Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1715. 321

    To Transmitt the Ballance of all such Accounts to the respect- C. P

    ive County Courts where there are any Orphans of the

    deceased to whome the same is due to be taken care of and

    secured by the Justices of the sd County Courts for the Or

    phans Use And also to make Decrees on Suits for filial

    Portions Legacys or other Matters Cognizable in that Court,

    to which purpose he holds his Court not less than six tymes

    in the year and gives his Constant Attendance with his Reg

    istr and two Clerks for the due dispatch of the Buisness inci

    dent to that Office The Fees whereof are Considerable

    But inasmuch as the Country for Severall Years last past has

    God be thanked been very healthful, and the People Gen

    erally poor so that very many Estates are made over in the

    Owners life tymes besides the Provision made by Act of As

    sembly that the Comissary Generall shall have no Fees

    where the deceased's Estates Exceed not ten pounds Sterling;

    After the Office is Supported, and the Registers Sallary payd

    which is aliways a Certain Quantity of Tobacco not less than

    L 20000 The Fees of that Office for the last two Years have

    not Exceeded 70000 l of Tobacco p Ann clear to the Com

    missary Genrll and that dispersed in many hands in the

    Severall Countys

      There are in every County a Sherriffe, a Surveyor, and two

    or three Coroners, also in some Six Seaven, eight, nine or

    ten Commissioners of the County Court or Justices of the

    Peace according to the Extent of the County who hold their

    Sessions four times in the Year Viz, in March June August

    and November, & have Jurisdiction of all personal Actions

    not Exceeding 60000 l of Tobacco, and also of all Criminal

    Matters Committed in their Countys whereof Judgemt doth

    not Extend to Life or Member ; These Justices have Sev

    erall Powers and Authoritys given them by sevrll Acts of

    Assembly: Viz. to decide Small Suits not exceeding 400' of

    Tobacco or 33S & 4d according to their discretion as also all

    differences between Masters and Servants, also to Levy upon

    the Taxable Persons of their County so much Tobacco by an

    equal Assessment as will defray the necessary Charges of

    their Countys : Part whereof is for their severall Attendances

    in Court, allowed by Act of Assembly Eighty pounds of To.

    bacco pr Day to each Justice. Here is a Cryer of every

    County Court, whose Fees are also settled by Act of Assembly

      There are two Corporations in the Province Viz, the City

    of St Maries and the City of Annapolis the first whereof has

    been long disused—That of Annapolis Consists of a Mayor,

    Recorder, Six Aldermen and ten Common Councilmen: The

    Mayors Court holds Plea of Actions of Debt not Exceding

    five pounds and of other small Trespasses & Misdeamean