400    Charles County Court Proceedings, 1662-1666.
              Liber B Robert Taylor Plantiue          The Plantiue not appearing
                   Cornelius Morcarmor Defendant the Defendant Craueth a non-
                     by his Atturney Mr Tho: Allonson suit which is granted

                     Dauid Prichard was sworne to the oath annexed to the Sheriffs
                   Commission to officiat the office of under sheriffe:
             [p. 179] Mr John Meekes Desireth John helme and Thomas Hogen migh
                   haue thear oaths giuen them which is granted

                     John helme Sworne and Examined in open Court sayeth that hee
                   see his master Mr John Meekes deliuer a hogset of sugar unto Mr
                   Hands the marchant of the Catch that braught them into Verginia
                   from the Barbados afterwards hee see the same hogset of sugar and
                   a barrell of sugar of this deponants Masters deliuered ashoare at Mr
                   Handses store for fraight of Mr John Meekeses goods and further
                   sayeth not:

                     Thomas hogen Sworne and Examined in open Court Sayeth that
                   hee see a hogset of sugar and a barrell of sugar deliuered unto Mr
                   handse sum tim in september Ao 1662 for the fraight of Mr John
                   Meekeses goods from the Barbadoes into Verginia for which barrell
                   and hogset hee woold haue the sayd meekes pay fraight beeing it was
                   not deliuered him in the Barbados whearupon the sayd Meekes asked
                   him why shoold hee pay fraight for his goods and Mr handse asked
                   him why hee did not pay him in the barbados and then Mr handse
                   asked Mr Woodbery the master of the Catch whether hee had de
                   liuered Mr Meekes his bill yea or nay who answered no whearupon
                   hee bid him keep it for peraduentur hee might make him pay it an
                   other time and further sayeth not

                     Mr John Meekes bringing on Thomas hogin to the Court to haue
                   acknowledge to years of saruice dew to the sayd meekes from him
                   which hee Coold not doe by vertue of an act of Assembly Prohibiting
                   masters to Couenant with thear saruants for any longer time in the
                   tim of thear saruice then thear indenturs specified or Custom of the
                   Cuntry ordered or enacted by act of Assembly whearupon the sayd
                   Meekes in open Court declared him to bee a free man and that hee
                   had set him free whearupon the sayd Howgin produced this ensuing
             [p. 180]   endentur and acknowledged by the sayd Meekes that hee had set him
                   free from that indentur and that it shoold bee of no validitie nor at
                   presant was of any force or Vertue whearupon the sayd Howgin
                   Prefered his Petition which Petition and indentur is as followeth

                     To the Worshipfull Commissioners of Charleses Countie the
                   humble Petition of thomas Howgin Sheweth
                     That Whearas John Meekes hath deliuered to your Petitioner his
                   obligation of seruitude and acknowledged it in Court humbly Craueth