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That he this respondent hath in such months within the time Arlate that were seasonable for bowling frequented a bowling green near adjoining to the City of Chester purely upon the account of his health… That he is and hath been a married man for all the time arlate, and has two sons and one daughter living begot by him on the body of his said wife… That some months before the time arlate he was visited with a long desperate and delirious fever which very much prejudiced this respondent’s understanding and memory and caused a melancholiness to grow upon him and some time after the said ever and before the time arlate he had a fall from his horse upon his head which did very much augment and increase his said melancholy distemper and this respondent at several times still is very ill thereof and at such times as he was at the worst and had his deliriums upon him knows not but he may have talked obscenely to several women he then met with and used uncivil gestures towards them not that he doth remember any such extravagant discourse or behaviour come from him but at such times as he hath had his intervals and he has been told thereof by his friends… That he this respondent does confess that on the day arlate he was called before his Lordship and having heard some persons then present declare some particulars of his indecent behaviour at such times as he was not right in his head he did with great shame and detestation thereof upon his knees implore his Lordships compassion and pity on him.
That in one of the months arlate and as he believes and remembers rather in the beginning of Hay Harvest this deponent was employed by his precontest William Blackister to mow the grass of Mr Davies’ orchard in Dodleston, which he had taken and while this deponent was at his work, and the said William was tedding the grass after him, towards the other end of the orchard from the door, this deponent heard Mrs Davies (wife of Henry Davies Esquire) call in some haste, William Blackister, William Blackister, come and help me, upon which this deponent called to the said William and acquainted him that Mrs Davies called on him, and she Mrs Davies, and she having called several times in such haste the said William left his work and hastened towards her, and this deponent saw her come or run down the walk towards the said William she appearing then to be in some bustle or haste, and quickly after this, she went out of the orchard, and the said William returned to his work, this being about one o’clock of the day and about an hour afterwards the said Mrs Davies returned to the orchard, and this deponent then asked her what was it that made her should after that man when she was there in the orchard before… And she told him the parson (meaning the arlate Mr Dennis) would not let her alone, but threw a frog at her, she then smiling, and she said then no more to this deponent, who thereupon returned to his work not presuming to ask the gentlewoman any more questions.
He did perceive or hear a shrill voice, and that the said Madam Davies as he believed call on him this deponent in these words William, William, William, upon which this deponent hastened towards her, and he met her in the walk betwixt the door and an arbour, and she then told this deponent that the parson, meaning the arlate Mr Dennis, had frighted her with a frog, and this deponent looking about, saw the said Mr Dennis, lying all along his side on the mowed grass, about a rood from the place where he met the said Mrs Davies, and she the said Mrs Davies turned back with this deponent and when they came near the place where the said Mr Dennis lay, he got up and he and the said Mrs Davies went presently out of the orchard door together and this deponent shut the door and returned to his said work.
That in one of the months arlate, and as she more particularly remembers, about the middle of Barley Harvest last past, this deponent (among other neighbours) at the request of Mr Dennis arlate did gather Barley for him, and upon that occasion, the said Mr Dennis coming to the field, and amongst the women he came particularly near to this deponent, and in a sort of jesting manner he said to this deponent told her that he would fuck her, and this deponent answering with some surprise and heat, told him he should not, that he was mistaken in her, that such sayings did not become a man of his coat, but he persisted in his ill language, and told her, that he would not hurt her for his prick was not too thick for her, and he went to the pit side in the field and plucked a reed from thence, having a black velvet like thread and bringing it to his deponent, told her, his prick was no thicker than that showing her the head of the said reed, and asked her whether that was too thick for her. And about eight or nine of the clock the next day he came to this deponent’s husband’s home (having as this deponent hath reason to believe, observed her husband to be absent thence) and opening the door, came into it. And began to desire this deponent, to come again that day also, to help him gather his barley, but this deponent remembered well his rude and uncivil language and behaviour to her the day before, seemed very unwilling told him she could not come, but the lad – meaning her husband’s apprentice – should come if her please. After which he returned to his very rude and uncivil behaviour, told her that he would fuck her, and put his hand into his codpiece or breeches, upon which this deponent made her way and escape out of the door from him, and went forthwith to her next neighbours Margaret Broughton and Catherine Buron and acquainted them of the said behaviour of the said Mr Dennis to her.
