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For these... five years last past... you Mary Hatton have not upon Sundays and holy days as you ought to have done repaired to your parish church at Great Budworth and there heard divine service and performed other Christian duties, but have absented yourself thereupon and have been a cause why others have absented themselves from Church and profaned that day, and particularly you Mary Hatton upon Sunday the 14th day of November last past instigated, invited or caused to come to your father's house several persons to the number of ten or more were you and they misspent the day in drinking idle and vaine talking and other exercises not well becoming the company or that holy day, to the dishonour of God, profanance of his day, scandal to religion, evil example to others and danger of your own and their souls... You, Mary Hatton, in the month of December last past or thereabout upon the sabbath or Lord's day went to the house of Jane Ingham, an alehouse, in Grappenhall near the church in the town there where you with other company tarried all the service and sermon time and all or most of that afternoon drinking and tippling to the offence of others and danger of your own soul… A woman of lewd vicious and wicked life and conversation, as herein is and shall be more particularly deduced and for such one you within the parishes of Grappenhall and Great Budworth and elsewhere within the counties of Chester and Lancaster were and are commonly accounted, reputed and taken… Within the time in the next producent article mentioned you Mary Hatton was at the house of John Langshaw in Grappenhall in bed with two other young women and John Langshaw the younger of the age of twenty years or thereabouts was in another bed in the same room, and you went out of the bed where you lay as aforesaid to bed to the said John Langshaw the younger, and there lay with him (alone and naked) to the scandal of religion evil example to others and danger of your own soul… You Mary Hatton came upon the first day of May 1669 or thereabouts to the house of William Lawrenson of Appleton and invited his son Richard Lawrenson to an ale-house with you where you with him tarried till midnight or thereabouts and then you went home with Richard to his father's house and went into Richard's bed where he usually lay and invited him to come to bed to you though Lawrenson's house and your father's be within a quarter of a mile together… Within the time... you Mary Hatton have many and several times at least once invited John Hough to come to bed with you, but although he refused your wicked invitations yet hereby you expressed your lewd and lustful desires.
Do not you know or have heard that Mary Hatton in December last or thereabout upon the Sabbath or Lord's day was at the house of John Ingham, an alehouse in Grappenhall, near the church in the town there, and there carried during service time and sermon also, drinking and tippling?… Do not you know believe or have heard that Mary Hatton hath been and is of a vicious, lewd and wicked life and conversation, and for such one in the parishes of Grappenhall and Great Budworth commonly accounted, reputed and taken?… Do not you know or have heard that Mary Hatton at the house of John Langshaw in Grappenhall went out of bed there to John Langshaw the younger of the age of twenty years or thereabouts and lay with him?… Do not you know or have heard that Mary Hatton upon or about May Day 1669 came to the house of William Lawrenson in Appleton and enticed his son Richard Lawrenson to an alehouse with her and play'd him there till midnight or thereabouts and after went home with him into the said Richard's bed and invited him to come to bed to her?… Do you not know or have heard, that Mary Hatton hath diverse and several times at least once invited one John Hough to come to bed to her?… Do you know John Hough, Richard Lawrenson, Charles Lawrenson, Margaret Mosse and George Maddock witnesses produced, sworn, and examined on the part and behalf of the parties interrogant in this cause, are they people of good credit and reputation and such as will not perjure or forswear themselves and for such accounted and taken?
No credit in law to be given to the sayings and depositions of Charles Lawrenson and Richard Lawrenson and John Hough, three of the pretended witnesses produced, sworn and examined in this cause, for that Charles Lawrenson and Richard Lawrenson were and are the natural and lawful sons of William Lawrenson, one of the parties agent in this cause, and John Hough was and is the natural and lawful son of Thomas Hough another of the parties agent in this cause; and that both the parties agent in this cause as also the pretended witnesses did long before the commencement of this suit frame, continue, write, deliver and publicly publish a scandalous letter against the said Mary Hatton or libel to the effect of the article formerly ministered or exhibited against her… Before the commencement of this suit, Thomas Hatton one of the parties agent in this cause and Richard Lawrenson and John Hough two of the aforesaid pretended witnesses were by His Majesty's Justices of the Peace bound to their good behaviour for writing, contriving and publishing the aforesaid scandalous letter or libel and are bound over to appear to answer the same the next Quarter Sessions upon an indictment on the behalf of our sovereign Lord the King… About the middle of November last past, Mary Hatton having a brother very sick or lame under the physician’s hands at the physician’s house some distance from her father's house, went with some other neighbours both young men and women to give him a visit, and because in their way the young men bestowed some ale upon the young women, the young women at their return home to Mary Hatton's father's house to requite the young men's respects sent for some ale to the value of twelve pence and she (Mary Hatton) found apples and with that they made a wassail, and tarried there about an hour being civilly merry and then went away every one to their own homes… Whereas John Hough doth depose that one time when he and some others were at Mary Hatton's father's house, she went to her naked bed and invited him to her, it is well known to the rest of the company that she went not to bed till they were all gone out of the house… Upon Mayday 1669, Mary Hatton was invited to the Lawrensons' house to stay all night by Elizabeth Middlehurst, half sister to the said Lawrenson, where being a neighbour's house by her father's leave she stayed all night, and she and Elizabeth Middlehurst went to bed and lay together all night, and for some part of that night, the Lawrensons came and threw themselves upon the bed where they lay… William Lawrenson… hath given out that he could find out witnesses to swear against Mary Hatton what he pleased… Mary Hatton was and is a chaste and modest maid of a good fame and an honest conversation. And for such within the parish she now dwells and the adjacent parishes thereunto was and is commonly reputed and taken.
