August ye 25th 1661                                          Coroners inquest on Frekes man.    “Wee whose names are hereunder written being summons and sworn upon a Jury Concerning ye death of a man servant of Mr. William Frekes whoe was drowned in ye Creek near his masters plantation doe finde that hee hath willfully Cast himself away having viewed diligently Accordingly to our Oathes & Conscience & hath Caused him to bee buried at ye next Cross Path as ye Law requires with a stake driven through ye middle of him in his grave hee having willfully Cast himself away. (Signed) John Washington   (Jury) Andrew Monroe, Thomas Johnson, William White, William Smith, Elias Webb, John Stalker, Thomas Terwhitt, John Cook, Thomas Dukon, Silvester Living, Richard Floyd, James Harris

Thomas Moverly

 

When the coroner found in an inquest that the subject was a suicide, the coroner and jury sworn to view the case adjudged that the subject be buried at the nearest crossroads with a stake driven though the body.

Transcribed from the  Historical Atlas of Westmoreland County, Virginia; pg. 5 - 6  by F. Taylor, 2007