444    Charles County Court Proceedings, 1662-1666.

             Liber B And immeadiatly obiected against the defendants Atturney alleag-
                   ing that hee was a saruant and thear for ought not to bee any bodies
                   Atturney excepting his masters Mistrisses or ouerseers nor euen
                   thears unles by the admittance of the aduers Party and the sayd
                   Price not beeing abell to produce any Certificate of his freedom It
                   is ordered that hee shoold not bee the sayd Chermans Atturney
                     Whearupon the sayd Chearman humbly Craued a Ref erance untill
                   [p.246] the last of the Court which was granted and then the sayd Cher-
                   man appearing by his Atturney M' Thomas Hussey and in open
                   Court owned by the sayd Chearman who also verified declared and
                   in open Court affirmed that hee had set the sayd Wilmot Free from
                   her first indentur
                     And the sayd Hussey Prefered thees ensuing Articles in wrighting

                     John Chermans Answer to Joan Wilmotts Petition or declaratione
                   in Primis He desires the Plantiues declaration may bee Proued
                   2dly the Plantiue is by her euidence Cleare from her seruitude
                   3dly It is humbly Conceaued that the expiration of Couenant is the
                       full Compleating of saruice and by her owne Confession she
                       had liberty to doe what shee woold as her owne euidence haue
                       testified thearfor beeing a free woman as free to enter into his
                       saruice as into any others
                   4thly     hee desirs that the Plantiue may put in securitie to answer the
                       Charge and Cost of suit
                   5thly     hee desirs to know whether or no shee hauing prooued herself
                       free and Entering into Couenant for Consideration hee ought
                       not to enioy his saruice
                   6thly     beeing altogether unprouided by Reason of his atturney beeing
                       disimpowered hee humbly begs a fauorable and iust Assistance
                       of the Court

                     The Precedent buisnes beeing taken into the serious Considera-
              [p.247] tions of the Court: It is thear for ordered that the Plantiue Joane
                   Wilmot shoold bee free and that the Defendant Pay the Cost and
                   Charge of suit
               Verlinda Stoane by hur Atturney        The Plantiuc aresting the
                    Mr Richard Stone Plantiue    the defendant in an action
                   Bartholmew Gartherell by his Atturney   of debt Prefereth her Pe
                    W Thomas Hussey defendant    tition or declaration as fol
                                             loweth

                   Mis Verlinda Stoane Plantiue Bartholmew Gartherell Defendant

                     The Plantiue declaers against the defendant in an action of debt
                   for 500 lb of tobacco Per bill and Remaynes as yet unsatisfied The
                   Plantiue thearfor humbly Craueth order of Court for her debt with
                   Cost and Charge of suit: