Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1769-1770. 339

made the Negroes turn all Our Beds and Bed Cloaths in the
wet and dirt and then went out with her Candle and left us in
Darkness she stood over my Bed with a Candle in her hand as
I was lying sick in bed with my frostbit Leg I had just taken
a Sweat which occasioned me catching a bad cold and was very
Sick with a bad Fever for a great while after and she told me
she would make the Sheriff carry me to the Walnut Tree and
Whip me if I was affronted for she knew how to use Prisoners
my Frostbit Leg is now very bad and Winter coming on I
must certainly Perish for when I take Physick I can get noth-
ing to help me not even warm Water therefore I most humbly
pray your Honours will take our Distressed Situation into
your Consideration and grant such Relief as you may in your
Wisdom and goodness think just and reasonable and your
Honours will be pleased to Order a Habeas Corpus to bring
me William Wright Ignatius Green Joseph Harrison and the
High Sheriff to the Barr of your Honourable House and pray
your Honours will Order John Neale of Charles County
(Joiner) and William Wyatt Fentham of Charles County who
were Prisoners here in the Winter but are now at their Liberty
and your poor miserable unhappy and distressed Petitioner
as in Duty bound will ever pray.
John Doncastle.

To the Honourable the Lower House of Assembly of the
Province of Maryland.

The Petition of William Wright a Languishing Prisoner
in the Goal of Richard Lee Esq^r Sheriff of Charles County,
humbly Sheweth. That your unfortunate Petitioner hath
been a long time confined in the said Goal and having suffered
so much innocently by the Barbarity of a Sheriff which Bar-
barity Occasions me to make it known where Relief I hope is to
be obtained and Justice Reigns and most humbly begs leave
to Represent to your Honours a just and true Account of the
usage I have received and by whom I can make it appear to be
a just and true Representation of his Tyranny and refer to
your Honours on the 27^th of February 1769 at Night this
Barbarity happened a Negro Fellow belonging to M^r Walter
Stoddard being Committed to this Goal as a Runaway confined
in the Criminal Room made an attempt to break out being
discovered by a Negro belonging to the Family the Sheriff
comes in Goal and upon making an inquiry the Goal was broke
and he abusing of every one of the Debtors and accused the
Debtors with it upon his carrying out the Negro tyed him up
and whipped he said that I and one Watts was concerned to
excuse himself upon that the Sheriff ordered the Negroes

Lib. C. B.
No. 20