Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1761-1769. 221

At a Council held at the Governor's on Friday the 29^th Day
of April in the Eighteenth year of His Lordship's Dominion
Anno Domini 1768.
Present
His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq^r Governor.

The Honble Benjamin Tasker Daniel Dulany John Ridout
and Walter Dulany Esq^rs

Read the Transcript of the Conviction of Richard Mans-
field of Baltimore County Condemned at the last Assizes held
for the said County, as also a Letter from the Justices recom-
mending the said Mansfield to His Excellency for Mercy.

May it please your Excellency
Tuesday 12^th April 1768
One Richard Mansfield was last Week Convicted before us
at the Assizes for Baltimore County by the Verdict of a
Jury, of Stealing the Horse of One Richard Rogers; The Evi-
dence delivered in Court Justified the Verdict, but gave room
for a belief in us that the Prisoner took the Horse only to his
Habitation, a few Miles and then let him go and that he might
intend no more.
The Prisoner made no Defence, but on being brought up to
receive Sentence gave an affecting Relation of his Wife being
delivered of a Child in a Loansome Wood Cutter's Cabbin
without Assistance and that his Master being from Home he
went to Town for Rum and Sugar for her a foot and being
belated was uneasy for his Wife and seemed tacitly to admit
the taking the Horse in order to get the sooner to her
This Account induced us to inquire and Examine Wit-
nesses on Oath concerning the Truth of it which fully affirm
it with a favourable Character of him delivered on Oath by his
Master John Cockey Owings a reputable Farmer who also
produced an Indenture proving him to be no Convict from
abroad, under these Circumstances We cannot but recom-
mend the Prisoner to Your Excellency as an Object of Mercy.
And are Sir, Your Excellency's most Obed^t Humble Servants
J. Hepburn
J. B. Bordley

Whereupon it is Ordered by His Excellency the Governor
with the Advice of this Board that a Pardon issue in favour
of the said Mansfield which was issued accordingly.

His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board the fol-
lowing Remonstrance of the Reverend M^r Philip Hughes and
several other Papers relative thereto.

Lib. C. B.
No. 20