Grace Sherwood, the Virginia Witch; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 3, No. 2, 1894 Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Grace Sherwood, the Virginia Witch Edward W. James William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2. (Oct., 1894), pp. 96-101. GRACE SHERWOOD, THE VIRGINIA WITCH. COMMUNICATED BY EDWARD W. JAMES "Know all men by these prsents that I John Whitt of the parish of Linhaven and In The county of Lower norfolk Carpenter,(1), Doe by these give unto James Sherwood(2) fifty acres of Land, Lieing and Being in the County of Lower nor- folk in the parish of Linhaven the said land lieng upon the South Side of a Creeack the said Creek Commondly called by the name of Basnetts Creeck: and it lies along the Creck Sides from a Branch that there is hard by the sd: John Whits cleare ground now know yee that I the said John White doe by these prsents give the said Land unto James Sharwood and unto his heires Executor; and Admirisstrs for Ever with out any hinderance or fraud in any wise as witness my hand this foure and twentieth day of may 1680. Test: Richard Bonny - Acknowledged in Court John White John Gisborne - 15 octobr 1680. Test. WM. PORTEN Cl Cur." "In the name of god amen I John White being sick in body" butt of p fect memory blessed be god doe apoint this to bee my last will and testamt Impr I give my Soule to Almighty god and to Jesus Christ by whoes death and passion I hoope to have Remission of all my sines, my worldly Estate as followeth, Item I give unto my Loving Sone In Law James Sherwood all my Land. Item I give unto Jno. Sevell one Cow and Calve, and a hayfer of 2 years old, and one Iron pott, Item I give unto mary Sevell one ______________________________________________________________________________ (1)A great many fanciful things have been written about Grace Sherwood's origin and position in life by ingenious authors, who, instead of searching the records for facts, have tortured their imaginations for theories. One writer thought that she was a member of the despised free negro class, while she was, in fact, the daughter of a substantial mechanic and small land owner. (2)At a court held for Lower Norfolk county, on the 16th of August, 1678, "an order" was "granted James Sherwood agt the Sherfe for the non-appearance of Wm. Basnett, Segr.," and on March 15th 1687/8 he was reported by "Mr. James dauge for nott" helping to clear "the highways and" make "a bridge over a Cypresse Swamp." Page 97. Cow and Calfe, Item I give unto James the Sone of James Sherwood, one two year old hayver, Item I give unto Jno. Cevell my great gun, Item I give unto Edward Attwood Segr. one Cow Calve to Run wth the Increase on James Sherwoods Land and the sd James Sherwood to Look after them as after his owne. In wittnsse whereof I have heerunto Sett my hand. I likewise make the sd James Sherwood my Sole Exequetor Signed Sealed In the prsence of us this 9th day of feb 1680 Alexandr Keeling. Jno Corperhew. John White & Seal proved in court 11th may 1681 Test: WM PORTEN Cl Cur." "Know all men these prsents yt wee James Sherrwood and Grace Doe for a valluable Con Sideration in hand received of Capt Plomer Bray, Doe for us our heires Execqr Admr bargaine Sell Sett ovr & alien unto the afore Said Bary his heirs Exeqr Admr for Ever a parcell of Land out of a pr Sell of Land which Land being given unto the Said Sherrwood his heires Execqr admr or assignes p John White Carpenter wch Land begins att a marcked pine that parts a parcell of Land comonly called p the name wilford which said willford is in the pos- session and occupation of the afore Said Capt planomer Bray being parted p marckt trees betwene the said Bray Land and the afore Said piece of Land that wee James and Grace have alienated unto ye said Bray his heires Exeqr Admr and assigned for Ever & Soe to a marckt pine then westerly to a marckt popular and then North and by west to ye Creecke and Soe a Long ye Creecke comonly called p the Name of Basnetts Creecke the Land upon the South: Side to the first Station: which Land being aboute fifteene acres more or Less with all rights previledges all mines and minerals hunting hawking which Land wee James and Grace Doe from us our heires Execqr Admrs Sell to the said Bray his heirs Execqr Admr and assignes with warrantie of the sd Land we acknowledged our Selves in the penall summ of teen thousand pounds of tobaco that the a fore Said Land is Noe way Incumbered Nor Noe p Son p any means hath any claime or claimes Soe wee: James and Grace Doe oblidge our selves our heires Exeqr