MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Iuly.
Katherine Cawches, the Mother.
Guillemine Gilbert, the daughter.
Perrotine Massey, the other daughter.
An Infant, the sonne of Perrotine.

But before I come to the purpose of this storie, it shalbe necessary, for the better explanyng of the matter, to begin firste with the circumstaunces, whereupon the firste Originall and occasion did rise of this tragicall cruelltie. The case was this.HERE

The xxvij. day of May, an. 1556. in the Isle of Garnsey, which is a member of England, in a town there called S. Peters port, was a noughty womā named Vincent Gosset, who beyng euill disposed, went (the daie aforesaide) to the howse of one Nicholas le Conronney, dwelling in the towne of the saide S. Peters Port, about x. of the clock at night, and there taking the key of the house (liyng vnder the doore) entred into a chamber toward the streete, where she espiyng a Cup of Siluer within a Cupbord, tooke it awaie, and so conueied her selfe out of the house againe. MarginaliaThe first occasion of the trouble of these women.Who immediatlie after this fact done, (whether by counsell or by what occasiō els, I haue not to say) brought the sayd cup to one Perotine Massey, an honest woman, dwellyng in the saide towne, desiring her to lend her. vi. d. vpon the same.

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Perrotine seing the cup or goblet, and suspecting (as truth was) the same to be stollen, aunswered that shee would not take it: yet neuerthelesse hauing knowledge of the owner thereof, tooke it, to restore it againe to whom it did appertaine, and to the ende she should not cary it to an other, gaue her then presently vi. d. Where moreouer is to bee noted, that Thomas Effart saithe and testifieth,  

that knowledge was giuen by the sayde Perrotine to Conronney touchyng the stealyng of hys peece, who eftesones vpon the missyng thereof attached the said Vincent Gosset, of the trespasse. Who beeyng apprehended and examined vpon the same, immediatly confessed the fact, desiryng to haue one sent with her (whiche was Collas de Loutre) with vi. d. to fetche againe the goblet, where it was: And so did.

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The next daie folowyng, the kynges officers beyng informed of the premisses by one MarginaliaNicholas Cary Constable, accuser.Nicolas Cary of the sayd towne Constable, assembled the Iustices there, to inquire and examine further, as well vpon that fact of Vincent Gosset, as vppon other griefes and thynges there amisse. So that after declaration made by the officers and the Constable before the Iustice, for that the said Constable did report to haue found certeine vessel of Peuter in the house of the foresaid Perotine Massey (who then dwelt with her mother Katherine Cawches, and her Sister Guillemine Guilbert) the whiche vessell did beare no marke, and especially for that there was a Peuter dish, wherof the name was scraped out, their bodies vppon the same were attached, MarginaliaKatherine with her two daughters, imprisoned in þ^e Castel.and put in prison, and their moueable goodes taken by Inuentory. Within a fewe daies after these thinges doone and past, these three sely women abidyng thus in duraunce in the Castle, made their supplication to the Iustices to haue iustice ministred vnto them, videlicet: If they had offended the Law, then to let them haue the law: if not, beseechyng to graunt them the benefite of Subiectes. &c. Which supplication put vp, therupō were they appoincted to come to their aunswere the fifte daye of Iune, in the yeare aforesaide. Vpon whiche daie, after straight examinyng of the matter, and the honest aunswering of the cause by the said good women, MarginaliaKatherin with her two daughters, stand to þ^e iudgement of their neighbours.at the last they submitted them to the report of their neighbours, that they were no theeues, nor euill disposed persones, but liued truelie and honestlie, as became Christian women to do, the false and vntrue reporte of their accusers notwithstandyng.

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So the cause beyng thus debated, after the inquirie made by the kinges Officers, MarginaliaThe three women quit of theft and dishonestie.they were found by their sayd Neighbours not giltie of that they were charged with, but had liued alwaies as honest women among them: sauyng only that to the commaundements of holy Church, they had not bene obedient. &c. Vppon this triall, and verdite of the neighbours, it was in fine adiudged, firste that the saide Vincent Gosset, beeyng atteinted of fellony and condemned for the same shoulde be whipped, and after her eare being nayled to the Pillory should so be banished out of the Isle without further punishment. MarginaliaNew trouble agaynst the thre women, for not comming to the Church.And as touching the other three women, the mother with her two daughters, for their not commyng to the Church, they were returned prisoners againe into the Castle the first of Iuly. And thus farre concernyng the true discourse of this matter, with all

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the circumstaunces and appurtenance of the same in euery poynt as the case stoode, according to the faithfull tenour and testimony of the Garnsey men written with their owne hands both in French and English toung.  

