Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Jane Tyerman widow v. John Fetherston

Reference: CP.H.2473

Related cases: CP.H.4965

Year: 1664

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: male

Defamatory words:

whoore, damned whoore, Queane, dissembling Queane, Witch, lyer and Bitch

Tagged: whore, witch

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)

H2473

Anna Shapton, St Olaves, York, 24 yrs, spr

...servant to... Jane Tyreman for the space of five yeares last past & more & lived in house with her all the same time and hath knowne her ever since [she]... can remember...[20+ years] during wch time the said Jane Tyreman hath beene & is a woman of good name & fame & of honest life & conversacon~ and never detected or arrested of any notorious Crime that this exte~ ever knew or heard of....

... that upon or about Midsumer~ day last past... she this exte~ being in her dames house situate in St Mary gate within the pish ante~ did heare ... John ffetherston a linnen weaver by trade being working in his shopp next adioyning to the house of... Jane Tyreman call... Jane Tyreman Damned whoore dissembling Bitch dissembling whoore and Witch with many other undecent words wch this exte~ cannot now remember but did not see... John ffetherston when he spoke ye words... there being a wall betwixt them but is certaine to depose that he uttered them, knowing well his voice, but this exte cannot depose whether any were by & present and heard... John ffetherston utter the words... or noe...

...upon St Peter day last past this exte~ standing at Ellen Harpers doore situate in St Mary gate... when & where... Jne Tyreman was passing by, did heare & see... John ffetherston being sett upon a Clogg lying at his owne gate say here comes the dissembling Witch meaning [as Shapton conceives] ... Jane Tyreman she being then going a long the way nigh him...

...[to her knowledge, Fetherston has lived in St Mary gate since Lady day last Lent, keeping a house & family; Tyreman is aunt to Shapton/Shapton's mother]

Judith Harper, St Olaves York, spr, 19yrs

...Jane Tyreman is nigh neighbor to this exte~ living in St Mary gate within ye pish of St Olives and soe hath beene since Lady day last past during wch time the said Jane Tyreman hath demeaned herselfe very civilly & orderly ... & hath during the same time beene comonly~ accompted reputed & taken to be a woman of good name & fame & of honest life and conversacon~ [never any crime]....

...that upon or about St Peter day last past... she this exte~ being situate in St Mary gate and... John ffetherston sitting upon a Clogg neare her owne doore to ye streete & not far from whence this exte~ stood, ... Jane Tyreman being going nigh them to her owne house adioyning to... John ffetherston house, she this exte~ did heare ... John ffetherston say Woe worth that ugly face of thine speaking to & meaning.. Jane Tyreman...

[Fetherston has lived there for about 12 months]

Francis Brice

[a short deposition I can't read...]

Margaret Taylor, wife of Richard Taylor, St Olaves, basket maker, 50 yrs

[Tyreman is her neighbour, for the last 3 months, has been of good name etc during that time]

[Fetherston has lived in St Olaves parish for the last 2 years, keeping a house and family]

Richard Taylor, St Olaves, basket maker, 45 yrs

[has known Tyreman 20 yrs, a woman of good name etc]

...he this exte never heard... John ffetherston speake any of the words... to or against... Jane Tyreman or any words to the like effect or any other opprobrious scandalous or diffamatory words...

[Fetherston in St Olaves 2 or 3 yrs, has a house and family there, is a close neighbour to Taylor]

Ellen Harper, St Olaves, widow?, 55 yrs

[Tyreman good name etc; Fetherston lives in the parish]