There having happened some difference between this deponent and Mr John Smith which being reconciled, Smith at the house of Leonard Mapes of Rollesby in Norfolk, esquire, in the presence and hearing of this deponent and Mr Mapes his contest did say then and there that it had cost him a tierce of drink to procure his townsmen's hands to a certain certificate of the sober life of Smith, whereas (as this deponent believes) it was only to make the townsmen drunk that they might set their hands to that which they did not understand... About the latter end of the year 1673 this deponent being in company with Mr John Smith at the house of Thomas Irons in company with one Thomas Lovicke, and James Rye, and the said Irons and his wife, when Smith after having drunk up a tub of beer with the rest of his company fell to drinking of brandy at an excessive rate, insomuch that he made all his company drunk, but before Smith had quite fuddled his company he declared to this deponent that his resolution was to make all his company drunk, and then to attempt the chastity of the wife of the said Irons, or words to that effect, and then and there also persuaded this deponent to do so too, and he also saith that this deponent abhorring so wicked an act told Smith that his conscience would not give him leave to be guilty of so foul a crime, which expression of this deponent's Smith slighting, this deponent asked him whether his conscience would give him leave to commit such an act, to which Smith replied, throwing back his gown, come let us once in an humour cast by divinity for half an hour, but what happened afterwards this deponent knows not for that he went home, and left Smith with the rest of his company behind drinking... The day following Smith came to the house of the foresaid Mr Mapes where meeting with this deponent told him thus that this deponent left a fine opportunity the night before (meaning as this deponent believes of being nought with Irons his wife), at which time and place Smith also said, that the night before he left Irons drunk in one room and his wife in another, but said he had cheered her up... In one of the months articulate... this deponent being present with his precontest Mr Mapes and others in company with Mr Smith and others, at the house of Mr Mapes in Rollesby, Smith did then and there speak contemptibly of a certain order that the Bishop of Norwich had made about the tiling the chancel of the parish church of Rollesby, and disposing the lead that was there before for the tiling thereof, said that therein the bishop had done more than he could answer, and that he would spend an hundred pounds, but that he would make the bishop lead it again... About Easter last this deponent being at the house of one Duckes of Rollesby in company with Smith and divers others at a christening there Smith then and there asked this deponent how he did to live honestly, to which this deponent replied to that, never drank was never dry, Whereupon he saith Smith replied in a very lascivious manner, for my part I cannot live honestly for I must take my horse and go to Yarmouth, meaning by saying so (as this deponent believed) to be nought with somebody there... Mr Smith being at the house of Mr Mapes aforesaid in company with this deponent, Mr Mapes and Mr Mapes his lady, and divers others, Mr Smith did then and there declare that he would preach but once a month, and being thereupon asked by Mr Mapes his lady whether his stock was spent (meaning his sermons) he soon after replied to the said lady in a most rude manner, Madam I am sorry you should think my stock is spent, if you please to walk into a private room, you shall see if my stock is spent.
About the month of February articulate, this deponent was at the house of Thomas Irons in Rollesby in company with his precontest Mr Thomas Rant, Mr John Smith and several others drinking of a tub of ale and two bottles of strong waters, at which time and place this deponent saith Mr Smith behaved himself very soberly and was not at all then oversome with excessive drinking... Upon Easter Sunday this deponent being then Churchwarden of Rollesby observed that Mr John Smith had his boots on, whereupon this deponent asked Mr Smith whether he were riding out of town or not, to which Mr Smith replied, Yes, he was going to Clippesby to preach there and Mr Norris the minister of Clippesby was to supply his cure of Rollesby the same day, which Mr Norris did accordingly and also then and there did administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, at which time, this deponent saith, that Mr Smith declared that he was very willing to make such an exchange for that day as aforesaid with Mr Norris, by reason of some difference that was then between Mr Smith and some of his parishioners, as Mr Smith confessed.
About the time articulate... this deponent being at a christening at the house of one John Duckes in Rollesby, Smith did then and there before this deponent and divers of Smith's parishioners ask Mr Thomas Rant how he did to live honest... to which Mr Rant replied he that never drank was never dry, whereupon Mr Smith in this manner said then and there before the whole company, for my part I must take my horse and go to Yarmouth, but what Mr Smith meant by speaking the words predeposed this deponent knows not... She is own sister to the producent's wife.
In one of the months articulate and in the year articulate and upon a Sunday in the afternoon this deponent being then a servant to Mr John Smith was at Burgh Church and heard him preach there and after sermon Mr Smith went to the alehouse called the King's Arms in Burgh where this deponent and one William Brightmer another of Mr Smith's servants did drink about a pot or two of beer. And then Mr Smith ordered them to go home, and bade this deponent tell the man that had a child to be buried at Rollesby that evening that if he could not come home soon enough to bury the child that he should set the child into the church that night and that he the said Mr Smith would bury it the next day, and this deponent and Brightmer told the man thereof but whether the man's name were Samuel Mihill this deponent doth not remember. But the man would not stay till Mr Smith came home but buried the child that night without a minister.