That in one of the months arlate it being hay harvest, and this deponent being employed with his team to carry hay for one Thomas Roberts, and being on that occasion one morning about nine o’clock at the said Roberts’ house in Dodleston arlate, one Margaret Broughton came in thither and in a sort of surprise or by way of admiration, asked this deponent whether he had heard anything of the parson meaning the arlate Mr Dennis and this deponent answered her that he had heard nothing of him, or to that purpose, and asked her, what was the matter. And she replied that the said Mr Dennis had been that morning at John Lache’s house, where he found Anne the wife of the said John Churning, and offered to be naughty with her, and caused her to run out of the house.
That in one of the months arlate, and as he more particularly remembers, at the time when peas were in season, this deponent coming from his work near Nungate, not far from Gloverstone and passing by on the backside of Catherine Worth’s house (where she the said Catherine sold brandy or hot waters) he through a little open window in a back room there saw the arlate Mr Dennis and one Jane Harris (who married a drummer who was at the time gone for Flanders) together and standing in the room he threw his arms about her, embraced her and this deponent attending more strictly, he perceived the said Mr Dennis use a sort of fondness with her and heard him call her honey, and while the said Mr Dennis had his arms about her, this deponent saw the said Jane Harris throw a half crown out of the said window, which is near her own dwelling, it being at the next door backwards, and quickly after they went out of the said room, and the said Jane Harris went to her said home… That the interrogate Mr Dennis was at the time arlate reckoned a person disturbed in his head or understanding, and persons to whose homes thereabouts he resorted were said to make a property of him, to put of their drink and get his money. And when this repondent came into Catherine Worth’s one time while he was there she the said Catherine, bade this deponent drink a cup of his ale, upon which he in a dill, drowsy way said Kathy you care not who drinks my drink till it comes to a man with a barnskin he having then his leather apron about him. And when he would ask for a woman of fourteen (as sometimes it has been said he did so) they would seem to promise him such a woman, but then by telling him some story about that matter, put him off, and made a sort of sport of him. And he would be well enough pleased with their banter and… as well as if he had a woman.
That about or after Midsummer Fair last to the best of his memory this deponent working with John Lockett shoemaker and… as he was going upstairs, perceiving Mr Dennis coming up and afterwards seeing a woman (whom he has heard was called Betts) come up into the room after him. For this deponent having heard that Mr Dennis was given to women, he stood upon the watch upon the stairs’ head, and observed them more narrowly, That after they two had been some time together in the room this deponent went softly down (for they work in the cockloft) and looked through the keyhole (for the door was latched) and saw the said Mr Dennis and the said woman on the bed together, but this deponent perceiving that they saw that he saw them, he returned back upstairs, and in a little time returned down again, having put off his shoes that they might not hear him. And he spied the second time through the sides of the door, and saw the woman’s head she lying on the bed, but because the curtains were drawn more than before she did not see him, but do conclude he was there on the bed with her, because he looking about the room saw he was not off the bed, nor did he go away out of the door, after this deponent went back into the cockloft, and pulled up a small board or piece of wood out of a chink… over the room and over the table in it and laying his ear to it, he perceived they were come from the bed and were talking. And he heard Mr Dennis ask her how she liked him or how he had done her business. And she told him that he was able to give seven women enough, or to that purpose.
That some day the last summer and in one of the months arlate this deponent living as a servant with the arlate Anne Barlow, was at her work (smoothing linen clothes) in a little corner room going out of the kitchen, and the arlate Mr Dennis was then in the kitchen, which was then used as a coffee room, and the said Mrs Barlow this deponent’s then Mistress, who keeps a coffee house there, was in the same room at one corner of it, spinning at a sitting wheel, and on a sudden, the said Mrs Barlow in a sharp and hearty manner called Pegg come hither, meaning this deponent, upon which this deponent stepped into the said kitchen, and perceived the said Mrs Barlow was much disturbed, insomuch that she went out of the house, but this deponent advising her, she returned into the kitchen, and the arlate Mr Dennis was there when the said Mrs Barlow called this deponent and was so disturbed as abovesaid and after he was gone, the said Mrs Barlow told this deponent that the said Mr Dennis, by putting his hands by force under her coats had pinched her on her thigh so that it was black or blue.
