456       Provincial Court Proceedings, 1669.
          Liber JJ William Barrett vss       Morecroft p quer
               Humphry Warren Notley p deft
                Imparlance being granted the deft last Provinciall Court until this
               Court Att which day the said Thomas Notley the Attorny of the
               said Humphrey Warren for plea saith That he is not informed by his
               Client of further answer to make to the plaintiffs declaration then
               the deposition of Thomas Smith, which being produced was by the
               Court found invalid
                And the said William Barrett saith for replication That the said
               Humphry was at liberty and not imprisoned and did signe seale and
               deliver the said Deed and bond without any constraint and of this
               he prayeth the judgmt of the Court, and the said Humphry likewise.
                Judgment was then awarded against the said Humphry for One
               hundred twenty five thousand pounds of tobacco.

                Joseph Dockings being Ordered to attend the Courts pleasure was
               this day discharged.

                To the Honbte the Governours and the rest of the justices of this
               Provincial Court of Maryland.
                The humble Petition of John Bailey Submissively Sheweth unto
               your Honrs
                That in the month of July One thousand six hundred sixty six
               your Petitioner did putt to sea upon a voyage intended for Irland
               from thence intended for Barbadoes and so back againe for Mary-
               land, But by reason of the defectuousnesse of the Vessell the Master
           [p. 9]   and Company did put into Fyall, where by distresse of weather the
               Vessel was cast away and so your Petitioner could not returne home
               till November last.
                That in your Petitioners absence Raymond Stapelfort upon false
               suggestions and imaginary pretences tooke Out a warrant against
               him for foure hundred fifty five pounds two shillings eight pence and
               for forty five thousand five hundred twenty eight pounds of tobacco
               directed to the sheriff of Calvert County, who at a Court held at St
               Maries the sixtenth of October brought and returned his writt of non
               est inventus Whereupon the Court grants Stapelfort an Attachment
               On your Petitioners estate (without proof of any thing to be due
               unto him) which attachment was confirmed at a Court held the
               ninth of April One thousand six hundred sixty seaven and as it
               should seeme Stapelfort was Ordered to give security to save the
               Court harmlesse, although no mention be made thereof upon Record
               for the six and twentith day of November following Stapelfort with
               two Suertyes more enters into bond of One thousand pounds sterling
               to the Lord proprietary to indempnifie the Court agt all actions &c
               that may accrue by the said Order of attachment.
                Stapelfort by virtue of the said Attachment getts Out of the hands
               of severall men in ready pay and bills to the value of tenn thousand