05/05/2025
The Lifestory of Agnes Saunders
As we have previously seen, Agnes Saunders, my 10th great aunt (sister of my 10th great grandfather), was born in May 1579 at Lydeard St Lawrence and baptised there 22 May. She was the second of eight children born to Thomas and Anne Saunders, nee Blake. Agnes was engaged to Hugh Treble (born about 1580). Hugh frequently visited Agnes at her family home in Lydeard St Lawrence.
However, on one occasion Hugh took unwanted advantage of Agnes in her father’s (Thomas) barn. Agnes broke off the engagement after this and stayed resolute even after finding out she was pregnant. As the stigma of being an unmarried mother would have had a negative effect on both her and her family, Agnes’ mother, Anne, worked out how to keep her pregnancy a secret. Once Agnes’ pregnancy became obvious, she remained at home and had no visitors. However, rumours still circulated as neighbours noticed her absence and the absence of Hugh, who had been a frequent visitor.
When Agnes went into labour, the midwife, Katherine Criddle, was summoned to the house to attend to her, as was presumably arranged by Anne. Agnes gave birth to a boy on 29 September 1601 at her parents’ home in Lydeard St Lawrence. That evening, Anne and Katherine took the baby to Hugh Trott’s home in Bishops Lydeard (about 3 miles away), as Hugh’s wife had recently given birth and she had agreed to be a wet nurse for the baby.
In her 1609 deposition Anne stated:
“Acomme [Mic]hellmas next [which is September 29] it will be 8 yeeres agon the said Agnes Saunders . . . was delivered of a man child. The baby boy was Aweak.”
Once the baby was safely in the arms of “the good wife Trott,” Anne and Katherine travelled to Ash Priors (less than a mile away) to the house of Christopher Marshfield, the pastor of Ash Priors. In his 1609 deposition Christopher stated:
“Abeing in bedd about ix of the clock att night [I] was knocked upp and requested by [blank] Saunders, wief unto Thomas Saunders of Lawrence Lydyerd, and one Katherine Criddle, wief to one [blank] Criddle of the same parishe, whoe tould [me] that a daughter of the said Saunders was delivered of a childe, and that the childe was verie weake and in [d]aunger of death, and then was in the [h]owse of Hugh Trott att Bishopps Lydyerd and intreated this [ex]aminante to go with them to christen the [child], this examinante then serving the [c]ur[acy] of Bishopps Lydyerd aforesaid, Att [w]hose requeste this examinante went and [th]eare found a man childe nulie borne and as it seemed but weake, the whiche hee baptized and named it Hugh as hee nowe [remem]breth the name, . . . [this] curate and the said Hugh Trott being [god]fathers, and the said goodwief Criddle, as now he recollects, being godmother theareunto. And hee saith further that att the tyme of the said christening the said goodwief Saunders tould this deponent that the said childe was her daughter Agnes Saunders childe and that shee att her the said Agnes delivery charged ye said Hugh Treble and none else to be ye father theareof. And the same the said goodwief Cridle did affirme to bee true and that the said Agnes was delivered of the said childe privately in her fathers howse att Laurence Lydyerd aforesaid, and that shee the said Criddle was the midwief att her deliverye.”
He baptised the baby in the name of Hugh with the godparents were himself (Christopher Marshfield), Hugh Trott and Katherine Criddle. He was paid well for his kindness by Anne. The baby, Hugh, remained with the Trott family in Bishops Lydeard for about a month. Katherine Criddle deposed in 1609 that he was then:
“Acarried to Huishe neere lamporte unto one John Sartells house, this examinants sonne in law, wher the said child hath byn ever since nurced and ther it nowe remaineth to this deponents certaine knowledge for [she] was allwaies acquainted in the [ ] carriage and mannageing of the [said child].”
She was helped in this by Peter Harris, a farmer, friend and neighbour of the Saunders family, who stated in his 1609 deposition that he:
“Acarryed or convayed the said childe from the said Trott[s] to Huishe aforesaid to bee nurced.”
Hugh grew up believing his parents were John Sertell and his wife, and his grandmother was the midwife, Katherine Criddle.
However, as is frequently seen, some secrets don’t remain secret for long. Rumours again began regarding Agnes and an illegitimate child. Once again they died away for a time, until 1605-1606, when Agnes’ sister, Elizabeth Wolcott nee Saunders was travelling to Taunton and encountered Hugh Treble. Elizabeth later deposed that Hugh Treble:
“Adid overtake this examinant, and then confessed to her that he was the father of the said child and told her that if he knewe wher the child were he would make as much reckninge of it as anie child of his owne for quoth he “I knowe it is myn owne child and farther” quoth he “I marry your sister if my wif should dye.”
In 1606 Agnes gained the courage to submit herself for questioning and:
“Ato confesse and say that shee was delivered of a childe by the said Hugh Treable.”
Agnes then moved to Cheddon Fitzpaine where she married Richard Barber on 28 January 1608.
However, she returned to deliver her deposition in 1609. Christopher Marshfield, the pastor who baptised her illegitimate son, deposed:
“Athat for this halfe yeere [last past] or upwards [the episode] hath bin open[ly discussed] in Laurence Lydyerd, Bish[opps Lydyerd] and Aishepriors, and other neighboring parishes.”
In August 1609 Agnes’ sister, Elizabeth, stated:
“Afor aboute this half yeere now last past . . . ther hath byn and is a common and generall fame, speech and reports amongest the honest and sufficient parisheners of Liddeard Laurence and other parishes theraboutes regarding Agnes.”
Around this time Thomas Saunders, Agnes’ father, had an argument with a neighbour, Mr Dening, who attempted to punish Thomas by bringing up the subject of “Asecrett whispering and rumor” that Agnes had birthed an illegitimate child. The matter of Agnes and her child by Hugh Treble was brought to the church authorities (court) in the spring of 1609. Many depositions were heard between then and June 1610, with officials calling many witnesses, including Christopher Marshfield, Anne Saunders, Elizabeth Wolcott nee Saunders, Katherine Criddle, Peter Harris, Christopher Saunders (Agnes’ brother) and Agnes herself. Unfortunately, evidence of any penalty or punishment imposed upon Agnes and/or Hugh Treble have been lost.
Agnes and Richard Barber went on to have 5 children, all born at Cheddon Fitzpaine: Anne (born 1609), Honor (born 1612), Amos (born 1614), Richard (born 1617) and Grace (born 1621). The lives of Agnes, Richard and their children remain a mystery as relevant records have not been found.
Agnes lived with the shame of having an illegitimate child (albeit unintentionally) for 9 years before she found the courage to face the rumours. Her ordeal shows the stark differences between life in the early 1600s vs nowadays.
How far back can you go in your family tree research? We can help break down those brick walls by finding and transcribing documents from hundreds of years ago. Have a look at our website for examples of the work we can do, and/or message with any queries at www.timeandplacegenealogy.co.uk
