In 1488, Alice Billingam sued John Wellis, claiming that they had contracted marriage on Valentine’s Day 1486. The witnesses for the case had interesting things to say about how an employer might try to find a husband or wife for a servant; what a young man or woman on the market for a spouse would look for (as Wellis allegedly said, “it takes more to make a household than four naked thighs”); and how flirtation and courtship, including Valentine’s Day rituals, might or might not lead to marriage. Unfortunately for Alice Billingham, only one witness was able to testify that she had been present when the pair made a contract, and that witness was later vilified as a drunk and inveterate liar. All Billingham’s other witnesses were remarkably vague. The case also features a married woman, Beatrice Tomson, who appears to have operated an inn while her husband, Richard Tomson, worked as a skinner on the same premises: fairly rare evidence in the late fifteenth century of an independent businesswoman.
Testimony of Agnes Bullok, Witness for the Plaintiff, 26 Mar. 1488
On behalf of Alice Billingham c. John Wellis
26 March, by [?Malet] in my, Spencer’s, [presence]
Agnes Bullok of the parish of St. Martin Ludgate, London, where she has lived for two [years], of free condition, forty years old, as she says. Inducted as a witness etc., she says that she has known Alice Billingham for a year and a half and more, and John Wellis she does not know. Questioned further about and on the contents in the libel, she says that knows only that on a certain day around and after the feast of St. John the Baptist [24 June] last past, which day she cannot otherwise specify, this witness was present in the house of John Fort within the parish of St. Dunstan in the West, London, together with Agnes Weston and Beatrice Thomson, where and when, after noon on that day, Beatrice Thomson said to this witness, “Do you know Alice Billingham?” And this witness said yes, and Beatrice said, “I have made marriage between a young man that was my servant and her, and I shall bring it as far backward as ever I brought it forward.” And otherwise she knows nothing concerning the contents in the libel except from what she has heard from others, as she says.
Testimony of Constance Stileman, Witness for the Plaintiff, 26 Mar. 1488
Constance Stileman, the wife of William Stileman of the parish of St. Martin Ludgate, where she has lived for four [years], of free condition, twenty-three years old, as she says. Inducted as a witness etc., she says that she has known Alice Billingham for four years and John Wells for two years. Questioned further, she says that on a certain day between Christmas and Lent two years ago, which day or year she cannot otherwise specify, this witness heard Beatrice Thomson, sitting near the door of Robert Kene’s house, saying “I have made a marriage between Alice Billingham and Thomas* Wellis and her brother would give any good with her and she is stubborn of heart; […] pity that ever she should meet with him, I will bring it as backward as ever I brought it forward.” And she says that since that day this witness heard her repeating these words or ones similar in effect in this witness’s dwelling-house. And otherwise she knows nothing concerning the contents in this libel, as she says. To the first interrogatory, she says as she said above at the time of this witness’s examination. And she responds negatively to its other contents. To the second interrogatory, she says that she was asked by Alice to come and give testimony of the truth. And she responds negatively to its other contents. To the third, fourth, and fifth interrogatories, she says as she said above, and otherwise she knows nothing concerning their contents.
[*Here, and at several instances below, the man who is otherwise called John Wellis is (confusingly) called Thomas.]
