Mary Drummond

FAMILY HISTORY TIDBIT - EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA
An interesting story where my 7th great grandfather William Chance (c1668-1726) testified in a somewhat bizarre case where a pregnant woman - evidently, my 7x great grandmother Mary (Drummond) Chance, had an immense craving for some oysters, so bad, that 3 men went out on a Sunday to fill a boat full of them for her. They were caught and brought before the Accomack Co., Virginia court in 1705 for working on the Sabbath - The Chance's lived just south of Guilford and a little west of Parksley, VA back then. From the records:
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Thomas Ryle, Robert Lewis and Robert Milner were presented to the Accomack Court in 1705," each of them for carrying home a canoe full of oysters on ye Sabbath day, being ye 10th of February 1704/05." Ryle and Milner confessed and paid their fines; Lewis, however, "said (the oysters) were for a great bellied woman that longed," and was granted continuance till the next day to produce his evidence. My 7x great, William Chance, then came in "to testify that his wife being sick had a mind to some oysters and desired the said Robert Lewis to get her some oysters, and he attempting to go on Saturday but could not for ye wind, so went on ye Sabbath day." The court took this "into their clemency" and discharged Lewis, apparently without thinking to ask if the pregnant lady ate Lewis' entire canoe load of oysters.
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Men learned even back then in the early colonial times not to mess with a pregnant woman who has a craving - just go get the damn oysters even if it is a Sunday!

Mary married William Chance before 1695 in Accomack Co., VA. (William Chance was born about 1668 in Northampton Co., VA and died before 05 Feb 1726 in Accomack Co., VA.)