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This respondent believes he hath been a priest legally and canonically ordained for about twelve years last past and that he hath been Curate of the Church and Parish of Cartmel, lawfully admitted, for six years last past and upwards... This respondent hath been frequently in ale houses in Cartmel and confesseth that sometimes within that time he hath drunk too much and been overseen in drink, which he has reason to believe and fear has given just scandal to some good persons in the parish of Cartmel. In such times of his being too much in drink, he believes he has given out very passionate, rash inconsiderate and unhappy expressions of which he heartily repents him, since they have given further scandal to the said good persons. But he doth not remember that such expressions amounted to imprecations, oaths, or profaneness, but in case his memory fails him as to the recollection of them, he begs of God to forgive him… and of all the said good people he has offended to pity his infirmities… Though this respondent cannot deny but that in the Passion Week arlate he did drink some ale some of the evenings thereof yet he does not remember that he drank so much as to make him distempered or overseen in drink, any of the nights arlate, and therefore he hopes and is confident to answer that he did not drink ale that holy week to such a degree as to distemper himself, or give just offence to others… This respondent confesseth that from indispositions of the dropsy and gravel with which he has been often violently afflicted and compelled to keep his bed or chamber for several months together, he hath not had sermons or preached in his own person in the church and within the time arlate for several Sundays and Holy Days and once in this year not for fifteen or sixteen weeks together. From the same reason of his indispositions he has not visited the sick or buried the dead as otherwise he confesses it is his duty to have done had his health permitted. But he saith that himself and his wife during his said indisposition have taken all care that they possibly could to have sermons duly preached… by others to whom he has allowed ten shillings a Sunday… Sometimes, when he has been in health he has preached and sometimes, read homilies in the afternoons, and he confesses that sometimes he has omitted both… Sometimes, he hath catechized the youth of the parish but confesseth he hath not done it so often... He confesses he being once in company in the town of Cartmel when he was sent to, to come and bury a corpse, he did refuse to do it then but sent to his Curate Mr Johnson to bury the corpse... As to the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, except the hindrance by his said indisposition he has administered the same monthly and on the four principal festivals or canonical times or procured it to be so, saving when (as it hath happened the churchwardens have not provided wine for that purpose)… He confesseth that he being under the ill effects of his distemper of the dropsy and gravel, and his wife (as he apprehended by some action of hers) giving him a provocation, he did strike or give her one blow, before the beginning of October last. And about the said beginning of October, he being unhappily affected with passion did, with a stick, rashly and suddenly, strike her, of which passion he heartily repents him; but he doth deny that he then knocked her down or that she was thereupon put into a cart, carried to the town or was in danger of her life from that stroke, as is represented.
About Christmas last was twelvemonth [1704] (though he had laboured under great indispositions and infirmities before that time) the arlate Mr Proddy (this deponent's husband) began to have very great and plain symptoms of melancholy and disorder of mind. Soon after the time, he frequently used many expressions against this deponent threatening her life, and often upbraiding her as the only cause of being called, sometime before, to the Lord Bishop of Chester. His actions, in going out of the house in very unseasonable weather into the garden and plucking up things with several such actions seemed to this deponent and her servant the signs of the growing of that his disorder. While winter lasted, this disorder of mind was for the most part accompanied with a weakness in his body or health, and when the spring and summer came on, though his health and strength seemed to improve, his disorder and insanity aggravated upon him. He often not only threatened but attempted to do harm to this deponent frequently at unaccountable fits and starts, throwing things at her. This deponent however ventured to attend him in this disorder and to lodge in another bed in the same room with him till he, having got a stock, cut the bed she lay on and threw part of it into the fire. For these reasons she was forced to procure a man to attend him for most part of the time since and to lie in the same room till the said Mr Proddy became impatient of his doing so that he attempted in the night to go out of the house and upon the opposition that the said man gave him, he seemed more enraged, pulled the man's bed to pieces threatening (to this deponent) too to cut or slit his throat. This deponent being moved with pity not able to endure the violent struggling and quarrels betwixt them and the said man, consented to the man's lying out of the said room. Since which time, Mr Proddy has often got up and gone out of the house at night in a distracted manner (this deponent and her servants endeavours and entreaty not, in the least, prevailing with him to the contrary). He has often in a violent and frantic rage, threatened some persons to whom this deponent well knows he (did he enjoy a sanity of mind) would pay great veneration, duty and respect) with death or harm. That the violence or aggravation of his disorder, for the most part since the time abovesaid, have been observable and visible to this deponent and her servants at the full and change of the moon. For the reasons abovesaid and for many other reasons and circumstances inducing this deponent, she believes Mr Proddy is affected with a real insanity and distraction of mind, though at some short intervals there appear some return and effects of sense and understanding. This deponent desirous to help and relieve Mr Proddy in this unhappy disorder hath used all methods in her power. Some months ago, this deponent discovered Dr Ascowr of Kendal, a physician, about his disorder desiring his advice and assistance and particularly in some prescription to procure him sleep and ease, naming liquid laudanum in particular but he said if he took four score drops of it, it would do him no good, and in the end though this deponent offered all the reward to him their circumstances could afford to undertake a cure of Mr Proddy, he appeared discouraging to this deponent and unwilling to undertake it.
This deponent, having married Mr Proddy's wife's sister-cousin, has frequently within or about a year and a half last past been at his house, and at such times hath observed him to be in great disorder and as he believes in distraction of mind. Though he hath formerly (as was commonly believed) been under some indisposition or melancholy yet within the said time it seems to have grown very much upon him. This deponent at the said times of coming to his house hath seen him in a violent distracted manner threaten to strike and kill his keeper (or the man that attended him) and this deponent hath head his keeper say that Mr Proddy has suddenly fallen upon him and struck him and that for no reason or any provocation given him. By the uncertainty and inconsistency of his talk, by the wildness and disorder of his looks and actions, this deponent takes Mr Proddy to labour under the affliction of a madness or insanity of mind and he is in the neighbourhood generally reputed to have been in that condition for the time abovesaid. This deponent is the more confirmed in his private opinion of the said Mr Proddy for that having seen him frequently in his chamber and in his bed, he hath observed the bed (as well as smelt it) dirty and wet with ordure and urine, and at other times, he hath observed his sheets and other things he lay in in washing. In the month of March last, Dr Ascown of Kendal having been with Mr Proddy and coming to this deponent's father's house, this deponent asked him of Mr Proddy what he thought of his condition, to which he said he took him to be really or sadly distracted. This deponent once saying to him that he thought he was a fit or able person or physician to undertake his cure, asked him if he would for which belonged to him from his benefice. To which he answered he would not meddle with him or to that effect.