He was present one day about the beginning of May last when upon the complaint of the party producent, Mary Hatton, the arlate Thomas Hatton, Robert Lawrenson and John Hough were examined before Sir Peter Leicester, and one of the schedules now shewed unto him upon this his examination is a true copy of their examinations then taken, and th'other schedule or exhibit is a true copy of the original letter which was at that time produced and shewed to them upon their examination, both which originals do remain in Sir Peter's hands. This deponent helped to compare them with the originals and they are true copies thereof… The party producent is this deponent's daughter, and is about one and twenty years of age, and seldom is absent from the church any Sunday, but when she has occasions to stay at home to look to the house, but seldom goes to her own parish church of Budworth but commonly to Grapenhall where that neighbourhood where she lives have both seats and burial places, but this deponent doth not know that ever she received the sacrament of the Lord's supper… Both before and since the commencement of this suit the plaintiffs in this cause and their confederates have raised some reports of this deponent's daughter to some of the purposes intent which he believes they did of mere malice, and that there is no truth in any of them at least no evil asked or intended by his said daughter in any of them… He knows all the parties intent and believes they will for their own advantage speak more than is true, and they are noted to be such.
Upon the reading of the first schedule or exhibit in this article mentioned she is very confident by several expression and particulars in the same that it is a true copy of the original letter arlate which [she] hath many times both seen and heard… Mary Hatton is this deponent's own daughter and she is about one and twenty years of age, and is a constant goer to the church though not to Budworth her own parish church which is a great way off, but to Grapenhall which is much nearer whither most of the neighbours commonly resort for divine exercises… She hath heard her daughter did one Sunday about the time intent sit one afternoon both service and sermon time at Ingham's house in Grapenhall, where she hath heard they had not above two quarts of ale… She hath since the commencement of this suit and not before heard something to the purpose intent, but believes nothing of it to be true, and that there was no harm nor incivility amongst them neither done nor intended they being all young people and in merriment, it being about Christmas time… At the entreaty of Elizabeth Middlehurst half sister to the intent Richard Lawrenson, this deponent, upon May day was a twelvemonth this respondent gave her daughter leave to go with Elizabeth and stay with her all night at her father's house, and she hath only lately heard that they were for sometime in the alehouse together and stayed something late, and that when the two young women were in bed together, Richard came and laid him down for a night upon the bed by them, but what truth was in it she knows not… She knows all the parties intent and believes they are such as do not care neither what they say nor what they swear.
Charles Lawrenson and Richard Lawrenson are sons of William Lawrenson, and John Hough is son to Thomas Hough and they are commonly reputed so to be. One time about Lady Day in Lent last past or betwixt that and May to the best of this deponent's now remembrance, John Hough shewed this deponent a letter or the draft of a letter, and read it to this deponent and told him that he intended to send it to Mary Hatton, and in it were contained several scandalous and uncivil things as this deponent thought which he there taxed her withal, the particulars whereof this deponent doth not now remember… He was present when Richard Lawrenson and John Hough were bound either to their good behaviour, or to appear at the next Quarter Sessions for framing and publishing the aforesaid letter or the contents thereof against Mary Hatton. And Thomas Hatton afterwards told this deponent that he went before Mr Daniell another Justice of Peace and bound himself over according as the other two were for the same thing… Before the publishing of the aforesaid letter, Mary Hatton was in her neighbourhood where she lives esteemed and taken to be a very civil and modest maid and this deponent never heard anything by her to the contrary.
