Peace Treaty Between The Assateague and Pocomoke Indians and Charles Calvert, Governor of Maryland 1722

Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum, Showplace of Ocean City, Maryland

Peace Treaty Between The Assateag ue and Pocomoke Indians and Charles Calvert, Governor of Maryland 1722

Articles of Peace and Amity concluded and agreed upon between the Right Honorable Charles Absolute Lord and Proprietor of this province of Maryland and Knosulm and Wassaunge Chiefs of the Assateague and Pocomoke Indians on behalf of themselves and the Indians under their subjections this 22nd day of October 1722. It is agreed upon that from this day forward there be an irrevocable peace and amity between the Right Honorable the Lord Proprietor of this Province and the said Kings of Pocomoke and Assateague upon articles hereafter in this treaty to be agreed upon to the worlds end to endure and all former acts of hostility and damages whatsoever sustained to be buried in perpetual oblivion.

That if any Indian subject to the said Kings shall hereafter kill an Englishman, the said Kings shall be obliged to deliver such Indian up to the Governor of this province as a prisoner.

Forasmuch as the English cannot easily distinguish one Indian from another, that no Indian shall come into any English plantation painted, and that all the Indians shall be bound to call aloud before they come within three hundred paces of any Englishman's cleared ground and lay down their arms, whether guns, bows and arrows or other weapons for any Englishman that shall appear upon their call to take up and in case that no one appears, that they shall there leave their said arms if they come nearer, and that afterwards they shall by calling aloud endeavor to give notice to the English of their nearer approach, and if any English man shall kill any Indian that shall come un-painted and give notice and deliver up his arms as aforesaid he shall dye for it as well and an Indian that shall kill an Englishman and in case the Indians and English meet accidentally in the woods every Indian shall be bound immediately to throw down his arms upon call and in case an Indian so meeting and Englishman shall refuse to throw down his arms upon call he shall be deemed as an enemy.

The privilege of crabbing, fowling, hunting and fishing shall be provided to the Indians individually.

That every Indian that killoth or stealeth a hogg, calf or other beast or any other goods shall undergo the same punishment that an Englishman doth for the like offense.

In case any servants or slaves runaway from their masters and come to any of the said Indian towns within the territories of the said Kings and their subjects they shall be bound to apprehend the said fugitives and convey them to the next English plantation to be conveyed to their masters and in case any Indian aforesaid shall convey or assist any such fugitives in their flight out of this province that he shall make the respective master or mistress of such servants or slaves such satisfaction as an Englishman ought to do in the like case.

That the said Kings shall not make any new peace with our enemy nor shall make war without the consent of the Governor of this province for the time being.

In case the said Kings or any Indians subject to them shall kill any Indians or any other in peace and amity with his said Lordship it shall be esteemed as great an offense as killing an Englishman.

That neither the said Kings nor any of the Indians under their subjections do at any time here a for to keep or entertain among them or within their fort any foreign or strange Indian or know or discover any such to appear or come into this province without giving timely and all possible and speedy notice thereof to his Excellency the Governor or some magistrate or other officer or some person of note by whom the same may be communicated with all expedition to the said Governor or the Governor of the Province for the time being for his advice and directions thereon.

That as a farther testimony of the league, peace and friendship with his Lordship the Lord Proprietor of this province, and as they expect protection from him and his government here the said Indian chiefs and their successors shall pay and deliver unto the Lord Proprietor of this province his heirs and successors or unto his Lieutenant for the time being two bows and two dozen arrows yearly upon the 10th day of October as an acknowledgment of his Lordships Domain over them and as a pledge of peace. Also, In confirmation where of the Honorable Charles Calvert, Esq. Governor in Chief in behalf of his said Lordship and the said Knosulm and Wassounge on behalf of themselves and the Indians under their subjection have signed here to in presence of his Lordships Council and of several of the Great Men of the Indians the day and year above written and the Great Seal of this province is hereunto affixed.

Knosulm (his Mark) alias M. Walker, King of the Assateague Indians
Wassounge (his Mark) alias Daniel, King of the Pocomoke Indians Charles Calvert
Provincial Court
Land Records
PL 5. PP. 408-412
MdHR 17,254, 1-16-2-12