Provincial Court Proceedings, 1671.    3




       sixteenth day of ffebruary in the nine and thirtieth yeare of the LiberJJ
       Dominion of Caecilius & in and upon the said Hawkins then their
       said Master by force and Armes that is to say with certaine Axes
       of the vallue of forty pence which they the said James Sail John the
       Negro Robert Warry Robert Speare and Tony the Negro then and
       there did severally hold in their hands and upon the forenamed
       Hawkins then there Master, then and there in the peace of God and p. 480
       the Lord Proprietary, being volluntaryly of their mallice before
       thought of did make an assault, and the same Hawkins then their
       Master then and there with the said Axes feloniously and Traytor
       ously upon his head strongly and stoutly did severally strike so that
       by the said stroakes the head of the said Hawkins then their said
       Master was then and there broke giving to him a mortall wound
       upon the Right side of the head nigh to the Crowne breaking in
       Severall pieces the skull of the head of him the said Hawkins of the
       Depth of Three Inches of the breadth of One Inch and the length
       of One Inch and half e whereupon the body of him the said Hawkins
       did Imediately fall to the Earth and the said Hawkins instantly of
       the said blowes Died so that they the said James Sail John the
       Negro Robert Warry Robert Speare and Tony the Negro at Elke
       River aforesaid of their mallice aforethought of the said Hawkins
       then their said Master in manner and forme &c aforesaid voluntaryly
       & wickedly feloniously and Traytorously did Kill against the peace
       of the Lord Proprietary his rule and Dignity.
         And further the said Attorney Generall Delivered unto the said
       Grand Jury the Inquisitions Examinations and other papers that
       concerned the said busnies, and also the witnesses that were prsent
       to make good the said Indictmt being called (vizt) Charles James
       Coroner Augustin Harman Richard Chapman and John Rycroft
       who being Sworne to deliver the truth of their Knowledge in that
       busnies to the said Grand Jury. The said Jurors withdrew into a
       private Roome to consider of their verdict.
         During which the Cort adjourned for halfe an houre.
         The Court being sate againe at the End of the said half e houre
       the Grand Jury came into the Court & prsented to the said Court the
       said bill of Indictment and other papers, on the backside of which
       Indicmt was then written (vizt) Billa vera.
         Comand was then given to the Sheriff of St Maryes County to
       bring the said James Sall, John the Negro, Robert Warry, Robert
       Speare, and Tony the Negro, to the harre which being done. The
       Cryer made Proclamation in these words (vizt)
         His Lopps Justices streightly Charge and Command all persons
       to Keep Silence for now they will proceed upon pleas of the Crowne
       to the arraignmt of Prisoners upon life and Death and that all persons
       that have any Evidence to give against any of the prisoners now
       at the Barre draw near and give yor Attendance or forfeit yor
       Recognizances.