Chancery Court Proceedings, 1677-78.  211

    indemnifie & discharge the Said Thomas ffloyd of & from the S.d Liber C D
    Crime And do hereby Give & Grant unto the s.d Thomas ffloyd our
    firm peace w.ch to us belongs by reason of the af.d Crime So that we
    will from henceforth that the S.d Thomas ffloyd Stand Right in any
    of or Courts if any person whatsoever do him therein Implead, And
    we do hereby Restore the S.d Thomas ffloyd unto the Liberty of the
    Law In Wittness whereof we have Caused these our Letters to be
    made Patents Wittness o.r Self at our City of S.t marys the Twenty
    third day of June in the Second year of our Dominion &a Anno
    Dom one thousand Six hund.d Seventy Seven

      To the Hon.ble Thomas Notley Esq.r Lieu.t Gen.ll & Chief Gov.r
    of maryland
      The Humble petition of Rich.d Okaine & martha his wife
    Humbly Sheweth
      That yo.r poor pet.t through the Informacons & Oaths of one
    Bell & Smith who were their Servants and they having been free P. 173 (fol. 208)
    Some differences have happened between yo.r pet.r & them & Some (o .2
    Suits in the Co.ty Court been psecuted ag.t them Since which Suits &
    differences stirred and moved the S.d Bell and Smith have wrong
    fully Informed ag.t your pet.Ts and upon their Evidence yo.r pet.rs
    have been found Guilty of five Severall Indictm.ts and presentments
    Some against one & both & Some the other & have thereby Incurred
    the penalty of Severall Laws & yo.r Hon.rs Just displeasure & have (fol. 209)
    Received Judgm.t thereupon yo.r pet.rs humbly therefore Implore yo.r
    Hon.rs mercy and Clemency and to Grant them a pardon for the
    Corporall punishm.ts due for the Same & withall to Consideracon
    that this prosecution by Smith and Bell was not till Long time after
    the ifact Supposed to be Comitted & till Long time after they Came
    to be free & the differences af.d were moved and that this is the first
    time they ever lay Guilty of any Such misdemeano.rs And yo.r pet.rs
    as in Duty Bound Shall pray &c
      Underneath yor above petition was written
      m.r Sec.ry Calvert S.t Let a pardon be drawn for Richard Okaine
    & martha his wife for the Corporall punishm.t due for the hog
    Stealing & Likewise for uncaseing the hhd of Tob.o und.r my hand
    this fifth day of Oct.r 1677 Thomas Notley

      Charles Absolute Lord Proprietary of the Provinces of maryland
    & Avalon Lord Baron of Baltemore &c To all our Judges, Justices &
    other officers & ministers within our Said province of maryland &
    all other persons to whom these presents Shall Come Greeting in
    our Lord God Everlasting Know ye that Whereas Edward Newton
    of Dorchest.r Co.ty planter at a Provinciall Court held at our City of
    S.t marys the fifteenth day of ffebruary Instant was Indicted ar
    raigned & Convicted for hog stealing We of our free Grace and mere