Catalogue description 1631

1. WOODCHURCH Wm Burgess and others c Churchwardens objecting to levy of a rate for unnecessary repairs to church - libel, church wardens accounts in full 1629 giving details of repairs.

2. COLNE Alice Townley widow c Simon Blakey concerning her right to a pew engraved at the end and allocated to the family 1570 - depositions, interrogations, responsions, libel.

3. ASHTON ON MERSEY Sir Wm Brereton c James Massie concerning a pew. By order of the Bishop 1627/8 the seats were made uniform and the disputed pew placed quire wise - depositions.

4. CROSTON Office c Thomas Hesketh of Rufforth and Thomas Rainforth for adultery and fornication with Cecilia Bootell 1626-1630 - libel.

5. STOCKPORT John & Elizabeth Brookshawe c John & Elizabeth Cheetham for brawling in church. Details of allocation of pews in 1620. Quire pew for Bredbury used by Brookshawe, Cheetham sat behind her, got up, sat on Brookshawes head and pushed her. "Did hale and pull her violently that her clothes did crack". Pushed Brookshawe out of pew and church - libel, responsions, interrogations.

6. NANTWICH Robert Lord Cholmondeley, Viscount Kells c Thomas, Robert and Ralph Burroughs for performing their penance in a scornfull and contemptuous manner by referring to him as an "inhabitant of Meath in the Realme of Ireland", standing in their pew without sign of sorrow and contempt "of jurisdiction of this court" - penance, allegations, libel, sentence, costs.

7. MANCHESTER Depositions of John Wardlesworth on part of Jane & Zipporah Kerinbie exors of Wm Kerinbie concerning a bond with Robert Key who now lives in Holm Frith (Holmfirth) Yorks.

8. TILSTON Inhibition from York that John, Bishop of Chester, does not institute Essex Clearke to living until appeal by Richard Vaughan M.A. is heard. 1631 Living vacant by death of Robert King STP of which Thomas Dod Archdeacon of Richmond and Edward Wright of Stretton claim patronage.

9. BLACKROD Petition for relaxation of suspension by Richard Taylor.

10. HOLT CHAPEL Presentment by Churchwardens that John Yardley did thrust John Roden back when he tried to enter the pew. In his fall he broke the partition between two pews and caused great uproar in church during prayers - libel.

11. KENDAL Thomas Gardner vicar c Robert Harrison exor of Ralph Tyrer dec. for dilapidations in parsonage and barn exception - libel.

12. TROUTBECK George Edmunds of Applethwaite c Mary Birkett concerning his right to a pew for his messuage of Dromelanyre Head - libel.

13. ROCHDALE (Whitworth) John Scott c Michael Butterworth, Charles Stott and Ralph Holt. Butterworth for keeping alehouse on Sabbath; Scott for mending his barn door on Sabbath and Holt for "mending your cloth and healing your hose on Sundays" - libel, depositions.

14. RADCLIFFE Sentence of excommunication against Thomas Barlow for his non appearance in court.

15. WARRINGTON Office c churchwardens for a false presentment. The church is not uniformly paved and Thomas Ireland has built a pew, "in the manner of a scaffold 12 foot above the floor on pillars of wood", overlooking the parson in the pulpit and the congregation - libel.

16. GREAT BUDWORTH Presentment by James Knott curate that churchwardens have entered in the parish register an order for the election of a parish clerk without authority of curate.

17. CHESTER (St Oswald) Disputed bond for £40 between Wm Fearnall and Wm Bannett brought by Wm Bennett son of Wm Bennett bapt 21 July 1610 (fragile).

18. HOLLAND Excommunications of Wm Case for not appearing to answer charge brought by William Lewis, vicar.

19. SHOTWICK Excommunication for William Richards for not appearing to answer William Case, presbyter.

20. ASTBURY John Swaine c William Pierrpoint and Thomas Bentley concerning their right to a pew - libel, depositions.

21. URSWICK Petition for relaxation of suspension by Nicholas Marshall vicar.

22. FRODSHAM John Pearson c Richard Gerrard concerning a pew - depositions, repair.

23. GREAT HARWOOD Presentment that Ambrose Peacock and Richard Cunliffe constables did not collect assessment of 1/16 towards repair of church in 1623.

24. PILLING Office c John Lumly curate and the churchwardens that he keeps disorderly company drinks, calls fellow clergy divils, fooles, asses, ninny hamers etc. drinks with convicted recusants Thomas Dalton and others, marries with convivance of churchwardens to detriment of vicar of Garstang, and also in baptising and burying - libel.