Testimony of Agnes Weston, Witness for the Plaintiff, 26 Mar. 1488
Agnes Weston, wife of Thomas Weston of the parish of St. Bride in Fleet Street, London, where she has lived from the last feast of the Purification of the blessed Mary [2 Feb.], and before that time in the parish of St. Martin near Ludgate for eighteen years, of free condition, fifty years old, as she says. Inducted as a witness etc., she says that she has known Alice Billingham for eighteen years, and John Wells from the feast of Christmas two years ago. Questioned further on the contents of the libel, she says that on the day before the feast of St. Valentine two years ago, she was present in the home of Richard Thomson and Beatrice his wife, that is in the hall of the house, between the hours of one and two in the afternoon, together with Beatrice, Alice, and John Wellis. There and then John Wellis said to Alice that the next day was St. Valentine’s day and that, because of the many customs that pertained to that day and the fact that the day was coming up, he had come to choose her for his valentine, saying “I am come to choose you to my wife and to my valentine forever.” And she rose and thanked him, saying, “Sir, ye be right welcome.” And then Thomas took her by her right hand and said to her, “I take you to my wife and therto I plight you my troth,” and they unclasped their hands. And Alice took John by the right hand and said, “by my faith and my troth, I forsake all the world and take you to my husband.” And then John took a penny from his purse and gave it to this witness, asking her to go out for ale, and afterwards she did that and brought a halfpenny’s worth of ale and had the other half penny for her labour, as she says. This witness deposes these things from her own sight and hearing. And she says that what she said above is true and that public voice and fame circulated in the parish of St. Martin while she lived there that John and Alice were betrothed to one another. To the first interrogatory, she says as she said above. And to the other contents she responds negatively. To the second interrogatory, she says that she came to give testimony at the request of Alice and the wife of William Mariner, and not otherwise. To the third, fourth, and fifth interrogatories, she says as she said above. And she says that […] they made the contract standing near the bench in the hall, and they were eating bread and a chicken and drinking ale, and this witness happened to be there for the sake of drinking with Alice Billingham. And she says that she does not care who has victory as long as justice is done, but she is indifferent, as she says. And otherwise she knows nothing concerning their contents.
Testimony of Beatrice Thomson, Witness for the Defendant, 28 Mar. 1488
28 March by Master John […]
Beatrice Thomson of the parish of St. Dunstan in Fleet Street, London, where she has lived for a year and a half or thereabouts, thirty-[…] years old, as she says. Inducted as a witness etc., she says that she has known Alice Billingham for four years, and John Wellis for seven years. This witness, questioned further about and on the contents of the libel, says that she knows only that around the feast of Easter two years ago, this witness made advances towards John that he should take Alice, who at that time was living with this witness, as his wife. And John answered that he wanted to see her person and after he had seen her he said to this witness that her person pleased him well and he said further, “If her friends will par[…] with her, it may fortune I will marry her and thereupon I will shape mine answer.” And otherwise she has nothing to depose about the contents of the libel except that immediately after the aforesaid, this witness, in the name and at the request of Alice, gave to John a Jemew of gilt silver or of gold, which jemew John received saying, “hath she send me this?” and this witness said, “yea, forsooth.” And John said thus, “commend me to her, she shall have it again.”To the first interrogatory, she says as she said above. And to the other contents she responds negatively. To the second interrogatory she says that she was cited to come and give testimony of the truth and was also asked by Alice. And to its other contents she responds negatively. To the third, fourth, and fifth interrogatory, she says that she knows nothing about their contents. Asked about the feast of St. Valentine, she says that John said to Alice, “God speed you, Valentine.”
Testimony of John Wellis, Defendant, 18 Apr. 1488
Responses personally made by John Wellis 18 April, year of the Lord 1488, before Master Thomas Ian, Official
John Wellis sworn etc. on the positions etc. To the first position, he says that within the last two years this witness and Alice both spoke together eight times, in the home of Richard Thomson and within the parish of St. Bride and in other places and once in the house of this witness’s mother within the parish of St. Sepulchre, at the request of Alice’s brother and in [the presence] at that time of this witness’s mother, Alice’s brother, and Robert Best. To the second position, he does not believe its contents to be true. To the third position, he says that he does not believe its contents [to be true]. To the fourth position, he believes what is believed and does not believe what is not believed. He does not believe the fame.
