SALMON v. CLAGETT.—3 BLAND. 155

Bayley v. Adams, 6 T es. 594. (g) A plea demands the judgment
of the Couit in the first instance, whether the special matter urged

(g) BISSETT v BISSETT —This bill, filed on the 3d of January, 1761, sets
forth, that the plaintiff Ann Bissett, as devisee of her first husband, was
seised in fee of a certain tract of land in Baltimore County that she mar-
ried David Bissett, her second husband, who by repeated beatings, threats,
and much ill usage, induced her to convey her lands to a certain John Mat-
thews, and afterwards, for greater security, to a certain Robert Stokes, for
the purpose of being conveyed to and vested in her said hubband David
Bissett, which they did accordingly, that David Bissett is dead, and that her
acknowledgments of the said deeds upon what purports to be her private
examination, was fraudulently obtained bv force, &c Upon which she
prayed, that the deeds might be set dside and that the land might be re-
conveyed to her, &c

The defendant, who, it appeals, was an attorney at law and the brother
and heir at law of David Bissett, deceased, appeared in proper person at
September Term, 1761 and filed the following plea and answer

The plea and answer of James Bissett of Baltimore County, attorney at-
law, to the bill of complaint of Ann Bissett complainant

The defendant by protestation, not confessing or acknowledging all or any
of the matters and things in the complainant's said bill of complaint con-
tained to be true, in such manner and form as the same are therein alleged
and set forth, except in so far as after admitted and acknowledged in the
particular answer inserted, as to so much of the said bill of complaint as
prays relief, in this Honorable Court, against the several deeds for com ey-
ing the lands in said bill of complaint and after recited as fraudulently, or
unfairly obtained, executed and acknowledged, and extorted by duress
without any consideration paid oi if paid, immediately returned This
defendant pleads thereto, and for plea saith that David Bissett deceased,
and the said Ann Bissett, the complainant his wife by their deed of lease,
executed by them and dated the fourteenth day of June, A D seventeen
hundred and fifty five for the consideration of five shillings sterling paid
them, did grant, bargain and sell to John Matthews, of Baltimore County,
gent all the several tracts or parcels of land some time in the possession of
John Atkmson, deceased, first husband to the said complainant and which,
by his last will and testament, duly proved and recorded, he devised to the
said Ann Bissett, the complainant, in fee situate, lying and being in Balti-
more County, on or near Bush River and Eomney Creek and called severally
by the following names, viz Broad Neck, Clement and Clement's Den and
by a resurvey thereon made by the said John Atkinson, in his life time, col-
lectively called, Atkmson's Purchase, also Dogwood Ridge, Parker's Folly,
Parker's Choice, The Marsh, and ten acres of Hatty's Island, which had
been lately resurveyed, in the name of the said Ann, the complainant, and
collectively called by the name of Rumney Marsh, containing elev en hun-
dred and eighty-four acres of land, less oi more, and the reversion and re-
versions, remainder and remainders issues and profits of the same, to have
and to hold the said tracts or parcels of land unto the said John Matthews,
his executors, administrators and assigns from the day next before the date
of the said lease for one whole year ensuing, yielding and paying therefor,
to the said David Bissett and Ann his wife the complainant the rent of one
ear of Indian corn, at the end of the said term, if demanded, to the intent,
that by virtue of the said lease, and the statute for transferring uses into
possession, the said John Matthews might be in the actual possession, and