Court and Testamentary Business, 1657.535

       found Dead in a Small Creek near the Dwelling house of the Liber B.

       Said Dandy in or about the 7th of luly last, for the more dili- No. 3.

       gent enquiry thereunto, and for the Examination of Divers

       Wittnesses Concerning the Death of the Said Gouge, We

       Richard Preston and William Ewens two of his highness Com-

       missioners for this Province of Maryland, have taken the

       Examination of those as followeth viz.

         William Wood aged 20 yeares or thereabout Sworne and

       Examined Sayth, That being at the mill of Iohn Dandies

       about a month Since, to have Some Corne Ground where this

       Deponent Stayed all night, the next morning about Sun rising,

       Comeing from the Mill with a Canoe down the Creek; about

       a quarter of a mile from the mill this Deponent Saith that he

       found a Servant of Iohn Dandies naked and Dead in the

       Creeke, Whereupon this Depont Sayth, that he tyed to one of

       his Armes a Line and towed him ashore and went back to the

       Mill, and tould John Dandy that he had found his man Dead

       in the Creeke, Whereupon the Said Dandy with one Robert P 319

       Cole and two men more, went to the place where this Depo-

       nent had towed the Corps ashore, and when the Said Dandy

       did See the Corps; he the Said Dandy Said that he Should

       Come into a great Deale of trouble about this Boy and farther

       this Deponent Saith not     Signum

       This Deposition taken the 6 of     William W Wood

   August 1657 before us Richard Preston

                        William Ewens

         We whose hands have underwritten being desired by John

       Dandy to Come to view the body of his Servant called Henry

       Gouge being found Dead in the Creeke naked, his Cloathes

       not found for the present, finding nothing about him, whereby

       the Said Dandy may be Called in question, for any blow or

       bruise, but only Some Small Signes, of Some Small Switch or

       rod, and that not newly done. And upon the Examination of

       the Said Dandy his maid Servant, Said that She did hear about

       ten or Eleven of the Clock the Boy Darbey Say to her that his

       master was beating of Harry, and She did hear at that Very

       time one Crey out O Lord! But She Cannot tell whether it

       was Harry or no. And upon the Examination of one Darby

       Canneday Said that he heard the man Cry out divers times

       O Lord! and that his master went that way but a Little before,

       This we are able to make oath upon before any Magistrate as

       Wittness our hands this 7th of July 1657

                     Will: Thomson Robert Cole

                      Signum Richard ffurbear

                  Anthony I Webb        Signum

                       Tho: Carpender     John I H Howerd

                       Nich: S Oliver     John larbo

                       Robert RS Shelle