492 MORETON v. HARRISON.

bill of complaint of Joseph Jforeton, administrator de bonis non of
John Westeneys and James L Pattison, administrator de bonis non
of James Pattison.

" This defendant, by protestation to all the discoveries and relief
in and by the said bill sought from or prayed against this defendant,
for plea unto the said bill, saith; That if John Westeneys deceas-
ed and James Pattison deceased, or the complainants, as adminis-
trators de bonis non of them, the said John Westeneys and James
Pattison in the bill named, ever had any cause of suit against this
defendant, for or concerning any of the matters or transactions in
the said bill of complaint mentioned, the same did arise above
twelve years before filing the said bill, and above twelve years
before serving this defendant with any process to appear to answer
the same.

" And this defendant further for plea says and doth aver, that
this defendant did not at any time within twelve years before filing
the complainants' said bill of complaint, nor within twelve years
before this defendant was served with process to appear and answer
thereto, ever promise and agree, or in any manner bind himself to
pay or satisfy the said John Westeneys and James Pattison in their
lives, or the said complainants as administrators de bonis non of the
said John Westeneys and James Pattison the sum of money men-
tioned and expressed in the bond marked exhibit A, filed by the
complainants with their said bill, and referred to by them; or any
sum of money, for or concerning any of the matters, or transactions
in the complainants' said bill of complaint charged or alleged. And
therefore this defendant pleads the act of The General Assembly
of the Province (now State) of Maryland, passed at a session of
Assembly begun and held at the city of Annapolis, the twenty-
sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and fifteen, entitled " An Act for Limitation of certain
actions, and for avoiding suits at law"—and prays the benefit of
the said act

" All which matters this defendant doth aver and plead in bar
of the complainants' said bill, and of the complainants' pretended
demand for which they seek to be relieved by their said bill. And
this defendant prays hence to be dismissed with his reasonable costs
in this behalf wrongfully sustained."

These pleas were submitted, without replication, on the notes
of the solicitors of the parties, to take the opinion of the court
on their sufficiency.