Excerpts from the
Christopher
Webb beeing convicted that he hath beene a disturber of the peace of the Church Of Brantry severall years Last past
& by his acting an abettor of the Inhabitants in Invading the rights &
priviledges of the Church contrary to Law the Court
sentences him to pay five pounds fine to the County & to stand henceforward
disfranchised during the pleasure of this Court & to be bound to his good
behavior...
The
Court haveing taken into consideracion
the many means yt have beene
used with the Church of Brantry & hitherto
nothing done to efect as to the obtayning
the Ordinances of Christ amongst them, The Court Orders & desiries Mr Moses Fiske to improve his Labours in
preaching the word at Brantry untill
the Church there agree & obtayne suply for the worke of the
Ministry or this Court take further Order.
Alice
Thomas being accused of severall shamefull
notorious crimes & high misdemeanors, she put herelfe
upon Tryall of a jury who
brought in theire verdict,
1.
That if breaking open warehouses & Vessells in
the night & stealing goods thence bee by Law Burglary then ye sd Alice Thomas is guilty of abetting accessary
in Burglary. however that she is guilty of a betting
& accessary in Fellonious
Theft in receaving buying & concealing severall goods stol’n out of
Thomas Beards barque & Mr
Hulls.& Mr Pincheons
warehouses.
2.
That she is guilty of giving frequent secret and unseasonable Entertainmt in her house to Lewd Lascivious &
notorious persons of both sexes, giving them oppertunity
to commit carnal wickedness, & that by common fame she is a common Baud.
3.
That She is guilty of Selling Wine & Strong Waters Wthout
Licence.
4.
That She is guilty of Entertaining Servants and Children from theire Master's and Parent's Families.
5.
That She is guilty of the profanation of ye Lord's
day, by Selling drinke & entertaining Idle
persons & paiing money in a way of Trade upon
that day.
The Court
upon due consideration of this Verdict Sentenced her to restore to Jon Pinchon Junr forty one pounds
fifteen shillings and three pence to Thomas Beard thirteene
pounds seaven shillings and eight pence to Capt Jon
Hull twelve pounds, all in money being ye proportion of that 3.fld restitution
ye Law requireth also to pay fivety
pounds fine in money to ye County and fees of Court and prison. Alsoe to bee carried from the prison to ye Gallows, and
there stand one hour wth a rope about her necke, one end fastened to ye sd Gallowes, and thence to
bee returned to prison. & alsoe to be carried
from the prison to her one house and bought out of the gate or fore-doore strip't to the waste, &
there tyed to a Cart's Taile,
and soe to be whip't
through ye Streete to the prison wth
not undr thirty nine Stripes, & there in prison
to remaine during the pleasure of this Court.
Robert
Marshall being accused by Walter Barefoote for being
an Atheist ye Court ordered him ye sd Marshall to bee
committed to prison except hee put in bond of two
hundred pounds to Appeare at the next Court of
Assistance to bee holden at Boston. Accordingly ye sd Robert Marshall in one hundred
pounds as principle…to ye Treasuror of ye
William
Carpenter, bound over to this Court to answere for
beating his wife, ye Court Sentences him to bee whipt
wth fifteen Stripes, & to give in bond for his
good behavior paying fees of Court & prison Standing committed till ye
Sentence bee performed… Carpenter acknowledged himselfe
bound to the Treasuror of ye
Brian
Murphey,
presented for being a common drunckard, wch hee owned in Court, &
also for striking Elinor Shearne
that was wth Childe, & other misdemeanors.
The Court Sentences him to be whipt wth fifteen Stripes paying fees of Court & prison, Standing committed till the Sentence be performed.
Margarett,
the wife of Brian Murphey, presented for common
railing & cursing & other misdemeanors, the Court Sentances
her to be whipt wth ten
Stripes paying fees of Court and prison. Standing committed till the
sentence be performed.
