Rye November 30th being sworn apud the holy evangelist
The examination of John Scragg, of the age of 46 years or thereabouts, concerning divers talk he had with Anne Taylor the wife of George Taylor some time past, he being in prison in the court house in Rye with the said Mistress Taylor; as also with of the talk he did hear pass betwixt the said Mistress Taylor and Swapper’s his wife, they both being in prison with him.
The said Scragg was in prison when the said Mistress Taylor did come to prison and he there found in prison the said Swapper’s wife when he came to prison.
The said Scragg coming to prison found Taylor’s wife and the said Swapper’s wife in prison, and the said Swapper’s wife and Scragg was kept in the lower room, but the said Mistress ta Taylor was in the upper room.
The said Scragg sayeth that the wife of King the sister of Swapper’s wife did tell him that before he went to prison that her sister did tell her that Mistress Taylor did very earnestly persuade her to
deny that she had said before
More, he being in prison, in his hearing Mistress Taylor and Swapper’s wife did fall out into ?wild/vile and extreme words, in which words the said Swapper’s wife said
“Are you she which would be a mother to me, and if I would deny such words or speeches as before I had spoken? But since I was weary to hear you, and did tell ?you that your persuasions unto others, you now are thus ?angry with me. For at your first coming into prison, you did follow me up and down the house from corner to corner, and in the place called of ‘little ease’, there you did persuade me to deny all. And there you did promise me to do this and that for my life and enlargement, so I would dey deny all.”
Now the said Scragg sayeth that to his thinking Mistress Taylor did not greatly deny that speeches, but waxed by turns in calling her ?baggers womens, and so to put her of or from her talk in that matter, found other matter of ?wild/vile words to pass the time.
More the Scragg sayeth that he was there in prison some 4 days, and much part of those days those 2 women did spend their time in such brawling and scolding terms, to such effect.
More the said Scragg sayeth that he the said Scragg
did persuade with the said Swapper’s wife to v--- deny such speeches as before she had said of Master Taylor, so as Master Taylor would get her a pardon and give her some monies in her purse, to h the which she was willing with such [?]conditions.
The which speeches the said Scragg did signify unto Master Taylor himself being in prison, and the said Master Taylor did refuse it, calling her
?Baggers, and would rather give ?means to hang her.
More the said Scragg did impart this speeches ?tog touching a pardon and other help for Swapper’s wife to Master Taylor’s maidservant, and willed her to tell her Master so much. And the maid did return him answer, that
Her Master or Mistress did say she was dangerous to meddle withall, for whatsoever was said to her, she would tell everybody again. And therefore they w would not meddle with ?in her.
[RYE 13/17]
