According to the testimony in this case, Isabel Newport was about as bad a wife as it was possible to be in late fifteenth-century London: she was violent, disobedient, sexually promiscuous, and dishonest. The legal basis for the lawsuit, apparently a petition for a judicial separation brought by William Newport against Isabel Newton, is somewhat unclear: the witnesses testify both to her extreme cruelty and her adultery, both of which could be grounds for a separation decree. Neither, however, were common and the grant of a judicial separation (divorce a mensa et thoro) on the basis of the wife’s cruelty was extremely rare. Possibly the case was originally launched by Isabel Newport herself, seeking a separation from William: the first two witnesses are said to testify on her behalf in her suit, but if so all those deponents do is establish that William and Isabel had indeed been properly married thirteen years before, around 1477. The other witnesses, who appear on William Newport’s behalf, catalogue a long string of quarrels and physical altercations between the spouses in their parish of St. Botulph without Bishopsgate, with the main fault being placed at Isabel’s door.
LMA, MS DL/C/A/001/MS09065, fols. 79v, 95r-97v, 112rv
Testimony of William Powle, 15 Jan. 1491
On behalf of Isabel Newport c. William Newport, 15 January, in the Consistory, the following examination was made publicly etc. by Master Thomas Ian, in the presence of Master Richard Spencer
William Powle of the parish of St. Botulph without Aldgate, city of London, where he has lived for fourteen years and more, literate, of free condition, forty years old or thereabouts, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known Isabel Newport for thirteen years and more, and William Newport for the same time. Questioned further concerning the solemnization of marriage between Isabel and William, he says that around thirteen years the feast of St. Michael the Archangel [29 Sept.] and as he recalls the Sunday immediately preceding that feast, this witness was present in the church of St. Botulph, when and where marriage was solemnized between Isabel and William, and he knows this because at that time he was, and still is, the parish clerk of that church, and at the time of the solemnization, this witness held the book for the priest celebrating the marriage between the parties.
Testimony of John Coker, 15 Jan. 1491
John Coker of the parish of St. Botulph without Bishopsgate, London, where he has lived for ten years or thereabouts, and before that time in the parish of St. Botulph without Aldgate of the same city, thirty years old. He says that on the day and at the place specified in William Powle’s deposition above, marriage was solemnized between the aforesaid parties.
Testimony of John Smyth, 27 Jan. 1492
John Smyth of the parish of St. Botulph etc. as in the previous folio, because it is the same person [as testified in Robert Warde c. Joan Qualley]. Inducted as a witness etc., he says concerning the material proposed by Cok that he has known William Newport for twenty years and more, and Isabel Newport for ten or twelve years or thereabouts, as he says. To the first part of the said submission, he says that for the whole time during which William and Isabel lived together as husband and wife in the parish of St. Botulph and were the neighbours of this witness, that is for five or six years, William and Isabel argued, quarrelled, and fought most of the time, to the great weariness and nuisance of their neighbours and those living around them, and as the common opinion and fame had it and still has it there, the said [Isabel] was at fault and gave him cause many times. He knows this because in the winter two or three years ago Isabel acted very obstinately and basely with her husband and such were the quarrels between them that this witness and the other neighbours living around were very worried and disturbed about what they did and said to one another [….] that there would be murder between them. This witness saw them [arguing] sometimes in the doorway of their dwelling house, sometimes in the street, and sometimes [first] the husband and sometimes the wife, and she called him thief and robber, and he called her whore […]. And one time in that winter this witness saw Isabel in her dwelling house taking a brooch in her hand and with its pin violently rushing at her husband such that, as this witness firmly believes, she would have stabbed him [……..] if he had not turned to the side. And moreover he says that both at that time and many other times Isabel in this witness’s hearing called her husband cuckold, testifying and swearing with great oaths that she had made him a cuckold and would do it again if any man, a friar or other man, wanted to know her, which this witness testifies from his own sight and hearing. And he says that the aforementioned William is a sober man and well-disposed and as such is reputed among his neighbours, and Isabel as a whore and a strumpet who used in public to declare dishonest words and invited diverse men to know her, saying, “Come on and dight [fuck] me” to diverse people in many places in this witness’s hearing and knowledge. To the second part of this libel, he says that what he said above is true and that public voice and fame circulated and circulate in the parish of St. Botulph and other neighbouring places.
Testimony of William Roger, 27 Jan. 1492
William Roger of the parish of St. Botulph without Bishopsgate, London, where he has lived for almost two years, illiterate, of free condition, fifty years old, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known William Newport for six or seven years, and Isabel Newport for the same time. To the first part of the said libel, he says that most of the time through the whole period that he has known her Isabel was and is a fierce and angry woman, and prone to quarrels and contention, and he knows this because he saw her, about three years ago, taking a certain man by the head and throwing him into the cannel [gutter], and right afterwards she said to her husband, “If thou were a man, thou [would] slay him rather than let him thus.” And he says that this witness believes in his conscience that William cannot live safely with her because of fear of death, and this witness says that if she were his wife he would not dare to live with her. And this witness heard her saying publicly before the jurors*, “If thou wilt not take me home again thou shalt repent in every vein in thy heart,” and she was and is said and reputed as a common whore in the said parish.
