Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Mary wife of Thomas Spragg v. Catherine Crooke

Reference: CP.H.5008A

Related cases: CP.H.5008

Year: 1685

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: female

Defamatory words:

she was a painted whore, painted drabb, painted chade, and painted bitch

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)

H5008A

Anne Playforth, York, spinster (no date)

... on a Saturday a little before Shrove tyde last past this exte being in her master Thomas Spraggs shopp in Jubbergate within the parish of All Saints in the pavemt ... heard the arte Catherine Crooke being in her husband's shopp in the same streete... opposite tot he sd Thomas Spragg's call the arte Mary Spragg a painted whore, painted drabb painted bitch and colly-whore, and painted chade, and bid her get her gone in for she had the marke in forehead...

Oliver Aram, York, currier

... on the Saturday next before fastnes even last past to this extes best remembrance this exte being standing in or neare his owne doore stead in Jubbergate, heard the arte Cathering Crooke (being in her husband's shopp in Jubbergate...) call the arte Mary Spragg (whoe was then in husbands shopp over the way) a brasen faced whore, a painted whore and a painted bitch, with severall other abusive language...

Jane wife of John Bayley, York, labourer

... on the Saturday immediatly before fastnes even last past... this exte being in Thomas Spraggs shopp in Jubbergate together with Mary Spragg arte, and the sd Tho Spraggs man, and maid, sevts, heard the arte Catherine Crooke (then in her husband's shopp over the way in All Sts parish arte) call the said mary Spragg painted whore, painted chade, painted bitch, painted drabb and severall other very ill names in the presence of the persons above named, and Oliver Arams wife & Cicilley Straker...

Cicilley wife of John Straker, York, tailor

... on Saturday next before Fastnes Even... this exte being in her owne chamber window the very next house to Tho: Spraggs in Jubbegate, heard the arte Catherine Crooke call the arte Mary Spragg, painted whore, painted bitch & painted drabb, with severall such like unseemly expressions, the sd Crooke & Spragg being both of them in their respective husbands shopps, being one opposite to the other in Jubbergate....