Testimony of Henry Stevens, Witness for the Plaintiff, 17 Jun. 1488
17 June
Further on behalf of Billingham c. Wellis, by the lord Official, in his house
Henry Stevens of the parish of St. Sepulchre, brewer, where he has lived for two years, illiterate, of free condition, thirty years old or thereabouts, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known Alice Billingham for a year or thereabouts, and John Wellis for the same time. This witness, questioned further about and on the contents in the libel, says that he knows only that about a year ago, Thomas Thomson told this witness that the wife of Richard Thomson at the sign of the Bells in Warwick Lane told Thomas that John Wellis and Alice Billingham were to be joined in marriage and because of this she asked Thomas as he asserted that he would offer with them in the nuptial mass to be celebrated before them. And otherwise concerning the recognition, the fame, and the other contents of the libel he knows nothing. To the first interrogatory, he says as he said above. And he responds negatively to its other contents. To the second interrogatory, he says that he has come to give testimony of the truth at the request of William Maryner and his wife and not otherwise. And he responds negatively to its other contents. To the third, fourth, and fifth interrogatories, he says that he knows nothing concerning their contents.
Testimony of Thomas Thomson, Witness for the Plaintiff, 17 Jun. 1488
Thomas Thomson, servant of Henry Stevens, with whom he has lived for two years, ostler, illiterate, of free condition, forty years old and more, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known Alice Billingham for three years and more, and John Wellis for two years and more. This witness, questioned further about and on the contents in the libel, says that about two years ago, which day he does not now recall, the wife of Richard Thomson the brother of this witness, Alice Billingham, and John Wells were drinking with this witness in the inn at the sign of the Bells in Warwick Lane, and after they had for some time talked and drank together, John left. After he had left, this witness asked Beatrice about the youth who had just left, and the wife responded, “He is a skinner’s son and a skinner himself. I trust he shall have Alice here to his wife. Will ye offer with them?” And this witness said that he would do so with a free spirit. And concerning the fame and the other things brought forth in the libel, he knows nothing, but he says that there was a rumour in the parish that John would have another wife, and that Alice cried out against the issuing of banns. To the first interrogatory, he says as he said above. And he responds negatively to its other contents. To the second interrogatory, he says that he was asked by Alice to come give testimony of the truth and not otherwise. And he responds negatively to its other contents. To the third, fourth, and fifth interrogatories, he says that he knows nothing concerning their contents.
Testimony of Robert Wild, Witness for the Plaintiff, 17 Jun. 1488
Robert Wild of the parish of St. Martin Ludgate where he has lived for ten years, illiterate, of free condition, twenty-three years old, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known Alice Billingham for ten years or thereabouts, and John Wellis for two or three years. This witness, questioned further about and on the contents of the libel, says that on a certain day in Lent two years ago, the wife of Richard Thomson came up to this witness and William Cole, sitting at that time in the shop of Robert Billingham, and said to this witness and William, “I am glad that ever Alice Billingham came in my house, for I trust to God she shall have a good husband.” And this witness asking her who this was, she said that it was the young man who worked in her house, by which this witness understood that she meant John Wellis, because there was no other man besides the husband of the woman and John at that time working in that house. And moreover she said to this witness, naming the man Wellis, “and she is as sure as I except wedded.” And these words the same woman frequently repeated, by this witness’s hearing and knowledge, as he says. And further he says that the things said by him above are true, and that public voice and fame circulated and circulate in the parish of St. Martin that John and Alice contracted marriage together. And he says that he heard many people saying when they saw John crossing the street, “Yonder goeth Alice Billingham’s husband.” And otherwise he knows nothing concerning the contents in the libel. To the first interrogatory, he says as he said above, and he says that he is a blood relative of Alice and the servant of her brother. To the second interrogatory, he says that he was asked by the wife of William Mariner to come and give testimony of the truth. To the third, fourth, and fifth interrogatories, he says as he said above. And otherwise he knows nothing concerning their contents, as he says.
