In 1650, they ratified the town charter for “Heights of King James County.”
This meant that the formed town must submit to the County Governor, Deputy Governor, and Magistrate. These men and three Puritan Reverends were known as the County Commission.
Because they formed King James County under the 1629 Royal Charter of the King James Colony, the settlers of the heights had little to say who could live in their town.
The Commission intended to allow a slow but steady influx of Irish, Scottish, and Dutch immigrants to help the fledgling village.
However, the Commission was strict Puritans who escaped the Royal Anglican Government in England. They hand-picked twenty Calvinist families to oversee the Heights in leadership and religion.
The choice of well-off Puritan families inspired a Puritanism World View.
Birthdays and holidays were considered pagan rituals. The Bible was the only textbook found. The only music played was Sunday hymns.
Of course, this type of stranglehold and legalism led to its own reform. A second house of worship opened on January 16, 1653. Theirs was a looser gospel, allowing the consumption of alcohol (in moderation), as well as the celebration of Easter, Christmas, and community fellowship that involved music other than hymns.
These Reformists comprised the Irish, Scots, and Dutch.
They held Townhall meetings on the first Sunday of each month at a newly constructed Community Hall on Mill Pond Road near the South Bridge.
The gatherings often ended in baseless accusations and infuriation between the feuding congregations. Each accused the other of heresy, and eventually, witchcraft.
The town economy suffered as neither side would trade or buy with the other. Fights were breaking out, and vandalism of goods and wares was becoming more prevalent.
Each side swore in enforcers to protect their interests in exporting goods.
There were minor scuffles, a few shoving matches, and eventually fisticuffs. In a more significant incident in February 1653, a Calvinist militant named Isaiah Wrightman stopped a reformist woman, Mary Beckett, and her two young sons on her way back from the market.
He shoved her and took a basket of fruit and vegetables from her arm. Her oldest son, eight years old, attacked Wrightman and bit him on the leg. The bite drew blood. Enraged by the young boy's action, Wrightman hit the boy so hard that it dislocated his jaw and rendered him unconscious.
Within the half-hour, the Reformist enforcers found out. They put together a seven-man posse and rode to Wrightman's home.
He was waiting with three Calvinist thugs and his two grown sons.
The two sides fought until one of Wrightman's boys fell to the ground. They kicked him until unconscious.
Soon, merchants and buyers from other towns boycotted trade with the Heights. Buyers were afraid of being harmed in the chaos and violence.
Then, in late April 1654, the feud reached its boiling point.
As the Reformist's families were readying for a Good Friday service, a group of Calvinist's thugs attacked the unsuspecting celebration inside the church. They stabbed two Reformist deacons, and the home of a third was torched.
In retaliation, on Easter Monday, the Reformists attacked the home of three Calvinist leaders. They killed one elder and hanged him from a tree overlooking Mill Pond. They burned the other two houses to the ground and severely injured one enforcer.
The County could no longer ignore the violence. So, the Commission ordered a small militia to billet the town and restore order.
An uneasy peace settled in. The Governor, a Puritan, called for forgiveness, reconciliation, and cessation of all hostilities. However, he would turn a blind eye to what happened next.
They officially brought the accusation of witchery against the Reformists, who requested that hearings into the matter begin immediately. The Calvinists convened the Court of Oyer and Terminer.
Their investigation centered on the goings-on of the Reverend Thomas Parsons, his family, and his congregation. The court had a dual purpose: try to convict those involved in witchery and carry out the sentence.
Hysteria, deception, and persecution plagued the Reformist families. Ghost posses from both sides would hunt down suspected heretics and administer justice the way they saw fit.
Over the next year, these posses killed twelve people. They found seven Reformists and five Calvinists dead in Haley's Woods, along Shenandoah Road, or in the town square.
In addition, they dumped several bodies in the Shenandoah, eventually found in Mill Pond, thus giving it the nickname the blood pool.
