with the inhabitants. Standing there a few minutes, I saw a
number of soldiers, about 12 or 15, as near as I could judge,
come down from the southward, running towards the said
barrack with drawn cutlasses, and appeared to be passing by,
but on seeing me in company with Deacon Marsh at my door,
they turned out of their course and rushed upon us with uplifted
weapons, without our speaking or doing the least thing to pro-
voke them, with the utmost difficulty we escaped a stroke by
retreating and closing the door upon them.
I further declare, that at that time my son, a lad about 12
years old, was abroad on an errand, and soon came home and
told me that he was met by a number of soldiers with cutlasses in
their hands, one of which attempting to strike him, the child begg'd
for his life, saying, pray soldier save my life, on which the
soldier reply'd, No damn you, I will kill you all, and smote him
with his cutlass, which glanced down along his arm and knock-
ed him to the ground where they left him, after the soldiers
had all passed, the child arose and came home, having happily
received no other damage than a bruise on the arm - I further
declare that the above related transactions happened but a few
minutes before the soldiers fired upon the people in Kingstreet,
and further saith not.     NATH. APPLETON.

Suffolk, ss. Boston, March 20. 1770. Nathaniel Appleton,
above-named, after due examination, made oath to the
truth of the above affidavit, taken to perpetuate the
remembrance of the thing.
Before JOHN RUDDOCK, Jus. Peace and the Quorum.
JOHN HILL, Jus. Peace.

(No. 32)
JEremiah Belknap of lawful age testifies and says, that on the
first appearance of the affray in Cornhill on Monday even-
ing the fifth instant, hearing a noise he ran to his door and
hear Mr. William Merchant say he had been struck by a
soldier, and presently saw to the number of eight or nine sol-
diers come out of Boylstone's alley into the street, armed with
clubs and cutlasses. The deponent went out into the street
and desired them to retire to their barracks, upon which one
of them with a club in one hand and cutlass in the other, with
the latter made a stroke at the deponent ; when finding there
was no prospect of stopping them, the deponent ran to the
main guard, and called for the officers of the guard. The
reply was, there is no officer here. Several of the soldiers
came out of the guard house, and the deponent told them if