386    Charles County Court Proceedings, 1662-1666.

             Liber B Richard Roe Sworne and Examined in open Court sayeth that
                   about the last weeke of Aprill or thearabouts this deponant went up
                   to the hows of John Wheeler to pay him a weekes worke and a short
                   time after hee went up againe and enquired for samuell Price for
             [p. 159]   when bee was up before the sayd Wheeler tould this deponant hee
                   was to haue planted with him for a share of Come and tobacco but
                   now bee told him that bee was gon and hee demanded what Con
                   sideration hee the sayd Wheeler gaue him for the time hee was
                   theare and hee told him bee was to giue him nothing but his foulkes
                   was to helpe him hill in the old feeld and further sayd that hee had
                   bin lambe at his hows and his diat that hee had was more worth then
                   his worke and further sayeth not:

                     The defendant Alleaging that hee was to plant with him the yeare
                   and that hee went away and broake his Couenant: and thearfor de
                   sarued nothing and the Plantiue alleageth that the defendant turned
                   him away from his Crope which the Defendant desireth him to proue
                   it and bee not beeing able but Contradicting his petition in acknowl
                   edging to haue worked in other places It is Ordered that the Plantiue
                   shoold bee nonsuited and pay the Cost and Charge of suit
                   Beniamin Hammon by Attorney   The Plantiue aresting the
                     John alias Jacob Lumbroso Plantiue defendant in an action of
                   William Gother defendant  defamation Prefereth his pe
                                             tition as followeth

                     To the Worshipfull Commissioners of Charleses Countie the
                   humble Petition of Benjamin hammon humbly Sheweth
                     That Whearas William Gother hath Maliciously defamed your pe
                   titioner in reporting that bee hath Cheated him of his Crope hee
             [p. 160]   thearfor hath entered his action of defamation The Premisses Con
                   sidered your Petitioner humbly Craueth Relife with Cost and Charge
                   of suit and your Petitioner as in duty bound shall euer pray &c

                   and for the Confirmation of the sayd Petition the Plantiue Desireth
                   that Thomas James might haue his oath giuen him which is granted:
                   who deliued his oath as followeth in wrighting
                     That whearas I am hear subpened for a witnes betwixt Beniamin
                   hammon and william Gother thees are to Certifie you of what I can
                   say, that befor the Crope which was maed by them was all strooke,
                   the sayd William Gother Come ouer the sayd Beniamin with the
                   Consent of William Gother desired mee to Read the accoumpt: ouer
                   of what tobacco was disposed of and to whome whear upon I did
                   Read it upon which the sayd Will Gother desired to haue in his bill
                   from Beniamin hammon which to my best Rememberance amounted
                   unto eight hundered pounds of tobacco or thear abouts the which the
                   sayd beniamin hammon deliuered to him and desired nice to wright