Warrant, dated Nov. 16, 1668, to Benjamin Marshall, for high misdemeanors, also to witnesses, Stephen Crosse, John Bayer, and Robert Crosse, jr., signed by Samuel Symonds.* Bond of Benjamin Marshall, Richard Brabrooke, surety.

Steeven Crosse,* Benjamin Marshall* and John (his mark) Bayer, testified that Thomas Welles commonly spoke of the court and magistrates, “y’ or Courts at Ipswich was all one the Inquisition house in Spain: when a man is once brought into Court thofe: he knows not for what: he had as good be hanged: thof what the inquisition house is we know not: therfore leave it to be Judged by them y’ vnderstand it & that puld Brandstreet was a worse yousorror then Godforey & vapporing a bout wondering what became of all the fines: he answers himself: why they keep it to by sack with all: and let Cases go which way they will: they care not so long as they can feast their fat goats,” etc.

Roberte Crosse, jr.,* and John (his mark) Bayer testified that Welles also said he “can set spelles & Rases the Devil, he affirming himself to bee an artise.”

Thomas Wells, aged about forty-two years, and Naomi, his wife, aged about thirty-one years, testified that Goodman Cross said “the Major daneson [Major General Daniel Denison] was disgraced in the Court at Boston because he said to the Court concerning  mestres Love that they had Condemned and hanged a omen and y* know not for what for which the members of Boston Court gave him a sharp reproof and the Major Denison wos not respected in the Court of Boston and goodman Cross said that there Came more appeals from Ipswich Court than any town in the country and that some of Boston told him that we in the eastern parts Cap him in place or ofes or alls he had been torned out of place before now and the semen that belonged to ore Caches said  that Goodman Croce told them that his sons were sate in the stocks and punished for nothing and he told us that the Major  could not abide him and therefore I fare the worse in the Court and my sons also were punished for a matter of nothing.” Sworn, Nov. 18, 1668, before Samuel Symonds.*

Robert Crose, jr., aged twenty-seven years, deposed. Sworn in court.

Thomas Wells deposed that Goodman Cross said that “mestor bradsted wos the ondoing of a man at Watertown which wos of a great estate and of good account which went in good apparel and select stockings and they had dellings to gather Mister Bradstreet sued him from Court to Court… till he had on dun him and made him so poor that he brought him from selcke that he wore that he had instead tharof nothing but patched Clothes and Stockings out at the heals and that Mister Bradstreet was as bad as one godfree in veseri, which ore ansar was to him what that godfree was which answer was made to us that he was a well liked fellow and that he was a great uesoror and if he Came before a gogee his locks would hang him and the Court considered the man so on don the Court gave him a sum of money for to halp him Mister Bradstreet came to hear of it took it away from him and so he saruess him … I did not know Mister Bradstreet nor to this day nafter know or see godfree and nafer had dellings with Mister Bradstreet,” etc. Sworn, Nov. 18, 1668, before Samuel Symonds.* They further deposed that Marshall said that Major Denison was deceitful as his two sorts of hair showed and that Goodman Andros was like him, and on a training day he would be knocked down and none should know how it came to pass.

Thomas Wells and wife Naomi confessed that the reason they revealed the things spoken against the court at Ipswich was because they thought they concerned the life of the Commonweath. “It has ben the pleasure of god to visit my wife with sickness near unto death and other troubles which I never was tried with all before which made us between ourselves to consider what the mind of god should be in it and it put us in mind that the referent magistrates were spocken against and threatened which in this Court we both know in the presence of god and his people we both can afirm thos things spoken against the magistrates by thos persons then our consciouses smot us severely and heare in wee have sinned against god and his people because we had not revellied it Sonor then we said thow we have lived in thes naglate and not to revell it we Can find no rule in Scripture that wee Shale Hue any longer tharin and we hard of a ganarall training to bee at Ipswich intended and might be a fet opportunity as to do so as some have said for Christ says he that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me and we apprehend this to be the Case of Christ and we had now rast in our consciouses night nor day till wehad reuelled thos things thar fore wee Commend ourselves to god and to the honored Court for we had rather suffer wth a good conscious than not to suffer  with a accused conscious,” etc.

Steephen Crosse, aged about twenty-three years, deposed that the day when Jacobe Perkens’ house was raised, about a month ago,Thomas Wells said that Benjamin Marshall should be put to service for seven years, etc. Sworn in court.

Thomas Wells further testified that Benjamin Marshall said that Goodman Brags presented these young men for breaking up the bridge and being vexed with him said that it should not be long before his house should be burned or his cattle knocked in the head, and that he had come from old Goodman Crose’s when he said so. Sworn, Nov. 18, 1668, before Samuel Symonds.*

John Giddinge and Edmond Marshall deposed that being at Goodman Storry’s house, etc. Sworn, Nov. 23, 1668, before Samuel Symonds.*

Richard Brandbrooke, aged fifty-five years, deposed that Welles said he would give his brother Benjamin Marshall more wages if he would live with him again and that Merchant Booship advised it; this was after the vessel was launched. Sworn in court.

Robert Crosse, sr., aged about fifty-five years, deposed. Sworn in court.

