Gender and Defamation in York 1660-1700

Anne wife of John Brittaine v. Robert Clarke

Reference: CP.H.2679

Year: 1665

Plaintiff: female

Defendant: male

Defamatory words:

thou art a whoore and I will prove the a whoore, and thou was a whoore in Ireland and thou makes thy husband meaning the aforesaid John Brittaine a Cuckold everie houre of the day

Tagged: cuckoldry, 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)

H2679

Dorrell? Fowler wife of Mark, York, baker, 24 yrs (7 Oct 1665)

...[good repute etc]

... upon or about Thursday next after Whitsun weeke lst past... she this exte liveinge in Walmgate... being in her owne house there did heare a noyse & great stirre in the streete and thereupon goeing out of doors with her child in her armes ... did see the arlate Robert Clarke & Anne Brittaine in the streete chiding together & ? the? said? skuffle? (as this exte remembers) the said Clarke did sitt him downe upon a clogge in the steete, and the said Anne Brittaine went & satt downe by him and thereupon the said Robert said to ye said Anne, what dost thou sitt soe nigh me for, I doe not love? to ?? a whore to sitt soe nigh? and for thou makes thy husband a cuckould every hower of the day there beinge present this exte her svant? & diverse other ...

Mark Fowler, York, baker

... [how long has known Brittaine, lawfully married, good fame etc]

... upon or about Thursday in Whitsun week last past he this exte was sittinge by the arlate Robert Clarke upon a clogge before the house of ? Myers in Walmgate... and the arlate Anne Brittaine came & satt her downe upon the same clogge betwixt this exte & the said Clark she the said Anne beinge facinge ? ? and the said Robert Clarke began to ? her ? her by the ? & ? her, and after a little while, did ? her ?, & gave her many evill words and amongst the rest he the said Robert Clarke said unto her the said Anne Brittaine, thou art an whore & makest thy husband ... a cuckould every hour of a day, gett the gone I doe not love the company of an whore intimating thereby (as this exte conceived) that the said Anne was adishonest woman of her bodye, & had comitted~ the crime of adultery with some man or other...

... by reason of speaking the said words predeposed the good repute & fame of the said Anne Brittaine is much hurt...

Theolysh? Beverley wife of William Beverley, York

...[Brittaine honest woman etc]

... on or about the ? of the last ?... she this exte then liveinge in Walmgate... as still she does and beinge there did heare a noise in the streete went forth with a child in her armes, did there see the arlate Robert Clarke & Anne Brittaine chidinge together and did then heare the said Clarke ? the said Anne Brittaine ? and say unto her, that she made her husband cuckould and thereupon the said Anne fell? upon? the said Robert Clarke....

Frances Stafford wife of Edward Stafford, York, button maker

....[married woman, honest woman, good fame etc]

...at the begininge of the last summer... this exte was sittinge by the arlate Robert Clark at his owne door in Walmegate... and the arlate Anne Brittaine came to them & satt her downe betwixt them, and speakinge to the said Clarke said thou coppernosed rogue Ile be revenged on the to which the saide Robert Clark replyed & saide unto her... thou art an whore & makes thy husband a cuckould whereupon this exte [and Theoly Beverley]... went theire wayes & left them chidinge in the street & many psons lookinge at them...