Catalogue description 1639

1. DENTON Letters of Request for the case concerning John Auger curage to be transmitted to York.

2. GORTON Excommunication for Robert Watson curate for contumacy.

3. NEWTON HEATH Office c James Hall curate for preaching and expounding scripture in chapel and private houses without licence and also at Middleton, Prestwich, Gorton and Birch chapel. Denied he preached.

4. MANCHESTER Anna Moseley c Stephen Gee concerning rights to a pew - depositions, responsions, sentence.

5. MANCHESTER Churchwardens c Humphrey Adlington impropriatorriator concerning legacies to church - libel, sentence (fragile).

6. KIRKHAM Roger Threlfall and others c Edward Fleetwood vicar for illegally levying a church rate. Parish consists of 40 townships and is 40 miles round the perimeter - full file (fragile).

7. KIRKHAM Churchwardens c Theophilus Lee for non payment of assessment - libel (fragile).

8. MACCLESFIELD Anna Booth c Francis Law for brawling in church over a seat next to Lord Savage's oratory following the unifying of seats in which several were reduced in size - full file (repair before issue).

9. CHESTER (St Michael) Alderman John Lech & Henry Harper c Wm Parnell concerning seats in church following repewing. Full file and very detailed on information about church but in a poor state.

10. CHESTER (St Mary) Richard Bennett draper, c Anna Boswell for saying he had committed adultery with a woman who, "wore a canvas smock and a linsey wolsey petticoate and swore it was true in wyne and drinke" - libel, interrogation, depositions.

11. CHESTER (St John Baptist) Elena Blessing c Jane Christian for a common drunkard - libel (fragile).

12. CHESTER (St Oswald) Margaret Jones c John Jones for saying in Mr Leicester's house in Pepper Lane why Thomas Jones should throw himself away on that immoral woman - libel, interrogations, depositions.

13. CHESTER (St Oswald) Churchwardens c Richard Williamson for non payment of assessments - libel, (fragile).

14. CHESTER (St Oswald) Churchwardens c Thomas Bridges, rector of Malpas for non payment of assessments - libel.

15. CHESTER (Holy Trinity) Richard Wilson rector c Thomas Plimley & Edward Bolling saying he obtained the rectory by simony. i.e. he preached the funeral sermon for Elizabeth Plimley for ten shillings and the promise of the living - libel, responsions (fragile).

16. CHESTER (St John Baptist) Ellen Johnson c Elena Jones for slander - libel, interrogations, depositions (fragile).

17. CHESTER (Holy Trinity) Susan Kelly c Clement Pemberton for slander - libel.

18. CHESTER (Holy Trinity) Thomas Wyatt c Wm Rycroft for slander - libel.

19. CHESTER (St John) Wm Painter c John Ridley saying he was caught in bed with Mrs Pick the glover's wife - libel, responsions (fragile).

20. CHESTER (Holy Trinity) Churchwardens c Mayor of Chester concerning a proposed pew for Sir Randolf Crewe he having contributed handsomely to unifying pews and beautifying church. Mayor claimed right to same pew as a parishioner - responsions, depositions.

21. GUILDEN SUTTON George Snell S.T.P. c Henry Mainwaring & John Dutton concerning pews following unifying of seats. Snell is also rector of Waverton. Very detailed information including the commission of 1634 to allocate pews - full file.

22. EASTHAM George Penruddock c Dean & Chapter of Chester concerning their title to tithes of grain and the repair of the chancel - libel, interrogation, deposition (very poor state).

23. GREAT BUDWORTH John Ley vicar c Richard Grimsdich for dues - responsions, sentence (fragile).

24. GREAT BUDWORTH Thomas Eaton c Wm Hankisson calling him a cuckold in Thomas Sykes' alehouse in Warrington - libel, depositions, sentence (fragile).

25. BLANK

26. GREAT BUDWORTH Thomas Janyon c Thomas Vernon in pew dispute sentence see (1638 No. 46).

27. ST BEES Christopher Lowther impropriatorriator c Robert Lanley for tithe of herrings taken near English coast and half tithe for those taken near Isle of Man - libel, responsions.

28. ST BEES John Nicholson, Thomas Cooks, Gavin Dawson new churchwardens c Anthony Patrickson, Henry Crosthwaite, Edward Grayson late churchwardens for collecting outham letts and other taxes for parish and misappropriating them - libel.

29. TAXALL Anthony Elcock rector c Peter Needham for striking him violently in the parsonage - libel, interrogations, responsion, depositions (urgent repair).

30. WHALLEY (Padiham) Margaret Crompton of Bolton c Lawrence Duxburye saying she committed adultery with him and he got her with child and offered 20 marks to settle matter - full file (fragile).

