Chancery Court Proceedings, 1670.   347





    Said Lordship's Dominion over his Said Province of maryland Liber CD
    Annop Domini 1669 before his Lordship's Justices there to keep (fol. 542)
    the peace assigned within this Said province & also to hear & Deter
    mine divers felonys murthers &c in the Said Province Perpetrated
    in the Records & process of the Same Court was thus written viz.t
      The Jurors for the Lord Proprietary do present John Richardson
    of Tredavon Creek in the County of Talbot for that he the S.d Jn°
    Richardson the 4.th day of Octob.r in the 38.th year of his Lordship's
    Dominion at Tredavon Creek aforesaid upon Mary Richardson his
    then wife by force and Armes an assault did make that is to Say wth
    a Certain Tobacco Stick to the value of one penny Sterling w.ch he
    the Said John Richardson did then and there hold in his hand upon
    the S.d mary Richardson his then wife then and there in the peace
    of God and of the Said Lord Proprietary being Voluntarily and of
    his malice forethought did make an assault & the Same Mary his
    then wife then & there with the Said Stick feloneously did Strike So
    that by the Said Streake the Said Mary Richardson his then wife
    did Imediately fall to the Earth and the Said mary Richardson his p. 417
    then wife Instantly of the blow aforesaid dyed and So the Said John (fol. 542)
    Richardson at Tredavon Creek aforesaid of his malice before thought
    the Said Mary Richardson his then wife did voluntarily feloneously
    and Wickedly kill & murther Contrary to the peace of the Said Lord
    Proprietary his Rule & Dignity Afterwards at the Same Provinciall
    Court to witt the Seventeenth day of the Same December in the year
    afores.d Command was Given by the Same Court to the Sheriff of
    S.t maries County to bring the S.d John Richardson prisoner then
    in his Custody to the Barr of the Said Court who appearing in his
    proper person and holding up his hand at the Barr & he giving the
    Said Indictment Read Said he was not Guilty thereof & put himself
    upon the Countrey and the Said John Morecroft Attorney of the
    Lord Proprietary who on the behalf of the Said Lord Proprietary
    followeth Likewise
      Wherefore Command was Given to the Sheriff of S.t maries
    County afores.d that he Cause Imediately to Come before the Justices
    of the Said Lord prop.ry of his Said Provinciall Court to keep the (fol. 543)
    peace assigned & to hear & Determine all ffelonies Trespasses
    Murthers and misdemeanors in the S.d Province Committed Twelve
    Lawfull ifreemen of the Said Province to make a Jury to know the
    truth of the premisses because as well the Said John Morecroft
    Attorney of the Said Lord Proprietary who for the Said Lord Pro
    prietary Prosecuteth in this behalf as also the Said John Richardson
    have put themselves upon the Same Jury
      And afterwards the Same day to wit the Seventeenth day of the
    Same December in the year aforesaid Came the Said John More-
    croft attorney of the Said Lord Proprietary who for the S.d Lord