32 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1687/8-89.

Liber B.
P. R. O.

sion for being Attorney Generall may have the following
words interlined in it viz^t (and to exteute the Authority &
Office of a Justice of peace) which was Graunted and the same
words Interlined accordingly.
Thomas Deakins of S^t Maries County petitioned this hon^ble
board that he may be Drummer and dorekeeper of the Coun-
cell in the Roome and stead of John Parsons lately deceased.
The said Peticon graunted but that the said Thomas Deakins
is not to enter into pay till after the next provinciall Court
nevertheless that he officiate in both the said places all the
next prov^ll Court. The said Thomas Deakins admitted in and
promised that he would officiate as aforesaid the next provin-
ciall Court.
Coll. Coursey's Letter about an orphant Child read as foll^eth

Chester River 22^d June 1688.
Gent^l
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 Vanhartlate
of Csecill 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 12^th 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^t James wroth, steevens and allome, this kept me
one whole day, at night I went to James Frisbyes to lye,
that night the Comission^rs 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 M^rs Stabely might have the tuition of her being
a Genteel grave Matron, and one that was the fittest for edu-