x Letter of Transmission.

of partition of, or of title to land (pp. 297,298), and a grant of especial power

to the sheriff of Anne Arundel County were among the outstanding events of
the closing part of the Session, which adjourned on April 25.

Before the next session of the Court, the St. George came into St. George's
River and the men upon her were arrested upon suspicion of piracy. Full notes
are given of their examination (pp. 306 and ff.), and the vessel was con-
fiscated. A Grand Jury of 16 men was impanelled and the sailors were
banished from the Province (p. 310). The next session of the Court was
" holden " in Anne Arundel County on August 2. Several people, probably
Quakers, were called before the Court because they refused to take the oath
of fidelity (p. 314). Men were punished for refusing to aid the sheriff (p.
316) and a curious suit appears for land upon which the settlers had " erected
a meeting house" (p. 318). Four members of the Court were present,—
the number usually fluctuated between four and six. Questions as to owner-
ship of land in Kent County were determined and the mainland plantations
were annexed to the Isle of Kent to form that County (p. 322).

The Court next met in Resurrection Manor at Mr. John Bateman's house
in Calvert County (p. 325) on October 4, but speedily adjourned to reconvene
at George Reade's house upon the following day. John Washington, of West-
moreland County in Virginia, brought accusation against Edward Prescott
(p. 327) for hanging a woman as a witch on his ship bound from England
to America. Washington excused himself from coming to the trial, inasmuch
as he intended to " get my young son baptized, all the company and gossips
being already invited " at the time the Court was summoned. Prescott " sub-
mitted himself to his trial," admitted the hanging, but alleged that the master
of the ship and not he, the owner, was responsible and he was acquitted. A
woman who had born a bastard was accused of child-murder, but the Court
took the merciful view that the child had been born dead (p. 331). A woman
successfully requests that the Calvert County Commissioners pay her for the
care of a sick boy (p. 332). Men are apprehended for harboring Thomas
Thurston (p. 333). A man sues another for stealing away his step-daughter
who was under age, but the girl " confessed in Court that she did go willingly
with him " (p. 336) and the Court granted a nonsuit. An appeal from St.
Mary's County Court concerned the refusal of a man to permit tobacco hogs-
heads to be taken away in a ship (p. 341).

No further session was held, until the Court met at Mr. Gerard's house on
St. Clement's Manor on February 28, 1659-60. Eight members were present
and a clerk was appointed (p. 344). An orphan was granted the privilege of
choosing a guardian. The opinion of each judge is given as to whether a ship
captain ought to be punished for refusing to pay port duties (p. 346).