Provincial Court Proceedings, 1666.     111

    in the morning and in the yeare of Our Lord 1666 at the howse of Liber PP
    Samuell Chew at the Herring Creeke aforesaid upon the person of
    Francis Cheater of Herring Creeke aforesaid labourer did make and
    Assault and him the said Francis Cheater wth a Cudgell price two
    pence which he then and there held up in One of his hands did beat
    and gaue him twenty blowes and wth One of his feet did kick upon
    his priuy members, whereof he the said Francis Cheater on the
    twentyth day of the month of Apr aforesaid did dye and soe the
    said Tho : Morrice the said Francis Cheatr in manner and forme
    aforesaid feloniously and of Malice fore thought did kill and murder
    agst the peace of his said lop: his Rule and dignity
   Wittnesses Thomas Chandler
            William Bateman

      The Grand Jury endorc't on the said bill Billa Vera, And return'd [p.373]
    the same into the Court
      Whereupon Thomas Morrice the Prisoner was set to the Barr held
    up his hand and was arraigned, Pleaded not Guilty, and put himselfe
    upon the Country
      The sher. of St Maries returnes the names of the petty Jury as
    followeth
    Foreman Thomas Hinson Tho: Bennitt James Thompson
        Thomas Ringould Tho: Hatton John Hamilton
        Math: Smyth     Patrick Forrest     John Morgan
        Tho: wynne      John Chareman  Henry Parker

    Who were sworne and upon the Euidence giuen in Cort found him
    Guilty of manslaughter. The said Morrice prayed his Clergy, Which
    the Cort allowed was burnt in the hand, and bound to appeare at the
    next Prouinall Cort in the meane time to be of his good behauiour

      William Price of Charles County bound in a Recognizance of This uoid
                                                 being entred
    fourty pounds, that Hannah his wife should make her appearance at large in
    at the next Prouinciall to answere to such matter as shall be Objected fo: 376
    agst her Concerning the publicque peace

    Thomas Sprigg plaintiffe in the said Cause of scandall and defama-
    Rey: Staple fort de fendt con between the said partyes, the defendt
    came into Court and acknowledged that he had falsly and malitiously
    scandalized the plaint by speaking those words menconed in the plts
    declaracon and that he was sorry for the same and asked forgiuness
    of the plt: in open Court
      The Justices thereupon thought fitt to binde the deft to his good
    behauiour, for that the plt: is one of his lops Commrs of Caluert
    County.