My Great Great Great Great Great Great Grandmother
In 1775, Sarah Hickson was charged and convicted of slander after calling her neighbour, Esther Espley, a whore! She was sentenced to do penance in the parish church at Wellington, Shropshire. Below are transcripts from documents relating to the case.
Born:
1731
Parents:
Unknown
Married:
John AGLINGTON, 1732-1781
30 July 1750
Wellington, Shropshire
Children:
Joseph AGLINGTON, 1751-?
John AGLINGTON, 1753-?
Isaac AGLINGTON, 1755-1771
Elizabeth AGLINGTON, 1758-?
William AGLINGTON, 1759-1783
Sarah AGLINGTON, 1761-?
Mary AGLINGTON, 1763-?
John AGLINGTON, 1764-1766
John AGLINGTON, 1767-1778
Elinor AGLINGTON, 1771-1848
Isaac AGLINGTON, 1773-1849
Benjamin AGLINGTON, 1776-1856
Charlotte AGLINGTON, 1778-?
Died:
January 1810
Wellington, Shropshire
1
Richard Smalbroke, Doctor of Laws, Vicar General and Official Principal of the Right Reverend Father in God. Richard, by divine permission Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry and of his Episcopal Consistory Court of Lichfield lawfully constituted, to all and singular clerks and Literate Persons whomsoever and wheresoever Greetings. We require you to cite or cause to be cited Sarah, the wife of John Aglington of the parish of Wellington in the county of Salop and Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry Nailor, to appear Personally before us, our surrogate or other competent judge in the Lord Bishop’s Consistory Court in the cathedral Church of Lichfield and place of Indicature there on Tuesday the Sixteenth Day of May next ensuing the date hereof at the Hours accustomed to hearing of causes there to answer Esther Espley the wife of John Espley in a cerain cause of Defamation or Slander at the instance of the said Esther Espley, and further to do and receive as Law and Justice shall require. And what you do in the premises you are duly to certify to us or our surrogate in this behalf together with those present.
Dated at Lichfield under the seal of our office this Twenty-Ninth day of April One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Five.
T Buckeridge
2
At Wellington the fourth day of May 1775 before the Reverend Stephen Panting Surrogate & ca
Appeared personally John Humphrey of Wellington aforesaid writing clerk and made oath that upon the fourth day of May 1775 he personally served Sarah Aglington the Defendant named in the original Citation hereunto annexed by shewing to her the same under seal and the same time by delivering to and leaving with her a note of the Contents thereof.
The said John Humphreys was duly sworn to the truth hereof before me
[signed]
John Humphreys
Stephen Panting, Clerk Surrogate
3
Richard Smalbroke, Doctor of Laws, Vicar General of the Right Reverend Father in God. Richard, by divine permission Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, to the Minister of the parish church of Wellington in the county of Salop and Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry sendeth greetings. Whereas we, lawfully proceeding in a certain cause of Defamation or Slander now developing before us between Esther Espley the wife of John Espley, plaintiff on the one part, and Sarah Aglington the wife of John Aglington of Wellington, Nailor, the defendant on the other part, have enjoyned the said Sarah Aglington a proper penance in order for the recantation of some defamatary and scandalous words spoken to and of the said Esther Espley to the great Diminution of her good name and character. We therefore require you to call before you the said Sarah Aglington to perform the said penance upon the day the place, manner and form underwritten, and to certify unto us or our surrogate how and in what manner she performed the same – Dated at Lichfield, the Sixteenth day of May in the year of our Lord 1775.
T Buckeridge
The said Sarah Aglington shall, upon Sunday the Twenty-Eighth day of May instant repair to the chancel of the Parish Church of Wellington aforesaid betwixt the hours of eight and nine in the forenoon of the same day and then and there in the presence of you, the minister, the church wardens of the said parish and the said Esther Espley, if she shall care to be present and six other persons whom she shall bring with her, with an audible voice make her humble confession, as follows, to wit:
Whereas I Sarah Aglington, not duly considering the Duty which I owe to my neighbour, have contrary to the laws of Christian Charity, slandered Esther Espley, in saying that she was a whore and other scandalous words to the Injury of the said Esther Espley, the offense of others, and against good manners. I do humbly acknowledge and am heartily sorry for this my offense, and I do hereby promise by the acquaintance of God’s grace never to offend in like manner; which promise that I may be the better enabled to perform, I do hereby desire all you that are here present, to join with me in saying the Lord’s Prayer – Our Father etc.
This penance was duly performed by the above named Sarah Aglington, in the manner and form, and on the day, and at the time and place above proscribed before.