mondragon@mail.utexas.edu wrote: > I just found (by doing a global AltaVista search for "George Clark" (no > 'e'), and came up with the following site: > http://www.jarnot.com/gen/I0746.html > > Which lists a "George Clark" b. 1611 Milford CT, d. 1690, with no other > family member listed except one daughter, Abigail (!!), b. 1636 Milford CT, > d. 1689. ........except that no one of European descent would have been born in CT in 1611, which was 9 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620. So I would tend to be very suspicious of the information from that source. BJ

--WebTV-Mail-30042-1248 Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit You didn't! --WebTV-Mail-30042-1248 Content-Disposition: Inline Content-Type: Message/RFC822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit Received: from mailsorter-101-9.iap.bryant.webtv.net (209.240.198.43) by storefull-111.iap.bryant.webtv.net with WTV-SMTP; Thu, 7 Sep 2000 08:00:56 -0700 (PDT) Return-Path: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L-request@rootsweb.com> Received: from lists6.rootsweb.com (lists6.rootsweb.com [63.92.80.125]) by mailsorter-101-9.iap.bryant.webtv.net (8.8.8-wtv-f/ms.dwm.v7+dul2) with ESMTP id IAA06261; Thu, 7 Sep 2000 08:00:54 -0700 (PDT) Received: (from slist@localhost) by lists6.rootsweb.com (8.10.1/8.10.1) id e87Ewuu25567; Thu, 7 Sep 2000 07:58:56 -0700 Resent-Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2000 07:58:56 -0700 X-Original-Sender: lindabeaverrackley@charter.net Thu Sep 7 07:58:55 2000 Message-ID: <00a601c018db$de7cd000$f9c1d818@hsacorp.net> From: "Carol" <lindabeaverrackley@charter.net> Old-To: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> References: <31.9dd2d96.26e9048c@aol.com> Subject: Re: unsubscribe me!! Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2000 10:56:56 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Resent-Message-ID: <l60PHC.A.SPG.v06t5@lists6.rootsweb.com> To: GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com Resent-From: GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com Reply-To: GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com X-Mailing-List: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> archive/latest/2395 X-Loop: GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com Precedence: list Resent-Sender: GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L-request@rootsweb.com This message has be baffled, I didn't write "please unsubscribe me! Carol Daw Haul ar Fryn ----- Original Message ----- From: <ROzment@aol.com> To: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 10:47 AM Subject: Re: unsubscribe me!! > In a message dated 9/7/00 10:11:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > lindabeaverrackley@charter.net writes: > > << GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 9:50 AM >> > Please unsubscribe Me! > > > ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== > Please consider becoming a Rootsweb contributor. > > ============================== > Personalized Mailing Lists: never miss a connection again. > http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > Brought to you by RootsWeb.com. > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.177 / Virus Database: 86 - Release Date: 8/7/00 ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== Please consider becoming a Rootsweb contributor. ============================== Personalized Mailing Lists: never miss a connection again. http://pml.rootsweb.com/ Brought to you by RootsWeb.com. --WebTV-Mail-30042-1248--

I just found (by doing a global AltaVista search for "George Clark" (no 'e'), and came up with the following site: http://www.jarnot.com/gen/I0746.html Which lists a "George Clark" b. 1611 Milford CT, d. 1690, with no other family member listed except one daughter, Abigail (!!), b. 1636 Milford CT, d. 1689. She m. an Abraham Pierson, and the person has all these lines traced. However, no wife for George . . I wonder if the wife was our Alice MARTIN, and after Abigail's birth, moved to Plymouth and had Martha?? I don't know what the ages were for MY Martha and Abigail, so I don't know which was younger. On the above site, you click on their names and it gives you dates and most times a lineage chart. Francesca

This message has be baffled, I didn't write "please unsubscribe me! Carol Daw Haul ar Fryn ----- Original Message ----- From: <ROzment@aol.com> To: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 10:47 AM Subject: Re: unsubscribe me!! > In a message dated 9/7/00 10:11:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > lindabeaverrackley@charter.net writes: > > << GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 9:50 AM >> > Please unsubscribe Me! > > > ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== > Please consider becoming a Rootsweb contributor. > > ============================== > Personalized Mailing Lists: never miss a connection again. > http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > Brought to you by RootsWeb.com. > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.177 / Virus Database: 86 - Release Date: 8/7/00

