Chancery Court Proceedings, 1671.  59

      Item. They Say that the aforesaid possessor in Assizes, Juries Liber CD
    and Recognicons after the Alienation aforesaid may be soe put as
    before the s.d Alienation, and that the County by the alienation
    aforesaid in default of the present possessor will not be Grieved &
    Charged more than was wont
      In witness whereof as well the Juries above menconed as the S.d
    Sheriff have hereunto Set their hands and Seales the day and year
    first above written            Chr :s Rousby
                                      Sher (Seale)
         Arthur Ludford   J: Tilly
         John   Mirth     John H. Leach
         James  Godscross Griffin George
         Michaell ifarmer Andrew   Dicconson
            m
     Willm.               Stennett     Sam. Goosey
         Joseph Baker     Andrew Henderson

      Caecilius absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces of
    Maryland and Avalon Lord Baron of Baltemore &c To all persons
    to whom these presents shall come Greeting in our Lord God Ever-
    lasting Whereas by an Act of Generall Assembly made at o.r Generall
    Assembly of our Said province of maryld begun and held at our City
    of s.t maries the Thirteenth day of Aprill in the xxxvii.th year of
    our Dominion over our s.d province Annoq Domini 1669 Intituled
    an Act for Encouragem.t of Such persons as will undertake to build
    Water Mills, It is amongst other these things Enacted That if any
    person or psons from and after the last day of June then next should
    desire to Sett up a water mill upon any Land next adjoyning to any
    Runn of water within this province not being the proper possession
    or ifreehold of the Said person or persons nor Leased to them by
    us or other persons to the Intent therein to Sett a water mill they
    should purchase our writt out of our Court of Chancery directed
    to the Sheriff where Such Land Lyeth requiring him by the Oaths
    of Twelve men of his County to Enquire what damage it would be
    to us or others to have a mill Sett up in Such a place as afores.d upon
    the Return of which writt in Case the person or persons who by
    the return of the Said Inquest should be found to be the true Owners
    & possessors of the Land fit to build a mill upon Should refuse to
    Build a mill thereupon & Should refuse to give Security to us by a
    bond of fifty thousand pounds of Tobacco with Condition to Build
    a mill thereon within Twelve months from that day to be Compleated
    & Reckoned and the Same Building to prosecute & finish within
    Twelve months after the Said Beginning or Laying the foundation
    as afores.d for the publique Good of our Said province, It should
    be Lawfull to and for us and our heirs & Successors or in our or p.
    their absence for our and their Lieuten.t & Chief Governo.r there (fol. 6o)