| Description | 1617. The volume has been repaired. Damage to the top of several folios at the start of the volume. *indicates deponents who signed their names; other authentications are by initials or a mark. Arabic numerals begin to take over from Roman. Pp181v-181v are blank. ff182-194 are of a different size to the rest of the volume.
2r-11r [damaged pages], 16r-26v, 28r-30r. Edward Wacham [recte Macham] v Christopher Moody & Alexander Knight in a matter promoted by Mr Widnell; defamation. See D1/42/31 and below for related cases. [Mr Samuel Widnell was a proctor; see Champernon v Cox below f31v]. Evidence of witnesses of Corton in Boyton, unless otherwise stated.
John Henton*; lacking the first part of his deposition. Ref to John Tillie being sent to the blind house in Warminster for drunkenness (4v).
Josias Robins*, husbandman, 22; has lived there for 16 years. Richard Ambrose was the sole raiser of the fame between Alexander Knight and Judith Moody. he came with John Slie to Ambrose’s shop and he put on his ‘slipshoes’ and showed them a pair of ram’s horns on Moody’s hedge. Ambrose put off his hat and made a jest of it.
ff16r-. John Paps, husbandman, 50; has lived there for 20 years; was born at Fonthill Bishop; has known Wacham & Moody for 20 years; Knight for 6 and Mr Widnell hardly at all.
Richard Racksworthy*, husbandman, 26; has lived there for 5 years; was born at Teffont and lived there and at Corsley before he came to Boyton; has known Wacham & Moody for 20 years; Knight for 6 and Mr Widnell hardly at all.
Gilbert Smith, Codford St Peter, tailor, 40; has lived there from birth. Richard Ambrose is a tailor. Tillie is much given to excessive drinking. He went on the Saturday to Warminster market and stayed until Wednesday or Thursday after drinking. Tillie and Ambrose were so long at the inn in Codford where he lived that they were ‘destempered’ that Tillie ‘being with scrabbling gott not above a furlonge from the Inn took up in his hands certeyne horse dunge that lay in the way & calling … Ambrose swore that all the streetes were black velvet’ Ambrose ‘bad him creepe yf he could not goe’. ‘with much adoe … they got away out of Codford’. Tillie was not able to get home, but stayed at a poor house ‘without the townesend’.
William Stevens*, Codford St Mary, linen draper, 40; has lived there for 2 years; before at Codford St Peter for the same time; before at Mere for 12 years. 30 Dec 1611 Ambrose came to buy a pair of stockings and promised to pay for them the next day. He left the country but returned and paid for them on St Jamestide.
Richard Moody, husbandman, 52; has lived there from birth. See D1/42/31.
ff11r-16r, 27r-28r, ff88v-96v. Mr [John] Antram [parson of Little Langford] v Mr Hercules Stourton; tithe lamb and corn. Evidence of:
Nicholas Monday*, Wilton, shepherd, 22; has lived there since Feast of St John the Baptist [24 Jun]; was born at Elston in Orcheston St George, where his lived all his time saving 4 years at Great Wishford, 1 years at Little Langford and half a year at Wilton. He has been Mr Stourton’s shepherd for 2 years. On St Mark’s day the wife of Mr Stourton came a field to the fold and caused him to put away 2 lambs of the better sort, worth 3s each. They were not tithed. At Wilton fair of St George’s day, Mr Stourton sold 18 hog sheep.
Robert Vincent, Hanging Langford, husbandman, 53; has lived there for 6 years; was born at Westbury under the Plain; has dwelt at the Langfords, Hanging, Steeple and Little, for 40 years; has known Antram for 12 years and Stourton for 20. Mr Stourton commanded him to hedge an acre of a copse (coppice) out if his wood in Little Langford, which he heard was to be hedged around in one year. the next year he hedged an acre out of the wood. Before the hedge was made and the first acre felled or any time set, Mr Stourton cut out of the first acre and picked out and cut sufficient hazels & rods to make ten hurdles, 3d each worth. These hurdles were taken away by Mr Stourton’s shepherd for his sheepfold.
For Stourton:
William Isgar, Little Langford, husbandman, 21; has lived there for 12 years; was born at Luckington.Whist Monday was Mr Stourton’s shepherd , 25or 26 sheep were lost. Samuel Pavie was tithe gatherer for Mr Antram, and was his household servant until Michaelmas last. He has been ‘sercher and helpe Drawen yearly such pigions as … Mr Stourtons howse would yeald’. At each ‘drawght’ [drawing a net to catch the birds] the parson has not had his tithe, but he has at other times, 8, 6 or more or less. His master has not sold any pigeons for 4 years, but before that the price was 14d and 16d a dozen. Mr Stourton has taken in his weir in Little Langford, eels, trout and dace; 2 bushels of eels a year, worth 2s 6d a bushel. Very few trout and dace now and then; trout worth 6d each and dace 1d. Mr Stourton’s wife is his mother’s sister, by one mother and two fathers [ie half sisters].
