175 ~  Case Against Germane Gillett for abetting two pregnant women to avoid punishment.

Their Ma’ties                           Somerset.  The jurors for their Ma’ties being sworn upon the Holy Evangelists at a

            contra                          Grand Jury held for the this County in Jan’y 1692 doe present & find that Germane

Germane Gillett                      Gillett of Pocomoke Hundred and within the Jurisdiction of this Court not having any regard to the good Laws and Institutions of this Province against the breakers of the said Laws that they may be brought speedily to tryall & according to the demerit of their fact punished, hath in contempt of the said Laws & ag’t authority upon himself taken to arbitrate, determine & for the wor’ll Court to agree & compound with criminals for their fines & punishment, concealing some & protecting others from the Laws.  And whereas Susannah Hazard the stepdaughter of the sd Germane in anno 1690 committed fornication & last winter twelve month brought forth a bastard child at the house of the said Germane, and in order that the said Susannah might evade & escape punishment for the same ofence, did convey her out of the County in an unseemly manner before she had lyen a fortnight of her month, & to this time hath continued in contempt of this Government abovesd  The said Germane doth most contemptuously perservere in these known & manifest abuses in that the said Germane did at his house receive an Elizabeth Kotle a fugitive from Accamack County in Virginia being with Child of a bastard & before that the said Elizabeth was brought to bed, the sd Germane did upon himself presume to compound & agree with the said Elizabeth for her fine & punishment & usurping the power, authority & jurisdiction of this Court did cause her subscribe to an Indenture for three years service assuming upon himself to bear the sd Elizabeth harmeless from all manner of fine or punishment & in pursuance of the same assumption to agrivate the matter, did heap abuse upon abuse on the County & Court & in March Court 1692 did present the said Elizabeth by Anne his wife to the Grand Jury for Bastardy but before tryal the sd Germane, cunningly & craftily, did sell & dispose of the sd Elizabeth Kotle & her likewise did transport from the tryal & punishment of this Court inflicted by law out of the Jurisdiction of this Court, first into Virginia & supposing her not safe enough there in person did convey her into the Territitories of Pennsylvania;  all which the said premises, hath been acted & done contrary to the Laws in despite of Authority & abuse to the Government. Therefore the same considers  that the like accons may not be brought into president & avoiding of so heinious evil example to the Inhabitants. Their Ma’ties Attorney craves judgement may be entered ag’t the sd Germane according to the Law ~~                        James Sangster, Clerk of Indictments

 

The foresd Indictment being read to which the said Germane Gillett pleaded not guilty and for tryal puts himself upon thhe Court & the Wor’ll Court referred the same to the Jury  wherefore command was this day given to the Sheriff of this County to bring here twelve good & lawfull men of his balywick that the matter might be the better understood, a list or pannel whereof was forth(with) returned as followeth (viz.) James Curtis, Alexander Thomas, Lawrence Gary, James Langreen, George Goddard, Wm. Venables, Rich. Cary, Somerset Dickinson, John Gray, Thomas Gordon, Roger Odowey, Wm. Bowden (12) who being legally summoned returned & sworn upon the holy Evangelists, who having heard the foresd Indictment as also these three Evidences for their Ma’ties sworn & examined, receives their charge & are sent forth in order to determine the matter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

And this day, viz. the day aforesd the Jurors of this same cause depending between their MA’ties & the aforesd Germane Gillett returns in Court with their verdict. The Plts & Dft being called as also the Jurors of the Jury, who being all unanimously agreed delivers up this following verdict (viz) Wee of the Jury find no cause for Indictment; James Curtis foreman.  W’ch verdict was ordered to be entered. Evidences sworn for their Ma’ties were Sam’l Alexander, Walter Reed & Thomas Gillett.

 

Ordered p/ Wor’ll Court to impannell another Jury.

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Memorandum this following acc’t was p/ Ge. Gillett produced in Court & read ~

Elizabeth Kotle Debit//

To  5 bushels of Indian corne paid to Wm. Lucas   To  300 for her lying in

To  one hundred for bringing her to bed    To one hundred for a petticoat

To 2 smocks 150   To one paire of shoes 50    To one paire of stokins 50

To small lining for her & her child & the funeral Charge for her Child  200

                                                                                                            totall  1050

 

This Indenture made in the year of our Lord God 1691. Witnesseth that Elizabeth Kotle of Pocomoke in Somerset County in the Province of Maryland spinster, hath with her own free & voluntary consent put & bound herself to be with Germane Gillett of Pocomoke in the County aforesd & Province with the said Germane to abide & dwell for the terme & space of three years from hence forth fully to be completed & ended ended in the continuall service of her said Master in all such lawfull imployment & services as shall be required by her Master or Mistress, & he the sd Germane as Master to the said Elizabeth is to find her the said Elizabeth meat drink & such cloathing as is usual for such an Apprentise in her daily calling & imployment & the said Elizabeth for her good & valuale consideration, is to fulfill & doe her duty according to the premmises, to the contrary anything herein mentioned notwithstanding. In witness whereof both parties hath hereunto sett their hand & affixed their seals interchangeably this 15th of August 1691.                                                Elizabeth Kottle          Germane Gillett

Witnesses present ~

Samuel Alexander

John Gillett