To recap the story so far: Before leaving on a trip, John Rolfe asked my
ancestor to watch over his wife,Mary Rofe, while he was away. John's
step daughter Elizabeth Webster went to stay with Elizabeth. Meanwhile,
two strangers, Henry Greenland and John Cordin who apparently were
both physicians, had taken a room at the Emerys' husehold.
Two things about the text: in some words the letter v had been transcribed
as a letter u. So "unciuill discourse" is "uncivill discourse".
The other mater is the word sampe mentioned at the dinner. Sampe was
a corn mush that was originally a Native American dish.
The first testimony is from Mary Rolfe and Elizabeth Webster:
"Mary Rolfe and Elizabeth Webster deposed "that the first time that Mr Grenland
Came to our house John Emerie brought him and Mr Cordin and goody Emerie
Came with him and it was late in the night: and John Emerie Came before and
asked whether the old man wer a bed and said he would bring the two docters
thither: which he did: and about twelve oclock John Emery and his wife went
away and left the two docters there: but before John Emerie went away Came
Richard Doles boy henerie Lesenbe to our house and John Emerie Charged the
boy he should not tell his master who was there.
"hauing Received severall abuses both my selfe and the maide that is with me,
we did agree to be still together and to help on another: upon a time the maide
had ocasion to go to hir father Emeris house about a pere of bodis shee desired
me to go with hir: and when we Cam ther we hering goody Emerie and hir daughter
was in the Chamber, we went up and ther was John Emeri likwis and though
unknown to us this mr Grenland was in the bed sick as they said: at last thay went
down all but goodman Emeri and I: and I thought to speke to mr Greenland about
the abuse he ofred to me: before goodman Emerie he formerly pretending to be a
friend to me I tooke this opertunitie I siting upon the Chest: but before I Could
speke, mr grenland Called me to speke with him, I bid him speke but he said I
should Com neerer to speke in privat: but I said here is non but goodman Emerie
but he Ernestly desired me to Com neerer, so I came and he Catched me by the
apron and broke my apron strings and I gaue way to saue my apron and he Caught
me by the arme and pulled me . . . then I said sir I wonder you ar so unciuell . . .
then I Called to goodman Emerie and asked him if it wer not an unciuell part:
then Mr Grenland said if his landlord would say it is an unciuell part he would let
me go: but goodman Emerie made no answer but Laught nether would he help me
. . . though I spoke to him: but with striving I got from him and went downe out of
the Chamber: after this Mr grenland Came down: and John Emerie Invited us to
supper and when Mr Grenland and we wer sett down to supper and while John
Emerie was Craving a blesing and before John Emerie had half don Mr grenland
put on his hatt and spread his napkin and stored the sampe and saide Com
Landlord light supper short grace.
"After supper ther was a great del of Rude and unciuill discors mr grenland speking
that if hes wife should dy he would not marrie ... he had a pretee young wife . . .
This besid a greet del of such lik discourc ther being John Emeris young son and
daughter and his wifs daughter and William Neffe and divers others."
So far John Emery doesn't come off too well in this account of events. He doesn't
seem to be too concerned about Greenland's advances towards Mary Rolfe.
There'd been some hanky panky upstairs and downstairs. Now it was about to move
"up in milady's chambers."
To be continued.
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