Commission of oyer and terminer issued by William Gooch in the case of Nana, 1744 August 25

Commission of Virginia Lieutenant-governor William Gooch appointing justices from Norfolk County to sit as a court in the trial of Nana, an enslaved woman belonging to Edward Magee, for the commission of a felony. The men named in the commission are George Newton William Crafford Willis Wilson Thomas Scott Matthew Godfries John Hutchings Thomas Wright Robert Tucker John Taylor Samuel Smith William Portlock Caleb Wilson Solomon Wilson the Elder Willis Wilson Josias Smith John Tripp Thomas Newton Charles Sweney Nathaniel Tatum & John Tucker. The commission was signed by Gooch and dated August 25, 1744.

A wax seal illustrated with a crown is attached to the document by a cloth ribbon.

[Recto]

Virginia st

William Gooch Edqr: his Majesty's Lieutenant Governor & Commander
in Chief of the Colony & Dominon of Virginia
To George Newton William Crafford Willis Wilson Thomas Scott Matthew Godfries John Hutchings
Thomas Wright Robert Tucker John Taylor Samuel Smith William Portlock Caleb Wilson
Solomon Wilson the Elder Willis Wilson Josias Smith John Tripp Thomas Newton Charles
Sweney Nathaniel Tatum & John Tucker of the County of Norfolk Gent. Greeting

Know ye that whereas I have Constituted & appointed you Justices of Oyer & Terminer for the Trial of Nana Negro Woman Slave belonging to Edward Magee for Felony I DO therefore by virtue of the Powers & Authorities to me Granted by his Majesty as Commander in Chief of this Dominion Authorize & appoint that the Commission being Read as usual any one of you the said George Newton William Crafford Willis Wilson Thomas Scott Matthew Godfrey John Hutchings Thonas Wright Robert Tucker John Taylor Samuel Smith or William Portlock having first taken the Oate appoited by Act of Parliament to be taken instead of ^ ^{the Oathes of} Allegiance & Supremacy the Oath appointed to be taken by "an Act of Parliament made in the first year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the first Intituled an Act for the further security of his Majesty's Person & Government & the "Succession of the Crown in the Heirs of the late Princess Sophia being Protestants & for Extinguishing the House of the pretended Prince of Wales and his Open & secret Abettors' As also the Test together with with the Oath for duly Executing the Office of a Justice of Oyer & Terminer which the said Caleb Wilson & Solomon Wilson ^ ^{the Elder} or any two in the Commission above named are hereby required Authorized & Impowered to give & Administer to you, you administer to the above Justices & every of them in the Commission above named the above mention'd Oaths & Test together with the Oath for duly executing the Office of ^ ^a Justice of Oyer & Terminer of the Performance of which you are to make due return to the Secretary's Office Given under my hand and the Seal of the Colony at Williamsburgh the twenty fifth Day of August One thousand Seven hundred & forty four In the Eighteenth year of the Reign of our Sovering Lord King George the Second

William Gooch.

[Verso]

Dedimus Potestatem for
Administering Oaths &c To
Justices of Oyer & Terminier