Sarah
Carpenter, presented upon strong suspicion of being wth
Childe, the Court ordered she should see Searched by mrs Parker, mrs Williams,
& mrs Sands who made return wth
Goodwife Tailor a midwife, that she was not with Childe.
Elizabeth
Arnold, convicted of Cursing & Lewd profane
Speeches, & other misdemeanors, the Court Sentanced
her to pay ten Shillings fine in mony the County
& fees of Court & to bee bound to the good behavior.
Ursula
the wife of Henry Edwards presented for striking her husband & abusive
Carriage & Language the presentment was Owned
& she was Sentances to be whipt
wth ten Stripes or pay twenty Shillings fine in money
to the County & fees of Court Standing committed till the Sentence bee
performed.
Conwesett
Indian, convict for his abusive carriage to John Bennett, in coming into his
house contrary to his minde & demanding drincke there, throwing Severall
Stones at the said John Bennett & pulling him by the haire.
The Court Sentanceth him to have his haire cut round close of from his head & to bee whip’t with thirth Stripes,
paying fees of Court & prison is discharged, & if hee
bee founde in Boston after his discharge hee is to bee taken by the Constable & to bee whipt with twenty Stripes.
Jonathan
Atherton, bound over to this Court for his wounding of
an Indian with his Sword; wch hee
owned hee did upon provocacion
given him by the Indian. The Court Sentanceth
him to defray all the charges about the cure of saide
Indian if it bee not already done & disinable him
for wearing a Sword during his continuance on the Colony, or till this Court
take farther order, & to pay fees of Court.
Jonathan
Adams & his wife of Medfielde, presented for
absenting themselves from publique worship of god on
the Sabbath dayes, the
persons being Summoned & making default in appearance. The Court
orders an Attachmt to bee issued forth for them
against the
The
Towne of Brantery presented for defect of a Schoolemaster answer was made they were Supplied.
Christopher
Mason, convict of getting Mr Rock’s Negroe maide Bess with Childe,
which hee owned in Court. The Court Sentanceth him to bee whipt with
twenty Stripes & to pay fees of Court & prison & to give in bond
twenty pounds for the good behaviour till the next
Court of this County…
James
Robinson presented for rayling in the Streets using
the name of God vainely & a
which hee owned in Court. The Court Sentanceth the saide Robinson to
bee admonished & to pay fees of Court & to give his owne
bond of ten pounds for his good behaviour; according
the saide Robinson acknowledged himselfe
bound in the Summe of ten pounds to the Treasurer of
the County of Suffolke on condicion
that hee shall bee of good behaviour
especially that hee will not rayle
or use the name of god vainly, untill the next Court
of this County & that then hee shall appear.
John
Veering presented for beeing drunck
& abuseing his wife in bad language calling her
whore & a reproaching mr
Allen & Church members in saying mr Allen was a
black hypocriticall Rogue, of all which hee was convict in Court. The Court Sentanceth him to bee whip’t with
thirty Stripes severely laide on & to stand in
the open market place in Boston, exalted upon a Stoole
for an houres time on a Thursday after Lecture; with
a paper fastned to his breast, with this inscription
in a lardge characted A Prophane & Wicked Slanderd
& Impious Reviler of a minister of the Gosple
& Church-members; & to pay charges of witnesses & Fees of Court
standing committed & Upon the peticion of the saide Veering & humble acknowledgement made in open
Court. The Court reverseth the Sentence &
Sentence the saide Veering to pay ten pounds mony fine to the County & to give in bond for the good behaviour of twenty pounds himselfe
& ten pounds apiece two Sureties & to pay the Charge of Witnesses &
Fees of Court standing committed.
John
Chandler presented for disorder in his house at unseasonable times of night
& suffering people to bee singing & fiddling at
Dr
Robert Couch bound over to this Court for making Verses tending to the reproach
of the late Govr Richard Bellingham Esqr & of the Ministers: The Court Sentanceth
hum to give in bond for the good behavior ten pounds himselfe
& five pounds apiece two Sureties.