Deposition of James Rawlings, 6 August 1777

Transcription

Hyde County

The Said Deponent Deposeth and Saith that ~~about the~~ Some time in November Last a Certain John Lewelling of Martain County with John Carter of the same ~~County~~, at a muster In the aforesaid County, and on the Same Day agreed to form to themselves a Constitution, and made known the same to sd. Deponent, and Intimated the form of sd. Constitution to sd. Deponent, and in Some few Days following John Lewelling, & William Lewelling, his Son Came to the House of sd. Deponent, Where the Constitution was form'd, by the Said Lewelling & Son and said Depot. and a Number of the forms of Constitution Distributed by the hand writing of Wm. Lewlling into the Countys of Martain, Edgecomb, Halifax, Bartie and Tyrel, and that the sd. John Lewelling Inform'd the Said Deponat that he had Sent the Constitution into Virginia, and that it had Taken Effect in Portsmouth and there about, & Intended to Spread the Same Elsewhere as far as he Cou'd, and the sd. Lewelling agreed with the Said Deponent to Go to General Howe ^with him^ for a Commision in order to Inlist men for Suport of the present king of England as he Term'd him, But was Disappointed after Gowing Some Distance on their way, & after finding him & Disappointed in that S^c^heme, he the sd. Lewelling Proposed that a Certain David Taylor, a Patroler over the Negroes in that Neighbourhood Shou'd Disaffect the minds of the negros & Cause them to run away, under the name of Rising & Draw the Soldiers out of Halifax in pursuit of them, whilst the said Lewelling heading numbers of his Sosiety as they Term'd themselves was To take the Magizene & Governor, but being Disappointed in that, by the Governor's not being in Town as they understood, before they put their Disign in Execution, it was Dropt. for that Time, & the said Deponent farther Saith that he Believes from Good Circumstance that the above mentiond Plot is Yet to be Caried on, if Oppertunity Permits, as the sd. Deponent Declares that he heard William Lewelling son of John Lewelling Say that if his father, was not put in Goal or was Relieved from Goal after his being Committed, that it would Still be put in Execution, as soon as they Could understand the Governor was in Halifax, and if they Could Distroy, Whitmill Hill, Nathan May & one Taylor who's Christen name he forgets Col. Wm. Williams, & Thos. Hunter, and Col. Salter that they then Concluded that the matter would Soon be Settled in behalf of the King, and the Said Jno. Lewelling TSaid To the sd. Deponent that Perhaps he might Go and Speak of it, and then if he did he might Expect to be a Dead man for Divulging of the Scheme aforesaid for which Reason the said Deponent Removed him Self forthwith from the Said County of Martin and further the said Deponent Saith not.