That within the years arlate or some of them this respondent being invited by friends and customers of her husband who have come to his shop adjoining or near to the tavern of the said Mr Edwards where the said John Eyton was the tavern boy hath sometimes been in the said tavern; and that in the day time, and sometimes in the night time in the evening, but never after eight of the clock, being always at such times accompanied with some of her husband's friends, and that at such times, the said Eyton as a servant in the tavern, hath brought them wine and received moneys for the same. And that likewise for these dozen years last past, this respondent hath many times repaired and gone to the said Mr Edwards his shop to buy wares as her occasions required, being a customer thereto, and that sometimes, when she went to buy flax, and not finding such in the shop, as would do her good service as she conceived, she hath gone into the said Mrs Edwards his flax room, sometimes accompanied with the arlate John Eyton... That this respondent and the arlate Margery Prenton have been upon occasions in the tavern arlate in evenings and at other times, and at Alice Lowe's husband's house, where in a civil and moderate manner they have drunk together wine and ale or beer as occasion was offered.
And also believeth there was just cause given for his examination, before the said John Eyton confessed his adulterous and incontinent living with the said Elizabeth Morris, and moreover believeth that the said John Eyton hath wastefully consumed this respondent's goods, by giving the same to the said Elizabeth Morris.
That this deponent for the space of three last past and upwards hath knoweth the arlate John Eyton and saith that during that time and before the said John Eyton was accounted reputed and taken for apprentice of the arlate William Edwards alderman and by him employed as his apprentice and servant and entrusted by him in his affairs in disposing of his wares and in keeping of his moneys or cash this deponent having been a servant to the said Mr Edwards for the most part of the time arlate until now of late and employed by the said Mr Edwards in his tavern hath given account and reckoning to him the said John Eyton when he came... This deponent hath often within the time arlate seen the arlate John Eyton and Elizabeth Morris familiar and friendly in Mr Edwards' tavern situated in the Bridge Street within the City of Chester and none else with them in that room (where they were) and cannot depose of any goods of money the said John Eyton gave unto her of his said Master's but saith about a year since last past this deponent saw the said John Eyton deliver unto her the said Elizabeth Morris in the tavern predeposed a piece of cloth which was brought over from Mr Edwards' shop by one George Morris but what quantity he cannot depose neither what cloth and afterwards about a quarter of a year or more this deponent in the same place saw the said John Eyton deliver a sugar loaf the the said Elizabeth Morris which he had sent over before to the place predeposed but whether she paid for the same goods or no he cannot depose.... There is a fame... that John Eyton hath wasted his Master's goods upon the said Elizabeth Morris in keeping her company... For the space of these three years last past this deponent keeping the tavern of the said Mr Edwards predeposed hath seen and known the arlate John Eyton and Elizabeth Morris often frequent the said tavern insomuch that they would be commonly twice or thrice in each week and there to take a room and sit privately together... both by day and night for most part of the time predeposed and further saith that in Winter time in evenings when they have come to the said tavern together they have taken a room and have gone solely together and have called for half a pint of wine and have had a candle lighted them and so have solely none other being with them remained in the same room... and this deponent espying the same candle so out being a room made so that one might perceive quickly hath gone and lighted the same candle several times and saith that the same ruse being often used by them this deponent did not conceive of the same well, especially hearing from John Williams his contest who served in the said tavern that he thought they were naughty together this deponent about Christmas last finding the candle put out several times in one night they called but for half a pint of wine at one time and for the most part leaving the same undrunk this deponent charged the said John Eyton with that manner of dealing and told him he liked not well thereof since which time the arlate John Eyton and Elizabeth Morris did not so often as formerly come to the said tavern as formerly they had done... This deponent hath heard the said John Eyton confessed he had committed adultery with the said Elizabeth Morris before some Justices of Peace within this city and saith he hath confessed the same since to this deponent... This deponent hath credibly heard that the arlate Elizabeth Morris and Margery Prenton have much kept company together and that they with two others whose names he cannot now remember drunk together till late in the night at Richard Thropp's tavern arlate and had a great reckoning to pay vizt twelve shillings or a mark and one of them fell asleep there but who it was he cannot depose... He is a somler... born in Carnarvonshire [and] hath lived in Chester six years and upwards... with Mr Edwards Alderman... He oweth nothing but what is by account unto his master Mr Edwards and hath lived as a sommelier and drawer of wine and by that profession hath maintained himself... and for his part he believeth he is able to live of himself without extreme poverty though not abounding in riches... That this respondent whilst he lived at the tavern... hath several times borrowed of Elizabeth Morris ten shillings or a less sum to pleasure a friend and hath truly paid her again but denieth that ever he borrowed any money of her to make up or pay his Master's accounts... Upon John Eyton his examination concerning both sugar and tobacco delivered by him to Mr Edwards this respondent's master and he the said John Eyton only charged this respondent with four ounces of sugar and four ounces of tobacco and for the cloth predeposed whether it were Holland or no he cannot depose... This respondent hath been questioned divers times by Mr Edwards his master concerning the premises and about three several times but in a gentle and loving way as a master may examine or question his servant and neither threatening this respondent nor any ways persuading this deponent... saving the said Mr Edwards said to this deponent that he would he had given a tun of wine that there had been no such meeting betwixt John Eyton and Elizabeth Morris predeposed at his tavern or to that effect.
