(Petition of John Parker and Joseph Parker)
To his Excellency the Governor, and Councill and Representatives; now sitting
in Boston
the humble Petition of John Parker, & Joseph Parker of Andover sheweth,
That whereas our mother mary Parker of Andover, was apprehended upon suspition
of witchcraft, and being brought to a tryall at Salem Court, was condemned:
since her death the sherriff of Essex sent an officer to seise on her estate.
The said officer required us in their majestyes name to give him an Account
of our mothers estate, pretending it was forfeited to the King; we told him
that our mother left no estate; (which we are able to make appear) notwithstanding
which, he seised upon our cattell, Corn & hay, to a considerable value;
and ordered us to go down to Salem and make an agreement with the sherrife,
otherwise the estate would be exposed to sale. We not knowing what advantage
the Law might give him against us, and fearing we should sustain greater Damage
by the loss of our Estate, went to the sherriff accordingly, who told us he
might take away all that was seised, if he pleased, but was willing to do us
a kindness by giveing us an oppertunity to redeem it. He at first demanded ten
pounds of us, but at length was willing to take Six pounds, which he has obliged
us by Bill to pay him within a moneth. Now if our Mother had left any Estate,
we know not of any Law in force in this Province, by which it should be forfeited
upon her condemnation; much less can we understand that there is any justice
or reason, for the sherriff to seise upon our Estate And tho it is true our
own act has obliged us to pay him a Summ of money, yet we declare that we were
drawn to it partly by the officers great pretences of Law for what he did, partly
to prevent the loss of our estate which we feard would be immediately sold.
How we humbly pray this Hon'red Court to consider our case, and if it be judged
that so much money ought not to have been demanded of us, upon the forementioned
account: we pray that we may be discharged from that obligation, which the sherriff,
taking advantage of our ignorance hath brough us under And yo'r Petition'rs
as in duty bound shall ever pray &c -
Dated at Andov'r
7'th Novemb'r 1692
John Parker
Joseph Parker
(Mass. Archives, Vol. 135 No. 65)
from The Salem Witchcraft Papers, pp.636-637
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