Introduction.            xlix

    “Chirurgeon” (pp. 84-85, 374, 552). In 1666 Richard Wells of Anne Arundel
    County, chirurgeon, purchased 1500 acres of land on Langford Bay, Chester
    River, Kent County from John Langford, gentleman, of the parish of St.
    Clements' Danes, London (p. 139). At the April, 1666, court in a suit
    against the estate of Dr. Stephen Clifton of Calvert County, a witness testified
    that Clifton shortly before his death had given to a certain Demetrius Cart-
    wright a hogshead of tobacco out of gratitude for making him a booke of
    figures and giving him instruction in his practice” (p. 73). John Brooks of
    Calvert County, Chyryrgion, is described as heire apparent to Michaell Brooks
    deceased (p. 252). Bartholemew Glevin “late of Kent County chirurgeon” is
    mentioned in a 1668 suit (p. 317); and the Talbot County court records reveal
    that in June, 1666, the court ordered 340 pounds of tobacco to be paid to
    Richard Tilghman for physic administered by Tilghman to Glevin (Arch Md.
    LIV, 393). Obviously professional courtesy in Maryland did not in those days
    prevent one chirugeon from charging another for professional services, or
    perhaps only the physic was charged for! Gaspar Guerin, chirurgeon, of St.
    Jerome's, St. Mary's County, whose name frequently occurs in the earlier
    records of this court, was ill at Chuckatuck, Virginia in 1666, apparently
    awaiting the departure of a ship for England. Letters from him from Chucka-
    tuck recorded in this volume show that he was on intimate terms with William
    Calvert to whom he refers as “Esquire Calvert” and to Mrs. Calvert as “his
    Lady”. In one of these letters to Calvert, dated November 1st, 1666, he adds
    this postscript “Pray Remember me amongst you when you are busy about a
    boul of Punch and I shall Endeavor to minde you when I am at it” (pp.
    582-584).
                         ORPHANS.

     At nearly all of its sessions the Provincial Court devoted some of its time
    and attention to matters relating to orphans. Occasionally these hearings were
    of sufficient importance for the court to set aside a day for hearing them. Thus
    on June 5, the last day of the June, 1667, session of the Provincial court, there
    was held what is styled in the record a “Court of Orphants”, where seven cases
    involving orphans' estates were heard (pp. 202-207). Only one of these cases
    is of especial interest that involving, the estate of William Bromhall of Calvert
    County. When complaint was made to the court of bad management of this
    estate by William Turner, and of “ill-usage of the said Orphant undr his
    tuition”, the court ordered that an account be returned to the Calvert County
    court and a report of its actions returned to the next Provincial Court.
    Again on May 7, 1670, Philip Calvert, the Chancellor, and another member
    of the court, William Calvert, in the absence of the Governor, designated the
    last Saturday of June next “for keeping an Orphants' Court”, but as the
    holding of the courts at that date was postponed until December, because
    of the Governor's continued absence, we find no record that such a special
    court was held then or later (p. 548).
     One of the duties of the Provincial Court was t& select guardians for children
    left orphans, although this was also done by the county courts. When it was
       4