George Wilcox and his wife Margaret. v. Francis Coles and "Dame Frances Ralegh his...

George Wilcox and his wife Margaret. v. Francis Coles and "Dame Frances Ralegh his wife," late wife of Sir Charles Ralegh, knight.: Maintenance, &c., of the plaintiff Margaret (daughter of Sir Charles Raleigh, knight, late of Dounkton (Wilts) by the defendants, &c. &c. The following interrogatories and depositions appear touching the customary charges made for educating, &c., young ladies, vizt., "Item, do you or any other and who keep any boarding school or house for the boarding, breeding, and educating young gentle-women, how long have you so done, and in what place, of what distance is such place from Dounkton, in ye county of Wilts. Have any young gentlewomen, and who by name, of any and what reputed fortune usually boarded with you, or any other, and who else for any and what time, of what ages have such gentlewomen bin, what rates and prizes by the yeare or otherwise have you or any one, and who else usually received for such boarding and educac'on and in what necessaries and conveniences were such young gentlewomen provided, were the same fiting and suitable to the qualities and fortunes of such young gentlewomen?" One deponent, Thomas Moore, of New Sarum, gentleman, "To the interrr. this deponent saith that he this deponent has kept a boarding school for the boarding, breeding, and educating young gentlewomen in the city of New Sarum for fifteen yeares last past and upwards, four miles distant from Dounkton in the inter'y named, and hath boarded severall young gentlewomen reputed to be of great fortunes, particularly one Mrs. Giles, daughter of Mr. Giles, of Chitron, in the said county of Wilts, then dec'd, Mrs. Holwell, of Exeter, in the county of Devon, Mrs. Lyne, of the island of Jameco, Mrs. Desmore, now wife of Mr. Ernly, and one Mrs. Kent, now of the city of London, who were all reputed women of very great fortunes (to wit) the said Mrs. Giles two thousand pounds and there-abts, the said Mrs. Holwell one thousand pounds and upwards, the said Mrs. Desmore four thousand and upwards, the said Mrs. Lyle five thousand pounds and upwards, and the said Mrs. Kent five thousand pounds and upwards, and severall others of very large fortnes for sev'll yeares together, and that this dept hath received for such boarding from twelve pounds a year to fourteen pounds and no more, and this dept did for such sums provide the said gentlewomen all necessarys and meat, drink, washing, and lodging, fiting and suitable to the qualities and fortunes of such young gentlewomen." Anne Deer, of the Close of New Sarum, a witness on the part of the plaintiffs, "to the 3rd inter'y this deponent saith that she hath kept a boarding school in the said Close of New Sarum for five and twenty years last past and upwards for the boarding, breeding, and educating of young gentlewomen only about four miles distant from Dounkton in this inter'y named. And this deponent further saith that for all the time aforesaid she hath had and now have boarding with her young gentlewomen of very large fortunes (vizt.) some ten thousand pounds, others eight, others six, and many worth four and five thousand pounds each, and this dept further saith in particular there hath boarded with her young gentlewomen of very large fortunes (vizt.) about eight years since Mrs. Jane Norres, Mrs. Britt, two Mrs. Crabbs, and Mrs. Drake, w'ch said young gentlewomen have most of them boarded with this dept till they have attained their respective ages of seventeen and eighteen years old, and this dept further saith that the rate and price she had by the year for each young gentlewoman aforesaid was twelve pounds per ann. and noe more, and that hath always been and now is her rate and prize for the boarding, breeding, and educateing of young gentlewomen as aforesaid. And this deponent further saith that all the young gentlewomen aforesaid had, from time to time for the said twelve pounds p'ann. all manner of necessary services and conveniencies from her this deponent at her own charge and expense suitable to their respective qualities and fortunes," &c., &c. [See also 1 Geo. 1., Michaelmas, in this Calendar.]: Wilts; Devon; Jamaica (W. Indies).