HSA1681/S/33

Deposition: Agnes Pearles, Flitton, spinster. 23 June 1681. Saw Hen.Johnson come from her father's henhouse at 3 a.m.; found hens and feathers scattered; believes H.J. dropped them as he escaped. William Pearles, Flitton, yeo. As above. John Allen, Silsoe, innholder. Hen.Johnson stole glass bottles from J.A.'s barn: Th.Else made him return them. Suspects H.J. of other thefts. Thomas Else, lab., servant to Jn.Allen. Persued Hen.Johnson and made him return bottles stuffed in his breeches. The Informacon of Agnes Pearles of the parish of Flitton in this County Spinster taken upon oath this 23th of June 1681 before me Willm Daniel Esqr (one of his Majesties Justices of Peace for the said County) against Henry Johnson of the parish & County aforesaid labourer. As followeth: This Informt being duly sworne saith that about 7 weekes before Easter was a twelvemonth, on a Monday about 3 of the clocke in the morning she heard her fathers hens cry in the Henhouse, and rising to the chamber window she saw the said Henry Johnson come from the Henhouse doore and runne through the yard, And when it was day she went that way (she saw him run) and found feathers scattered & severall of her fathers hens coming out of an hedge about halfe a furlong from her fathers house which she verily believes the said Johnson stole and dropt thereabouts because of her discovery of him in the Yard & further saith not. The Informacon of William Pearles of Flitton aforesd in the County aforesd Yeoman taken upon oath before Wm Daniel Esqr & c the day & yeare abovewritten against Henry Johnson aforesaid. This Informt saith that the Monday morning his daughter Agnes saith she saw the said Henry Johnson come from the Henhouse & run through his yard, he went (when it was twilight) the way she said he run, and found (as he believes) the track of the said Henry Johnson's foote, and severall of this Informts Hens creeping out of the hedges & bushes about 20 pole from his house which he verily thinkes the said Johnson fearing to be pursued dropt out of some sack or bag because the said Informt hath a long time knowne him by report to be notorious for stealing poultrey & other misdemeanours & further saith not. Wm Daniel The Informacon of John Allen of Silsoe in this County Inholder taken upon oath before me Wm Daniel Esqr the day & yeare first abovewritten against Henry Johnson aforesaid. This Informt being duly sworne saith that about the 7th of Aprill was a twelvemonth he saw the said Henry Johnson goeing out of this Informts ground with his breeches stufft with glass bottles of which this Informt had severall dozen standing in hampers in his barne, and this Informt was going after him with a cudgell to have beat him but that his wife for feare of mischeife persuaded him to the contrary, Upon which he sent his servant Thomas Else after him who brought backe 5 or 7 of above 3 dozen bottles he had lost out of his said barne. And this Informt further saith that about the same time he lost out of his house 5 or 6 case knives two of which he found at an house in Flitton which the said Johnson did usually frequent and upon his asking Johnson where he had them he confessed he stole them out of this Informts house, & severall other things this Informt hath had stollen from him which he verily believes this Johnson stole because he hath found some of them in houses where he usually frequents and because he hath knowne him to be a notorious rogue for severall yeares & further saith not. The Informacon of Thomas Else of Silsoe aforesaid labourer taken upon oath before me Wm Daniel Esqr the day & yeare first abovewritten against Henry Johnson. This Informt being duly sworne saith that about the 7th of Aprill was a twelvemonth he saw the said Johnson take severall glasse bottles of his Master John Allens that stood in hampers in the said barne & put them through an hole of the wall into a ditch, and then came out of the barne & went round about and filled hisbreeches with as many as he could gett in, and was gone with them above a furlong when this Informt overtooke the said Henry Johnson and made him deliver the said bottles out of his breeches which were about 6 or 7 as neare as he can remember, and this Informt went back & found 5 or 6 more in the said ditch which he believes the said Johnson could not well pack up and further saith not. Jurat coram me Wm Daniel

1681

From: 1681 To: 1681

No. of pieces: 1

item

Pearles, Agnes,
Johnson, Henry,
Allen, John,
Else, Thomas,
Pearles, William,
Daniel, William

hens, poultry, henkeeper, innholder, bottles, servant, assault, magistrate, labourer, FLITTON, SILSOE