*Jurors of the local ward-level civic court, the wardmote inquest, which dealt with issues of local disorder.
Testimony of John Mader, 27 Jan. 1492
John Mader of the parish of St. Botulph aforesaid, where he has lived for twelve years, illiterate, of free condition, thirty years old as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known William Newport for six or seven years and Isabel his wife for four or five years. To the first part, he says that for the time that this witness has [known] Isabel, she was and is commonly said, held, and reputed to be a woman of ill fame and a whore and adulteress, and this witness often heard her [call]ing William cuckold, and she is a common scold. And further he says that many times this witness saw William and Isabel fighting in the public street and for the greater part it was entirely Isabel who fought and because of this, this witness believes in his conscience that it would be dangerous for William to live with her, as he cannot rule and govern her. And otherwise he has nothing to testify about the contents of that part. To the second part, he says that what he has testified above is true and that public voice and fame circulated and circulate concerning it in the said parish and other neighbouring places.
Testimony of John Twemlowe, 9 Feb. 1492
Further on behalf of Newport c. Newport, 9 February A.D. etc. [14]91, by the lord Official in his dwelling-house, in my, Richard Wood’s, presence.
John Twemlowe of the parish of St. Botulph without Bishopsgate, City of London, where he has lived for two years, and before that time in the parish of St. Clement Eastcheap of the said city, for seven years, illiterate, of free condition, forty years old, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc. on the material etc., he says that he has known William Newport for five years and Isabel Newport for three years. To the first part of the material, he says that on a certain day around the last feast of St. Michael, a certain John Foster told this witness in John Tukker’s dwelling house in the aforesaid parish of St. Botulph that about three years ago in William Newport’s dwelling house William and Isabel used to argue with one another and each would pull the other’s hair, and that Isabel would have killed William with a knife that she held in her hands, or at least would have mutilated one of his limbs, if Thomas Haryson had not helped William and separated them from [one another]. And further he says that on a certain day around the feast of All Hallows last past in a certain lane called Houndsditch, this witness was present when Isabel, meeting William, said to him, “Thee, whore[son] cuckold, thou shalt not go above me,” and took William by the shoulders and threw him into the great and dangerous ditch commonly called the Houndsditch. And immediately afterward this witness said to Isabel these words, “Isabel, why doest thou so to thy husband?” Isabel responded saying, “Nay, he is not my husband; I beshrew [curse] their hearts that calls me Isabel Newport, call me Isabel Horseley.” And otherwise he knows nothing to testify except from what he has heard from others. To the second part, he says that what he has said above is true and public voice and fame has circulated concerning it in the said parish and other neighbouring places.
Testimony of John Robartson, 9 Feb. 1492
John Robartson of the parish of St. Botulph aforesaid, where he has lived for eight years, literate, of free condition, thirty years old or thereabouts as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known William Newport for ten years, and Isabel Newport for eight years. To the first part of the said material, he says that on a certain day before the last feast of Christmas, which day this witness cannot otherwise specify, when this witness and Isabel were walking together in the lane of Houndsditch, Isabel told this witness that she put William Newport in the ditch there, saying to this witness these words, “Here I met Newport and had the whoreson by the face, and put him in the ditch.” And otherwise he has nothing to testify about its contents except what he has heard from others. To the second part, he says that what he said above is true and that public voice and fame circulated and circulates both in the parish of St. Botulph and other neighbouring places that Isabel is very fierce and cruel against William.
Testimony of John Foster, 9 Feb. 1492
John Foster of the parish of St. Botulph aforesaid, where he has lived for ten years, literate, of free condition, thirty years old as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known William Newport for fourteen years, and Isabel Newport for twelve years. To the first part of the said material, he says that he heard William Newport often saying that many times when he happened to be out of town and came home again, he found Isabel in bed with a certain man, at that time and still, as he believes, living in the county of Kent, whom Isabel named as her blood relative. And William has accepted, named, and reputed this man to be Isabel’s blood relative unless the contrary is proved. And in the said parish Isabel is named publicly as a woman of evil disposition and greatly familiar with many suspect, adulterous, and evil disposed people. He says further that on a certain day about a year ago, which day this witness cannot further specify, on a street at London Wall, and as he believes between the hours of seven and eight at night, this witness was present with William Newport and another man whom he does not at present recall, when Isabel was talking to a certain man unknown to this witness. The man, a foreigner, said to Isabel, as William Newport told this witness, these words, “I would he were here and I should so array him that he should trouble thee no more.” And William said these words in this witness’s hearing, “I am here, what wilt thou?” and took out his dagger, in English called a hanger, and advanced towards the foreigner, who fled from him. When the foreigner had left, William went to Isabel and beat her. And he says that Isabel on a certain night about four years ago, what time he cannot specify, put a knife in William’s bed, and William took the knife out of his bed before he went into it, and the following morning this witness heard Isabel saying in English, “A whoreson, if I might have had my will I should have killed thee, that would to God’s passion I had so done, whoreson that thou art.” And otherwise this witness has nothing to testify concerning that part except from what he has heard from others. To the second part he agrees with John Robartson examined above.
