Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Francis Field v. Thomas Jackson

Reference: CP.H.2711

Year: 1667

Plaintiff: male

Defendant: male

Defamatory words:

thou has been as arrant a rogue as any was in England, and againe, thou art as arrant an whoremasterly rogue as any in England

Tagged: rogue, 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)

H2711

William Plaxton, Pocklington, York, gent?, 34 yrs (26 July 1667)

...upon the eight day of May last past the arlate ffrancis ffeild and Thomas Jackson in company of divers others were in the house of this exte situate in Pocklington aforesaide when and where the said Thomas Jackson tooke occasion to speake very ? to the said ffrancis ffeild, and amongst other reproachfull language he the said Jackson said to the said ffrancis ffeild, thou hast been & art as arrant a Roague as any in England and a whoremasterly Rogue as any is in England, and did repeate & reitterate the said words severall tymes over then and there being alsoe present and hearing the said words this exte [& several names] & others being in the same roome the which words he said uttered to defame & scandalize the said Mr ffeild as this exte conceived and did intimate as this exte then understood that the said Mr ffeild was a dishonest man of his body...

... this exte meetinge the said Thomas Jackson the next day after tellinge? him ? ? he thought him to blame for speakinge the said words agt the said Mr ffeild he the said Jackson did not at all ? troubled but did saye ?? what he had saide...

Timothy Nesfield, Pocklington, York, merchant

... [at the house of Wm Plaxton, eighth May last]... thou frrancis ffeild art as arrant a roague as any is in England, and a little after said to him (wth a great oath) thou art as arrant an whoremaister as any is in the world...