Chap. II. 



<d M E%^IC A. 



His Lordflnp, or his Lieutenant there for the time being, upon due occafion, 

 Convenes Prorogues and Diffolves this Affembly . but whatever is by his 

 Lordfii.ps Lieutenant there, with the confent of both the laid Eftates Enaded, is 

 there of the fame Force and Nature as an Aft of Parliament is in-figW, until his 

 Lordflnp declares his dii-affent 5 but fuch Laws as his Lordfhip doth affent unto 

 are not afterward, .to be Alter'd or Repealed but by his Lordflnp, with the confent' 

 of both the laid Eftates. 



Their chief Court of Judicature is held at St. Manes Quarterly every Year, to 

 which all Perfons concern'd reforc for Juftice, and is call'd The Provincial Court 

 whereof the Governor and Counc.lare Judges : To the Court there doth belonafe- 

 veralfworn Attorneys, who conftantly are prefent there, and art both asBarrifters 

 and Attorneys } there are likewife chief Clerks, Bayliffs, and other Officers, which 

 duly attend the Court in their refpecrive places. 



The Province is divided at prefent, fo far as it is inhabited by English into 

 Counties, whereof there be ten, ft* St.Mur.es, Charles, Qabert, Jnne Arandel, and 

 Valtemore Counties, which firft five lie on the Weft fide of the Bay of Cbtf attack ■ on 

 the Eaftern fide whereof, commonly call'd The EaJlcm.Shore, lies Sommerfet, Vorche. 

 fir, Talbot, Ual, and %ent Counties, which laft is an Ifiand lying near the Eaftern. 

 fliore of the faid Bay. 



Befides the Provincial Court aforenam'd, there are other inferior Courts ap- 

 pointed to be held in every one of the Counties fix times in the year, for the dif. 

 patch or all Caufes, not relating to Life or Member, and not exceeding the value 

 of three thoufand weight of Tobacco . the decifion of all other Caufes being re- 

 lerv'd to the Provincial or higher Court before-mention'd, and there lies Appeals 

 from the County-Courts, to the Provincial Court. 



There are Sheriffs, Juftices of the Peace, and other Officers appointed by the 

 Lord and Proprietary, or his Lordfhips Lieutenant for the time being, in the faid 

 refpeftive Counties; and without four Juftices, of which one to be of the Ouorum, 

 none of the faid refpeftive County-Courts can be held; any of his LordfhipTprivy 

 Council may fit as Judge, in any of the faid County=Courts , by vertue of his 

 place. 



Thefe Courts are appointed to be held at convenient Houfes in the faid Coun- 

 ties, which commonly are not far diftant from fome Inn, or other Houfe of Enter- 

 tainment, for accommodation of Strangers j one of the faid fix County Courts in 

 each County is held for fettling of Widows and Orphans Eftates. 



There are Foundations laid of Towns, more or lefs in each County, according 

 to his Lordfhips Proclamation, to that effecT: Iffu'd forth in the year 1608. In Cat 

 vert County, about the River oWatuxem, and the adjacent Cliffs, are the Bounds of 

 three Towns laid out, one over againft Point Patience, call'd HarVy ToTPn, another in 

 SatteUreek, call'd Caherton, and a third upon the Cliffs, call'd Hmington, and Hou- 

 fes already built in them, all uniform, and pleafant with Streets, and Keys on the 

 Water fide. In the County of St. Maries, on the Eaft fide of St. Georges River, is the 

 principal and original Seat of this Province, where the general Affembly, and Pro- 

 vincial Courts are held, and is call'd St. Maries, being erected into a City by that 

 Name, where divers Houfes are already built : The Governor hath a Houfe there 

 call'd St. John's ; the Chancellor Mr. Philip Qahcrt, bis Lordfhips Brother, hath an- 

 other, and in this place is built and kept the Secretaries Office, where all the Re- 

 cords are kept, all Procefs, Grants, for Lands, Probates of Will's, Letters of Adrai- 

 niftration are iffu'd out : the Plat of a Fort and Prifon is lately laid there, upon a 

 point of Land, term'd Wvnlmil-Point, from a Windmil which formerly flood there, 



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