[Upper left]
4to Julij 98.
Recognit[a?] coram [flourish; no securely read name].
Responsiones personales Christophori Thompson
quibus positionibus et articulis Libelli ex parte
Richardi Mawburne con[tra] eum dati et
exhibiti.
Ad primam positionem respondet refert se ad Constitutionem
provincialem (si qua talis sit) et al[ite]r non Credit eandem esse
veram in aliquo.
Ad s[e]c[un]dam positionem respondet refert se ad Canonicas sanctiones articulatas
et ad jus et al[ite]r non Credit eandem esse veram in aliquo.
Ad tertiam positionem respondet (sub protestatione tamen de non
diffamando aut injuriando eundem Richardum Mawburne) dicit
That he this Respond[en]t doth not believe that he the s[ai]d Rich[ar]d
Mawburne was [deleted: ever?] or is a Man of honest life &
Conversation but aspers[e]t with and guilty of
Severall Crimes and soe accounted within the
parish and places articulate. Et al[ite]r non Credit eandem esse
veram in aliquo.
Ad quartam positionem respondet Credit That he this Respond[en]t did not
in all or any of the moneths articulate in any place
wher[e]ever any ways defame or injure the s[ai]d Rich[ar]d
Mawburne by any words whatsoever. Nor did he
ever call him Sorcerer, Conjurer, witch or wizard,
or that he dealt or Made some contract with the
Devill or any of the words articulate or any to the same
effect. Et al[ite]r non Credit eandem esse veram in aliquo.
Yet this respond[en]t saith That he the s[ai]d Rich[ar]d Mawburne having
writt a Letter to the articulate Mary Coulton (this Respond[en]ts sister)
ready to be produced in this Cause [inserted/corrected words: by the s[ai]d?] Diabolicall expressions
wherein [unread short run] he the s[ai]d
[inserted: might] this Respond[en]t read or repeated to some person & not
otherwise did he speake to of or ag[ain]st the s[ai]d Mawburne.
Ad quintam positionem respondet Credit eandem esse veram.
Ad sextam positionem respondet Credit That he this Respond[en]t never Owne[d]
that he had spoken any scandalous words whatsoever to of
or ag[ain]st him the s[ai]d Mawburne. Et al[ite]r non Credit eandem esse
veram in aliquo.
Ad septimam positionem respondet Credit That the good name & Opinion
of him the s[ai]d Rich[ar]d Mawburne is not any ways Lessened
by any words [edge damaged; connecting text unresolved].
[Image 3 left, continuation]
Ad octavam positionem respondet Credit eandem esse veram.
Christofer Thompson.
Rob: Medley.
Thompson
[Personal? contracted] Answers.
[Left]
4o Julij (98).
Repetit[us] coram [contracted name/signature unread].
[Johannes?] Taylor de Beverley in Ebor[acensi] Dioec[esi]
[occupation contracted; reading uncertain] aetatis 43 annor[um] vel eo circiter
super positionibus et Art[icu]lis [unread contraction] ex p[ar]te Richardi
Mawburne con[tra] Christophorum Thompson dat[is] et
exhibit[is] productus admissus et juratus dicit
et deponit prout sequitur.
Sup[er] tertio Art[icu]lo Exam[inatus] dicit That he this Dep[onen]t has
known and been acquainted with the ar[ticula]te Richard
Mawburne above these twelve moneths and he says
that for all the s[ai]d time he was & is a very honest
man of good life & conversation & of good
repute and esteem amongst his neighbours and
soe accounted off for any thing that this Dep[onen]t
knows or has heard to the contrary. Et al[ite]r
nescit deponere.
Sup[er] Quarto Art[icu]lo Exam[inatus] dicit That he this Dep[onen]t
did not within the time ar[ticula]te nor at any other
time or place whatsoever [deleted: ever] heare the ar[ticula]te
Thompson speake any of the words ar[ticula]te or to
the like effect to off or ag[ain]st the ar[ticula]te Richard
Mawburne. Et al[ite]r nescit deponere.
Sup[er] reliquis non Exam[inatus] &c.
John Taylor.
