June 2008-August 2011
John Shaw of Plymouth, Massachusetts, was one of the Jurors at the 22 July 1648 trial of Alice Bishop, who had brutally murdered her 4-year-old daughter Martha Clark. In connection with this trial, John also served as a Juror on 3 Oct. 1648 and a Petit Juror on 4 Oct. 1648. As a Juror, John probably witnessed Alice Bishop's execution by hanging. In fact, most if not all of the colonists probably witnessed her execution. Alice apparently was the second Plymouth colonist, and the very first woman in the New England colony, to be convicted of and hanged for murder in America.
Following are transcripts of the proceedings of the trial. I would caution the reader that the descriptions of little Martha's wounds are very graphic and disturbing.
These sheweth, that on Jul the 22cond, 1648, wee, whosse names are vnderwritten, were sworne by Mr Bradford, gouerner, to make inquiry of the death of the child of Allis Bishop, the wife of Richard Bishope. Wee declare, yt coming into the house of the said Richard Bishope, wee saw at the foot of a ladder wh leadeth into an vpper chamer, much blood; and going vp all of vs into the chamber, wee found a woman child, of about foure yeares of age, lying in her shifte vppon her left cheeke, with her throat cut with diuers gashes crose wayes, the wind pipe cut and stuke into the throat downward, and a bloody knife lying by the side of the child, with wh knife all of vs judg, and the said Allis hath confessed to fiue of vs at one time, yt shee murdered the child with the said knife. JOHN HOWLAND, JAMES COLE, JAMES HURST, GYELLS RICKARD, ROBERT LEE, RICHARD SPARROW, JOHN SHAWE, THOMAS POPE, FRANCIS COOKE, FRANCIS BILLINGTON, JOHN COOKE, WILLIAM NELSON. Rachell, the wife of Josepth Ramsden, aged about 23 yeares, being examined, saith that coming to the house of Richard Bishope vppon an erand, the wife of the said Richard Bishope requested her to goe fetch her som buttermilke at Goodwife Winslows, and gaue her a ketle for that purpose, and she went and did it; and before shee wente, shee saw the child lyinge abed asleep, to her best deserning, and the woman was as well as shee hath knowne her att any time; but when shee came shee found her sad and dumpish; shee asked her what blood was that shee saw at the ladders foot; shee pointed vnto the chamber, and bid her looke, but shee perseiued shee had kiled her child, and being afraid, shee refused, and ran and tould her father and mother. Morouer, shee saith the reason yt moued her to thinke shee had kiled her child was yt when shee saw the blood shee looked on the bedd, and the child was not there. Taken vppon oath by mee, WILLIAM BRADFORD, The day and year aboue written. At a Court of Asistants holden at New Plymouth, the first of Aguste, 1648, before Mr Bradford, Gouer, Mr Coliar, Captain Miles Standish, and Mr William Thomas, gent, Assistants, the sd Allice, being examined, confessed shee did comite the afforsaid murther, and is sory for it. 4th October 1648 Att this Court, Allice Bishope, the wife of Richard Bishope, of New Plymouth, was indited for felonius murther by her comited, vppon Martha Clark, her owne child, the frute of her owne body. The names of the grand inquest that went of triall of the aforsaid bill of inditment, weer these:-- John Dunham, Sen, John Barker, Isaake Weels, Josepth Colman, Mr Thomas Burne, John Allin, Robert Finny, Thomas Bordman, Henery Wood, James Bursell, Ephraim Hickes, Josepth Tory, James Walker, Micaell Blackwell, James Wyat, Daniell Cole. Loue Brewster, These found the bill a trew bill. The petty jurys names that went vppon her tryall were these:-- Josias Winslow, Seni, Gyells Rickard, Thomas Shillingsworth, John Shaw, Sen, Anthony Snowe, Steuen Wood, Richard Sparrow, William Mericke, Gabriell Fallowell, William Brete, Joshua Prat, John Willis, Thes found the said Allice Bishope guilty of the said fellonius murthering of Martha Clarke aforsaid; and so shee had the sentence of death pronounced against her, viz, to bee taken from the place where shee was to the place from whence she came, and thence to the place of execution, and ther to be hanged by the necke vntell her body is dead, which acordingly was executed.
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