1677. J HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 109 



1677. Two cases of assault and battery were brought before 

 this Court, but were postponed till the next. The j)eople 

 on the river liaving been apprehensive for some time of being 

 attacked by the Indians, the Justices of Uj)land, at the close of 

 the Court, held a meeting vith Capt. John (^)llier, the Com- 

 mander, " uppon the news of the Simeeo Indians coming down 

 to fetch the Sasijuehanno, that were amongst these River In- 

 dians." At this meeting " itt was concluded uppon the motions 

 of Rinowehan, the Indian Sachomore, for the most quiet of the 

 River, viz.: That Capt" Collier & Justice Israel Helm goe upp 

 to Sachamexin, (where att p'"sent a great number of Simico & 

 other Indians are,) and that they Endeauor to p'swade the 

 Simecus, the Sasquehannos & these Riuer Indians to send 

 Each a Sachomore or dejiuty to his bono' the Governo"' att New 

 Yorke, and that Justice Israel helm gOe w"' them ; for to heare 

 & Receiue his s'' bono" Resolutions k answer to their demands." 



The conference with the Indians was accordingly held at Sa- 

 chamexin (Shackamaxon) from the 14th to the 18th of the same 

 month, at a cost of 250 guilders to Upland District, '' for the 

 expenses of the Commander, Justices and Indians." It does 

 not appear that New Castle shared any of this expense, though 

 equally benefited with Upland. The Justices of New Castle 

 inform the Governor that the Indians had passed by them, and 

 had gone up the river. This may account for the whole expense 

 of the Shackamaxon meeting being visited on Upland. 



Labor at this time was seldom obtained, as now, for wages. 

 Even mechanics sold themselves, or were sold for a specified 

 time ; their masters being responsible for their support. The 

 change in the ownership of persons thus owing services, required 

 the approbation of the Justices, as will be seen by the following 

 extract from the Record of the Upland Court : — 



'' M'' John Test brought into Court a certaine man servant 

 named William Still, being a Taylor by traede, whome bee the 

 s** Test did acknowledge to haue sold unto Capt" Edmund Cant- 

 well, for the space and tearme of foure yeares, beginning from 

 the first of Aprill Last past; The s"* William Still declared 

 in Court to bee willing to serve the said Capt" Cantwell the 

 aboves'' tearme of foure yeares." 



The following record of a case of assault and battery is given 

 as a fair specimen of the manner in which business was trans- 

 acted in our earliest Courts of Justice : — 



'^ Justice Israel Helm, PP. 



" Oele Oelsen (als) Coekoe, Def . 



" The P" Complaines that at the Plant" of Juns Justesse, in 

 his* house, bee the pi' was first w"" Evill words abused by the 