Wherein you see what false surmised matter was pretended against these women, and nothing proued, and howe by the attestation of their neighbours they were fullie clered of that fact, and shoulde by the temporall Court haue bene dismissed, had not the spiritual Clergy men picking matter of religion against them, exercised suche extremitie in persecuting these miserable prisoners, that in no case they coulde escape their bloudye hands, till at length they had brought them (as you shal heare) to their finall end. For after the time of this declaration aboue mentioned made by the neighbours, wherby they were purged of all other thinges, & beyng then knowen of their not commyng to the Church, the Bailiffes Lieutenaunt and the Iustice, thinking the matter not to pertein to them, but to the Clergy, forthwith wrote their Letters or Mandate vnder their signes to the Deane, whose name was MarginaliaIaques Amye Deane of Garnesey, persecutor.Iaques Amye, and Curates of the said Isle: The contentes whereof here foloweth.

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MAster Deane, and Iustices in your Court and iurisdiction, after all amiable recommendations, pleaseth you to knowe that we are informed by the deposition of certain honest men, past before vs in maner of an inquiry: in the which inquiry Katherine Cawches and her two daughters haue submitted themselues in a certaine matter criminal. Wherin we be informed that thei haue bene disobedient to the commaundementes, and ordinances of the Churche, in contemnyng and forsakyng the Masse and the ordinaunces of the same, againste the will and commaundement of our soueraigne Lorde the Kyng and the Queene. Wherof we sende you the said matter, for asmuch as the matter is spirituall, to the end you may procede therin after your good discretions, and as briefly as you can possible, and also that it perteined to your office, recommendyng you to God, the whiche geue you grace to do that pertaineth to right and iustice. Writtē the first day of the moneth of Iuly, the yeare of our Lord. 1556.

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After these letters, and information thus addressed to Iaques Amy Deane, & to other of the Clergie, the said women were againe commensed before the Iustice aforesaid with his assistances. In the presence of whom they beyng examined of their faithe, concernyng the ordinances of the Romish Church, made their aunswere that they would obey and keepe the ordinaunces of the King & Quene, & the commaundements of the Church, notwithstandyng that they had sayd and done the contrary in the tyme of kyng Edward the vi. in shewyng obedience to his ordinances and commaundements before. After which aunswere taken, they were retourned again to prison, vntil the other had an answere of their letter from the Deane & his complices. MarginaliaRash information geuen, before the cause was heard.Duryng which tyme, the Deane and Curates gaue their information touching the said women, and deliuered the same to the Bailife and Iurates, condemning and reputing them for heretickes, the women neither hearing of any information, neither yet being euer examined at any time before of their faith and Religion. Whereupon when the saied Bailife and Iurates vnderstoode that the saied Deane and Curates had not examined the women of their faith, would not sit in iudgement on that day, but ordained the women to come first before the Dean and Curates to be examined of their faith. MarginaliaKatherine Cawches, Perrotine Massey, Guillemine Guilbert, examined before the Deane and his fellowes.And so the officers at the commaundement of the Iustices, did fetche and present them before the said Deane and Curates. The whiche beyng accomplished and doone, they were examined a parte seuerally one from an other: After whiche examination thei incontinently were retourned againe into prison.

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Then the xiiij. day of the said moneth of Iuly, in the yeare aforesaid, after the examination aboue specified before MarginaliaThe names of the persecutors which satte vpō the death of the three women.Elyer Gosselin Bailife, in the presence of Thomas Deuicke, Pierres Martine, Nicolas Cary, Iohn Blondel, Nicolas de Lisle, Iohn Lauerchaunt, Iohn le Feuer, Pierres Bonnamy, Nicolas Martin, Iohn de le March Iurates,  

Syr Iacques Amy Deane, and the Curates, did deliuer before þ^e Iustice vnder þ^e seale of the Deane, and vnder the signes of the Curates, a

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