Charles Lawrenson and Richard Lawrenson are the sons of William Lawrenson, and John Hough son of Thomas Hough and so accounted to be… William Lawrenson married this deponent's mother and he being at that time gone from home, this deponent and her said mother upon May day 1669 invited Mary Hatton to their house to be merry that night it being about a quarter of mile from Mary's father's house, and being together this deponent and Mary at the importunity of Richard Lawrenson went along with him to a neighbour's house and stayed something late so that when they returned they were all in bed, and this deponent's mother being displeased with them for staying so late locked them out of the room where they should have laid, and Charles Lawrenson a younger son of William Lawrenson being about 14 or 15 years of age as this deponent thinks got out of his bed and desired this deponent and Mary Hatton to go into it, and they did so, they being neither of them very well at that time, and could not get to any other bed, and perceiving that Charles this deponent's stepfather's son was very cold, this deponent desired him to come and lie by her and he did so, and because he so came Mary would have got up by that this deponent persuaded her to the contrary and this deponent is confident that they two (viz Charles and Mary) never touched one an other, and this deponent thinks that Richard Lawrenson came and either laid or leaned upon the bed's feet for some time, but this deponent is very confident that Mary was not in the least uncivil neither in word nor action at that time, nor at any other time that this deponent either heard or see and this deponent hath been much and often in her company… Until the late differences happened betwixt the plaintiffs and defendant and the sending and publishing of the letter or libel which is now talked of, Mary Hatton in her neighbourhood where she lived and by those that knew her was always accounted to be a very modest and chaste maid… She hath known Mary Hatton these many years and thinks she's betwixt one and two and twenty years of age, and though this deponent and she (till of late) were near neighbours together in Great Budworth parish many years yet she never see her at that church, for they were four miles from that church and but about a mile from Grappenhall and two miles from Lymm to one of which they commonly go, and this deponent hath frequently seen her there… When Mary Hatton was at this deponent's mother's house, her neighbour's house that they then went to was an alehouse where they stayed about 3 hours and came home about or before ten a clock, and being 6 of them in company, they spent but 12d among them all both in ale and cakes. The bed that this deponent and Mary Hatton that night went unto was the same that Richard Lawrenson used to lie in.
Her brother being lame about the time arlate, Mary Hatton, this deponent's sister, and some other young people both men and women went to see him where he was at a surgeon or bonesetter's house, and at their return to this deponent's father's house some ale was sent for and Mary, Hannah Millington and Mary Raddish each of them found some apples and they made a wassail and were very merry for about one hour and a half and then parted... That night that John Hough and George Maddock were at this deponent's father's house, and Mary Hatton and Mary Bromfield were with them and did draw [salts?], this deponent's said sister to this deponent's certain knowledge did not come into any bed till John and George were both of them gone out of the house… Mary Hatton hath ever been accounted a very modest and chaste woman by all her neighbourhood till the libel which is talked of was published against her.
She was present when Richard Lawrenson did deliver the letter or libel arlate to Mary Hatton, and this deponent did afterwards hear it read and in this deponent's judgment it was very abusive. Afterwards this deponent (among others) was served in as a witness to testify concerning the same against William Lawrenson, Thomas Hatton and John Hough and Richard Lawrenson and Thomas Hatton, before Mr Daniel of Daresbury, a Justice of the Peace, and Richard Lawrenson and John Hough there confessed that they were the principal actors and continuers of that letter… She hath [heard] from several persons that Thomas Hatton, Richard Lawrenson and George Hough were bound over… She hath been intimately acquainted with Mary Hatton for these 2 or 3 years last past, and much in her company, and she never see any incivility or immodesty by her, and she was accounted a very modest and chaste maid in all that neighbourhood till such time as the letter or libel was published against her… One Sunday, about the time arlate, Mary Hatton and this deponent and some other young women and young men also went to visit Mary's brother who lay lame at a bonesetter's in Davenham, being an alehouse in the way of a furtherance to the house, and the young men having been civil to them, Mary and this deponent and Hanna Millington in requital at their return invited them to Mary’s father's house, and sent for twelve pennyworth of ale, viz their groats a piece and each of them found some apples and they were civilly merry for about an hour's space having made a wassail and then they parted… She hath known Mary Hatton these 3 or 4 years, and they lived together so long in that parish but seldom go to that church... One Sunday about the time intent, this respondent and Mary Hatton went together to Grappenhall with a resolution to go to the church there, but being entreated and prevailed withal by a young man or two they went into Ingham's house being an alehouse and there sat all evening prayer's time, and when church was done they went home… She knows all the witnesses intent and hopes that they will not wilfully forswear themselves.
