Maryland ss Robert Eden Esquire Lieutenant General and Chief Govenor in and over the Province of Maryland and Admiral thereof

To Robert Smith Esqr of the City of Annapolis

Greeting Out of the especial Trust and Confidence I have in your Fidelity Integrity Circumspection and Knoledge I do hereby Authorize and impower you to Take Cognizance of and Proceed To hear and determine all causes Civil and Maritine and All Plaints Contracts Offences or Crimes so Accounted Pleas Debts Exchanges, Assurances, Accounts, Charter Parties, Agreements and Writings concerning the lading of Ships and Vessels and in all other Business and contracts which Concern Mariners for their Ships Convoys and Freight or Mariners Wages or in any wise thereto relating also Suits Trespasses Injuries Extortions and demands and all civil and Maritine Matters whatsoever between Merchnts or between Masters and Owners of Ships or other Vessels and Merchants or other Persons whatsoever with the said Masters or Owners of Ships and of all other Vessels whatsoever Occupied or used or betwen any other Persons whatsoever had made commenced or contracted for any Thing Matter or cause or Business whatsoever as well in or upon or Through the Sea the Publick Stream[s] Ports fresh Waters Rivers Creeks or Places overflowed with Water whatsoever within the Flux and reflux of the sea and Water To high water Mark as upon the Shores or Banks whatsoever to them or any of them adjacent expedited or to be expedited together with all and Singuler their Incidents Emergencies and causes whatsoever anne[xed] And connexed or in what Manner soever the causes Plaints and Other the Premises aforesaid or any of them may happen by Order To be transacted drawn or made according to the civil and Maritine Law of the high Court of Admiralty of great Britain within This Province and the Territories to the same belonging and also in any of The City's Towns or Places in the aforesaid Province for the like Causes And Matters to sit hear and Determine therein according to Justice and Judicially and Lawfully to proceed together with all and singular their Incidents Emergencies Dependances and Causes a[nne]xed or connexed whatsoever And furthermore to compell Witnesses (if for good Will) hatred favoured fear or for any other Causes whatsoever they shall withdraw themselves To give their Testimony to the Truith in all or any of the like Causes according As right requireth and furthermore to take all recognizances Obligations Surities and Stipulations as well on the Part or instance of any Person Whatsoever for any contracts Debts or other Matters causes or Business Whatsoever and them put in Execution and cause or command them to be executed and also Duly to enquire of and take into your Custody all and singular the Goods of Traytors Pyrates Manslayers Felons Fugitives and Felo's dese and of all Bodies and Persons drowned slain or any wise coming to their Death in the Sea Ports Rivers Publick Streams or Creeks And Places whatsoever overflown and of Maihm happening in Any of the Places aforesaid and of all unlawful and forbiddin Engines and Netts and of the Occupiers and users thereof and of all Royal Fish [V]izt Whales Sharks Grampusses Dolphins Sturgeons and all other great large Fish whatsoever to the right Honorable The Lord Proprietary of this Province belonging in right of his Admiralty thereof and also of and upon all goods lost on the Sea Wrecks Flotsons Jetsons Lagons Shoars cast upon the Sea and Wrecks of the Sea and Goods had or accounted to be forfieted or by any Chance or Fortune Found or to be found and of all Trespasses Faults Offences Enormities and Crimes Maritine whatsoever as well upon the High Sea as in or upon all And any the Ports Rivers Fresh Waters and Creeks or Sea Shores and to the height of the Water from any the first Bridge towards the sea in and Through this Province howsoever belonging to the Maritine Coasts thereof Whensoever and howsoever coming and happening committed and done or to be Perpetrated and committed discovered and found and to Tax moderate exact Collect and Levy all Fine Mulcts Amerciaments and compositions whatsoever in the Part Due or to be Due and them lawfully to Command and Expect to be collected and Paid and also to Proceed in all and Singular the Matters aforesaid and in all other Causes Contempts and Offences whatsoever and howsoever contracted or if so be the goods or Persons of the Off enders shall be found within the Jurisdiction of the Court of Admiralty within this Province according to the Laws Civil and Maritine and Customs of old used in his Majesty's high [co]urt of Admiralty of great Britain and by such other Lawfull Ways Manners and Means as you may better know and can Proceed And such Causes and Contracts to hear examine Discuss and finaly Determine saving nevertheless the right of Appealing  and also to arrest command and cause to be arrested the Ships Persons Effects goods Wares and Merchandizes whatsoever for the Premisses and for any of them or other Causes whatsoever concerning them in what Places soever Within the Province of Maryland aforesaid the Territories thereof they shall happen to be or be found in or without the Liberties and to Compel All Persons whatsoever in that Part as the Case shall require to Appear and answer with the Power of inflicting any Punishment or Mulct according to the Laws and Customs aforesaid and to do And Cause Justice to be done therein and also Summarily and Plainly to Proceed the order of right being Preserved or the Sail [illegible] up without Noise and the Figure of Judgement alone being made and the Truith of the thing inspected AND I DO further commit And by the Tenor of these Presents grant you full Power and Authority to fine correct punish and Chastize and reform all guilty Persons Imprisoned and all Violaters and Usurpers of the rights of the Court of Admiralty within this Province and all Delinquents And Contumaciously absenting Sailors Mariners Fishermen Boatmen and other Workmen having skill or exercising Maritine Affairs Ordinances and customs aforesaid and their De[sser]ts as also according to the Statutes and ordinances of the kingdom of great Britain In that Part Published and Provided and them to imprison And cause to be imprisoned in any of the Prisons within the Province of Maryland or the Maritine Places thereto belonging and such Persons so imprisoned who ought to be Delivered therefrom To command and cause to be Delivered and altogether to be Acquitted and Discharged and do hereby grant unto you Power and Authority of Promulgating or interposing all Decrees and Sentences whatsoever and them to command to be executed together with the cognizance and Jurisdiction of all other Causes civil And Maritine commenced or to be commenced or which any Ways concern or relate to the Sea Affairs or the Transporting or Passage over the Sea or any Naval Journey or Maritine Voyge or Maritine Jurisdiction Aforesaid  also with Power of Proceding therein according to the civil and Maritine Laws and Customs Aforesaid of the high Court of Admiralty of great Britain of old used as well of more Office mixt or Promoted as at the Instance of any Party as the Case shall require and it shall seem expedient And to grant you full authority to execute all and singular the Premisses in the Places aforesaid expressed and I do hereby Appoint you the Said Robert Smith my Commissary in the said Province and Territories aforesaid during Pleasure hereby Granting upon you the said Robert Smith all Fees Profits and Advantages to the said Office any ways belonging and I do hereby command all Justices of the Peace Mayors Sheriffs Keepers of Goals and other Officers and Ministers within this Province to be aiding and Assisting to you as Becometh as they will answer the contrary at their Peril ー

Given at the City of Annapolis this twenty seventh Day of Novemb'r in the fifth Year of the Dominion of The right Honorable Henry Harford Esquire Anno Domine 1775