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Confesseth and saith that upon Monday last he was in the house of Abraham Hanson of Rochdale the younger alehousekeeper in company with Ralph Strongfellow and the stranger aforesaid helping the said Strongfellow to exchange a piece of cloth for some Irish wool, but denieth that he stayed in the room where they were drinking longer than they did, or that he took any sheet from thence or saw any there.
Informeth upon oath and saith that upon Monday last there was drinking in a chamber in husband's house Ralph Strongfellow of Rochdale yeoman together with a stranger which came thither to sell wool and one Richard Birch of Rochdale labourer was in their company and that she saw the said stranger come down again with Ralph Strongfellow after him and the said Richard Birch stayed a little behind them in the said chamber alone and presently this examinate going into the said chamber she found the bed there all ruffled and looking into it she missed one of the sheets: and further this examinate saith that when that company went up the sheet was there, and that she missed the said sheet as soon as the said Birch came down and that she hath only the said Birch in suspicion for stealing the said sheet and no other.