Reference: CP.H.3409 , CP.H.3456, CP.H.3467
Year: 1679
Plaintiff: female
Defendant: female
Defamatory words:
[to Lucilia's husband] you have marryed both a whore and a theife
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:
... that upon the tenth or eleventh day of January now last past this exte was at the house of John Copley the defendts husband in Conystreete in Yorke drinking a glasse of Ale in company of the arlate Arnold Goodagh his contest Mr William Wright and the defendt Joan Copley when & where the said Joan Copley upon some discourse and words that happened told the said Arnold Goodagh that hee was a beggarly rogue and had marryed both a whore and a theife, which words the said persons did or might have heard & soe did or might a servant woman of ye sd Copleys then in ye house...
[interrogatory]
... the words predeposed to by this exte were spoke in John Copleys kitchin about five a clock in ye afternoon...
this depont went along with Mr Goodagh and Mr Wright to the said Copleys to drinke a glasse of ale or Beere and hee says the said Arnold Goodagh did not give the said Joan Copley any abusive or provoking language, that htis exte heard or remembers; And hee sayes that John Copley came into the company and did offer to strike or prodd at the said Goodaghs face with his cane or sticke, and this rondent held him and prevented him from soe doing by holding his arme, and ?saw the said Joan Copley leape upon a little table wch stood by ye table where ye company was drinking & took the sd Arnold Gooday by the haire, where upon the said Goodagh with a flagon which hee held in his hand to come against John Copleys cane or sticke, strucke her ye said Joan upon the head insomuch that the blood came after the blow given...
... this rondt and the said Goodagh stand indicted by the said John Copley or his wife & alsoe the said Goodgh is sued at Comon~ law by the one of them for assaulting & beating the said Joane Copley & breaking the peace as he beleives...
... that upon the tenth day of January now last past this exte and Malachi Otley & Mr Arnold Goodagh went to John Copley's house in Cony Street in Yorke to drinke a glasse of beare and being there, the defendant Copley upon some discourse which happened between her and the aid Arnold Goodagh told him the said Goodagh that hee had marryed both a whore and a theife which words were by her spoke in an angry manner and in the presence of the persons above named who did then take notice of the said words and afterwards they were reduced into writing that they might be the better remembred...
... this exte beleives the arte Mrs Goodaghs husband is lesse repective to her the sd Mrs Goodagh since the speaking the words predeposed then he was before...
[interrogatory]
... the words predeposed to by this exte were spoke in the foreroom of John Copleys house about six of the clock in the afternoon ...
... this respondent Malachi Otley and Arnold Goodagh were drinking a pot of beare, and the sd Goodagh enquired for a letter with a stone in it, upon which she the defendt grew passionate & spoke the words predeposed to by this exte, but the said Goodagh gave her noe provoking language that this exte heard... after the words were spoke John Copley the defendents husband came in to the roome & grew angry and offered to strike or thrust or push att the said Goodagh with his staffe or kane, but was held from doing any harme by Malachi Otley, which the defendt Copley seeing shee leapt upon or neare a little table that stood by the table the company was drinking at and pushed her hands in ye said Mr Goodaghs haire and the said Goodagh having a flagon in his hand wherewith he defended himselfe from the said John copleys kane did with the said flagon hitt her the said Copley the defendent a blow upon the head in somuch that blood followed the blow...
... this rondt hath heard say that the said Joan Copley or her husband did indict or intendes to indict this exte & the said Arnold Goodagh and Malachi Otley for some offence pretended to bee by them comitted at the time of speakeing the words predeposed but whether hee this rondent bee really indicted or not hee does not know; And this rondent beleiveth and saith there is an action brought agt him this rondent at the comon~ law, by the said Copley and his wife or one of them but this rondt know not of what nature the action is nor what it is for...
... she this exate was servant to Mrs Joan Copley att the time of speakeing the pretended words in this cause menconed~, and saith she never observed nor heard the arte Joan Copley to speak any diffamatory words whatsoever agt the arte Lucilia Goodah and beleives she might have heard if any such words were spoaken att that time, she then goeing to and froe about her occupations? in the house there being present att that pretended time Mr William Wright Malakee Otley and one Walter Poley whoe might have observed if any such words were spoaken...
...Mrs Joan Copley is Aunt to this Exate...
Walter Pullane?, London, stage coach man, 30 yrs
... this exate was att the house of Mr John Copley husband of the arte Joan Copley upon the day arte about the hour of eight in the evening when and where the arte Arnald Goodah husband of the said Lucilia Goodah did violently beat the said Joan Copley upon her head with a flagon in soe much that this exate beleives if he had not endeavoured to have holden the said Arnald Goodah the arte Joan Copley had been slaine and likewise is pswaded that by reason of such stroakes and blowes she was in great danger of her life and continued very ill for about fourteen weeks, And he saith that the said Arnald Goodah did give the said Joan Copley very provoaking and abusive words without any cause or reason whatsoever...
... at and dureing the time aforesaid the arte Arnald Goodah did abuse and beat the arte Joan Copley as is predeposed and the arte Mr William Wright & Malakee Otley were by and present att the time predeposed and did hold the arte John Copley by force and violence that he was not able to gett loose to defend and save his said wife from being beaten and that said Mr Wright and Malakee Otley were abetters & assisted the battery and gave the said Joan Copley very abusive and absurd words...
... he this exate was by & present dureing all the actions predeposed to & very well observed what was done and said, and saith that he did not hear nor observe the asid Joan Copley speake any abusive or diffamatory words whatsoever against the said Lucilia Goodah and beleives that there was noe such worrds spoaken as is pretended in the Libell in this cause...