Reference: CP.H.4271
Year: 1691
Plaintiff: female
Defendant: female
Defamatory words:
she was a whore, an impudent whore a brazen fact whore and a common whore
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:
... about three weekes after Martinmas last past... Grace Tennant came to this extes house scituate in St Martin's Lane... and then and there begun to abuse the arte Mary Sugden spr then present in a very rudely and then called her whore, brazen faced whore, impudent whore & comon~ whore; and did then alsoe reiterate & speake severall other scandalous and diffamatory words to of and against the sd Mary Sugden in the presence & heareing of this exte her contests Mary Wormwell & Isabell Tidgewell who did or might have heard...
... in this extes opinion & as she really beleives the good name & reputacon~ of the sd Mary Sugden is much lessened & impaired by the speaking of the sd words... and that she is less esteemed & looked upon by reason thereof...
... about a month after Martinmas last past... this exte was at the house of her precontests Usula Green scituate in St Martins Lane... when & where she heard the arte Grace Tennant call the arte Mary Sugden then present whore & brazen faced whore & further said yt she was an impudent comon~ whore wch words with severall other scandalous and diffamatory words she the sd Grace Tennant di then and the [sic] repeate diverse times over in the presence of this exte... Ursula Green and... Mary Wormwell...
... [verily believes that Mary Sugden is much injured, her credit lessened and impaired by the words]
...about three weeks after Martinmas last past... she this exte was at the house of ... Ursula Green scituate in St Martins Lane... when the arte Grace Tennant came into the said house and she sayes yt the sd Grace Tennant did then & there abuse the sd Mary Sugden then present after a very rude manner, & did call her whore brazen faced whore and comon~ whore,... [several other words, repeated in front of the witnesses]
...[believes Mary is much injured in her reputation and credit by the words] and that she has been disappointed & hindred of severall good places or services by reason thereof...