Richard Soppe*, Fisherton Delamere, shepherd, 29; has lived there since St John Baptist’s day [24 Jun]; before at Penselwood, Som, for a quarter of a year; before at Little Langford; he was born at Fisherton D. For three years he lived with Mr Stourton as his shepherd and knows that Mr Stourton tithed out his sheep and lambs around St Mark’s day [25 Apr], and paid tithe at Midsummer for help that were sheared.
ff30r-34v. William Champernon v William Cox; testamentary, the witholding of a legacy. Evidence of witnesses of Ashton Keynes:
Thomas Shailer, blacksmith, 53; has lived there for 37 years; was born at Purton; has known the litigants for 30 years.
George Bennett*, yeoman, 52; has lived there from birth except for 10 years; has known Cox for 30 years and Champernon for 20.
ff35r-40v. John Welles elder v Longford (John Langford); concerning a marriage portion under the will of John Langford/Longford alias Cave of Coombe proved 1615 (P2/8reg/271v-273v). Evidence of:
Edmund Hart, Gussage All Saints, Dors, yeoman, 56; has lived there for these 30 years where he was born; before at Taddisford, Hants for 20 years; has known Welles for 40 years. John Longford alias Cave of Coombe, agreed a settlement including a house at Ludwell in Donhead St Mary to Welles and Annabel Gough on their marriage, which took place in the chapel of Charlton.
Christopher Gourd, More Critchall, Dors, husbandman, 62; has lived there for 32 years; before in Donhead St Mary where he was born. See D1/42/31.
ff40r-60v. Mr John Coren, vicar of Box v Francis Davison, (and related cases) v Robert England, v John Low; tithe. Evidence of witnesses all of Box:
William Cottle, Hatt, husbandman, 79; has lived there for 70 years; was born at Ford (?Bathford), Som. Coren has been vicar for 20 years. Robert Keynes, William’s father in law, held the rectory estate for 40 years and kept only tithe corn, paying all other tithes on the glebe to the vicar. Tithe coppice wood was paid to the vicar. Keynes was buried in the chancel without paying any money. Davison, now farmer of the rectory, buried his wife Catherine in the chancel of Box church without paying any fee. Coren buried Mr Hinton, a stranger, in the chancel for a fee of 10 shillings. He was examined in Star Chamber, but was discharged.
He thinks that the ‘custom will not bear it to take tithe of wood which is imploied for fencing or that is burnt for a mans own use’.
William Vincey*, Hatt, freemason, 68; has lived there for 50 years; was born at Keynsham, Som. He was a scholar at Westbury and lived at North Bradley for 8 years. His uncle [William] Vincey was vicar there for 36 years. Ref to Fogham copse (coppice owned by Richard Filkes). About 30 years past William Cottle ‘was fecht up by a sergeant at Armes & was comitted to the Fleete’. Richard Nicholls rented Hally before England. Ground called Hally is part of the glebe of the rectory.
Richard Beaser, Haly, husbandman 72; has lived there for 60 years; was born at Bradford on Avon. William Cottle was in Star Chamber ‘about the longes for a riote or some suche matter’. For bullocks, steers or heifers bred for the plough or the pail no tithe is due; but if they are sold before, tithe is due for herbage.
ff60v-63v. Thomasin Ramson alias Ransom v Melior Parker; defamation. Evidence of:
John Coward*, Chilmark, yeoman 50; has lived there from birth; has known the litigants for 7 years. About 12 months since on a Thursday at Hindon market, he heard Melior call Thomasin a whore.
William Hazed, Hindon, husbandman, 30; has lived there for 4 years; before at Berwick St Leonard for the same time; before at East Knoyle for 1 years; before at Fontmell, Dors for 8 years; before at East Orchard, Dors where he was born; has known Thomasin for 6 years and Melior for 4.
ff63v-65r, 67r-71r,102v-105v, 139v-142r. Catherine Hitchcok/Hiscox v [Rebecca] Atnoke ?recte Robert Toomer; counter case; defamation. witnesses of Alvediston unless otherwise stated:
Edmund Chadwell*, Ebbisbourne Wake, gent, 70; has lived there for 30 years.
