Provincial Court Proceedings, 1677/8.    377

         VanSweringen as well the sume of ffoureteen thousand pounds of Liber N N
         tobacco debt As also ffive hundred fifty eight ptts of tobacco costs
         of suite

        John Paler Thomas Robinson late of St Maryes County other
           agt wise called Thomas Robinson of the County of
       Tho: Robinson    St Maryes planter was sumoned to answer unto
                    John Paler in a plea that he render unto him the
         sume of ffoure thousand pds of tob & cask which to him he oweth
         & unjustly detaineth
          And whereupon the said John Paler by Nehemiah Blakiston his
         Attorney saith, that whereas the said Thomas Robinson the twenty
         fifth day of October One thousand six hundred seventy seven by his
         certaine bond or writeing obligatory sealed with the Seale of him the
         said Thomas Robinson & here in Court produced whose date is the
         day & yeare abovesaid, did confesse & acknowledge himselfe to be
         holden & firmly bounden unto the said John Paler in the full & just
         sume or quantity of foure thousand pounds of good sound Mrchant
         able tobacco in cask to be paid to the said John Paler or to his cer
         tame Attorney his Exts Admrs or assignes in some convenient place
         upon St Clements Hundred in the County aforesaid upon demand,
         for the which paymt well & truely to be made the said Thomas did
         binde himselfe his Exrs & Admrs firmly by those prsents Yet not
         withstanding the said Thomas Robinson the said sume of foure
         thousand pits of tobacco in cask to him the said John Paler according
         to the tenour of the said bond though often thereunto required hath
         not paid or satisfied, but the same to pay hath hitherto & still doth
         deny & refuse to the damage of the said John Paler Eight thousand
         pds of tobacco & thereupon he brings his suite.
          And the said Thomas Robinson by Robert Carvile his Attorney
         comes & defends the force & injury when &c & prayeth the hearing
         of the said writeing obligatory & itt is read unto him, he also pray
         eth the hearing of the Condicon of the said writeing obligatory &
         itt is read unto him in these words. The condicon of this obligacon
         is such that if the above bounden his Exrs or Admrs or assignes doe
         buy & deliver unto the said John Paler one new hand man Servant
         betwixt seventeen & twenty three yeares old being a healthfull &
         sound hand within fifteen or twenty dayes after arrival of the first
         Shipp in Wiccocomico River in the County aforesaid with Servants
         in her to be sold, that then this prsent obligacon to be void & of
         none effect Or else to rernaine in full power force & vertue Which
         being read & heard the said Thomas Robinson by his Attorney afore
         said prayeth liberty to imparle hereunto untill next Provinciall Court
        & itt is granted unto him, the Same day is given to the plt also p. 607
          Now here att this day to witt the Eighteenth day of June in the
         third yeare of the Dominion of Charles Lord Baltemore &c Annoq