![*](images/icon-portbooks.png)
'That in one of the months arlate in John Lea's house within the parish of St Peter's aforesaid this deponent was present when the plaintiff and defendant appointed a certain day to meet concerning some matters in controversy betwixt them and hereupon the plaintiff went out of the door and when he was gone the defendant said that he the plaintiff was a base paltry fellow and meddled with those matters he had nothing to do with all and that he bribed Mr Chancellor and troubled the court and that the court was a weary of him being present John Lea, Jane his wife, Richard Dryas, and this deponent... Ralph Wright the plaintiff has always been held to be an honest man and by reason of these speeches his good name is called in question... [T]here is a suit depending betwixt the plaintiff and defendant touching this deponent's goods and is sister's... [T]he words were spoken in the hall at John Lea's house about 12 of the clock in the afore noon... [T]hat since these words [were] spoken the defendant met this deponent and said that the plaintiff was a scurvy, busy, brabbling fellow and one that troubled this court...'.
That about a quarter of a year since to this deponent's remembrance of the time this deponent heard William Mercer say in this deponent's husband's house that the plaintiff was a busy prattling fellow and that he meddled with matters he had nothing to do with and that he bribed the court bench being then present Alexander Hynd, this deponent's husband, and this deponent... the defendant sometimes walked, sometimes stood, and sometimes sat while the words were in uttering.
About a quarter of a year since to this deponent's remembrance of the time he this deponent heard the defendant say that the plaintiff was a very busy troublesome fellow and that he had bribed the court and meddled with matters he had no more to do with than the man in the mooon or words to this effect being then present this deponent's wife, Alexander Hynd, and this deponent... The reason of these words uttered by the defendant were in respect the plaintiff called the defendant before Mr Chancellor for some infants' goods whereat the defendant found himself aggrieved and in his choler spake the words predeposed or the very like in substance.