Medusa Mees was baptized on November 28, 1813 at All Saints Church, Nunney, Somerset, England the daughter of Rebecca Mees. There is no mention of a fathers name, but on September 15, 1813 a Bastardy Bond had been issued by the local Justices of the Peace naming William Bailey of Trowbridge as the father of Rebecca’s daughter who was born on July 27, 1813 at Nunney.
The following is a transcript of the Bastardy Bond
COUNTY of Somerset} The ORDER of Thomas Swymmer Champneys Esquire and Henry Sainsbury Clerk 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 Nunney in the said county, made the fifteenth day of September in the 53rd year of the reign of the said Majesty King George the third concerning a female bastard child lately born in the parish of Nunney aforesaid of the body of Rebecca Mees of Nunney aforesaid 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 Nunney as upon the oath of the said Rebecca Mees that she the said Rebecca Mees on the twenty seventh day of July now last past was delivered of a female bastard child in the Parish aforesaid and that the said bastard child is chargeable to the said parish of Nunney and further that William Bailey of Trowbridge in the county of Wilts Grocer did beget the said bastard child on the body of her the said Rebecca Mees.
And whereas it hath further appeared unto us the said Justices, that the reasonable charges and expences incident to the birth of the said bastard child, amount to the sum of One Pound and that the reasonable costs of apprehending and securing the said William Bailey together with the costs of the order of filiation amount to the further sum of One Pound and six Shillings the same having been duly ascertained before us the said Justices on the oath of John Baker one of Overseers of the poor, of the parish of Nunney aforesaid.
And whereas the said William Bailey hath appeared before us, in pursuance of our summons for that purpose, but hath not shewn any sufficient cause why he should not be adjudged the reputed father of the said female bastard child.
We therefore upon examination of the cause and circumstances of the premises as well upon the oath of the said Rebecca Mees as otherwise, do hereby adjudge him the said William Bailey to be the reputed father of the said bastard child; and do hereby allow the said sum of One Pound for the said charges and expences, and the sum of One Pound and six shillings for the said costs ascertained as aforesaid, to have been incurred by the said Overseers of the said parish of Nunney in respect of the said bastard child; And thereupon we do order, as well for the better relief of the said parish of Nunney as for the sustentation and relief of the said bastard child, that the said William Bailey shall and do forthwith upon notice of this our order, pay or cause to be paid to the Overseers of the poor of the said parish of Nunney or some or one of them the said sums of One Pound and one pound and six shillings for and towards the said charges, expences and costs; and the further sum of <blank> for the maintence, of the said bastard child to the time of making this our order.
And we do hereby further order, that the said William Bailey shall likewise pay, or cause to be paid to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the poor of the said parish Nunney for the time being, or some or one of them, the sum of Two shillings 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 bastard child shall be chargeable to the said parish of Nunney.
And we do further order, that the said Rebecca Mees shall also pay or cause to be paid to the said churchwardens and overseers of the poor of the said parish of Nunney for the time being or to some or one of them, the sum of One shilling weekly and every week so long as the said bastard child shall be chargeable to the said parish of Nunney 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.
Rebecca Mees married Jacob Hobbs on November 13, 1815 at Nunney and Medusa grew up to marry John Painter and died at Aston, Warwickshire on October 7, 1877.
