Reference
HSA1675/S/59/2
Title
Depositions: Giles Taylor, Cardington, blacksmith. 4 May 1675.
Evidence of 3 women suspected of being pickpockets at Elstow Fair. Dorothy Bilcock, St. Neots. spinster. Further evidence of 4 women who came to her mother's house at time of fair, and acted suspiciously. Sibill Noble, Southwark, Surrey. Left home and travelled to buy hair. Came to Elstow Fair with her daughter, where they met 2 other women. Michaell Banser, Kennington, Lambeth. His journey since he left home until he came to Elstow with his brother, whom he had met by chance. Robert Banser, same. Journey from Lambeth. Came to Elstow Fair to buy cloth to make breeches, with brother Michael and wife, who sells bone lace. Susan Banser, wife of Robert. As above. John Howlet, Kempston, labourer 14 May 1675. Employed as waiter at John Whitbread's house in Elstow at time of fair. Saw Robt. Banser come out of a room and later money was found missing from it. The Informacon of Giles Taylor of Cardington in the county of Bedford blacksmythe taken upon oath before Sr George Blundell knight & William Spencer Esqtwo of his Maties Justices of the peace for this county the 4th of May 1675 This Informant sayth that upon the third of May last past he was at the house of one widdowe Bilcock in Elstoe in the fairetyme, which sayd widdow told him this Informant that three women had come into her house three severall tymes that day and had every tyme altered theire habitts which notice beinge considered by the Informant who had heard of much money that had byn lost that day in the sayd towne he did procure the daughter of the said widdow Bilcock to goe with him the Informant into the faire to fynd out the aforesd three suspitious women, with whome after some search he mett & upon inquiry of them what cuntrey they came out of and what busynesse they had at the faire, was asked by them what he had to doe with them to aske such questions whereunto this informant replyed that they were suspitious persons & there haveinge byn much money lost that day he had them in suspition whereupon one of the sd women told him this Informant that she lived in Leicestershire & the 2 other told him they lived in Southwark & theire busynesse there was to buy haire and further informeth not The Information of Dorothy Bilcock of St Neots in the county of Huntington spinster taken upon oath the 4th day of May 1675 before Sr George Blundell knight & William SpencerEsq two of his Maties Justices of the peace for this county This Informant sayth that on the 3rd of May last in the fairtyme 3 severall women came to the Informants mothers howse in Elstow who at theire first comeinge into the howse had hatts upon theire heads but at theire goeinge out the first tyme 2 of them left theire hatts & went into the faire with hoods & that they came 3 severall tymes out of the faire to the Informants mothers howse & at the last tyme of theire comeinge were accompanyed with another woman who stayd with them some little tyme in the howse, from whence they all 4 went together those 2 women who at theire first comeinge into the howse had left theire hatts takeinge them away with them, & when they were out of the howse they went two of them one wayes & two of them an other, And this informant further sayth that upon her goeinge to fynd them in the faire afterwards she could fynd only 3 of them and that at the last tyme of the aforesd womens beinge in her mothers howse (as neare as she can remember it was the last tyme) she saw one of the women give to one of her companyons some money which she tooke out of her lapp wherein shee this informant saw shee had about a handfull loose, And shee likewise further informeth that a girle who lookes to a little child which is sayd to be the child of one of the aforesd women had (at that tyme aforesd when shee saw them) a purse in which shee coniectured was money & that the same might be of the quantitie of three pounds by the shew thereof which purse was fastned to the girles wast under her upper pettycoate And this informant sayth that the woman of the company who is now missinge gave to the old woman who calls herselfe Sibill Noble some money in her the informants presence & that the younge woman who calls herselfe Susanna Noble at theire second goeinge out of her the informants mothers howse sayd to the rest wee will goe and looke our husbands and come agayne and further shee sayth not The Examinacon of Sibill Noble of Southwarke taken the 4th of May 1675 before Sr George Blundell knight & William Spencer Esqre two of his Maties Justices of the peace for the county of Bedd This Examinant sayth that shee lives in Kings Bench Alley in Southwarke where she lived for 2 yeares last past that she came from thence yesterday was a fortnight but shee rememberd, nor knowes where shee lodged the severall nights since her comeinge from home save only