Mr Savage and his wife have been married together for the space of 6 years and as long as since Christmas last past at the least or something more, and in all that time this deponent hath been very frequently there as a day labourer about husbandry or other labour, sometimes for a fortnight or three weeks or a month together sometimes, and this deponent hath observed her behaviour towards her husband always to be very dutiful and respective as becomes a wife to do, and her to be of very modest and civil behaviour, and this deponent never see nor heard any thing by her to the contrary... One day about Candlemas last was a twelvemonth this deponent was tining for Mr Savage, and he and Mr Chapman being drinking together at an alehouse in the town, he sent to this deponent to bring Mr Chapman's horse down to them, which this deponent did, and Mr Savage asked this deponent if his wife was at home, and this deponent told him yes, but Mr Savage said he had been told that she was not. Whereupon this deponent told him again yes she was, then he bid this deponent go up to her and tell her that if she thought well of her life she should be gone before he came home or else she must take what fell, but before this deponent got home to tell her she was gone to her mother in law's house in the town, and this deponent went thither to look for her and deliver his message to her but they denied her and would not let him speak with her, then afterwards the same night Mr Savage and this deponent were going together down the town to his mother's and by the way they met her going towards home, and it being dark (for they could not see who it was) Mr Savage asked twice who that was before she spoke, and when she spoke she answered here is one, to which he replied but I'll make thee two or three before morning and so they parted and this deponent followed her and told her what he at the alehouse had bid this deponent tell her whereupon she went to her uncle Bushell's in the same town and lay there all night and this deponent hath not heard that ever they have been together since that time. Nothing else saving he hath many times heard Mr Savage in an angry and provoking manner call his wife a whore... He hath heard neighbours of good judgment and that knew what it was and particularly Robert Carrington of the same town who hath much what such an other estate of land as that is which Mr Savage had with his wife, and its said that those two estates were equally so divided betwixt two sisters as to heirs) say that that land that he had with his wife was worth 30£ a year, and that the personal estate it had with her was worth four score pounds, and so they valued the whole that he had with her to be worth seven hundred pounds.
Depositions & Examinations
EDC 5/1675/15 (unfol.) Savage c Savage
CRO
Matrimonial
1675
1675
Dunham-on-the-Hill, Cheshire, England
Plaintiff
Margaret Savage
female
Spouse
John Savage
male
Dunham-on-the-Hill, Cheshire, England
Defendant
John Savage
male
Spouse
Margaret Savage
female
Dunham-on-the-Hill, Cheshire, England
Witness
William Griffith
male
28
Husbandman
Agr.
Dunham-on-the-Hill, Cheshire, England
Basic Mark
Event
At alehouse, sends drinking companion-employee to tell wife to leave home
circa 2 February 1675 ('about Candlemas last was a twelvemonth')
Dunham-on-the-Hill, Cheshire, England
Components
Company and drinking groups: male
Domestic violence and spousal cruelty
Mentioned Only
Alcohol | Unspecified
Setting
Alehouse
Location of Event
Statement
circa 24 April 1676
William Griffith