Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1667-75. 53

and Appointed and do by these presents Constitute Ordain
and Appoint you the said Raymond Stapleford Iohn Pollard
William Stevens Stephen Gary William Stevens Henry Tripp
Anthony Le Compte and Henry Hooper Gent Commissioners
jointly and severally to keep the peace in Dorchester County
and to keep and Cause to be kept all Laws and Ordinances
made for the good and Conservation of the peace and for the
quiet Rule and Gov^t of the People in all and every the
Articles of the same and to Chastise and punish all persons
Offending against the Form of any the Laws and Orders of
our said province of Maryland or any of them in Dorchester
County aforesaid as according to the form of those Laws and
Orders shall be fit to be done We have also Constituted and
Ordained you and every four or more of you of which you the
said Raymond Stapleford Iohn Pollard or William Stevens of
Little Choptank (unless some one of our Council be present
are also to be our Commissioners to enquire by the Oath of
Good and Lawful men of your County aforesaid of all manner
of Felonies witchcrafts Inchantments Sorceries Magick Arts
Trespasses forestallings engrossings and extortions whatsoever
and of all and singular other misdeeds and Offences of which

Liber A. M.

Iustices of the Peace in England may or ought Lawfully to
enquire by whomsoever or whensoever perpetrated or which
hereafter shall happen to be done or perpetrated in the County
aforesaid against the Laws and Ordinances of our said Province
of Maryland Provided you proceed not in any the Cases
aforesaid to take Life or member but that in every such Case
you send the prisoners with their indictment and the whole
matter depending before you to the next Provincial Court to
be holden for our said Province of Maryland whensoever or
wheresoever to be holden there to be tried and further
we do hereby Authorize you to issue Writts process arrests &
attachments to hold Plea of Oyer and terminer, and after Iudg-
ment Execution to award in all Causes Civil whether Real or
personall in Action doth not exceed three thousand
pounds of Tobacco to the Laws Orders and Reasonable
Customs made and used in Province of Maryland in
which Causes civil 10 to be tryed we do Constitute
Ordain and Appoint you Raymond Stapleford Iohn Pollard
and William Stevens of little Choptank to be Iudges as afore-
said unless some of our Council be then in Court and there-
fore we do Command you that you diligently intend the
keeping of the peace Laws and Orders and all and
singular other- the premises and at certain days appointed
according to Act of Assembly in that Case provided and at
such Places which you or any four or more of you as aforesaid
shall in that Behalf appoint ye make enquiries upon the prem-

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