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© F.Coakley , 2024
[From Enquest file 1701-3 p 69]
Certain examinations taken by four sworn men vizt Charles Cowle, Wm Sumpter, Rich Gale & John Shimin, touching some misdemenours commited by Betty Curlett servant to Caesar Wattleworth of Peeltown, ye 25 day of Sept 1700 as follows
Wm Cain milner sworn & examined saith, that as the sd maid servt was grinding some barley in the miln, he came in & saw her putt a kishan of barley or thereabouts in a bag, out of the corn of the said Cesar Wattleworth's; & he asked her for whom it was for, & she told him that it was for Henry Clucas's wife, and he again asked her would not that be felt out, & she said, that she did put so much over plus in the measure. And this deponent further declares, that the sd Hen Clucas's wife came & brought the foresaid bag out of the miln, And further saith not Wm Cain his mark x
Ann Ervin sworn & examined saith, that on a certain day the foresd maid servt of Cesar Wattleworth was grinding some barley in the miln, & the maid having a little lad in company with her, did send him to the next miln to borrow a needle, and when he re: turned the sd servt was settling some green flax in a corner of the miln, wch lay there before; whereupon ye lad suspecting some thievery, went home & told the same to this depnt, who went directly to the miln to grind some corn of her own, & she found a small bag in the same corner, (whereof the lad told this dept the flax lay) about the bulk of a kishan of barley in it. And further saith not. Ann Erwin her mark x
[A kishan [= 8 quarts] of corn is ~21lb or ~8kg]
Bahy Dawson sworn & examined, saith, that she was in the miln when the above Ann Erwin found the foresd bag of barley in the corner of the miln under the flax, & saw the same. And the Dept further declares, that as she was just going out of the miln she mett Henry Clucas in the miln door with one bag of corn about the bulk of two kishans. And further saith not. Bahy Dawson her mark x
John Hutchin milnr sworn & examined, saith, that he saw Henry Clucas bringing forth of the the miln two bags the same day, after Ceasar Wattleworths maid was grinding; one was about the bulk of two kishans, & the other about the bulk of one kishan. And this dept further declares that there was no corn in the miln that day but what the sd maid servant & the two above depts had, with what Henry Clucas had. And further saith not. John Hutchin his mark x
Ann Mcylvorry, sworn & examined, saith, that the foresd servant gave her some sopes? of milk now & then coming from milling for the Depts children. And further saith not. Ann Mcylvorry her mark x
Cathrine Fargher declared unto us before the sd servant that she sold her three pence half peny worth of milk, wch the servant could not deny.
Margtt Cowle being charged before us, refused to make oath alledging that she was with child & 'twas thought she was not, for [she] was much suspected to be privy to several of the foresd servant's intreaques [intriques]
Having duly considered the above depositions we [give] the foresd Betty Curlet the maid servant, (who is now out of the island) & Henry Clucas & his wife with Cathrine Fargher to the mercy of the Court for fine or [admonishment]; And as for Margt Cowle we think fitt she be presented ^for refusing to swear, she being much suspected.^ And this we give for our answer to the premises, as witness our names & marks this [21st?] of May 1701;
Richard Gell his mark
Charlers Cowle his mark
Wm Sumpter his mark
John Shimin his mark
21st May 1701 The Jury have delivered this verdict to me in Court Dan Mcylrea
The various people seem to be Peel based, the town mill was known as Cooper's mill - Wm Cooper who died 11 Apr 1702 left his grandson Wm Cooper part of the lower miln - thus implying there were two nearby mills. What is somewhat surprising is to find that servants were left unattended whilst personally grinding their own corn.
A John Hutchin, buried 5th March 1703 Kk German, was noted in decree as died 5 March bruised by a millstone leaving 4 under age children and a widow
Wm Sumpter of Peel died 9th Mar 1724/5 (buried 11th) leaving a will and considerable property.
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