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

Liber R.

p. 250

Charles Absolute Lord and Prop^ry of the Provinces of Mary-
land and Avalon Lord Baron of Baltemore &c: To our two
houses of Assembly to our Chancelo^r of our said Province of

Maryland and to our Justices of our Provinciall Court, and all
other our Officers within our s^d Province of Maryland Greeteing
in our Lord God Everlasting. Know yee that takeing into
our consideration that One of the most important affaires of
this our Province is the establishing the succession of lands,
goods and Chattells from the dead to the liveing, which by the
common practice of all people hitherto deceaseing in this
Province hath been settled by last Wills and Testam^ts and soe
come to be transacted before our judge for probate of Wills
and granting Administrations (though many times the wills
and Testam^ts have concerned lands onely.) And further con-
sidering that the distributing of Justice in the releife of
Orphans, Legatees, and recovery of ffiliall parts lyeth before
the said judge, but for want of a coercive power in the said
Judge to enforce obedience to & performance of the Rules
orders and Definitive sentences of the said Judge, Justice hath
been retarded, Suitors Delayed, and Delinquents encouraged
to persist in their contumacy and contempt. Wee willing to
promote Justice according to the power given us by our
Charter to erect what Courts and with what powers wee shall
think fitt for the better and more speedy distribution of Justice
to all persons within this our Province. Doe hereby Grant to
our judge or Commissary generall for the time being and to
all future Judges of our Court for probate of wills and grant-
ing Administrations to be by us or our heyres and Successo^rs
lawfully hereafter constituted and appointed that in case any
person or persons Suito^rs before him shall disobey breake or
contemne any Orders Decrees or finall Sentences of our s^d
judge being duely obteined and made by our said Judge in
our s^d Courts it shall and may be lawfull for our said judge to
issue out such process of contempt as is now used in our
Court of Chancery of this Province, and at last to imprison as
Justice and the Case shall require, any former Law useage, or
practice to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding
Given at our City of S^t Maries under the greate Seale of our
said Province of Maryland the Sixth Day of September in the
Sixth yeare of our Dominion &c: Annoq Domini One Thou-
sand Six hundred Eighty and one. Witness Our Self.

Memdu the Tenth Day of September 1681: his L^spp dureing
the sitting of the Assembly haveing recd: some Letters con-
cerning the Indians came into the upper house of Assembly
and communicated the same there to his Councill & after-
wards to the Lower house with his L^spps Letter to both houses,
being all as foll. viz.