Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Mary wife of James Edwardes v. Thomas Moxon

Reference: CP.H.3644

Year: 1685

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: male

Defamatory words:

she was both a whoore and a thief and that he would prove her both a whoore & a thief

Tagged: thief, 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)

H3644

Meriah? Wright, York, spr, 26yrs (dated 16 Oct 84)

... the arte Mary Edwards is this deponents owne sister and she says she never heard nor knew that she was guilty or asspersed of any crime notorious but was & is a pson of good honest life & conversacon and always reputed and taken soe to be...

... in the month of May last past... she this exte was sitting in her fathers chambers window over against one Mr Preistlays house scituate in ffosgate within the parish arte and she says she observed the arte Thomas Moxon to come out of his owne shop scituate in ffosgate aforesaid into the street in a very passionate and angry manner speakeing to or of as this exate verily beleives the arte Mary Edwards said thou art a theif and a whore and I will prove the a theif and a whore & he would prove her a whore by her husband and that he would prove her a theef himselfe or words to the like effect which said words she this deponent heard the sd Moxon repeat twice over but whoe was present in the streete she did not observe...

Jane wife of John Heslington, York, cordwainer, 30 yrs (4 Nov 1684)

... she this exate is next doore neighbour to the arte Edwards and she saith that she never knew or has heard her aspersed of any crime notorious (the greivances in this cause onely excepted) but is a woman of good fame and repute amongst her neighbours... ... about the monts of Aprill or May... she this exate was sitting in the entrance of her house scituate in ffosgate in the citty and pish arte and hearing some wrangleing discourse betwixt the arte Edwards and Moxon being then both in their own shopps the said Moxon speakeing to the said Edwards said she had stoln his barn hippins and that he would bring one that would prove her a theif or words to the like effect but whoe was present att the speaking of the said words this deponent observed not (save her contest Penelope Duke whoe might have heard whats predeposed)...

Richard Thomas, York, merchant, 50 yrs (12 Nov 1684)

... in one of the monthes of Aprill or May last past... he this deponent was in his owne shope scituate in ffosgate in the pish arte where he heard a great noise in the streete and heard as he supposed and verily beleives his back being towards them some wrangling words betwixt the arte Maxam and Edwards and he saith that the said Maxam amongst their said wrangling words called the arte Edwards both a whore and a theef and said that he would prove her a theef and her husband should prove her a whore or the words to the like effect...

Elizabeth Frizells wife of William, York, 54 yrs (26 Nov 1684)

... about the middle of May last past as near as she can remember she this deponent was goeing by the shop of the arte Thomas Moxon scituat in ffosgate... and passing by she heard the said Moxon call the arte Edwards whore to whch she replyed wilt thou prove me a whore and he answered both a whore and a theef I will prove the or words to that effect...

Penelope Duke

[?? no dep ??]

Elizabeth Leadley

[dep only to say good reputation etc [but possibly incomplete]