[Lawnes Creek Parish, Virginia, Court Records (1673)] [posted 9 Jun 2005] Of how Dangerous consequence unlawful Assemblies and meetings have bin, is Evident by ye Chronicles of our Native County wch are occasioned by A Giddy headed Multitude, & unless restrained may prove ye Ruin of a Country, & for yet we Law: Baker, & Rob: Spencer two of the Justices of this County, being Informed at or on about ye 12 of xber now Last past, a Company of Seditious & rude people to ye Number of Fourteen did unlawfully Assemble at ye Pish Church of Lawnes Creek, w/ ye Intent to declare they would not pay their public taxes, & yt they Expected diverse others to meek them, who failing, they did not put their Wicked design in Execution, & for yt ye good Law made agt Routs & Riots & particularly ye Statute of ye 13th of Henry 4 y Chapt 7 Injoyns Justices to Inquire of Such meetings, we therefore sent our warrant as ye Sheriffs of this County to Cause Mathew Swan, Jno Barnes, Wm Hancock, Wm Teeke, Rob Lacy, Jno Gregory, Tho: Clay, Michll Upchurch, Jno Sheppard, Geo Peeters, Wm Little, Jno Greene, & James Chessett to appear before us, yet ye sd. psons not being Satisfied w/ their former unlawful meeting, did this day, yr greatest p of , meet together in ye old feild Called ye Devils Field, & as we doe Justly Suspect, did Confederate not to discover who were ye first Instigators of movers of them to their unlawful Assembling as Aforesd. & we upon their Examinations do find they have unanimously agreed to Justify their meetings, professing in ye Same: as appears by ye upon declaring, of Rogr Delk, If one Suffers they would burn all, & we finding their Contemptuous behavior & Carriage, not respecting Authority: have therefore Committed ye psons aforesd to ye Custody of ye Sheriff, until they find Security for their appearance at ye Next County Cort: & also for Keeping ye peace, wch we Conceive Consonant to ye Law in Such Cases: & ye Mutonous psons aforesd, being so many in Number, we have by Virtue of ye Statute of ye 2d of Henry 5 w/ Commanded aide and Assistance of Several of ye Neighborhood for their Security Given undr our hands ye day ye aforesd Law: Baker Rob Spensor Recorded ye 13 of January 1673