In the month of October last past... this deponent passing through the yard belonging to the inn or tavern commonly called the Rampant Horse situate in St Stephen's in Norwich, he this deponent met with one Mr Oagle who invited this deponent to drink a pint of wine with him, which accordingly this deponent did in the kitchen belonging to the same house, where this deponent met with William Lock who was then (it being about six or seven a clock in the evening) overtaken with beer or wine and did behave himself in a very rude and unseemly manner, often times swearing by God his maker, God Damn him and other profane oaths, there being divers persons then present, amongst them his contests William Randall, Thomas Browne and the said Mr Oagle and divers others and afterwards removing into an upper room where this deponent stayed supper with his contests Mr Doughty, Mr Buckenham, one Mr [Neds?], into which room Mr Oagle with Mr Locke came and did there amongst the said company, drink a health upon his knee... he this deponent doth believe that the same was an uncivil health and would not stay to drink the same but left the room thereupon, although thereunto requested by Mr Buckenham... This deponent hath observed William Locke to be a person very profane in his expressions amongst which at the Rampant Horse... Mr Locke did very profanely say he would call to God for an earthquake, as he believeth, if his horse he parted with him (which he was then about to sell) at an under rate or short of the price he had made and then in his ordinary discourse use many more profane and blasphemous expressions, the particulars whereof he doth not remember... He hath known Mr Locke about fifteen years and is worth 100li... He believeth that Mr Oagle might instigate the [said] Mr Locke to drink but for his profaning and blaspheming he began it himself.
He this deponent hath known Mr Locke for twenty years last past, for the greatest part whereof Mr Locke hath been esteemed by this deponent and so is amongst his acquaintance reputed to be a person of a very loose life and conversation and a frequenter of inns and alehouses and given to immoderate drinking and saith that in or about the month of October last this deponent going into the kitchen belonging to the Rampant Horse with his contest Thomas Broome who had a desire to buy a horse of Mr Locke, he Mr Locke being then in the same kitchen much overtaken with drinking beer or wine was with one Mr Oagle and some other persons, Mr Locke did upon some occasion about the price of the said horse use many profane and blasphemous expressions amongst which he the said Mr Locke did often swear, Damn him and sink him and that he would call to God for an earthquake and that if he could not have one he would buy one of God Almighty, whereupon this deponent being much amazed and astonished at his expression came out of the kitchen lest God should have sent some sudden judgment upon Mr Locke and the persons that were with him... The time when Mr Locke was overtaken with drink it was in an evening about seven a clock at night... he stayed about an hour in the said house.
This deponent being with his precontest Mr Peter Watts in an upper room belonging to the Rampant Horse, Mr Locke came in about eight or nine a clock in the evening where Mr Lock did on his knees drink a health to the best cunt in Christendom and a little before that did throw his satin cap into the fire and burned it, being very much overtaken with drinking of beer and wine and did often swear by God... This respondent was schoolfellow with Mr Lock... He this respondent came in upon business and stayed there about two hours.
In or about October last... Mr Locke was at the Rampant Horse where he suffered himself to be so far overtaken by excessive drinking that he did then and there behave himself in a very rude and disorderly manner and being in the company of Mr Oagle and his precontests Mr Doughty and Mr oagle and of his contests Mr Buckenham and Mr Browne did on his knees drink a health but what it was this deponent knoweth not, he being a servant in the house and passing up and down did only see him with some others of his company upon their knees and further saith that the time the said articulate stayed there which was from about six a clock in the afternoon till the next day Mr Locke was guilty of swearing divers times, God damn him, with many other profane oaths and curses... the oaths and words which this deponent heard were spoken by Mr Locke in the chamber named the White Horse belonging to the said house.
In one of the months articulate... Mr Locke was in the kitchen of the Rampant Horse with one Mr Oagle with whom Mr Locke did in his discourse divers times swear, Damn him, he the said Mr Locke being much overtaken by excessive drinking of beer or wine.
