Northamptonshire to wit.
The Order of the Reverend Euseby Isham, Clerk, and the Reverend Henry
Bagshaw Harrison, Clerk, two of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for
the said County, one whereof is of the Quorum, and both residing in or near to
the Limits of the Parish Church, within the Parish of Desborough in the said
County, made the twenty first Day of April in the Year of our Lord One Thousand
Eight Hundred and three concerning a female Bastard Child lately born in the
Parish aforesaid, of the Body of
Ann now the Wife of
Samuel Morris of the Parish of Desborough aforesaid Laborer late Ann Loak
Singlewoman.
WHEREAS it has been duly made appear unto us, the said Justices, as well upon
the Complaint of the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish
of Desborough as upon the Oath of the said Ann Morris that she was delivered of
a female Bastard Child, at Desborough in the said Parish, on the eighth Day of
January last past and that the said Bastard Child is now chargeable to the said
Parish, and likely so to continue; and further that Matthias Weston of
Napcoat in the County of Leicester Servant did beget the said Bastard Child on
the Body of her the said Ann Morris.
And whereas the said Matthias Weston hath not shown any sufficient Cause why
he shall not be the reputed Father of the said Bastard child
We therefore, upon Examination of the cause and circumstance of the Premises
as well upon the Oath of the said Ann Morris as otherwise, do hereby adjudge
him, the said Matthias Weston to be the reputed Father of the said Bastard
Child.
And thereupon we do order, as well for the better Relief of the said Parish
of Desborough as for the Sustentation and Relief of the said Bastard Child, that
the said Matthias Weston shall and do forthwith, upon Notice of this our Order,
pay, or cause to be paid, to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the
said Parish of Desborough or to some one of them, the Sum of
for and towards the Lying-in of the said Ann Morris and the Maintenance of
the said Bastard Child to the Time of making this our Order.
And we do also hereby further order, that the said Matthias Weston shall
likewise pay, or cause to be paid, to the churchwardens and Overseers of the
Poor of the said Parish of Desborough for the Time being, or to some or one of
them, the Sum of one shilling & six pence Weekly, and every Week, from this
present Time, for and towards the Keeping Sustentation and Maintenance of the
said Bastard Child, for and during so long a Time as the said Bastard Child
shall be chargeable to the said parish of Desborough And we do further order
that the said Ann Morris shall also pay, or cause to be paid, to the said
Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Desborough for the
Time being, or to some or one of them, the Sum of nine pence Weekly, and every
Week, so long as the said Bastard Child shall be chargeable to the same, in case
she shall not nurse or take Care of the said Child herself.
Given under our Hands and Seals, the Day and Year first above written.
Eus Isham
H B Harrison
Notes:
Ann's daughter
Mary was baptised 6th March 1803, 14 days after Ann married Samuel
Morris. Mary died in April the following year.
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