300   Chancery Court Proceedings, 1679.





         Liber C D Inquisition of William Drurys Land
         (fol. 300) Whereas we Whose names are hereunto Subscribed being of a

               Jury by virtue of a Comission from the Hon.ble Chancello.r directed
               to m.r William Hopkins & m.r Mathew Howard of Ann Arundell
               County Gent being Sworn this fourth day of July Annoq Domini
               one thousand Six hundred Seventy nine to make Inquiry into the
               Lands of William Drury &C late of this Co.ty deced according to the
               Tenor of the Said Writt

                Forasmuch as William Drury late of this County of Ann Arun
               dell who deceased the Eight and Twentieth day of August Annoq
               Domini one thousand Six hundred Seventy Six haveing to wife
               in his life time Christian Merikein, who had as by her Right as
               by Patent fifty acres of Land Lying in the afores.d County which
               Land the S.d Drury lived upon and possessed in time of his and his
               afores.d wife's life who dyed Some years before the Said William
               Drury, Now upon Strict and Diligent Enquiry into the premisses
               afores.d We do find that the afores.d William Drury possessed no
               other Lands in any part of the aforesaid County but the before
               menconed fifty acres of Land, By Patent to Xtian Merikein & her
               heirs Relict of John Merikein late of this County deceased where
               fore the S.d Drury had no other Right and title to the Said Land but
               by the marriage of the Said Xtian Merikeine who hath to her heir
               hugh Merikeine her Son born of her Body being of three and twenty
               years of age of the s.d Coty in whom by our Inquisition we do find
               the Right of the Inheritance of the aforesaid fifty acres of Land
               doth pply lay and belong w.ch the Said William Drury dyed in pos
               session of w.ch Said Land there hath been no Improvem.t made of
               Since the Death of the sd Drury and that the yearly Rents of the
               Said fifty acres of Land hath been paid by James Rigby of Ann
               Arundell County Ex.r of the s.d Drury deceased and Guardian to the
               heir of the Said Drury named Xtian Drury begotten and born of
               the body of the s.d Xtian Merikein ats Drury Relict of John Merrikin
           p.245 deceased & mother of the Said Hugh Merikin w.ch Said Orphant of
         (fol. 300) William Drury named Xtian dyed in her minority, And we do also
               find upon our diligent Enquiry of the Condition of the Said Land
               to be very mean of it Self naturally besides the Long Continuall
               use of the Same for more then Twenty years, The best of it to be
               Cleared & wasted & the timber destroyed no Care being taken for the
         (fol. 301) Improvem.t thereof Whereon is two Tobacco Houses and one old
               Dwelling house and Small hogg house w.ch are very much decayed
               & out of Repair and also the fences to be of no value, and a Small
               quantity of apple Trees w.ch lay open So that by reason of the mean
               & poor Condition of the prmisses we Cannot value it to better worth
               with all the premisses & profits thereof than one hundred and fifty