admrs that the afore Said Bray Shall nott bee molested p us or our heires Execqr Admrs but yt said Bray shall peaceably Injoy posess the afore Said Land both for him Self his heires Exeqr and Admr and wee James and Grace Doe this In wittness whereof wee Page 98. Doe here Sett our hands and Seales this 16th of May Anno 1690 Signed Sealed and Delivered James + S Sherrwood(1) In the prSense of us Acknowled Grace ++ Sherrwood(2) and Seal Law Sawer ged in Court James Jouseling 15th Sept 1690 "Test: WM PORTEN Cl Cur." ______________________________________________________________________________ (1)In the first half of the fifteenth century very few of the laity, even of the best families, could read or write, and for some hundreds of years very few members of the Order of Malta, though they were all of noble birth, could write their names, and even in the reign of Edward the Sixth, some of the members of Parliament could not read. Late in the fourteenth century, we are informed on good authority, no Scotch baron could write his name, and James Stewart, Sheriff of But and Arran, one of the eight witnesses, four of them illiterate, to a document dated Edinburgh, February 13, 1552-53, said: "I", "with my hand at the pen and led with the hand of Maister Thomas Briden, notar". "In 1564, Robert Scot of Thulstane, ancestor of Lord Napier, could not sign his name", and three years later the marriage contract of Walter Scott of Harden was signed by a notary, because none of the parties were able to write their names. From 1551 to 1571, John Shakespeare, the poet's father, held several public positions under the town government of Stratford, and he, as did most of the members of the corporation, made his mark, and only seven persons of ninety, who signed some orders for Brighton in 1580, wrote their names, and less than one-half of the subscribers to a loyal petition from Bridgewater, in 1680, were able to write their names, and the English country gentleman of 1685 was barely able to write his name. In 1827 fifty-eight per cent of the young men intended for the French military service could neither read nor write, and in 1841-'45 more than thirty-two per cent of the men in England and Wales who were married during that time, signed the marriage registers with marks, and in 1866, in Italy, fifty-nine per cent of the men who were married that year made their marks. Fourteen of thirty-five of the early settlers of Exeter, New Hampshire, July 4, 1639, made their marks. In the compact made by the original settlers of Providence, Rhode Island, four of the thirteen signers made their marks. Nearly all of the early residents of Gravesend, New York, made their marks, "very few of the English settlers being able to write." "Many of the early gentry of Maryland could not write their names," and one, if not more, of the earliest judges of the provincial court made his mark. The early Swedish settlers of Pennsylvania were very ignorant, and but few of them could write their names, and two members of the Colonial Council of Pennsylvania for 1681 made the marks. Five of the twenty-three members of Captain Lawrence's company, Groton, Massachusetts, 1758, made their marks. The founders of several in- fluential families in Southeast Virginia were unable to write their names, and one of them was a church warden. (2)Judith Shakespeare, the poet's youngest daughter, could not write her name, and "in the early part of the eighteenth century many of the ladies of the highest rank in Scotland could not write, and some of them could not even read." In New England, from 1690-1713, the daughters of men of high official Page 99. "Princess Anne Co At a Court held the 4th Day of ffebruary 1697/8 Coll Anthony Lawson prsent Mr Beno. Burrough Mr Edward Moseley Captt Jno Thorowgood Captt Wm Moseley Justices James Sherwood and Grace his wife Suing Richd Capps in an action of Defamacon Damages fifty pnds sterl and the Deft failing to appeare, & the Sheriffe to take security, order is granted the said Sherwood agst the Sheriffe for it shall appeare due unlesse he produce him next Court attachmt granted ye sheriffe &c." "Princess Ann Co At a Court held the third day of March 1697/8 present Coll: Anthony Lawson Mr Edward Moseley Mr Beno Burrough Mr Evan Jones Justices The Difference between James Sherwood and Grace his wife plaintiffes, and Richard Capps Deft being Ended by the parties, is Ordered to be Dismist". "Princess Anne Co At a Court held the 10th of Sept 1698. Coll Anthony Lawson Mr Benony Burrough Mr Evan Jones Capt ffrancis Morse Mr Henry Woodhouse Mr Edward Moseley