HSA1679/W/61

Deposition:James Blazeden, Biggleswade, roper. 23 Nov. 1678. 1678 Henry Geeve implicated him in confession 'out of spite and malice.' The grain came from his mother-in-law. Joane w. of Wm. Bland, Kelsy (Herts). Has often given grain to Jas. Blazeden her son-in-law without her husband's consent. The Examination of James Blazeden of Bigleswad in the county of Bedford roper taken before Robt Studley Esq one of his Majesties Justices of the peace for the county afforesaid, on the three & twentieth daye of November Anno Dni 1678 This Examinant saith that the bushell & halfe of wheat which Henry Geeve of Bigleswade afforesaid dressed for him was given to him by his wifes mother, & he brought it from Kelsy in Hartfordshr where she liveth in the chaffe, because his wifes mothers husband was a hard man to his daughter & would not allow it her, she therefore doeing it without his knowledge, & saith that it was red wheate & not white unlesse some few cornes of white were amongst it, & doth deny that he said unto Henry Geeve of Bigleswad that he had the said wheate out of the parsonage barne at Bigleswade & denyeth that he at any time he told the said Henry Geeve that he could steale ten pounds worth of graine out of the parsonage barne if he had but one to goe along with him that would be true to him This Examinant allso denyeth that he said to the said Henry Geeve that he went to the barne of Mr Henry Rudd of Bigleswade & lifted up the doore off from the hinges & tooke pease out of the barne, & saith that he bought two bushells of white pease of the said Henry Rudd, (which the said Henry Rudd then acknowledged) about the time in the Information mentioned & that he had all the rest of the pease which he used of his wifes mother which were grey pease & doth deny that he desired the said Henry Geeve to goe along with him to Mr Willm Rudds malthouse in Bigleswade afforesaid to steale malt, & doth deny that he told Henry Geeve afforesaid, that if he would be ruled by him & keepe his councell, he need never doe dayes worke as long as he lived; And this Examinant saith that the said Henry Geeve hath laide those things to his charge which are mentioned in the Information out of malice & spight; & to prevent this Examinant from informing against the said Henry Geeve that he the said Henry would have had this Examinant to have gone allong with him to robb Mr Willm Rudd of Bigleswade afforesaid & Willm Beaumont & Christopher Foster of the same towne & the poulters of Henlow & old Stonbridge of Holme. James Blazden his mark Robt Studley The Information of Joane Bland the wife of Willm Bland of Kelsy in the county of Hartford taken upon oath before Robt Studley Esq one of his Majesties Justices of the peace for the county of Bedford; November 25,1678 This Informant saith, that she hath at many times both before Christmas last & Candlemas last & since given unto her sonne in law James Blazeden for her daughter his wife ever since they came to Bigleswade to dwell (which is about three yeares since) of allmost all sorts of graine, that is to saye, wheate Rye misledine Barley pease & oates; both in the chaffe & out of the chaffe ready dressed but what quantitys at a time she doth not well remember, but thinks she gave the least of pease, which might be about two bushells or somewhat more, & that the saide James her son in law hath sometimes taken Barley of from the keape in the chaffe by himselfe, but with her knowledge & consent & that she used this waye of relieving her daughter because she had displeased her father by marrying without his consent & the last graine which the said James had of her was Rye dressed about somewhat lesse than a bushell which she had saft for him of last years graine & this was since last harvest & she beleeves before Mich: last, but knows not certainly the time; & further saith that she gave the said James red wheat but doth not remember that she gave him any white wheat, & furthersaith that her husband sowes every yeare about eleven acres of graine of the severall sorts afforesaid & some times more; & she further saith that she remember not that she ever gave him any white pease Joane Bland her mark Robt Studley

1678

From: 1678 To: 1679

No. of pieces: 1

item

Blazeden, James,
Bland, William,
Bland, Joan,
Geeve, Henry,
Rudd, Henry,
Beaumont, William,
Foster, Christopher,
Studley, Robert

roper, grain, magistrate, parsonages, peas, malthouse, Christmas, poulterers, barley, theft, BIGGLESWADE, Kelshall