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That within the time arlate this respondent being often left alone in her house both by day and night and her husband haunting taverns and alehouses this respondent hath divers times gone both by day and night to seek for her said husband to taverns and alehouses and hath found him playing of shuffleboard and tables in the night time and spending his means that he should have employed towards the maintenance of this respondent and his apprentices which lay at the plaintiff's mother's and further saith that she being a neighbour unto the arlate Margaret Trafford and knowing no dishonesty by the said Margaret hath some three times since her intermarriage with her husband frequented the company of the said Margaret finding that it was concealed of her by her said husband… That she this respondent did never know or see any ill behaviour by the said Margaret Trafford and the said three times when this respondent was in the said Margaret Trafford's company two of the said times was in the day time and the third time was in an evening that this respondent came into the arlate Henry Trafford's house to look for the said respondent's husband and found him there and he would have then concealed himself from this respondent, but this respondent laying hold of him going down a pair of stairs the said Thomas Case returned back again to the room where this respondent and others were and did stay with them and call for beer and did drink with the company then there present, and further this respondent saith that she hath heard the arlate Margaret Trafford hath been committed to the Northgate by the mayor arlate but for what cause this respondent knoweth not… That this respondent within the time arlate met with the arlate John Minshull and Thomas Cooper and the said Minshull having been late at sea and being [illegible]… his welcome home on him and he being this respondent's neighbour and acquaintance this respondent replied and said unto him she would join with him in a pint of wine and thereupon this respondent and Minshull and Cooper arlate went into the tavern of William Conway arlate where they drunk two pints of wine and no more and afterwards they went into the tavern of Mr Andrew Gamull arlate and drunk there a pint of wine which is now four years ago or thereabout as she believeth and saith she this respondent departed out from the said Cooper and Minshull's company about six or seven of the clock in the evening and went to her own house and confesseth she was somewhat light in the head and merry at her coming forth of the said tavern… about the time arlate this respondent met with the said Christopher Walker and Edward Jones near Thomas Robinson's house beyond the Eastgate and and enquiring of them whether they saw her husband and they said if this respondent would go with them they would bring her to him, and this respondent returned back with them and came to the Swan arlate, and asked there for her husband, and he being not there this respondent was requested by the good wife of the house and her daughter to play a lesson or two on the virginals and did drink with them part of a quart of beer… This respondent went with the now wife of William Thropp into the [illegible]… went with her into her house, and either of them spent a penny and sat there with the said Widow Fletcher talking about half an hour with other company and from there this respondent came to the house where this respondent then inhabited… [T]hat within the time arlate the said Thomas Case being very familiar with the arlate Thomas Hinton brought the said Hinton divers times into his house to dinner and supper and saith this respondent hath not drunk with the said Hinton in any place out of her own house except it was once in Robert Sutton's cellar… That this respondent and the said Thomas Case her husband were drinking together in William Gregg's tavern arlate with two Dutch men and this respondent departed there and went home with her said husband… That this respondent having occasion to come into the house of Richard Shore arlate did there drink a cup of beer with the said Shore and his wife and another stranger then with them whose this respondent did not know… That the said Thomas Case hath thrust out this Respondent divers nights within the time arlate in rude and violent sort and without any which cause forth of his house and locked the door and kept that out so that she was taken to lie at Robert Grice's house which they did in charity in respect this respondent was their neighbour's daughter and that she hath sitten at her husband's door until eleven or twelve of the clock in the night entreating him to let her in and he stubbornly refuseth.
That about a twelve month since or thereabouts to this deponent's now remembrance this deponent and one Edward Jones this deponent's contest going to the house of Henry Trafford arlate to enquire for one John Mottram whom they there found and then presently after their coming in to the said house as they were drinking a quart of beer Elizabeth Case came into their company and upon her coming this deponent and his contest asking her to drink she did and then sat by them and then this deponent the said jones and the said John Mottram as also she the said Elizabeth did conclude to go drink a pint of wine and did go to Samuel Robinson's tavern and there drunk only one pint of wine and from thence this deponent the said Jones and Mottram went to the Swan being the house of Thomas Jones in Chester and the said Elizabeth Case did say she would not go in with them but would follow them and come and enquire for her husband and said she had been paying £5 for leather which the said Elizabeth did presently asking for her husband and affirming she had been paying for leather and this deponent and the rest aforementioned desired her to drink with them which she did and saith she there sat with them about an hour to this deponent's now remembrance... she the said Elizabeth was somewhat in drink... he hath heard reported by some that the said Elizabeth Case doth use much company and drink with them and hath been overseen in drink sometimes... he hath heard reported by divers persons and at sundry times within these two last years that Elizabeth Case [has] been overtaken or distempered and in drink.
