1564

26 March, 6 Elizabeth—Coroner's Inquisition-post-mortem, taken at the Ambery in the city of Westminster, on view of the body there lying dead of Cecilia, late the wife of William Erle of the same city yoman: With Verdict that, on the 24th inst. between seven and eight p.m., the said William Erle and his wife Cecilia went together to drink at the house of a certain William Maddoges in Westminster, and after drinking there for an hour and half went to the house of one Richard Wyse for more drinking, where they stayed drinking for an hour, when they returned to their own house; That, after returning with him to their own house, Cecilia spoke so abusively to her husband as to make him give her a slap and go off to bed, leaving her in the hall of the house, where she remained all night, till on rising from his bed William Erle found her in a prostrate condition, and carried her to the bed in which he placed her and left her for a time; And that, on returning to her three hours later, William Erle found her dead,— she having, in the opinion of the jurors, died on the 25 inst. about nine p.m. of a certain malady called The Mother (de quodam morbo anglice vocato the Mother).

16 May, 6 Elizabeth.—Coroner's Inquisition-post-mortem, taken at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields co. Midd. on view of the body of Agnes Peter widow, there lying dead: With Verdict that, on the 14th inst. between four and five p.m., the same Agnes Peter was in an upper room of the dwelling-house of her mistress Catherine Coffin, in order that she might prepare supper for her mistress, when she heard someone knocking at the door, and that in going downstairs to the door she fell down the same stairs; from the effects of which fall she died on the following day. G. D. R., 6 Oct., 6 Eliz.

20 June, 6 Elizabeth.—True Bill that, on the said day Richard Smallman of Finnesbury co. Midd. wyndemyller gave his servant Richard Hayward, who then served the said Richard Smallman in the art of a windmiller, two shillings a-week for his stipend, amounting in the whole year to one hundred and four shillings, against the form of a certain Statute of 5 Eliz., and against the tenor and effect of the same Queen's proclamation, recently made in Middlesex, for and concerning the wages of artificers, laborers and servants in the said county. G. D. R., 26 Sept., 7 Eliz.

4 August, 6 Elizabeth.—Coroner's Inquisition-post-mortem, taken at Endfylde co. Midd., on view of the body of Alice Emerye late of the said parish spinster, there lying dead: With Verdict that, on the 2nd inst. between two and three p.m., the said Alice Emerye in the said parish and at the instigation of the devil put an end to her life by hanging herself with a halter, worth one halfpenny. G. D. R., 6 Oct., 6 Eliz.

12 August, 6 Elizabeth.—True Bill that, on the said day in the highway at Hamersmyth co. Midd., Elen Pride late of London spinster assaulted Elen Abraham, wife of Gilbert Abraham, and robbed her of a silver-gilt ring worth two shillings, nine linen handkerchers worth twelve shillings, two linen "rayles" worth twenty pence, three linen kerchers worth four shillings, a linen coverlet worth three shillings and four pence, and two shillings and fourpence in numbered money, of the goods chattels and moneys of the same Gilbert Abraham. Putting herself 'Guilty,' Elen Pride pleaded her pregnancy. On being found 'Not Pregnant,' by a jury of matrons, she was sentenced to be hung. G. D., . . . ., Eliz.

15 August, 6 Elizabeth.—Coroner's Inquisition-post-mortem, taken at Westminster on view of the body of Anne Chambers alias Gunstone late of the Great Sanctuarye in the said city spinster: With Verdict that, on the 13th inst. about 1 p.m., Elizabeth Neale being in her usual habitation within the Great Sanctuary struck, trod on and bit the said Anne, and again on the same day between eight and nine p.m. of the same day struck the said Anne, and with her right foot gave the said Anne a blow in the body, of which she died on the following day; and that by the said blow Elizabeth Neale murdered the said Anne. G. D. R., 6 Oct., 6 Eliz.

21 August, 6 Elizabeth.—Coroner's Inquisition-post-mortem, taken at Hendon co. Midd. on view of the body of Hugh Lewys, there lying dead: With Verdict that, at Hendon on the 15th inst. Ralph Houghton, late of Hendon yoman, assaulted the same Hugh Lewys and then and there murdered him by giving him with a dagger a mortal wound in the left side, of which wound he died on the present 21st of August. At the foot of the bill, this memorandum—"Et p'dcus Rad'us Houghton po se sed Jur' dic' qd. non est Culpabil' de murdro sed dic' qd. est Culpabil' de homicidio et felonica interfeccio'e p'd'ci Hugonis Lewys, Et p'd' Hugo (sic) pet' libru' non legit vt clericus I'o sus." And the aforesaid Ralph Houghton puts himself, but the jurors say that he is not Guilty of murder, but say that he is Guilty of homicide and the felonious slaying of the aforesaid Hugh Lewys; And the aforesaid Hugh [it should be Ralph] asks for the book, does not read like a clerk:—Therefore, Let him be hung. G. D. R., 6 Oct. 6 Eliz.

8 September, 6 Elizabeth.—Coroner's Inquisition-post-mortem, taken at Golding lane in St. Giles's-without-Creplegate co. Midd., on view of the body of Margaret Carter late of the same place, there lying dead: With Verdict that, on the 6th inst. between three and four p.m. at Golding Lane aforesaid, the same Margaret uttered insulting words to Prudence Langhan, wife of John Langhan of Golding Lane laborer, on account of which insulting speech Alice Huggens, late of the same lane, spinster and servant of the same John and Prudence Langhan, lead the same Margaret out of the said John Langhan's house by the arm; and That half-an-hour later, on coming to a certain paling near her own house and at the back part of John Langhan's house, the said Margaret saw Alice drawing water from a well close at hand, and taking up a stone threw it at the same Alice, so that it hit her on the hand, whereupon the same Alice taking up a vessel full of water threw it at Margaret; and That in drawing back quickly, so as to avoid the vessel and water thus thrown at her, Margaret Carter fell backwards into the well, and so by mischance was drowned in the same well. G. D. R., 6 Oct., 6 Eliz.

30 November, 7 Elizabeth.—True Bill that, at Highholburne co. Midd. on the said day, Thomas Culby alias Thomas Fulverstone late of London yoman stole a grey gelding, worth six pounds fourteen shillings and fourpence, of the goods and chattels of Bartholomew Skerne gentleman. G. D. R., 16 Feb., 7 Eliz.

19 January, 7 Elizabeth.—True Bill that, at Westminster on the said day, David Ellis late of London yoman stole and carried off "vnum lavarium vocatum a barbors basen de quodam metallo vocato latton ad valenciam iis. vid., vnum poculum vocatum a latten pott ad valenciam iis. vid., tres tonsorias vocatas rasors ad valenciam iiis., un' forfex voc' a pare of sheres ad valenciam iis. vid., dua pectina vocata combes ad valenciam viiid., et vnum instrumentum music, vocatum a pare of Clavicordes ad valenciam iiijs., et vnum instrumentum musicu' vocatum a Griterne ad valenciam iijs." of the good and chattels of William Swayne at Westminster aforesaid. Putting himself 'Guilty,' David Ellis was sentenced to be hung. G. D. R., 16 Feb., 7 Eliz.