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In the years of our Lord 1715, 1716, and 1717 last past and in the months successively happening in the said years or in four... did nightly and cruelly treat Mary his wife at the place of their abode and that within a year or some such space of time after their intermarriage his affections being alienated from his said wife he without any provocation by her given did drink to and wish her confusion or damnation.
The producent her daughter was always fond, loving and obedient unto her husband and upon his coming home from off a journey would get him by the hand and enquire of him how he did and endeavour by pleasantness to divert him but her husband used to return such her respect with a rough look... The producent was always frugal, never spent her husband the value of 1s for either tea, coffee, chocolate, brandy or wine but only at such time as she laid in of childbirth or was indisposed then indeed she had some small quantity to make candles with or the like necessary things but not otherwise, and the producent was always contriving to save [her husband] money and therefore should contrive his old shirts to make linen for the children instead of new cloth and always worked such linen herself and would be seldom or never unemployed for was a person that never saw any plays or other such like diversions always keeping at home... She being at the arlate's house in Barnham Broom in the year 1716 in the month of February or March, the arlate one day about noon time had two donkeymen come to see him who stayed till about 11 a clock at night before they parted about 9 o'th'clock the producent being indisposed in keeping of her chamber, went down into the next room where they were drinking to hear if they were not ending their frolic and peeping through a hole of the door saw her husband's face and heard one of the men say to her husband that he had not seen Mrs Hubbard upon which her husband took a glass or pot and said 'Let her be damned, let her be damned and so let the health go round' but the men answered they would pledge no such healths upon which the producent run upstairs to this deponent her mother very much frighted and told this deponent that her wicked husband had drank to her damnation she heard him speak the words and cried lamentably upon which this deponent the day following told the other men were wont when their wives were not well to put up petitions to God for their recovery and not with horrible imprecations damn them. Peter Hubbard answered he would make amends for the future and prove the best of husbands and this deponent further saith that in the month of July following she being in bed with Phillis Beassant this deponent's precontest and laying in the next door to the arlate and his wife in the night time being awake she heard a noise as did also her precontest who said to this deponent there is something to do in my Master's room and this deponent answered she durst not meddle and so laid til the morn when came down the producent who being asked by this deponent what was the matter in the night time telling of her she heard a noise she said, being willing to conceal it and stopped. But this deponent urging, the producent cried and took up her petticoats and shew this deponent a place in her thigh the skin being nipped or pulled off which she told this deponent was of her husband's doing and this deponent saith that evening he used the producent his wife he had not been drinking but was in cool blood. Whereupon this deponent told the arlate that it was very strange that he should do so barbarously by his wife and told him further that she was afraid he should murder his wife in the night time and therefore desired to prevent such fatal event another bed might be paid so as they might lay separate but the arlate made little or no answer to this deponent only turned away indifferently. Sometime in November 1717, this deponent going to a court to be held in Framingham Pigot in order to release her right out of an estate which was to be settled upon the arlate and calling at the arlate's house going into the parlour of the house sat the producent who was big with child with her face scratched which gave occasion to this deponent to enquire the reason of it who answered that she might afterwards hear the reason of it however this deponent being uneasy to know how those scratches should come enjoined her to inform her who told her that her husband had shewed cheese because he knew she abhorred it and spit it upon her face, and shew this deponent some which with the some he spit flew upon the wall dried on, and further told this deponent upon her fleeing from him he followed her into the orchard and threw her down on a bench and filled her mouth full of cheese and rubbed which caused those marks of her face, the rugged part or outside of the cheese against her face... On the 14th day of May 1723, Hubbard left his wife in the straw so called, namely lying in child bed in a very weak condition at this deponent's house having another child with her of above 5 years old but never took any leave of his wife only by carrying away his things by which the producent suspected his going and therefore begged for God's sake he would not leave her for if he would but stay she could forget every thing of his unkind usage but finding him resolute told him if you leave me Peter Hubbard you must maintain me, upon which he told the producent his wife that the devil should have her before he would give her one penny more than what the law forced him to and so left her not making any provision for her or the children's maintenance other than an agreement which was drawn up about 5 years since... for... thirty pounds per annum... but the producent never received more than 7.10.0 value out of either of the said agreements... and this deponent saith that on the 14 day of May the arlate left his wife he sent a cart to take and did take away from the house of this deponent a bed as it stood, some brewing vessels and other household stuff and implements of household which were his own, a dozen of damask napkins this deponent had lent his wife, a vessel of old beer of this deponent's at one time and after that he sent another cart which carried away a pair of drawers, a copper and a child's cart of his own and the arlate after that came himself and took way two silver porringers, a large silver salver of this deponent's and some silver salts and some silver spoons of his wife's and carried them to Framingham Pigot where he now lives with Sarah Rannington and doth as this deponent was informed by Sarah Rannington live a lodger in the same house with her alone he keeping no other servant and this deponent saith that when Sarah Rannington lived with her from the 8th of December to the 14th of May last she would not be contented but would like and did all that time lie in the same room with her master.
