Provincial Court Proceedings, 1679. 193

W^m Chandler then Sheriffe of Charles County aforesaid, to be by
him the said W^m in safe custody kept untill he had given speciall
baile to Answer the aforesaid action of the said John Machen for
the foure hundred pounds sterling aforesaid By verture of which
said order of Court the said W^m Chandler then Sheriffe of Charles
County aforesaid the said ffourteenth day of ffebruary the same
John Sanders into his hands & custody did take, & him the said John
Sanders by Vertue of the same order of Court afterwards to witt the
Sixteenth day of ffebruary aforesaid att the dwelling house of him
the said W^m Chandler in Charles County aforesaid he the said

W^m Chandler then Sheriffe of Charles County aforesaid had held &

detained And the said John Machen further saith, that afterwards
to witt the twenty sixth day of ffebruary aforesaid he the said
W^m Chandler then Sheriffe of Charles County aforesaid att the
dwelling house of the said William in Charles County aforesaid did
Voluntarily suffer the said John Sanders to goe att large & make
his Escape forth of the Custody of him the said W^m Chandler with-
out the knowledge & Licence or consent of him the said John
Machen, He the said John Sanders not haveing paid the said debt
of foure hundred pounds sterling, or produced or given speciall
baile to answer the aforesaid action of him the said John Machen
according to the tenour forme & effect of the aforesaid order of
Court now remaining upon Record in the Secretaryes Office of this
Province By reason whereof he the said John Machen not only of
his action aforesaid against him the said John Sanders is altogether
frustrated & disappointed, but also by the skulking & absconding of
him the said John Sanders in places unknown occasioned by the
Escape aforesaid so permitted by the said W^m Chandler then Sheriffe
of Charles County as aforesaid, he the said John Machen is utterly
defeated of his debt aforesaid, and totally disabled to recover the
same of him the said John Sanders, whereupon he saith that he is
the worse & hath damage to the Value of five hundred pounds sterling
and thereupon he brings his suite.
And the said W^m Chandler by Robert Ridgely his Attorney doth
come & defend the force & injury when &c and prayeth liberty to
imparle hereunto untill next Provintiall Court & itt is granted unto
him, the same day is given to the plaintiffe also
Now here att this day to witt the Sixth day of June in the fourth
yeare of the Dominion of Charles Lord Baltemore &c Annoq Doni
1679 cometh as well the said plaintiffe as the said Defend^t by their
Attorneys aforesaid And the said Defend^t by his said Attorney
saith, he is in no wise guilty of the p^rmisses above by the said John
Machen imposed upon him in manner & forme as the said John
hath declared against him, & of this he putts himselfe upon the Coun-
trey And the plaintiffe also Therefore itt is comanded the Sheriffe
of S^t Maryes County that he cause to come here twelve &c by whom

Liber N N
p. 849