Edwardus Hunsley de Beverley in Ebor[acensi]
Dioec[esi] aetatis 39 annor[um] vel eo circiter Plumber
Testis ut supra productus &c. dicit et deponit
prout sequitur.
Sup[er] Tertio Art[icu]lo Exam[inatus] dicit That he this Dep[onen]t has
known the ar[ticula]te Richard Mawburne for these
Seaven or eight yeares last past & he says that
he was and is an honest man for any thing
that this Dep[onen]t knows to the Contrary of good
life and Conversation and that he was apprenticed
to this Dep[onen]ts brother in Beverley for Seaven
yeares together & he never knew nor heard
any thing to the contrary. Et al[ite]r nescit deponere.
Sup[er] Quarto Art[icu]lo Exam[inatus] dicit quod nescit deponere
Praeterquam that about March last past (the more
certaine time this Dep[onen]t cannot now remember)
he this Dep[onen]t happened to be in Company with the
ar[ticula]te Thompson in Geo. Sissons shop in St. Marys
P[ari]sh in Beverley, at [which?] [deleted: when] [unread word] there happened
some discourse between the ar[ticula]te [inserted: Thompson] & this Dep[onen]t
concerning the ar[ticula]te Rich[ar]d Mawburne and this Dep[onen]t
(amongst other discourse) happened to Say [deleted: because?]
[deleted words approximately 2–3 unread] That he the s[ai]d Rich[ar]d Mawburne might
have been brother in Law to the ar[ticula]te Thompson.
Whereupon he replyed and Said that he believed that
he would never marry his Sister Mary Coulton ar[ticula]te
for that he [deleted: had?] a Letter [deleted/corrected words unread] him from the s[ai]d
Mawburne [deleted: was?] that if [he/she?] the s[ai]d Mary Coulton
would not have him to husband he would
[Image 5 left]
set his heels to the Devill and torment
her as long as she lived which were
all the words that this Dep[onen]t heard the s[ai]d
Thompson speake concerning the s[ai]d
Mawburne. Et al[ite]r nescit
deponere.
Sup[er] reliquis non Exam[inatus] &c.
Edward Hunsley.
Mawburne
contra
Thompson.
1698.
In Dei nomine Amen Auditis visis intellectis ac plenius
et Mature discussis per Nos Henricum Watkinson Legum Doctorem
Reverendissimi in Christo Patris et Domini Domini Johannis
Providentia Divina Ebor[acensis] Archiepiscopi Angliae Primatis et
Metropolitani Vicarium in Spiritualibus Generalem et Officialem
principalem [approximately one line of contracted words concerning the libel or pleadings and their merits; not securely read]
hujusmodi causae sive Negotii pro prolatione quorundam Verborum
opprobriosorum temerariorum contumeliosorum et injuriosorum Correctionis
et Diffamationis quae sive quod coram nobis in Judicio
inter Richardum Mawburne partem promoventem ex
una et Christophorum Thompson de Beverley Ebor[acensis] Dioec[eseos]
partem promotam partibus ex altera [unread contraction]
vertiturque adhuc et pendet indecisa, Oblatisque et Articulis
per dictam partem promoventem [unread contraction] Exhibitis eorumque
parti reae tradita Sit [unread] In Dei Nomine Amen.
