From the Times, March 18th, 1833.
On Friday last, being market day at Epping, about the middle of the day, a good looking woman, about 30 years of age, was led into the market place with a rope around her neck and waist, by her husband, Thomas Bruce, an hostler, the magistrates sitting in petty sessions at the time in the town. In a few minutes the market place was crowded, and the master of the parochial workhouse, undertaking the office of auctioneer, endeavoured to amuse the multitude by his ludicrous imitation of the professional addresses of these often impressive public orators, in offering the woman for sale, and expariating on her qualifications. She was put up at 1s 6d., and after a bidding which could not be characterised as spirited, knocked down at 2s.6d, to a labourer named James Bradley, who immediately paid down the purchase money, and 6d for duty &c., and carried of his purchase to a public house amidst the shoutings of the assembled multitude. Their noise having reached the bench of justices, an officer was despatched for the husband, who was brought before them in a state of intoxication, having already spent the half-crown in gin. It was proved by the parish officer that he had deserted his wife. He said in his defence, that he had been compelled to marry her six years ago by the parish officers, in consequence of her having sworn a child to him; that he had never since lived with her, and that she had lived in open adultery with the man Bradley, by whom she had been purchased; and that he had been told that by publicly selling her in the market he could get rid of any charge by the parish for the maintenance of her or her children. The magistrates strongly reprobated his conduct, and committed him to prison for having deserted his wife. Our correspondent does not say how they acted towards the parish authority who officiated as auctioneer.
