Accomack County, Virginia Court, 5 Jun 1706
"Morgan Bradshaw, servant of Nehemiah Jones, petitioned that about the middle of December 1701, 'being [in] Ireland in ye city of Dublin, [Bradshaw] did agree with Nehemiah Jones to go with him to Virginia after ye usual form, an indented servant for four years. And accordingly your petitioner wnet before ye mayor of ye city & there was bound for four years which is now completed.' Bradshaw requested an order for his freedom. Nehemiah Jones declared that Bradshaw was bound for five years, but Bradshaw produced John Drumond Sr., who declared he saw the indenture -- and it was for only four years. Bradshaw declared that he was able 'to produce other evidences, but could not by reason of his being confined as a servant.' After considering the matter, the court ordered that Bradshaw give security 'as his master should approve of to return to his service' and be at liberty till the next court to procure the evidence that would prove he had been bound for only four years. Otherwise he was to serve for the lost time and the trouble caused the master." (1)
(1) JoAnn Riley McKey, Accomack County, Virginia Court Order Abstracts, 1703-1710, Vol. 10 (Bowie, Maryland: Heritage Books, 2000), 99.