Taunton 1776

To The Sheriff or Constables of The Town of Taunton Whereas Job Chase of Middleborough in The County of Plymouth Yeoman has this Day made Complaint on His Majesty's Behalf to me The Subscriber One of His Majesty Justice of The Peace for The County of Bristol against Benjamin Chace of Taunton Yeoman and Silva Chase His Wife for that The sd Benjamin Chase and Silva at Taunton aforesaid on the 5th Day of November last past Did Feloniously Take Steal & Kill a White Horned Sheep Marked with ahalf crop in one Ear and an a Half Penny in The other Ear being The Property of Job Chase & in His Possession & of The Value of 13 Shillings & 4 Pence Contrary to The Law and Peace. These are therefore to Require You forthwith to make Diligent Search within your Precinct for The Body of The said Benjamin Chase and Silva Chase and Them Apprehending you are to convene before me The Subscriber or other of His Majestys Justices that they may be proceeded with as the Law Directs also Summon Cooper & John Perkins of Middleborough and Anne Burden The Wife of Justice Burden of sd Taunton and Job Chase The Complainant that they appear at The same Time and Place to give evidence of what they know. Richard Godfrey Signs and states Taunton Jan 26th 1776 I then apprehended The Bodies of The Within Named Benjimin Chase and Silva his wife and convened them before Benjamin Williams Esq and Summoned the Evidences and Time and Place 1776 On Verso it States Warrant Job Chase against Benji Chase & Wife.