Quarter Sessions Bundles (ERO Q/SBb100/19)

14.11.1727 (Tuesday 14 November 1727)

document 21000446

the information of Hannah Coker of Boxtead in the county of Essex spinster taken upon oath the day and year first above written who saith that about harvest last this deponent had about 12yd of hempen cloth which she laid out awhitening in a field next the house where she lived and that the said cloth was taken out of the said field and that Hen Clarke who is now a prisoner in the house of correction at Colchester carried the same to Earls Colne and proffered to sell the same there but the person to whom it was offered to sale stopped it and she had the greatest part of it again and she further saith that about a month since her master mr Jn Clarke of Boxtead had a wall of his house break through in the night and that there was taken out of his said house above 20lb of cheese and a parcel of meal containing about a peck and that about four or five days after the said Hen Clarke being taken on suspicion confessed the said fact and delivered back part of the said cheese and flour to the said Jn Clarke her master and this deponent further saith that on tuesday the 31.10.last some person broke into her said master's dwelling house but being heard fled for the same and the said Hen Clarke being apprehended on suspicion of the said fact confessed the same but this deponent doth not know that he then took away anything H Hannah Coker sworn the day and year abovesaid before me Nath Lawrence