HERE is nothing in the

records to show that there were any Germans among the first party sent out by Lord Baltimore to found the colony of Maryland, but it is extremely probable that among that company of two hundred people, consisting chiefly of servants and artisans, there were a number of Germans. The colony had been founded as an English settle

ment, and it is evident that foreigners were not desired, for while there was no direct prohibition of the settlement of foreigners in the colony, there was no inducement to lead them in that direction. The terms upon which land was to be granted to colonists was such as to lead to the formation of an aristocracy, which was undoubtedly Lord Baltimore's purpose, and naturally this aristocracy would be expected to be made up of wealthy Englishmen who could take advantage of the conditions of plantation. According to the

A PENNSYLVANIA-GERMAN LOOM AND SPINNING-WHEEL.

instructions sent out by Lord Baltimore to his brother, in 1636, any member of the first party of colonists who brought over with him five men was to receive two thousand acres of land subject to an annual quit-rent of four hundred pounds of wheat. The same allotment of land was made to those who came over in the years 1634 and 1635, bringing with them ten men, but the rent was to be six hundred pounds of wheat, and those who came over later, or brought fewer men, were to be granted smaller amounts of land. As Bozman says: "It will be readily perceived, that these instructions, or conditions of plantation, were well calculated to induce men of some property in England, who were able to bear the expense of transporting servants and dependents, to emigrate to this province. It is true, that it was sketching out aristocratic features in the future government of the province, which in other times, might have been supposed to operate in discouragement of emigration."

But it was evidently this class of people that Lord Baltimore wanted, and foreigners were not even allowed to own land nor had they any political rights. It was not until 1648 that foreigners were allowed to take up land. In the commission of William Stone, lieutenant of the province, accompanying the conditions of plantation of 1648, and dated at Bath, August 20, 1648, Lord Baltimore writes:

And we do hereby authorize and Require you till we or our heirs shall signify our of their Pleasure to the Contrary from time to time in our name and under the Great Seal of the said Province of Maryland to Grant Lands within our said Province to all Adventurors or Planters to or within the same upon such terms and 6 Archives of Maryland, Vol. III, p. 47

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History of Maryland," Vol. II., p. 38.

Conditions as are expressed in the said last Conditions of Plantation bearing date with these presents and according to the forms of Grants above mentioned and not otherwise without further and special warrant hereafter to be obtaina for the same under our or our heirs hand and seal at Arms and whereas we are Given to understand that as well divers Frenchmen as some other People of other Nations who by our former as also by these last Conditions of Plantation are not Capable of having any lands within our said Province and are already seated or may hereafter with our or you our Lieutenants leave there for the time being seat themselves in our said Province we do hereby Authorize you to make any Person or Persons of French Dutch or Italian discent as you shall think fit and who either are already planted or shall hereafter come and Plant in our said Province Capable of our said last Conditions of Plantation and do hereby Give you Power to Grant Lands thereupon within our said Province unto them and every of them accordingly as well for and in respect of themselves as for and in respect of any Person or Persons of British or Irish discent or of any of the other discents aforesaid which they or any of them and also which any other Person of British or Irish discent shall hereafter with our or you our said Lieutenants leave transport into the said province in the same and in as ample manner and upon the same terms and Provisoes as you are hereby or by our Commission to you for the Government of the said Province authorised to Grant any Lands to any Adventuror or Planter of British or Irish discent within the said Province.R

The following year the conditions of plantation were abrogated and new ones issued under date of July 2, 1649. The new ones were practically the same as those issued the year before except that they authorized an increase in the size of the manors to be granted. Lord Baltimore gives as his reason for issuing the new ones that those of 1648 "were not like to give sufficient encouragement to many 8 Archives of Maryland, Vol. III., p. 222.