Ixx PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY

ernor had ever pressed horses for public use without due satisfaction or had "ever
by an Arbitrary and Military Power seiz'd mens Estates and Writings." 32 On the
same day Robert Tyler, one of the Prince Georges County justices, said to have
some cognizance of the matter, was ordered to bring before the Council an inhabi-
tant of the county who had frightened away a Piscattoway Indian by "some threat-
ning discourses" and taken some property from him. 33

In May 1696 proclamation was made that any person willing to undertake the
establishment of a bridewell or house of correction transmit their proposals in
writing to the justices of the several county courts "to do therein, according to the
Laws and Usuall Customs of England in such case, and of this Countrey." 34 The
Liber contains no indication that any proposal was made in Prince Georges County.

In October 1696 the Council proposed "that the Militia of the Province be new
modelled as near as may be According to the manner of England and that every
hundred be Obliged to fit a Proportionable number of men with Arms and Ammu-
nition etc. to General Musters and Trainings and that such of his Majestys Council
Justices of the Peace Militia Officers and Vestries as Inhabit in the several hundreds
do meet at some set time and place therein to Consult and agree about the same
and sending for Arms etc...." It does not appear whether such meeting ever took
place in Prince Georges County or whether the justices of the peace participated
therein. 35

From time to time the commissioners recorded in the Liber various documents,
some of which had been acknowledged before the court. These included bills of
exchange drawn on London merchants, an obligation to pay money to orphans,
an arbitration award, statements of births and deaths, a wife's acknowledgement of
a conveyance of land by her husband, a deposition as to non-payment by the drawee
of a "note", depositions as to land boundaries, deeds of gifts of cattle, powers of
attorney, a settlement of accounts, and a memorandum of tender of monies and
refusal thereof. 36

IX. JURISDICTION OVER COMPLAINTS BETWEEN MASTERS

AND SERVANTS

As noted earlier, it Avas apparently common practice in the Provincial Court and
county courts to hear and determine complaints of masters and servants by way
of petition. However, in several instances, upon appeal or writ of error brought
upon judgments rendered upon such petitions, "for want of due and formall pro-
ceedings according to the Strict Rule of Law" the judgments had been reversed.
Accordingly, an act of March 1697/8 provided that it should be lawful for the
Provincial Court and the several county courts to hear and determine any com-
plaints between master and servants by way of petition and to give judgment and
award execution upon such petitions. Upon any appeal or writ of error brought
from any county court to the Provincial Court or from the Provincial Court to the
Governor and Council, no such judgment was to be reversed for want of judicial
process by reason of the fact that the matter was not tried by jury or of any matter
of form either in the entry or giving of judgment, provided it appeared from the
record that defendants were legally summoned and not condemned unheard.
Lastly, the act provided that any matter of dispute arising between masters and

32. 23 id. 382-83.

33. 23 id. 383.

34. 20 id. 422.

35. 19 id. 451.

36. Infra 163, 571; 163, 163-64; 348, 519; 183; 5-6, 221; 260, 348, 376, 451-52, 553; 275, 290;
207-08; 7.