Commission of oyer and terminer, 1760 October 1
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Virgini ss.
Francis Fauquier Esq; His Majesty's
Lieutenant-Governor, and Commander in Chief of the
said Colony and Dominion.
To Charles Carter, John Champe Samuel Donne John Triplett Thomas Jett, Charles Carter Junr.
George Washington, Samuel Skinker Joseph Murdock William Newton William
Robinson Thomas Skinker Anthony Strother JunrWilliam Cunningham John Knox Arthur
Morson and Horatio Dade of the County of King George 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 present Majesty's Reign, Annoque Domini, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty-eight, intituled,
"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, Negroes, Mulattoes and Indians, Bond or Free." It has been
represented to me, by William Rowley Gentleman, Sheriff of the said County, That
Jenny a Negro Woman slave belonging to Joseph Strother is committed to and remains in the
Common Gaol of the said County on suspicion of Murdering her daughter named Joan a slave
also belonging to the said Strother
and the said Sheriff hath prayed that a Commission may issue for the Trial of the said Slave, according to the Di-
rections 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 impower you the said Charles Carter, John Champe Samuel Donne John Triplett Thomas
Jett, Charles Carter Junr. George Washington Samuel Skinker Joseph Murdock William Newton
William Robinson Thomas Skinker Anthony Strother Junr. William Cunnigham John
Knox Arthur Morson and Horation Dade
or any Four, or more of you, whereof
any of you the said Charles Carter, John Champe Samuel Donne John Triplett Thomas Jett Charles
Carter Junr. George Washington Samuel Skinker or Joseph Murdock
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 or perpetrated within the said County, by the aforesaid Jenny
and more especially the Murder aforesaid
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 first Day of November next,
publickly at the Court-House of the said County, to cause the said Jenny
to be arraigned and tried for the said Offence or Offences, or any of them, whereof
she shall be accused, and she 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 like Crimes, and
on such Judgment to award Execution, or otherwise her to acquit as of Right ought to be done. Given
under my Hand, and the Seal of the Colony, at Williamsburg, the first Day of October
One Thousand Seven Hundred and sixty in the thirty fourth Year of the Reign
of our Sovereign Lord King GEORGE the Second.
Fran Fauquier