That she this deponent hath kept ale to sell about a year and not long after she had sey up the calling (in the house she now lives in) in one of the months arlate and as she rather thinks in March, April or May… the arlate Mr Dennis came to her said house, alone, and after he had stayed a short time asked this deponent if anyone had enquired for him. And shortly after this, one Mrs Fenna (who was reckoned and accounted in the neighbourhood, a woman of ill reputation) came to him, and they stayed about an hour, and drank three quarts of ale together. And afterwards about Midsummer day last, the said Mr Dennis came again alone to this deponent’s house, in the afternoon, and asking where he might drink a quart of ale and smoke a pipe she this deponent directed him upstairs, after he had called for a quart of ale and a pipe, he asked this deponent whether she could help him to a little cunt, upon which this deponent told him she wondered that such a one as he was, or a man of his coats would speak of any such thing. Then the said Mr Dennis made a sign of silence, saying ‘Hist!’ and bid this deponent hold her tongue. Quickly after, he went from this deponent’s house, to the next door John Lockett’s house (an alehouse also) in the same lane. And whilst he continued there, this deponent observed one Widow Yates otherwise called Betts (who is reputed to be a woman of very ill behaviour and reputation in the neighbourhood) to go into the same house. And Ambrose Groom a shoemaker who then lodged at this deponent’s house, and worked in an upper room of the said John Lockett’s house, told this deponent that he being then there with the said Mr Dennis and Widow Yates were together, he looked through a chink or slither of the door on top of the room where they were, and saw them on the bed together the curtains being drawn.
That she keeping ale to sell, Mr Dennis the Rector of Dodleston hath been several times at her house, to drink ale, and smoke a pipe, and he always came alone and particularly about two days before Midsummer day last he came to her said House and went upstairs and after he had called for a quart of ale and a pipe, he asked this deponent whether she could help him to a little cunt, upon which this deponent told him she wondered that one such as he was, or a man in his coat should speak of any such thing. That after the said Mr Dennis went from this deponent’s house into John Lockett’s house, in the same lane, And while he was there, she was one Widow Yates alias Betts go in thither. And she hath heard that he and the said Yates alias Betts were seen on a bed together in a very uncivil and lewd manner and Ambrose from a shoemaker who tables with this deponent told this deponent that he was then in an upper room and through a chink or slither in the floor saw the said mr Dennis and Betts together on the said bed in the uncivil posture above mentioned.
That in one of the months arlate and as she rather believes, before Midsummer day last, she living the next door neighbour to Catherine Worth (who then sold ale and strong waters, which place the arlate Mr Dennis used to frequent) one Saturday in the afternoon, the said Catherine called this deponent into her house, where in a little back room, the said Mr Dennis was alone, and being directed to go into that room to drink, she did go in and the said Mr Dennis was sitting on the side of the bed, and quickly after she came in the said Mr Dennis (speaking to her) said wilt thou do, wilt thou kiss, but this deponent answered I have a husband and have had by him six children, and I am none of those, or words to that purpose, and within a quarter of an hour she left him there, and she further saith that the most of the time she stayed, the said Catherine was also present, or coming in or going out of the room aforesaid… That she did not know or as she remembers ever saw the interrogate Mr Dennis before the time by her predeposed. And from his foolish behaviour and discourse, and suffering himself to be abused and made a sport or laughing stock in the said Catherine Worth’s house [for she the said Catherine and other neighbours (women brought in on purpose, would talk to him about women, for as she this deponent has been told he would at such times ask for a woman and especially a young woman) and they would promise to procure him such a woman, yet they did not bring him any except such as would only talk with and banter or please him with talk about women] she this respondent believes, that he was not then in his right senses or understanding, but as a man crazed. And that the said talk pleased him as well as if an ill woman had been procured for him. That she this respondent never saw him drunk (he seeming rather pleased with his tobacco than drinking) nor did she ever see him offer any rudeness in action to any woman.
That one morning in hay harvest last and in one of the months arlate, this deponent being employed in carrying hay to Chester for Thomas Roberts, came with John Wright his contest with a load of hay, and in their way called at the said Roberts house in Dodleston arlate, to refresh themselves, and while they were there, one Margaret Broughton came in and told them that the arlate Mr Dennis had been, that morning at the arlate John Lache’s House, and had pulled and hauled his wife like a madman, and this is all of that passage this deponent can now remember.
