7b. Eleanor verch Howell defames Maud Langford (countersuit)
Examinations of witnesses concerning a counter cause of defamation arising from a conflict between Eleanor verch Howell and Maude (Matilda) Langford. It provides more evidence on the events in which Eleanor accuses Maud of sending her husband to kill Eleanor's master. It also adds accounts of events at the well in Brierly where the two women were doing laundry.
People
f. 310v
16th day of February 1599
Francis Beuans
Examinations of the witness on the part and behalf of Maud[1] Langford against Elinore verch Howell in a cause of defamation, upon the libel.
John Hurt, husbandman, of the parish of Hope Under Dinmore in the county of Hereford, aged twenty years or thereabouts. The witness, produced, sworn, and examined, says and deposes as follows.
[1]Matilda is commonly shortened to Maud. It is clear from what follows that this is Maud Langford.
Transcript
[Beginning near bottom of page]
xvj die
ffebruarij 1599
ffranciscus Beuans
Examinaciones testium ex parte et
per partem Matilde langford
contra Elinoram verch howell in Causa
diffamacionis super libello.
Iohannes Hurte parochie de hope subter dynmor in
Comitatu hereford husbandman ætatis xx annorum
aut eo circiter testis productusiuratus et
examinatus dicit et deponit vt sequitur.
f. 311r
To the first article he says the same is true.
To the second article he says that he believes the same is true.
To the fourth article he says and deposes that upon the morrow next after the Feast of Saint Peter the Apostle last past in the current year of our Lord 1599, this examinate going with the plaintiff, Maude Langford, into a field near Brierly in Leominster parish articulate, met with the articulate Elinor verch Howell the defendant with Elinor verch Howell upon her approach unto the said Maude Langford and the examinate, did say unto the said Maude Langford as follows namely: “did you send your husband forth to kill my master,” and then the said Maude replied “thou liest like a Welsh whore, I sent not my husband to kill your master.” Whereupon the said Elinor verch Howell immediately answered and spoke to the said Maude Langford as follows: “If I am a Welsh whore, you are an English whore.” Which words were so spoken nobody being by but this examinate. And otherwise he knows nothing to depose.
To the last he says his depositions made above were and are true.
H
Francis Beuans
Joan Emonds, spinster, of the parish of Leominster 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 she says the same is true.
To the second article she says she refers to the laws articulate in that behalf.
To the third article she says and deposes that abouts harvest last past, the plaintiff, Maude Langford,
Transcript
Ad primum articulum dicit eundem esse verum.
Ad secundum articulum dicit quod credit eundem esse verum.
Ad quartum articulum dicit et deponit That vpon
the morowe next after the feast of saint
Peeter Thappostell last past in Anno domini
1599 iam currente This examinate happen going
with the plaintiff maude langford from into a field
neere brierly in leompster parishe articulate, met with
the articulate Elinor verch howell the defendant, wherevpon theire with Elinor verch howell vpon her
approche vnto the said maud langford and the
Examinate, did saie vnto the said maud langford
as followeth videlicet did you send your husbande
forth to kill my master, and then the said maude
replied thowe liest like a welshe hoore I
sent not my husband to kill thy master, And
wherevpon the said Elinor verch howell ymediatly
answered and spake to the said maude langford
as followeth if I am a welshe hoore you
are an englishe hoore. which wordes were soe
spoken noe body being by but this examinate
Et aliter nescit deponere.
Ad quartum dicit quod descit deponere.
Ad vltimum dicit predisposita sua fuisse et esse
vera etc.
H[1]
ffranciscus Beuans
Iohanna Emondes parochie de leompster
in Comitatu hereford spinster ætatis xx
annorum aut eo circiter testis producta iurata
et examinata dicit et deponit vt sequitur.
1. Ad primum articulum dicit eundem esse verum.
2. Ad secundum articulum dicit quod refert se ad
leges in ea parte articulatas.
