142    Charles County Court Proceedings, 1658-1662.

             Liber A The Defendant alleging that hee was arested on this verie day and
                   thearfor Coold not prepare himself to answer unto the suit but
                   Craueth a referance untill the next Court which is Granted:


                   John Michell Plantiue The Plantiue Aresting the Defendant in
                   Francis Doughtie Minister an Action of Defamation Prefereth her
                      Defendant      Petition as followeth

                     To the Worshipfull Commissioner of Charleses Countie
                     The humble Petition of John Michell your Poor Petioner as
                   followeth
             [p. 151] Whearas your Poor Petitioner is most shamfully and her good
                   name taken away from her shee doath desire that shee may bee righted
                   and that shee may bee searched by able woemen whether she bee such
                   a person or no which thos persons say I am and if I bee found to
                   bee such a one I may bee punished by law or els to bee Cleared by
                   Proclamation and that the worshipfull bench woold tak it into ther
                   serious Consideration how that I am Abused and my good name
                   taken from mee without disart and I most humbly desire your wor
                   ships that I may haue the law against them and I your poore peti
                   tioner shall bee bound to pray for you and yours
                383 I desire tht Mr Francis Doughty may bring thos Persons to light
                   that haue raysed this schandalous reports of mee for hee sayd that
                   I salluted a woman at Church and her teeth fell a Aking as if shee
                   had bin mad and I desired him to tell mee who had raysed this report
                   of mee and hee woold not and so from one to an other my good name
                   is taken away that I Cannot bee at quiet for them for it is all their
                   delight and table talke how to doe mee a mischief beeing a poore dis
                   tressed widow but my trust is in God that hee will plead my Case for
                   mee and will neuer suffer the poor and innocent to perish by the hands
                   of their Enemies for of a sunday as I was going to Church with
                   too of Capt: Fendalls folks Mr Walkers man hurled stones at mee as
                   I was going along and so hid himself again which for any thing that
                   I know his master might set him on to Mischefe mee and hee himself
                   wrongs mee by word and I your petitioner shal bee euer bound to
                   pray for you

                     The Sheriff by Reson of the Defendants siknes Craueth in his
                   behalf a Ref erance which is granted:


                   Joan Michell Plantiue    The Plantiue Aresting the defendant
                   Mr Enock Doughti Defendant in an action of slander desiereth that
                   her witneses might haue thear oaths giuen them which was granted

                     Mis Ane Cage sworne and examined in open Court sayeth that Mr
                 384 Enock Doughtie Called unto goodie Michell and sayed goodie Michel