Bastardy Examination of Susana Sweet
Information courtesy of Diane Ellisor.
Bastardy Examination of Susanna Sweet (ref: D/PS/ilm 6/41 79)
County of Somerset
Susanna Sweet of the parish of Merriott in the said County single woman, appeared voluntarily before us John Hemming Esquire and John Michell Clerk two of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace in the said County, this seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and ninety three.
AND being examined on oath, she saith that on or about six months now last past at Merriott in the County aforesaid, she the said Susanna Sweet was delivered of a male bastard Child and that the said Bastard Child is likely to become chargeable to the said parish of Merriott and that Matthew Pattemore of Merriott in the county aforesaid labourer did get her with Child of the said Bastard Child.
The mark of
x
Susanna Sweet
[Reference: Baptism of Matthew Sweet, 22 July 1792.]
Order
COUNTY OF SOMERSET
The ORDER of John Hanning Esq and John Mitchell Clerk Two of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace of and for the said County, One whereof is of the Quorum, and both residing in or Next unto the Limits of the Parish Church within the Parish of Merriott in the said County, made the seventh day of February in the Year of our Lord, one Thousand Seven Hundred and ninety three concerning a male Bastard Child lately born in the Parish of Merriott aforesaid, of the Body of Susannah Sweet Single woman, as followeth.
WHEREAS it hath appeared unto us the said Justices, as well upon the Complaint of the Church-wardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Merriott as upon the Oath of the said Susannah Sweet that she the said Susannah Sweet was on or about six months ago was delivered of a male Bastard Child, in the said Parish of Merriott and that the same is likely to become chargeable to the parish of Merriott aforesaid and further that Mathew Pattemore is the Father thereof
AND whereas the said Mathew Pattemore hath this day voluntarily appeared before us for that purpose but hath not shown any sufficient cause why he shall not be adjudged to be the real and reputed father of the said Bastard Child
We the said Justices do therefore, upon Examination of the Cause of Circumstances of the Premises, as well upon the Oath of the said Susannah Sweet as otherwise, hereby adjudge, that the said male Bastard Child was born in the said Parish of Merriott and do also adjudge him the said Matthew Pattemore to be the real and reputed Father of the said Bastard Child.
AND we do order, as well for the better Relief of the said Parish of Merriott as for the Sustentation and Relief of the said Bastard Child, that the said Matthew Pattemore shall and do forthwith, on notice of this our order, pay or cause to be paid to the Church-wardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Merriott or some or one of them, the sum of Ten shillings and six pence for and towards the lying in of the said Susannah Sweet and the Maintenance of the said Bastard Child, from the birth thereof to the time of making this order.
AND we do hereby further order, that the said Matthew Pattemore shall and do also pay or cause to be paid to the Church-Wardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Merriott For the time being, or to some or one of them, the sum of one shilling weekly and every week, from this time present, for and towards the Keeping, Sustentation, and Maintenance of the said Bastard Child, for so long time as the same shall be chargeable to the said Parish of Merriott.
AND we do further order, that the said Susannah Sweet shall also pay or cause to be paid to the said Church-wardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Merriott for the time being, or to some or one of them, the sum of one shilling weekly and every week, so long as the said Bastard Child shall be chargeable to the said Parish of Merriott In case she shall not
nurse and take care of the said Child herself.