Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Christian Needham v. Anne wife of Anthony Harland

Reference: CP.H.4471A , CP.H.4453, CP.H.4503, CP.H.4507

Related cases: CP.H.4451

Year: 1696

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: female

Defamatory words:

she was Potticar's meate and Sherrife's meate, a whore and an ill thriven bitch ['Potticar' seems to be a reference to her alleged lover, who was an apothecary and sheriff]

Tagged: 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)

H4471A

[1]

Francis Taylor, York, gent (27 Oct 1696)

... in May last past he this dept being in his owne house at Peasom-Green... heard the arte Ann Harland scoulding with the arte Christian Needam who was then at this depts doore & he sayes that he then & there heard the sd Ann Harland call the arte Christian Needam whore severall times & ill thriven bitch with several other most scandalous & diffamatory words wch she publickly spoke & repeated in the open street

... beleives yt the good name & repute of the arte Christian Needam is much lessened & impaired & she very much injured & wronged by reason of speakeing the words...

Jane wife of William Robinson, York, labourer

... abt the latter end of May last pst... she this dept being sett at her owne doore on Peasome Green aforesaid di heare & see the arte Ann Harland & Christian Needam scoulding together in the open street when & where she heard the sd Ann Harland call the sd Christian Needam whore several times & further said yt she was Potticar's meat & Sherriffe's meate and an ill lickt? bitch with several other base & scandalous words [& repeated etc]... in the open street abt the middle of the afternoon...

[2]

Sarah wife of Thomas Gower, Oldworke, York, tailor (no date)

...this dept is very well acquainted with the arte Jane Robinson and she sayes that she very well knows the sd she is much at varience & enmity with the arte Ann Harland & has a pfect malice & hatred agt her for that she has often declared to this dept since this suite begun that after it was ended she wo'd begin with her & her husband & presente them in the spirituall courts - And that she verily beleives that she the sd Jane Robinson encourages the prosecution of this suite and that she told this dept that the aforesaid Mr Taylor wo'd vindicate [vindisate? windisate?] the arte Christian Needham in this suite till he was worth a groat...

... this dept advised the arte Jane Robinson some time before she was produced as a witnes in this cause to be carefull of what she swore & to consider the nature of an oath, to wch she replyed that she beleived that the sd Harland & her husband wo'd hang her the sd Jane robinson if it lay in their power soe that this dept needed not trouble herselfe about what she wo'd sweare in this suite and she beleives yt she then meant that she wod doe them a prejudice if it was in her power...

Hannah Richardson, York, spinster (no date)

...this dept has been acquainted with the arte Jane Robinson for about these nine or ten yeares last past & she sayes that she was & is a very bad woman of noe repute or credit and of a most scandalous lewd life and conversacon~ & that she verily beleives that she might be easily prevailed with to depose an untruth in this cause for that she is an utter enemby & beares an entire hatred & malice to the said Ann Harland & this dept has heard her owne & declare soe much and that if the sd Ann Harland or her husband's life lay in her power she wo'd have noe more mercy on them then of a dog or a catt, and that she has often heard her declare that if she could doe them any prejudice by any meanes whatsoever it shod~ not bee awanting neither by night nor by day And this dept is the better enable thus to depose for if she is very intimate with the said Jane Robinson & has lodged in her house for neare twelve months together ended about two or three yeares agoe and knows her to be a very scandalous and lewd woman and verily beleives that noe credit ought to be given to her sayings and deposions pticularly in this cause...

... she knows the arte Christian Needham to be a poore servt. & that she is not able to manage & carry on this suite at her owne charge & that she verily beleives that the arte Mr Taylor does encourage & espouse the said cause...

[added in margin] + that she [Robinson] has been guilty of filching & stealeing & pticularly when the Great Fire happened in Yorke. She the sd Jane Robinson brought into her house diverse sorts of goods in a box and other things & that her house was afterwards searched for the same & this dept see her take severall things out of the sd bos & when they came to search her sd house she desired this dept to helpe her to conseale them

Maria Straker, York, widow?

... she this dept has known the arte Jane Robinson for abt these eight yeares last past and she sayes that she is a woman of very bad life & conversacon~ and of a scandalous repute & noe credit amongst her neighbours and a profest enemy to the arte Harlands And this dept very well knows that the sd Robinson beares a pfect malice & hatred to the sd Harlands & yt she has heard her declare that she wod doe them all the diskindnes & prejudice that ever lay in her power and that she has often heard her curse & threaten the sd Harlands without any provocacon~ that this dept knows off... the sd Jane Robinson is a most wicked & debauched woman and keeps a most scandalous house And that she verily beleives in her conscience that noe credit ought to be given to her sayings & deposicons in this cause

... some time since this suite begun shee heard the sd Mr Taylor say & declare that he would vindicate [I think] her the sd Needham agt the arte harland if it cost him an hundred pounds & that he wod be wreng'd?, of them the arte Harland & his wife and wo'd winne em if it cost him an hundred pounds...

