Chancery Court Proceedings, 1674-75.  147





    in the Same before us in our Court of Chan.ry to be held the ninth Liber C D
    day of ffebruary wheresoever it Shall then be fully & Intirely you
    Send and that you make known to George Utye & Hannah Bowen
    that they be & psonally appear before us on the day & place afores.d
    that we may further do therein as according to Law & Equity to us
    Shall Seem meet Wittness our Self at our City of S.t maries the
    28.th day of December in the 43.th year of our Dominion &C.a Annoq
    Domini 1674


             To his Excellency the Cap.t Generall     (fol. 155)

      The Humble petition of Bnidgett Liget pt Widow Sheweth

      That one William Smoot haveing a pa for a pcell of Land
    Lying on the west Side of Wiccocomoco in Charles Coty ad
    joyning to the Land of John Hatch his Land four hund.d acres
    more or Less the Said Land by Severall measne a men.ts Came
    to the Seizin & possession of Thomas Carvile & he being &
    possesst thereof did for a valuable Consideracon to him Se red
    to be paid by John Leget petrs late husband deced assigned the
    S.d four hund.d acres to your pet.rs Said husband but before the
    Consideracon was paid the Said John Leget Dyed
      After whose Death yo.r pet.r altogether Ignorant of the sd as
    signm.t to her husband makes a new Contract the S.d Thomas
    Carvile for the absolute purchaseing of the premisses to her & her
    heirs f or Ever Whereupon the sd Thomas in Consideration of the
    Sume of four thousand four hundred pounds of Tobacco to him
    paid by yo.r pet.r assigned the p'misses to yo.r pet.r by Virtue whereof
    She hath ever Sythence held ye possession of the prmisses & hath
    been at Great Charge in Building & Clearing & paid the Rent to this
    time
      That yo.r pet.r is now informed y.t her S.d husband by virtue of
    y.e assignm.t from Carvile dyed Seized of y.e prmisses & he dying
    w.thout issue y.e S.d four hundd acres of Land are become Escheated
      Now for as much as y.e prmisses is y.e onely Support & Livelyhood
    of y.r poor pet.r She humbly Implores yor Lpp wo.d be Graciously
    pleased to issue out y.r Lpps Writt of mandamus to Such psons as
    yr Lpp Shall think fitt of yor Coty of Charles Co.ty in ord.r to y.e
    Echeating of ye Sd Lands to his Ldps use & tht threupon yo.r pet.r
    may have y.e preemption threof & a patent for yC Same & y.r pet.r
    as in duty bound Shall Pray
      Granted

      Caecilius &c To our Trusty and Welbeloved John Bowles John
    Douglas & Robert Poyne of our County of Charles County Greeting
    We Command you or any two of you that by the Oaths of twelve
    Good and Lawfull men of your Said County of Charles County by