That a little before Christmas was a twelvemonth last past this deponent and his precontest Christopher Walker went to Henry Trafford's house in Chester to seek for one John Mottram who they there finding did sit with him and call for a cup of beer and presently came in Elizabeth Case arlate whom they entreated to drink with them, and so she did for such space as they continued there and then it was a motion made amongst them to go to the tavern to drink a pint of wine and the said Elizabeth agreed to go with them and they went accordingly to Samuel Robinson's tavern where they only drank one pint or two at the most and then the said John Mottram this deponent and the said Walker having occasion to go to the Swan in the Foregate Street the said Elizabeth Case did say she would not go in with them but she would come after this and said she had been paying money at the tanner's and then they should entreat her to sit down, and this deponent saith that presently after their coming into the house aforesaid the said Elizabeth Case came and asked for her husband and said she had been paying money for him at the tanner's where this deponent and the rest did entreat her to drink with them and did drink there in her company till it was about ten of the clock in the evening and Case had taken much drink yet she did speak directly and did go of herself and further he cannot certainly depose.
The said Elizabeth Case during the space she lived... in this deponent's husband's house which was about ten weeks in which time the said Elizabeth Case as this deponent heard related by the said Thomas Syre's wife that the said Elizabeth Case was foully distempered with drink at her husband's house at the time of her sickness insomuch that either one or both her maid servants brought the said Elizabeth to her lodging in this deponent's husband's house about 10 of the clock in the night so that this deponent and her husband did not see the said Elizabeth for they were in their beds.
This deponent hath heard that the arlate Elizabeth Case hath often and sundry times frequented the house of Henry Trafford arlate within the time arlate... that this deponent hath heard that the house of the said Henry Trafford is a place where disordered company do meet and hath heard evil and scandalous speeches given forth by divers against the said Henry Trafford's wife and that for some misdemeanours she hath been sent to the Northgate by the... officers of this city... that within a year last past when this deponent and others being sent for... to Thomas Syre's wife who lay sick upon their coming thither and while they were there this deponent did see the said Elizabeth Case at that present very much distempered in drink and did carry herself very idly.
Within the time arlate the certain time this deponent cannot call to mind this deponent and John Minshull going to the house of one Thomas Jones in Chester did there meet with Elizabeth Case arlate who did there drink a quart or two of beer with them and so went her way and left them and saith that afterward this deponent coming up the row and passing by the said Elizabeth Case where she was in her husband's shop... and so concluded and went unto the tavern of William Conway whither the said Elizabeth came shortly after them and saith to this deponent's remembrance they had about two or three pints of wine and the said Elizabeth then departed from them and then the said Minshull and this deponent went to the shovelboard [illegible] they answered to Thomas Percival's tavern and said if she would come she should drink and she the said Elizabeth presently came after them where they did drink two or three quarts of wine and stayed there drinking till it was about 10 or 11 of the clock in the evening and saith the said Elizabeth was somewhat spent in drink and this deponent offered to bring her home which she denied and ran from him saying she scorned to be brought home yet this deponent did follow her to the lane where this deponent met her husband and he demanding whether he had been with his wife this deponent answered he had and the said Case desired him to come see in what Case she was in and this deponent went in and found her sitting on a stool in the house being distempered in drink and further this deponent cannot depose saving the said Thomas Case had hurt her face... this respondent... hath been in company with the said Thomas Case both in alehouses and taverns and have played at tables.
That within the time arlate this deponent saith that he hath seen Elizabeth Case arlate come forth of the house of Henry Trafford arlate and hath heard the said Elizabeth Case confess to this deponent that she hath been merry in the said Trafford's house in the night at several times and hath heard the said Trafford's house to be a suspected house for to entertain those that gave themselves to women and drinking and further that Margaret Trafford wife of the said Henry for some misdemeanours or misbehaviour by her or in the said house committed in the night time within the time arlate hath been committed to the Northgate... He hath heard the report or fame of the said Elizabeth Case her drunkenness of some four persons whereof the night bellman was one the said Elizabeth Case's husband another one Peter Taylor and his wife and more names he cannot speak but saith others as he believeth have reported it.