Margaret wife of John Newhome, Peasom-green, York, cloth weaver

... the are Jane Robinson was & is a pson of very bad life and conversacon~ and of very meane credit and scandalous repute amongst her neighbours And as this dept verily beleives she is such an one as may easily be prevailed with for profit and advantage to swear an untruth in this or any other cause, And she further saith that the arte Ann Harland and the said Jane Robinson keepe a cupp of ale pease? together & that the sd Jane Robinson is an utter enemy to the sd Harland & her husband and has in this depts presence in the open street publickly declared since the beginning of this wuit that she wo'd not stick to forsweare her selfe in this cause & that if she was never forsworne before yett she wo'd not scruple to forsweare herselfe in this cause to doe the arte Ann Harland & her husband a prejudice and injury, and this dept being acquainted with the sd Jane Robinson for these fourteen yeares last past is more certaine of what is by her predeposed and has very good reasons soe to depose for that the sd Jane Robinson is most scandalous and lewd in her conversacon & keeps a most scandalous house, and has been often before the sd Major of York for severall scandalous and lewd debauch'd practices comitt in her sd house... she really beleives that noe credit ought to be given to her the sd Jane Robinson's sayings & deposicons~ in this cause...

... Mr Taylor has an extraordinary kindnes for the arte Christian Needham and did & does give direccons~ for the prosecucon~ of this suite and does manage & espouse the same as tho it was his owne and this dept ahs very good reason to beleive that he does pay or has promised to pay [the costs]... for that she has heard the arte Christian Needham give out in speeches & declare that the said Mr Taylor would vindicate her in this suite tho it cost him an hundred pounds...

[3]

Thomas Joy, York, linen-weaver

[has known Francis Taylor gent abt 45 years & Jane wife of William Robinson ever since she was a child, they were and are persons of good life & conversation, good credit & repute amongst their neighbours etc, wd not forswear themselves]

... the arte Margaret the wife of John Newham is a distracted person & sometimes kept up in the house of correction as such & that the arte Mary Shake has been comonly held & reputed amongst her neighbors to have had two bastards and that they the said Margaret the wife of John Newham & Mary Shaker are psons of very bad life & conversacon & of little or no credit amongst their neighbours.... might easily be prevailed with to swear an untruth...

Thomas Fleming, York, merchant-taylor

[has know Mr Francis Taylor & Jane Robinson 17 yrs, they are psons of good life & conversation, good credit & repute, wd not forswear themselves or depose an untruth]

Robert Newham, York, clothier

... this dept has knowne the arte Mr Francis Taylor & Jane the wife of Willm Robinson for about these twenty years last past, and he says and deposeth that they the sd Mr Taylor & Jane Robinson are psons of very good life & conversation of good credit & repute amongst their neighbours & for & as such are comonly~ held & reputed... where they live. And this dept beleives are psons that would not forswear themsleves or depose an untruth in this or any other cause...

... the arte Margaret the wife of John Newham is a distracted pson, and one who is kept up as such sometimes in the house of correction and that the said Margaret Newham & Mary Straker are psons of very bad life & conversation of little or no credit amongst their neighbours; & psons which int his dept's judgment might be rpevailed withall to depose an untruth in this or any other cause for that the sd Mary Shaker is comonly held & reputed to have had two bastard children...

John Hemingway, York, [clerk?]

..[has known Mr Taylor & Jane Robinson over 20 yrs, good life, conversation, of good credit & repute, wd not forswear themselves]

..[Margaret Newham is a distracted person, has been put in the house of correction as such, she & Jane Shaker are persons of very bad life, no credit, Mary Shaker is commonly reputed to have had two bastards, they might easily be persuaded to depose an untruth...]

[4]

George Rogers, York, glover

[has known Hannah Richardson abt 5 yrs, when she lived with this dept in his house for nearly 12 months, says that she is a very honest lawfull and industrious woman, honestly & civilly behave, of good & quiet life, good credit amongst her neighbours, would not be prevailed with to swear an untruth]

Anthony Brathwaite, York, gent

[has lived in the same house with Sarah Gower above three years last past, she was & is a very honest woman, good life, of good credit etc wd not depose an untruth etc]

Thomas Riveley, York, tailor

... this dept has known the arte Margaret Newham these twenty yeares last past and he sayes that for all the said time she has been and is a very honest credible woman of good life and conversacon, and yt within these five yeares alst past she has sometimes been disordered and somewhat distracted by fitts with troubles & vexacon, but when she's out of such fitts she is very sensible & capable and he sayes that she is a woman very well respected and beloved amongst her neighbours and always (except at such times when she's troubled in mind) behaves herself very civilly with a great deale of respect amongst her sd neighbours... [cd not be persuaded to depose an untruth; also knows Hannah Richardson Mary Straker & Sarah Gower - all very honest women for anythin he knows to the contrary]

James Blackbeard, York, pharmacapola?

[Mary Straker has wrought? at his house for the last 3 or 4 years, very honest laborious woman, carries herself very civilly, never wronged this dept that he knows of, wd not depose an untruth etc]