Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Thomas Pinder v. Thomas Wildman

Reference: DC.CP.1672/8

Year: 1672

Plaintiff: male

Defendant: male

Defamatory words:

he was a whoore maister and errand whooremaister, and made a common or continuall practice of it

Tagged: whoremaster

Depositions

NB: these transcriptions are a work in progress and are provided without any guarantees of accuracy; checking the original documents wherever possible (via the reference links above) is recommended.

Common abbreviations:

  • exte: examinate (the witness being examined)
  • arlate, arte: articulate (ie, person referred to in the articles of accusation)

D1672/8

John Wise, Cowton, Yorks, yeoman

[has known Pinder 20 years, all that time he has] lived peaceably and quietly amongst his neighbours as a good neighbour ought to doe...

[good fame, good life etc]

... upon Thursday next before Palme Sunday last past he this exaiate being in company wth the arlate Thomas Pinder at the house of one James Hood scituate in Micklegate wthin the citty of YOrk over agt St Trinityes Church arte when and where the arlate Thomas Wildman comeing accidentally into the said house sat downe in company wth him this exte & the said Thomas Pinder, and after some talke amongst them, the said Thomas Wildman told the said Thomas Pinder that he had a whoorish face, and soone after, he the said Wildman in an abusive & reprochfull manner called the said Thomas Pinder whoore maister, then and there being by and present... [various inc James Hood], and this exte further saith that by the words whore maister then spoken by the said Wildman,... did intimate or mean that the said Pinder was a lewd & dishonest man and that he had comitted the crime of fornicaco~ & had had carnall knowledge of the body of some woeman... he the said Thomas Wildman spoke the said words very malitiously and wth an intent to abuse & diffame the said Thomas Pinder...

[believes that Pinder's reputation & credit impaired]

James Hood, York, innholder

[has known Pinder well for 8 years, behaved honestly, good name etc]

... upon Thursday next before Palme Sunday last past... the arate Thomas PInder being drinkeing a cup of ale wth... John Wise in this extes house scituate wthin th pish of St Trinityes arte, the arte Thomas Wildman came also into his this extes house & sat down in company wth the said Thomas Pinder, & after some discourse had betwixt them this exte being there also in the same roome wth them heard the said Thomas Wildman say to him the said Pinder, thou has a deft whorish face of thine owne, which words this exte beleives that the said Wildman did not speake wth an intencon~ to abuse or diffame the said Thomas Pinder... [those present etc]

Wildman is of par St Marys of Bishophill the younger]

Jane wife of James Hood, York

[has known Pinder abt 6 years, good fame, good life etc]

... on some day in the weeke either before Palme Sunday or before Easter Sunday last past... the arte Thomas Pinder John Wise Thomas Wildman & William Leedall being in company together in this extes husbands house [location]... she this exte hearing a great noise amongst them and that they were likely to quarrell went into the roome to them and bidding the said Thomas Wildman goe home, and not make soe great stirr & noise there, he the said Thomas Wildman told this exte that all the words that he said agt the said Pinder was that he the said Thomas Pinder had a deft whorish face, which words were all that this exte heard him the said Wildman speake agt the sd Thomas Pinder... [those present]...