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Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1684-89. page 465

The humble petition of Henry Bray citizen and glazier of  London
 Most humbly sheweth,.
Henry Bray's petition.

That Nicholas Painter of Ann Arrundell County petition. in the Province aforesaid being possessed of a certain plantation in the said County with a very considerable, stock of Tobaccoes, Negroes, household goods and other goods and commodyties thereon being, and of several, debts amount­ing in all to a very considerable value, and alsoe being seized, off and in severall parcells of land lyeing in divers Counties in the Province aforesaid, did in or about the moneth of Aprill 1684. transport himself to London That the said Nicholas, Painter at his departure from Maryland constituted Coll. William Burgess his Attorney, and entrusted him with his sd esestate. 

That on the eighth of September 1684 the said Nicholas Painter made his last will and Testament in London and thereof appointed your Lds Petitioner (his neere relation sole executor and in a few daies after imbarqued himself for Maryland, and immediately after his arrivall there dyed. That the said Nicholas Painter dureing his continuance at London became indebted to your Petitioner a considerable summe of money upon Bond, and alsoe to divers other persons severall  greate summes of money, That the said ColI. Burges (without any law full authority) not only deteines the goods and Estate of the said Nicholas Painter which wee comitted to him as aforesaid, but hath alsoe possessed himself of 15. able servants, and a considerable quantity of goods and merchandizes, which the said Painter transported with him and likewise of a parcell of oods belonging to your Petitioner. And forasmuch as the
, id ColI. Burges hath taken upon him to appraise the said
 r.state, servants and goods, and much undervalued the same
.  which indirect meanes not only your Petitioner (who is the
 e Executor) is likely to be defrauded of his right and interest
  the Estate of the said Painter but also he and all other the . :reditors of the said Painter are in greate danger of loseing
 eir just debts.
, Your Petitioner therefore most humbly implores your Lord­
,hip to be pleased to take the premises into consideration and
.. grant him your Lordps Letter directed to your Councill in a
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