520 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1694 97.

      Lib.  H. P. The State of the Case between Sr Thomas Laurence Secre

         p. 409 tary of the province and Mr William Hemsley of Talbott

             County.

          Humbly represented to his Exncy in Councill.

             Sr Thomas Sr Thomas Laurence being his Mats Secretary of

             Complaint     .          .   .

             agt Wm this Province, and by Virtue of his Office being

             Hemsley abt intrusted with the keeping of all the Records be

            the Land Records &cca    longing to the Land Office, Brought an Action agt

                    the sd William Hemsley in the year 1694 for that

             the sd Hemsley in the time of the Revolution and before

             the Government was Setled by his Maty or a Secretary ap

             pointed did procure Mr John LLewellin who at that time had

             the keeping of all the Land Records to make him out Coppys

             of all the Certificates of all the Lands which from the begin

             ing of the seating of this Province to that time had been layd

             out and Surveyed in that County by which means the sd

             Hemsley has in a manner wholly cut off the Legall perquisites

             of the sd Sr Thomas his Office and takes to himself the proffits

             thereof in Talbot County, & breeds continuall disturbance and

             contention between his Mats Subjects who have Lands in the

             sd County; upon wch Action the sd Sr Thomas obtained a Ver

             dict against the sd Hem sley, ffor that the damage be sustained

             and the great strife that was thereby fomented between the

             inhabitants did plainly appear both to the Court and Jury.

               But fforasmuch as by the sd Verdict, nor any Judgmt which

             can be made thereupon the sd Sr Thomas cannot take away

             from the sd Hemsley the Coppys aforesd whereby further mis-

             chiefs may be prevented as well to the people of the sd County

             as to the sd Sr Thomas his Office--There fore the sd Sr Thomas

             humbly Requesteth that yor EXnCY would issue forth an Ordr

             for the Surrender of the sd Coppys as an Act of State for pre

             serving the peace and Quiet of the sd County or ‘fake such

             other measures as shall be thought most convement to relieve

             all party's injur'd by the sd Hemleys having the Custody of

             the Copy's of the sd Record.

               By his Exncy the Governr & Councill, Octo. the 9th 1696.

             Ordr to Mr Ordered that the within Peticon be Referred to

             Attorney &            .

             Sollicitor Mr AttQrney & Solicitor Genll together with the

             Genii to Deposition hereunto Annex't for them to make

             make Report Report to this Board, what is best and most proper

             to be done therein.

               Signed p Ordr Hen: Denton Cl Concil