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    An awful account from Ipswich being rumor’d abt concerning or brother

    Samuel Ayres his being accused by a Negro wench belonging to Major

    Wainwright in ye time of her travail & sinc, with utmost Earnestness con

    tinuing in ye same charge, yt he ye sd Samll had had to do with her

    in way of uncleaness ~ February 11 ~ 1704/5 before Sacramt. ye matter

    was proposed to ye chh and was then voted, That or sd brother

              be desired to

    Samll Ayres should abstaine from comunion with ye chh in ye holy

                    ^

    ordinance of ye Lds Supper until this matter can be furder looked into

    and he not being then present, ye Chh desired two brethren vizt

    Sergt. Joseph Jewett & brother Ezekll. Sawer, to Informe him of this

    vote of ye chh.

    March 6 1705} Samll Ayers came to me of his own accord, and

          acknowledged the substance of what ye above Sd Negro

        charges him with, vizt. carnal copulation with her.

    A church meeting was appointed to be on June 26. 1705

    To Examine ye case of Samll Ayres abt ye above sd charge

    accordingly ye chh came together at ye time appointed.

    When after seeking to ye Ld for his presence & help, Brother Ayres

    was called & appeared before ye chh.   When this charge was

    laid before him, vizt. You are charged, by Major fra[n]cis

    Wainwright his Negro Woman servt. That you did some

    time ye Last year, come one night to her Bed, Naked

    sanz yor shirt, and came into Bed to her and lay

    with her in way of carnal copulation, besides

    filthy familiarity and dalliances at other times &c.

         Br Ayres being put upon making some reply; The

    Substance of what he said was taken from his mouth in

    writing; and was as follows   vizt.   As to ye charg

    and comon fame of Being ye father of such a child,

    I allways denyed it, and do still; I know ye contrary, &

    should sin in owning such a thing: But as to ye other

    charge, I must own it, and take shame to mys. thô I

    cannot own it to ye full Extent yrof: it hath bin a

    grat trouble of soul, and a wounding to my soul, many a

    time, yt I should be left to comit such a sin; & I begged

    of God in secret Every day, yt if it might be ye holy will

    of God, it might be concealed; but I also begged yt God

    would prepare me for his holy will, and yt if it should

    come to light to ye world, God would prepare me for his

    holy will therein; and that whatever way it should

    please ye Lord to Dispence, I might have a true sight of my

                                                         sin