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Dried hogs ears hang on the door frame between the kitchen and the main room of the house, called a hall. Master Spray cuts unique slits or designs into the ears of his livestock. This is his sign of ownership. He registers his earmarks with the Clerk of the Court in St. Mary's City. Because they run wild he wants to be sure that the hogs he butchers belong to him. It is a serious crime to kill another man's livestock. A law requires a planter to save a butchered hog's ears for as long as he has its meat left in the house. If questioned, he can show that he has killed one of his own.
*Read "An Act touching Hoggs & marking of Cattell" in the ARCHIVES OF MARYLAND. This law, made in l649, required planters to register their earmarks with the government. What you will read is a typed copy of the original. You will find some spellings very strange! *Read descriptions in the ARCHIVES OF MARYLAND of some earmarks registered with the Clerk of the Court in Charles County. (Remember, to return from the link on the Web, click on the BACK arrow at the top left of your web screen.) |
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