If you are trying to unsubscribe from the list, you need to send the word unsubscribe to gen-unsolved-mysteries-l-request@rootsweb.com Carol Daw Haul ar Fryn ----- Original Message ----- From: <ROzment@aol.com> To: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 9:50 AM Subject: unsubscribe me!! > In a message dated 9/7/00 9:23:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > mondragon@mail.utexas.edu writes: > > << GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com > To: GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb. >> > > > ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== > Please consider becoming a Rootsweb contributor. > > ============================== > Personalized Mailing Lists: never miss a connection again. > http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > Brought to you by RootsWeb.com. > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.177 / Virus Database: 86 - Release Date: 8/7/00

Sorry guys - I just realized I got confused about Alice's marriages. CLARKE was first, BISHOP second - which means that Abigail was older than Damaris, and actually, Damaris may have been living in that house when Alice murdered Martha. Arghh - sorry if I said anything that was different from the above. Francesca

Hi everybody, Glad Alice's story was of interest; unfortunately, that trial info was all I have found - that's one of the mysteries: why she did it (did she *suddenly* go berzerk, or had she been 'odd' all along? She can't have been *that* odd, since she got two husbands . . ). She originally married George Clarke (unk when) and had two dau by him: Martha (the one she killed) and Abigail. I haven't been able to find a trace of what happened to Abigail. Alice then married Richard BISHOP on 5 Dec 1644 and had at least one child, Damaris BISHOP (who married William SUTTON, my line). I would have thought that Abigail might show up in her household, but perhaps by the time Damaris married, Abigail also had grown up and married, since Damaris was long after Abigail in birth. Abigail has 'disappeared', so I guess she's also another Unsolved Mystery. As for why Alice murdered the child, who knows? I haven't been able to find anything further about it; perhaps it was hushed up and never spoken about in the family, because of shame or community disapproval??? As for their status in the community, I have no idea if they were "high" or "low". There were obviously some 'lower' types there, because by reading the court records, I kept coming across one "Allis Berry, wife of Richard Berry" who kept being brought to trial for stealing stuff from all her neighbors, sneaking into their houses while they weren't home and taking clothing, food, utensils, tools, even milking someone else's cow. Her husband was also brought up a couple of times, once for gambling and (as I recall, I may be wrong) cheating at cards, and once for maligning someone. Alice MARTIN Clarke Bishop's parentage is the other Mystery - the original supposition that she was the dau of Christopher MARTIN (1575-1621) and Marie PROWER (~1577-1621)(odd that they both died same year? epidemic? Indians?), who have Mayflower connections, has been disproved by several Mayflower researchers, so that takes care of that - her parents are another Mystery. It would be interesting to find out if there was some mental instability in one or the other parent . . I can't imagine a mother murdering her own baby and then not remembering it, unless there was some mental problem. William SUTTON and Damaris BISHOP (Alice's dau by 2nd marr) had 11 children, their first child Richard SUTTON (my line) m. Sarah Rognion/Runyan who was the dau of a well known Huguenot immigrant, Vincent Rognion. From several branches of Vincent's kids, there were Royal line connections (all collateral, to me). Somewhere along the line, Richard & Damaris moved to NJ. Info I have on William SUTTON: "William was said to be a pillar of the Quaker congregation that met in Woodbridge. He is buried in the Woodbridge Friends Churchyard in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. He apparently lived also at Eatham on Cape Cod, Barnstable Co., MA and did not settle in Middlesex Co until 1683." After Damaris died, William SUTTON married one Jane BARNES and had one more child, a son Joseph, b. 1684, Piscataway, NJ, d. 17 Mar 1772. I can find no evidence of Alice's 2nd dau Abigail being in anyone's household. Perhaps the poor girl inherited her mother's instability and either died young, or was hidden away? (my wild imagination strikes again!) Or maybe she just married Mr. Unknown and drifted away to another colony. I would have thought, though, that she might have, say, gone to NJ with Damaris and her family. Too bad no censuses back then that listed who was in the household!! By the way, that Plymouth Colony website was fascinating: while reading the rest of the court cases out of curiosity, I found a reference to the mother-in-law of another of my ancestors, Daniel WING; the WINGs are from my mother's side, and the SUTTONS are from my father's side - and yet, both sides were living in the very same colony!!! Amazing! The Plymouth site has things like wills of various people, probates of various people, biographies of various inhabitants, the court cases, etc - it's a treasure trove! You might find any of your relatives in all those, but you have to read them all! Here again is the URL - for the main Plymouth Colony research site: http://www.people.Virginia.EDU/~jfd3a/ Good hunting! Francesca Sutton

