( 25 )                 7ber 14^th. 1692 -
 
Att a Court held for the County of Somerset in the Province of Maryland by their
Maties Justices thereunto authorized & appointed the 14^th day of September
in the fourth year of their Maties Reign Ann^o Domini 1692 - - - - -
 
Com^rs Present }            m^r ffrancis.Jenckins. m^r Thomas: Newbold  m^r Roger Woolford m^r Sam^ll
in Court were                            Hopkins  m^r George: Layfield  Cap^t Jn^o King: &  m^r. Stephen: Horsey
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Court Calld. -  -             -   -   -   -   _________    -   -   -   -   -   ________   -   -   -   -   _______   -   -   -
 
Their Maties                                                     Somerset County Sc. The Jurors for their Maties being Sworne
       Contra     }                                    upon y^e holy Evangelists at a grand Jury held for the body of
Wm: Morris                                                      the County the 14^th day of Seter. doe present & find _____
- - - - - - - - - - -                                                That whereas in all Christian Societies, the prime & first
Care is the honour of Allmighty God, and to that end to make good & wholesome Laws
for the advancing of the Same, which hath been prudently & Carefully done in our
Assembly in the year of our Lord 1649. Entituled an Act Concerning Religion, where
by it is Enacted, that whosoever Shall Blaspheme God. viz^t, to Curse him or deny o^r
Saviour Jesus Christ to be the Sonn of God, or shall deny the Trinity or y^e Godhead of any
of the three persons thereof or y^e Unity or y^e unity of the Godhead, or shall use or utter
any reproachfull Speeches Concering the Same or any y^e three persons thereof; shall
Suffer death loss of all. Yet notwithstanding of the good & Christian Law. William
Morris of Dividing Creek in Pocomoke hundred Labourer not having y^e fear of
God before his eyes, but like a most wicked horrible & blasphemous Athiestical wretch
upon y^e third day of April 1691 At the house of m^r Edmund: Howard near Rehobeth
in Pocomoke hundred, & elsewhere at other times, did most presumptuously vilifie and
damnably blaspheme, o^r most Sacred & blessed Saviour Jesus Christ as well as utter divers
others inumerable Oaths & Curses & being therefore reprehended Several times, the
Said Wm: Morris of Dividing Creeks Labourer for a further ag^rivation of the sd horible
Crime, being asked how he could answer the Same, before the great judge, at y^e last day
in a most wicked blashemous & presumptuous manner, advisedly, audibly & with a loud
voice replyed, God dam the judge as also at the Said house of m^r Edmund Howard
about 12 or 1. a Clock in the night after the sd Wm: Morris had Sleeped arose & continuing
his Said Curses & Oaths, advisedly premeditatedly, Considerately, audibly & with a loud voice
did exprese & declare that he could fool the divel, hell & death & Christ our judge dam-
with Several other Athiestical expressions, as the last enemy that shall be destroyed so d- -