Liber B. sion for being Attorney Generall may have the following P. R. O. words interlined in it viz' (and to exteute the Authority & Office of a Justice of peace) which was Graunted and the same words Interlined accordingly. Thomas Deakins of St Maries County petitioned this honble board that he may be Drummer and dorekeeper of the Councell in the Roome and stead of John Parsons lately deceased. The said Peticōn graunted but that the said Thomas Deakins is not to enter into pay till after the next provincial Court nevertheless that he officiate in both the said places all the next prov" Court. The said Thomas Deakins admitted in and promised that he would officiate as aforesaid the next provinciall Court. Coll. Coursey's Letter about an orphant Child read as folleth Gent1 Chester River 22d June 1688. I doubt not but you have heard that I comitted to Goal one Archibald Burnet a scotch fellow for taking upon him to marry one sarah Vanhart (daughter and heiresse of John Vanhart late of Cæcill County deceased) unto one Stephen Coleman a Taylor for that he the said Burnit was neither qualified by Ecliasticall or Civil Law soe to doe, and further that the said Sarah was but a child and not much above Eleaven yeares old, and without consent of Guardian or other friends as by a Letter of Attorney to prosecute them under the hand of Nathaniell Howell given to swithin wells his Attorney will appeare. Now so it was that on Tuesday the 12th Instant was the Court for Orphants in that County to which Court I appointed the said Sarah to be brought by her Aunt pope who hath brought her up ever since her mother died which was about tenn yeares agoe. To which Court I was much importuned to goe by the childs friends as also by my neighbours in Kent County three of the Justices there goeing with me. The Cause alleadged was they were sure the Justices would acquit Burnit and deliver the child to the Taylor and in Truth soe I found it; For notwithstanding the two persons confest matter p. 162 of fact in the Indictment yet I could hardly get that Jury to find the bills and three of the Justices were as unwilling it should viz' James wroth, steevens and allome, this kept me one whole day, at night I went to James Frisbyes to lye, that night the Comission's adjourned the Court about two miles further, the next morning it rained so that I could not goe to them. But I writt to them if they thought fit to remove the child from her Aunt who had brought her up ever since a yeare old that Mrs Stabely might have the tuition of her being a Genteel grave Matron, and one that was the fittest for edu rs P. R. O. cacōn; M' Dare and M' Gundry were of my opinion yet not- Liber B. withstanding Wroth, stevens and allome would have her plact with she that was Thomas Hawkers wife who married Edward Jones and lyes on the north side of Bohemiah River, a very convenient place for the Taylor to take her away into Pensilvania. These Actings put the who Court into Tumult, the Aunt crying after her girle, the girle after her Aunt, Justice Stevens pulling the girle and she striveing to get from him, at last she got loose, and into her Aunts boat did goe, they brought her to Mr Stabeleys where I met them, mine and my neighbours horses being there from whome I had all this story, There I was againe set upon and humbly for God's sake desired to take the child down with me to my wife which I did and now have her at my house; two dayes after comes Wroth and Stevens to my house to demand the child, I refused to deliver her telling them I heard they were going to sell her to the Taylor, Mrs Pope telling Wroth in the open Court that he came to her and advised her to let the Taylor have the girle, and he would be bound that the Taylor should give her a discharge for that of the girles estate that was in her hands which is confest to be 16000lb of Tobacco and this she offered her oath for, it did I must confesse move me soe that I told him I could well afford to suspend him of being a majestrate for his misfeizance in his office. For that he in being a majestrate to protect orphants and widowes went about to destroy them though this discourse may seeme arrogant in me yet if that power which my Lord left in me in his Cheife Justiceship be not by later Commission abbrogated I can shew presidents on it by the cheife Justice in England and though I never intended any such thing, I thought fit to trouble you with it. In respect I guesse it will be a complaint against me Worthy sirs I doe assure you that my greatest desires are a quiet life and p. 163 to live free from these troubles had not the releife of fatherless and the peace of the province been concerned in it I should not have moved-I shall make bold to trouble you with one thing more that I had the trouble of. There is one Hill that lives in sasafrax River who had a wife and was a house keeper there this man (as he told me) had occasion to goe to the Clifts or about the Herring Creeke and stayed from his wife about two Cropps These Majistrates notwithstanding they knew where he was married his wife to another man; and when he came back they kept him out both of his house, wife and land, under pretence that he lost his property in his lands, goods and house because he had lost his wife. I writt to them and I heard that they gave his house and land but whether he hath his goods & his wife I know not. I doe only acquaint you with this to let you know what kind of Justices you have there Liber B. and now worthy Sirs you will be apt to reply to me (why they P. R. O. are the best wee know of) To this I will presume to offer a Remedy if you please to adheare to my Advice which is to graunt a Comission to those persons hereafter named viz' Coll. S' Leager Codd Mr James Frisby, Mr William Dare of the Quorum, M' Edward Jones, M' Giddeon Gundry, Cap' William Peirce and Mr George Warner, these men are the most prudent and the most salvendst in the County and I question not will ease both you and me and keep the County in a good Decorum. I doe very well know that Jones and Warner were left out in the last Comission by the meanes of Edward Inglish but I much doubt he did not tell you the cause why it was, because they would have M' Inglish