That in the time arlate and as she (more particularly deposing) doth believe in the months of May and June… the arlate Mr Dennis, for the time [and] space of six weeks or thereabouts, came frequently (and for the most part about two o’clock afternoons) to this deponent’s house where she then kept ale to sell, and several of the said times (for she can’t depose to every time of his coming) he speaking to this deponent in a sort of merry manner and smiling, did ask her in these or the like terms, canst not thou get me a woman, or hast thou not got me a woman yet. Upon which this deponent confesseth that to gratify his humour and to continue his custom to drink at house which se being poor, esteemed to her advantage, she did prevail with several women her neighbours, to come in and banter or talk merrily with the said Mr Dennis, about women, and he generally spoke to, and urged such women as this deponent so prevailed with him to come to him, to Osse him or to procure him some other women, intimating, by several expressions at such times, that he would have such women as would lie with or be naughty with him as this deponent apprehended, but such said women still joined and falsified with him, being themselves honest women and using this their raillery only on the account and for the advantage of this deponent, and not endeavouring in the least to procure such ill women as he seemed to desire… That she hath known the interrogate Mr Dennis some time more than a year… since the time he first came to her house… But she did not know nor had ever seen him before. And she at first took or suspected him to be a person disordered in his understanding as well from the shallowness and folly of his discourse and behaviour, as from his negligence and meanness in his habit, but after this interrogate had enquired and understood who he was, she endeavoured to please his humour. And when he would ask her for women, this deponent sent for several who came only to him, to banter and joke with him, and help off the drink and he all along appeared to them as this interrogate believed, as well as to herself, a crack-brained and distempered man, for he at such times suffered himself to be much abused and laughed at, or ridiculed, and seemed not to be sensible of or resent their behaviour, when they in their talk or jest made a very sport or pastime of him. That she this interrogate never saw him drink, for he drank but little, saying to the women about him often when the glass was offered ‘Non non, I… drink none take it among o’, or to that effect, but he seemed much rather pleased with a pipe of tobacco. This interrogate never see him uncivil in action with any women, save in the talk that did not become him and she believed that the simple and idle talk about women pleased him, as well as if he had had a Womana.
That within the time arlate but as he believes not long before Michaelmas last, this deponent was walking in the Shambles in the Northgate Street near the Hall, with Mr Wilkinson and Mr Lea the parish clerk, and the arlate Mr Dennis came down the street from the Northgate, near the end of Parson’s Lane, and upon his tendency that way, the said Mr Lea said what end is Mr Dennis a going on, I believe Mr Denis is going to Mr Madock’s house or to that purpose, and the said Mr Dennis went on down the Parson’s Lane where the said house is, and this deponent did observe and see him go into the door of the said house. And he doth say that the said house was then an alehouse, and of no good reputation in the neighbourhood, but was accounted an ill house from the scandalous company that were said to resort thither.
That within the time and places mentioned in the third Article, this deponent hath heard a fame and discourse that the arlate William Dennis Clerk hath been guilty of some of the crimes mentioned in the Articles preceding now read over to this deponent, viz the fame and public report hath been that the said Mr Dennis within the time and in the place arlate hath frequented Alehouse and Tippling houses and therin has kept company with infamous women at suspicious times agreeable to scandalous conversation, to the great and deplorable scandal of his holy function and to the offence and trouble of good persons, members of the Church of England. And particularly this deponent hath heard that the said Mr Dennis did in the time abovesaid keep company with the wife of one Charles Fonna, who is a woman of ill reputation and he continued in her company or cohabited with her and she with him as man and wife, at an inn or alehouse, about a mile and an half beyond Northwich on the road betwixt Warrington and Hulme chapel (called the Black Greyhound), for a week together.
