( 4. people in all; and every the articles of the Same, and to Chastise and
punish all persons affending against the fforme of any the Lawes
and orders of this our Province or of any of them in Sommersett
County aforesaid according to the forme of the said Lawes and
orders Shall be fitt to be done; We have alsoe Constituted and
ordained you and every four or more of you (of which you the
Said Stephen Horsey; William Stevens, John White Henry
Smith and James Weedon (unlesse some one of our Councell is
present) to be one ) to be Commissioners to enquire by the
oathes of good and Lawfull men of your County aforesaid of
all manner of ffellonyes; witchcrafts, Inchantments, Sorceryes
magick arts; trespasses, forestallings; ingrossings and extortions
whatsoever; and of all and Singular other misdeeds and offences of
which Justices of the peace in England may or ought Lawfully
to enquire by whomsoever or whensoever done and perpetrated
or which hereafter Shall happen to be done or perpetrated in the
County aforesaid; against the Lawes and orders of this our province
Provided that you proceed not in any of the Cases aforesaid to take life
or member; But that in every Such Case you Send the prisoners
with their indictments and the whole matter depending before you
to the next provincial Co^er: to be holden for this our Province
whensoever; or wheresoever to be holden there to be tryed; And further
wee doe hereby authorise you to issue writts; Process arrests and
attachments; to hold plea of hear and determine; whensoever or
wheresoever to be holdend and after Judgement execucon to
award in all Causes Civill whether in Actions reall or personall,
where the thing in Action doth not exceed the vallue of three
thousand pounds of tobacco, according to the Lawes orders and
reasonable Customes made and used in this our province of
Maryland