HSA1680/W/98

Deposition: John Swift, headborough of Staploe, Eaton Socon. 20 Feb. 1680. Chamber of Th. Merrill in Wm.Barcocke's house broken open and T.M.'s throat cut, so that he is in gt. danger of death. Suspects Welbye. Elizabeth, wife of Wm.Barcocke, Staploe. Went to Th.Merril's chamber, hearing a noise at night. Door was locked. She raised household, thinking there was a fire. Wm. Welbye, manservant, was not in his room, but she and the maid me him coming out of T.M.'s room, and saw his hand was bloody. Found T.M. in bed with his throat cut; he said 'Where is Welbye? Ann Flawne, maidservant. As above. William Welbye. Denies breaking into Th.Merrill's chamber and cutting his throat The Informacon of John Swift Headborough of Over Staploe in the parrish of Eaton Socon in the County of Bedford taken uppon his oath the six and twentieth day of February Anno Domini juxta & c 1679 Annoque RR Caroli scdi xxxij. This Informant saith that on Tuesday night last about midnight the chamber of Thomas Merrill (a Sojourner in the howse of Willm Barcocke of Over Staploe aforesaid) was broke open and his throat cut and hee thereby soe miserably wounded that hee is in great danger of death And that hee hath in suspicon Willm Welbye a Servant in the said house for the doeing thereof, as the said Thomas Merill told this Informant, Taken sworne and acknowledged this Day and yeare above written before mee W Foster The marke of John Swift The Informacon of Elizabeth the wife of Willm Barcocke of Over Staploe in the parish of Eaton Socon in the County of Bedford yeoman taken uppon her oath the fifth day of March Anno Domini juxta & c 1679 Annoque RR Caroli Secundi nunc Anglia & c tricesimo secundo This Informant saith that uppon Shrove Tuesday last about midnight this Informant hearing a noise in the lodgeing chamber of one Thomas Merrill in her said house, which shee afterwards found to bee the falling of part of the seeling from the topp of the said chamber, and immediately goeing upp to the said chamber doore lookeing through the crevis of the doore, saw a light at the topp of the seeling, and thought that her house had been on fire, and endeavouring to open the said chamber doore could not, the doore beimg lockt, Thereuppon shee this Informant immediately runn downe staires to light a candle, and sent her child and maidservant into the End to call in neighbours, and shee this Informant and Ann Flawn her maidservant went upp to Willm Welbyes chamber her manservant to call him upp fearing the house was on fire, but the said Willm Welby was gone out of his chamber, and thereuppon this informant came immediately from the said Welbyes chamber and runn upp the staires leading to the said Thomas Merrills chamber, and the said Merrills chamber doore was then open, and the said Welbye asked this Informant, if shee see him, if shee see him, and the said Ann Flawne her maidservant answered, see who, the said Welbye replied the rogue, whereuppon the said Ann Flawne replied shee saw noebodye but him, then shee this Informant and the said Ann Flawne went together immediately into the said Thomas Merrills chamber, where they found a candle in a candlestick of this Informants, standing light at the topp of the seeling, and a great part of the seeling broken downe, and shee this Informant desired the said Welbye to fetch downe the said candle, which hee accordingly did, and gave to this Informant, and as shee received the said candle from the said Welbye, shee observed his hand to bee very bloody, and said to him, Oh dear, what ails your hand to bee bloody, and the said Welbye answered - - - [dashes over deleted word] with feeling for the rogue, then shee this Informant and the said Ann Flawne her maidservant went to the bedside of the said Thomas Merrill, and found him groveling in his bed and his shoulders and his face and his handes and his sheets and all his linnen exceeding bloudy, and uppon examinacon found him miserably wounded by his throat being cut, and histhumb cut to the bone, and shee this Informant asking the said Merrill how hee came so bloudy, the said Merrill replying where is Welbye, meaning the said Willm Welbye her Servant, the said Merrill concludeing that the said Welbye had soe wounded him the said Merrill And further saith not Taken & acknowledged the day and yeare abovewritten Before mee W Foster The marke of Elizabeth Barcock The Informacon of Ann Flawne the maidservant of Willm Barcocke of Over Staploe in the parrish of Eaton Socon in the County of Bedford yeoman taken uppon her oath the Fifth day of March in the yeare of our Lord 1679 Annoque RR Caroli Secundi nunc Anglia & c Tricesimo Secundo. This Informant saith that uppon Shrove tuesday last about twelve a clock at night hearing a noise in the lodging chamber of one Thomas Merrill a Sojourner in the house of her said master, which shee afterwards perceived to bee the falling of part of the Seeling from the topp of the said chamber, shee with her dame immediately went upp to the said chamber doore, but could not enter, it being lockt, and then lookeing through the crevis of the said doore they saw a light at the topp of the said chamber, thinkeing it had been on fire, and runn immediately downe staires and went together to the chamber of Willm Welbye a mann Servant in the house to call him, but the said Welbye was gone out of his chamber, whereuppon they returned immediately and went upp the staires leading into the said Merrills chamber and mett the said Welbye uppon the staires comming out of the said Thomas Merrills chamber and then found the said Merrills chamber doore open and the said Welbye said, doe you see him, doe you see him, and shee this Informant answered, see, who, the said Welbye replied the rogue, whereuppon shee this Informant answered shee saw nobodie but him, then shee this Informant with her said dame went together into the said Thomas Merrills chamber where lookeing upp they saw a candle standing light at the topp of the seeling in a candlestick of her this Informants said masters, and a great part of the seeling broken downe, then shee this Informant with her said dame went to the bedside of the said Thomas Merrill where they found him most miserably wounded, his throat being cut and the thumme of his right hand cut to the bone, and his face, handes, shoulders, and his sheets, and all his linnen, exceeding bloudy, and this Informants said dame asked the said Thomas Merrill how hee came soe bloudy, hee the said Thomas Merrill answered, where is Welbye, meaning, the said William Welbye, they answered they knew not, then hee the said Thomas Merrill bidd her this deponent and her said dame looke after him and keep sight on him, for hee suspected him to bee the rogue that did him that mischeife. And further saith not Taken and acknowledged The day and yeare abovewritten Before Mee W Foster The marke of Ann Flawne The Examinacon of Willm Welbye of Over Staploe in the parrish of Eaton Socon in the County of Bedford laborer taken the Six and twentieth day of February Anno Domini juxta & c 1679 This Examinant being charged with breaking into the Chamber of Thomas Merrill and cutting his throat (whereby hee is in danger of death) doth utterly deny the same Taken and acknowledged the day & Yeare above written before mee W Foster

1680

From: 1680 To: 1680

No. of pieces: 1

item

Swift, John,
Merrill, Thomas,
Barcocke, William,
Barcocke, Elizabeth,
Welby, William,
Flawne, Anne,
Foster, W

breaking & entering, murder, assault, wounding, manservant, maid, servant, injury, DEATH, Shrove Tuesday, labourer, EATON SOCON, STAPLOE