1st, 1633," and ran as follows: To Dr.John Briscoe, _Greetings_.
Dear Sir: As the Privy Council have decided that I shall not be disturbed or dispossessed of the charter granted by his Majesty--the _Ark_ and Pinnace _Dove_ will sail from Gravesend about the 1st of October, and if you are of the same mind as when I conversed with you, I would be glad to have you join the colony.
With high esteem, Your most obedient servant, Cecilius Baltimore.
This letter from the second Lord Baltimore refers to the historic voyage which resulted in the first settlement of Maryland, thirteen years after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth.

As for Dr.Briscoe, to whom the letter was written, he was one of the three hundred original colonists, but after settling in St.Mary's, near the mouth of the Potomac, removed to the place where his descendants still reside.
Farther out in Jefferson County the motorist may pass through two curious hamlets which, though not many miles from Charles Town, have the air of being completely removed from the world.

One of these was known, many years ago, as Middleway, and later as Smithfield, but is now called Clip--and for a curious reason.
When the stagecoaches were running, the town was quite a place, as its several good old houses indicate; but the railroads, when they were built, ignored the town, but killed the stage lines, with the result that the little settlement dried up.

Even before this an old plaster-covered house, still standing, became haunted.

The witches who resided in it developed the unpleasant custom of flying out at night and cutting pieces from the clothing of passers-by.