Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Hester Beeforth v. Thomas Thurnham

Reference: DC.CP.1685/1

Year: 1685

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: male

Defamatory words:

she was a whore and Timothy Harlands whore, and that Timothy Harland had had as much knowledge of her body as of his owne wife

Tagged: whore

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)

D1685/1

Richard Galloway, Crake, co 'Durham, glasier (14 Jan ? [torn])

... the arte Hester Beeforth is a married woeman, and of good life and conversacon~ [etc, and commonly accounted as such in the parish of Craike]

... in the moneth of June last past... he this exte was in the house of Mr Robt Jubbs scituate within the pish of St Michaels of Belfreys... where he heard the arte Thomas Thurnam say (speakeing to the arte Hester Beeforth) that she was a whore, and Timothy Harland had had as much knowledge of her the said Hester Beeforths body, as of the body of his owne wife, & that the said Timothy would justify it... [and those present]...

... in this extes judgment the good name & opinion of the arlate Hster Beeforth is much lessened & hurt by reason of the speaking the words...

Elizabeth wife of Thomas Beeforth, Craike

[Hester is married, honest life etc, not aspersed of any crime except for this case, generally reputed in Crake & therabts]

... in June last pst... whe this exte was in the house of Mr Robt Jubbs scituate within the city of York & pish of St Michaels arlate, when & where she this exte heard the arte Thomas Thurnam (speaking to the arlate Hester Beeforth) publiqely say that the arte Hester Beeforth was awhore, and that he would prove her a whore and that one Timothy Harland had had as much knowledge of her the said Hester Beeforths body, as he the said Timothy Harland had had of the body of his owne wife in the presence & heareing of this exte [& other witnesses]...

[ Hester's good name much hurt & impaired among her neighbours by the words...]

[Elizabeth is mother-in-law (stepmother?) to Robert Beeforth husband to Hester]

William Beeforth, York, trunkmaker

[Hester is wife to Robert, very honest woman, good life and conversation, generally reputed as such in Craike etc]

... in the moneth of June... he this exte was in the house of Mr Robt Jubbs... in the company of... Richd Galloway & Elizabeth Beeforth and Tho: Johnson John Beeforth & Ann Beeforth (this extes wife) & the arte Esther Beeforth & Thomas Thurnam; when & where severall diffamatory words (as this exte beleives) did pass betweene the said Thomas Thurnam & Esther Beeforth wch this exte could not well heare by reason of the number of people then present, nor did he give any eare to them by reason of other business he had then in hand, yet he this exte very well remembers that he then heard the said Thomas Thurnam confess and acknowledge that he had said that the said Esther Beeforth was a whore, and Timothy Harlands whore, & that the said Timothy Harland had had as much knowledge of the said Esther Beeforth's body, as of his owne wife...

[Hester's good name is much lesened & impaired & she] is worse thought of amongst her neighbours & those that heard the words spoaken...

[Wm is Robert Beeforth's uncle]