Examination of Peleg Belote in the County Court of Bertie at the Court begun and held for the said County the 12th. day of August 1777, present the Worshipful Thomas Pugh, James Campbell, and Jonathan Jacocks Esquires, Justices of the said Court, and, among others, assigned to keep the Peace of the said County.

The said Peleg Belote being brought before the Court declared, that in a Conversation with one Absalom Legate about the first of June last they discoursed about a Report which was then prevalent among some People, that there was a design to impose a new Religion on the People, and compel them to worship Images, and that they both expressed a very strong disapprobation of such a design; that the said Legate endeavoured to persuade him the said Bulote to go to a Sermon which was shortly to be preached near Sherrard's in Martin County, and the said Belote did accordingly go to Sherrod's House, in company with the said Legate and his Son; that they found one Rawlins at Sherrard's house; that after a private Conversation which he observed between the said Sherrard ^Leggit^ & Rawlins, Rawlins asked him to walk, and they two being alone together, after some Conversation relative to the worship of Images, Rawlins asked the said Belote if he could keep a secret; the said Belote answering in the Affirmative, and Rawlins asked him if he would be willing to swear he could, and pulled a book out of his pocket which he tendered to Belote, and Belote then said upon that Book to keep secret ^kissed the Book promising to keep secret^ what Rawlins should tell him; that Rawlins then told him a good many had concluded to suppose the Church of England, and if he would swear to keep secret the name of a Man he could direct him to, and to keep secret all that he should hear that Man read or tell him, he would mention the Person's name, and refer him to him for further Information; that the said Belote having again kissed the book in ratification of a promise of this kind (believed by him to be swearing) Rawlins told him, Sherrard was the Man, and gave him a Stick with three notches, which he said he was to shew to Sherrard, but he need not be particular as to any Circumstances concerning it, as he would be there otherwise it would have been necessary to do it in private; that nothing more passed on the subject this Evening, but the next morning before Breakfast Sherrard asked Rawlins to take a Walk, and Rawlins nodded to the said Belote to follow him; that they went into the Barn, and Belote delivered the Stick to Sherrard; that Sherrard then asked him "what that was for"; that Belote being as a loss for the answer, Rawlins asked him if he had forgot already and desired him to speak after him, which he did some words that served to devote a Concurrence in the Confederacy; that Sherrard then stepped & picked up a sugar box which seemed to be concealed in a private part of the barn, and took out a paper which he read very low, as if he had been afraid of being overheard, the place being very publick, and that the time when People were going to the Preaching; that the Substance of the Paper was (to the best of the said Belote's recollection) an Engagement to support the Religion they had been used to, to decide Disputes arising among the Subscribers by Arbitration, to oppose draughts (as he believed) and protect Men being draughted from being obliged to serve; that soon after they went out, and Sherrard mentioned, there was one thing he had forgot; which was, that Belote should get half a pound of powder and two Pounds of Lead; and that he recollects no further particulars concerning the above Agreement than what he has before recited, but that they were to put in Money to support poor People in distress and employ a Reader.