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Wronged or abused, for these Men now in trouble had informed me that

John Meclaster will have flying gates through their Plantations

I Rid also by their Plantations & Cannot See, but a Man may ride very

well & Safe, this is what I think needfull at Present to your Worshipps

& remain y^e very humble Serv^ts                     James Dashiell

                                                                        Peter Doubley.

Samuel Heydon & Hanss Lawson I understand is John Meclasters

Evidence I have Seen them both & Examined them, and they both --

denyed it, especially Hanss Lawford denyed it & Swore he had no hand

in it. // The totall p^rmisses being by the Wor^ll Court Considered, do Order

              that the Informer John Meclaster pay all Officers fees in the

              afd matter accrued. // Courts adjourned till tomorrow at 8 a Clock

                & y^t y^e Indictm^t be quasht

                            At a Court held for the County of Somerset in the Province of

                            Maryland by his Maties Justices of the Peace thereunto

                            appointed the 15^th day of Jan^ry in y^e 7^th year of his Maties

              Reign &ca Ann^o Domii 1695/6 – – – – – – –

              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Com^rs p^rsent m^r ffra Jenckins, m^r Matt Scarbrough, m^r George Layfield, m^r

              Tho Newbold, m^r Tho Jones, m^r John King .

Somerset County Ss. To the Wor^ll Court for the County afd.

Matth. Scarbrough for and behalfe of Comfort Scott & her Sonn Wrixam

White Orphan Sheweth. That above Two years Since y^r Petioner on

behalf afd made Complaint to your Worpp^s that Rob^t Howard of this

County dcd posess himSelf w^th a Plantation & Stock of Horses & hoggs

of the sds Wrixams in this County & refused to Surrender y^e Same or

render any acco^t of the Orphants Stock &ca. in his Custody and prayed

relief from this Court thereupon y^r Worpps ordered that the sd Howard

Should by y^e 20^th November following Surrender the sd Plantation and

Stock to m^rs Scott afd & give a just acco^t of y^e increase & decrease of y^e sd

Stock, but upon the Supplication of sd Howard that it would tend much

to his detriment to be compelld to remove in so short a time it was

Consented unto that he might have farther time to remove (to viz) to y^e

5^th of March ensueing he giving Security for his So doing, but So it

was that Some time after sd Howard refused to give Security for p^rformance

y^r worps Order, whereupon for his Contempt it was further Ordered

that the sheriffs hould take sd Howard into Custody & him detaine

until he should give Security as aforesd, and the sheriff accordinly had

his body in Custody Severall weeks — Now so it is may it please y^r

worpp^s that the sd Rob^t Howard hath been at large about two years past

hath not hitherto either given any posession of acco^t of sd Estate, but

[ ] the Contrary doth yet by force & fraud detaine & withhold y^e Same

Comitting Wasts & embezleing the sd Estate w^ch will tend utterly to y^e

Orphants ruine, if not by y^e Worps prudence timely prevented, there

y^r petioner on behalf afd pray that for preservation of sd Estate w^t

remaine thereof that Some propper expedient may be used for y^e Said

[ards] giving posession of the sd Plantation & Stock with a just //