126 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1681-85/6.

Liber R.

3^dly for the profitts reed: by Raspin to whom he is Adm^r and
4^thly an Ejectm^t to recover possession; and being afraid Mar-
shall might runn away out of this Province before your Pet^ts
dues were paid or Raspins Estate accompted for your Pet^r
sued out a Ne exeat Provincia to stay his goeing till he gave
security to answer the s^d Actions.
That being arrested on the said writts he cannot find security
but is now in the Sheriffes custody in the prison of Charles
County, and yet he and his people continue to keepe posses-
sion of the said Mill, and receive the profitts thereof which is
now very considerable, and will before your Pet^rs can bring
the s^d Actions to tryall in the Prov^ll Court amount to a greate
summe of Tobacco and the s^d Mills and Mill Damm and
houses are very much out of repaire, and if not speedily pre-
vented the Damm will breake and the Mills be rendred use-
less, or at least cost a greate deale to repaire, and the s^d Mar-
shall not onely neglects to have the same repaired and
amended, but hath also threatned with oathes in the p^rsence

p. 343

of your Pet^r and four other credible witnesses of the s^d County,
that if your Pet^r would not give him his Demands he would
burne the Mills for he built them.
Now fforasmuch as your Pet^r is onely a Steward for
Credito^rs Legatees, a widow and two Orphans, and your Pet^r
hath a considerable duty of Debts & Legacies to discharge
which cannot be paid without sale of the premisses; and if
yo^r Pet^r or some for him doe not looke after the same, they
may in a short time (it is to be feared) stand in as much charge
of repaireing as they are worth
Your Pet^r therefore humbly Implores your L^dspp serious
Consideration of yo^r Pet^r case, and that your L^dsp will be
pleased to ord^r the said Mills to be putt into the possession of
the sheriff of Charles County or one or two of the Justices of
the peace liveing in S^t Maries or Charles County next adjoine-
ing to the s^d Mill, and that he or they and none else may receive
the toll and profitts of the said Mill, and dispose thereof (till
the determination of the accons afores^d) for the vse of such
pson as by the Justices of the Prov^ll Court shall adjudge such
profitts to be paid unto, and that your Pet^r may retaine the
possession of the two Roomes of which he was putt into pos-
session by Marshall, and which he is still in possession off, that
your Pet^r with the privacy and directions of the psons by yo^r
L^dsp appointed as afores^d may the better oversee and see to
the reparation of the Mills, Mill Damm, houses, ffences, and
the p^rmisses afores^d
And your Pet^r as in Duty bound shall every pray &c.
James Bodkin