At Hallowmastide 1722, she went to nurse Mary Hubbard wife of the producent Peter Hubbard at her father's Mr Watson's house in Norwich, of which illness she continued a month from the time that this deponent... to her, and a little after Mary Hubbard was got well, the producent had a violent cold which he catch'd by lying alone in a garret of Mr Watson's house where they hung wet linen which cold increased to a fever and confined him to his bed 30 days together, this deponent nursing him all the time during which time Peter Hubbard bid his wife take what money was in his pocket which was several pounds but how much she can't tell, and upon Mr Hubbard's recovery of the illness, immediately after his wife laid in child bed which continued about 5 weeks after which about the middle of May 1723 then being desirous to establish his health, desired his wife to go and live with him at his country house at Framingham Pigot and to carry the child Mary along with them, but she refused him, and said that neither she nor the child should or would go, for that she was not fit to go to which he replied he would stay till she was fit, but she not complying with him he went and lived alone at Framingham Pigot two months. Upon the 7th of June 1723, Mr Hubbard being at the sign of the Black Swan in Norwich from where he was taking horse to go to Framingham Pigot, Mary Hubbard sent this deponent to him to tell him she desired to speak with him before he went out of town, upon which request he went to her at her Father Watson's house, where they went together into the brewhouse there, but what they said there she can't tell. He always shewed a very tender and paternal care and regard of his children, and never refused anything that was necessary or convenient to them. When he went to live at Framingham Pigot about the middle of May 1723 he put the child John out to nurse, and never heard but that he constantly paid for its nursing, that at present the child is with him at Franmingham Pigot and has been there a long time, and she believes he would have taken the same care of his daughter Mary if she would have suffered it to have been with him, but she declared that he should not have it, and that she would not let it go to him... She never perceived him addicted to strong liquors while she was up and down in the family, nor ever knew him tarry out late at night nor ever observed him churlish or ill-natured towards his wife, but always treated her civilly and kindly, whilst this respondent lived with them.
She has known Mr Peter Hubbard the producent and Mary Hubbard his wife for about 8 years last past during all which time they have been married and lived as man and wife together. In the year 1717, her husband and this deponent lived in part of Mr Hubbard's house in Framingham Pigot, and Mr Hubbard and his wife lived in the other part of the house all that year, during all which time, this deponent was constantly in and about Mr Hubbard's family, and likewise for 4 or 5 years after Mr Hubbard and his wife came in the summer season to live at Framingham during which time this deponent and her husband lived in a tenement near Mr Hubbard's and were frequently up and down at their house and washed there. During the 5 or 6 years aforesaid, she constantly when she came to Norwich went to Mr Hubbard and his wife at her father Watson's house in St Gregory's parish in Norwich. During all the time that she hath known and lived near Mr Hubbard and his wife she never heard or observed Mr Hubbard speak or say an unhandsome or hard word to his wife, but [at] all times and places behaved himself kindly and affectionately towards her and within 7 or 8 weeks last past when this deponent hath observed him serious and grave she hath asked him if he was well, or wanted any thing, he hath replied that he was very well and should think himself very happy if he had his wife and family about him, and verily believes that if Mary Hubbard would to home to her husband and live with him as a dutiful and obedient wife that he would receive and entertain her as a loving and kind husband... One evening in the year that this respondent and her husband lived as tenants in Mr Hubbard's house at Framingham Pigot, Mr Hubbard coming home about 6 or 7 o clock, just as he came into the house the ministrant went out of the back door, and he immediately coming to this respondent asked if they had seen his wife and which way she went, and desired this respondent to see for her upon which she went into the yard, and looking into the barn found her standing behind the door, but no body with her, upon then asking her why she stayed there in the cold, the ministrant made no other reply, or made any complaint, but asked this respondent if her husband, Mr Hubbard was within, upon which this respondent telling her he was, they went into Mr Hubbard's together where he was sitting very quietly smoking his pipe by the fireside, and did not seem the least disturbed but spoke very moderately and quietly to her, and after they had sat some time very easy and quiet he in a kind and civil manner asked her if she would please to go to bed, but she in a surly manner said to him, do you go first upon which this respondent left the room and never heard that they had any difference in words about the matter, nor did see any knife or other instrument in Mr Hubbard's hand, or near him all the while, nor did hear him use one ill word or treat her unhandsomely then, or at any other time.
