Tag: pregnancy

Saturday, February 19 1757

In the morning walked up to John Durrant’s and informed Ann Durrant (who yesterday declared to me and Mr French she would swear the father at any time) that I would go with her today to Mr Courthope’s, to which she readily agreed.

I came home and got Susan Swift to walk with her to Uckfield, and accordingly they set off about 9 o’clock and I after them. I called at my mother’s, but did not stop, but went forward and informed Mr Courthope there was a young woman a-coming to swear the father of a child she was then big of. I then went and stayed at Mr Halland’s at the Maiden Head until such time as she had had her examination and taken her oath, which was that she was actually with child and that the man who begot the said child was George Hyland, a laborer who now lives in the parish of Laughton. When they came back to me, I went again to Mr Courthope’s in order to get a warrant to apprehend and take the said Hyland, which was readily granted me by Mr Courthope. I then immediately came home, calling at my mother’s (but did not stay) and also at Mr French’s to acquaint him how I had made out. I came home about 2:05…

Mr Vine, Mr French, Joseph Fuller and myself went down to Jones’s to consult of proper measures to take the man. We agreed Mr French and I in the evening should go down to the man’s house and see if there were any light and, if there were and he at home, to take him. I did not stay, but I find the other three stayed and spent 11d, which they charged to the parish account. In the evening about 6:20 I went down and called John Watford (he being headborough), and from thence we went and called Mr French and then proceeded on our intended journey. We could find no light nor any appearance that the man was in his house. After staying and patrolling about the house some time, we came home about 9:05 and I think never more tired in my life. The money I expended today is as follows:

Paid Mr Courthope for Ann Durrant’s examination and a warrant0.2.0
Spent at Uckfield0.0.8
Gave Susan Swift for going0.0.6
Gave John Dan0.1.0
Do. Dame Burrage0.1.0

The above all on the parish account.

Thursday, July 15 1756

About 4 o’clock in the morning I rose and went down to Joseph Fuller’s and called up Joseph, T. and Richard Fuller and got their horse and set out about 5 o’clock and called at Whyly to inform Mr French of our intentions. I found him abed, but called him up, and as Mrs French was just going to breakfast, I stayed and breakfasted with them. I got to Lewes about 6:20 where I called up Mr Davy and also Mr Snelling. I borrowed of Mr Snelling in cash 7.4.0. I also left with Mr Thomas Scrase, whom I called up, 6.15.0, which he was to pay Mr George Kemp, taking up a bill which he had of the same value, drawn on me by Mr Richard Waite, which bill he was to send me by the post. Mr Snelling, Mr Davy and myself came to Mr Porter’s about 10 o’clock, where we went in and stayed just the time of eating a bit of bread and drinking a glass of wine.

We came up to my house where we provided ourselves with all things necessary for the operation; to wit, a bottle of wine and another of brandy and aprons and napkins, together with a quantity of fragrant herbs such as mint, savory, marjoram, balm, pennyroyal, roses etc., and threaded all the needles. We then proceeded to the house when we duly examined the nurse, who confirmed all we had heard before, with the addition that it was such a case as she never saw before and that she was fearful all was not right. The doctors then proceeded to the operation after they had dressed themselves and opened their instruments. They first made a cut from the bottom of the thorax to the os pubis and then two more across at the top of the abdomen as under:

[T shape]

The operation was performed in mine and the nurse’s presence. They also opened the uterus where they found a perfect fine female child, which lay in the right position and would, as they imagined, have been born in about 48 hours. And as the membranes were all entirely whole, and the womb full of the water common on such occasions, there was convincing proof she never was in travail. The ileum was all very much inflamed, as was also the duodenum, but they both declared they could see no room to suspect poison. But if anything else had been administered, it had been carried off by her violent vomiting and purging (though they said circumstances looked very dark and all corroborated together to give room for suspicion).

We came back to my house about 1 o’clock, and Mr Snelling and Mr Davy went to Mr Porter’s. The doctors both allowed this poor unhappy creature’s death to have proceeded from a bilious colic (so far as they could judge). After dinner they both came up to our house when I paid Dr Snelling the 7.4.0 I borrowed of him in the morning and also gave each of the gentlemen one guinea for their trouble… T. Cornwell made me a present of a loin of venison.