Читать книгу Notes and Queries, Number 211, November 12, 1853 - Various - Страница 3

I inclose you some rather curious extracts from the corporation books of Colchester, which I made a few years since, during an investigation of some of the charities of that ancient borough.

Jas. Whishaw.

"The informacōn of Richard Glascock of Horden-of-the-Hill, in the County of Essex, Cordwayner, aged twenty-four yeeres or thereabouts, taken upon oath the 5^th of June, 1651, before Jno. Furlie, Gent., Mayor of the Towne of Colchester.

"The Informant saieth, that upon the Lord's daie, the fower and twentieth daie of May last, that W^m Beard of Horden abovesaid, did cut off the taile of the catt of Thomas Burgis of Fanies Pishe, and Margaret, the wife of the s^d Tho^s Burgis, after the catt's taile was cutt off, came home, and seeing that her catt's taile had bin cutt off she enquired who had done it, and being told that the s^d W^m Beard had done it, she s^d she would be even w^th him before he went out of towne.

"Richard Glascock."

"The informacōn of H^y Potter, aged twenty yeeres or thereabouts, of Horden abovesaid, Lynnen Weaver, taken upon oath the day and yeere abovesaid.

"This informant saieth, that y^e s^d fower and twentieth daie of May the taile of the catt of the s^d Thomas Burgis being cutt off by the s^d W^m Beard, and y^e s^d Margaret the wife of the s^d Tho^s Burgis haveing bin told that the s^d W^m Beard had done it, she p^rsentlie told the s^d Beard she would be even with him before he went out of towne, and flewe in his face, and said she would give him something before he went out of her howse. And this informant saieing, Good woman, I hope you will give him noe poyson, and she replyed, he would not be soe foolish as to take any thinge of her, but she would be even w^th him before he went out of towne."

"Henry Potter."

"The informacōn of R^d Spencer, aged thirtie yeeres or thereabouts, Servant to Captⁿ Thomas Caldwell, taken upon oath the day and yeere aforesaid.

"This informant saieth, that the before-named W^m Beard being very sicke and in a strange distemper, and haveing heard that Margaret, the wife of the before-named Thomas Burgis, had threatened him, did suspect the s^d W^m Beard might be bewitched or ill dealt w^th, did cut off some of his haire off from his head, and did wind it up together and put it into the fire, and could not for a good while make it burne, untill he tooke a candle and put under it or into it, and then w^th much adoe it did burne, and after it was burnt y^e s^d Beard laie still, and before it was burnt he was in such a distemper that three men could hardlie hold him into his bed.

"Richard Spencer

"his + mark."