31. WHALLEY Henry Lea c Christopher Harrison saying he committed adultery with Mary Hodgson who had been whipped for bastardy - libel, depositions.

32. WHALLEY Christopher Harrison c Robert Hammond for absence from church playing shovelboard. Names Wm Horrocks as Rural Dean John Horrocks his brother as deputy, Thomas Osbaldeston as secretary and John Hargreaves as apparitor - libel, responsions, depositions (see 1638 No. 153) (fragile).

33. WHALLEY Christopher Harrison c Thomas Burscoe saying he was drunk in George Hammond's alehouse so excessively that he vomited on the alehouse - libel, deposition, responsions (very fragile).

34. BLACKBURN Sir Richard Assheton c Alice Townley for tithe on 180 haycocks - responsions, sentence fragile.

35. BLACKBURN Mary Fleetwood impropriatorriator c James Horwich of Darwen for tithe on 300 sheep.

36. BLACKBURN Wm Bolton of Romsgreave c Edward Bolton concerning title to a pew in the nave - libel.

37. BLACKBURN Office c Henry Winckle of Low Chapel for adultery with Elizabeth Turner - libel, (fragile).

38. GOODSHAW Samuel Akeroyde curate c churchwardens for non payment of his stipend as agreed when he was appointed curate - libel.

39. PRESTWICH Isacc Allen rector c John Holme for tithe goslings and dues - libel, interrogation, repair.

40. OLDHAM Mary Starkie c Robert Taylor saying he had carnal knowledge - libel.

41. RIBCHESTER Office c Robert Abbott for laying cross towels on corps of Alice Leaver (not at church for 7 years) setting body down at crosses and kneeling before them - libel, responsions.

42. RUNCORN Impropriatorriator c Henry Brooke (?) for tithe hay in field near broken Cross and Crooked Laund in Halton (fragile).

43. PRESCOT Alice Roughley (Windle) c Thomas Bell for slander - libel, deposition, sentence.

44. CONGLETON Mayor & Corporation c Andrew Bowrey temporary master for refusing to hand over key of Free Grammar School on the appointment of Wm Overton - libel, petition.

45. WARRINGTON Margaret Ireland widow c Elizabeth Baron saying her dead husband was at the devil and during his life he was a damnable sinner to God and his neighbours - libel, deposition, (fragile).

46. WARRINGTON Robert Bulling c John Stubbs - cause uncertain.

47. PRESCOT John Aldon vicar c Wm Barrow for tithe hay - libel, responsions, (fragile).

48. NESTON Office c Thomas Langston for adultery with two women - libel.

49. STOCKPORT Margaret Leigh c Edward Williamson for slander -libel.

50. STOCKPORT Margaret Leigh c Alice Fletcher for slander - libel.

51. STOCKPORT Mary Steele c Wm Fletcher for slander - libel.

52. CHRISTLETON Edward Russell notary public c Wm Mosson rector for non payment of synodals for two years - responsions, deposition (fragile).

53. STOCKPORT Margaret Leigh c Alice Pott of Tytherington for slander.

54. BUNBURY Wm Anderton c Anna Anderton for wasting her dead husbands estate on drink and incontinency living with John Cumberbach and neglecting children - depositions (fragile).

55. WYBUNBURY Bishop of Chester c Maurice Gwinn vicar for non payment of procurations of 13/4 since 1633 - libel responsions.

56. DARESBURY Anna Taylor c John Donnis for elbowing her, sitting upon her in a pew that she called out in pain. Her hat was almost thrust off her head and her band turned about her neck - libel.

57. SHOCKLACH Richard Egerton c Thomas Garden for tithe animals. Details of alienation of tithe in 1609/10 of rectory and chapel of St Edith - libel.

58. LEIGH Lettic Smith c Sara Holcroft for slander - libel.

59. LEIGH Agnes Travers c Edmund Lathom concerning title to a pew for Bedford Hall - libel (fragile).

60. PRESCOT John Aldem S.T.B. vicar c William Barrow & Wm Dunbabin for tithe (see No. 47).

61. PRESCOT John Aldem c Wm Haselhoe for 4 faggs of hay - libel.

62. HEVERSHAM Thomas Bigg vicar c James Bellingham for tithe animals - libel, responsions.

63. COPPENHALL Office c Robert Shenton for holding private conventicles after divine service and closing church doors - libel, responsions (fragile).

64. COPPENHALL Bishop c Francis Rowley rector for non payment of procurations - libel (fragile).

65. MOBERLEY Catherine Joyson c Francis Joyason for alimony. He is an aged man of 80, injured by the fall of a tree and now important and she a young woman -libel, responsions.