Hi You guys really have me interested now. I will go hunting for info too. The more the merrier!! one note; I went to the VA site and found in the papers [biography] from my relative Francis Cooke, Alice was spelled "ALLIS" . BTW I never would have seen this bio and other info there if it hadnt been for the Alice mystery. Thanks Wil _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.

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In a message dated 9/7/00 10:11:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time, lindabeaverrackley@charter.net writes: << GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 9:50 AM >> Please unsubscribe Me!

In a message dated 9/7/00 9:23:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time, mondragon@mail.utexas.edu writes: << GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com To: GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb. >>

this is very interesting, please continue to post info. One question thou, does any of the court or other info you have state why she committed the murder of her 4 year old. Does she have any siblings? Also, could her parents have requested that all b.certs and other records be destroyed, because they where so popular (for the lack of a better word) in the community. very interested Teresa alberstadt (just trying to help) ----- Original Message ----- From: <mondragon@mail.utexas.edu> To: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 12:45 PM Subject: Final trial info, Alice MARTIN > Again from > http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-plymouth?specfile=/web/data/users/fe nnel > l/fennell.o2w&act=surround&offset=986625&tag=Women+in+Plymouth+Colony&query= tria > l > > *These sheweth, that on Jul the 22cond, 1648, wee, whosse names are > vnderwritten, were sworne by Mr Bradford, gouerner, to make inquiry of the > death of the child of Allis Bishop, the wife of Richard Bishope. > > Wee declare, yt coming into the house of the said Richard Bishope, wee saw > at the foot of a ladder wh leadeth into an vpper chamer, much blood; and > going vp all of vs into the chamber, wee found a woman child, of about > foure yeares of age, lying in her shifte vppon her left cheeke, with her > throat cut with diuers gashes crose wayes, the wind pipe cut and stuke into > the throat downward, > and a bloody knife lying by the side of the child, with wh knife all of vs > judg, and the said Allis hath confessed to fiue of vs at one time, yt shee > murdered the child with the said knife. > > JOHN HOWLAND, JAMES COLE, > > JAMES HURST, GYELLS RICKARD, > > ROBERT LEE, RICHARD SPARROW, > > JOHN SHAWE, THOMAS POPE, > > FRANCIS COOKE, FRANCIS BILLINGTON, > > JOHN COOKE, WILLIAM NELSON. > > Rachell, the wife of Joepth Ramsden, aged about 23 yeares, being examined, > saith that coming to the house of Richard Bishope vppon an erand, the wife > of the said Richard Bishope requested her to goe fetch her som buttermilke > at Goodwife Winslows, and gaue her a ketle for that purpose, and she went > and did it; and before shee wente,shee saw the child lyinge abed asleep, to > her best deserning, and the woman was as well as shee hath knowne her att > any time; but when shee came shee found her sad and dumpish; shee asked her > what blood was that shee saw at the ladders foot; shee pointed vnto the > chamber, and bid her looke, but shee perseiued shee had kiled her child, > and being afraid, shee refused, and ran and tould her father and mother. > Morouer, shee saith the reason yt moued her to thinke shee had kiled her > child was yt when shee saw the blood shee looked on the bedd, and the child > was not there. > > Taken vppon oath by mee, WILLIAM BRADFORD, > > The day and year aboue written. > > At a Court of Asistants holden at New Plymouth, the first of Aguste, 1648, > before Mr Bradford, Gouer, Mr Coliar, Captain Miles Standish, and Mr > William Thomas, gent, Assistants, the sd Allice, being examined, confessed > shee did comite the afforsaid murther, and is sory for it. > > October 4, 1648 (PCR 2:134) Att this Court, Allice Bishope, the wife of > Richard Bishope, of New Plymouth, was indited for felonius murther by her > comited, vppon Martha Clark, her owne child, the frute of her owne body. > > The names of the grand inquest that went of triall of the aforsaid bill of > inditmetn, weer these:-- > > John Dunham, Sen,John Barker, > > Isaake Weels, Josepth Colman, > > Mr Thomas Burne,John Allin, > > Robert Finny, Thomas Bordman, > > Henery Wood, James Bursell, > > Ephraim Hickes,Josepth Tory, > > James Walker, Micaell Blackwell, > > James Wyat, Daniell Cole. > > Loue Brewster, > > These found the bill a trew bill. > > The petty jurys names taht went vppon her tryall were these:-- > > Josias Winslow, Seni,Gyells Rickard, > > Thomas Shillingsworth,John Shaw, Sen, > > Anthony Snowe, Steuen Wood, > > Richard Sparrow,William Mericke, > > Gabriell Fallowell,William Brete, > > Joshua Prat, John Willis, > > Thes found the said Allice Bishope guilty of the said fellonius murthering > of Martha Clarke aforsaid; and so shee had the sentence of death pronounced > against her, viz, to bee taken from the place where shee was to the place > from whence she came, and thence to the place of execution, and ther to be > hanged by the necke vntell her body is dead, which acordingly was executed. > > > > ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== > Please consider becoming a Rootsweb contributor. > > ============================== > Personalized Mailing Lists: never miss a connection again. > http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > Brought to you by RootsWeb.com. > >

