160 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1686. 



point, his house on the right hand — Thence through Jeremy 

 Collets land bearing toward the left hand, his house standing 

 on the left hand — ^from thence to the lands of Chichester, be- 

 ginning att the head of a small swamp, on the left hand — thence 

 downe Crosse the King's road or Highway towards the foot of 

 the Hill, to a lyne tree marked with 5 notches, — thence downe 

 to the river's side, the lyne between James Brown & William 

 Clayton Jr." 



At the following Court, the inhabitants of Bethel and Con- 

 cord presented a paper signifying "their good-liking of the road 

 lately laid out by the jury to Chichester." Up to the present 

 time a road has been continued over nearly the same ground. 



Fence viewers, two for each township or district, are for the 

 first time appointed this year. Also a lawyer, for the first time, 

 appears in a criminal case, and "pleads as attorney to the King." 

 This officer was Charles Pickering, who no doubt held his ap- 

 pointment under David Lloyd, who had been recently commis- 

 sioned Attorney General. This first legal effort on behalf of the 

 Crown, though not successful in establishing the guilt of the 

 prisoner, did not fail to mystify the case sufficiently to induce the 

 jury to couple with their verdict of acquittal, that he was ^'■guilty 

 of suspicious circumstances in relation to the indictment ;'' upon 

 which he was bound over to appear at the next Court. 



The very recently erected Court-house and prison, it may be 

 judged, from the following minute in respect to the sale of them, 

 did not give satisfaction: 



" The Court, in behalf of the county, have bargained and sold 

 unto Robert Wade, his heirs and assigns, the court house and 

 prison att Chester; upon consideration whereof the said Wade 

 doe oblige himself, his heirs Executors k assigns to defray all 

 charges which are already due from the first erecting said houses ; 

 provided, that from the day of the date hereof to the full end and 

 term of two years and a half, the said Robert Wade shall have 

 liberty to reimburst what moneys he have alread received of the 

 levie raised in this county towards the purchase and building of 

 said houses. Upon all which this Court engage to make the said 

 Wade a firm and sure title to said houses and to give him lawful 

 & quiet possession." At the same time, "James Saunderlaine 

 for himself his heirs and assigns doe promise this Court a Con- 

 venient peese of Land in the town of Chester, where they may 

 erect a Court house and Prison, and to make a firm title to the 

 same, to the proper use and behoof of this County." 



The first Court, under the name of a Coiirt of Equity for 

 Chester County, was held this year. It was held by the Justices 

 of the Common Pleas, under the title of Commissioners, as will 

 be seen by the following extract from the Record: — 



