Court records from 17th-century Kent County, Maryland, arranged by theme.

Transcribed and compiled by Dr. Alexa Cawley, Ph.D.

Index | Search | Adultery Cases

Accused #1	Mary	Hartwell	Accused #2	Joseph	Wickes	Court Date	12/2/1656
Court Charge	Constable presents Mary Hartwell, now the wife of Wickes, for Bringin vp a Bastard vpon the Island And Charging Mr Wickes with The Begiting of the sd Child
Witness #1	Morgan Williams recounts story of visiting Hartwell in Virginia and she asked for relief from Wickes for child; had Maior Daues write letter which she gave Williams to take to Wickes, now she wants the letter back?? (LIV 113; Liber B folio 24)
Witness #2	William Leeds testifies to having seen the letter Morgan Williams had and a letter of atty giving Williams permission to sue Wickes if he saw fit (LIV 113; Liber B folio 24)
Other Witnesses
Court Ruling
Details 1	when case came to court on 2/2/1656 the evidence to prove the presentment wasn't there; refered to next court, Wickes suspended from his place (office?); when found guilty Wickes left "in Stauts quo prius to his place and Judicature" (LIV 121)
Details 2
Outcome
Source	LIV 78; Liber B folio 1

Accused #1	John	Salter	Accused #2	Mrs (wife of Thomas Bradnox)	Bradnox	Court Date	10/17/1657
Court Charge
Witness #1	Ann Stanley 21 yrs maidservant: Salter laid w/Mrs. Bradnox on bed in hall; with britches in his hand and skirts as high as her breast, Bradnox asked Ann to witness this? fight between Bradnox and Salter, Salter accuses Bradnox of the same (LIV116)
Witness #2	Thomas Snockes 22 years (servant?); also witness Salter and Mrs. Bradnox together as well as the fight, asked to witness by Bradnox (good quotes) (LIV115-116)
Other Witnesses	Richard Smith (40) witnessed fight between Salter and Bradnox
Court Ruling
Details 1
Details 2
Outcome
Source	LIV 116-121

Accused #1	Edward	Coppedge	Accused #2	Elizabeth	Risby	Court Date	8/1652; 11/1652?
Court Charge	"'living in _________' with Elizabeth Risby, before he was able to prove the death of her husband Wm. Risby
Witness #1
Witness #2
Other Witnesses
Court Ruling	Coppedge sentenced to pay 600 lbs of tobacco, and to remain in the sheriff's hands ; Elizabeth sentenced to receive 15 lashes and to give bond for her good behavior
Details 1	deposition of Henry Carlein retails a conversation at his own house with Jane the wife of John Hood who assets the innocence of Elizabeth Risby, and insists that the latter is the lawful wife of Edward Coppedge 'but only for the ceremony'
Details 2
Outcome	Coppedge sentenced to pay 600 lbs of tobacco, and to remain in the sheriff's hands, until the execution of a bond, ' that he company not with her nor come to have any familiarity with the aforesaid Elizabeth Risby."
Source	LIV 9-10; Liber A fol. 50, 58

Accused #1	Elizabeth	Martine	Accused #2	Henry	Ashley	Court Date	6/11/1656
Court Charge	adultery
Witness #1	Thomas Reade (17 yrs)
Witness #2	William Price (31 yrs); he later complains that Goodie Martin slandered him called him a Perjured Rogue (LIV 69)
Other Witnesses	Thomas Hill (52 yrs): testifies in slander trial of Goodie Martin
Court Ruling	not clear; Martine's husband appealed for relief of 300 lbs owed to public uses because of his wife's weaknesse and passion and forgiven that part of debt; the Martine later split up their estate, divorce??
Details 1	"that about the middle of may last, of a Saturday at night, Cominge hom verie late intendinge to goe to Goodman martines, with Goodie martine & Wm Price, to worke at his house, wee were preuented by a gust & foull wetherm tht wee Cxould not doe tht night;
Details 2	"goodie Martine, & henery Ashley, & younge Robine martine, went to bedd togather, and Robine lay betweene,. . ., & in the mornine, they three were in bedd as ouernight, & young Robert lay betweene. . .; Price said Goodie and Henry were last to rise
Outcome	William Price later sued Goodie Martin for slander when she called him a perjured rogue after his testimony against her; she was orderd to pay him 300 lbs of tobacco "For the Repearation of his Credite";
Source	LIV 63-64, 69-70; 80-81 Liber A folio 121, 124

Accused #1	Henry	Carline	Accused #2			Court Date	2/1/1656
Court Charge
Witness #1	Anthonie Calloway: testified that Mrs. Broadnox reported to mrs. Ringgold on returning from Virginia that Carline brought a woman from Kent to Capt. Fleet's; bed provided for 2 women there but Carline said "Hunnie thou art acould wilt thou die to bed shee
Witness #2	sd no dweet hart, & he ttoke her in his armes And threw her upon the bed tht was puided for Capt Fleet & the other stranger, & in the night Capt Fleet hear them make a noise & was verie anferie & Clad to his folkes & bad turne them out at dores, & tht the
Other Witnesses	mr Carline did dowown his woffe, beeinge very Angrie shayinge tht shee had under the Comisiors ahd & the Cours & more then tht in the Chester tht her husband brought do therere was a Certificate & the Chester was brok open, & the Certificate was found &
Court Ruling
Details 1	theare was a Court at Rapahannock & this woman tht went with Mr. Carlin was Ordered 30 lashed by the Court & mr Carline was fined for keepinge the seruant away soe onge & disowning of his waufe & was banist out of the place, & he went away entedinge to
Details 2	com to Kent, but Mrs. Brodnox sd the hee Could not haue the Face to Come to kent to shoe his face
Outcome
Source	LIV 55-56