COUNTY OF Dorset - THE Order of John Herbert Browne Esquire and The Reverend
Francis Goforth
two of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the said County, one whereof is of
the Quorum, and both residing next unto the Limits of the Parish Church within the Parish of
Stoke Abbotti in the said County, made the Fifth
Day of August One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty two
concerning a male Bastard Child
lately born in the said Parish of Stoke Abbott aforesaid, of
the Body of Martha Hann single Woman
Whereas it hath appeared unto us the said Justices, as well upon the complaint of the
Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Stoke Abbott
as upon the Oath of the said Martha Hann
that she the said Martha Hann on the fourteenth
Day of June now last past, was delivered of a male
Bastard Child at Stoke Abbott in the
Parish of Stoke Abbott in the said County, and that the said
Bastard Child is actually become chargeable to the said Parish of
Stoke Abbott AND further, that William Purchase
Labourer did beget the said Bastard Child on the Body of her the said
Martha Hann AND whereas the said William Purchase
is now before us the said Justices, to answer to the Prmises,
but hath assigned no sufficient Reason why he should not be deemed the Father of the said
Bastard Child
WE therefore, upon examination of the cause and circumstances of the Premises, as well
upon the Oath of the said Martha Hann as otherwise do hereby
adjudge him the said William Purchase to be the reputed Father of
the said Bastard Child And thereupon we do order, as well for the better relief
of the said Bastard Child that the said William Purchase
shall and do forthwith upon Notice of this our Order, pay or cause to be paid to the Church-
wardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Stoke Abbott
or to some or one of them, the Sum of Twenty Shillings for and
towards the lying-in of the said Martha Hann and the Main-
tenance of the said Bastard Child to the time of making this our Order, and for the
chares and expenses incurred prior to the said Order of Filiation been made, and incident to
the obtaining of the said Order as ascertained on Oath. AND we do also hereby further
order, that the said William Purchase shall likewise pay or
cause to be paid to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Stoke
Abbott for the time being, or to some or one of them,
the Sum of One Shilling & Six pence weekly, and every week
from the this present time for and towards the Keeping, Sustenance, & Maintainance of the said
Bastard Child, for & during so long time as the said Bastard Child shall be
chargeable to the said Parish of Stoke Abbott
AND we do further order that the said Martha Hann shall
also pay or cause to be paid unto the said Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said
Parish of Stoke Abbott
for the time being, or to some or one of them, the Sum of Ninepence
weekly and every week so long as the said Bastard
Child shall be chargeable to the said Parish of Stoke Abbott
in case she shall not nurse and take care of the said Child herself
Given under our Hands and Seals the Day & Year first above written
J H Browne
Fras Goforth