44)              110              1673

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                    John

The next 2^d day after M^r Watson had taken ye knif B^r Wood & John Stickney

going to Ipswich John watson overtook them (being bound for Salem) & upon

some reports B^r Wood heerd y^t John watson should say he had bought a knif at

{6 m^r wainwrights for 6^d & his tobacco tongs of w^ch ther were two wittness John

Stickney telling him of it, he say^d it was not true he had noe knif of ye merchant,

7 but onely a black hasted[1] knife y^t he bought of mark Quilter which was another

8 ly for mark sayth he bought none of him

B^r Wood coming home from Ipswich on y^e 4 day at night on y^e next morning

(having heard y^e night before many truths about y^e knife as he feared) be took

oppertunity to speak to him & told him that he feared he taken away that knif frō

the marchant, & advised him to restore it & to make noe more lyes about his

9. answer was y^t he had it not but was as clear from takeing the knif as B^r Wood

was or as y^t ry[2] they stood by this he say^d before B^r Wood & his wife

B^r Wood hearing that he had a good knif at B^r Primes he ask^t him how he

came by it or what knif it was, he answerd y^t it was none of marchant wain

(10 wrights but it was goodwife Jameses but upon inquiry of B^r primes Son & man

it was found falls

After y^t B^r Wood whent to John watson & desired him y^t he would confess the truth

for certainly you have y^e knif, if you doe not confess it, it will be prooved he

11 told him y^t he was as clear of it as he was, & say^d B^r wood was longer at y^e

merchants yⁿ he & might as well taken it as he

Upon this B^r wood went to deacon Tenny & to B^r Bayly Senior & desiered y^m

12 to goe with him to deal w^th John Watson, when they came to him he denied it

3 or 4 times & say^d he was clear of it as B^r wood

The Deacon asking him wher y^t knif was he say^d he had bought at M^r Wain

-wrights, he answered must I show Every knif I have, shortly I shall be called to an

account for Every thing, I have had a sith this two yeares shortly somebody will

call me to an account for y^t: If I should confess I have y^e knif & y^e mar

chants family should afterwards find it, then I should wrong my self: The

Deacon answered you may get y^t knife convayed thither soe as they may find

it & yet your sin noe less

But afterward upon farther discourse he confessed that he had taken it, & say^d he was sorry y^t

God should leave him to doe such evill & desired prayers

About the Tobacco conserning w^ch he had told a ly to mark Quilter: he afterward at

Rowley after a Conference meeting, wherin he had bin at prayer, when meeting was

done he desired Goodm: Northen to goe home with him & he would give him some To

-bacco: Ezekiel northen say^d why should you give me Tobacco, his answer was

13 marchant wainwright has given me 20 pounds of Tobacco: Goodm: Northen

wondering the marchant should be soe kind, he told him it was because of his

long sickness

14 He soll^d some of y^s Tobacco to B^r Prime a penny pound cheaper then it cost him &

told B^r Prime that y^e marchant gave him 20 pounds of Tobacco.

15 He alsoe told M^r Tho: Nelson that y^e marchant wainwright had given him 20 pounds

of Tobacco

16. he reported that y^r were 10 maydens in Newberry with child & y^y were presented

to Ipswich Court 3 of Samuel Plummers Daughters are w^th Bastard say^d he & 2

of Coffins daughters are w^th Bastard & one of Captain Gerish Daughters is w^th

Bastard & one of woodmans daughters is w^th Bastard: Beriah Brown & goodm:

James gave in their testimony of y^s

17 he reported of Br^o Brown that he had stolen his thatch & y^t James Crocker

saw him carry it away

18 he told Robert Shilato that his wife milk^t 7 cowes & made 20 pound of butter a

                                                           week wheras she