The Trial and Execution, for Petit Treason, of Mark and Phillis, Slaves of Capt. John Codman Part 5

_Answr._ In the Lane aforesd.

_Quest._ Where did you all go after you drank the Toddy?

_Answr._ We all came away together & went thro' Mr. Sprague's Yard & so thro' Mrs. Silence Harris's yard & Entry into the street.

and they went directly down to the Ferry and I went into my master's Yard with the Pots I brought from the Potters Work house.

_Quest._ Did you then go with them to the Ferry or nearer to it than your master's House?

_Answr._ No, I did not.

_Quest._ Did Robbin give you, or did you give Robbin any Thing between the Time of your coming out of Mr. Harris's Entry and his going over the Ferry?

_Answr._ No, I did not give him any Thing neither did he give me any Thing.

_Quest._ After you had parted with him when you came thro' the Entry, did you call him back?

_Answr._ No, I did not.

_Quest._ Did your master that Day forbid Mrs Shearman's letting you have any more Drink?

_Answr._ Yes, my master told her not to sell any Drink to any of his Servants.

_Quest._ Did Robbin know of it?

_Answr._ Not that I know of; he see master go into Mrs.

Shearman's Shop, and pa.s.s'd by Robbin in the Lane as Robbin told me.

_Quest._ Did you ever apply to any body else, besides Robbin for Poison?

_Answr._ No, only to Carr, Doctr. Gibbon's negro man, and then Phoebe sent me for it. She had been with Carr before on the same account, & he told her he cou'd not get her any then, as she told me;

_Quest._ Did you get any Poison of Carr?

_Ansr._ No, he told me he wou'd not let me have any, untill he had seen Quaco, and did not know whether he shou'd then or not, and I never went to him afterwards.

_Quest._ Did you never ask Doctr. Rand's Cato for any Poison?

_Answr._ No, I do not know that I ever did, in the World.

_Quest._ Had you and Phoebe any Conversation together about your master in or near your Blacksmith's Shop or in the yard the Monday before your master died?

_Answr._ I had not, that I know of.

_Quest._ Did you that Day before Tom or any other of your master's Servants say that you knew that your master would dye or utter any Words to that effect?

_Answr._ No, I did not. The Day before master dyed, Phoebe came into the Shop to dress Tom's Eye & got to dancing & mocking master & shaking herself & acting as master did in the Bed; And Tom said he did not care, he hop'd he wou'd never get up again for his Eye's sake, and Scipio was there at the same time and saw her.

_Quest._ Did you ever Say that your master had been offer'd 400 for you but wou'd not take it, and now he shou'd not have a farthing or Words to that effect?

_Answr._ No I never said any such Thing. MARK.[1]

[Footnote 1: Mark signed his deposition here, and the entry, "continued," was made at the end of the sheet; the next sheet beginning, "Mark's Examination, continued."]

_Quest._ Did you ever tell Phoebe or Phillis that the Week before your master dyed, that you went over the Ferry to see Robbin to get some more Poison, and that he came over the Ferry in another Boat and so you mist each other and that he Robbin pretended to the Ferry-man that he was a Country negro and wanted to see you about your Child, or Words to that Effect?

_Answr._ I never told them or either of them so.

_Quest._ How came that Viall buried near your Forge in the Black-Smith's Shop, that you told Mr. Kettell of, and he found there?

_Answr._ I buried it there.

_Quest._ When did you bury it there?

_Answr._ In the afternoon of that Day that master dyed.

_Quest._ Where did you get that Vial?

_Answr._ I took it from Phillis that same Afternoon.

_Quest._ Did any body see you take it from her?

_Answr._ No. When I took it from Phillis she own'd that Phoebe had given the first Poison that I brought to master; and that she and Phoebe had given him all the Rest saving what was then in the Bottle. and thereupon I went to Phoebe and charged her with it, she at first deny'd it, but at last own'd it it and begg'd me to say nothing about it; I told her if I had known she wou'd have put it to that use I would not have got it for her; then I call'd Pompey to go down to the shop with me for I wanted to speak with him, intending to shew him the Vial, and he came into the shop but before I had an opportunity to speak to him Mr. Kettell took me.

_Quest._ Where was the Vial when you talked with Phoebe as aforesd?

_Answr._ I had it in my Pocket, and told her so, then I went into the shop and buried it, then I went into the House immediately to call Pompey to shew it to him.

_Quest._ Why did you bury the Vial before you called Pompy? or shew it to any body?

_Answr:_ I buried it because I did not want any body should see it before I shewed it to him.

_Questn._ Have you lately had any Potters powder'd Lead by you or in your Possession?

_Answr._ Only that I had from Ess.e.x Powars; which was as I suppose ground to Powder.

_Quest._ When did you get that powder'd Lead of Ess.e.x?

_Ansr:_ I had it of him that Day I went there for six b.u.t.ter Pots, which my master's son Isaac sent me for.

_Quest._ What did you get that Lead for?

_Answr._ To see if it would melt in our Fire. upon a Dispute between Tom and I about it; Tom said it would melt, and I told him I did not believe it would; I carried it home and laid it upon the Wall Plate in the Blacksmith's shop, and I never moved it afterwards or thought any Thing about it, 'till it was show'd to me by the Justice.

_Quet._ Do you know that any Part of that Lead you had of Ess.e.x or any Lead like unto it was given to your master or put into his Victuals or Drink?

_Answr._ I do not.

_Quest._ Do you know of any Proposal made of poisoning your master?