Provincial Court Proceedings, 1676.     451

         summe of five hundred seventy foure pounds of tobacco costs of Liber N N
         suite.

         James Neale Robert Thompson late of Charles County Gent
            agt otherwise called Robert Thompson of Charles
      Robert Thompson   County Inholder was Sumãned to answer unto
                     James Neale Senior of a plea that he render unto
         him the full & just quantity of eight thousand foure hundred pounds
         weight of good Sound merchantable leaf e tobacco in caske which
         to him he oweth & unjustly deteineth.
          And whereupon the said James by Robert Ridgely his Attorny
         saith that whereas the said Robert the eighth day of November 1675
         by his certaine bill obligatory sealed with the seale of him the said
         Robert & here in Court produced whose date is the day & yeare afore-
         said did acknowledge himself e to owe & stand justly indebted unto
         the said James in the full & just quantity of eight thousand & foure
         hundred pounds weight of good Sound merchantable leafe tobacco
         in caske to be paid to the Said James Neale his heirs executrs or admrs
         at or before the first day of October next ensueing the date thereof
         at some convenient landing in Charles County within a quarter of a
         mile from the waterside and for the well & true performance thereof
         the Said Robert did bind himself his heirs execturs & admrs firmly
         by those prsents Notwithstanding which the said Robert Thompson
         the said summe of eight thousand & foure hundred pounds weight of
         tobacco to him the sd James according to the tenor of the said bill
         Obligatory though often thereunto required hath not paid but the
         same to pay hath denyed & refused & to pay the same as yet doth
         deny and refuse whereupon the said James Neale Saith he is dampni-
         fled & hath lost to the value of twelve thousand pounds of tobacco &
         thereupon he bringeth his suite
          And the said Robert by John Jones his Attorny cometh & defend-
         eth the force and injury when &c & Saith nothing in barr or avoidance
         of the action aforesaid of him the said James in forme aforesaid
         against him brought Whereupon it is granted by the Court here the
         eighth day of April 1677 That the Said James Neale recover against
         the said Robert Thompson aswell the summe of eight thousand foure
         hundred pounds of tobacco the debt aforesaid as also the summe of
         five hundred seventy foure pounds of tobacco costs of suite.

      John Allen
           agt       this cause continued untill next Court
         Robert Thompson

         Henry Mitchell
                   Unlesse the def appeare next Court the Sheriff of
          ag       Talbott County amerced.
         John Eason