97. Edmum Dangerfield , was indicted for marrying Elizabeth Croxford on the 2d of Feb. in the 7th Year of his present Majesty , his former Wife Arabella Fast , being then living .
Dr. Gainham. I don't know the Prisoner. I did marry a Man and a Woman of these Names. Here, this is a true Register. Edmd. Dangerfield, of St. Mary Newington Butts, Batchelor, to Arabella Fast.
Q. Have you not left your Spectacles at Home?
Gainham. No, I have them in my Hand, (reads) Arabella Fast, of St. Olave's Hart-street, Spinster, Aug. 27. 1733. When I marry at any House, I always set it down, for I carry one of the Books in my Pocket, and when I go Home, I put it in my great Book: I entered this Marriage, the very same Minute the Ceremony was perform'd.
Q Do you never make any Alteration?
Gainham. Never, my Lord. These two were married at Mrs. Ball's, at the Hand and Pen by the Fleet Prison, and my Name is to her Book.
Counc. Do you know the Prisoner at the Bar?
Gainham. No, I have married a great many since that Time: I know nothing of him but by his Name.
Counc. Do you know whether you married him at all?
Gainham. Yes, it was up one pair of Stairs forwards, and the Ceremony of the Church of England was made use of, and all of it.
Counc. 'Tis strange you should not remember him.
Gainham. Can I remember Persons? I have married 2000 since that Time.
Eliz Marshal . The Prisoner about two Years ago took a Room in my House for him and his Wife at 2 s. a Week; her Name was
Arabella: He own'd her for his Wife, and they eat and drank and lay together.Prisoner. What did she say to you when she had been there about a Fortnight?
Marshal. She said she was ruined and undone, and that she was not married then; but afterwards she was married.
Q. How do you know she was married afterwards?
Marshal. Why the Minister has prov'd it now.
Q. What time of the Year did they come to your House?
Marshal. I don't know directly; but I remember it was Nut time, for he came in cracking Nuts. They had been about a Week in my House When she made this Declaration; indeed she never told me afterwards that she was married.
Council. Did any Body visit her while she liv'd in your House?
Marshal. No, nobody; she sent a Letter into the Country for her Uncle to come to Town, they both call'd him Uncle, about a Fortnight after she came to my House; the Gentleman came to Town one Day about 12 o'Clock at noon, and sent for Arabella to a Coffee-house; she brought her Uncle home and carried him up Stairs to her Chamber, and he desired to lie one Night there; and I said, Arabella, if you will lye with a single Woman, your Uncle may lie in your Chamber, whereof I put a clean Pillowbeer on Her Uncle was a little in drink, so she went up and put him to bed: At past 10 o'Clock her Husband came home, and up Stairs he goes, and unlocks the Door to go to bed, and he calls up Mr. Marshal; bear witness, says he, here's a Man in bed with my Wife.
Council. Was this after she declared she was not married or before?
Marshal. After the Declaration.
Council. What Profession was this Uncle of?
Marshal. I do not know.
Prisoner. He was a Parson.
Marshal. He had dark Gray Clothes on; but he had no Rose in his Hat.
Elizabeth Shanks . Arabella was at my House a Year and an half; she went away the 29th of January was 12 Months, and came again in September, and staid till Jan. The Prisoner came several Times to see her while she was at my House, and once when we had a Pot of Beer. I drank to his Wife's well doing; which of my Wives says he? Why Arabella; the other was my first Wife, says he? Arabella was by, but I cannot remember what she said to that: He came to her about half a Dozen Times and not more. One Mrs. Savage in Mark Lane paid me for her Lodging, and Board. The latter Part of the Time she was with me, she was sick, and was to go into the Hospital; I asked him (the Prisoner) who was to be at the Charge of it? he would he said, if I would pay the Money, for he would not be blown for the World. She always declared she was marry'd.
Prisoner. What did I say to you, when I call'd you into the Kitchen?
Shanks. I said, I understand you are married to Arabella Fast.
Prisoner. And I said, Madam, I am not, I deny it: Did not Arabella tell you that she said any thing when she was drunk?
Shanks. The Occasion of her tippling, if I must out with it, was your using her so hard: He did say that he was not married to her in her Hearing, and I do not remember that she said any Thing at all to it.
Rush Lewington. He fetched his Wife Arabella, from my House, to the best of my Remembrance) six Weeks a Saturday last: I thought she was his Wife, only by the Carriage between them. She told me, he was come to fetch her away, and she look'd up her Things: You are very well equipt, says he; to go to Service; this is the last Thing that I will do for you: Says I, can a Man promise that any thing will be the last he shall do for his Wife? Come, come, says he, I want no Documenting.
Elizabeth Craxford . I am the second Wife: He married me at St. Sepulchre's Church , the 2d Day of February was two Years: We have lived ever since together, till this unhappy parting.
Prisoner. My Lord! I will begin the whole Story.
C. You need not give us the whole of your Life and Conversation.
Prisoner. In the Beginning of this Affair with Fast, I lived at the Bull in Spratt Bottom, and had about 40 or 50 l. This Arabella Fast used frequently to come to the House: We soon became acquainted, and she told me, she had something to offer me; if I was in my own Interest, I would embrace it: There is, says she, a Minister, (naming his Name) who often lies with me, and if you'll say you are my Husband, we may get some Money out of him, I thought
'twould be no more Harm in me to say the Words, than for him to do the Deed; so I came up to London to take a Room for her as my Wife: I brought in this Arabella, and lay with her myself; and while I was in Town, willing to be getting something, I got employed at the Three Artichoaks. Within a Fortnight after our coming to Town, she told me the Parson was come to London, and now was the Time to make him our Prize: Come into our Room, says she, about 10 o'Clock at Night. I did, and found Arabella and he abed. Hey! says I, how came you to be abed with my Spouse, and I called up Mr. Marshal to bear Witness. Sir, says he, I only lay with her to keep my Back warm: O Sir, says I, if she has kept your Back warm, you have kept her Belly warm: However, the Gentleman lay with her all Night, and in the Morning he asked for the Certificate of our Marriage: I must make you a Present, says he, if you can produce a Certificate. I knew not what to say, Guilty Conscience needs no Accuser. Sir, says Arabella, we were married at the Fleet; and, says she to me, for a Crown, I can get a Certificate from thence. I gave her a Crown, and in half an Hour she brings me a Certificate. I can call People to my Character.C. You are not called upon here as a Thief: If you call any Persons to speak to your Chastity and Continency, that you have done your self.
William Roberts produced a Certificate from the Fleet, which he had last Monday Morning, when there was no Marriage at all.
Jone Lewis. I heard her several Times declare (both Drunk and Sober,) that he was not her Husband. Acquitted .