Provincial Court Proceedings, 1669.     457

     six hundred thirty seaven pounds of tobacco of your petitioners ef- LiberJJ
     fects as also his Chest which was at his lodging, wherein were sundry
     sorts of goods and his Apparell as also all his bookes accompts letters
     of Correspondency bills of ladeing receipts, releases, bills bonds &c
     without produceing any Inventory of the said writeings neither of
     the goods nor apparrell which were in the said Chest or any apprais-
     nient that ever was made of them
       That your Petitioner knowing himselfe at his departure not to
     be any thing indebted to Stapelfort but he in your Petitioners debt
     above one hundred thousand pounds of tobacco left no Attorny for
     him here to defend the said Action, and comeing now in person to
     demand of Stapelfort to make proof of his said pretended debt in
     Comon forme or to have restitution of his goods, tobaccoes and
     writeings, the said Stapelfort refuseth to come to any compliance.
       Therefore your Petitioner humbly beseeches your Honrs would be
     pleased to cause the said Stapelfort to declare upon his action and to
     prove his imaginary debt if he can, and not being able so to doe, your
     Honrs be pleased to declare the said attachment and all proceedings
     thereupon invalid or superseded And that the said Stapelfort both by
     himselfe and his suertyes lyable to make restitution unto your Peti-
     tioner of all his tobacco goods apparrel and writeings and to pay all
     costs of suite with charges and damages.
       And your Petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray for your
     Honrs &c.

       Benjamin Rozer entered his Appearance for the said John Bailey.

       The abovesaid Petition being this day read in Open Court, Day
     given the said Raymond Stapelfort untill the next Provinciall Court
     that he make appeare before the justices there what the Petitioner
     stands justly indebted to him that such order may be taken therein
     as to the same justices shall seeme meet.

       Upon the prayer of Henry Stockett for the escheate of a parcell [p. 10]
     of land late in the possession of John Hatton deceased lyeing on the
     north side of Rumley Creeke Containeing four hundred Acres Att
     a Provinciall Court held at St Maries the fiftenth day of December
     last past before his Lopps Justices there, which said Justices then
     Ordered, That notice should be given to the respective Sheriffs of
     the Countyes of Ann Arrundell and Baltemore Countyes to enquire
     within their respective Bailiwicks whether any person to the said de-
     ceased related or Otherwise could Shew any !awfull cause why the
     grant or Patent for the said hand should not be vacated And that
     they make their returnes of their Proceedings therein to his LOpps
     Justices here at this day, who make returne thereof as follow vizt

     In Ann Arrundell County, April the xvth MDClxix
       Nullus inventus me Thomas Stockett Sheriff.