In or about the month of October... this deponent did about seven or eight a clock in the evening go into the kitchen belonging to the Rampant Horse with his precontest William Randall thinking to buy a horse of Mr Locke who was then in the kitchen with one Mr Oagle and his precontest Mr watts where this deponent had some discourse with him about the same, Mr Locke at that time being overtaken very much with excessive drinking of beer or wine did often swear Good damn him, and afterwards in an upper room of the house into which room this deponent afterwards went to know of Mr Locke his resolution about the said horse where Mr Locke was with Mr Oagle, Mr Doughty and his precontest John Rushbrooke the drawer in whose presence Mr Lock suffered Mr Oagle in a very shameful and beastly manner twice to take out of his breeches his privities and show them to the company... He hath known Mr Locke twenty-two years and is worth 500 li... He stayed with Mr Locke much above half an hour at one time.
He this deponent being in company with Mr Doughty, Mr Watts his precontests and one Mr Bird and at supper in an upper room belonging to the White Horse about seven or eight a clock at night there came in Mr Lock with one Mr Oagle, which Mr Locke was then very much overtaken with drinking of beer or wine and did often times swear, God damn him, and did upon his knees drink a most uncivil health to the best cunt in Christendom and did as well before as after use many obscene and filthy speeches asserting that there was neither God nor Devil... with many other the particulars whereof he does not remember... He hath known Mr Locke by sight about five or six years and is worth... 1000 li... He believeth Mr Oagle was and did occasion Mr Locke as much as in him lay to drink but this respondent cannot certainly answer for that he did not continue in Mr Locke's company little above half an hour.
About two years since Mr Locke being at Thetford at a hunting with the Honorable Henry Howard of Norfolk coming in to the Angel in Thetford where he had lain a night or two before this deponent being then a servant in the house was requested by Mr Locke to send up Susan Reynolds his contest to him into his chamber who would not go to him. So that the next morning he coming down into the kitchen asked her the said Susan why she would not come to him the night before for that he was at extraordinary expenses to stay for her she answered to him that he was the only person that was the better for his expenses, to which Mr Locke said, If you had come to me, speaking to her the said Susan, the last night I would have done you a good turn, to which Susan said, Men of your cloth should not instruct such ignorant persons as we are in such a manner for you should teach us to save our souls and not to damn them, to which Mr Locke said, I would not meddle with your soul, I would have fucked your cunt.
In the time of hunting which Mr Howard kept near thetford she did the office of a cook at the Angel in Thetford, it being about three years since... he the said Mr Locke coming into the kitchen asked this deponent why she did not come and drink with him the night before to which she this deponent replied, Why should she come to drink with him, Mr Locke made answer that he would have a good turn before she went home, to which she this deponent answered that men of his cloth should instruct such ignorant persons as she was and not go about to damn his own soul and hers, to which Mr Lock made answer that he would not hurt her soul but that he would do something to her body but what words he made use she this deponent cannot remember but it was something that was a base and bawdy expression.
About a year... there was a report in the town of New Buckenham that Mr Locke had gotten Mary Ancell but this deponent saith that the report was raised by persons of mean rank and repute.
He hath heard that Mr Locke did impose upon a young wench in Bunwell to drink to excess by putting sixpence into a glass of beer and promising it to her if she drank it up... he also hath heard that Mr Locke did then drink more than ordinary.
There hath been... and still is a common report that Mr Locke hath been and still is a common frequenter of inns, alehouses and taverns and one of a bad life and conversation being many times overtaken with excess of drinking and that also that there hath been and still is a report that he hath had a bastard child laid to him in New Buckenham.
There hath been and still is a report that there was a child laid to Mr Locke in New Buckenham and that Mr Locke had been several times overtaken by excessive drinking and is a frequenter of inns, alehouses and taverns and accounted, reputed and taken to be a person of bad life and conversation and given much to profane cursing and that there hath been a report that he hath solicited women pretending himself a widower the better to effect his purposes.