In lower Norfolk County the defamer did not escape so easily, for "Whereas Ann Godby, the Wife of Tho. Godby hath contrary to an ord{r} of y{e} Court bearing date in May 1655, concerning some slanders & scandalls cast upon women under y{e} notion of witches, hath contemptuously acted in abusing & Taking y{e} good name & Credit of nic{o} Robinson's wife, terming her a witche, as by severall deposicons appeares. It is therefore ord{d} that y{e} s{d} Tho. Goodby shall pay three hundred pounds of Tob{o} & Caske fine for her contempt of y{e} menconed order (being y{e} first time) & also pay & defray y{e} cost of sute together w{th} y{e} Witnesses' charges at twenty pounds tob{o} p day." Maryland, too, may boast of an unstained record, and of a vigorous warfare against the persecution. An old record tells how John Washington, Esquire, of Westmoreland County, in Virginia, having made complaint against Edward Prescott, merchant, "Accusin s{d} Prescott of ffelony under the Governm{t} of this Province (_i. e._ Maryland) Alleaging how that hee, the s{d} Prescott, hanged a Witch on his ship as hee was outward bound from England hither the last yeare. Uppon w{ch} complaynt of the s{d} Washington, the Gov{r} caused the s{d} Edward Prescott to bee arrested." Prescott admitted that one Elizabeth Richardson was hanged on his ship, outward bound from England, but claimed that John Greene, being the master of the vessel, was responsible, and not he. "Whereupon (standing upon his Justificaon) Proclamacaon was made by the Sheriffe in these very words. O yes, &c. Edward Prescott Prisoner at the Bar uppon suspition of ffelony stand uppon his acquittall. If any person can give evidence against him, lett him come in, for the Prisoner otherwise will be acquitt. And noe one appearing, the Prisoner is acquitted by the Board." Yet, though there is not a single conviction of witchcraft to stain the legal records of Maryland, her statute-book in 1639 declared sorcery, blasphemy and idolatry punishable with death; accessories before the fact to be treated as principals. The accusation of blasphemy or idolatry was always a serious one, and the more so on account of its vagueness. Scant proof was required, and the punishment was severe. A Virginia article of war enacted that swearing or drunkenness among the soldiery, at the third offense be punished by riding the wooden-horse for an hour, with a musket tied to each foot, and by asking forgiveness at the next meeting for prayer and preaching. This sentence requiring the offender to ask forgiveness is very common in the pages of the statute books as a sequel to the infliction of punishment. Punishment was still disciplinary. Society was a pedagogue and the criminal a naughty school-boy, who must go down on his knees in a proper state of humility before he can be pardoned.