Charles County Court Proceedings, 1658-1662.     227

       John Cain Presents too saruants a boy and a Girle to haue their Liber A
     Ages adiudge the one beeing Mathew Sanders who is adiudged fifteen
     years old to bee and the other Marie Jeffers by name who was Ad
     iudged to bee fourteen years old:

     Richard Watson Plantiue The Plantiue Aresting the defendant in
     John Mauris Defendant an action of the Case Prefereth his Peti
                     tion as followeth

       To the Worshipfuil Commissioners of Charleses Countie the [p. 221]
     humble Petitition of Richard Watson humbly Sheweth
       That Whearas your Petitioner was in Common Christian Charitie
     was enforced for the Relife of a poore Orphant to bee bound as
     securitie for the quiat and peacable posession of too heyfor which
     Elenor monis in the time of her widowhood was enforst to dispose of
     for the maintainance of a Child left her by william Empson as more at
     hang may appear by the sayd Condition whearin the sayd Elenor did
     then thear faithfully promis your Petitioner to bare him hermelas
     from all manner of inconueniences whatsoeuer tht might thear upon
     ensue now so it is that the Administrator of the sayd Empson hath
     seased on thos too beast the sayd Elenor did dispos of for the afor
     sayd use and that Richard Dod to whome I was bound to make good
     the sayd Cattell hath obtained an order of Court for the Performance
     of my sayd engagement at which Court your Petitioner entered his
     Action against John Mauris as then and now housband unto the
     sayd Elenor but the Sheriffe not beeing able to arest him by reason
     of his Continuall shuning of him to your petitioners great lose and
     dammage your petitioner thear for now most humbly Craueth an order
     of Court to enforce the sayd John Maurice to defend & keepe your
     petitioner harmelesse against the sayd Order of Court which the
     sayd dod obtained against your petitioner and to pay all Cost and
     Charge of suit that hath thearby bin encured and your petitioner as
     in dutie bound shall euer pray &c

     to which the defendant alleged hee neuer knew his cause of action
     befor and thearfor humbly Craueth a referance which is granted him

     Richard Watson Plantiue the Plantiue aresting the defendant in an
     John Maurice Defendant faction of the Case prefereth his petition as
                         followeth

       To the Worshipfull Commissioners of Charleses Countie the hum
     bel Petition of Richard Watson humbly sheweth
       That Whearas your petitioner prouided diuers nesessaries for
     Elenor mauris in the time of her widowhood to the valew of three
     hundered and one pounds of tob for which your Petitioner Rest as yet
     unsatisfied the Premisses beeing taken into your serious Considera