A surprise poem in the court record

The court records never cease to amaze me.  In volume 25 of York County Court of Common Pleas,  Farnham Vs. Baker on page 440 writ #108, there is a poem that caught my eye.  It starts out:-

Suffolks, Boston, 3^rd October 1803. By virtue of this WRIT

I called on Joe Baker                                    Who lives in Longacre

Whose credit’s so bad                                 No bail could be had

And his property’s not worth a souse

No goods could I find                                   to attach to my mind

But a chip, just to answer the law

So a summons I gave                                    to the poor gouty knave

In my service I hope there’s no flaw

                                               S. Bell,  Deputy Sheriff

Case:  Jonathan Farnham, Yeoman  vs.   Joseph Baker, Innholder, alias comedian.

I had a long and involved text exchange with David and he thought I was here doing research for people but was surprised to find that we were working on Court records right now.  I doubt if he would understand the above poem.  Mary, a friend I made at Line Dance claass, asked if she could come in and help out with the court records.  I asked Jeff and Art if that was to be ok, and they had no objection so she came in today at 2.30pm and stayed till 4pm.  She and I unfolded wet court records and put them between larger pieces of paper to dry.  She said she would be there tomorrow morning to help further, so I guess tomorrow we will start her on the 1804 records.  Anthony brought up the court books for us to look up the page entry numbers etc.  I wonder what kinds of surprises we will find in those books.

Bill went to the YMCA and I went walking on the river trail.  It was really really hot this afternoon but I think that the main problem is not the heat but rather the humidity.  I went to the side trail called Annie’s Overlook and sat for a few minutes just in the peaceful woods overlooking the Kennebec.  It was a very good and peaceful time for me.  

Peter is back at work after totaling his car.  He did not stop in to talk at all but he seems to be ok.  Jason, on the other hand, came to work today saying that his car had been broken into over night.  He called the police to report it and the police came to the archives to inspect his car and take particulars.  During the conversation they told him that 5 cars had been vandalized in the Sand Hill Area  and that Jason was one of the lucky ones.  One of the cars had been fished out of the Kennebec – so there was a lot of damage to that one.

There are a lot of last minute things to do for the trip to the Markham reunion.