Combs &c. Research The Maryland Protestant Revolution of 1689
Captain George COMBES

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On 14 May 1690, Rev. John COODE of St. Mary's County, Maryland, wrote of Ships Captain George COMBES who had been refused clearance from Maryland for England by Col. Henry DARNELL the year preceding:


 
Mr John COODE to The Secretarys of State
Maryland May 14th 1690.

May it please your Lordshipps,
I have made bold to trouble your Lordshipps by severall Letters whereby I have fully represented the present state and circumstances of this their Majestic's Province, Wee have not hitherto the happiness to know the Royall pleasure concerning us, however have to the best of our Abilities exprest our utmost becoming duty for their Majesties' service, Our present concernment is for the Public Saftie against the inroads and danger wee are in of the Canada French and their Indians who (as I have already presumed to informe your Lordshipps) have not onely destroyed Schanagtede [Schenectedy] a Towne neare Albany and committed a greate and Barbarous Massacre there upon the Protestants but have since (as by advice from Mr Jacob LEISLEIR who has the Government of New Yorke) attempted upon New England and have killed and imprisoned aboute ninety nine men neare Piscataway and have Burnt some houses and have killed and captivated about seventy persons more neare Salem, He informes moreover that the enemie are about two thousand five hundred french and Indians and that having taken their March from Mount-Royall towards Albany will as is supposed attack that Place in which if they succeed will endanger this Province and other their Majesties Government in these parts, for prevention of which the said LEISLEIR has sent to Virginia and this Province as well as other neighbour Colonies for a generall communication and assist ance, the Viginia Government at present desponds till the arrivall of their Governor, Wee are sending messengers thither And upon their advice will endeavour to second them with what assistance we are able being as well for our owne as the Generall saftie. 1

Wee doubt not his Majestie has by this time (by some of the severall Papers wee have sent) account of our dutyfull and humble Petitions and Endeavours for his Service, The first wee sent were taken by the French but Captaine Thomas EVERARD Commander of the Thomas and Susanna wee under stand is well arrived, Who had the originall address to his Majestic under the hands of the Representatives of the whole Province in a full and free convention But wee doubt the said EVERARD suffered the said address to be concealed or intercepted by one Colonell Henry DARNALL 2 who got on board the said EVERARD and went home with him to England a Person the Lord Baltemore raised from the meanest condition to be keeper of his great seale and one of the most crimminall of any of his deputies for the many treasonable endeavors and expressions against their Majesties and the many cruelities and opressions committed upon their subjects of this Province of whome and of whose behaviour in some considerable particulars of this nature one Captain William GINNIS, Captaine George COMBES and Captaine Robert GOODINGE can informe who sailed home last yeare without their full clearing, the said DARNALL refusing to signe the same with the Collector in King William's name, with many violent and unbecoming expressions against his Royaltie, We humbly represent that wee shall be always ready when it shall be agreeable to the Royall Will and Pleasure to prove and justifie what is set forth in our Declaration (with a great deal more) not only against the Lord Baltemore's late deputies but his Lordshipp himselfe and humbly begg that the false insinuations and reports of his Lordshipp or his instruments the said DARNALL whereby they have endeavored to create a prepossession of greate Plunders and rapins committed by the protestants upon the Papists here may have no Credit with his Majestie or your Lordshipps which is as false as wee shall allways be readie to answeare our Proceedings before God and the King. Wee have onely to Petition his Majestie would be graciously pleased to command the speedie Bringing to tryall the murtherers of Mr John PAINE 3 his Majestie's late Collector who are now in Virginia. humbly begging your Lordshipps pardon for this trouble
   I subscribe
   Your Lordshipps most obedient humbly devoted Servant
   John COODE.
 
(Endorsed)
Maryland 1690.
From Mr COODE to the Secretarys of State
 
 
 


Captain George COMBES has not yet been further identified; however, he may well have been the same Capt. George COMBES who sailed The Palme Tree from Virginia Colony to Plymouth, Devonshire, England in 1685. As a Ship's Captain, he was likely acquainted with Major William COMBES, a Merchant of Talbot County, Maryland, but whether they might have been related remains unknown.


In St. Mary's County, Maryland, the 7 Jan 1686/7 Inventory of Robert LEE included debtor, George COMBS; and again on 20 Mar 1693/94, in the same county, a George COMBS is on the debt list of Justinian GERARD (s/o Thomas GERARD of St. Clements Manor, St. Mary's County, Maryland and Westmoreland County, Virginia).


An earlier George COMBES is found in Baltimore County records in 1665, transported by Richard BALL, s/o Col. William BALL of Lancaster County, Virginia who is found with a Geo. COOMES headright in 1678.


A much later Capt. COMBS is found in Prince George's County in 1725 (See also Combs &c. Ships Lists).

____________________
1 Rev. John COODE of St. Mary's County and the "Protestant Association" he led used fears of Indian depredations to wrest control of the Maryland Government from Lord Baltimore (Charles Calvert) during 1689. Whether the above were real attacks or false reports has not been researched. See also Charges and Counter Charges

2 See Col. Peter SAYER'S 1689 Letter to Lord Baltimore and Col. Henry Darnell's Surrender and Flight for more on Col. Henry DARNELL. Also note that Barbara Smith was on this voyage as well.

3 John PAYNE was a King's Collector (appointed by COODE) and "Captain of the Foote," and the brother of Dr. William PAYNE. He was killed on 3 January 1689/90 by Col. Nicholas SEWELL, a Maryland Catholic, the son of Henry and Jane LOWE Sewell, Sr. and brother of Mary SEWELL who married George BRENT of Woodstock (Stafford County, Virginia). PAYNE succeeded King's Collector Christopher ROUSBY, whose Calvert County will included a bequest to a John PAINE. Christopher ROUSBY was also killed by a Catholic, one George TALBOT, a relative of Lord Calvert, but supposedly in a drunken brawl (according to some witnesses). Ironically, he was the brother of John ROUSBY, first husband of Barbara MORGAN who married next Richard SMITH, Jr. (See Barbara MORGAN Rousby Smith Goes to London).



The Maryland Protestant Revolution of 1689
Combs &c. Families of Maryland

Edited and proofed by Combs Researchers from Archives of Maryland, Vol. VIII, Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1687/8-1693, "Letters Illustrating the History of Maryland in the Years 90," William Hand Browne, Editor, Maryland Historical Society, 1890, pp. 177-179