Charles County Court Proceedings, 1666—1668.     103

       Articles of mateship Between William Boyden in the province of                Liber C
     Marieland planter of the one part and Walter Cooper of the same                Septemb 10th 1667
     province and both inhabiting and living in Matawoman in Charles
     Countie witnesseth That the above specified parties William Boyden
     and Walter Cooper have Condiconed and agreed to and with each
     other to live and inhabite with each other as joynt mates and
     parteners for the full time, and terme of Seaven yeares putting in
     and joyning both estates together that is to say lands cattell, hogges,
     houshold goods, and what debts they owe they are to be Satisfied
     the one as farre forth as the other, and as for the making of Bar-
     gaines they are not to do it without the Consent of each other untill
     the Seaven yeares be exspired and fullie Compleated and it is further
     agreed on by both parties that if either partie be minded to marrie
     both parties are still to remaine joynt mates untill the full time of
     Seaven yeares are ended And at the end and expiracon of seaven
     yeares the above Specified Walter Cooper doth acknowledg to pay
     unto the said William Boyden his heires Executrs or assignes the
     just Sume of fifteen Thousand pounds of good Sound merchantable
     tobaccoe, & caske to be paid at some Convenient place in Charles
     Countie, the which sume of tobaccoe is for halfe the Land of
     William Boydens which these parties William Boyden and Walter                   [p. 241]
     Cooper are now going to live on the Mateship beginning at this
     present tenth of September 1667, and at the end of the Seaven
     yeares the whole estate to be equallie divided between the said parties
     Signed Sealed and Delivered Will. Boyden 0
       in the presence of us  Walter Cooper 0
          Robert Robbins his marke W
          Francis Adams

       John Boyden entereth the Marke for his hogges and Cattle as
     followeth vizt Two Crops two overkeeles and two Slitts under each
     eare
       Edmund Lambeth entereth the marke for his hogges and Cattle
     as followeth vizt Cropt on the right eare and overkeeld and under-
     keeld with a Slitt downe to the Barre on the left eare
       Richard Jones entereth the marke of his hogges and Cattle as
     followeth vizt Cropt and a hole on the left eare and a peice taken
     out next to the Root on the right
       Gilbert Corner entereth the marke of his hogges and Cattle as
     followeth vizt Cropt on both Eares and two Slitts in each Croppe
     and holed in each eare, and out of the foreside of the Right eare
     a peice taken out neare unto the roote of the same eare.
       Gerrard Browne entereth the marke of his hogges and Cattle as
     followeth vizt overkeeld on the right Eare and Cropt in the left.
       John Millar entereth the Marke of his hogges and Cattle as fol-
     loweth vizt Cropt on the right eare and 3 Slitts and two nicks in
     the Left eare over