( 181 )   March 15^th 1692/3
(Wm) Venables. Richard:Cary. Somerset Dickinson John:Gray. Thomas Gordon. Roger (Odoway)
(Wm) Bowden. 12. Who being who being legally Sumoned returned & Sworn upon the holy
Evangelists who having heard the foresd Indictm^t. & recogniz as also heard & Seen the Eviden(ces)
(viz) Walter Read & Elizabeth Lawrence Sworn & examined as also perused the sd Elizabeths
petion & Deposition receives their Charge & are Sent forth in Order to return their verdict
 
The humble Petion & Complaint of Elizabeth: Lawrence to y^e wor^ll Court now Sitting C
your Petioner humbly informeth your worps that being lately delivered of a Child as my
Neighbours well know did prevent my personable & voluntary appearance the last Court
to prostrate my self before y^r worpps to have given y^w a true account of my Condicon which is
deplorable as Circumstanced & accompanied with by very great foolishness by being drawn
unto and at last overcome & prevailed with to act fornication with John:Pope, the product
whereof is a Child now with me, which Child was begottne on my body by him the said John
Pope as I your Petioner have long Since publickly declared unto m^r James Round & m^r
Samuel:Hopkins in the presence of the said John: Pope. And although when Cited before the
Said Justices I there declared the verity & truth in then accusing the said John: Pope for
having Carnall fellowship with me one time.  Yett being a shamed of my Self as now I am
and desire to be, I with held part of the truth, for I must needs Confesse he the said John:Pope
gained opportunities of me before that time & lay Carnally with me, for which my great wickedness
in So Consenting & acting. Your Worpp^s Petioner desires to be heartily Sory & to repent thereof
as one who hath grossly failed & transgressed agt the Law of God & Man, & layes her self at
your Worpp^s mercy, & most humbly prayes y^w will extend y^r mercy & indulgence towards your
Petioner, although altogether undeserving having no other excuse for my Self. but the sd
John: Popes uncessant,unwearied, pationate & violent alurements & temptations by which
after I made long opposition, I found my Self at last a poore weak woman, and was by his Strong
& fierce assaults overcome & led away as aforesd. I likewise informe y^r worpps that I was
diligent in the use of means to have prevented this my unhappynesse by many & frequent
Complaints to my (Daughter) Sarah. Page & Anne Pope, & likewise to m^r Hopkins, who gave me good
Counsel if I could have      The (p^r misses) I hope y^r worpp^s will favorably Consider as an
Extenuation of  my Crime  (I humbly pray)     agt the Said John:Pope for the abuses
by him Sustained & that he may be Compelled to pay the Charge I have been at with his Said Child
& to take it into his own Custody & provide for it & I y^r humble disconsolate Petioner shall as in
duty bound Ever pray
Elizabeth  E: Larrance