The Lower House. 369

Your Committee most humbly conceive that the taking such Bonds
for Fees before the same become due is Extortion, Against law, and
that such have been a very great Aggrievance and Oppression to his
Majestys Liege and dutiful Subjects in this province, but they
humbly submit the same to the consideration of your Honourable
House
Signed p order of the Committee S Bordley Cl.

the House concurs therewith.
M^r Mathews from the Committee of Aggrievances delivers M^r
Speaker the following Report

By the Committee of Aggrievances and Courts of Justice
May 30^th 1739

It appears to your Committee upon Examination of Thomas
Bullen late Clerk of Talbot County by the Examination and papers
hereunto annexed, that there is a Strong Presumption of there
having been great Abuses committed in relation to the Huxtering
Sale and purchasing the Office of Clerk of the said County, and par-
ticularly by the present Clerk John Leeds
Your Committee most humbly conceive that the sale of such
Clerkship relating to Courts of Justice, is against Law and pro-
ductive of many Evils to his Majestys dutiful Subjects but tis
humbly submitted to your Honourable House
Signed p Order of the Committee S. Bordley Ct.

L. H. J.
Lib. No. 45

The Examination of Thomas Bullen

Thomas Bullen of Talbot County being examined before your
Committee declares that some time in the Year 1729 or thereabouts,
he had finished an Apprentiship or Clerkship with M^r Tench
Francis of the said county Gent, who was at that Time Clerk of the
said County, during which Time he wrote for the said Francis as
Clerk of the said County and as an Attorney likewise And that for
and during the space of three or four years next after his said Clerk-
ship or Apprenticeship Expired he the said Thomas Bullen was out
of Business suitable to him, and in the year 1734 Entred into a Ver-
bal Contract with the said Tench Francis then also Clerk of the said
County but the said contract was not entered into and executed in
Writing between Richard Francis late of Ann Arundell County
Esq^r Brother to the said Tench, and the said Thomas Bullen and after
the Execution of which Articles as aforesaid the said Rich^d Francis
assigned the said contract over unto the said Tench Francis by a
Writing, A Copy whereof with A Copy of the said Articles he the
said Thomas Bullen delivered to your Committee and are hereunto
annexed and under which Articles a Commission was Granted to
the said Thomas Bullen to be clerk of the said county, and which
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p. 865