Defamation, 1772

Northampton Mercury, 20 July

WHEREAS a Report has been spread in the Neighbourhood of Winslow in the County of Bucks tending to charge ROBERT EVANS the Younger, JOSEPH HUNT the Younger, JOHN GENT, Bricklayer, JOHN STANIFORD the Younger, Bricklayer, and JOHN GIBBS the Younger, Breeches-maker, all of the said Parish of Winslow, with an Offence of the most detestable Nature, not fit to be named among Christians ; and the same Report having been spread on the supposed charge of Thomas Warner of Mursley in the said County, Shoemaker : I, the said Thomas Warner, in Justice to the said several Persons above-named, in this public Manner do declare, that I have not the least Knowledge of any one or either of the above mentioned Persons being concerned in any of the above detestable Practices, and am heartily sorry that any such Report should have been spread in my Name to defame them so greatly. Witness my hand this 1st[?] Day of July, 1772, the mark of THOMAS X WARNER
Witness, JOHN LORD,
                SAM. YEATES.