Marthy Low, aged about twenty-seven years, deposed concerning John Bare.

Sarah Marshal, aged about twenty years, deposed. Sworn, Nov. 21, 1668, before Daniel Denison.*

Sarah Story, aged about forty-eight years, deposed, Nov. 23, 1668, that Robert Cross, jr., lived near Goodman Wells a year and his dealings had always been just.

Thomas Wells further deposed that Stephen Cross said that the magistrates sat between the court at dinner drinking burnt sack and when they came into court they were “broshing,” looking red as though they were “flustred,” and acted as though they were all “fodeeled.” To which his father replied that it was the fines they took that fed their fat sides, and the father said further that “I looked so big and spack so sorlie” that he made the Court quake, etc. Sworn, Nov. 18, 1668, before Samuel Symonds.*

Ezekiel Woodward testified that he had known Wells seventeen or eighteen years and he had carried himself soberly and discreetly and without offence; and was reputed a civil, neighborly man in the place where he lived. Sarah Foster testified to his good conduct, having lived very near him. Sworn, Nov. 21, 1668, before Daniel Denison.*

John Bayer and Benjamin Marshall testified that last April, coming down from the Falls with brother Welles, when they passed Goodman Brandbroock’s, Welles wiped his feet upon some sheets that were hanging upon the rails, etc. Sworn in court.

Goodman Bryadbrooke deposed that he asked John Bayer “why did you dirty your Anttes sheet,” but he said that Thomas Welles did it, whereupon deponent went to Welles and “asked him was this a requitall y’ you gave me for lending you my canoe?” etc. Bayer mentioned his master Crose. Sworn in court.

Edmond Marshall, aged twenty-three years, deposed that Wells said he had nothing against Benjamin and proffered friendship to them before deponent’s father and mother. He wished to see Benjamin and asked to have him “Come & reckon with me but not before my wife for it is very likely she would Rayele at him but you must Considor: she is but a woman & therfore not Come to the howse when I am not at home.” Sworn in court.

Thomas Clungen, aged about twenty-four years, deposed that Robert Cross, jr., was at his master’s house and his dame asked him if he saw any miscarriage of her husband’s and he said he had not, etc.

John Bayer deposed. Sworn in court.

Sarah Story deposed that Goodwife Brabruck said John Baer used language not fit to be spoken in a family, etc.

Mehitabell Brabrooke, aged about sixteen or seventeen years, deposed. Sworn, Nov. 19, 1668, before Samuel Symonds.*

Edmund Marshall, aged about seventy years, and his wife Melesent, aged sixty-seven years, deposed “As for my son Benjamin we never knew him given to Mallice or Revenge in all our Hues: nor to speak reproachfully of Magistrates or of any other: and as for Goodman Crosse we haue lived by him many years and neuer hard him spake ill of authority or against any Magistrate, but as for our Daughter Naomi we do think in our very hearts that certainly in her heart she hates her Brothers both Edmund and Benjamin though we spake it with greif of heart, for she would off en revile Benjamin and call him Rogue before our faces when we could never find what grounds she had so to do or hard any cause he had giuen her in words or actions; and when we reproved her for it, she would face us down it was false giving us the lye as it were to our faces, where upon I told her that I had been in y* church of Salem 30 years and upward and never was so detected as your father and I am by you our one child, where upon she replied again to us saying we might tell a hundred lies for all that and nare be known, for she could do it, and being long sick and in y* opinion of most y* came to visit me Judged I should neuer recover, yet she could say in a reviling way that I did desemble, and further we atest that Thomas Wells did say in a threatening way that there was something aworking that would tak affect not long after we heard of his accusing of our son Benjamin to goodman Brag for threatening his house should be burned and his Complaint of him concerning our honored Major, which is matter of great grief to us now in our old age, whether it be not out of a spirit of  maliciousness that Thomas Wells should do thus, we have cause to think no other, by reason of his words to his brother Edmund at my house one Sabbath day: for coming in we ask him to eat with us, but Thomas Wells answered no for if I cant have your good will except I be a servant to y* Devil I care not: to the which his mother replied and asked him whether he knew what he said: and he answered yea; because you persuaded me to be at peace with him whom I can haue no peace with pointing to his brother Edmund; we asked why he said so, he said he had committed no sin in so doing; this we are forced to speak with grief of heart our conscious puts us upon it, further when he drew our daughter Sarah away from helping of me when I was in distress and lame, for we said to him that he would undo her but he said trouble not yourselves I will provide for her, so that she is gone from us and left us desolate of help: and now can call her Brothers Edmund and Benjamin Roges at will.” Sworn Nov. 19, 1668, before Samuel Symonds.

Robert Crosse, sr., Steephen Crose and Benjamin Marshall  deposed that the wife of Thomas Welles said after court in Mr. Giddnes kitchen that Edmond had witnessed falsely, etc. Sworn in court.

Edmund Marshall deposed that Welles said that although Stephen Crose was a turbalent fellow, he never heard him speak ill of authority, etc.

Thomas Bragg, aged about twenty years, deposed that Goodman Brabruck said at Chebaco that Welles was a very honest man, etc.

Samuel Symonds referred the case to the Salem court.