Testimony of William Cole, Witness for the Plaintiff, 17 Jun. 1488
William Cole, servant of Robert Billingham the brother of Alice Billingham, of the parish of St. Martin Ludgate, London, with whom he has lived from the feast of Christmas two years and more ago, illiterate, of free condition, twenty years old as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known Alice Billingham for four years, and John Wellis for two and a half years. Questioned further, he agrees with Robert Wild examined above, except that he did not hear anyone saying, “yonder goeth Alice Billingham’s husband,” as Robert deposed he had heard. To the first interrogatory, he says as he said above. And he responds negatively to its other contents. To the second interrogatory, he was asked by the wife of William Maryner and by Alice Billingham to give testimony of the truth, and not otherwise. To the third, fourth, and fifth interrogatories, he says as he said above. And he knows nothing regarding their other contents.
Testimony of Richard Thomson, Witness for the Defendant, 12 Jul. 1488
On behalf of John Wellis c. Alice Billingham on the exceptions
12 July
Richard Thomson, skinner, of the parish of St. Dunstan in the West of the city of London, in which parish and in Fleet Street he has lived for seven years, illiterate, of free condition, thirty-one years old, as he says. Inducted as a witness etc., he says that he has known John Wellis for seven years, Alice Billingham for five years, Agnes Weston for […], Robert Wild for six years, and William Cole he does [not] know. To the first part of the exceptions, he says as he will say below. And otherwise he knows nothing concerning its contents. To the second part, he says that Agnes Weston is a poor woman, of unreliable condition and having little or nothing in goods with which she can properly support herself, and she was and is accustomed to get drunk with a cup of ale, and as such she is commonly said, taken, and reputed in the parish of St. Martin and also in the parish of St. Bride, as he says. And otherwise he knows nothing in this part except as he will depose below. To the third part of the exceptions, he says that on the day before the feast of St. Valentine a year ago, the parties were present in this witness’s dwelling-house and communicating together between the hours of one and two p.m., at which discussions this witness was present together with his wife and Agnes Weston. And among other things Alice solicited […] to take her as his wife, and Thomas [?John*] said that he was not disposed to marry unless he could first have the consent and will of his parents, and he added that it took more to make a household than four naked thighs. And this witness did not hear other words sounding of marriage spoken between them then and there. And he says that the whole time that Thomas [?John] was in this witness’s house he was continually present with him and after the discussion they left the house together and together crossed to the end of Old Fish Street where they parted from one another. And the whole time in which they were in that house they refrained from any contract of marriage and the words alleged in the exceptions as far as this witness ever knew or understood, as he says. To the fourth part, he says as he said below. And otherwise he knows nothing concerning its contents, as he says. To the fifth part, he says that what he said above is true and that public voice and fame circulated and circulate concerning them in the parish, as he says.
[*here and at several points, the man otherwise called John Wellis in the testimony is called Thomas.]
Testimony of Beatrice Thomson, Witness for the Defendant, 12 Jul. 1488
Beatrice Thomson, wife of Richard Thomson, whose wife she has been for six years, of free condition, thirty-four or thirty-five years old or thereabouts, as she says. Inducted as a witness etc., she says that she has known Thomas [?John] Wellis for seven years, Alice Billingham for four years, Agnes Weston for nine years, and she does not know Robert Wild and William Cole by those names. To the first and second parts, she agrees with Richard Thomson, her husband examined above, adding that she says that Agnes is a woman of loose tongue and a great liar and that she was accustomed often to say one thing and affirm it by oath and immediately afterward deny what she had just said, as this witness knows, and is commonly taken and reputed as such. To the third part, she agrees with her husband examined above, adding that Alice asked John Thomas thus, “Who is your valentine,” and he answered, “you.” And Alice responded, “Forsooth and ye be mine.” And this changed, that this witness did not leave the house together with John Thomas but she says that Richard her husband and Thomas left together. To the fourth part, she says as she said above. And otherwise she knows nothing concerning its contents. To the fifth, she agrees with her husband examined above.
Consistory 