A Calvinist Bishop now occupied the position of Deputy Governor. He convinced the Commission to appoint inquisitors zealous to do the Lord's work.
On June 16, 1655, they issued a commission by proclamation. It gave absolute power, without interference, to eleven Puritan Elders. It charged them with finding out heretics and witches, no matter the cost.
In late October 1655, they tried and convicted five Reformist women of witchery. They tortured them by dunking in Mill Pond and executed four by public hanging.
The fifth and final woman executed for using black magic was the good wife, Murron Muldoon. They burned her at the stake on November 24, 1655. But there was something very odd about her case.
The Puritan Inquisitors reported Murron had bewitched Parsons with black magic, corrupting him with readings of Hammer of the Witches and seducing him.
One week after Muldoon's death, they found Parsons hanging from the dunking tree. The Calvinists accused Muldoon's husband, Seamus, of killing him and making it look like a suicide.
The Reformists, however, blamed the Calvinists. They accused the Inquisitors of looking the other way as they murdered Parson in his home and then hung him at Mill Pond.
Seamus, the town's blacksmith, was an elder in Parson's church. By all accounts, he was a devout husband and Christian. Nevertheless, they arrested and imprisoned him for two weeks.
After a two-day trial, they found Seamus innocent of his wife's witchery. He was, however, sentenced to twenty-one lashes for ignorance of Muron Muldoon's actions. They sent him back to Scotland.
By 1671, King Charles revoked the 1629 Royal Charter of King James Colony. Citing gross violations of international trade, failure to govern the colony's people, and illegal investments in non-English business, they dissolved the Commission.
It was too late. Over forty-five people died during this bloody period in our history. The death of Muron Muldoon has become a legend.
The tale of two stories about Murron and Reverend Parson remains to this day. There are rumors to be several covens operating in town. We seem to be at the center of denominational warfare. We've got Pentecostals, Reformed Baptists, and Catholicism, which replaced Calvinism. Add an abortion clinic and a Planned Parenthood Center, and the town is a spiritual battlefield.
"Central from Six-three David, we're out on Central and Bridge moving vagrant." "Central copy, Six-three David... 16:40 hours, Twenty - November." Maxine and I got out of the RMP and walked towards the homeless guy, lying against the welcome sign. That sign had been there for as long as I could remember. It was ancient, worn, and weathered. It's once vibrant green had oxidized to a lifeless pale blue. It's once bronze letters were chipped, cracked, and rusted. Its post was tall, thick, and very plain capped with the cross of Saint James. It simply read: PROSPERITY AND ABUNDANCE WELCOME TO THE HEIGHTS ORIGINALLY
18:53 Hours "Central to Six-Three David, what's your status?" "Central, call the groundskeeper and ask if anyone's supposed to be in the church." "Six-three Corporal groundskeeper started the call." I started walking towards the east window. I saw the flicker again. I rationalized that it was just the streetlight reflecting off the glass. Yet, as I approached, I heard an indistinct murmur coming from inside the church. I reached for my collar mic and pressed the PTT, and whispered. "Six–three Corporal to central. I have trespassers in the building. I need a backing unit. Come in from the east side.” After my broadcast, I reached down to my left hip. My hand bent at my wrist as my fingers found the
21:45 Hours The headlights from the RMP reflected at us from Ray's front window. This would be the perfect place to unwind and help Max decompress. I put the car in park and called us out of service. Max had her head buried in her phone. I waited a few seconds before turning off the car. When she didn't acknowledge where we were, I spoke up. "Echo-six-kilo to battalion command. How copy?" "I'm sorry, sweetie. It's something that Kool-Aid said. I've heard it before, but I can't remember when." I smiled at her and chuckled. She used the nickname I gave to the girl with the purple streak. Brilliant! "Sagacious Inquisitors. I've heard it before, in college." I shook my head, unsure of what to say. I got out of the car and hoped she would follow. Whatever she was looking for had her engrossed in her phone. I tapped on the hood and went to the passenger door. As I opened it, she put her phone in her pocket a
Wednesday, November 21 Keegan was back from the sin bin. That meant we could get some good old-fashioned American street violence. It had been a quiet watch. Wired and tired, I counted down the minutes to its end. Keegs was still unsettled about Tommy Parker's suicide, having mentioned it several times. He couldn't sit still. He fiddled with his pen, went through an entire pouch of chewing tobacco, and made me stop so he could smoke. I understood the cause of his anxiety. The past few days saw a multiple homicide shooting, a necromancy ceremony, and an old homeless guy with a witch's bottle. We Drove to Potter Church, hoping to kill the shift in peace. I backed into an opening in the trees, killed the lights, and opened my window. We were across the street from the groundskeeper's house. The lights were on, and a lone street lamp stood in the front yard. The home predated the War of 1812 and was a historical landmark.
