Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Mary wife of Thomas Newstead v. Elizabeth wife of Henry Brogden

Reference: CP.H.4020

Year: 1687

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: female

Defamatory words:

she was a whore, a bastard bearing whore and she would prove her a whore; and all her husband's friends tooke her for a whore

Tagged: bastardy, 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)

H4020

George Lazenby, York, bricklayer (undated)

... about the last Assize week... this exte heard the arte Elizabeth Brogden being in the open street withinthe pish of St Sampson's of the citty of Yorke called the arte Mary Newstead (then present) whore and a bastard bearing whore & seiyd? that she would prove her a whore... [autograph]

Jane Jackson, York,

... about Lamas~ last ... this exte heard the arte Elizabeth Brogden then the open street within the pish of St Sampsons call the sd Mary Newstead whore, bastard bearing whore and hott tal'd whore and said that she would prove her a whore, and yt all her husbands freinds call'd her whore... [mark]

John Newstead, Sutton in le fforrest, Yorks, agricola

... about a fortnight before lammas last... the arte Elizabeth Brogden speaking to & of the said Mary Newstead did in the open street within the pish of St Sampson's of the citty of Yorke call the said Mary Newstead whore, and said that she would prove her a whore, and further said that all the sd Mary Newsteads husbands freinds said that she was a whore or words to that effect...

[good name lessened & hurt]

[Thomas Newstead is the exte's brother]