Nos praedicti quos [unread contraction] et [unread] pro hic Lectis et insertis
habemus vel haberi volumus Observatis omnibus et
Singulis de jure in hac parte Observandis [unread contraction] ad
[unread contraction] Scientiam nostram sufficienter in dicta Causa sive
Negotio [unread] [unread contracted words] per Nos Judicialiter assignatis
[unread contracted words] partibus praedictis [unread]
[unread] per Magistrum Johannem Webster procurante vero
per Robertum Oates Notarios Publicos eorum respective
Procuratores coram Nobis in dicta Curia pro tribunali
publice Sedentibus Comparentibus ac Sententiam per Nos
ferri et Justitiam Sibi [inserted: ministrari] postulantibus [unread] primitus
per Nos toto et integro processu in dicta Causa sive Negotio
habito et facto ac diligenter recensito invocata etiam
Spiritus Sancti gratia Maturaque deliberatione praehabita
de et cum Consilio Jurisperitorum cum quibus in hac parte
communicavimus eam Sententiam nostram Definitivam in dicta Causa
sive Negotio ferendam prolatamque [unread] duximus procedendum
fore et procedimus in hunc qui Sequitur modum In Dei
Nomine Amen Quia per acta inactitata deducta
proposita Exhibita narrata allegata probata pariter
et confessata in hac Causa memorata Comperimus
hucusque et invenimus dictam partem Promoventem
intentionem suam in articulis praedictis (ut praefertur)
exhibitis deductam et propositam Sufficienter et ad
plenum non fundasse nec probasse sed in probatione
eorumdem penitus defecisse et deficere Idcirco Nos
Henricus Watkinson Legum Doctor Judex antedictus
praefatum Christophorum Thompson ab omni ulteriori
vexatione perturbatione Molestatione et impetitione dicti
Richardi Mawburne quoad contenta in articulis in hac
Causa
[Image 7 left]
Causa (ut praefertur) Exhibitis et praelata instantia finaliter
dimittendum et absolvendum [inserted: [esse?] dimittimus et absolvimus] fore [unread contracted word] per praesentes
Nec non dictum Richardum Mawburne in Expensis
Litis ex parte et per partem dicti Christophori
Thompson in hac Causa factis et fiendis
Condemnamus Eundemque ad debitam et
Effectualem Solutionem earundem parti dicti
Christophori Thompson [unread contraction] cogendum et
compellendum fore Pronuntiamus Decernimus et
Declaramus per hanc nostram Sententiam definitivam
sive hoc nostrum finale Decretum quam sive
quod ferimus et promulgamus in his Scriptis
Expensarum vero [unread or uncertain word] [inserted: earum taxationem?] Nobis aut alii
Judici in hac parte Competenti [unread contraction] reservantes
[deleted/overwritten: et reservamus?] etiam in his Scriptis.
8vo Decembris 1698vo.
Rob: Medley.
Lecta et lata per Nos
Hen: Watkinson.
About this case and its sources
The research database records what this source says. Follow these links to the records in Throwing Bones.
All events citing this source in Throwing Bones
Events
- Diabolical threat attributed through a reported letter. Edward Hunsley reports that Thompson described a letter attributed to Mawburne: if Mary Coulton would not marry him, he would set his heels to the Devil and torment her as long as she lived. The letter’s authorship and exact connecting words are not independently established here.
- Denial of the pleaded diabolical-contract accusation. Thompson’s answers deny calling Mawburne a sorcerer, conjurer, witch or wizard, or saying that he dealt or made a contract with the Devil. This record exposes the subject of the denied charge; it does not establish that a pact existed.
- 1698: Taylor and Hunsley gave favourable reputation evidence about Mawburne. Taylor said he had heard none of the pleaded words. Hunsley reported a narrower conversation and Mawburne’s seven-year apprenticeship to his unnamed brother. Taylor’s endorsement bears 4 July 98; Hunsley’s body has no independent date.
- 1698-03: Hunsley recalled being with Thompson about the previous March in Geo. Sissons shop, St Mary’s parish, Beverley. They discussed whether Mawburne might marry Thompson’s sister Mary Coulton. Thompson reportedly cited a letter in which Mawburne threatened, if refused, to set his heels to the Devil and torment her while she lived. This records Hunsley’s report of Thompson’s account, not an independently inspected letter or a proved threat.
- 1698-07-04: Thompson’s personal answers, endorsed 4 July 98, denied the pleaded witchcraft labels and reputational injury. He disputed Mawburne’s good character and referred to reading or repeating a letter attributed to Mawburne and addressed to his sister Mary Coulton. The altered connecting clause remains incomplete.
- 1698-12-08: On 8 December 1698 Henry Watkinson found Mawburne had failed to establish and prove his pleaded case, finally dismissed and absolved Thompson from this suit, and condemned Mawburne in litigation costs incurred and to be incurred for Thompson. Assessment of costs was reserved in an incompletely read clause. No amount, payment or criminal witchcraft verdict is established.