Thursday, November 22 19:06 HOURS Winter had finally arrived. Keegs, Marcello, and a few others had volunteered to work security at an annual private gala. So, I got to ride with Maxine. The aftermath of the Rottweiler shooting found me in a quick round with IAB. Whenever you discharged your weapon, an investigation was forthcoming. They asked about the circumstance, what conflict resolution tactic we used, and questions about the girls. The ER report said Keegan shot the husband in the bicep. Not that anybody cared. Even IAB shrugged it off. I found it odd when they asked what started it. They flirted with my answer, careful not to show why they asked. I only knew what I heard when we entered the house. I told them about witchcraft, Sagacious Inquisitors, and threats against the Coven. Satisfied, at least in the now, they let me go. Max and I slowly cruised the strip, the coms silent as the radio played o
Tuesday, November27th 14:55 Hours Lieutenant Chaney's voice resounded over the loudspeaker as he announced roll call in the Bullpen. I closed my locker and headed to the squad room. They changed the uniform of the day for the winter. Many had broken out the jackets and watch caps that were standard issue. I, however, preferred the sweater with a turtleneck. The coat was too cumbersome, and I was not fond of it. I only used it when it actually turned cold or snowed hard. This was Max and me's first official briefing as husband and wife. When I left the locker room, I saw her chatting with Marcello. I walked behind her, put my arms around her collar, and kissed her cheek. She turned and smiled. Our faces must have looked priceless. I still felt the effects of this morning's lovemaking. I knew Max did as well. If I could, I'd take her back into the locker room. Keegs, of course, noticed, flung his head backward, and sighed
Tuesday, November27th "Roll call in the Bullpen... roll call in the Bullpen," said Lieutenant Chaney over the loudspeaker with his ominousBig Voice. We all filed in for the cold winter's night. Many had broken out the jackets and watch caps which were standard issue for the season. I, however, preferred the sweater with a turtle neck. The jacket was too bulky and I hated it. I only used it when it really got cold or snowed hard. The Bullpen was set up more like a classroom. There were three rows of tables, six tables deep. Each table could sit three. At the front was a podium for the Watch Commander flanked by two tables full of papers, reports, and files. Behind him was a whiteboard that ran the entire length of the wall. It was massive, containing not only a ma
Wednesday, November 28 Wednesday, November 28 The sun had vanished, and it was cold, rainy, and slushy. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and this wasn’t the weather for the holiday. The last time Maxine called in sick was four years ago. The cough had progressed to body aches, chills, sore throat, and a fever of 101.6. This morning during a spasm, she brought up blood with dark yellow phlegm and wheezed. Of course, she didn’t want to see a doctor, which caused an argument. I was concerned that she might have pneumonia. She needed to be seen by a physician for antibiotics and breathing treatments. At one point, I thought I was overreacting from the witchery and threats of spells and curses. I couldn’t shake what the vagrant said on the bridge about pins, urine, and cork. My inner voice replayed his words over and again. The more I heard it, the more I remembered. Take your wife’s urine an