The Folger Shakespeare Library

L.d.705: Examination of Mary Marcham by Nathaniel Bacon, 1598 December 6: manuscript signed with Marcham's mark

Catalog record:http://hamnet.folger.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=110545
Collection:Papers of the Bacon-Townshend family of Stiffkey, Norfolk
Preferred Citation:Examination of Mary Marcham by Nathaniel Bacon, 1598 December 6: manuscript signed with Marcham's mark, Papers of the Bacon-Townshend family of Stiffkey, Norfolk. Transcription by Early Modern Manuscripts Online (EMMO). MS L.d.705, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, DC.
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leaf 1 recto

The examination of Mary Barker Marcham taken before
Nathaniel Bacon Esquire the 6th of December 1598
She saith that soon after Michaelmas last she was
brought on horseback out of Cambridgeshire, from John
Marcham her father's house to Walsingham there to serve
her cousin Francis Reade's Wife.

She saith that her being with child was not known
either to her father or mother or any other in his house
at her coming from thence, neither did she herself
then certainly know it.

She saith that she hath been gotten with child wherewith
she is now big, by one Mr John Edwards dwelling
in the parsonage at Burwell, whom she served a
year & a half, and came from him at Michaelmas
last.

She saith that at her coming from Mr Edwards' house
she did so little suspect her being with child, as she did
neither tell the said Edwards her Master or any other
in his house thereof, before her coming from thence.

She saith that some what after Easter last she was
first enticed, and then yielded to her Master so as he
had the use of her body, and so many times after, and
continued the same until with two days before her
coming away

She saith that not long before her coming from her master
he did ask her whether she were with child, and she
told him she could not tell, and he did also ask
her whether she were sure to any man, and she answered
no

She saith that she hath been persuaded hence at Walsingham
by one Mosley a servant of Mr Edwards to Charge one
Roger Gardner dwelling at Wisbech with begetting
her with child, which she refused to do.

She saith also that one Widget the said Edwards' man, was
sent by his master to her who told her that his master
would come over himself and take order for her.

She saith that her said Master Mr Edwards never gave her any thing more
than her wages.

She saith and also offereth to depose the same, that no man
had ever the use of her body at any time, except the
said Mr Edwards her master

She saith that in this summer past she was asked by Mr Banyarde the
minister of Burwell whom she had served before how she
did like Mr Edwards' service, and she answered, Well, saving that she
could not be in quiet for her master

The mark of Mary Marcham. M


Nathaniel Bacon


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The Examination of Mary Marcham