xxxvi Introduction.

the bill applied to both Baltimore and Frederick counties, but by a vote of 17 to
14 the latter county was eliminated (p. 208). A motion by Thomas Cockey
Deye that a tax upon pig and bar iron exported from Baltimore County be
laid for the support of the roads, was, in a tied vote, defeated by the vote of
the Speaker (pp. 207-208). The bill itself was only passed when the speaker
cast the deciding vote (p. 210).

Parish legislation. At this session four parishes, Christ Church, Queen
Anne's County; Chester, Kent County; Somerset Parish, Somerset County; and
Trinity Parish, Charles County, sought legislative authority for various pur-
poses. Acts were passed giving Chester authority to build a vestry house (pp.
225-227); Somerset to enlarge a church, and to buy land and build a chapel of
ease (pp. 227-229); and Trinity to buy land and build a chapel of ease (pp. 231-
232). What Christ Church wished to do is not revealed by the journals, but no
action was taken by the Assembly upon its petition (p. 101). These parochial
activities are described in the section on Parishes, Churches, Chapels, Clergy-
men, and Religion (pp. lxix-lxxvi).

Frederick County laws. Two local laws relating to Frederick County were
passed. One of these provided for the adjournment of the Frederick County
Court and the continuance of all cases then before it, this action having been
necessary because many members of the Lower House by their presence in
Annapolis were not able to attend to important business pending in the county
court there at the time fixed for the session (p. 229). The other act provided
for the building at Frederick Town of a stone wall about the prison, a gate
house to prevent prison escapes which had become frequent, and a jailor's
house. A tax of 30,000 pounds of tobacco was levied for this purpose
(pp. 144, 243).

Name of John Beale Bordley. A bill for "ascertaining the name of John
Beale Bordley" is of interest in connection with this notable early Marylander,
who was a prominent jurist, lawyer, councillor, and scientific agriculturist.
Bordley petitioned the Assembly at this session to be granted authority to
have settled by appropriate legislation an ambiguity regarding his given name.
It is learned from the preamble to the private act which was passed to this
end at this session, that the petitioner had had a brother named John, and
that this had resulted in considerable confusion. The preamble to the act
"concerning the name of John Beale Bordley" states that the petitioner was
the posthumous son of Thomas Bordley of Annapolis, who had died circa 1726
while on a visit to England, and that he had been christened John Beale Bordley
in St. Anne's Parish, Annapolis, but because the petitioner had an older brother
John, that he had usually been simply called Beale until the latter's death, and
had made contracts and purchases, and even sometimes appeared in law suits
under both the names Beale and John Beale. It was, therefore, enacted, that
thereafter he should take upon himself the name John Beale Bordley, but that
all legal obligations heretofore entered into by him under either name should
have the same legal effect (pp. 148, 186, 202, 210, 258-259).

Continuances of laws. There were seven acts passed at the November-
December, 1766, session which were merely continuous of old laws about to