238    Charles County Court Proceedings, 1658-1662.

             Liber A    humbly Request it, and my Reson is becaus I doe understand that
                   hee is to pay unto Mr Robert Sly for his man James Hays fifteene
                   hundered pounds of meat which is very Probable not to bee satisfied
                   in tobacco because hee is to pay unto Mr William Marshall three
                   thowsand flue hundered pounds of tob: for a Negro who died sum-
                   time in februarie last past or thearabouts and hee hath no other
                   saruant but the sayd James Hays and your Petitioner doath also
                   further suppos that hee is Engaged tob: to other People which must
                   also bee satisfied and the sayd baker not beeing a dealer whearby his
                   Estate shoold bee any ways obscured and as hee himself hath de
                   clared the last Court that hee had sustained a great losse in his stocke
                   of hogs and also because hee hath formarly bin Counted by most of
                   his neighbours a hogstealler thearfor your petitioner doath shroadly
                   suspect that this is but a peece of Craft to Complayne against your
                   Petitioner and to debor him from going into the woods to the end
                   hee might haue the more Conueniences to satisfie his Engagement by
                   Clandestine ways and your Petitioner Conceaues that hee doath striue
                   to Cast ignominie upon his neighbours to the End thay might Ap
                   peare as ignominious as himselfe and hearby I doe further declare
                   that it is my Opinion and Questionles the opinion of many others that
                   all you Commissioners of Charles Countie doe in the minds of Men
             [p. 232]   Reape sum kind of disgrace by not informing the liuetennant Generall
                   of this Prouince of the disgrace that hangeth ouer your heads in
                   hauing so ignominious a Person as Thomas Baker is and always hath
                   bin esteemed Equalised with you and of the disgrace that hangeth
                   ouer all the inhabitants of this Countie in that thear Coold not thearin
                   bee found a man of an honester Reputation to Supply his place and
                   I doe hear declare unto you Worshipfull Commissioners of Charleses
                   Countie that it is none of my intention to taxe any of you of any
                   negligence in your dutie in not informing the Liuetennant Generall
                   of this Prouince of the Ignominious Reputation of the sayd Baker,
                   but Rather to Extoll your Prompt Obediences to the sayd Liuetennant
                   Generalls Plesiur in performing such offices as bee hath bin pleased to
                   Adorne you with, without Muttering or Murmering at any incon
                   uenience thearunto Annexed and thearfor I most humbly craue your
                   worships to tacke my declaration as I haue explayned it and to Re
                   hue your Poore petitioner from his incumberances according as in
                   iustice it shall seeme meete unto your worships and your Petitioner
                   shall euer pray &c

                     Whearupon Mr Thomas Baker desireth that Mr Francis Pope
                   Richard dod and John Piper might haue thear oaths giuen them which
                   was granted

                     Mr Francis Pope Sworne and Examined in open Court sayeth that
                   Richard Roe told him that beeing in the woods with William Robis
                   son thay killed a hoge of William Robissons as hee supposed whilst