That within the time and within the places arlate this deponent hath heard it reported, by several persons, that the arlate William Dennis Clerk hath been suspected to be guilty of several crimes objected against him in this business, viz of frequenting of obscure and scandalous alehouses or tippling houses, meeting and keeping company with women of infamous reputation and character, in such places, and also of attempting the chastity of several women, though this deponent is not informed so particularly as to instance any one of the said women. And this deponent believes that the said report has been a great scandal to the holy function the said Mr Dennis is of and an offence to good people of the Church of England… That about seven weeks ago one Saturday in the evening this deponent was present in the deanery when one Joseph Carr was there in discourse with the Reverend the Dean of Chester. And this deponent heard the said Carr tell the said Dean, that he had seen the arlate Ambrose Groome not much before that time, and that the said Groome had told him that he had both money and clothes given him on [blank] out of the way (so as not to be a witness in this business… against… Mr Dennis) or to that purpose…
That since the later end of September arlate this deponent hath lived continually in the City of Chester (save some short journey out of it) and in that time he hath heard the crimes arlate objected against the arlate Mr Dennis in this business often mentioned and discoursed of among persons of good rank and credit and the common and public voice hath been in the said time that the said Mr Dennis was guilty or vehemently suspected to be so of the crimes arlate viz of frequentiny obscure and scandalous alehouses or tippling houses, meeting infamous women there, keeping them company at suspicious times, and particularly for his unlawful conversation with one Betts or Yates mentioned in the eighth Article, and this suspicion and public discourse had reflected scandal on the Church and its Ministry and given Offence to hood persons members thereof.
That in the time arlate and as he this deponent believes, betwixt Midsummer and Michaelmas last, this deponent walking in the Shambles in the Northgate Street with Thomas Lea, the parish clerk, they discovered the arlate Mr Dennis coming down the street near to the sign of the Coach and Horses and the turning into Parson’s Lane, upon which the said Lea (being more concerned and apprehensive at the sight of the said Mr Dennis than this deponent was) said to this deponent I believe or I’ll be fain enough if he (meaning the said Mr Dennis) be not going to William Maddock’s house down the Lane (which house was then an alehouse in Parson’s Lane) and upon this saying the said Lea and this deponent went to the thither end of the said Lane and observed him to go on towards the bottom of the said Lane and into an house there, but whether it was the said William Madock’s house or not, this deponent cannot certainly depose, he not being yet perfectly knowing of, or acquainted with it.
That this deponent and her husband keeping ale to sell Mr Dennis the Minister of Dodleston often came to their house to drink, and still when he came asked this deponent whether she had or could get a wench or whore for him. That about Midsummer last to the best of her memory he came to this deponent’s said house and sent for one Bett Betts alias Yates a widow being a woman of an ill reputation, and she came to him and they were in a room above stairs together. And the said Mr Dennis then sent this deponent out to buy mutton for steaks for them it being then about 11 o’clock And this deponent went out, bought a loin of mutton, made it into a dish of steaks, and they two eat it together, and the shot came to 7s 4d which he paid. That about six or seven weeks ago the said Mr Dennis came to this deponent’s said house betwixt eight and nine o’clock at night and (as usual) he asked this deponent in these words Hast thou a wench, canst thou get a wench for me, and when this deponent answered No, he replied Then come thou up thyself. When this deponent came up, he the said Mr Dennis cursed and swore, and said to her Damn thee for a bitch and whore, threw the quart of drink in her face, lift up his stick and threatened in a great rage to strike her, because she this deponent would not help him to a whore, so that this deponent was afraid of him, hastened down the stairs and he struck twice at her as she was going down, but missed her.
That about the end of June or the beginning of July last Mr Dennis the Minister of Dodleston came into this deponent’s house (she keeping a coffee house) near the Eastgate, and she was then sat down at her wheel, and he sat at the other side of the fire the wheel betwixt, and of a sudden he rose or rushed from his seat and very rudely laid hold on this deponent, forcibly thryst his hands up her coats, in so much that her thigh was hurt and became black afterwards from the force he used against this deponent endeavouring to hinder him. And this deponent calling out for help and her made being in the house near he desisted. That about a month afterwards the said Mr Dennis came again to this deponent’s house, went up the stairs into her coffee room, and called for a dish of coffee, which this deponent brought him, upon which he took hold of her and told her he had taken her by the cunt, but she told him that though he had been rude with her he had not done so, telling him of the baseness of his behaviour. And afterwards while he stayed in that room, and this deponent filling a dish of Coffee and not at that moment seeing him, he came towards her from his seat, having uncovered his nakedness and having his member in his hand, he told this deponent he would fuck her, upon which this deponent went away from him, this being about three o’clock [in the] afternoon.