[Fraudulent letter 'continued, wrote, published and delivered' to Mary Hatton by Thomas Hatton, with Richard Lawrenson and John Hough 'by their own confession' 'before the Right Worshipful Sir Peter Leycester':] Loving Cousin, If my passion had not overruled my reason I would patiently have kept my letter for becoming so mean an object for your secret eyes till some commandment of your own had put me upon to give them attendance. But the care I have to preserve myself in the honour of your memory and favour will not suffer me longer to continue silent so that I make bold to present you with these few scribbling lines as most unworthy messengers and unworthy to crave any perusal from so worthy and high esteemed object as your secret [illigible] self, yet nevertheless though your high merits commands my silence yet I am so surely satisfied of your civil carriage towards young men that I can no longer conceal my mind from you. But that I must and am necessitated to present you with this brief and rude piece of my mind in hope that all former respects are not clearly extinguished nor modestly so far laid aside by you but that you will be pleased to peruse it and except of it according to your liking after a further view. I hear you have formerly had such great respects for young men and that your heart hath been so tender towards them that you would have gone forth in the night into your father's stable to have sought for them and into several other places about the house and when you have found any many times your goodness hath extended itself so far towards them that you have given them the choice either to go with you to bed to warm themselves there or to sit with you by the fire, the first motion would doubtless give some very good content or else you might render them very unworthy persons and when you have fortuned to go to visit your friends and to tarry all night with them lest your then supposed sweetheart should fail to give you the meeting there, you would go meet him upon the way and when you had found him you would presently convey him into your chamber there to rest himself which could scarce be weary with the length of his journey. And although many times they have gone with other maids even before your face yet your goodness hath been pleased to [wave?] all this and much more and to make them welcome when ever they came, assuring them still that if they would come every night they should be most welcome and that they should neither want for good wassails nor roasted apples nor wheat cakes nor any thing else that might delight or please their fancy, which promises you did so well and faithfully perform that caused you to have three to come on a night more for the fancy they had to your banquets than to the Mistress of the feast and although they could not all enjoy your company at one time yet they that were first after they had satisfied themselves and stomachs both at bed and board like loving friends combined one to another left you to the other to enjoy the like fruition and felicity of yourself and banquets which they before had enjoyed which was no doubt liberally bestowed from the first to the last. And when they have not come so often as you expected, you would be sure to go to some of them whichsover you though fittest to accommodate your pleasure and satisfy your fancy and when one happened to come alone unto you, you would not grumble to take the pains to go to bring him home or a great part of the way although it were at midnight or at cocks crowing assuring him that he is the only man your fancy is wholely set and placed upon and that it was not the fading riches of this world that you valued for you would marry the man that you loved if his fortunes were not worth a groat. And to the second you would say that in your conceit there was not such another in the world nor a person that you could like and respect better and that if ever you married any man it should be him; your constant resolution and affection was so firmly bent towards him and no other person that the sun should sooner forsake the day till you prove falls to him in your affection. And to the third you said that you were resolved to marry one that had a house and means as he had that you might be maintained with a fair life for you were no great work woman which indeed I think was the very truth yet if he would but marry you, you would never give him cause to repent and that you would prove a loving and careful wife and that you were confident you should marry him for you had your fortune told you that you must have one that had the door of his house opened upon the noon sun and that you were confident it was him, but I am persuaded that the astrologer that told you that fortune may erect shame/shew for I fear his judgment hath greatly deceived him in his former opinion, for I faithfully believe the man you so much depended upon had never ever any affection at all unto you except it were for the two hundred pounds which you told him you had two uncles would give you but when he had a little considered the uncertainty of that and again considering that if he had you the cuckoo might shame sing at his door all times of the year that would be the greatest trouble of all to him for considering that you having been used to such change of diet you will scarce be content with your then constant fare and therefore a little timely repentance is better than a great deal when it is too late the greatest cause of fancy that young men had for you was because they see your charitable works so great towards your poor neighbours when your father and mother are from home and sometimes asleep in their beds which causes young men to think that you will by your industry get you so great a portion that it will be a needless matter for your uncles to give you the two hundred pounds, if you heart do not harden towards your customers as it doth you say towards young men since you have gotten the brassen hoop put about it for if it do I fear your portion will be as small as ever it was like to be great but if you will shew yourself kind and respective to me as you have formerly done to others and provide a good stock of spending money and meet me at Budworth fair the twenty first day of this instant March I will either wait upon you myself or procure you one so that you shall be sure not to loose your labour so wishing you good sale for such commodities as you have to vent that good lads may have their shots well paid and what else they want that is good which you can get for them praying for the continuance of your good mind and ability, I rest a great deale, your servant.
He hath known Mary Hatton from her infancy and she was always very well accounted and esteemed of, and reputed to be a very chaste and modest maid, till the publishing of the scandalous letter spoken of in this business… He hath known Mary Hatton ever since she was 3 or 4 years of age and for the most part ever since then she hath lived in Great Budworth parish as also this deponent but they seldom go to Budworth Church, and this deponent doth not remember that ever he see her there it being 3 or 4 miles off, but they most commonly go to Grappenhall which is much nearer and he hath often seen her there… Since these troubles betwixt the parties litigant began, he hath heard that Mary Hatton was one Sunday all service time in John Ingham's house being an alehouse near unto Grappenhall Church but whether it be true he knows not… He knows all the witnesses in this interrogatory named and knows nothing to the contrary but they are honest people and he hopes will not forswear themselves.