22     Charles County Court Proceedings, 1658-1662.

             Liber A John Piper aged 30 years or thearabouts Sworne and examined in
                   open Court Sayeth that hee hard Haniball and Elizabeth Spicer Say
                   that goodman Courts was a Slanderous man and hath Slandered the
             [p. 26]    whole Cuntrie and further this Deponant Sayeth that hee hard the
                   Sayed Spicer and his wife Say that thay hard Goodman Courts Say
                   that William Empson was a theefe from his Cradell and further
                   Sayeth not

                    Daniell Johnson 23 years or thearabouts Sworne and examined in
                   open court Sayeth that goodman Courts was reported in this deponant
                   hearing by Haniball and Elizabeth Spicer to bee a verie slanderous
                   man and hath Slandered the whole Cuntrie and further sayeth that
                   hee hard them say (viz Haniball Elisabeth Spicer) that thay hard
                   goodman Courts Say that William Empson was a theefe from his
                   Cradell and further Sayeth not

                    It is thearfor ordered that the sayd Haniball and Elisabeth Spicer
                   shoold haue Six lashes a peece which the Sheriffe is to cause them
                   to receaue but the sayd Elisabeth alleging that shee was with Child
                   it is ordered that shee shoold not haue her punishment of whiping
                   untill such time that Shee bee deliuered


                   William Batten Plant: The Plantiue hauing baught a Saruant by
                   Richard Couel Defendant name Edward Goodman of the defendant
                    Per Mr Tho: Mathews for flue years and the Defendant deliuered
                 that Saruant who had but foure years to Sarue according to an act of
                   Assemblie enacted in Mariland prouiding for all Such Persons biing
                   at men or weomens estate that come in as Saruants into the Sayd
                   Prouince of Mariland without indenturs it is thearfor ordered that
                   if Mr Thomas Mathews the Atturney of the Sayd Richard Couell
                   doe not giue the Plantiue Securitie for the fift year of the aforsayd
                   Edward Goodmans Seruitude that then an Attachment to issue forth
                   out of this Court against the Sayd Couels Estate for the Secuering of
                   the Sayd William Batten for the fifth years Seruitude of Edward
                   Goodman


                   Daniel Johnson Plantiue The Plantiue complayneth of the defen
                   William Robisson Defend dant by Petitione as followeth (viz) the
                  humble Petione of Daniell Johnson most humblie Sheweth that
                   whearas your together with William Robisson hauing baught his time
                   of Robert Slye in of Wicokomeco in the Prouince of Mariland Mar
                   chant for a certaine Some of tob: the day of Payment not beeing
                   yet expiered the Sayd William Robisson threateneth your Petitioner
                   to make him his Saruant whearfore your Petitioner most humbly
                   desiereth you So Seriouslie to consider the Praemisses that your Pe
                   titioner may bee releaued hearin