Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    HSA1678/S/67
  • Title
    Deposition: Thomas Foxon, Dunstable, butcher. 15 May 1678. 6 sheep he had bought at Dunstable Fair were later challenged by Jn.Jeffes and Th.White. John Jeffes, husbandman, Thomas White, shepherd, Chalgrave. Found the 6 sheep missing in the ground of Th.Foxon. John Cardwell, John Jeffes. J.C. lost 2 sheep out of the fold of J.J. Robt.Lake confesses that he and Wm.Gurney took them. Richard Pocke, Edmonton (Middx.), butcher. 20 May 1678. Bought 2 sheep at Leighton Market from a youth he would recognise if he saw him. Robert Lake, Chalgrave, servant. 15 May 1678. Confesses that he and Wm.Gurney, 'at the instigation and perswasion' of W.G., stole 6 sheep from J.J.'s fold and drove them to Dunstable Fair. W.G. left, saying he should be more mistrusted in the fair than R.L. R.L. sold them to Th.Foxon and divided the money with W.G. Confesses previous theft of 2 sheep from J.J.'s fold. Drove them to Leighton and sold to a butcher. William Gurney, son of Jn.Gurney, Hockliffe, butcher. Denies evidence of R.L. The Informacon of Thomas Foxon of Dunstable in the said County Butcher taken upon oath the 15th day of May Anno Dni 1678 before me William Duncombe Esqr one of his Maties Justices of the Peace for the said County Saith that upon the Eleaventh day of May instant he bought sixe sheepe marked with a black Horshooe upon the rumpes newly put on and with the old mark T: S: on the neere side still remayninge, at Dunstable faire of Robert Lake (servant as he himselfe said to Thomas Jenkins of Billington and that he sold the sheepe because he could not gette keepinge for them they beinge his owne sheepe) and that hee paid for the sixe sheepe 7s 6d a peece, and that he put them afterward in a ground called Woodcock hill in the Parishe of Hockliffe beinge his oxne ground where they were challenged by John Jeffes husbandman of Chalgrave and Thomas White of the same Parishe Shepheard W Duncombe The Informacon of John Jeffes Husbandman & of Thomas White Shepheard both of the Parish of Chalgrave in the said County of Bedd taken upon oath before me William Duncombe Esqr one of his Mates Justices of the Peace for the said County the 15th day of May 1678 Say that they lost sixe sheepe upon friday the 10th of May instant from out of theire fold in Tebboth Field marked with an old marke upon the neere side T:S: and with a blacke horse-shoe newly put on the rumpe, And further say that they missed them not untill Satterday at night followinge, and that upon search they found them the 14th day of May instant in a ground called Woodcocke hill in the Parish of Hockliffe in thoccupation of Thomas Foxon of Dunstable, and further say not W Duncombe The Informacon of John Cardwell & John Jeffes husbandmen of the parishe of Chalgrave in the said County of Bedd taken upon oath before me William Duncombe Esqr one of his Mates Justices of the peace for the said County the 15th day of May 1678 John Cardwell saith that about three weekes last past hee lost twoe sheepe marked I:C: out of the fold of John Jeffes where he put them together with Eleven more of the same Marke, ever since our Lady day last, and that hee never heard of them since till the 15th day of May instant when Robert Lake confessed to him and the said John Jeffes that hee together with William Gurney of the Towne of Hockliffe Butcher had taken them on Tuesday morninge three weekes before beinge Laighton Markette day out of the fold of the said John Jeffes and drave them to [ ..... w]here William Gurney aforesaid sold them for Eight shillings sixpence a[piece?] W Duncombe The Informacon of Richard Rocke of Edmonton in the County of Middlesex Butcher taken upon oath before me William Duncombe Esqr one of his Mates Justices of the Peace for the County of Bedd at Laighton Bussard the 20th day of May 1678 Saith that aboute a month since hee did buy at Laighton Markette twoe sheepe of a youth whose name he knowes not but had seene him before, of a middle stature and faire haire and that he paid sevenshillinges sixe pence a peece for the said sheepe, the marke hee doth not remember but saith that he knew the man againe if he saw him W Duncombe The Examinacon of Robert Lake servant livinge in the parish of Chalgrave in the County of Bedd taken before me William Duncombe Esqr one of his Mates Justices of the peace for the said County at Battlesdon in the County aforesaid the 15th day of May 1678 Confesseth that on Satterday last halfe an houre before day hee went into Tebboth fields at the instigacon and persuasion of William Gurney who accompanied him, and that they twoe tooke out of the Fold of John Jeffes sixe sheepe marked with a blacke horse-shooe on the rumpe, and that he drove them imediately to Dunstable there beinge a Fair that day to be held there, and that the said William Gurney helped him to drive them up Puddle hill, and then went his way, sayinge that hee should bee more instructed in the Faire then the said Robt should; That he hired a penne there, and sold them to Thomas Foxon of Dunstable for seven shillings and three pence a peece, and that havinge sold them he mette William Gurney at an Alehouse hard by and there drank together, and afterwards in the Road homewards they divided the money halfe hee gave to Gurney, and thother halfe he kept for himselfe; This Examinant further saith that he never saw the said Gurney but once before aboute three weekes since, and then they tooke out of the same fold, in Tebboth field twoe Sheepe and drove them together to Laighton Markette and there Wm Gurney sold them to a Butcher, a short thicke man, browne short haired, for eight; shillinges six pence a peece and that they divided the money equally betweene them, and that his twoe brothers John and Richard Lake saw him and Gurney together at Laighton Faire; W Duncombe The Examination of William Gurney sonne of John Gurney of Hockliffe in the County of Bedford Butcher taken before mee William Duncome Esqr one of his Mates Justices of the Peace in the said County at Battlesdon in the County aforesaid the 15th day of May 1678 Saith that hee never saw Robert Lake but twice in his life once aboute six weekes since, and the second time at the Cocke at Hockliffe, the beginninge of this month of May, and that he knowes nothinge of the sixe sheepe, or the twoe sheepe, nor had hee any money from the said Lake, neither was with him at Laighton Towne in his life. W Duncombe
  • Date free text
    15 May 1678
  • Production date
    From: 1678 To: 1678
  • Exent
    No. of pieces: 1
  • Level of description
    item
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