66. MALPAS Richard Wilbraham c Margaret Norwood saying he was naughty with her - libel.

67. SHOCKLACH Alienation of rectory by William Blake to Ralph Brereton.

68. FRODSHAM Roland Heywood S.T.B. vicar c Robert Blinston for tithes and dues - libel.

69. FRODSHAM Richard Bennett of Chester c Frances Cottingham stating he had made Isabel Kirk pregnant - libel, depositions.

70. FRODSHAM Roland Heywood vicar c John Adamson of Helsby for tithes and dues - libel.

71. FRODSHAM Richard and Anna Halsall c Elena Tatlock for slander - depositions.

72. DAVENHAM Thomas Mallory rector c Robert Cheadle for tithe animals - libel, responsions.

73. DAVENHAM Office c John Barkley for fornication with Alice Farrington - libel.

74. NANTWICH William Cudworth c George Taylor concerning a dispute in the Crown Inn concerning Mr Cotton and whether he would take the issue to the umpage of Mr Chancellor - libel, depositions.

75. NANTWICH Affidavit in a case concerning Elena Johnson and Elizabeth Ball.

76. HALSALL Peter Travers rector c Thomas Halsall for tithes - prohibition.

77. HALSALL (Maghull) Lawrence Holme c Elizabeth Hogge and Alexander Molineux for slander - libel.

78. HALSALL Office c William Butler for a common drunkard, committing adultery with Isabel Letherbarrow and Elizabeth Pye of Aughton - libel.

79. HALSALL William Catterall c Robert Glest for adultery with Jane Preete - libel.

80. MARBURY Sara Taylor c Thomas Taylor for beating her with a shoe on the face, threatening to kill her and stabbing her several times with a large knife - full file.

81. DEAN Office c executors of will of Ralph Crompton for detaining a legacy.

82. DEAN Office c William Morris for fornication with Ann Harrison (two children) and Alice Leicester - libel (fragile).

83. COLTON Office c Brian Willan curate for not wearing surplice not bowing at Holy Name, no sign of the cross, no standing for Creed, no prayers Wednesdays, Fridays nor Holy Days, amending absolution on Common Prayer and solemnising clandestine marriages - libel, responsions (fragile).

84. HOLT Office c churchwardens for communicating sitting, permitting Oliver Thomas a nonconformist to preach and say in his sermon that "subordinate Magistrates have their authority from the Devil and they were about to be freed" - libel.

85. MIDDLEWICH Margery Wilks c Elena Shufflebottom for bastardy - libel, depositions.

86. MIDDLEWICH Margery Wilks c Ann Davenport, Ralph Arrowsmith and John Davies for slander - libel.

87. BURY Henry Booth c Richard Wylde for striking him on the head in the church tower and in the churchyard (fragile).

88. OVER KELLETT Charles Knott curate c William Curwen vicar of Bolton le Sands for detaining tithes, brawling in the chapelyard and calling the chapelwardens bastards - libel, responsions, letter (see 1638 No. 13).

89. OVER KELLETT Charles Knott c Roger Eskrigge for tithe hemp - libel (fragile).

90. WIGAN Gilbert Pennington & Thomas Fairbrother c Anna Partington for adultery with William Heald - full file (fragile).

91. WIGAN Elena Barton c Peter Lathom for slander - libel.

92. WIGAN Elena Wakefield c John Harvey for bastardy - libel, depositions (fragile).

93. WOODCHURCH Anna Stanley c Richard Hockenhull for slander - libel. A92 ASTBURY Margaret Moreton alias Hensall c Edward Moreton in a matrimonial dispute - libel, depositions. A93 WARTON Impropriators c Gervase Ward for tithe on 32 ewe sheep and 23 lambs - libel, interrogations, responsions (fragile).

94. WARTON Impropriators c Thomas Kitson for tithe barley corn oats, claims that field gates were left open and animals got in and destroyed corn - full file (fragile).

95. WARTON Impropriators c John Dawson for tithe oats - libel, responsions, depositions.

96. WARTON Impropriators c Robert Burrow for tithe wool - libel, responsions, costs, citation (fragile).

97. WARTON Impropriatorriator c John Potter for tithe corn and hay - libel, responsions.

98. WARTON Impropriators c Robert Hest for tithe corn - libel.

99. ACTON Oliver Pollit c Margaret Hatton for slander - libel, sentence.

100. ACTON James Skelton c Elizabeth Anson alias Skelton in a matrimonial cause - libel, sentence.

101. PRESTBURY (Adlington) Churchwardens c Thomas Dale calling them arrant knaves who spent the parish money idly and for not attending church on holy days and 5 Nov - libel, costs.

