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That about four or five years ago the arlate Bartholomew Watling came to this deponent's house at the sign of the Crown in St Stephen's parish Norwich, together with a woman big with child, about 26 or 27 years old in appearance, whom he pretended to be and called his wife, and hiring a room ready furnished with only one bed belonging to this deponent's dwelling house aforesaid did there cohabit and lodge with her in one and the same bed for about six months, when she was delivered of a son who was baptised in the parish church of St Stephen by the name of William, and was brought up by them, and always acknowledged by the said Bartholomew Watling as his child, and after she was got up of child bed they then lodged and laid together in the same room together with the child for about a year, when they removed from this deponent's to another's house or room over against the Red Lion in St Stephen's parish, where they cohabited and lodged together for about a year, and then they went to live in a house in Life's Green in the close or precinct of the cathedral church of Norwich where they continued three quarters of a year... and saith that she has heard the woman's name that he so lodged with was Elizabeth Smith, and is a much younger woman than Mary Watling the producent.
That between four and five years ago the articulate Bartholomew Watling came with a woman about 27 years old to dwell in a room belonging to John Back at the sign of the Crown in St Stephen's parish in Norwich where they cohabited and laid together as man and wife for the space of two years or thereabouts this deponent living over against where they lodged hath often heard them ask each other to go to bed, about nine or ten o'clock at night, and to call and treat each other as man and wife... and further saith that during the time they lived together at the Crown aforesaid the said woman was delivered of a child, which was baptised at the parish church of St Stephen's by the name of William and acknowledged by the said Bartholomew Watling to be his child, who was present when it was baptised... and about three years ago they lived together in a house over against the Red Lion in St Stephen's parish... at all which placed they cohabited and laid together in one and the same bed and were always looked upon as man and wife.
That about five years ago, this deponent going to John Back's, at the sign of the Crown in St Stephen's parish Norwich, to enquire after the arlate Bartholomew Watling (who lodged in a chamber of the said John Back's there) and meeting with him there demanded three shillings of him (which he owed this deponent's mother) at which time a young woman, who appeared to be about 23 years old big with child, came up to this deponent and calling her insipid bitch, said what can my husband be indebted to such a wench as you? To which this deponent replied if I am a bitch, you are a whore, to live with another woman's husband, for he (meaning Bartholomew Watling arlate) has a wife, a lame woman, whose maiden name is or was Mary Burton, and now dwells at Langmere in Dickleburgh, for I saw her about a week ago, upon which Bartholomew Watling (being present) said to this deponent don't you say so, for this woman is my wife, and this deponent saith that the said woman was some little time after that delivered of a boy at the sign of the Crown, which was owned by the said Bartholomew Watling as his child.
That she lived as a hired servant with Mary Watling the producent from Michaelmas 1725 to the beginning of September 1726, and that about 11 o'clock one Tuesday about Midsummer last past, Bartholomew Watling husband of the said Mary Watling, together with a person in a blue coat (whose name or person she did not know) came to the dwelling house of the said Mary Watling, in Langmere, a hamlet belonging to Dickleburgh in Norfolk, where she had lived without her said husband, all the while this deponent lived with her, at which time (her mistress being from home) the man in the blue coat knocking at the door she (this deponent) let him into the house and immediately after the said Bartholomew Watling entered, and asked this deponent where his wife was and this deponent telling him she was not at home, he asked for some beer, and then demanded the keys of the buttery and hall chamber but she fearing his design was to carry of the goods and do some mischief refused to let him have them, upon which he and the man going towards the doors, she took that opportunity to slip off, and went to her father's at Thelveton about a mile and half off, to advise with him what she should do (her master being from home) and returning to the house at four o'clock in the afternoon, she found the outer door of the house unlocked, and no person in any part of the house, and the buttery and hall chamber doors which she left locked were broke open and the locks of two trunks and one box in the hall chamber and two cupboards in the buttery which she left locked were likewise broke open.