208       Provincial Court Proceedings, 1676.

            Liber N N  Knowne did appeare and continue, neither any thefts Robberyes or
                   fellonyes ever he committed or perpetrated but from all such thefts
                   robberyes or fellonyes and from all note spott or suspition of the
                   aforesaid Crimes or any of them untouched unspotted and unsus-
                   pected remained By pretext whereof the said John Wedge not only
                   very much freindshipp favour and good will of his neighbours afore-
                   said but of all other faithfull and worthy of Creditt of the people of
                   his said Lopp to him he drew & purchased but also divers great gaines
                   and profitts of his Said neighbours and Other his Lopps people afore-
                   said by buying, selling and lawfull dealing and contracting to him
                   the said John Wedge and his ifamily's maintenance and susteinance
                   and gained a fruitfull encrease of wealth to him the said John Wedge
                   notwithstanding the said James Ringold not ignorant of the prem-
                   isses, plotting and malitiously contriveing the said John Wedge of
                   his good name fame Creditt and estimation aforesaid by which
               p. 133  hitherto he was well reputed to Spoile and altogether deprive, and
                   the said John Wedge into Contempt and publique disgrace amongst
                   those his neighbours and other his Lopps people aforesaid to bring
                   in danger of !ooseing his life and forfeiting of all his goods and
                   chattells lands and tenements manifestly to induce he the said James
                   upon the sevententh day of May in the yeare of Our Lord One
                   thousand six hundred seventy five at Langford Bay Hundred in the
                   County of Kent and Province of Maryland aforesaid did falsely and
                   malitiously cause the said John Wedge to be apprehended by One
                   Robert Neaves then a Constable in the said County and carryed
                   before two of the justices of the Peace of the County aforesaid and
                   did then and there in the presence of divers of the good people of
                   this Province a fault of a certaine ifellony for Stealeing of eight
                   barrells of Indian Corne from him the Said James On him the said
                   John Wedge did impose and thereupon the said justices at the insti-
                   gation and prosecution of the said James Ringold did cause the said
                   John Wedge to be committed to the Custody of Robert Dunn Gent
                   Sheriff of the said County of Kent there to remaine without Bayle
                   or mainprize till the then next Provinciall Court to be held at the
                   Citty of st Maries Att which said Provinciall Court to witt upon
                   the sixtenth day of November in the yeare of Our Lord One thou-
                   sand six hundred seventy-five he the said James Ringold in further
                   prosecution of his wicked and malitious contrivance aforesaid Att
                   a Provinciall Court then held at the Citty of st Maries aforesaid in
                   the presence and hearing of divers of his Lopps good people of
                   this Province then and there being the said fault of ifellony here-
                   after in this part specified to him the said John Wedge did againe
                   impose And afterwards to witt On the Sevententh day of November
                   in the yeare aforesaid the said John Wedge before Charles Cal-
                   vert Esq now Lord Proprietary and then Cheife justice of this
                   Province and the rest of his Associates justices of the said Provin