INTRODUCTION lxix

Merchants and others Trading here." 27 The Liber for the January 1696/7 session
merely reflects that the grand jurors, after being sworn, "all of them Signed to the
Addreses to his Majesty as by order of Council was Commanded." No presentments
were made by this grand jury which the Council ordered summoned in each county,
apparently in connection with possible disorders arising from the seditious activ-
ities of John Coode et al. 28

In August 1697, as part of the investigation of neglect of office by Kenelm Che-
seldyn, the Commissary General, the crown law officers were ordered to prepare
writs to issue to the justices of the respective counties to certify to the governor
"what Testamentory proceedings have been Return'd into the Commissary's Office,
Since the late happy Revolution and what are still left behind and that a full Re-
turn of all be made upon Oath by the Officers that have the Custody of the Same." 29

The following order also appears in the Council records for August 1697:

Ordered that the Justices of the Severall Counties of this Province Return a list of the
Constables Names and of the Overseers of high ways in each County appointed by the
First day of the next Provincial Court and so for the future Annually ... That the Jus-
tices Cause their Clerk to return an abstract of the Record Books and Law Books belong-
ing to each County as also an Account what places they are kept in, and in what Order
together with an Account of the Court Houses, whether they be New or old, if New,
whether the Same be all paid for, if old and want Repairing what it will Cost. And what
part of the County the same Stand in and if they have any land belonging to them; and
that a like inquiry and Return be made about the County Prisons....30

On September 20, 1697 the following order was issued by the Governor and
Council:

Ordered that the Sherriffs do (upon sight hereof) give Notice to the Justices of their
respective Counties that they Speedily meet together with their Clerk and cause a list of
all the Orphans within their Counties to be drawn forth and Signifye how the same are
put out as also a list of all the Lawyers inhabiting within their respective Counties and of
those in particular that are admitted and Sworn Practitioners of the Court and to Sig-
nifye how long they have severally practiced in those Courts and that they Omitt not to
return an Account of the publick Roods, pursuant to the directions of the Act of As-
sembly and Former Orders together with the foremention'd lists unto his Excellency at
the Port of Annapolis by the First day of the Provinciall Court in October next. His
Excellency having observed in Severall places of the Province in his Travells that the
said Law concerning the Roads is not duly Complyed with; is hereby pleased to declare
that he is Resolved the parties blamable as well Justices as Overseers shall undergo the
Rigour of the Law. And it is hereby further Ordered that they return an Account and
list of the Names and place of Residence of the Severall Ordinary Keepers within their
Counties with a Caution that they grant Lycence to none but what are qualifyed by Law
and prosecute all such as keep Ordinary without Lycence and that they also return a list
of the Coroners Commissionated and Sworn."31

In February 1697/8, in connection with charges lodged against Nicholson in
England by disaffected inhabitants, the Council Board ordered that the sheriffs as
well as the justices and the grand juries of the respective counties (the matter being
given in charge by the justices to the grand juries) make return whether the gov-

27. 20 id. 557-59, 566.

28. Infra 113; 20 MA 582. See also the further developments in February 1696/7 requiring opin-
ions from the justices and grand jurors at the March sessions of the county courts. 23 id. 5-6, 30,
32-33. For references to the addresses to the King see 23 id. 90.

29. 23 id. 199.

30. 23 id. 205.

31. 23 id. 215.