the proprietary, and the victorious Parliament, who, as before related, were not disposed to allow disaffection or rebellion in the colonies.

A noisy and vexatious contest ensued, into the details of which we need not enter. Stone was deposed by the Commissioners, but reinstated on submission. On the dissolution of the Long Parliament, Stone reestablished Lord Baltimore's authority in full, which brought Clayborne again into the field: the government was taken away from Stone, and retaliatory ordinances passed against the "papists;" Stone, next year, finding himself blamed by Lord Baltimore, engaged in an attempt to put down his opponents, but without any success, himself being taken prisoner, and narrowly escaping the death to which his principal adherents were condemned. Cromwell was appealed to, but he was too busy with other and weightier things, to give much heed to this matter. In 1656, Josias Fendal was appointed by Lord Baltimore as governor, and for a time the colony was divided between two ruling authorities, the Romanist at St. Mary's, and the Puritan at St. Leonard's. In March, 1658, a compromise was effected, and Fendal acknowledged. Just before the restoration of Charles II., the Assembly of Maryland, as in the case of Virginia, took occasion to assert its legitimate and paramount authority; and Philip