Testimony of Thomas Goodeale, 9 Feb. 1492
Thomas Goodeale of the parish of St. Botulph aforesaid, where he has lived for five years, illiterate, of free condition, twenty-nine years old as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known William Newport for seven years, and Isabel Newport for five years. To the first part he says that on a certain day, as he recalls around the beginning of Lent [February] a year ago, in the public street commonly called Fenchurch Street, this witness was present when Isabel met this witness. After they had spoken for a while, Isabel said these words, “Call not me Isabel Newport, but call me Isabel Horseley, for I had liefer [rather] the bald whoreson cuckold were hanged than he should be my husband, and I trust that I shall find some good fellow that for my sake either this evening or tomorrow shall make him to piss above his girdlestead [waist].” And she spoke other threatening and disparaging words about William Newport. To the second part he agrees with John Robartson examined above.
Testimony of John Smyth, [?]1 Jul. 1492
[?]1 July, A.D. 1492, [before] Master W. Warham,1 official, in his […] dwelling house, in my, Richard Wood’s, presence.
On behalf of Newport c. Newport, on the material [to be excluded?] from the provision of expenses or alimony to Isabel Newport.
John Smyth of the parish of St. Botulph without Bishopsgate, city of London, where he has lived for twelve years and more, literate, of free condition, forty-seven years old and more as he says. Inducted as a witness etc. on the material etc., he says that he has known William Newport for sixteen years and more, and Isabel Newport for ten years or thereabouts. Questioned further, this witness says that on a certain day around the feast of St. Michael the Archangel [29 Sept.] two or three years ago, after sundown of that day, which day or year this witness cannot otherwise specify, this witness, standing in a certain garden next to this witness’s dwelling house and near the dwelling house in which William then lived, saw Isabel entering William’s garden and breaking a wall next to the door of the house. Through the hole in the wall she took out a certain iron rod, in English a spit, with which the door of the house was closed and fastened from the inside, and, having removed the rod, Isabel lifted the door and entered into the house. After a short time Isabel [came out], carrying in her apron a latten [brass] candlestick, dishes and platters of pewter, and linen clothes (what sorts of clothes or how many he does not know and did not know then). And immediately afterwards Isabel wanted to escape with these goods through Richard Stanley’s house, but Richard would not permit Isabel to do this, but said to her in English, “thou shalt not go through my house, but that way that thou come, that way go.” And otherwise from his knowledge this witness has nothing to depose about this matter. And he says that Isabel was and is of evil disposition and rule, and a waster and ruiner of William’s goods.
Testimony of Thomas Millener, [?]1 July 1492
Thomas Millener of the parish of St. Botulph without Bishopsgate, London, where he has lived for nine years, literate, of free condition, thirty-one years old, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known William Newport for nine years and Isabel Newport for the same time. Questioned further, he says that on a certain day around the feast of St. Michael the Archangel [29 Sept.] two years ago or thereabouts, which day he cannot further specify, after Isabel had broken the [door?] of the house, she wished to leave the dishes and pewter platters and other household utensils belonging to William with Richard Stanley, for him to keep for Isabel’s use, as Richard Stanley told this witness. And he says that Isabel offered this witness a number of utensils to keep for Isabel’s use, but this witness refused to receive those utensils. And he says that often before that day Isabel told this witness that she wished to make merry with William’s goods, saying “I will take such as I find in the house and make merry with it.” And otherwise from his own knowledge he has nothing to testify.
Testimony of Richard Stanley, [?]1 July 1492
Richard Stanley of the parish of St. Botulph aforesaid, where he has lived for three years and more, literate, of free condition, thirty-six years old or thereabouts, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known William Newport for three years and more, and Isabel Newport for the same time. Questioned further, this witness agrees with John Smyth examined above, adding this, that Isabel entered this witness’s garden through a certain alley next to this witness’s dwelling house, and from that garden went into William’s dwelling house, and through a break [in the stone?] of that house took out a certain iron rod with which the door of the house was fastened. And he knows this because Isabel told this witness. And after entering the house, Isabel took and carried away platters and other utensils belonging to William, who was absent at that time. And this witness knows this because Isabel, carrying those utensils in her apron, wanted to leave the utensils with this witness to keep, but this witness refused to do that, saying, “Nay, I will not deal with them, but that way that thou camest, that way go.“
- Warham was later to become one of the most powerful men in the realm as Archbishop of Canterbury. See his ODNB entry: https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/28741.
Consistory 