ORIGINAL ASSIGNMENT OF “HOMEWOOD" TO CHARLES Found by the Author in the original records of Maryland, and photographed by her for the Executive Exhibit at The Jamestown Exposition form such a picturesque part of the old plantation life in Maryland, were drawn directly from the Indians during the period when the two races lived in close contact. one. The custom of making a circle around the young corn, to keep out the cut-worm and the crow, was an Indian The merrymakings of the women over the huskings of the corn, the superstition that the finding of the red ear meant a handsome husband for the lucky maiden, have come down to us in the rural districts of Maryland, and were found by Longfellow to exist in the Land of the Dacotahs among the remnant of the northern tribes; and so we are gradually learning that the Indians have left a stronger impress upon the white race than we supposed, for the traditions which we have long thought to be of negro origin antedate his advent among us. All of the early Colonial writers unite in describing the native (Indian) as "so noble that you cannot doe them any favour or good turnes, but they return it. There is a small passion among them, but they weigh all with a calme and quiet reason. And to doe this the better in greate affaires they are studdying in a long silence what is best to bee said or done, and then they answer yea or no in two words, and stand constantly to their resolution." To our shame we learn, "they are of great temperance, especially from Hott waters or wine, which they are barely brought to taste, save only whom the English have corrupted with their vices." Their simplicity is shown in the following: "They doe runne unto us with smiling faces when they see us and will fish and hunt for us if wee will; and all this with entercourse of very few words, but wee have hitherto gathered their meaning by singnes." After learning from this unprejudiced source the true characteristics of the Indians when first neighbors to the English, we cannot but believe that these simplehearted children of nature were driven to cruelty, hatred and revenge by the white men, to whom they so freely had resigned their homes, and with whom they showed every desire to live in peace. Surely of those self-sacrificing and trustful redskins it could not honestly be said that "the only good Indian was a dead Indian." CHAPTER XXXI WITCHCRAFT IN MARYLAND THE fact that there was a belief in witchcraft among the ignorant classes in Colonial Maryland is made evident in the court proceedings in the year 1654, when testimony was taken on June 23 regarding the execution of Mary Lee, a witch, on board a ship bound for Maryland as follows: "The Deposition of Mr. Henry Corbyn, of London, aged about 25 years. Sworne and examined in the Province of Md. before the Governor and Councell the 23 June, Anno Domini 1654. Saith that at sea upon this Deponent's voyage, hither in the ship called "The Charity of London," Mr. John Bosworth, being Master, and about a fortnight or three weeks before said ship's arrivall in this Province of Maryland, or before a Rumour amongst the Seamen was very frequent that one Mary Lee, then aboard the said Ship, was a witch, the said Seamen confidently affirming the same upon her own deportment, and discourse, and then more earnestly than before Importuned the said Master that a tryall might be had of her, which he the said Master, Mr. Bosworth, refused; but resolved (as he expressed to put her shore upon the Barmudos), but cross winds prevented and the Ship grew daily more Leaky-almost to desperation-and the Chief Seamen often declared their Resolution of leaving her if an opportunity offered itself, which aforesaid Reasons put the Master upon a consultation with Mr. Chipsham and this Deponent, and it was thought fitt, considering our said condition, to Satisfie the Seamen in a way of whether she were a witch or not, and Endeavoured by way of delay to have the Commanders of other ships aboard, but stormy weather prevented, in the Interime two of the seamen apprehended her without order and searched her and found some signall or marke of a witch upon her, and then calling the Master Mr. Chipsham and this Deponent, with others to see it, afterwards made her fast to the Capstall between decks, and in the morning the Signall was Shrunk into her body for the most part, and an examination was thereupon importuned by the Seamen, which this Deponent was desired to take, whereupon she confessed as by her confession appeareth, and upon that the seamen importuned the said Master to put her to Death, which as it seemed he was unwilling to doe, and went into his Cabbinn, but being more vehemently pressed to it he told them they might doe what they would and went into his cabbinn, and sometime before they were about that action he desired this deponent to acquaint them that they should doe no more than what they should justifie, which they said they would doe by laying all their hands in generall to the execution of her. (Signed) HENRY CORBYN." Francis Daily also testified to the fact that Mary Lee was hanged as a witch on the ship above mentioned. It does not appear upon record what punishment was meted out to those who executed the woman. In October of the same year Richard Manship brings suit in court against Peter Godson for saying his (Manship's) wife was a witch. The testimony is very interesting as reflecting those times: |