Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Elizabeth Ashton v. Martha Coates

Reference: CP.H.2909

Related cases: CP.H.2923A, CP.H.3145

Year: 1673

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: female

Defamatory words:

she was a whoore, and brasen faced whoore; and her children [born in wedlock] were ill begotten and that she had many fathers for them; and she had the pocks

Tagged: impudent, pox, 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)

H2909

Sara Hudson, York, spinster

... she this examinate hath lived in house wth the arte Elizabeth Ashton as servant to her ever since Lent Assizes last past, and saith also that she the said Elizabeth and Thomas Ashton hath for all that time lived together as man & wife and beleives that they were lawfully married together, And that the said Elizabeth Ashton for all the said time hath been and is reputed a very honest woeman of good life & conversacon~ and of good fame & creditt amongst her neighbors for any thing this exte ever heard...

... that upon the Sunday fortnight next before the Assizes last past holden for the citty & county of York which as this exte now remembers & beleives was upon the twenty ninth of June last past this extes dame the arte Elizabeth Ashton and this Examinate were standing at the doore of the house of the said Thomas Ashton husband to the arte Elizabeth Ashton situate in Thursday markett wthin the citty of York and the arte Martha Coates was then standing at her husbands doore in Thursday markett aforesd & being nigh to them, she this exte very well heard the arte Martha Coates then and there speake to the said Elizabeth Ashton & say to her goe thou brazen faced whoore I had better have noe children than have them ill begotten as thine are, And then also further said to the arte Elizabeth Ashton goe thou pocky whoore thou hath a fire ship in thy Arse, Att the speaking of wch words were by and present severall of Mr Simpson's servants and divers others who were also then standing at their doores, and also Mark Knagge was then walking very neare to them, all which did or might heare the words predeposed spoken by the said Martha Coates to the said Elizabeth Ashton...

Mark Knagge, York,

...upon Sunday the twenty ninth day of June last past he this exte was in Thursday markett situate wthin the citty of York, and this exte then see the arte Elizabeth Ashton & Martha Coates standing at their husbands doores in Thursday markett also & nigh one to the other, And this exte then walking near to the house of the said Ashton & Coates heard her the said Martha Coates then and there speake to the arte Elizabeth Ashton and say to her thou art a whoore a brazen faced whoore, and I had better have noe children as have them ill begott as thine are and having so many fathers for them, And the said Martha Coates also then & there further said to the arte Elizabeth Ashton Thou art a Whoore & a brazen faced whoore and thou hath a fire ship in thy Arse, Att the speaking of which words were by and present this extes precontest Sarah Hudson who stood att Ashtons doore neare to her dame the arte Elizabeth Ashton, & one of Mr Simpsons servants & divers others who came to their doores to heare the said Martha all which did or might very well heare the words predeposed....

...this exte beleives that the good name of the arte Elizabeth Ashton is impaired and hurt by speaking of the words predeposed...