Bill Branch LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE CHARGES BY THE MINUTE A Thing of the past ! Flat Rate at $59.95 per month, No access, or other hidden fees All my calls are thru local service now Interested? E-Mail me for info ----- Original Message ----- From: <mondragon@mail.utexas.edu> To: <GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 12:45 PM Subject: Final trial info, Alice MARTIN > Again from > http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-plymouth?specfile=/web/data/users/fe nnel > l/fennell.o2w&act=surround&offset=986625&tag=Women+in+Plymouth+Colony&query= tria > l > > *These sheweth, that on Jul the 22cond, 1648, wee, whosse names are > vnderwritten, were sworne by Mr Bradford, gouerner, to make inquiry of the > death of the child of Allis Bishop, the wife of Richard Bishope. > > Wee declare, yt coming into the house of the said Richard Bishope, wee saw > at the foot of a ladder wh leadeth into an vpper chamer, much blood; and > going vp all of vs into the chamber, wee found a woman child, of about > foure yeares of age, lying in her shifte vppon her left cheeke, with her > throat cut with diuers gashes crose wayes, the wind pipe cut and stuke into > the throat downward, > and a bloody knife lying by the side of the child, with wh knife all of vs > judg, and the said Allis hath confessed to fiue of vs at one time, yt shee > murdered the child with the said knife. > > JOHN HOWLAND, JAMES COLE, > > JAMES HURST, GYELLS RICKARD, > > ROBERT LEE, RICHARD SPARROW, > > JOHN SHAWE, THOMAS POPE, > > FRANCIS COOKE, FRANCIS BILLINGTON, > > JOHN COOKE, WILLIAM NELSON. > > Rachell, the wife of Joepth Ramsden, aged about 23 yeares, being examined, > saith that coming to the house of Richard Bishope vppon an erand, the wife > of the said Richard Bishope requested her to goe fetch her som buttermilke > at Goodwife Winslows, and gaue her a ketle for that purpose, and she went > and did it; and before shee wente,shee saw the child lyinge abed asleep, to > her best deserning, and the woman was as well as shee hath knowne her att > any time; but when shee came shee found her sad and dumpish; shee asked her > what blood was that shee saw at the ladders foot; shee pointed vnto the > chamber, and bid her looke, but shee perseiued shee had kiled her child, > and being afraid, shee refused, and ran and tould her father and mother. > Morouer, shee saith the reason yt moued her to thinke shee had kiled her > child was yt when shee saw the blood shee looked on the bedd, and the child > was not there. > > Taken vppon oath by mee, WILLIAM BRADFORD, > > The day and year aboue written. > > At a Court of Asistants holden at New Plymouth, the first of Aguste, 1648, > before Mr Bradford, Gouer, Mr Coliar, Captain Miles Standish, and Mr > William Thomas, gent, Assistants, the sd Allice, being examined, confessed > shee did comite the afforsaid murther, and is sory for it. > > October 4, 1648 (PCR 2:134) Att this Court, Allice Bishope, the wife of > Richard Bishope, of New Plymouth, was indited for felonius murther by her > comited, vppon Martha Clark, her owne child, the frute of her owne body. > > The names of the grand inquest that went of triall of the aforsaid bill of > inditmetn, weer these:-- > > John Dunham, Sen,John Barker, > > Isaake Weels, Josepth Colman, > > Mr Thomas Burne,John Allin, > > Robert Finny, Thomas Bordman, > > Henery Wood, James Bursell, > > Ephraim Hickes,Josepth Tory, > > James Walker, Micaell Blackwell, > > James Wyat, Daniell Cole. > > Loue Brewster, > > These found the bill a trew bill. > > The petty jurys names taht went vppon her tryall were these:-- > > Josias Winslow, Seni,Gyells Rickard, > > Thomas Shillingsworth,John Shaw, Sen, > > Anthony Snowe, Steuen Wood, > > Richard Sparrow,William Mericke, > > Gabriell Fallowell,William Brete, > > Joshua Prat, John Willis, > > Thes found the said Allice Bishope guilty of the said fellonius murthering > of Martha Clarke aforsaid; and so shee had the sentence of death pronounced > against her, viz, to bee taken from the place where shee was to the place > from whence she came, and thence to the place of execution, and ther to be > hanged by the necke vntell her body is dead, which acordingly was executed. > > > > ==== GEN-UNSOLVED-MYSTERIES Mailing List ==== > Please consider becoming a Rootsweb contributor. > > ============================== > Personalized Mailing Lists: never miss a connection again. > http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > Brought to you by RootsWeb.com. > >

