82    Chancery Court Proceedings, 1672.

Liber C D  presents do Constitute Ordain and appoint you the Said Henry
               Adams Thomas Mathews John Stone Zachary Wade, John Bould,
               Ignatius Courseene, Robert Henly, John Douglass, William Barton
               Jun.r Thomas Hussey & Stephen Mountegue Gentl Commission.rs
               Joyntly & Severally to keep the peace in Charles County in the Said
               province And to keep and Cause to be kept all Laws & orders made
               for the Good and Conservation of the peace, And for the Quiett
               Rule and Governm.t of the people and all & Every the Articles of
               the Same, And to Chastise and punish all persons offending against
               the form of any the Laws and orders of this our province or any
               of them in Charles Co.ty afores.d according to the form of y.e Said
               Laws & Orders as Shall be fitt to be done, We have also Constituted
               and ordained you & Every four or more of you of which you the Said
               Henry Adams Thomas Mathews, John Stone Zachary Wade & John
               Bould unless one of our Council be present are always to be one,
               To be Commiss.rs to Enquire by the Oaths of Good and Lawfull
               men of your County aforesaid of all manner of ifelonies Witchchafts
               & Enchantm.ts Sorceries majick Arts, Trespasses, forestallings In
               grossings, Extortions whatsoever & of all & Singular misdeeds &
               offences of which Justices of the peace in England may or ought
               Lawfully to Enquire by whomsoev.r & whensoev.r done or per
               petrated or which hereafter Shall happen to be done or ppetrated in
               the Co.tY af.d against the Laws & Orders of this o.r province Pro
               vided you proceed not in any the Cases af.d to take Life or member
               But that in Every Such Case you Send the prison.rs with their
               Indictm.ts & the whole matter depending before you to the next
               provinciall Court to be holden for this our province whensoever or
               wheresoever to be holden there to be tryed And further We do
               hereby Authorize you to issue Writts process Arrests & Attachm.ts
               to hold plea of hear & Determine and according to y.e Laws Orders
               and Reasonable Customs w.thin this our province after Judgm.t
               Execution to award in all Cases Civill whether in Actions Reall or
               psonall where y.e thing in aeon doth not Exceed the value of three
               thousand pounds of Tob.° In w.ch Cases Civill So to be tryed We
               do Constitute Ordain &c appoint you the s.d Hen. Adams Thomas
               Mathews John Stone Zachary Wade & John Bould to be Judges as
               af.d unless Some one of o.r Council be there in Court, And therefore
      p.72   we Command you that you diligently intend the keeping of the
  (fol. 92) peace Laws and orders and all & Singular other the premisses, And
               at Certain days and times appointed according to Act of Assembly
               in that Case Provided and at Such places W.Ch you or any four or
               more of you as af.d Shall in that behalf appoint you make Enquiries
               upon the premisses & perform & fulllfill the Same in form afores.d
               Doing therein what to Justice appertaineth, according to the Laws
               orders and Reasonable Customs of this our province Saving to us
               the Amerciam.ts & other things thereof to us belonging, And there
               fore We Command the Sheriff of the s.d County by virtue of these