Archdeaconry Depositions (ERO D/ABD1)

24.11.1620 (Friday 24 November 1620)

document 700084

to the fourth article she saith and deposeth that upon the saturday next after easter 22.4.last past she this deponent coming from Coggeshall market about two hours before sun down in the afternoon found the articulate Robt Carter and Isabel Collin sitting together by the fireside in the hall of the articulate Wm Collins house her master Wm Collins being not then come home from Coggeshall market and she this deponent going into another room before she came again into the hall they the said Robt Carter and Isabel Collin were gone into the cheese house together out from thence and then this deponent seeing the latch of the old parlour door pulled out this deponent called Margt French her then fellow servant and asked her where her dame was and she answered that she thought the articulate Robt Carter and she were gone into the said old parlour and then she having reason to go into the said old parlour for yeast and lay a leaven for bread took the fire fork and lifted the door up and opened it and there not finding her dame and the said Carter she processed her that they were in the cheese house and thereupon she this deponent and her fellow servant Margt French went about to a back window to look in but the window being too high they could not see in and then Thos Jones one of the servants of the said Wm Collins seeing this deponent and the said Margt French go about the house enquired of them the reason thereof whereupon they told him that their dame the said Isabel and the said Robt Carter were locked up together above in the cheese house and they could not see what they did and he upon that told them if they would go along with him they should see what they did and then this deponent and the said French going with him into his chamber which was directly over the cheese house he looked through a hole of the boards in the said chamber down into the said cheese house and there said he saw the said Isabel Collin and Robt Carter together and bade this deponent and the said French come look down and they should see her goodness whereupon this deponent kneeling down she and the said Thos looked down through the said hole together and saw him the said Carter lying down upon the said Isabel upon the floor and her clothes up to her belly and his breeches down before and his shirt turned up on the right side of her so that they saw her naked thighs and the said Carter commit adultery in her conceipe with her and when this deponent had done looking down as aforesaid said the said Margt French and the said Thos Jones looked down likewise together and said that they saw as much there being then present only this deponent and the said Thos Jones and Margt French and further she does not know to depose