Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1692-1694. 379

men more armed &c^a as afores^d from the head of Pottuxen to

the head of Pottapsico and one more with the like Number of
men from thence to the head of Susquahanno River to be
nominated and appointed, as also their pay agreed for and
ascertained by his Excellency the Governor

To his Excellency Lionel Copley Esq^r Governor and to the
honourable their Majestys Councill of Maryland
The petition of Iames Foster of Ann Arundell County
most humbly Sheweth

Liber K.

That your Petitioner by his own hard Labour Pains and In-
dustry (the only means he hath wherewith to support himself his
Wife and Family) having acquired a small quantity of Tobacco
sufficient to purchase a small piece of Land, whereon to seat
himself and make future Provision for their sustenance, did
accordingly some time since procure and purchase therewith
of one Nathaniel Stinchcomb of the aforesaid County a small
tract of Land, which your Petitioner seated built on and im-
proved with no small charge to a convenient Plantation and
habitation for the support and maintainance of himself and his
Family since which one M^r William Hopkins of the aforesaid
County, having a covetous desire for the said Land as Lying
commodious for him, and taking advantage of the nonage of
the said Nathaniel Stinchcomb when he made sale thereof to
your Petitioner did afterwards within the time and (as your
Petitioner is also advised) before he came to full age privately
and underhand practise and deal with the said Nathaniel to
recant and fall of from his first Bargain and sale to your Petit^r
and to sell the same again to him the said Hopkins wickedly
Maliciously and fraudently insinuating to him, the advantage he
would gain thereby of having double pay for the same, for what
he had before done would signify nothing neither could he be
compelled by your Petitioner to make restitution of what really
and Bona fide he had rec'd: he being then in his minority and
therefore incapable of disposing of his Land, neither could
your Petitioner recover any thing back from him by Law, by
which Suggestion and Perswasions of the said Hopkins, the
said Nathaniel Stinchcomb as himself hath since confessed,
and is ready to confirm, being most importunately sollicited
and continually plyed by the said Hopkins, was at last seduced
to a second Bargain and sale of the said land to the said Hop-
kins wherein the said Hopkins was so diligent and earnest
that he procured a conveyance thereof to be drawn executed
and recorded in the County Court before such time as your
Petitioner was aware or indeed could imagine him to have
Effected till he were at full Age: the fraudulent unjust Pro-
ceedings of the said Hopkins your Petitioner complained of

p. 56