LABOURERS' WAGES SIXPENCE A DAY, 1653. 45 CHAP. XI. readynes & fitt for service against the tyme of need And of all these particulars herein requiered I do straightly charg and comand all manner of persons to take especiall notice and yeld 1650-1658. conformyty accordingly as they will answere the contrary at their uttermost perrill Given at Georges Town the 17th day of november 1653 JOSIAS FFORSTER 27. Assizes. 24th Decem. 1653. (1) Anne the woman Indian servant vnto Symon Harding of the parrish of Georges Presented for theft. Bill ignored: cleered by Proclamation and discharged (2) Severen Vicars presented to be a deceiptful and dishonest man, the Grand Inquest being informed vpon oath by John Yates that the said Vicars hath subtilly and cunningly insinuated himselfe into the affections of a child of John Yates, and hath caused him to purloyne and to take from his father severall goodes, that is to say, a knott of sea line price 48 and five rudder Irons price 5s and six fathomes of new rope 68 which is a practice of such concernment not to be tolerated or winked att. Bound over to appear at the assizes (3) The great damage done by Turkeyes and other ffoules at the time of setting come, by plucking up the young plants: Ordered that after warning received the owner of the fowls shall make satisfaction (4) Wee the Grand Inquest being given to vnderstand that there are many young men in the seuerall Tribes that do hyere land for planting Tobacco, but yet are not carefull to make pvision for corne ground, whereby that good order formerly made that euery man should sett 2 akers of ground wth corne is not regarded but almost forgotten wch wee fynd to be one cause of the scarcity at present amongst vs, wherefor wee do desier that some strict order may be made that whosoeuer doth lett Tobacco land to any young men shall also lett them corne ground as well vnles the hirer hath corne ground of his own otherwise And whereas ther are diuers young men who have not land to worke vpon yet will not hyer themselues to masters and soe become servants But resolue to work abroad as labourers Wee do desier that all such young men as doth intend to dispose themselues may enter themselues for labourers in the councellors booke where they entend to abide for that yeare, and they do not exact aboue 6d a day for their labours (5) Edward Bickerton and the wife of George Esmond are 46 CHAP. XI. PRICE OF CORN FIXED AT TWO SHILLINGS A BUSHEL. presented upon suspition of incontinency The charge is supported by attestations. Sentance that unless they severally 1650-1658. provide two compurgators,' they shall receive 31 lashes each at the post. (6) Richard Jones is sentanced to pay 900 lb of tobacco for the support of an illegitimate child Both parents to acknowledge their offence in the Parish Church of their Tribe (7) John a Skotsman and servant to Jonathan Stokes, and an Indian woman of Edward Sherlocke's. Sentanced to be whipt (8) The unchristian practice of demanding great rates for corne upon the least suspition of scarceity is presented Ordered that corne be not sold hereafter for any higher price than for 28 the bushell at the vttermost (9) A complaint is presented that men are not drawn fairly for Juries, whereby many feel themselves disparaged An order is given to meet it. 28. An example of proceedings in Divorce, 1654. (1) Att the counsell Table, 27 June, 1654. Katherine Wilson the wife of Thomas Wilson Came and desiered that a bill of divorcement might be granted her to the end she might be released for euer from the Society of her husband Thomas Wilson, Capt Wilkinson being present, and affirmeing that the said Wilson had prayed him to acte for him if a bill of divorse were requiered by the said woman his wife & affirming also that the said Thomas had consented thereunto, if his then present wife did first desier yt: vpon thes considerations yt was ordered that the said Katherine Wilson should come downe to the prothonotaryes office and there aske for her divorce vnder her hand & then when ther was another opportunity yt should be engrossed & signed & delivered to her by the Gouernor (2) Copy of a Bill of divorcement signed by the undermentioned Katherine Wilson the 3rd of July 1654 I Katherine Wilson of the Som Islands late wife of Thomas Wilson now residing in the Segatoo,2 for diuers causes me thereonto moving and with the good will and consent of the said Thomas Wilson aforesd do by these presents revoke and release to him the said Thomas Wilson that covenant and con See vol. i. p. 555. The remark in that place, that there are no instances of the Wager of Law in Bermuda after 1640, is erroneous. 