So ye Jury found it for y« Defendant and Mary Ashwell has Euer since Continued in peaceable possession of her ffathers said lands & Inherritance.

Jolm Theaker of North Collingham in Nottinghamshire Gra zier married Anne y^ Relict of the said William Asliwell & Defended y^ s^ Suite & as Guardian to Mary Ashw^ell had ye land in possession vntill y^ Death of Marv who departed tins life about December 1672 last past.

And at Richmond there was the like case tryed in their Spiritual Court -- a man y* was related to a ffriend ; the ffriend marryiDge & having a Child -- & being Deceased would have had y* Estate & sued for it, Saying y^ Child was not heire because the ffather & Mother ware not married by a Priest -- & there was a

QUAKERS AND MORAVIANS. 1003

tryall of it in Richmond Spiritual Court ; and ye Court Cast y« man & made ye Child heire of ye lands & so allowed of ^e marriage in ye yeare 1673.

In Maryland tliere was two ffriends marryed & y^ Majlstrate questioned theire marriage & brought tliem in to trouble about it. At last it came before Assembly & Councill as alsoe y® Governor ; they were much puzzled about it, and ffriends haueinge gone together arccordinge to y« practice of ye Holy men in the Scriptures of truth & law of God ; they laying the matter before ye meeting, all tilings being Cleare, a meeting was appointed on porpose for the takeing one another & haueinge a Certificate ; they being mucli puzzled both y-' Assembly Council ; Gouernor & Majestrate ; at last referred ye matter to an old ffryer a Papist ; a fiather as tliey called him ; and his answer was to them that if that was not a lawfull marriage there was not one in the world ; this was about ye yeare 1670.