lxviii PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY

issue; Whereupon Mr. Cooper did Enter such an Order without any Debate or
Consent of the rest of the Commissioners." Since this was their first fault and the
original cause of disobedience proceeded from Holliday, the two offenders were
dismissed "with a Caution to have a Care how they Offended in the Like Nature
again." 22

On the following day Holliday, Barton, Small and White appeared and said
that "they find they have been in an Error, for which they are very Sorry and do
humbly beg pardon." In particular Holliday said "that he understanding that he
was Represented the only refractory person in causing the said Order of his Ex-
cellency to be disobeyed, but does averr that all the rest of the Justices which were
then upon the Bench did Assent and give their Opinion in the matter as well as
himself which he says the rest of the Justices now present can affirm, who do affirm
the same to be true." These four offenders were let off with the same caution, but it
was ordered that William Hutchison, who did not appear, be dismissed from office.
The Board, unwilling to put the county to the charge of a new commission, ordered
the remaining seven justices to officiate for the present under the old commission. 23

Other orders of the Governor and Council covered a wide range of subjects. On
January 25, 1695/6 it was ordered that masters of vessels entering the province se-
cure any persons enticing away their officers or seamen and deliver them to the next
justice of the peace who was to order such persons conveyed to the governor at
Annapolis to be proceeded against according to law. 24 On July 7, 1696 it was or-
dered that the sheriffs give notice to the several justices and vestrymen within their
respective precincts "that the said Justices and Vestrymen take Care to make and
Cause to be made Strict inquiry in all parts of their respective County's and parishes
what persons have been marryed by Lycenses Since his Excellencies arrival! in this
province, and who have marryed without Lycenses etc. or asked to Church; And
that the said Account be given to the Severall Vestry and County Clerks who are
to make an Exact List there of and Return the same unto his Excellency... by
the 29th day of September next, under penalty of being proceeded against for
contempt." A Council entry for December 16, 1697 indicates that the justices and
all the vestrymen of Prince Georges County, among others, were in contempt for
not causing a list of marriages to be returned. 25

By a September 18, 1696 order of the Council the sheriffs of the several counties
were ordered to take "under the hand of the Master, Mistress, Dame or Overseer of
every Family House or Plantation within their respective precincts an Account in
writing of all the Tythable persons there Residing at the Same time they Usually
go about to Collect the Leavys" and where there was any dispute about the age of
any person, a return be made by the sheriff of the names of such persons unto the
justices of the county courts in order to be adjudged. 26 In December 1696 the
sheriffs were ordered to present to the justices and grand juries of the several coun-
ties and to obtain their opinion upon a petition for delaying the sailing of the
Maryland fleet until March and upon a proposed representation to the King in
Council that the province of Pennsylvania did "generally harbour and Entertain
Privateers and Receive and Encourage all manner of Runaway Seamen, Servants
and negroes, to the very great Grievance of the Province [of Maryland] and the

22. 20 id. 515-16.

23. 20 id. 516.

24. 20 id. 394. Cf. the duties of justices in Talbot, Kent, Cecil and Baltimore Counties in con-
nection with persons suspected of attempting to cross into Pennsylvania. 20 id. 394-95. For those
attempting to cross into Virginia see 20 id. 396.

25. 20 id. 454, 580.

26. 20 id. 488.