That in the afternoon they were surprized by an Account that a large party of armed men were coming over from New Hampshire & apprehending it might be with a Design to interrupt the Business the Court thought fit to adjourn to the ensuing June Term. ' That the Judges Sherif Clerk & officers remained at the Court house where they usually diet during the Sitting of the Court. That a few hours aferwards another party armed came in from Fulham & putney in the said County consisting of about forty, who as this Deponent then understood

and verily believes, after putting it to vote, declared that they

would immediately fire into the Court house & kill & destroy every person there. That the Leaders of the party from New Hampshire interposed & prevented the horrid Resolution from being executed, by guarding all the Doors & passages into the Court house That.the said Rioters from Fulham & Putney expressed the

greatest Indignation and Concern in being disappointed of their

intended Revenge & that many of them cried aloud with Vexation. That they next insisted that the Judges Sheriff Clerk & others who were thus in prison in the Court house should be closely confined in the Goal, to which the party from New Hampshire consented, & accordingly put them all in one of the prison Rooms; the Key of which was kept by one Butterfield the Head of the said New Hampshire party and there they were kept in close Custody from Wednesday Night till Sunday Noon. That on the Wednesday Evening as he thinks Robert Cockran proposed to destroy the Court house and all the persons in it and declared that he would beat up for volunteers the next morning, that this he accordingly did the next Day & inlisted (as this Deponent was informed and verily believes) about one hundred Men that it was then put to vote by this Company (as this Deponent then understood & verily believes) whether they should burn the Court House and all who were in it and it was determined in favor of this inhuman