Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Mary wife of Richard Titchmarsh v. Roger Wilberfosse

Reference: CP.H.3098

Year: 1672

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: male

Defamatory words:

she was a brasen faced Bitch; thou art burnt thou art a burnt whoore and therefore thy husband left the & is gone away from the

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)

H3098

Frances Bethell, York, spinster

... she this exte Mrs Anne Horsley and the arte Mrs Mary Titchmarsh being walking in the streete of ffossegate in the citty of Yorke about the latter end of May last past... she this observing the arte Roger Wilberfosse sitting at his owne doore in ffossegate & hearing his wife was not well asked the said Wilberfosse as she passed by him how his wife did upon wch the arte Roger Wilberfosse was very angry and fell into a great passion and amongst other ill language called the arte Mary Titchmarsh in the open streete brasen faced Bitch and told her she was a burnt whore and that her husband left thereupon at the speaking of all which words were by and present the exte Mary Titchmarsh and Mrs Anne Horsley who did or might have heard the words predeposed and severall other persons unknown to this exte were then in the streete but whether they heard or not this exte knowes not...

... in this extes iudgmt the good name fame and repute of the arte Mrs Titchmarsh is by reason of the speaking the words predeposed much hurt & impaired...