Medieval woman: Joan Willys of Harpenden. Forced abortion.

Church records are usually incomplete when it comes to the finer details of court appearances, citing only the bare bones of the cases. This is often frustrating for historical researchers, but it does allow a very small glimpse at the lives of medieval women, and very often, gives them a name.

From Lincoln in England, we find Joan Willys, who was a household servant.

She is named as part of a case in the Visitations records in Lincoln, England where her employer, John Hunt has been taken to task for improper conduct, namely living unmarried and having a sexual relationship with her as his servant.

Joan has taken certain herbs to terminate a pregnancy, but later is married to the man in question. No indication is given whether she was a willing participant in the intimate activities or whether she had no choice and was forced as his household servant. Either way, the use of the word "persuaded" when it comes to the part about ending her pregnancy is used, hinting that perhaps she wasn't entirely on board with that part.

Many medieval women had a strong church background and the fear of hell was absolutely a real thing, so deliberately ending a pregnancy may have been a decision she may not have been comfortable with.

After the Visitation, John and Joan were married, but again, there is no indication whether this was a state desired by both of them. There are a number of reasons why the marriage happened:

1. forced upon them under pain of being removed from the church
2. to legitimise John's child and provide an heir
3. they loved each other

Which of these is true, we will never know.

For more medieval women, the Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women is available online and through all good book sellers.