The unfortunate outcome of a child out of wedlock in the late Elizabethan period is all too well highlighted in the document transcribed below. John Fraunces of Combe Florey and Humfrie Windham of St Decumans were two justices of the peace; their signatures appear at the end of the document. The document gives details of both the punishment and the order given for the care of the child.
Note: The transcript below was made from a photocopy of a single document. Unfortunately the photocopy did not have the reference written on it. There is a number '21' in the bottom right corner, written in pencil, possibly in the 1920s, but nothing else.
Somerset
An order sett downe by John Fraunces and Humfrie Windham esquiers xvith daie of Januarie in the xliith yere of the Raigne of our soveraigne Ladie Elizabethe the queenes Majestie that nowe ys touchinge a bastarde Childe begotten by John Williams on the bodie of Agnes Hawkyns of Lidearde Episcopi.
Firste yt is ordered that the said John Williams shall paie from the birthe of the said Childe untill the time of the date hereof fowre pence weekelie the sume the somme to bee paied unto the said Agnes hathe hetherunto provided for the said Child and founde the same.
Secondelie yt is ordered that the said John Williams shall wiekelie from the date hereof until the Childe shalbe able to gett his or her livinge paie sixe pence.
Thirdelie it is ordered that the said vid a weeke appoynted to bee paied wiekelie as aforesaid shalbe paied uppon the sondaie Imediatelie after divine service ended in the fore noone of the some due in everye of the said wiekes unto the Churchwardens of Lidearde Episcopi aforesaid for the tyme beinge and at or uppon the Communyon table in the said Churche to the use and findinge of the said Childe duringe the tearme aforesaid And the same by them to bee delivered over to the said Agnes beinge then in full lief and findinge the said Child.
Fowrthlie it is ordered that the said Agnes for her offence and Corporall punnyshment shall uppom somme two severall sondaies or holiedais or uppon somme two severall fridaies or wensdaies Imediatelie after mornynge prayer ended bee whipped two severall tymes that is once uppon eche sondaie or holidaie or uppon eche Fridaie or wensdaie and that because she being great with Childe yt was affirmed she did forsware the same and also wente about to have destroyed yt as yt was also affirmed, and that the said whippinges to be aboute suche place in Lidearde aforesaid as to the same Constables thereof shall seeme meete the same beinge a publique place and the said constables to doe or cause the same to be donne.
Fiftlie yt is ordered that the said John Williams for his corporall punyshment shall with convenyente speede uppon somme sondaie after the firste lesson readd in the paryshe Churche of Lidearde Episcopi aforesaid Confesse his said offence to the people ther assembled and then and there shewe hymself to bee penetente for the same offence and praie the said people then there assembled to praie to god for hym that it will pleace hym to forgeve the same And the said John Williams then and there protestinge that he will never offende in the lieke agayne.
Lastelie yt is ordered that the said Agnes shall wekelie from the date hereof duringe all the tyme that the said Childe shall not bee able to gett his or her lyvinge and wherein she keepethe not the said Childe paie sixe pence the same to be paid uppon the daies and place aforesaid wherein the said John Williams is lymyted to pay her vid wiekelie and unto the Church Wardens there for the tyme being and to the use of the said Childe for his or her findinge or parte thereof.
In witnes whereof the said John Fraunces and Humfrie Windham have hereunto subscribed their names
[signed] John Frauncis
Humfry Windham
Robt. Kingston
Comments