2 Eleutheria. PROCEEDINGS IN DIVORCE, 1654. XI. 47 tract and every pte thereof: wch was made betweene myselfe CHAP. and him at our day of marriage or at any tyme before or after calling God to witness that I never entend hereafter to acknow- 1650-1658. ledge him to be my husband nor to clayme any further interest in his p.son or personal estate of goods and chattells or any thing that is his, or shall hereafter be his But do hereby disclayme all advantages by any course of Law that may be taken agaynst him about the premyses & for the further and more full satisfaction herein to all men to whom yt may concerne, I do freely and willingly without any mentall reservation sett to my Hand this 3rd day of July 1654 The marke of K W KATHERINE WILSON Teste ANTHO: JENOUR Secretary (3) I Thomas Wilson now of the Somers Islands yet late of Segatoo haveing formerly married a wife called by name Katherine Wilson daughter to John Wilson and Katherin his wife of the Iland aforesd, and with all their free consents, and haveing by providence absented myself (though not willingly) and left her in her Fathers Tuition and taken care of her according to my ability for her liuelyhood vntill her comeing to me or my returne vnto her as became a loyall & faythfull husband But she not haueing the feare of God before her eyes, hath broken her covenant in marriag made betweene vs before god and man. And hath commytted adultery with another man yet at my returne hath not humbled herselfe vnto me, but contrarywise hath neglected me, and contemned my person although I offered reconciliation vnto her-vpon consideration whereof, and by advise and approbation of the Government here, I do by these presents vnder my hand make null all those contractes and promysses whatsoeuer I made in wordes at the day of my marriage wth the said Katherine my late wife Calling God to witness that I am resolued and by the presents do resolve wth myselfe neuer to acknowledg nor clayme any interest in her person or to anything that is hers or hereafter shalbe. But do reverse, release, and for euer sett her free from me. And do disclayme all advantages by her to be taken against her And do forbidd all persons to account her to be my wife, who I also for my own part shall for euer refuse and for the better satisfaction to all people whom yt may concerne I haue herevnto subscribed my hand without any mentall reseruation whatsoeuer this 9th of Nouember 1654 Teste ANTRO JENOUR Secret (Signed) THOMAS WILSON1 1 Volume of Wills, p. 57. 48 CHAP. XI. (4) Somer Islands INDIAN SLAVES. To all Christian people to whom these prests shall come: 1650-1658. Know yee that at the Humble Suite of Katherine Wilson late wife to Thomas Wilson the bearer hereof, wee have caused, this our certificate to be written signifieing hereby that in consideration of her vnfaithfulnes vnto her husband in his absence, as also for her obstinacy since his present being wth her, wth other vnseemly behaviour towards him whose tenders towards her were tender and truely affectionate as became a christian Having examyned the matter of fact seriously wee find it to be such as moves vs of the Governm' here to the strictest course of Justice for matter of Bastardy and Obstinacy, and to giue each other bills of Divorcement (sic); in virtue whereof they haue disclaymed and revoked all contracts of marriage and euery other interest each in other for euer, to which they have signed vnder their Hands in the records of the Islands. And this wee thinke requisett to signifie vnder or hands and seale this 15th Novem. 1654 Signed JOSIAS FFORSTER Gouern. (5) By a similar process Ffrancis Woode divorces his wife Susannah Maye, and for the same cause. 29. At a councill Table 29 Sept. 1654 It was ordered that all the gleab rents for this present yeare should be reserved for the vse of Mr Thomas Browne Minister, towards his mayntenance and paynes in his ministry among vs, vntill there be a further settlement by the honorable Company or Inhabitants here 30. The colony of Massachussetts, by a law passed in 1652, ordained that the Indians who were taken or surrendered themselves as well in the war of the Pequods as in that of the Sachem Phillip, were to be either sold and shipped off to the Bermudas and other parts, or reduced to slavery in New England. Accordingly, we begin again to find mention of Indian slaves. One such occurs in the record of the Assizes of December 1653, another in the subjoined instrument. There was probably a distinction drawn between innocent and comparatively |