Upon the 16th day of September 1723, Mr Peter Hubbard came to this deponent's house in Norwich and told him that his wife Mary Hubbard had taken some displeasure or distaste against him and refused to go and live with him at Framingham Pigot where he was [removed] to for his health sake, and desired this deponent to go with him to Mr Woolaston of St Peter's parish in Norwich to plead his wife, who was then at her mother Watson's house in St Gregory's parish in Norwich, to go and live with him at Framingham Pigot... Upon the 14th day of April 1724, Mr Peter Hubbard the producent came to this deponent at his house and told him that he (Hubbard) owed for a month's nursing of his child John which came to 14s and leaving so much with this deponent desired him to pay it the nurse and take her discharge as receipt, and likewise owed Mrs Greaves something for what she had laid out about the child and left 3s 6d with this deponent to satisfy her and saith that upon the 27 of April one Ann Reynolds came to this deponent and demanded of him for nursing the said Mr Hubbard's child a month for which this deponent paid her 14s as Mr Hubbard had directed him, and Mrs Greaves coming for what was due to her for somethings laid out about the said child he asked her what she must have, and she demanding 3s 6d this deponent told her that he would speak to Mr Hubbard about it, and if he had not paid her, that this deponent would, and she coming sometime after demanded more, and refused to accept the said 3s 6d which was tendered to her by this deponent... He is in no way a kin, or indebted to Mr Hubbard, nor hath any dependence upon him, only Mr Hubbard is a guest to his house, as he keeps a public inn. He keeps an inn the sign of the Lamb in St Peter's Mancroft parish in Norwich. He believes he is worth an hundred pounds all his debts paid. He hath known the producent Peter Hubbard about a year and half last past, by coming as guest to his (this respondent's) house.
She went to live as a servant with Peter Hubbard and Mary Hubbard his wife at her father's Mr Watson's house in St Gregory's parish in Norwich where she lived with them half a year during the winter season, and half a year in the summer season at Framingham Pigot, but can't tell how long they have been married... During the year she lived with the producent and ministrant's servant she never perceived or ever heard that he was addicted to drinking strong liquors nor ever see him disordered in drink and never stayed out late at nights, never knew churlish towards his wife, or ever give her or any person else an ill word or behave himself uncivilly or unkindly during the whole year that she lived with them. She doth not remember him absent from his wife above a day at a time during the time she lived with them, and that was only when he went to his tenant and believes he always acquainted his wife when ever he went from home, and saith that she never see him throw an iron candlestick nor anything else at his wife, or even offer any abuse to her. The house Mr Watson dwelt in, in St Gregory's parish in Norwich, when Mr Hubbard and his wife dwelt there, consisted of two low rooms, a pantry and a shop, 2 low chambers, 2 garrets and a cellar, and a little yard but no bleaching place or any other place to dry linen, but that all the winter they dried their linen in the garret where Mr Hubbard laid... Let Mary Bond be asked, Do you not know or believe that Peter Hubbard was and is a person much addicted to excessive drinking of strong liquor? Did he not often tarry out late a night and come home disordered with over much drinking, when he dwelt with his wife at Norwich, was not he then often unkind and churlish to the ministrant and, if yes, when, how and in what manner? Let John Smart be asked, Of what trade or business are you and what are you worth after all your just debts paid? Do you know the producent Peter Hubbard and if yes, how long have you known him, what was the occasion of your first meeting him?.