1778 PEOPLE OF MASS BAY Eligah Burr FOR THRUSTING A PITCH FORK AT FULL FORCE &
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This Very Nice Early American Document of 1778 is on Hand Laid Paper and Has a Full Papermakers Watermark. To the Worshipful George Godfrey Esq One of The Justices Of The Peace For The County of Bristol, James Coggeshall of Taunton in The Same County Labourer Complains on behalf of THe Goverment and People of The Massachusetts Bay in New England Against ELIGAH BURR of Taunton Gentleman FOR THAT THE SD ELIGAH OF SD TAUNTON ON THE 9TH DAY OF JULY INSTANT WITH FORCE & ARMS AN AS...SAULT DID MAKE ON THE BODY OF YOUR COMPLAINANT Who Was Then & There in the Peace & Then & There Did STRIKE YOUR COMPLAINANT & CAUSE HIM UPON THE GROUND & DID BITE WOUND YOUR COMPLAINANT & OTHER ENORMITIES Then & There CONTRARY TO LAW AND THE SD ELIGAH WITH A CERTAIN LARGE PITCH' FORK' IN HIS HANDS Then & There SWORE THAT HE WOULD BE THE DEATH OF THE SAID JAMES & WITH GREAT VIOLENCE DARTED SAID FORK AT SAID JAMES WITH HIS FULL STRENGTH Therefore Your Complainant Prays A Warrant May Be Issued To Apprehend The sd Eligah so that He May be Proceeded With as To LAW & JUSTICE APPERTAINS To The sd ELIGAH Touching The Premises July 10th 1778 James Coggeshall. To The Sheriff of The County of Bristol His Under Sheriff or Deputy Greeting Whereas as The Above Complaint Has This Day Been Made To Me George Godfrey Esq One of The Justices of The Peace for the County of Bristol By James Coggeshall Against Eligah Burr of Taunton In sd County Gentleman These are Therefore in The Name of The Government and People of The Massachusett Bay in New England To Require & Authorize You Forthwith To Apprehend The Body of the sd Eligah and Him bring Before Me or some other Justice of The Peace for the County That he may Be Proceded With as To Law & Justice Appertains Touching the Premises you are also To Notify The Complainant of Time & Place and before whom you Bring the sd EligahYou are to also summon Zepheniah Newland of Norton To Give Evidence of what He Knows Relating to The premises & make Timely Return of Your Doings Hereon where the Same is returnable Given under My Hand & Seal This 10th day of July Ad 1778 The aforesaid Eligah Appeared on Call and after reading George Godfrey's Warrant & Complaint in His Hearing HE PLEADS NOT GUILTY It is Considered by Therefore by The sd Justices That after a full hearing of The Evidences The Pleas and Alegations Thereon That The sd ELIGAH IS GUILTY Made on the Body of The sd James Accordingly Was SENTENSED BE PERFORMED BY sd Justice To pay A Fine of Ten Shillings To be Disposed of as The Law Directs & Costs of Prosecution TAXED at 46 Shillings & 8 Pence & Stand Committed until Sentence Be Performed From Which Sentence The Eligah Burr Appealed To the Next Court of the General Sessions Of the Peace Holden at Taunton Within and for The County of Bristol On the 2nd Tuesday of September Next & He Then & There be Recognized and Became Bound with Sureties To Prosecute With His sd With effect and To be of good behaviour in The Meantime as The Law Directs Attest George Godfrey Justice of the Peace. A TRUE COPY OF THIS COMPLAINT WARRANT & SENTENCE AGAINST THE SD ELIGAH BURR. ON VERSO GEORGE GODFREY SIGNS & STATES BRISTOL JULY 10th 1778 BY SURETY OF THIS WRIT OR WARRANT I APPREHENDED THE BODY OF THE SD BURR and Brought Him Before Your Honors George Godfrey Esq One of The Justices Of the Peace for sd County and Summoned and Notified The Zep Newland and Notified the Complainant Of The Time and Place of Trial John porter Deputy Sheriff signs Fees for Summoning Evidence 12/A True Copy of the Service of The Within Warrent Attest George Godfrey JP. 7 1/2 X 12 1/4" $2.00 For 1st Class Mail. satisfaction Always Guaranteed.
