4. William Caldoe defames Anne Freeman
Examinations of witnesses concerning a cause of defamation arising from William Caldoe's verbal abuse of his own wife by comparing her unchaste comportment to Anne Freeman's poor character, which he claims was so terrible that Anne's father had to bribe someone to marry her.
People
f. 205v
23rd day February 1598
Jacob Ballard
Examinations of the witnesses on the part of Anne Freeman against William Caldoe in a cause of defamation or insult follow. Upon the libel.
Mary Caldoe, wife of William Caldoe the younger of Luston, of the parish of Eye in the county of Hereford, aged thirty years or thereabouts. The witness, produced, sworn, and examined, says and deposes as follows, namely:
To the first article she says the same is true etc.
To the second she says that she refers to the laws.
To the third article she says and deposes that between the feast of All Saints and the Feast of Christmas last, the articulate, William Caldoe the Elder, falling into a rage for that his wife had tarried long at Kington's market upon a Wednesday, uttered these words following, namely: speaking of his wife he said, “she is taken up by my lord’s men and she is gone whoring with them as Wanklen’s former wife [who is now] Freeman’s wife did[1] (meaning the articulate, Anne Freeman) whose father was fame to give a score of sheep and a couple of cows to marry her again.” Which words the said William Caldoe the Elder did speak in his own house in Luston in the hearing of this examinate, at what time one Humphrey Hill being then very near unto this examinate did also hear the said words (as she is persuaded). And otherwise she knows nothing to depose.
To the fourth she says the same is true.
To the fifth she says the depositions made above are true etc.
The same [Mary Caldoe] examined upon the question administered on the part of Caldoe etc.
To the first question she deposes and says that she refers to her deposition above upon the libel. And otherwise knows not to depose.
To the second article or question she says that she hopes for victory in this cause for the one in the right, and that she has not been instructed nor informed what she should depose in this instance and with regard to the other contents in the said question, she refers to the deposition above etc.
M
[1] Heavy editing, please refer to original if necessary.
Transcript
xxij die ffebruarij
1598
Iacobus Ballard
Examinaciones testium ex parte Anne ffreeman contra Willelmum
Caldoe in causa diffamationis siue Convitij
sequuntur. Super libello.
Maria Caldoe vxor Willelmi Caldoe Iunior
de luston parochie de Ey in comitatu hereford
ætatis xxxta annorum aut eo in circiter.
testis producta iurata et examinata dicit et
deponit vt sequitur videlicet.
1. Ad primum articulum dicit eundem esse verum etc.
2. Ad 2 tertium dicit quod nescit deponeret \refert se ad leges/
3. Ad tertium articulum dicit et deponit That betwixt
the ffeaste of All Saintes and the feast of christmas
last This examinate The articulate william Caldoe
the elder falling into \a/ rage for that his wief had
taried longe at Kingtons market vppon a wensday
vttered these wordes following viz. speaking of
his wief he said she is taken vpp by my
lordes men and she is gonne a hooring as with
them as wanklens wief that was and ffremans
wief that is \ hath denne did meaning the articulate Anne Waucklen ffreman/ whose father was fame to giue a
score of sheepe and a couple of k<yne> to mary
her againe which wordes the said w<i>lliam Caldoe
the elder did speake in his hi owne howse in luston in
the hearing of this examinate, at what time one
humfrey hill being then verie neere vnto this
examinate did allsoe heare the said wordes (as she is
perswaded) Et aliter nescit deponere
Ad 4 articulum dicit eundem esse verum etc.
Ad 5 dicit predepositaesse vera etc.
Eadem examinata super Interrogatione ex parte
Caldoe ministrata etc.
1. Ad primum interrogationem deponit et dicit quod refert
se ad predeposita sua super libello Et aliter
nescit deponere.
2. Ad secundum articulum \siue Interrogationem/ dicit quod optat victoriam in hac
causa Ius habenti, et quod non est instructa
nec informata quid deponeret in hac instantia Et aliter et pro ceteris contentes in dicta pod Interrogatione
refert se ad predepositam etc.
M
f. 206r
Jacob Ballard
Humphrey Hill of the parish of Eye in the county of Hereford, aged twenty-nine years or thereabouts. The witness, produced, sworn, and examined, says and deposes as follows.
To the first article he says the same is true.
To the second he says that he refers to the articulate laws.
To the third article he says and deposes that between the feast of All Saints and the feast of Christmas last past (the time certain otherwise he now remembers not), the articulate, William Caldoe the Elder, being much offended with his wife for that she had made long tarriance at Kington market used many reproachful words towards her. And amongst those[1] speeches, this examinate did hear him speak these words following namely, speaking of his wife, he said, "She is taken up with my lord’s men and she is gone whoring with them as did Wanklen’s former wife [who is now] Freeman’s wife"[2] (meaning the articulate Anne Freeman) "whose father was fame to give a couple of cows and a score of sheep to marry her again," which words the said William Caldoe did speak in his own house in Luston, at what time one Mary Caldoe being near unto this examinate [at] the time and place aforesaid did hear the said words as he does believe. And otherwise he knows nothing to depose.
To the fourth he says the same is true.
To the fifth he says that his depositions made above were and are true.
The same [Humphrey] examined upon the questions administered on the part of Caldoe etc.
To the first he deposes and says that he refers to the deposition above etc.
Transcript
Iacobus Ballard
Humfredus Hill parochie de Ey in comitatu hereford
ætatis xix annorum aut eo in circiter. Testis
productus iuratus et examinatus dicit et deponit
vt sequitur.