25. CLITHEROE Impropriators c Barkley, Humphrey and Robert Fielden for tithe of a horse mill in Rimmington - libel.

26. NANTWICH Jane Yardely c Anne Cowper for slander - libel, depositions, exceptions.

27. BUNBURY Office c John Simon for not reading Litany and prayers on Wednesdays and Fridays, refusing to wear surplice and administering communion to persons sitting and standing and also strangers from other parishes - libel.

28. ASHTON UNDER LYNE Anna Groundshaw c William Radcliffe for slander - libel, sentence, inhibition.

29. HARTHILL Office c Ralph Hulme of Betley (Lichfield Diocese) for preaching at Harthill without licence and attacking Cathedral Chapters as unnecessary and more sermons should be preached and that singers of morning and evening prayer daily were idle persons and that Lord Prayer was no more holy than any other - libel, responsions.

30. BURY Office c Charles Duckworth & Thomas Meadowcroft church wardens when on the occasion of the fair on Sunday 23 April when the town being full they were ordered by the vicar after reading Canon 118 to go and keep order in the town they sat in their pew and would not move - libel, depositions.

31. MINSHALL Depositions in a disputed will. The testator's name is torn away but a great deal of information on her goods and chattels is provided.

32. TARVIN Peter & Elizabeth Blease c Ralph Reynolds alias Reece for defamation - bill of costs.

33. GREAT BUDWORTH Margaret Owen c Thomas Janyon saying he could have the use of her body in the daytime as her husband did at night - libel.

34. CHESTER (St John Baptist) David Dobb and others c Katherine Graddell for calling down curses on Dobb's children who all fell grievously sick and in danger of their lives - libel, interrogations, responsions, depositions.

35. MOBERLEY Office c Elizabeth Carrington for slander of her neighbours. Suspected to be a common drunkard but subject to fits - libel.

36. STOCKPORT Edward Walker c Alice Hampson his maid that she is pregnant by him - libel, allegations.

37. OVERKELLET Affidavit that the value of tithes received by Wm Curwen rector of Bolton le Sands was £20.

38. ULVERSTON Sentence of excommunication against Thomas Benson and eight others for not appearing to answer tithe claim of Sir John Fleming.

39. NORTHENDEN Wm Foster rector c John Leigg, Rafe Cartwright and John Tarvin for tithes of their animals in Baguley - libel.

40. AINDERBY STEEPLE Bishop of Chester c Edmund Gore impropriator of Richmond for non payment of procurations of 21/8d.

41. FARNHAM Bishop of Chester c Peter Benson impropriator of Knaresborough for procuration fees of 20/-.

42. WOODCHURCH Churchwardens c John Hockenhull for non payment of assessments for ten years - libel.

43. TAXALL Richard Fryer clerk c Edward Hadfield and others for tithe of sheep, lambs and wool - libels.

44. PRESTBURY John Greenhalghe impropriatorriator c Thomas & Francis Warburton for tithes in Adlington, oats, wheat, barley prices given - libel.

45. PRESTBURY Margaret Leigh impropriatorriator c John Green for tithe rye and barley - libel.

46. CHILDWALL Impropriatorriator c John Whitefield for tithe barley and wheat in Shippon Ley - depositions.

47. BURY George Murrey clerk, rector c Lawrence Horrocks for tithe oats. Horrocks lives in Bolton parish and the crops grown in Haslome Hey - libel.

48. OLDHAM Sir Edmund Assheton c Richard Whittaker for tithes - sentence.

49. MANCHESTER Schedule of excommunication on part of impropriator c Glover, Crumpton and others for contempt of court.

50. BURY Richard Prescott parish clerk c Hugh Taylor & Nicholas Rosthorne for non payment of dues - libel, depositions, interrogations.

51. BURY George Murrey rector c Elizabeth Whitehead for tithe crops - libel.

52. WHALLEY Sir Ralph Ashton impropriatorriator c Robert Ingham of Burnley Wood for mortuary dues for John Whitaker deceased - libel, responsions.

53. WHALLEY Sir Ralph Ashton c Simon Blakey of Colne for tithe barley and Easter dues - libel.

54. CHESTER (St Mary) Francis Edwards rector c William Thropp for tithe sentence.

55. SHOTWICK Robert Hicks impropriatorriator c James Plumb of Backford for tithes on crops growing in Capenhurst - libel.

