Title
Deposition:
Mary Dazey, Henlow, spinster 23 Mar. 1669.
Child born in house of master Geo. Bury in Henlow; buried it in rickyard of Geo Bury; born prematurely owing to blow from well-sweep.
Eliz.Samme, wife of William Samme Searched body of Mary Dazey and child.
Damaris Bury, wife of Thomas Bury Searched body of Mary Dazey and child.
Mary Samme, midwife Searched body of Mary Dazey and child.
The examination of Mary Dazey of Henloe in the county of Beds. singlewoman, taken the three and twentieth day of March in the 20th year of the reign of Charles 2, before Samuel Bedford Esq. J.P: Saith that she was delivered on Thursday last, in the forencone, about tenne of the Clocke of a female bastard child, in the Kitchin of George Bury her master, where she lived in Henloe, And that there was noe person in the house, or present, att the birth of the sd. child, And that about one or two of the clocke the said day, she buryed the said child in the Reekeyard of the said George Bury And further sayth That a little before she was delivered, drawing a Buckett of Water att hir masters Well, The buckett fell in, And the sweepe strooke hir, on the side of hir body a great blow, whereupon she immediately fell in Labour, And upon hir delivery fell into a swoond, and soe lay for some tyme, and when she came to hir selfe, she found the child dead on the ground. And alsoe sayth That one John Timms who was the last yeare her fellow servant in Clifton was the father of the sd. bastard child.
The examination of Eliz. the wife of Willyam Samme of Henloe aforesaid taken the same day before the same J.P:
Sayth that she with one Damaris Berry, being desired to search Mary Dazey aforesd. who was suspected to have a bastard child, Upon search it did apeare to hir, that the sd. Mary Dazey had beene delivered of a child, Whereupon they charged the sd. Mary Dazey herewith: Who confessed she was delivered of a female child the Thursday before, And that it was borne dead, and she had buryed it the same day in hir master George Bury's Reeke yard, whereupon she with the said Damaris Bury by order from Mr Bedford went the next morning to search in the Reeke yard, where accordingly they found a female child buryed & wrappt upp in a linnen cloath, which the sd. Mary Dazey confessed was hir child: And further sayth That upon view of the body of the sd. child, she could not see any wound or bruise about the child, whereby it might apeare to have any hurt.
The examination of Damaris the wife of Thos Bury of Henloe aforesd. taken the same day before the same J.P. Saith that she with one Eliz. Samme being desyred to search Mary Dazey aforesd. who was suspected to have a bastard child, Upon search It did appeare to hir That the sd. Mary Dazey had beene delivered of a child, Whereupon they chardged the sd. Mary Dazey therewith: Who confessed, She was delivered of a female child the Thursday before in hir masters kitchin, And that it was borne dead, And that she buryed it the same day in hir master Geo. Buryes Reeke yard, whereupon she with the sd. Eliz Samme by order from Mr Bedford, went the next morning to search in the Reeke yard where accordingly they found a female child buryed & wrappt upp in a linen cloth, which the sd. Mary Dazey confessed was hir child And further saith That upon view of the body of the sd. child she could not see any wound or bruise about the child whereby it might apeare to have any hurt.
The examination of Mary Samme of Henloe taken the same day Saith that she being a midwife was desyred to search Mary Dazey who was suspected to have beene delivered of a bastard child, she did find that she had very lately beene delivered of a child which she confessed to her, And that upon view of the body of the said child after it was taken out of the ground she could not perceave any wound or hurt about it.