Deposition 1
Thomas Bedill of St Cross near Newport,
butcher, where he has lived for
30 years, age 55. He says he knows the litigant parties well.
To 1 he refers himself to the law.
To 2 he deposes and says that
between Michaelmas and Christmas last (he recalls and otherwise cannot recall the time), this deponent upon a Wednesday
in the morning about lecture time, coming from his house towards the church to the lecture and
having his man keeping
his shop
in the town of Newport, when he was almost at
his shop espied both the said Margaret Read and the said Richard Lace
departing from
his shop without buying any meat viz. Lace first, and Margaret afterwards. This deponent asked the reason of his servant who answered
they would not give to the value. Within a while after either of them had further viewed the market, first the said Margaret returned to
this deponent's said shop
and demanded of William Farnam,
his servant aforesaid, whether she should have the quarter of mutton for the price she had before offered to him (this deponent
then being at
his shop)No, said 'You shall and you will' said Farnam, 'you know the price thereof'. 'Then cut it out', said she, whereupon the said
Farnam was cleaving of it out. And as he was so doing, the said Lace also returned and asked whether he should have the half sheep. Farnam answered, 'I have sold
a quarter of it to the maid here'. 'No', said Lace, 'she shall not have it, I have bought it'. Whereupon some words increased between the said Richard Lace and Margaret Read, amongst
which this deponent well remembers that in heat he heard the said Lace in his heat and haste speak these words in effect to the said Margaret viz:
'Thow art a
shitten whore and an
arrant whore' or to the said effect and this deponent hearing the
said speeches and their brabbling, there went from
his shop and left them there a wording. [This] he deposes and otherwise knows nothing.
To 3 he knows nothing.
To 4 he says it is true.
To 5 he refers himself to the law.
To the final he says that what he has deposed is true.
Interrogatories
To 1 he responds that he was born in East Hampstead in Berkshire and
was seized
at £13 in goods in the last subsidy book. and the rest he has already satisfied in his deposition.
To 2 and 3 he responds as to Article 2 of the libel and otherwise he knows nothing.
To 4 he knows nothing.
To 5 and 6 he responds no.
To 7 he responds that he wishes victory to the parties equally.
To 8, 9 and 10, he responds no.
To 11 and 13 he responds that after those speeches which the said Lace uttered against
the said Margaret, she called him 'shittin cap' and otherwise he responds no.
To 12 he responds no.
To 14 he responds no.
By me, Thomas Bedill
Deposition 2
12 March ^1585^
William Farnham of Newport,
butcher, where he has lived for five years, born in Corscombe in the county of Dorset,
age 23. He says he knows the litigant parties well.
To 1 he refers himself to the law.
To 2 he deposes and says that upon a Wednesday about three weeks
before Christmas last he recalls and otherwise cannot recall the time, this deponent
being in
the shop of Thomas Bediall, his Mr, in Newport to sell flesh, the said
Lace came into
the shop to buy two hind quarters of mutton. And after he had agreed with this deponent
to have the same, he went further into the market, not paying this deponent for that mutton. In the meanwhile, the said Margaret Lace Read came to
the said shop and would have bought one of those hind quarters and as this deponent was
cleaving of it out the said Lace
returned back again to
the shop, to whom this deponent said, 'Goodman Lace, Migg must
have one of these quarters'. He answered that she should not. She said she would if this deponent would let her have it. Hereupon Lace grew into a great heat and rage and uttered these
words in effect to her, the said Margaret Lace viz: 'Thow art an
arrant whore'. And those words the said Lace iterated to her once or twice more,
in such vehemency as besides the words, he was likely also to have struck the said Margaret with one of the quarters of mutton if this deponent had not stayed him to the contrary.
At the premises was present, leaning against
the shop bulk, Thomas Bedill aforesaid. And otherwise he knows nothing.
To Article 3 he knows nothing.
To 4 he deposes that the said Lace dwells at the Cowes in the Isle of Wight and otherwise he knows nothing.
To 5 he refers himself to the law.
To the final he says that what he has deposed is true.
Interrogatories
To 1 he responds that he has already satisfied this in the beginning of his deposition.
To 2 and 3 he responds that he has already satisfied this in what he has already deposed.
To 4 he cannot answer.
To 5 and 6 he responds no.
To 7 he responds that he wishes victory to either party.
To 8, 9 and 10 he responds no.
To 11 he responds that the said he is very certain of it that the said Margaret Read did not at that time in this depo use
any opprobrious or malapart speeches to the said Lace, before such time as the said Lace told her that she was an
arrant whore.
To 12 he responds that some idle flying speeches he this respondent has heard to the effect, but precisely of whom he heard any such
report, or how true the report is, this respondent cannot tell. And otherwise he knows nothing.
To 12 he responds that Emmanuel Barker before
Michaelmas last told this respondent that he was
with
the said Margaret Read in the little parlour at Mres in her Mistress' house in the
night time and otherwise he knows nothing.
To 13 and 14 that after the said Lace had called the said Margaret
arrant whore, she
replied unto him immediately and said she he was a shitten caper and further she told
him to this effect: 'You have the world at will, now you have little hell at Cowes', whereto Lace awnswered 'I would
thow should know it, we have as honest women there as thow or thy great grandmother' and responds that otherise he knows nothing.
William Farnam