Hi Francesca, I read with fascination your posts about Alice Martin. I'm not a relation and I mean no disrespect but I do appreciate the glimpse into life in those times. What made her do this? I don't mean to be graphic (perhaps I've seen too many detective shows) but, was there no blood on her clothing? Do you have more information, the transcripts you mentioned? I'd love to hear more, either on this list or, if that's not appropriate, then off list. Thank you for sharing this part of your family history with us, Colleen

Thanks for sharing the story. I found it very interesting, but sad and also very mysterious and would also like to hear more. Suan

I was very interested in the story too. And even more so when I went down the list of persons who went to investigate. My direct ancestor Francis Cooke and his son John were both there on the list. I will definitly save that letter and add it to our collection and now I am off to visit that site. Thanks Wil _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.

Hello Francesca, I find the Alice Martin story fascinating also. Continue to post any more details. The list has been slow, and it is a mystery of sorts. Keep Alice Martin in the subject line, and if others are not interested, they may delete the post without reading. Sound fair to everyone? Annie List administrator Pa. Counties available for adoption! http://www.genexchange.org/pa/fulton/index.cfm http://www.genexchange.org/pa/blair/index.cfm http://www.genexchange.org/pa/index.cfm

Again from http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-plymouth?specfile=/web/data/users/fennel l/fennell.o2w&act=surround&offset=986625&tag=Women+in+Plymouth+Colony&query=tria l *These sheweth, that on Jul the 22cond, 1648, wee, whosse names are vnderwritten, were sworne by Mr Bradford, gouerner, to make inquiry of the death of the child of Allis Bishop, the wife of Richard Bishope. Wee declare, yt coming into the house of the said Richard Bishope, wee saw at the foot of a ladder wh leadeth into an vpper chamer, much blood; and going vp all of vs into the chamber, wee found a woman child, of about foure yeares of age, lying in her shifte vppon her left cheeke, with her throat cut with diuers gashes crose wayes, the wind pipe cut and stuke into the throat downward, and a bloody knife lying by the side of the child, with wh knife all of vs judg, and the said Allis hath confessed to fiue of vs at one time, yt shee murdered the child with the said knife. JOHN HOWLAND, JAMES COLE, JAMES HURST, GYELLS RICKARD, ROBERT LEE, RICHARD SPARROW, JOHN SHAWE, THOMAS POPE, FRANCIS COOKE, FRANCIS BILLINGTON, JOHN COOKE, WILLIAM NELSON. Rachell, the wife of Joepth Ramsden, aged about 23 yeares, being examined, saith that coming to the house of Richard Bishope vppon an erand, the wife of the said Richard Bishope requested her to goe fetch her som buttermilke at Goodwife Winslows, and gaue her a ketle for that purpose, and she went and did it; and before shee wente,shee saw the child lyinge abed asleep, to her best deserning, and the woman was as well as shee hath knowne her att any time; but when shee came shee found her sad