Elizabeth Maddock: The Examination of Elizabeth Maddock, daughter of Joseph Maddock, 24 October 1699

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Citty of Chester Ss} The Exaiaion of Elizabeth Maddock Sper taken before William Bennett Esqr. Mayor and Henry Lloyd Alderman his Maj.ties Justices of the peace for ye County of ye Sd Citty ye 240 day of October in ye 11.th Year of his Ma.ts Raign King William ye third over Englꝫ &c.t Anno Dni 1699.

Elizabeth Maddock of the Citty of Chester Sper (daughter of Joseph Maddock, of the same Citty Tanner) aged 17. Years or thereabouts being Exaied Saith, that about Six Months agoe One Mr Roberts (whose Christian name she doth not know ) came to her as she was standing at the her said fathers door in ye Forest street in ye said Citty and desired to Make himselfe known to her declareing great love and kindness for her, and abt 3. Weeks afterwds she went to see Ann Gill att her hause in ye said Forest Street, And there found ye Sd Mr Roberts, who Kept this Exaīant about an houre and this Exaīant beleiving the said Mr Roberts to have a real kindness, and affeion for her, did Severall times afterwards entertain & receive him into her fathers house (unknown to the said Father) and abt a Month agoe thisExaīants Sd father told her, that he was informed that she had Admitted a strange gentleman into her company without his consent, wch this Exaīant did then confess to her Sd Father & told him yt he ye Sd Mr Roberts was ye same person & that he had lately Lodged at the house of Mr Joseph Horton in ye Sd Citty and was then gone to London, he ye Sd Mr Roberts haveing frequently told this Exaīant yt he must goe very shortly to London, thô in truth she did beleive he was not then gone, and the Sd Mr Roberts did continue to visit this Exaīant frequently at ther said Fathers house and Severall times proposed to acquaint this Exaīants said Father of his kindness for her and to desire his consent yt he might <1v> marry her but this Exaīant was unwilling her said Father should be acquainted with it, because she had told him before the said Roberts was gone to London, and ye said Roberts Still declared he must goe thither very shortly (his mother haveing Sent for him Severall times) and that he stay'd only for ye said Mr Hortons company, and this Exaīant further saith that on Munday the 9. day of this Instant October the said Mr Roberts was in company with this Exaīant in Mrs Ridges Rown near the High Cross of ye said Citty where they Stay'd to See the Bull baiting and afterwards the said Mr Roberts invited this Exaīant thence to Mr Hortons house where she Stayd abt half an hour, and she did not See the Sd Mr Robts afterwards till Munday the 16. day of this Instant October on which day abt 2. or 3. a clock in ye afternoon, he ye said Mr Roberts came to this Exaīant at her Sd fathers door and she being unwilling to stay with him there at so publick a place acquainted him yt the Sd An Gill had entrusted her with the Key of her ye Sd Ann Gills house, there being then no body in it, whereupon ye said Mr Roberts came to her in the Sd Gills house where they continued abt 2. hours and a halfe and parted abt between 4. and 5. a clock the same afternoon, the said Mr Roberts walking towards Baughton and saying he would See this Exaīant again the same night (but did not menion what time) And about ten of ye Clock in ye Night of the Same day the said Mr Roberts and the said Ann Gill came togeather to this Exaīant at her Sd fathers house (he being then Gone to bed) and they staid all three togeather in ye Kitching of ye said house all Night till abt 6. or 7. a clock in ye morning & then the said Ann Gill first went out and presently returned and told this Exaīant and the said Roberts yt Mr horton was taken up for coyning (or to yt Effect) but ye said Roberts Sayd he could not beleive it, for yt he had lived so long with him and never observed any thing yt was ill of the said Mr Horton and then they parted, and this Exaīant did not afterwards See him or hear from ye said Roberts untill Wednesday last the 18.th day of this Instant Octob.er on which day between 7. & 8. a clock at night he knocked at ye door of her said Fathers house (her said Father not being within) and this Exaīant let him in, and told him there was great Enquiry made after him in ye Town upon supion of his being concern'd wth the said Mr Horton, to which the Sd Roberts made answer, God damm'em yt business have they to Search after me and presently afterwards he desired he might Stay in one of the Upper Rooms of ye said house till this Exaīant could be at leisure to come to him, wch this Exaīant consneted unto and put him into one of the Upper Rooms of the said house, and there left him without a Candle, and returned to the business in ye Kitching & presently afterwards one Samuel Leigh a Constable and Some others came into ye Said Kitching, and asked this Exaīant if any man was in the said house, to which She answered no, And the said Constable desired to borrow a Candle from this Exaīant wch she readily lent him, and ye Sd Constable with ye rest of his Company went to search in ye outside or backside of ye Sd house, during wch time this Exaīant beleives ye Sd Robts break one of ye Windows of ye Sd upper Room & Escaped out of ye Sd house for yt this Exaīant presently afterwards went up, & found ye Sd Window so broaken and yt he was gone thence and had left his hatt & a pair of shoes behind him SInce wch time this Exaīant hath not Seen nor heard from ye Sd Roberts nor doth she know where he is or what is become of him in any wise    Eliz: Maddock

Capt die et Anno suprad. Cester coram      Wm Bennett Mayor      Henry Lloyd                     Vera Copia Exer ꝑ Roger Comberbatch Cler. pacis &c.t