1. Ad primum articulum dicit eundem esse verum
2. Ad secundum refert se ad leges articulatas.
3. Ad tertium articulum dicit et deponit That betwixt
the feast of all saintes last and the feast of christmas
last past the time certaine otherwise he nowe
remembreth not The articulate william Caldoe the
elder being much offended with his wief for that
she had made longe tarriaunce at Kington
market vsed may reprochfull wordes towardes her
And amongst them \speches/ this examinate did heare him
speak these wordes following viz. speaking of his
wief he said she is taken vpp with my lordes
men and she is gonne a hooring with them
as wanklens wief that was and ffremans wief
that is (meaning the articulate Anne \ffreeman/ wauc klens) did
whose father was fame to giue a Couple of
kyne and a score of sheepte to marry her againe
which wordes the said william Caldoe did speake
in his owne howse \in luston/ at what time one Mary
Caldoe being neere vnto this examinate di the
time and place aforesaid did heare the said
wordes as he doeth beleawe Et aliter nescit
deponere.
4. Ad 4 dicit eundem esse verum.
5. Ad 5 dicit predeposita sua fuisse et esse vera etc.
Idem examinatus super Interrogatione ex parte
Caldoe ministrata etc.
Ad primum dicit quod refert se ad predeposita etc.
f. 206v
To the second article or question he says that he desires victory in this cause at law to the one in the right, and that he has not been instructed nor informed what he should depose in this instance, and concerning other contents in the said interrogation/question he refers it to the aforesaid etc.
Signed [by] Humphrey Hill
Anna Flinsham of the parish of Eye in the county of Hereford, spinster, aged twenty-five years of thereabouts. The witness, produced, sworn, and examined, says and deposes as follows.
To the first article she says the same to be true.
To the second she says that she refers to the law.
To the fourth and fifth she says that she knows nothing to depose.
To the last she says that the depositions made above are true.
Jacob Ballard
William Jones of the city of Hereford in the county of Hereford, aged twenty years or thereabouts. The witness, produced, sworn, and examined, says and deposes as follows.
To the first article he says the same to be true.
To the second article he says that he refers to the articulate laws.
To the third he says that a little after harvest last, the articulate William Caldoe the Elder being offended for that his wife did tarry long at Kington upon that occasion uttered some words concerning his wife which in
Transcript
Ad secundum dicit quod optat victoriam in hac causa
Ius habenti, et dicit quod non est instructus nec
informatus quid deponeret in hac
instantia et pro ceteris contentes in dicta Interrogatione.
refert se ad predeposita etc.
Signa Humfredi Hill
Anna fflinsham parochie de Ey in
comitatu hereford spinster vbi moram fecit
ætatis xxv annorum aut eo circiter testis
producta iurata et examinata dicit et deponit
vt sequitur.
1. Ad primum articulum dicit eundem esse verum.
2. Ad 2 dicit refert se ad leges
articulatas.
Ad 4 et 5 dicit quod nescit deponere
Ad vltimam dicit predeposita esse vera etc.
Jacobus Ballard
Willelmus Iones de civitate hereford in
comitatu hereford ætatis xxi annorum aut
eo circiter. Testis productus iuratus et
examinatus dicit et deponit vt sequitur.
1. Ad primum articulum dicit eundem esse verum.
2. Ad 2 articulum dicit quod refert se ad predeposita
leges articulatas etc.
Ad tertium dicit that a little after harvest
last the articulate william Caldoe the elder
being offended for that his wief did tary
longe at kington \vppn that occacion/ vttered soimme wordes
concerning her vppo his wief which in
f. 207r
effect are these which follow, namely: the said William, speaking of his wife, said, “I think she will play Anne Wanklen, somebody must give me a score of sheep to take her home again as dairymaid Anne Wanklen’s father did give to her, the said Anne Wanklen’s husband, to take her home again.” By speaking of which words this examinate does verily persuade with himself in his conscience that the said William Caldoe the Elder did mean that the said Anne Wanklen and now Anne Freeman was a bad woman. And further he deposes that the said words were spoken in his, the said William Caldoe, his own house in Luston aforesaid in the presence of this examinate and John Caldoe. And otherwise he knows nothing to depose.
To the fourth he says that by speaking of the said words the credit and estimation of the said Anne Wanklen is much impaired and hurt. And that by reason thereof she is put to expenses and trouble. And otherwise he knows nothing to depose.
To the last he says that his depositions made above were and are true etc.
[Mark in lieu of signature]
Transcript
effect as \are these which/ followeth viz sp the said william speaking
of his wief said I thinke she will play
Anne wancklen, somme body must giue
me a score of sheepe to take her home againe
As dey w dey Anne wancklens father
did giue to her the said Anne wancklens
husband to take her home againe by speakyng
of which wordes this examinate doeth verily perswade
with himself in the his conscience that the said
\William Caldoe the elder did meane that the said/ Anne wancklen and nowe Ann ffreeman was
a bad wooman. Et vlterius deponit that the said
wordes were spoken in his ow the said William
Caldoe his owne howse in Luston aforesaid
in the presence of this examinate and Iohn Caldoe
Et aliter nescit deponere.
Ad 5 4 dicit eundem esse verum that by
speaking of the said wordes the Credit and
estimacion of the said Anne wancklen is much
impaired and hurt and that by reason there of
she is put to expences and trouble Et aliter
nescit deponere.
Ad vltimam dicit predeposita sua fuisse et esse
vera etc.
[Mark in lieu of signature]