The Lower House. 371

and ask him for 320^ Sterling for the place of Clerk of Talbot
County aforesaid and if he could get it he should have twenty which
accordingly the said Thomas did thinking himself in duty Obliged
to Obey the orders of the said Tench not thinking them unlawful
and met the said Leeds near the House of Captain Mariot, where
or near the Place where he had parted with him before and asked him
the said Leeds after some previous discourse what he would give
for the Office of Clerk and after some questions by him the said
Leeds asked of him the said Thomas as whether he would resign

L. H. J.
Lib. No. 45

the place aforesaid and such others relating thereto and after his
answering in the Affirmative he the said Leeds asked what he would
take the said Thomas told 320 l Sterling whereupon the said Leeds
Offered 130 l Sterling or more and other Offers of Land and other
Composition thinking the Sum of Sterling money too large the said
Thomas not finding Leeds comply and not being very forward re-
turned to the said Francis in some time after upon which the said
Francis told him that Leeds aforesaid had been with him the said
Francis and declared to him that he could purchase the Office of him
the said Thomas for a Triffle 1 30 l as he the said Leeds had said; the
said Bullen answered and said he believed he would give more and
that he asked him the 320 i upon [which] the said Francis desired the
said Bullen to go to the aforesaid Leeds and tell him to come to him
the said Francis and agree with him which the said Thomas Bullen
accordingly did in a short time, in Annapolis aforesaid and told the
said Leeds he must go and agree for the place aforesaid with the
said Francis
In a few days after the said Thomas being called before a Com-
mittee of the House of Delegates in relation to some ill Practices in
the said Office he returned to him the said Tench Francis and asked
him if he the said Thomas might not as well have the said Office
as Leeds and that he could afford to give as much as Leeds should
upon which the said Francis answered that he should have it for
250 l sterling and then parted, some time after which, he the said
Thomas at or near Talbot County Court House in Court time had
some discourse with the said Francis and told him he could not
procure the money but that if he would continue him in the Office he
would make him any reasonable consideration, but that if he Insisted
he would resign. They thereupon also parted, and in about A Week
or some few days after in the Court Time of Talbot County aforesaid
the said Tench Francis came into the Court House of the said County
and into the Office there with an Instrument of Writing in nature
of a Resignation of the said Office into the hands of the said Edmund
Jenings Secretary aforesaid and desired him the said Thomas to
execute the same which he the said Thomas Complied with and
sealed the same, to which the said Tench Francis Signed as an Evi-
dence and that at the same time he the said Tench told him the afore-

p. 866