Commission of oyer and terminer issued by Francis Fauquier in the case of Bob, 1764 June 8

Commission of Virginia Lieutenant-governor Francis Fauquier appointing justices from Chesterfield County to sit as a court in the trial of Bob, an enslaved man belonging to Thomas Branch, for the commission of a felony. The men named in the commission are Richard Royall, John Archer, Richard Eppes, Seth Ward, Edward Osborne jr., Robert Kennon, Archibald Cary, John Markham, John Hyl[so]n, Abraham Sallen, Peter Johnston, Christopher Martin, John Archer jr., William Walthall, Thomas Worsham, and Edward Friend. The commission was signed by Fauquier and dated June 8, 1764. The court found Bob guilty, and he was burnt in the hand.

Printed document completed in manuscript.

Tears along the folds have resulted in the loss of text in several areas.

[Recto]

Virginia, sc.

Francis Fauquier Esq; his Majesty's
Lieutenant-Governour, and Commander in Chief of
the said Colony and Dominion:

To Richard Royall, John Archer, Richard Eppes, Seth Ward, Edward Osborne jr. Robert Kennon Archibald Cary, John Markham, John Hyl[so]n, Abraham Sallen, Peter Johnston, Christopher Martin John Archer jr. William Walthall, Thomas Worsham and Edward Friend of t[h]e County of Chesterfield Gentlemen Greeting

WHEREAS in Pursuance of an Act of Assembly, made at a General-Assembly, begun and holden at the College, in the City of Williamsburg, the Twenty-seventh Day of October, in the Twenty-second Year of his late Majesty's Reign, Annoque Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty-Eight, entitled, "An Act directing the Trial of Slaves committing Capital Crimes, and for the more effectual punishing Conspiracies and Insurrections of them, and for the better Government of Nogroes, Mulattoes and Indians, Bond or Free" it has been represented to me by Claiborne Anderson Gentlemen, Sheriff of the said County, that Bob a Negro man Slave belonging to Thos. Branch of the sd. County is committed to and remains in the Common Goal of the sd. County on suspicion of Administering posion ^ ^{our Medicines} to Doctor James Tyree of the County of Prince George and the said Sheriff hath prayed that a Commissio may issue for the Trial of the said Slave, according to the Direction of the said Act of Assembly : KNOW YE, therefore, that I the said Francis Fauquier by Virtue of the Powers and Authorities to me granted by his Majesty, as Commander in Chief of this Dominion, do assign and empower you the said Richard Royall, John Archer, Richard Eppes, Seth Ward Edward Osborne Robert Kennon, Arc[hibald Cary] Chrisr. Martin, John Archer, Wm. Walthall, Thomas Worsham & Edward Friend or any Four, or more of you, whereof any of you the said Richard Royall, John Archer, Richard Eppes Seth Ward, Edward Osborne, Robert Kennon, Archibald Cary or John Markham shall be one, Justices in such Manner, and by such Ways and Methods, as in the said Act of the General-Assembly is directed, prescribed, and set down, to enquire of, and to hear and determine, all Treasons, Petit-Treasons, or Misprisons thereof, Felonies, Murders, or other Offences, or Crimes, whatsoever, committed [torn] perpetrated within the said County, by the said Bob and more especially the Felony aforesaid; for the better Performance whereof, you, or any Four or more of you, as aforesaid, are hereby required and commanded, some Time between this Day and the eighth Day of July next, publickly, at the Courthouse of the said County, to cause the said Bob to be arraigned and tried for the said Offence or Offences, or any of them, whereof he shall be accused, and he being found guilty in such Manner, and upon such Evidence, as the said Act of the General-Assembly doth direct, to pass Judgment as the Law directs for the lik e Crimes, and on such Judgment to award Execution, or otherwise him to acquit, as of Right ought to be done. Given under my Hand, and the Seal of the Colony, at Williamsburg, the eighth Day of June One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty four in the fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King GEORGE the Third.

Fran: Fauquier

[Verso]

The King}       Commission. of
vs             Oyer & Terminer
Bob

1764. June Judgment & burnt
in the Hand