484 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1696/7-98.

          Lib. x.   three shillings & four pence, Bills of John Twitts drawn upon

               Mr Rogers Mercht in Plymo for Twenty five pounds two shil

               lings & four pence, Bills of Joseph Gaich's drawn upon Mr

               Geo. Cole & Compa Merchts in Londo for thirty eight pounds

               three shillgs & four pence, Bills of Abel Ieffreys for nine pounds

               Seven shillings & four pence in the whole amounting to four

               hundred thirty nine pounds Eleven shillings and ten pence An

               Account of which said Sum of £439: 11 :10 Sted to our said

               Lord and Lady King & Queen that then were, the said John

               Cood his reasonable accot to make and render when thereto

               requested he ought Nevertheless the said John Cood tho often

               requested his Reasonable Accot aforesaid to our said Lord &

               Lady the King & Queen that then were nor to our sovereigne

               Lord the King that now is hath not rendered & hath hitherto

               refused doth still Refuse whereupon the said Geo Plater who

          p. 117    &Ca Saith Our Lord the King is damnified & hath Loss to the

               the Value of Seven hundred pounds Sterl and thereupon

               action is brought &ca

                                      John Doe

                  Plater        pleg Richard Roe

                A Certain Clause in an Act of Assembly of this Province

               against Blasphemy

                Be it enacted by the King & Queens most excellent Maj

               estys by & with the advice & consent of this present General

               Assembly & the Authority of the same that from & after the

               publication hereof if any person or persons whatsoever inhabit

               ing or being within this Province shall Blaspheme God that is

               to say Curse him or deny our Saviour Jesus Christ to be the

               Son of God or shall deny the holy Trinity the Father Son &

               Holy Ghost or the God head of any of the said 3 persons or

               the Unity of the God head or shall utter any reproachful

               Speeches words or Language concerning the holy Trinity or

               any the Three persons thereof for his her or their first Offence

               shall be bored through the Tongue & fined to their Sacred

               Majestys their heirs & Successors the Sum of Twenty pounds

               Sterling to be levied upon their goods & Chattels Lands

               & Tenements if any they have, but if such Offender or Offen

               ders have not Goods & Chattels Lands & Tenements

               to the Value aforesaid then such Offender or Offenders shall

               suffer six months Imprisonment without Bail or mainprize &

               for every second Offence whereof every such Offender or

               Offender shall be Legally Convict he, She, or they so offend

               ing as aforesaid shall be Stigmatized in the Forehead with the

               Letter B & be fined fourty pounds Sterl to the use of their

               Majestys their heirs & Successors to be Levied upon their

          p. 118 Goods & Chattels Lands & Tenemts as aforesaid & in case he