Citty of Chester Ss} The ExaiaionExamination of Elizabeth Maddock SperSpinster taken before William Bennett Esqr.Esquire Mayor and Henry Lloyd Alderman his Maj.tiesMajesties Justices of the peace for yethe County of yethe SdSaid Citty yethe 240 day of October in yethe 11.th Year of his Ma.tsMajesties Raign King William yethe third over EnglꝫEngland &c.t Anno Dni 1699.

Elizabeth Maddock of the Citty of Chester SperSpinster (daughter of Joseph Maddock, of the same Citty Tanner) aged 17. Years or thereabouts being ExaiedExamined 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 yethe Forest street in yethe said Citty and desired to Make himselfe known to her declareing great love and kindness for her, and abtabout 3. Weeks afterwdsafterwards she went to see Ann Gill att her hause in yethe said Forest Street, And there found yethe SdSaid Mr Roberts, who Kept this ExaīantExaminant about an houre and this ExaīantExaminant beleiving the said Mr Roberts to have a real kindness, and affeionaffection for her, did Severall times afterwards entertain & receive him into her fathers house (unknown to the said Father) and abtabout a Month agoe thisExaīantExaminants SdSaid father told her, that he was informed that she had Admitted a strange gentleman into her company without his consent, wchwhich this ExaīantExaminant did then confess to her SdSaid Father & told him ytthat he yethe SdSaid Mr Roberts was yethe same person & that he had lately Lodged at the house of Mr Joseph Horton in yethe SdSaid Citty and was then gone to London, he yethe SdSaid Mr Roberts haveing frequently told this ExaīantExaminant ytthat he must goe very shortly to London, thô in truth she did beleive he was not then gone, and the SdSaid Mr Roberts did continue to visit this ExaīantExaminant frequently at ther said Fathers house and Severall times proposed to acquaint this ExaīantExaminants said Father of his kindness for her and to desire his consent ytthat he might Marry marry her but this ExaīantExaminant was unwilling her said Father should be acquainted with it, because she had told him before the said Roberts was gone to London, and yethe 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 yethe said Mr Hortons company, and this ExaīantExaminant further saith that on Munday the 9. day of this Instant October the said Mr Roberts was in company with this ExaīantExaminant in Mrs Ridges Rown near the High Cross of yethe said Citty where they Stay'd to See the Bull baiting and afterwards the said Mr Roberts invited this ExaīantExaminant thence to Mr Hortons house where she Stayd abtabout half an hour, and she did not See the SdSaid Mr RobtsRoberts afterwards till Munday the 16. day of this Instant October on which day abtabout 2. or 3. a clock in yethe afternoon, he yethe said Mr Roberts came to this ExaīantExaminant at her SdSaid fathers door and she being unwilling to stay with him there at so publick a place acquainted him ytthat the SdSaid An Gill had entrusted her with the Key of her yethe SdSaid Ann Gills house, there being then no body in it, whereupon yethe said Mr Roberts came to her in the SdSaid Gills house where they continued abtabout 2. hours and a halfe and parted abtabout between 4. and 5. a clock the same afternoon, the said Mr Roberts walking towards Baughton and saying he would See this ExaīantExaminant again the same night (but did not menionmention what time) And about ten of yethe Clock in yethe Night of the Same day the said Mr Roberts and the said Ann Gill came togeather to this ExaīantExaminant at her SdSaid fathers house (he being then Gone to bed) and they staid all three togeather in yethe Kitching of yethe said house all Night till abtabout 6. or 7. a clock in yethe morning & then the said Ann Gill first went out and presently returned and told this ExaīantExaminant and the said Roberts ytthat Mr horton was taken up for coyning (or to ytthat Effect) but yethe said Roberts Sayd he could not beleive it, for ytthat he had lived so long with him and never observed any thing ytthat was ill of the said Mr Horton and then they parted, and this ExaīantExaminant did not afterwards See him or hear from yethe 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 yethe door of her said Fathers house (her said Father not being within) and this ExaīantExaminant let him in, and told him there was great Enquiry made after him in yethe Town upon supionsuspicion of his being concern'd wthwith the said Mr Horton, to which the SdSaid Roberts made answer, God damm'em ytwhat business have they to Search after me and presently afterwards he desired he might Stay in one of the Upper Rooms of yethe said house till this ExaīantExaminant could be at leisure to come to him, wchwhich this ExaīantExaminant 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 yethe Kitching & presently afterwards one Samuel Leigh a Constable and Some others came into yethe Said Kitching, and asked this ExaīantExaminant if any man was in the said house, to which She answered no, And the said Constable desired to borrow a Candle from this ExaīantExaminant wchwhich she readily lent him, and yethe SdSaid Constable with yethe rest of his Company went to search in yethe outside or backside of yethe SdSaid house, during wchwhich time this ExaīantExaminant beleives yethe SdSaid RobtsRoberts break one of yethe Windows of yethe SdSaid upper Room & Escaped out of yethe SdSaid house for ytthat this ExaīantExaminant presently afterwards went up, & found yethe SdSaid Window so broaken and ytthat he was gone thence and had left his hatt & a pair of shoes behind him SInce wchwhich time this ExaīantExaminant hath not Seen nor heard from yethe SdSaid 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 ꝑper Roger Comberbatch Cler. pacis &c.t