The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-03

afrer you have climbed over iiye-foot
| fence-you ind the court-house, clerk
Office and jail.
ON the road I'm front of the present
clerks office - located the old court
| house, which Is now used as store
house. and IN the rear of the clerks Of
flee Is the old clerks office. Here the
antiquarian will find many things to IN
terest him.
VALUABLE PAPERS.
! In the attic OF the old one can be found
| original papers dating prior TO the settle
! ment at Jamestown; papers relating TO
! the then prospective expedition 10 Vir-
| ginia by the London Company and by
| the Virginia Company: papers issued by
the officials at jamestown, dating from
1906: papers relating TO both the settle
ments at jamestown and on the Eastern
/ Shore.
1t is a marvellous collection Of historic
| papers--a collection practically unknown.
In the new clerA office. itself more than
one hundred years old, can be found the
| Oldest complete county or State records
| In the United States-none excepted.
| Plymouth, Massachusetts, can boast OF
| having records dating from 1e9, three
| years before those of this county. but
| they are not complete. The records in
| this clerks Office date from 1892 and are
| complete 10 date.
Through the perseverance Of several per-
sons interested in the history OF this pc
ninsula and through the aid Of the State
the older volumes of these records are
being copied, so that If anything hap
pens to the originals there will be at
least copy Of them on hand. The
copies when made are to be kept at
Richmond.
These old records contain mary inter-
esiing enJries, many Of which are unfit
for publication. The court consisted Of a
presiding officer styled at first The Com
mander OF the Plantation Of Acchaw-
macko " and seven commissioners. These
commissioners were called coloncls, the ti-
ties being a misn0mor, as they were not
connected with the militia, they being
cssibly the ancestors OF the numerous
Virginia Colonies Of to-day-an Office
holder, n colonel. This court was jealous
Of it's dignity, and the records abound
with proceedings for "c)ntc npt Of court
The slanderer and scandalmOnger -four
ished and commanded considerable atten-
ton by the court. Among many interest
ing things we find written on February
18th, 1884:
"Tohn Workman, aged twenty-four;
Randall Revel, aged twenty-cne, and
John Ford aged twenty-five or there
abouts. ,sworre and examined sage they
hard Henry Charlton saye that If he had
had Mr.. Cotton Ghe rector Of the parish
without the church-yeard he would have
kickt HIM over the pallyZadoes, calling of
him black rOtted raskoll Upon the COM
playnt Of Mr.. Cotton against the
said Charlton and the dispositions
above expressed. it is ordered that
the sgd Charlton shall for the sgd
"A N
in them three several Saboth dayes In
the tyne of Deyyne serviss and there
ask Mr.. Cotton forgiveness.
On Sth September, 1884. is written:
AT this COrt Edward Drew preferred n
petition against Joane Butler for calling
of his wife Upon dew eXami-
nation q the depOsitions of John Halo
way and VIM. Baseley who affrmeth the
same on oath 10 be true, that the said
Joane Butler used these words. Upon
dew examination it is thought fit by this
Board that sgd Joane Butler shall be
drawn over the Hinges Creeke at the
starn of a boat or kanew from one cow
pen to the other, or else the next SabOth
daye In the time Of Devyne seryiss be-
tween the first and second lessons present
herself before the minister and sage after
him as tollCweth: I, JOane Butler doe
acknowledge TO have called Marie Drew
q ltIcDy confess j nave
done her manifest WrOnge, wherefore /
desire before this congregation that the
said Marie Drew viii forgive me, and
also that this Congregation will joyne
and pray with me that God may for
give me"
At the very next court Thomas Butler.
the husband Of Ioane Butler turned the
tables on Edward Drew by causing Ma
rie Drew to be ordered to repeat the same
penitential formula verbatim upon the
following Sunday.
ON the "a Of June, 1912. Is written:
Whereas Robt Wyard hath i'm a most
disgraceful and barbarous manner blen-
isht the reputation of Alice Traveller.
the wife Of George Traveller, in the most
base and igminiOus language by which
defamation hath taken away the reputa-
ton OF the sgd Alice. 1t IS therefore
thought fit and requisite and accordingly
ordered that the sgd Robt Wyard shall
stand three several Sundayes I'm the TYNE
or DeYyne serviss before the face Of the
whole congregation in "A white shecte
with a white wann in his hande which
are to be provided by the Church ward
ems OF this county and there shall aske
the sgd Alice forgiveness in form and
manner as shall be dictated unto him
by the minister Of this County of North
ampton."
On FEBRUARY 10, 1868, we find the follow
ing curious record of a warger:
Thomas Butler, aged q, yeeres: VII
liam Payne, aged p yeeres, sworn and
examined as followeth These Opponents
sayeth that Mr.. George Scovell did lave
wager with Mr.. Mountney lob. star
hinge to 5b starlings, calling us 10 witness
the same, that Mr.. Burdett should never
mach in wedlock with the WidGowe
Sanders while they lived i'm Virginia. Soc
the said ScoYell, not contented but would
laye 40b. starlinge more to lob. starlinge
that sgd Mr.. Vine. Burdett should never
have the Widdowe Sanders"
At an earlier date our attention IS called
TO the following record Of villa very
brief and peculiar one:
"lff lit please God, l do dye, my debts
being discharged, what debts remayne /
give TO Goodman Fisher, and he to see
me layd in the ground like a man.
THE mark of WILLIAM I-l BRIAR.
"The mark Of J. 81: WILKINSON.
"The anark Of JAMES CRANNE."
~ oct, 1893"
An examination Of these records will
disclose many interesting and curious re-
cords OF colonial days, indicating the
habits and customs Of the early colonists.
G.. G. CALLAHAN.
February is, 1895.