one night that shee lay at Hodsden neyther doth she know through what townes or places she travelled since but sayth she left 4 children at a cuntrey towne about 14 miles from Bedford where they yet are but knowes not the townes name, that the occasyon of her comeimgo from home was to buy haire & that synce her comeinge she hath bought 4 heads of haire, and this Examynant further sayth that she came to the faire accompanyed with her daughter only and that at the faire she mett with two other women but knew them not before nor whence they came that one of them is escaped & another in custody & further confesseth not. The Examynacion of Michaell Banser of Kenington in the parish of Lambath in the county of Surrey taken the 4th of May 1675 before Sr George Blundell knight & William Spencer Esqr two of his Maties Justices of the peace for this county of Bedds This Examinant sayth that yesterday was moneth he came from Kenington aforemenconed that his Imploymt beinge to mend sives & fanns he hath synce byn in Cambridgesheire workinge as he could gett worke that he mett with his brother Robert Banser at Snapshead a towne 4 myles beyond Bishoppstafford by chance not knowing of his beinge there & that he hath kept company with his brother ever synce And that on Thursday night last they lay at Cambridge & the night followinge at a country towne betwixt Cambridge & St Neots That on Saturday & Sunday night they lay at Eaton Ford & that they came from thence about 7 of the clocke in the morninge & came into Elstow about 12 of the clock the same day being the 3rd of May and further confesseth not The Examynacon of Robert Banser of Kenington in the parish of Laabath in the county of Surrey taken the 4th of May 1675 before Sr George Blundell knight & William Spencer Esqr two of his Maties Justices of the peace for this county of Bedd This Examynant sayth that he came from Kenington aforesd on Thursday was seaven night that he lay the first night at Eppinge and the next night at Bishops Stafford but he knows not the signe That the next night he lay at Saffornwalden at the Grayhound and the next night he lay at Cambridge but he knowes not the place but remembers it was neare the castle & that the next night he lay at Bugden at the Chequer & the next night at the Rose & Crown in Eaton That on Wednesday & Thursday last he was at St Neots & lodged both those nights at Eaton & on Friday night at Spaldock in Huntsheire & on Satterday came back to Eaton from whence he came yesterday & came to Elstow faire with his wife who sells bone lace that he purposed to buy him some cloath there to make him britches And further he sayth not The Examynacon of Susan Banser wife of Robert Banser aforesd taken the 4th of May 1675 before Sr George Blundell knight & William Spencer Esqr two of his Maties Justices of the peace for this county of Bedford This Examynant sayth that she came from Kenington with her husband on Thursday was sevenight and that they mett Michaell Banser her husbands brother by chance at Sapshead on Friday was sevenight That they lay that night at Bishop Stafford that on Saterday night they lay at Saffornwalden on Sunday night they lay at a cuntrey towne that on Munday night shee thinks they lay at Cambridge on Tuesday night they lay at Bugden on Wednesday Thursday & Friday night they lay at Eaton & on Saterday night within a myle of Laightonstone on Sunday night they lay at Eaton and came from thence about 7 of the clock & in the way to the faire came to Cardington about 11 of the clock and to the faire about one of the clock before her husband & her brother and her sonn about a quarter of an hower & further she sayth not The Informacon of John Howlet of Kempston laborer taken upon oath the 4th day of May 1675 before Sr George Blundell knight & William Spencer Esqr two of his Maties Justices of the peace for this county of Bedford This Informant sayth that beinge imployed as a wayter in John Whitbreads house of Elstow the faire day beinge the 3d of May last he then & there saw the person now present before him nameinge himselfe Robert Banser come out of a roome abovestaires in the sd howse, in which room the sd John Whitbread had layd money within a chest standinge therein which money was lost out of the same as this informant was told by his aforesd master, And he further sayth that the sd Banser went first out of the roome leavinge on other behynd him who payd for the flagon of beare they had in the sayd roome and that he the sd Banser & his companyon were in the sd roome betwixt nyne & tenn of the clock in the forenoone of the sd day at which tyme the aforesd money was sayd to be lost And further he sayth not
Date free text
1675
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From: 1675 To: 1675
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No. of pieces: 1
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