Court and Testamentary Business, 1656. 465

       and yor Depont asked her how the Child Came So bruised Liber B.

       and She Said he did it with a pair of Tongues, and yor Depo- No. 3.

       nent hearing that the Lived discontentedly, brought the Child

       to the Said ffrancis Brooke, and yor Depont told him that it

       Came Soe through his Misusage, and your Deponent told him

       he would dearly Answer it although he Scaped in this world,

       yet in the world to Come he Should Answer for it before a

       Judge that useth no partiality and he made me Answer that

       She fell out of the peach tree, And he asked her if She did

       not fall out of the Peach Tree and She Said yes, And further

       Saith not

                                         Rose Smith

         Whereas ffrancis Brooke was brought before this Court

       upon Suspition of Murther, and being Conceived that there is

       Cause of Suspition of Murther, The Court doth therefore Order

       that the Said ffrancis Brooke Shall Stand Committed in the

       Sheriffes Custody untill he give Sufficient Securitie for his

       personall appearance at the next Provinciall Court to be held

       at Putuxent the 20th of march next to Answer the premisses

             William Bretton Sworne in open Court Saith

         That about five or Sixe yeares agoe a Cowe Calf was deliv-

       ered by Capt Wm Evens to one John Norman for the use of a

       young Girle which Norman was father in Law to the Said

       Girle, and the Sd Norman bridging the Calf in this Deponents

       boate his own Son and one Cladrueny Maze being alsoe in the

       boate, and arriving at this Deponents Landing the Said Nor-

       man Called divers amongst whom was this Deponent telling

       them all there present that he marked that Cow Calf for the use p. 215

       of his daughter in Law, the Said Calfe Runn Still amongst this

       Deponents Cattle, and had one Calfe there afterwards Re-

       moveing from of his old plantation, and going upon a Planta-

       tion in mr Gerrards Mannor, and the Sd Norman dying the

       Cattle were neglected and not looked after Concerning the

       Marking of the Calfe, one Eare was marked with a kind of

       flower de luce, the other was Swallow forked, but the under

       part of the Swallow fork was Soe Cutt in the markeing being

       like upon Sundry accidents to fall of. Willtm Bretton

         For Information to the Court Concerning this busieness this

       Deponent went along with Capt Evans to Receive this Cowe

       at mr Gerrards & poynted at the Cowe amongst all the Cattle

       in the Penn, Whereupon mr Gerrard Said if I would Sweare

       point Blank that, that was the Very Cowe Capt Evens Should

       have her, hut otherwise he finding her in his Mannor and of

       his own Mark he would keep her for indeed that hanging