6oo   Charles County Court Proceedings, 1662-1666.

           Liber B Whearupon the defendants P Mr John Hatch entered thear plea
                 and Joyned Issew as folhoweth (Viz)
                  Whearas the Phantiue Sayeth that bee hath sarued seauen years
                 according to Act of Assembly wee as the ouerseers of the sayd Es-
                 tate doe desire that hee may make his declaration good according to
                 the Laws and Customes of this Prouince
                  Whearupon the Plantiues Atturneys humbly Request that that
                 their Euidences might haue thear oaths giuen them which was
                 granted:
                  James Johnson Aged forty flue years or thearabouts sworne and
                 Examined in open Court sayeth that Richard Smith upon his death
                 bedd when hee maed his last will and testament did speake unto
                 Robert Robins who maed his will Saying that bee had four saruants
                 and that hee woold very willingly giue them sumthing that th3y
                 might bee fayth full saruants and that hee woold willingly giue euery
                 one of them a sow shoate whearupon bee sayd that too of them had
                 too years apeece to sarue and tow of them four years apeece to sarue
                 whearupon hee further sayd that william Burnam and Nathaniell
                 button had too years apeece and the other too four years apeece and
                 further sayeth not:

                  William Potter Aged twenty eight years or thear abouts sworne
                 and Examined in open Court sayeth that hee heard Richard Smith
           [p. 494]   say that hee had four saruants tow for tow years apeece and tow for
                 four years apeece nathaniell button and william Burnam for tow
                 years apeece and John the new hand and Jaen for four years apeece
                 and further sayeth not:

                  Whearupon the Pit aileaging that bee Came into the Contry about
                 the 22th of Aprilh Ao 1658 and thearfor ought to haue bin free euer
                 since the 22th of Aprill Ao 1665 and thearfor humbly Request the
                 Court to take it into Consideration that hee hath maed a Crape and
                 to grant them an order of Court for his Come and Cloaths leauies
                 and Crape
                  Whearupon it is the Judgment of the Court that the sayd Wm
                 Burnam ought to haue bin free euer since the 22th of Apriih Ao
                 1665 Whearfor it is ordered that the defendants shall tacke the
                 sayd Burnams Crape to themselues and out of the sayd Richard
                 Smiths Estaet as Ouerseers thearof Pay unto the sayd William
                 Burnam his freedom Come and Cloaths and out of their owne Es-
                 taets thay Mr Pope Mr Hatch & Mr Turnor shall pay unto the sayd
                 Burnam fourteen hundered pounds of tobacco and Caske and his
                 Leuy with Cost and Charge of suit and to James Johnson and william
                 Potter time 180 lb tob: apeece

            The Court is Adiourned till the 15th of 9br Ao 1665 till 9 of the
                          Clocke in the morning