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Devon
to wit

The order of John Kingdon and William Holland Coham Clerks 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 North Petherwin in the said County of Devon made the Sixth day of August in the fortieth year of the reign of his said majesty king George the Third concerning a female bastard child, lately born in the Parish of North Petherwin aforesaid of the body of Ann Reed 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 said parish of North Petherwin as upon the oath of the said Ann Reed that the said Ann Reed on the twenty first day of March in the year 1795, was delivered of a female bastard child at Helscott in the said parish of North Petherwin in the said County of Devon and that the said bastard child is chargeable to the said parish of North Petherwin South? and further that William Martin of South Petherwin in the County of Cornwall Labourer did beget the said bastard child on the body of her the said Ann Reed.
 
And whereas the said William Martin hath this Day appeared before us but not shewn any sufficient cause why he should not be the reputed father of the said female bastard child nor why a further order should not be made on him. We therefore, upon examination of the cause and circumstances of the premises, as well upon the oath of the said Ann Reed as otherwise, do hereby adjudge him the said William Martin to be the reputed father of the said bastard child.
 
We do hereby order, that the said William Martin shall likewise pay, or cause to be paid, to the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of the said parish of North Petherwin for the time being, or to some or one of them, the sum of one shilling and three pence weekly and every week from the present time, for and towards the keeping, sustentation, and maintenance of the said bastard child, for and during so long time as the said bastard child shall be chargeable to the said Parish of North Petherwin.
 
And we do further order, that the said Ann Reed shall also pay or cause to be paid to the said churchwardens and overseers of the poor of the said parish of North Petherwin for the time being, or to some or one of them, the sum of seven pence half penny weekly and every week, so long as the said bastard child shall be chargeable to the said parish of North Petherwin in case she shall not nurse and take care of the said child herself.
 
Given under our hands and seals the day and year first above written.

In the margin:

John Kingdon [signed & sealed]

William Holland Coham [signed & sealed]
 

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Contributed by Kay Woodhouse