56. LEIGH Richard Urmston rector c Robert Fielden for tithe of a horse mill and 20 bushels of malt in Pennington - libel, responsions, sentence, costs.

57. URSWICK Richard Marshall vicar c William Gardner for tithe on canabis, sheep and Easter dues of 3d, ½d, garden, ½d wax, 2d bread, 1d plow - libel.

58. MIDDLEWICH Peter Minshull impropriatorriator c William Echoes for tithes in Minshull.

59. CHEADLE William Nichols rector c Richard Bancrofte for tithe oats from Worthing Croft, "being part of the town field and is not inclosed and not hedged about only distinguished one from other by Meares and boundaries - libel, sentence - responsions, repair.

60. CHILDWALL James Critcheley perpetual vicar c John Ireland of Hale for tithe eggs - exception, sentence.

61A. TILSTON Alice King impropriator c Edmund Wright for tithe copy lease by Essex Clarke rector, of tithes to Alice King - libel, responsions.

61. ALDFORD Anna Fitton impropriatorriator c Thomas Dodd for tithe of animals in roughfield - libel.

62. MALPAS Thomas Bridge rector of one moiety c Thomas Tomkins for tithe fowls - libel.

63. HOLLAND William Lewis curate c Christopher Robie warden of lower end of town for not collecting pew rents of 8/4d being part of curate's salary - libel.

64. CHRISTLETON John Golbourne impropriator c Ralph Hynde for tithe on one load of hay - libel.

65. PRESTBURY Thomas Joynson vicar c Thomas Wardle of Siddington for tithes of barley - libel.

66. KIRBY LONSDALE Schedule of excommunication for Janet Barmhouse for not appearing to answer charge of Elizabeth Burrow for slander.

67. PULFORD Margaret Walker c Elizabeth Urmston for slander saying that Walker and her sisters fornicated - libel, exception, depositions.

68. NANTWICH John Yardley c Margaret Wilks for slander - libel, interrogations.

69. WARRINGTON John Bate c Alice Eaton calling him whoremonger and bankrupt rogue - libel, depositions.

70. GREAT BUDWORTH William Eaton c Elizabeth Eaton wife of Thomas Eaton saying he had ravished her in a chair on the Sabboth while William was in church. She went to Mr Marburie J.P. to complain - libel, deposition.

71. SWETTENHAM William and Ellen Sherman c Anne Mather saying Ellen slept in a barn with John Mills - depositions.

72. NANTWICH Richard & Alice Brown c Ann Cowper saying Alice had offered 5/- to Thomas Marchant to be naughty with her - libel.

73. ATHERTON Alice Groundshaw c Elizabeth Warren for slander - libel.

74. TATTENHALL Charles Knott clerk c Dorothy Wright calling his wife a "cut nosed jade, quean and sick for a tarse." - Libel.

75. NANTWICH Elizabeth Lea c Margery Bickerton saying she left school to play the whore - libel, depositions, interrogations.

76. WARRINGTON Alice Colborne c Isabella Burton Wood for slander.

77. BLAKELEY Helen Heywood c Thomas Smith saying she had given the foul desease to Timothy Werame - libel.

78. ROSTHERNE Elizabeth Leeper c Hugh Gaudy saying she fornicated with William Frith and others - libel.

79. LAWTON Ralph and Grace Stephens c John Woram alias Weaverham saying that Grace committed adultery with him - libel.

80. OVERTON Presentment by Robert Evans c John Ellis for "railing at him and living in adultery".

81. NANTWICH Ann Clayton c Marjery Bickerton for slander - libel.

82. NORTHWICH John Walton c John Yate for slander - absolution, bill of costs.

83. WEST KIRBY Inhibition from York on part of Sir William Massie c Magister Glover concerning right of patronage to living - (Court of Audience).

84. MANCHESTER Inhibition for Richard Murray, Warden of Manchester Collegiate Church and rector of Stockport c Edward Russell; to appear at York.

85. NANTWICH John Yardley c Margaret Wilks concerning alledged clandestine marriage in a private house -libel.

86. OVERTON Beatrix Winsor c Armmin verch David for fornication and bastardy. Statements in Welsh - libel.

87. CHESTER (St Oswald) Katherine Boulton c Ann Tottie saying she fornicated with Richard Sanke - libel, responsions.

88. MARBURY Hugh Wickstead c William Constantine and othersia in appeal to chancery court at York - allegations, responsions, interrogations.

