36 ~  [15 September 1692]  Case against Thomas Williams for murdering an infant bastard.

Their Ma’ties                           Thomas Williams being called to the barr in Court; These twelve Evidences were

    Contra                                 sworn on behalfe of their Ma’ties ag’t sd Williams, viz. Thomas Evernden, Thomas

Thomas Williams                     Stockwell, William Reynolds, Michael Williams & Patience his wife, Rozannah Boyer,

                                                William Tizdale, & Anne his wife, Andrew the Dutchman, Rebecca wife to William Planner, Rebecca Stevens, Frances wife to Thomas Williams ~~~  being sworn upon the holy Evangelists were with these following depositions sent up to the Grand Jury (upon their oaths) attending with this indictment following  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somerset.  The Jurors for their Ma’ties at a Grand Jury held for the body of this County at Manokin the Second Tuesday in Jan’ry, last past being sworn upon the holy Evangelists, doe present & find that Thomas Williams at Annimessex & within the Jurisdiction of this Court not having the fear of God before his eyes, but by the Justification of the devil, prompted by a wicked & abominable Lust with one Mary Berry heretofore of evil fame & lascivious deportment, sometime before the 15th December anno Dom. 1691 did comitt that most horrible & abominable sin of of Adultry & on her body begatt a Bastard Child, w’ch in its own nature is so odious & hatefull to God & Man that the Law hath made the crime capital, but at Annimessex aforesd sometime before the said fifteenth of December as is abovesd, did wickedly & felloniously intice seduce conceal & contract to and with the sd Mary Berry to dispatch, kill & felloniously to murder the said fruit or child of his and her bodies begotten, that it might not be known but concealed from the knowledge of all persons, the sd Thomas the sd Mary Berry did clandestinely convey into a tobacco house at the plantation of the sd Thomas, where together with the help of the sd Thomas onely the said Mary was delivered, the child most barbarously & inhumanly murthered & thereon to the hoggs in the peach orchard to be devoured, not vouchsafing the infant a grave, for fear of suspicion; but God whose eyes sees & hyes the secrets of all hearts and actions, would not permit or suffer so horrible & wicked a sin to be smothered or concealed did miraculously bring the same to light by Frances Williams, the wife of the said Thomas Williams, who upon the said 15th day of December 1695 did openly publicly & to the parties to witt, the said Thomas & Mary avouch & declare the same at the house of Michael Williams and elsewhere. Now their Ma’ties Attorney comes & says that the premises considered & the heyniousness of the crime duely weighed, the said Thomas ought to suffer the pains & punishments according to the law in that case made & provided  ~~~  James Sangster,  Clrk Indc’ts

                        Which Indictment was returned by the Grd Jury  Ignoramus

[Depositions follow from William Reynolds, Rose Boyer and Thomas Stockwell detailing domestic conflict between Thomas and Frances Williams. Thomas Williams made to post £50 bond for his good behavior.]