3 Ad tertium articulum dicit et deponit That aboutes \harvest last past/xij weekes last past Thes plaintiff maude langford
[1] We read this signature mark optimistically as H for Hurt.
f. 311v
and this examinate being washing of clothes at a well in Brierley within the parish of Leominster articulate. The articulate, Elinor verch Howell, came unto them and upon occasion of some words passed between the said plaintiff and defendant, the said Elinor verch Howell did call the said Maude Langford whore, which words were so spoken in the presence of this examine and one Winifred Price. And otherwise she knows nothing to depose.
To the fourth she says that she believes that same is true.
To the last she says that her depositions made above were and are true.
X
Signed [by] Joan Emonds
20 February 1599
Winifred Price, spinster, of the parish of Leominster in the county of Hereford, aged forty years or thereabouts. The witness, produced, sworn, and examined, says and deposes as follows.
To the first article she says the same is true.
To the second article she says and deposes that she is verily persuaded that all those which do slander their neighbours maliciously are to be punished by the laws of the realm. And otherwise she knows nothing to depose.
To the third article she says and deposes that in the later end of harvest last past, the articulate Maude Langford and Elinor verch Howell, being washing at a well in Brierley
Transcript
and this Examinate being washing of
Clothes at a well in Brierley
within the parishe of leompster articulate
The articulate Elianor verch howell cam vnto
them, and offered to washe the displacthrust vpon occasion of some wordes
passed betwixt the said plaintiff and
defendant the said Elianor verch howell
did call the said maude langford hoore
which wordes were soe spoken in the presence
of this examinate and one wenefred
Price Et aliter nescit deponere.
Ad quartum dicit quod credit eundem
esse verum.
Ad vltimum dicit predeposita sua fuisse
et esse vera etc.
signatum Iohanne X Emonds[1]
xx ffebruarij
1599
wenefreda Price parochie de
Leompster in Comitatu hereford spinster
ætatis xl annorum aut eo circiter
testis producta iurata et examinata
dicit et deponit vt sequitur.
1 Ad primum articulum dicit eundem esse verum.
2 Ad secundum articulum dicit et deponit that
she is verely perswaded that all those which
doe sclaunder theire neighboures
malisiously are to be punished by the lawes
of the Realme. Et aliter nescit deponere.
Ad tertium articulum dicit et deponit That in the
later end of harvest last past The articulate
Maude langford and Elinor verch howell
being washing at a well in Brierley
[1] Evidently the X is the signature.
f. 312r
within the parish of Leominster articulate. It happened that the articulate Elinor verch Howell came there to wash where they both did fall out in words striving for the washing place, upon occasion whereof the said Maude Langford, speaking to the said Elinor verch Howell, uttered these words following that is: “it does not become thee like a Welsh jade to thou[1] me.” And then presently the said Elinor spoke as follows that is: “loose me the bucket, scurvy Welsh lady and a whore to then.” But this examinate says that she knows not whether she spoke these words of the said Maude Langford or her servant maid that then had hold of the bucket. All which words were spoken in the presence of this examinate [and] Joan Emonds. And otherwise she knows nothing to depose.
To the fourth she says she knows nothing to depose.
To the last she says that depositions made above were and are true etc.
[1] speak to me familiarly
Transcript
within the parishe of leompster articulate It happened
that the articulate Elinor verch howell cam thether
to washe where they bothe did fall out in wordes
striving for the washing place, vpon occacion whereof
the said maude langford speaking to the said
Elinor verch howell vttered these wordes following videlicet
it doeth not becom thee like a welshe Iade to
thowe[1] me. And then presently the said Elianer
spake as followeth videlicet loose me the Bucket
scurvie welshe Iade and a hoore to then
But this examinate saieth that she knoweth
not whether she spake these wordes of the
said maude langford or her servant maid
that then had hould of the Bucket. All which
wordes were spoken in the presence of this examinate
Iohan Emondes and somme Et aliter nescit deponere.
Ad quartum dicit quod nescit deponere.
Ad vltimum dicit predeposita fuisse et esse vera etc.
[1] cf. thouten: to adress sombody as "thou". Middle English Dictionary s.v. thouten.