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George Aspinwall and this deponent have been man and wife these 30 years and upwards and she hath borne eleven children unto him and they lived together very comfortably and lovingly till about 5 or 6 years ago that he and Ellen Lunt became too familiarly acquainted together which hath occasioned much discord and discontent betwixt the deponent and her husband. It is the common report and opinion of that neighbourhood that George and Ellen have for these 5 or 6 years last past but especially within these three years last very frequently and often committed the crime of adultery together and they often times been seen and found solus in sola in very suspicious and private places apt for so foul a fact, as well in the night time as day whether in and about the house and out houses of George and other places. Though Ellen be a married wife and hath a husband and hath so had for these ten years or thereabouts last past yet they have not lived together for these 4 or 5 years last but he hath been a hired servant to Alice Aspinwall widow and constantly laid in his Dame's house and had no other constant habitation neither hath Ellen had any constant habitation for these two years last past but either in one alehouse or other or at George's house or where else he provided lodging and quarters for her. About three years ago she was delivered of one child and about half a year ago of another and George was and is commonly reputed and taken to be the father of them both and was at all the charges of her lying in both the times and of nursing the children and of burying them when they died and both George and Ellen have confessed that George was the father of her two children, and this deponent hath heard Ellen's husband say and affirm that he hath had no dealing or carnal knowledge of her these three years last. Ellen hath no other means or maintenance but what she hath from this deponent's husband... Her said husband hath many times especially of late forced her out of her house upon one occasion or other and often times very frivolous and when she hath been gone, hath sent for Ellen Lunt into the house to him and kept her there for some time.
Perceiving and observing George Aspinwall and Ellen, this deponent's wife, frequently to associate together in a very scandalous and suspicious manner and in suspected places and times for the committing the grievous sin of adultery or incontinence together, which was a great grief and continual vexation to him, and all the neighbours take great notice and did talk of such their uncivil and immodest and suspicious behaviour and upon the advice and persuasion of some of his neighbours and friends and for the reasons aforesaid this deponent after he found that he could not dissuade his wife from Aspinwall's company did about four years ago forsake his wife's company and betake himself to work and labour where he could get employment and hath ever since lived from her and is now and so hath been ever since Christmas last a hired servant in her house to Alice Aspinwall, widow, in Aughton. Since he left the company of his wife, she hath been delivered of two bastard children, viz. one about two years ago or something more and of an other about May day last past, and it is the common vote and repute of the country that George Aspinwall and no other was the true father of them both, and George was at her charge of her all the time of her lying in both times and of nursing the children, and likewise of burying them when they died and whereof he buried at Aughton Church and cost him 18d as this deponent hath heard. Since this deponent and his wife's parting she hath not had any maintenance at all from him nor any where else that he knows of but what she has had from Aspinwall. It is above three years and a half since he had any carnal dealing or knowledge of or with his wife... His wife hath confessed to him that she hath had several times both money and gold sometimes two or three pieces at a time from Aspinwall.