102. PRESTBURY Office c William Coleclough for adultery with Elizabeth Bridge

103. PRESTBURY Thomas Jackson c Thomas Crowther and Susanna Clark accusing them of adultery - depositions.

104. CHILDWALL Impropriators c John Whirfield for tithes - sentence.

105. CHILDWALL Anna Potter c Thomas Hall saying she committed adultery in John Pilkington's house in Abbey Court Chester - libel, responsions, sentence.

106. PRESTBURY Sentence in slander case of Margaret Richardson c Thomas Lawton (see 1638 No. 100).

107. GRESFORD Robert Gaunt c Frances Gaunt in a matrimonial case - libel.

108. ALTHAM Office c Elizabeth Robinson for adultery with James Pollard - depositions, responsions (fragile).

109. WHITEGATE Margaret Baker c Dorothy Baker for slander - libel (fragile).

110. NORTH MEOLS Isabella Haworth c Robert Blundell for slander - libel (fragile).

111. TUNSTALL Maria Burton c Margaret Nicholson saying she committed adultery with Thomas Jepson and gave him a gold ring - libel (fragile).

112. GRESSINGHAM Impropriatorriator c Maria Booth for tithe of oats and pasture in Le Spellibun - libel (fragile).

113. LANCASTER Anna Roote c Clement Townson saying she committed adultery - libel, responsions (fragile).

114. BEETHOM Thomas Laburne c Hilary Bradley for adultery - libel (fragile).

115. SANDBACH Hugh Goodhand c Thomas Tudman for tithes - fragment only.

116. SEFTON Sentence in defamation cause of Richard and Anna Halsall c Elena Tatlock (see No. 71).

117. ASHTON UNDER LYNE Sentence in defamation cause of Nicholas Walker c John Hamon.

118. OVER Anna Burscoe c John Withinghand saying if his son had given her sixpence more he could have been naughty with her - libel.

119. OVER Peter and Anna Barker c John Bostock for slander - libel, sentence (see 1638 No. 63).

120. KNUTSFORD Parnella Maggison c Thomas Croaker sadler and player on the Citherne for attempting chastity of Margaret Baxter in his shop - libel.

121. ASHTON ON MERSEY Robert Barlow c James Davenport for tithe of rye in Sale - libel.

122. WAVERTON Office c John Kerfoote for adultery several times with Mary Sellors and Elizabeth Rawlinson - libel.

123. THORNTON (Lonsdale) Sentence in dispute between Michael Gardner and Christopher Stockdale.

124. CHEADLE Office c Elizabeth Lee for fornicating with Thomas Hollinworth, Edward Thornecroft, Edward Wood and Francis Barton - libel.

125. CHELFORD Office c Alice Chorley for adultery with John Snelson in 1638 and 1639 - libel, responsions.

126. MIDDLETON Office c Sara Bradley for adultery with Thomas Pilkington Gilbert Halseyard, Richard Whitehead, Humphrey Brown in Bury, Prestwich, Middleton -libel, responsions (fragile).

127. NEWCHURCH (Pendle) Office c John Horrocks curate for excessive drinking in an alehouse, fighting, bastardy, taking bribes for churching whores, presented at Hallemote Court and is curate at Newchurch - libel.

128. CODDINGTON John Dalton c Richard Carter for slander - libel, costs, sentence (fragile).

129. TARPORLEY Stephen Fisher c Joseph Jones curate for refusing to wear the surplice when asked at funerals, introducing new rites into administration of sacraments, no prayers Wednesdays nor Fridays nor eves of holy days - libel.

130. WEST KIRBY Fragment of a case concerning Wm Coventrie and a pew at Eastham.

131. SWETTENHAM Surrender by Wm Colly of Eccleston to Randall Catherall of lands known as Mableyes Crofte, also the Five Cuttings and Foure Butts of Land and one head land.

132. ARNESIDE Copy of articles in case of Thomas Leyburne fined £60 for non attendance at church heard before the exchequer at Westminster.

133. Matrimonial dispute John Carr c Margaret Lawrenson - libel.

134. Unidentified fragments from three cases and badly torn list of persons cited for correction. 1639

135. Unidentified Bills of Costs (6).

136. Bolton, Waverton, Neston, Tarvin, Halsall, Wigan, Warton, Rochdale, Chelford, Garstang, Tunstall, Lancaster - excommunications all in a very poor state.

137. TILSTON Churchwardens c Edward Wright and parishioners for repair of church - consultation.