Honour Stedham of Colyton in Devon was my Great Great Great Great Great Grandmother,through my Father’s Father’s line. She had four children, all illegitimate : Jacob (1769 – ?), Frances (my GGGGGrandmother, 1764 – 1816), Honour (1765 – ?) and Sarah (1772 – ?).
This document is her Bastardy examination document from October 1772, where she swore John Bartlett of Colyton to be the true Father of Sarah. Full transcription underneath.
Transcription
“Devon To wit. } The Examination of Honour Stedham of the Parish of Colyton in the said County,Single Woman taken on Oath before John Stuckey & Richard Coplestone Esq. two of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid,this Sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Two
This Examinant on her Oath, saith, that on the fifteenth Day of August last,she was delivered of a Female Bastard Child,within the said Parish of Colyton in the said County ; and that one John Bartlett Tinker surjoiner is the Father of the said female Bastard Child, he the said John Bartlett having had the carnal Knowledge of her Body on or before the twenty first day of November last past
and that no other Person hath had carnal Knowledge of her Body with Respect to such child,but the said John Bartlett and he is the true Father of the said female Bastard Child,of which she has been delivered as aforesaid.
Sworn and subscribed by the said
Honour Stedham
the Day and year above-written before
J. Stuckey
Rich Coplestone
the mark of
Honour X Stedham