Provincial Court Proceedings, 1679/80. 119

Master towards all his servants, the ffeare of god haveing alwaies
before his eyes, Hath ever used and Endeavoured with his Chieffest
Care and Dilligence by all meanes possible hee could to provide
sufficient for theire Cloathing dyett Lodgeing and all other neces-
saryes and to preserve his said sarvants in health and welfare, With-
out ever giveing to them or any of them any Cruell or unreasonable
Correccon, or ever exacting or expecting more or other service ffrom
them or any of them, then what in equity and good Conscience
might reasonably bee expected ffrom them, By reason whereof the
said Richard hath not onely obtained the Love ffavour and good
will of all his Neighbours. Merchants and other worthy and hono^ble
psons of this Province, but also hath kept himselfe his same oppinion
estimation & Repute, and all his goods chattells Lands and tenem^ts
safe secure and unteynted, And in noe wise subject to any Lawe
for ffellony Murder killing or slaying or other mischeife or Offence
abovesaid made and Provided Yet the said William Collins being
not ignorant of the p^rmisses, but Envying the happy estate and
condicon of the said Richard, and malitiously intending not onely
to deprive him the said Richard of his good name ffame Creditt and
repute aforesd and of his waies and meanes of liveing as afforesaid
and to bring him into the hate disgrace and evill oppinion of all
his neighbours Marchants and other worthy and hono^ble persons of
this Province, but also innocently to cause him the said Richard to
bee brought into danger of fforfeiting all and singular his Chat-
tells lands and tenements and looseing of his life, the second day of
October in the yeare of our Lord god One thousand six hundred seav-
enty and eight. Att a certaine place commonly called Mount Calvert
hundred in Petuxent River aforesaid within the County aforesaid
then and there haveing speech and comunication with one William
Rought and divers other ffaithfull and Credible persons of this Prov-
ince, of and concerning him the said Richard, in the presence and
hearing of him the said William Rought and other neighbours and
ffaithfull and Credible psons of this Province then and there being
present and in hearing, Openly and publiquely and with a Loud
Voice, these scandalous ffeigned and oprobrious words did ffalcely

and lualitiously say (Viz) that he the said William Collins Would

Sweare, that Richard Marsham the said Richard Marsham the

Liber W. C.

Plaintiffe meaning, beat his man Jenkins (one Jenkin Price meaning
late servant to the said Marsham who dyed in his the said Richards
service) while he, meaning the said Jenkin Price) was dead in the
ffeild, And was brought dead into the house, meaning the ffeild and
house of the said Richard, And this hee the said William Collins
would Sweare before the Governeur and Chancello^r, And the same
William Collins out of the same mallice envy and evill Intention,
Afterwards to witt the tenth day of October afores^d att the house of
John Smith within the County aforesaid in the p^rsence and hearing
of the same John Smith and divers other neighbours and Credible

p. 108