That upon a certain day within this half year this deponent and one Arthur Bolland being drinking in one Widow Bavand's house whereunto she the said Elizabeth Case came accidentally and upon her coming she did flick her fingers at this deponent and the rest saying I care not for thee nor I care for thee with such like idle gesture but cannot depose that the said Elizabeth Case was drunk for she did speak and could go directly and further saith for any fame he cannot depose for he never saw more than he hath deposed.
That the house of Henry Trafford arlate is a place suspected for disorder and hath heard the said Henry Trafford's wife hath been no better than she should be and hath heard she hath been committed to the Northgate by the mayor... that about Christmas was a twelvemonth this deponent being a constable and going with the deputy alderman and others their ward this deponent near unto Martin's Ash in Chester met with Hampton arlate and demanding the said Hampton what business he had there at that time of the night it being about 10 or 11 of the clock in the night he answered he was going about his master's business and after this deponent seeing the said Elizabeth Case going on the other side of the street this deponent suspecting there would be some dealing betwixt them the said Hampton and Case did follow them and did go in the Rows while the said Hampton and she the said Case went hand and hand in the street till they came to the lane end arlate where the said Elizabeth spake the words arlate and saith the said Elizabeth did not return by the space of an hour for this deponent stayed there to watch whether she came or not.
That this deponent hath heard divers bad speeches both of the house of Henry Trafford and of his wife and that his said wife hath for some misdemeanours been committed to the Northgate... He hath heard that the said Elizabeth Case did frequent and was often in company with Thomas Hinton arlate at the house of Henry Trafford... He did never hear of the said Elizabeth Case her drunkenness saving one Thomas Cooper confessed she was drunk in company and one John Minshull and there is a fame that she the said Elizabeth doth live an incontinent life.
That within the time arlate... to this deponent's remembrance this deponent and Thomas Cooper coming to go to Thomas Jones his house to drink with him the said Elizabeth Case came thither to them being sent for by Thomas Jones and saith she the said Elizabeth did come thither and did drink a cup of beer and presently went her way and this deponent and the said Cooper coming up the row finding the said Elizabeth in her husband's shop she did ask them whether they would go or take a pint of wine and they answered they were going to William Conway's tavern [illegible] about two hours playing at shovelboard after the said Elizabeth was gone her way and further saith that they coming forth of the said house went towards Thomas Percival's tavern and in the Row met up with the said Elizabeth and because she had bestowed a pint of wine of them at Conway's tavern they desired her to come to them to Thomas Percival's and the said Elizabeth said so soon as she had shut in the shop she would come to them and saith that about an hour after the said Elizabeth came when they had drink a quart or two of wine and so she did there stay and did drink with them about two hours till it was almost ten of the clock and saith this deponent cannot depose that she was overseen with drink for she was merry and went her way herself for any this deponent knoweth.
That within the time arlate this deponent hath often heard reported that Elizabeth Case arlate as well by day as by night hath consorted herself with the wife of Henry Trafford arlate and there hath been carousing and swaggering with company in the same house and saith that for the time arlate there hath been a bad report of the house arlate and of such persons as thereto did report and saith further that he hath heard likewise reported that the wife of the said Henry Trafford hath been a woman suspected for ill behaviour for the night and day time and for some misdemeanours as he believeth hath been committed to the Northgate... many have spoken that within the time arlate the said Elizabeth Case hath been often drunk.
[T]hat the house of Henry Trafford hath been and is a house very much suspected to entertain bad company and those persons that are of unhonest behvaiour and that they do keep such persons and disorder in the night time for this deponent saith he doth commonly watch and saith it hath been given this deponent and the rest in charge to look to the same house if they could see any disorder and saith that one time this deponent and the rest of the watch met the wife of Henry Trafford and the said Trafford and others of the watch demanding who they were they did of all a fighting with the watch whereupon the wife of the said Henry one other woman a stranger and Mr Thomas Hartley were carried to the Northgate and saith the time they were taken was about 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning.... About a twelvemonth since one night as this deponent and others watchmen were standing at the Cross in Chester and tending the watch Elizabeth Case came up the Bridge Street to this deponent and others and as they were there standing and when they had demanded who she was they knew her and wished her to go home for he saith she had taken too much drink for she did talk idly and saith the time was about an eleven of the cloth in the night... That there was a charge given by Mr Peter Drinkwater late mayor of this city to the watch that if the said Elizabeth Case were taken abroad at any inconvenient time she should be taken and brought to the Northgate and saith to this deponent's knowledge the said Elizabeth was not at any time taken abroad since the said charge given... this deponent doth not know any further than he hath deposed but hath heard divers speeches and reports of the said Elizabeth Case her drunkenness and keeping ill company.