Reference
HSA1668/W/39
Title
Edwife Ward, Robt. Ingram, Eliz. Nunn 1668 Edwife Ward, Stanwick (Northants) 10 Mar. 1668 -- Eliz. Nunn of Stanwick, a vagrant, confessed to drowning of bastard child in a ditch at Melchbourne. Robert Ingram, Stanwick,Constable; as above.
Eliz. Nunn -- Sent on errand to Thurleigh by Kath. Darnell of Stanwick, but instead wandered about the country, Confesses drowning of child.
The Information of Edward Ward Tobacco pipe maker of Stanwick in the county of Northant taken upon oath before Jo: Gardiner JP on March 10th, 20 Chas II:
This Informant sworn saith that he heard one Eliz. Nunn of Stannicke singel woman who is a a loitering person and a wanderer upp and downe the country confesse that she was brought to bedd upon the 1st of this instant March in the henhouse of one Susanna Browne of Melchburne, Beds. of a male child and being asked by this informant where the child was she told him that she had hidd the child betweene two ploughes, and that she had told this informant being asked by him at another time what she had done with the child, that she had thrown the child in a ditch in Melchburne field, and that upon the Saturday after this Informant with one Robert Ingram had the said Eliz. Nunn up to the place where she said she had hid the child and there in a ditch found the child dead in the water in the ditch being a lusty male child. And this informant saith that the occasion of his Inquiry into the businesse was for that he being Constable of the sd. towne of Stannicke and being at church att evening prayer his daughter came in to the church and told him that the said Eliz. Nunn was come home to Stannick and said that she had had a child that day begotten by one William Colson of Stannicke and this informant coming from church mett the said Colson and brought him into the house of the sd. Eliz. Nunn where he heard her confesse as above he hath deposed: but at the present made no other prosecution till the following Saturday, the woman being in an ill condition by reason of her late delivery and further saith not. The Information of Robt. Ingram of Stannicke, Northants., husbandman taken upon oath before me the day and year above-mentioned. Saith that being Deputy Constable of the towne of Stannicke went with the other informant upon Saturday in the Information mentioned together with the sd. Eliz. Nunn into Melchburne field and there found a dead male child in a ditch which the sd. Elizabeth confessed to be her child and laied there by her, and further saith not. The Examination of Eliz. Nunn of Stannicke, Northants singel woman Who saith that the William Colson of Stannicke aforesaid labourer had the carnal use of her body three severall times & gott her with child and that upon Thursday being the 27th of February last whe was sent from Stannicke by one Katherine Darnell of Stannicke to Thurleigh Beds. upon an errand but that she went not to Thurleigh but wandered about the country and stole three slips of yarn and a shift in Souldropp and Knotting in this county but they are returned to their owners. That upon Saturday the last of the said February in the morning she came to Melchbourne in the county of Bedford and lay there all Saturday night, and stole into an outhouse of the Earl of Bolingbroke and lay there all night undiscovered till the morning a man to her unknown found her and asked her what she did there, and she told him that she came for harbour and that upon her desire a servant of the house made her a possett and from thence she saith she went to the house of Susannah Browne in Melchburne and went into her close, and there finding herself worse and worse and near her delivery, gott in to the henhouse of the said Susan Browne and was there by herself alone delivered of a boy born alive; and that before her delivery she called upon the sd. Susan Browne to helpe her, but she answered she would have nothing to doe with such a whore as she was, and that after her delivery she desired the assistance of the said Susan Browne which being denied her she wrapped the child in hey and putt it into her lapp and went into Melchburne fields and there left the child in a ditch full of water but cannot tell whether at that instant the child was alive or dead, but saith she thought she was it stirred when she laid it in the water, and further saith not.
Date free text
1668
Production date
From: 1668 To: 1668
Exent
No. of pieces: 1
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item