78 ~  [18 October 1692]Letter of Governor Copley appointing Commissioners

Maryland

William and Mary by the grace of God of England Scotland France & Ireland King and Queen Defender of the Faith. To Francis Jenckins, John Winder, James Dashiels, Roger Woolford, Thomas Newbold, James Round, Sam’l Hopkins, Edmind Howard, Tho: Jones, George Layfield, John King, Stephen Horsey of Somersett Greetings. Know yee that wee for the great trust & confidence we have in your fidelities, circumspections prudences & wisdoms, have constituted, ordained & apponted And by these presents do constitute, ordaine & appoint you the sd Francis Jenckins, John Winder James Dashiels, Roger Woolford, Thomas Newbold, James Round,  Sam’l Hopkins, Edmund Howard, Thomas Jones, George Layfield, John King, Stephen Horsey Comis’rs jointly & severally to keep the Peace in Somersett County & to keep & cause to be kept all laws & orders for the good & conservation of the Peace & for the quiet rule & Government of the People in all & every the Articles of the laws, and to chastize & punish all the persons offending against the forms of any of the sd Laws & orders of this Province or any of them in Somersett County aforesaid as according to the forms of the Laws & orders shall be fitt to be done. Wee have also constituted & ordained you & every four or more of you of which the sd Francis Jenckins, John Winder, James Dashiels & Roger Woolford allwayes to be one of the Commis’rs to enquire by the oaths of good & lawfull men of the County aforesd of all manner of Felloneys, Witchdrafts, Inchantments & Sorceries, Magic art, Trespasses, Forestallings, & Ingressings & Exitings whatsoever & of all & singular other misdeeds & offences (excepting matters relating to titles of land) of which Justices of the Peace in England may or ought lawfully to enquire by whomsoever of whensoever done or perpetrated or which hereafter shall happen to be done or perpetrated in the County aforesd against the Laws & orders of this Province.  Provided you proceed not in any of the cases aforesd to take life or member, but that in every such case you send the prisoner with their Indictments & the whole matter depending before you to the next Provincial Court to be holden for this sd Province whensoever or wheresoever to be holden there to be tryed.  And further we doe Authorize you hereby to issue out writts, processes, arrests & attachments, to hold plea  of oyer & terminer & after Judgement execution to award in all causes Civil whether in accons reall or personall accoring to the laws orders & reasonable customs made & used in this sd Province of Maryland in which causes civil so to be tryed  (excepting as before excepted)  We doe constitute, ordaine & appoint you the f’sd Francis Jenckins, John Winder, etc to be Judges as aforesd.  And therefore we doe command you that you diligently attend the keeping of the Peace & Laws & orders & all & singular other the premises and at certain dayes appointed according to Act of Assembly in that case provided & such places as you or any four or more of you as aforesd shall in that behalf appoint yee make enquiry upon the premises & performe &  fulfill the same in forme aforesd doing therein that which to Justice appertaineth accordingly to the laws, orders & reasonable customs of this sd Province, saving to us the Amercim’ts & other things thereof to us belonging. And therefore we command the Sheriffe of Somersett by vertue of these presents that all the dayes & places aforesd which you or any such four or more of you as aforesd shall make known to him to give  his attendance on you and if need required to cause to come before you or any such four or more of you as aforesd such & so many good & lawfull men of your County by whome the truth in premises may the better be known & enquired of.  And lastly we have appointed Joh West Clerk & keeper of the records & proceedings in this the Court and therefore you shall cause to be brought before you at the sd dayes and places the writts, precepts, processes & indictments to the Court & Jurisdiction belonging that the same may be inspected & by a due course determined as aforesd. Given at St. Maryes this 20th day of July th the 4th year of our Reign Anno Dom 1692 ~~~

                                                                                                ¤  sealed      L. Copley