punished for a bastard child layd to him by Gundry's wench, besides that he had by Wroth's wife. I heard about four dayes since that there was a new Comission come into the County They that were named to me by report of them that knew them as bad if not worse then them there already I have cause to think that they who takes upon them to name Comiss' to you runs too much upon the Byas It is truly my opinion the County had better pay for two Comissions then to have this stand. I have discoursed Coll: Codd about it and he says if you please to entrust him in the peace for that County with them before named which indeed are of his own chuseing he will faithfully p. 164 serve my Lord and his Country; but he would humbly desire you not to mention him in any Comission with such stuff as are there already, for with them he will not sitt, and now worthy Sir I am come to request for myself that you would please to send me word in writing where you would have Sarah Vanhack plac'd for I only keepe her till I heare from you for I will not medle with the bringing up any Orphan or their Estates haveing trouble enough with my owne Our law says the next of kin shall have them, the law of England sayd noe because they are heirs to them. Now the children of this Mrs Pope which she had by John Howell are the onely heires to the said Sarah and yet the tenderness that I see in the Aunt towards this girle persuades me that there is noe danger in letting her have the tuition according to our Law for she keepes one in the house on purpose to teach her & Her owne children, I have faithfully and truely discovered to you what I think is the best to bee done in all these affaires craveing pardon for my plixity & desireing your speedy order in what you would have done with this girle and I shall remaine as ever your honours humble servant Henry Coursey— Burnet and Coleman were comitted but I heare the Sheriffe hath taken bayle to appeare at the next provinciall Court. P. R. O. The last Comission is not put in rule nor none sworne soe Liber B. that if you please to send another it may take place. Ordered that a Letter be writt to Coll: Coursey which is as followeth. Coll: Coursey. St Maries 10th July 1688. S Yours of the 22nd June last came to our hands and we returne you thanks for the paines and care you were pleased to take about the Orphant Childe in which you are much to be commended, and we are glad that the chide is safe at your house where we must needs desire she may remaine untill the next provinciall Court. For we doe know for the present how better to dispose of her at which Court further care will be taken about her. Att which Court wee desire she may be sent down and that you would be soe kind to bee instrumentall in procureing her a convenient passage if it lies in your way. You mencōn somewhat about the Com's of Cæcill County, the Commission was lately renewed, and that by the advice of Mr Will Peirce one of those you mencōn in your Letter soe p. 165 that wee cannot so suddenly alter it. But when wee doe shall have your Letter in remembrance. Our service to yourself and Lady. Wee Subscribe Your very lo: friends and servants Hen: Darnall Then was read a Letter from Mr Francis Jenkins high Sheriffe of Sumerset County wherein he acknowledged to have received from the Emperour of the Nanticoakes two of his Indians whom he sayes comitted the murther upon one Enock an Englishman in Baltemore County M' Jenkins sayd the Emperour was loth they should goe to prison, offering his life for theires, that they should be at the Court at any time when the English would appoynt. At last when his promise for delivering them up was strongly urged upon him, he did deliver them quietly but desired they might be well used in prison. The said Mr Jenkins desired to know of their hon's whether he should provide the Emperour any accomodacōns for him and some few of his Indians to come to St Maries along with him because they had a desire to see the Tryall Ordered that a Letter be writt to Mr Jenkins to give him to know that the Councell had received his and to give him Liber B. thanks for his extraordinary trouble in the matter aforesaid. which Lre followes P. R. O. Mr Jenkins St Maries 10th July 1688. Their Hons of the Councell have received two Letters from you, one of the 21st of Aprill about the Indians having Enock's grave opened, the other of the 11th of May last about your haveing received the two murtherers viz' Annochahill or the White Indian and pomptocus and their hon" doe highly comend you for your diligence, care and paines in the premisses and doe returne you their heartie thanks. They desire you to bring them to the next provinciall Court Alsoe if the Emperour will come over to the Tryall you are to furnish him p. 166 and some few Attendance with him with what they shall want which they leave to your discretion signed p ord: of the Councell Whereas at the request of his Lordships Cheife Rangers a proclamacōn was penned about Christmas last which never yet issued and now at their further request the same is altered and amended and now ordered to issue in the manner follow: Maryland ss By the Deptys Lieuts Whereas divers complaintes have been made to us by severall of the Inhabitants of this Province that the sub Rangers impowerd by the honble Coll: Henry Darnall and Coll: William Digges his Lordships cheife Rangers of this Province do greate damages to peoples horses and stockes of hogges and cattle and at the request and desire of his Lordships cheif Ranger aforesaid Wee the said Deptys Lieu's doe hereby publish and declare and alsoe will and command that all sub Rangers whatsoever in the Province six dayes before the next Provincial Court being the first Tuesday in October next bring in all Comissions powers graunted and authorities made by his Lordships cheif Rangers aforesaid or by their order bearing date before these presents And that each of them give a perticuler accompt of their actings and doings by them. done by virtue of the same and that from henceforth they and every of them cease from further acting as sub Rangers untill they shall obtain further Lycence and power from his Lordships cheife Rangers aforesaid soe to doe. And that all per |