Examinations taken before Thomas Higgons, mayor of the town of Rye in the county of Sussex, and the jurats of the same town, as appeareth upon the margin, the 30th day of July anno regni domini nostri Jacobi dei gratia regis nunc anglie etc. sexto annoque regis sui Scotie 42do.
Margery Harry the wife of Thomas Harry of Rye butcher sayeth that upon a time a year past or thereabouts, as she remembreth, Mistress Taylor did send for this examinate to speak with her, for that her husband’s daughter did then lie very sick. Whereupon this examinate did go unto Mistress Taylor to her house to know her mind. And then Mistress Taylor did tell this examinate that
Her daughter did long to have some porridge made of a piece of powder beef, and prayed this examinate that she would be a means to help her to a piece. And this examinate answered her that She had none herself, but she would do her best to get her a piece.
And so departing from her, this examinate did go unto her sister Anthony Harry his wife, and imparted unto her what Mistress Taylor said unto her, and
Prayed her, if she had any beef, she would let her have a piece to make porridge for Master Taylor’s child. And she answered
She had none but a piece of neck beef, and if that would pleasure her, she should have a piece.
And this examinate prayed her that she might have a piece of it.
And so her sister went to her powdering tub and did cut her a piece of the best she had, and gave to this examinate, who immediately carried the same to Mistress Taylor and there left it. But what she did with it she knoweth not.
But she sayeth that the child was then very sick, and died very shortly after. And being demanded what the age of the child was, she sayeth as she thinketh about of the age of four years, or thereabouts.
signum 
Margery Harry
[RYE 13/10 sheet 1]