That for the space of a year and a half since last past this deponent hath known the arlate John Eyton who was for that time until now of late accounted reputed and taken as servant and apprentice unto the arlate William Edwards alderman and one much entrusted by him in his affairs for this deponent being employed as a servant under one Nicholas Thomas in Mr Edwards' predeposed his tavern situated in Chester hath seen the said John Eyton receive reckonings and accounts for the said Mr Edwards of the said Nicholas Thomas... That for the space of this year and half last past for which space he hath been employed as a servant under Nicholas Thomas predeposed at the tavern of Mr Edwards predeposed situated in the parish of St Peter's in Chester in the Bridge Street of the same city this deponent hath observed that the arlate John Eyton and Elizbeth Morris have come together or one immediately after other and have gone into a room themselves and have called for half a pint of wine at a time and this they have done twice or thrice a week for the most part during the said time both in the day time and in evening by a candle and saith that this deponent hath observed divers and several times within the time predeposed that when the said John Eyton and Elizabeth Morris have come in an evening unto the said tavern as often they did and had a candle lighted and brought into the same room the same would by some means to extinct or put out and this deponent's master the said Nicholas Thomas hath lighted the same candle or caused the same to be lighted again and brought to them once or twice and saith they for the most part called for half a pint of wine which many times they left undrunk especially in evening when candles were lighted. And saith this deponent observing their manner of keeping company when the candle was forth being in the same tavern heard the wainscot the room being only made for the most part of wainscot creak insomuch he conceived they were naughty together and especially one time afterwards one night when the candle was out the said Elizabeth Morris went away and he the said John Eyton crept under the wainscot and stole away after her and this deponent perceiving their passages did take a candle and did in the same room where they both had continued for a certain space espy filthy white matter upon the ground in the same room beside the table which he called one Richard Morris this deponent's contest being then in the tavern predeposed to see the same and he seeing it said it was man's seed there spilt and this was about half a year since... [He] cannot certainly depose to this article saving he heard the arlate Elizabeth Morris and Margery Prenton with others did drink very hard one night at Richard Thropp's tavern until it was late and spent eighteen shillings or some great sum... He [was] born in Hawkin parish in Flintshire and liveth now as a drawer of wine and so hath done having no other calling in Chester... That within this year last past the certain days or times he cannot answer this deponent hath observed the passages predeposed which were done in a room of the tavern predeposed called The Half Moon being partitioned with wainscot and no locks or bolts on the same room... He knoweth Margery Prenton, Alice Lowe, and Mary Jones and saith he neither knoweth or hat heard any ill by any of them saving about the night of drinking predeposed... at Richard Thropp's.
That in the year of our Lord 1636 this deponent became servant unto the arlate William Edwards and was bound unto him as an apprentice and servant for ten years and for his servant and apprentice he this deponent was accounted, reputed, and generally taken... for part of the time this deponent at the first was employed by his master Mr Edwards in his tavern as his servant and apprentice for drawing and selling of his wines and the arlate Elizabeth Morris would often come there herself alone and by familiar discourses and wanton passages which this deponent saw in her he this deponent did commit the sin of adultery or incontinence with her in divers places and rooms of the said tavern being situated in St Peter's parish and saith that afterward when he and Elizabeth had used that familiar and unlawful company when this deponent was taken from the said tavern to serve his said Master William Edwards Alderman arlate at his shop this deponent and the said Elizabeth have divers and several times met in evenings and at other times in the said tavern predeposed and when night was and it being dark this deponent and she having first called for half a pint of wine a candle being brought unto them this deponent or she the said Elizabeth have put the same out and saith she the said Elizabeth... began that pulling out of the candle and then hath freely admitted this deponent to commit adultery or incontinency with her... This deponent and the arlate Elizabeth Morris being in company in the tavern predeposed in a room called the Half Moon, behind the door of the tavern, and this deponent being about the commit the act of adultery with the said Elizabeth being there with him in the dark one Margery Prenton whom this deponent knew by her speech calling for the said Elizabeth at the tavern door she the said Elizabeth suddenly rushed from this deponent and this deponent did perceive his nature to come from him but whether it fell on the ground or no he cannot tell for he this deponent stole away secretly presently after her... The arlate Elizabeth Morris and Margery Prenton have been often in company in taverns and very friendly and [he] hath heard that one night they with others were at Richard Thropp's tavern arlate late in the night and had a shot or reckoning of twenty or four and twenty shillings and hath been often in Alice Lowe's her husband's house at unseasonable times and hath drunk excessively or pissed under her as he this deponent hath heard... Nicholas Thomas and George Morris this deponent's precontests have lived as servants under Mr Edwards one in drawing his wines and the other as his porter and Anne Wilson another of his this respondent's precontests used many times at Mr Edwards predeposed his house for making of pies and baked meats.
'That since Christmas last past this deponent coming into Mr Edwards his tavern situated in the Bridge Street in the city of Chester and going into a room of that tavern called the Moon espied in that room upon the ground filthy white matter which this deponent did perceive to be man's seed or nature to be spilt and dispersed there upon the ground whereupon he called to John Williams this deponent's precontest and asked who had been there in that room last and he said John Eyton and Elizabeth Morris arlate whom this deponent did perceive a little before to come from the said tavern and this deponent and the said John looking upon the same this deponent said it was man's seed or nature there spilt and that John Eyton had missed of his purpose or to that effect... being in the evening time about six of the clock... He hath seen Elizabeth Morris and Margery Prenton have come to Mr Edwards' tavern and have drunk half a pint of sack or a pint of burnt wine... He was born in Carnarvonshire in a place called Hanrich [and] hath been brought up as a vintner or drawer of wines for ten years last past [and] hath lived for the space using the same profession in London and Chester city and about three quarters of a year in Ireland... This respondent and Nicholas Thomas have been for many years of familiar acquaintance having formerly lived together as fellow servants at the same tavern in Chester and saith of late this respondent hath during nights lain in bed with the said Nicholas and hath divers times eaten meat with him but had no employment in the tavern but now and then to bring a pint of wine.