qualify themselves for the office of trustees for the poor of their county,
which they are to do by taking and subscribing the several oaths (or
affirmations) appointed by law to be taken to the government, and subscribing
a declaration of their belief in the christian religion, and also
taking the following oath, viz.  " I, A. B. do swear or affirm, that I will
duly and faithfully discharge the duties and trusts committed to me as a
trustee for the poor of Talbot county by an act of the general assembly,
entitled, An act for the relief of the poor in Talbot county, according to
the best of my skill and knowledge.  So help me God;" the which oaths
are to be administered by any of the four persons last named for the county,
to the person first named, or in his absence to any one of the three
persons first named, that shall be there present, the which person being
sworn as aforesaid, shall administer the oaths aforementioned to all the rest,
and so successively, the person first named that shall be present shall always
administer the said oaths to any that have been absent, or that shall hereafter
be elected and chosen pursuant to the directions of this act; and the aforesaid
persons, or the majority of them, being sworn as aforesaid, shall be
constituted and qualified as trustees for the poor of their said county, and
as such are hereby invested with full power and authority, as a body
politic, to plead and be impleaded, to sue and be sued, to defend and be
defended, to answer and be answered, by the name of the trustees for the
poor of Talbot county, in all and every cause, complaint and action, real,
personal or mixed, of whatever kind or nature it shall be, in any court of
judicature within this state, and by that name they and any of them, and
their successors, shall and they are hereby enabled to take, hold, possess
and enjoy, any gift, donation or present, which shall or may hereafter be
given, devised or bequeathed, by any person or persons whatsoever, to
them, or any of them, for or towards the support and maintenance of
the poor in the said county; and they, or any of them, may receive by
way of subscription, any sum or sums of money which shall or may be
given for the better and more speedy promoting the benefit and good
by this act intended; and that they have full power, authority and ability,
to purchase, take, hold, and receive, enjoy and have, to them and their successors
for ever, any lands, tenements and hereditaments, not exceeding the
yearly value of five hundred pounds current money, and are hereby empowered
and authorised to use one common seal in their business relating to the
said corporation, and the same, if necessary, to change and alter; and that
the sid persons so incorporated, or the longest livers and successors of them,
shall be the true and undoubted trustees, in perpetual succession, for ever,
to be continued in way and manner hereafter specified, with full and absolute
power, liberty and authority, in the making and ordaining such
laws, orders and rules, for the better relieving, regulating and setting the
poor to work, and punishing vagrants, beggars, vagabonds, and other
offenders, and for the good government of the said alms and work-house
in their said county, as to them and their successors shall, from time to
time, think most fit and requisite, all which shall be observed by the
overseer of such alms and work-house, and by all poor, beggars, vagrants,
vagabonds, and other offenders, in such alms and work-house, under the
penalties therein contained; provided always, that the said rules, laws
and orders, be no ways contrary to the laws of this state.

CHAP.
    XV.