196        Provincial Court Proceedings, 1676.

           Liber N N  To the Right Honble Charles Lord Baltemore Absolute Lord &
                      Propry of Maryland
                     The humble Peticön of Andrew Insloe
                   Most humbly sheweth unto yor Lopp.
                    That Thomas Houton late of Dorchister County Deceased had
                   Granted unto him by Letters Patent under the great Seale of this
                   Province bearing date the Eighth of August. 1670. fifty acres of
                   land called Houtons Lott lying on the East side of Chessepiake Bay
                   in a Bay called Tarr Bay on the East side of the said Bay as appeares
                   upon Record, which said parcell of land yot Peticönt did for a Valu-
                   able Consideracon purchase of the said Houton, who (for the better
                   assuring & suremaking of the same to yor PeticOnr) did under his
                   hand & Seale Impower and appoint one John Brookes to prove the
                   Deed of Conveyance made by the said Houton to yor Peticönr of the
                   said land att the then next Dorchister County Court & did Seale &
                   deliver to yor Peticonr a penall Bond of tenn Thousand pounds of
                   tobacco for the performance of the Covenants in the said Deed con-
                   tained which writings are hereunto annexed—Now so itt is May itt
                   please yor Lopp Itt so happened that Houton dyed before the said
                   Brookes had proved the Deed After whose decease Brookes refused
                   to make Oath of the Sealing & delivery thereof, so that the same
                   is not as yett Entred upon Record, by reason whereof yor Peticonr
                   is kept out of the possession of the prmisses, notwithstanding his
                   equitable right thereunto Yor Peticönr doth humbly Implore yor
                   Lopps CommiseracOn of his now distressed CondicOn, all his houses
                   & appurtennces being lately Consumed with fire, & yor Peticonr have-
               P. 125  ing not whenewith to support himself e & ifamily Without yor Lopps
                   clemency in Granting him that which he hath so long since purchased
                   & paid for.
                    The prmjses considered, yor PeticOnr doth humbly begg of yor Lopp
                   that the Deed of Conveyance of the land aforesaid from Houton to
                   yor Peticonr may by the wittnesses thereunto be proved either in the
                   Provinciall Court or Dorchister County Court where the land lyeth
                   & that the same may be entred upon Record, & stand & be as firme
                   Valid & Effectuall to all intents & purposes according to the true
                   intent & meaning thereof, as if the same had been so entred within
                   one Month next after the Alienacon made
                           And yor Peticonr as in duty bound shall ever pray &c
                    Vnderneath the above Peticön was written Vizt
                   Lett the Evidence to be given by Guy White be taken in Court, that
                   the Peticoñer may be secured Ch: Baltemore

                   July 21th 1676
                    Came John Doxey and desired his marke might be entred upon
                   Record which is as followeth vizt Cropt and a hole in the left eare,
                   cropt & aforebited in the right eare.