Reference: CP.H.4325
Year: 1693
Plaintiff: female
Defendant: female
Defamatory words:
she was a whore a hott arsed whore a Bitch a Jade a Quean & a hott arsed Bitch and a hott arsed Jade
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:
... that in the month of August last, in the parish of St Olives ..., Grace Horner ... sitting at the doore of her owne house situate in the parish aforesaid over against the house where ... Jane Morrett did then as yet shee does live, ... then, also sitting at her owne doore ... Grace Horner in an angry scolding and malitious manner said and declared that ... Jane Morrett was a hott arsed Bitch and that [Wynne]... was one of her rogues meaning as [he]... did then understand that Jane Morrett and [he]... had committed the crime of ffornicacion or Adultery together, which words and other opprobrious & defamatory words ... Grace Horner uttered and spoke in the presence of [Wynne and Morrett]..., and in the presence & hearing of severall other persons whose name [he]... knows not by reason it was then Dark.
... that in [his]... judgment and as hee verily believes, the ffame, good name and opinion of ... Jane Morrett is very much injured hurt & impaired, amongst sober and good persons who had formerly a very good opinion of her by reason of speaking of the said scandalous words.
... that in the moneth of May last or thereabouts hee ... heard ... Grace Horner -, (who was then in her owne house, in St Mary gate over against the said Jane Morretts house,) say and report, in an angry passionate and scolding manner, that ... Jane Morrett was a brazen faced impudent whore, and divers other scandalous and defamatory words, which she then spoke of & agt ... Jane & repeated in the presence of [Wharton]..., and in the presence of ... Grace Horners son and daughter ...the said Grace Horner hath since often repeated the said words, with divers other scandalous & diffamatory words of & against ... Morrett, in the presence of [Wharton]... & divers other credible witnesses...
...that since the speaking of the words hee ... heard the said Grace Horner, divers and sundry times ( in the absence of the said Jane Morrett) repeate the said words, and owne that she had spoken such words with divers other opprobrious, scandalous & diffamatory words which shee ... often repeated against the said Jane Morrett in the presence of [Wharton] & divers other credible witnesses
... that in [his] opinion the said Jane Morrets good name and reputation is much hurt injured and impared by reason of the speaking of the said words, and especially [he] believes that the speaking of the said words may do her ... an injury (being a young woman) in respect of her preferment in marriage