89. BEBINGTON Sentence in divorce case of Thomas and Ann Hooton.

90. ASTBURY William Furnival c William Sherott concerning title to a pew in church as the result of alterations to pews - libel includes references to ownership and to existence of forms.

91. BANGOR William Furnival c William Sherott concerning title to a pew in church as the result of alterations to pews - libel inlcudes references to ownership and to existence of forms.

92. ALDFORD Churchwardens c John Bowker for non payment of his assessments - responsions.

93. STOCKPORT Dorothy Moor c Henry Hulme for calling her a strumpet, brasen faced jade - libel.

94. ECCLES Schedule of excommunication of Thomas Edge for contempt of court.

95. BARROW Sentence in slander case of Oliver & Jane Battrick c John Pike - bill of costs.

96. BOWDEN Excommunication of Ralph Massey for contempt of court.

97. TARVIN Peter & Elizabeth Blease c Ralph Reynolds for saying Elizabeth slept with the man servant - libel, sentence (see No. 32).

98. OVERTON Richard & Mary Price c Robert Evans clerk for slander - libel.

99. PRESCOT John Walker & John Barkley c Isabella Houghton for slander - libel.

100. ORMSKIRK (Lathom) Interrogation of Ann Stockport in case of Bridge Parr - fragment only.

101. OVER Office c Thomas & Ann Whittingham in a matrimonial irregularity - libel.

102. BACKFORD Office c Cari..... Robert Billing clerk concerning his Letters of Orders and legal institution to living - libel.

103. ECCLESTON Ann Chambelin c Thomas Sherburne & George Hesketh for calling her John Ainsworth's whore - libel.

104. BOLTON LE SANDS Thomas Williamson c Edmund Gardner for slander - libel.

105. CHESTER (St Mary) Richard Starkey c Thomas Billinge saying he was a false knave - libel.

106. PRESCOT Thomas Hey & Elizabeth Hey c James Houghton for gross slander - libel.

107. MALPAS Rose Bentley c John Wilkinson for slander - libel.

108. MALPAS Ellen Howell c Ann Larton calling her an old whore - libel.

109. ASHTON UNDER LYNE Sentence in case of John Smith c Richard Hyde for slander.

110. PLEMONDSTALL Robert Collier c Elizabeth Richardson for cursing him. She has not communicated for 4 years - libel.

111. PLEMONDSTALL Office c Roger Gorst for irregular marriage between Richard Gyles and Elizabeth Wilson - libel.

112. HOLLAND Randle Berchall c Alexander Laithwaite saying he made Worsley Hall into a bawdy house - depositions (fragile).

113. MIDDLEWICH Alice Wilkinson c Eleanor Warburton accusing her of adultery - libel.

114. BUNBURY William Harding c James Ashley concerning his right to a seat - libel.

115. WARMINGHAM Andrew Wood clerk c John Smith saying the parson was a knave - libel.

116. PRESTBURY Mary Davenport c Katherine Barber accusing her of bastardy - libel.

117. FRODSHAM Elizabeth Coppock c Alice Kay for slander - libel.

118. STOCKPORT Office c Ambrose Robinson and Ellen Gorton for adultery - libel, responsions.

119. WIGAN William Boyle c Ellen Harvey calling him a cuckold - libel.

120. ROSTHERNE Anne Cleave c William Cleave for slander - fragment of articles.

121. BILLS OF COSTS Alice Chadwick c John Chadwick of Spotlandgate Robert Knight & Kathryn Hadfield of Congleton; Church wardens of Tarvin c Hugh Smith.

122. RIVINGTON Appointment by Richard Brownlow and Robert Aynsworth of a proctor to act for them.

123. CONGLETON John Smith c William Green for calling him a knave - libel.

124. WORTHENBURY Fragment of a tithe cause concerning hay demanded by Mr Pritchard curate - repair.

125. MANCHESTER Alice Whitworth c James Whitworth in a matrimonial dispute - responsions.

126. BROUGHTON Margaret Knowsley c Elizabeth Welch for slander - articles.

127. BICKERTON Citation for Jane Bramley and others to appear in the Duchy Court.

128. Interrogations in case of Anne Cowper c Elena Buckley.

129. NANTWICH Roger Wright c Maria Smith concerning mutilation of a grave stone.

130. STANDISH Fragment of an adultery case concerning George Croston.

131. Thomas Pollet c Janet Hardman for adultery.

132. Haversham c Ryder concerning tithe.

133. HALSALL Cheetham c Wooley for adultery.

134. UNIDENTIFIED COURT PAPERS