STAC 5/A6/19

From Waalt

STAC 5/A6/19 - I D - 39 Eliz - London - Richard Aldworth v Francis Smalman

Transcribed by Helen Good

Interrogatories to be ministered unto Thomas Allen and William Conradus /\ Thomas Chapman Richard Champion George Hullman /\ Citizens of London on the parte & behalfe of Richard Aldworth plt against Frauncis Smalman Defft.

1 Inprimis do you know the Plaintif and Deffendant and do you knowe Richard Croftes and Awdrey Welhead late dwelling with the Defendant.

2 Item do you know or have Credibly hard of a decree about Easter terme last made & passed before the Lords of Her Majestes High Court of Starchamber, against the said Smalman, wherby the body of Croftes was ordred to be removed from Smalman, And Smalman utterly adjudged and held unmeete, to have to do or intermedle further with the said Croftes?

3 Item had you any speaches talke or conference with the said Smalman, shortly or in some reasonable space after the said decree so made, wishing the said Smalman to have care or respect unto himself in that action, or to the lyke purpose or meaning, And did the said Smalman in his speaches, seeme to thinke himself wronged in a sort by the said decree, affirming (as yt were in a bravery,) that Aldworth then had great Freindes, but it was no matter, for he had yet perhapps one trick in his head leste, that would overthrow all their devyses, do what they could, or wordes to the lyke effect. And what were the said speeches at large, which then passed betwene you, and uppon what occasions, as you now remember to be true.

4 Item, did you finde or suspect, in and by the same speaches, that there was then a marriage or somme such lyke practize or devyse in working, wherby to intangle the same Croftes, And you admonishing the said Smalman to take heede, or beware what he entended into in his owne person, during the matters so depending as the[y] then did, whether did the same Smalman in gybing manner of sort conclude and saie unto you that my Lord Treasorer had made Croftes a wyse man, and sith his Lordship had so adjudged him to be, there neede no matter by him done, to be suspected, to be afterwardes called in question, or wordes to such or the lyke effect, And what were the wordes or speaches at large, he then uttered unto you, for or touching the same matter of mariage.

5 Item, had the said Smalman at any tyme before, or sithence Easter terme now last past, any speach or talke with you, or any others in your hearinge, privity, or knowledge, shewing any discontentment he receaved in or about the sentence and Decree of this High and Honorable Court, passed against him in the matter of the said Croftes, wherby Croftes was or should be removed from the Custody of the said Smalman, what were the speeches and wordes he had with you, where and in what place, & uppon what occasions, shewe the matter at large as the whole truth thereof shall lead you.

6 Item, do you know or Credibly have hard that the said Smalman had any purpose, intent, or devyse, to marry the said Croftes to Awdrey Welhead his maideservaunt presently after the said Decree so sentenced against him, as aforesaid, or that he did contrive the the said plott of mariage before hand, yf the said Decree should so passe against him, or did enter into the same uppon a sudden, either after the Decree making, or uppon a surmize of the going awaie of the said Croftes from him, And what have you knowne or hard that he the said Smalman hath said done spoken directed, or in his owne person performed, or any other in his name, or by his appointment, for or touching the said mariage, or any other plott meane or devyse, to hinder or stay the going awaie of the same Croftes.

7 Item, what other matter thinge or thinges, not herein particulerly expressed, either for or touching any Complott of the said Smalman, or his wief to defeate the decree aforesaid, or any part purpose or meaning thereof, or to defraud the said Croftes, or fraudulently to bring about cause or compasse the said mariage: do you know or have precysely hard, seene, or observed, whereby to manifest the evill purpose meaning or drifte of the said Smalman, to abuse the simplicity of the said Croftes, or to infring the Honorable meaning of this High Court of Starchamber, declare the whole truth, and what in your owne knowledge or understanding, you have found, or have otherwyse very Credibly therin hard, or conceived to be true.

8 Item, hath yt appeared in your notice hearing knowledge or understanding that after the same mariage betwene Croftes and the said Awdrey Welhead was so done & performed the said Smalman his wief Children or servauntes have ever sithence ordinarily in the house of the said Smalman passed among them this or the lyke common terme or jest of fleesing of the foole. or wordes of such effect, ment & truly intended of the Complott & devyse by them wrought uppon the said Croftes by this mariage, wherby they conceived utterly to have undone the same Croftes. And what is your true opinion knowledg or understanding herein, by that you have hard seene knowne or observed touching the premisses, declare the whole truth at large, And by what reasons you are led to beleve or thinke the same to be so.

8 Item, did you together with the said Smalman & sometymes by your self frequent the house of one Mr Lyne at Westminster at such tyme as the said Richard Croftes was thither sequestred by order of the now Lord Bushopp of London since the sentence & decree made against the said Smalman in this High Cort of Starchamber: did you then at such tyme of your said resort deale & perswade with the said Croftes, to make choice to be with you, when he should be called before the said Lord Bushopp to declare his eleccion, And did you accordingly put in your reasons before the said Lord Bushopp, why the same Croftes should & ought to be & remaine with you before any others, yea or no.

9 Item, was the said perswacion so by you used, by the Councell privity or assent of the said Smalman, was yt so meant purposed & concluded uppon betwene you & the said Smalman, before the removing of Croftes to the same Mr Lynes. And uppon conclusion was Croftes sent to remayne at your house a seavenight or somewhat more & a backe dore made or agreed to be made out of your house into the garden of the said Smalman: what was the true intent meaning drift or pollecie hereof, And whether was yt ment that only therein you should become an Instrument to serve the turne of the said Smalman, in that being disabled himself, by sentence of this most honorable Court to intermedle or have to do with the said Croftes, yet by such colorable meanes of bringing him into your Custody he might have him as amply at his owne Commaund as before.