and dumpish; shee asked her what blood was that shee saw at the ladders foot; shee pointed vnto the chamber, and bid her looke, but shee perseiued shee had kiled her child, and being afraid, shee refused, and ran and tould her father and mother. Morouer, shee saith the reason yt moued her to thinke shee had kiled her child was yt when shee saw the blood shee looked on the bedd, and the child was not there. Taken vppon oath by mee, WILLIAM BRADFORD, The day and year aboue written. At a Court of Asistants holden at New Plymouth, the first of Aguste, 1648, before Mr Bradford, Gouer, Mr Coliar, Captain Miles Standish, and Mr William Thomas, gent, Assistants, the sd Allice, being examined, confessed shee did comite the afforsaid murther, and is sory for it. October 4, 1648 (PCR 2:134) Att this Court, Allice Bishope, the wife of Richard Bishope, of New Plymouth, was indited for felonius murther by her comited, vppon Martha Clark, her owne child, the frute of her owne body. The names of the grand inquest that went of triall of the aforsaid bill of inditmetn, weer these:-- John Dunham, Sen,John Barker, Isaake Weels, Josepth Colman, Mr Thomas Burne,John Allin, Robert Finny, Thomas Bordman, Henery Wood, James Bursell, Ephraim Hickes,Josepth Tory, James Walker, Micaell Blackwell, James Wyat, Daniell Cole. Loue Brewster, These found the bill a trew bill. The petty jurys names taht went vppon her tryall were these:-- Josias Winslow, Seni,Gyells Rickard, Thomas Shillingsworth,John Shaw, Sen, Anthony Snowe, Steuen Wood, Richard Sparrow,William Mericke, Gabriell Fallowell,William Brete, Joshua Prat, John Willis, Thes found the said Allice Bishope guilty of the said fellonius murthering of Martha Clarke aforsaid; and so shee had the sentence of death pronounced against her, viz, to bee taken from the place where shee was to the place from whence she came, and thence to the place of execution, and ther to be hanged by the necke vntell her body is dead, which acordingly was executed.

I just found a web site on history of Plymouth Colony, under subheading of Women matters at http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-plymouth?specfile=/web/data/users/fennel l/fennell.o2w&act=surround&offset=986625&tag=Women+in+Plymouth+Colony&query=tria l - X. References to women being accused of a crime: The reference to the murder of Martha Clarke by her mother Alice Bishop, was perhaps the most intriguing reference found in the first four volumes of the Plymouth Colony Court Records (PCR 2:131-133). The records describe the murder in detail "wee found a woman child, of about foure yeares of age, lying in her shifte vppon her left cheeke, with her throat cut with diuerse gashes crose wayes, the wind pipe cut and stuke into the throate downward." The description of the murder demonstrates that Alice did not fully comprehend the consequences of her actions. When Alice Bishop was accused of murdering her daughter she made no recorded protest against the accusation. The reference further describes her trial and sentence of hanging "by the necke vntell her body is dead, which accordingly was executed" (PCR 2:134). Francesca Sutton