Capt Wm Moseley James Sherwood and Grace his wife sueing John Gisburne and Jane his wife in a action of Slander setting forth by his petition that the Defendts had wronged Defames and abused the said Grace in her good name and reputation saying that she is a Witch and bewitched their piggs to Death and bewitched their Cotton _______________________________________________________________________________ position were often compelled to make a mark. Forty-eight per cent of the women who were married in England and Wales from 1841-'45 made their marks in signing the marriage register, and seventy-eight per cent of the women who were married in Italy, in 1866, made their marks. Authorities quoted: Life of the Duke of Ormond, by Thomas Carte; History of England, by james Anthony Froude; History of Civilization, by Buckle; Mis- cellaenous Works, Buckle; The Athenoeum, for August 19, 1893; Life of Shake- speare, by Alexander Dyce, M.A.; Modern Habits and Customs, by Lady Cook, in the Westminster Review, for March, 1894; History of England, Macaulay; Encyclopedia Britannica; The Wentworth Genealogy; The Early Records of the Town of Providnece; The Bergen Family, by Tennis G. Bergen; Chronicles of Baltimore, by Colonel J. Thomas Scharf; History of Philadelphia, by Scharf and Westcott; Proceedings of the Massachusetts H istorical Society, Vol. VI, pp. 24, 25, 1890-'91; Economic and Social History of New England, Weeden; The Pictoral History of England, by Craik and Macfarlane; Records of Lower Norfolk and Princess Anne Counties, Virginia. Page 100. & prays Judgment against the said Gisburne for L100 Sterling damage with Cost to which the Defendt pleadeth not guilty the whole matter being put to a Jury who bring in their Verdict as followeth Wee of the Jury find for the Defendt ffrancis Sayer foreman Christophr Cocke Otho Russell mark Powell Thomas Walker George Warrington Robt Renney Robert Richmond John Keeling Thomas Hall Henry Spratt Adam Hayes upon the Defendt motion It is Ordered that the Juries Verdict be Recorded and Judgmt is granted upon the same that the suite be dismist". "James Sherwood and Grace his wife suing Anthony Barnes and Elizabeth his wife in an action of Slander setting forth by their petition that the sd Elizabt had wronged and abused the said Grace in her good name & reputation saying the sd Grace came to her one night and rid her and went out of the key hole or crack of the door like a black Catt &c prayes Judgment for 100L sterling damage with Cost: to which the Defendt pleadeth not guilty. The whole matter being put to a Jury who bring in their Verdict as followeth Wee of the Jury find for the Defent ffrancis Sayer fforeman, Christopher Cocke Otho Russell, Mark Powell, Thomas Walker George Warington Robt Renney Robert Richmond John Keeling Thomas Hall henry Spratt adam Hayes upon the Defendants motion it is Ordd that the Juries Verdict be Recorded and Judgment is granted upon the same that the suit be dismist." "Martha Ward haveing attended the Court four dayes an Evidence for James sherwood agains John Gisburne It is Ordered that the said Sherwood pay for her for the sd four days attendance according to Law with Cost als Execution." "Susanna Williams haveing attended the Court four dayes an Evidence for James Sherwood atst John Gisburne It is Ordered that the said Sherwood pay her for the said four days attendance with Cost als Exo." "John Lewis and his wife haveing attended the Court four days as Evidence for James Sherwood agst John Gisburne It is Ordered that the said Sherwood pay to Each of them four dayes attendance according to Law with Cost als Exo." "Thomas Williams and Elizabeth his wife haveing attended the Court four days apeice as evidences for James Sherwood against John Gisburne It is Ordered that the said Sherwood pay to each of them for the said four dayes attendance ac- cording to Law with Cost als Exo." "Owen macgrary haveing attended the Court four days an Evi- Page 101. dence for James Sherwood against Anthony Barnes. It is ordered that the said Sherwood pay him for the said four days attendance according to law with Cost als Exo." "Edward Baker haveing attended the Court four days an Evidence for James Sherwood agst Anthony Barnes It is Ordered that the said Sherwood pay him for the said four days attendance according to Law with Cost asl Ex." "John James having attended the Court three days an Evidence for James Sherwood against Anthony Barnes. It is ordered that the said Sherwood pay him fort he said three dayes attendance according to law with Cost als Exo." [TO BE CONTINUED.]