Provincial Court Proceedings, 1672.   51




      Annoq Domini 1672 came Henry Smith and ffrancis Jenkins in LiberJJ
      their proper persons in open Cort here and gave the Court to under
      stand and be informed (vizt)
        These are humbly to informe yor Excellency that Capt Thomas
      Jones did with six or seaven men goe up to the Horekeele, where he
      first caused all the Dutchmen to be bound then opened their Chests
      taking severall ffurze, and Two blankets and some powder the which
      he ordered to be throwne into the River and Dranke their anniseed
      water this by In formation.
        Upon August the 22th wee did see him bring into the Guard with
      others he Employed Deare skynns Wampum peake blankets Trading
      Cloth powder pipes Knives looking glasses with severall ffurrze wee
      suppose to the vallue of sixty pounds sterling
        Also the said Thomas Jones did upon the 21th of August ride up
      to one Robert Catlyn and Drew his sword calling him ould Rouge
      & Dogge with other scurrilous Expressions and Runn his sword
      thorough his Cloathes to his skynn only for accidentally carrying
      us a little out of the way.
        That he did upon the 23th of August when Complaint was made to
      me as being one of his Lopps Justices of ye peace for his taking away
      a pound of powder from an Englishman which he kept for his
      Defence and had Retorned not much above halfe did Reply that if
      I the said Smith had so much there he would seize it giving me
      the ly, with many other scurrilous Expressions and threats Declaring
      he would not show his Comission to such a one as I was. That upon
      August the 24th after my Depture did Cause Daniel Browne by a
      warrant to seize two of my mares with severall others Notwithstand
      ing they had beene there as by information at least Two yeares.
        That the said Thomas Jones being Sheriff of Somerset County
      did at a Court held in August prsent an undersheriff to the Court
      Declaring that he did not Intend to sweare him but since the Court
      suffered him to be abused he would sit with them no more and if they
      would not sweare him he would he also Declared he would goe no
      more to Court for he had provided an under officer good Enough
      to scould with the Comrs of the Court, that an ordr of Court sent
      to him to Execute as Sheriff he did in prsence of foure gentlemen
      of Virginia refuse and flung it back againe to the bearer. all which
      with many other abuses doth Disincourage most people to seate
      those parts.

        The answr of Thomas Jones to the Rude and undigested Page
      Directed to his Excellency and Conteyneing matter supposing cer
      teyne Crymes & misdemeanrs to be by him the said Jones Comitted
      and exhibitted by Henry Smith and ffrancis Jenkins and now ex
      hibited as an informacon to this Honble Court on the behalfe of
      themselves
        To the first Article the Respondt saith that true it is he did with