Mary Hussey*, spinster, 23; has lived there for 6 years. Heard Robert Toomer say that she was like to ‘till up’ [raise] Joan Russel’s clothes in the street in Salisbury to shame her. Also leaving the court in Salisbury Catherine met in the street a man, a stranger, and put her hand on his codpiece & spoke to Joan ‘this is the ware you lack’. [ware, the privy parts of either sex OED].
Frances Sandford, spinster, 21; has lived there for 4 years.
Richard Burden, husbandman, 17; has lived there for 5 years.
Elizabeth Kinge, 62, wife of William Kings, husbandman; has lived there for 60 years. Burden is a shepherd who never received communion ‘bred & brought up ignorant of his christian duetie’. Mr [William] Gold married Mr Chadwell’s daughter and does ‘bear … Robert Toomer a stomack’ [malice].
Robert Marcke*, Berwick St John, yeoman, 48; has lived there from birth except for one year.
Dorothy Kinge, 40, wife of Richard Kinge, husbandman; has lived there for 7 years.
Margaret Kinge, 53, wife of Nicholas King, husbandman; has lived there for 23 years.
William Bond* husbandman, 32; has lived there for 7 years.
Margaret Bond, 30, wife of William Bond. See D1/42/31.
ff65v-66v, 83v-86v. 26 Apr 1617. Benjamin Cottle [and others] in the business of the account of Richard Greenhill. Evidence of:
Johnson Cooper, Bradford, miller, 42; has lived there for 8 years; for 10 years he has dwelt there and at Downton as servant to Sir Carew Rawleigh. About a year and a half past he was at Cottle’s house in Bradford cutting tallow, he being a chandler. Richard Greenhill, a butcher, came. Cottle lent him £6 in return for 40 stone of good tallow.
Henry Tilton*, Studley in Trowbridge, yeoman, 82; has lived there for 52 years; was born at Staverton. re sum owed to John Burt.
Anthony Greenhill, Hawkeridge in Westbury, fuller, 31; has lived there for 13 years. Ref to a sum owed to John Lambert. Richard Greenhill died in Lent last, and left 4 children by his first wife and his last wife with child.
ff71r-74r, 79r-80r. Anne Barber v Dorothy Gibson; defamation. Evidence of:
Alice Barber, 60, wife of John Barber, Hindon, day labourer; has lived there from birth. She heard Dorothy say to Anne ‘Goe you theevish whore & play the whoare again under the hay reek with a waineman’.
Adrian Barber, spinster, 21; has lived there from birth; has known Anne for 7 years and Dorothy for 10; she is the daughter of Alice and sister of Edward, who is married to Anne.
William Bowles*, East Knoyle, mason, 53; has lived there for 20 years. December past he was working in the house of Dorothy’s father in Hindon.
ff74r-79r. Office promoted by [John] Coren v Long; administration of the goods of Thomasin Long decd.
Evidence of:
Robert Greneman, Kingsdown in Box, weaver, 40; has lived there for 9 years. For 20 years Thomasin lived with her brother Henry at Ashley in Box. She was a gentlewoman, her father being brother to Sir Walter Longe’s father. After her death Henry ‘took order to have her decently and aptly buried’ and he estimates he spent £4.10s; viz 3 bushels of wheat to be baked ,worth 14s; a good calf to be killed worth 11s; beef, mutton & bacon, butter, cheese & fruit, worth 20s. The coffin cost 5s; burial in the church 6s 8d; the ringers 4s. Also spent a hogshead of beer, 7s; 2 collars of brawn, 4s. 10s for 10 dozen loaves of bread distributed among the poor at the funeral. With Giles Bolwell he threshed the bushels of wheat and as Mr Henry Long’s servant he attended and observed the laying out and spending as described. Henry younger and Mary are the children of Henry Long. The stone is not yet laid on her grave, nor the noble paid.
Giles Bolwell, Ashley in Box, husbandman, 21; has lived there for 7 years as household servant to Henry Long. Robert has lived at Ashley as servant to Henry Long. Henry ‘prepared for her funerall and made provision to give entertaynment befitting her degree and callinge’. One hundred people were entertained besides the poor and those of Mr Long’s family.
ff80r-83r. David Gutch v Arthur Monday & wife; settlement of debt. Evidence of:
William Scamell*, Swallowcliffe, joiner, 20; has lived there from birth except for 3 years. Michaelmas last was 12 months, he was at the stile into Tisbury churchyard looking at bowlers in the churchyard. He was requested to go into the house of one Fisher, a mercer, near the stile, in which Monday and Gutch were present and Monday acknowledged that he was satisfied of all reckonings and demands of Gutch from the beginning of the world to that very day, which was recorded in writing.
Thomas Polden, Alvediston, husbandman, 43; has lived there for 20 years; before at Kingston Deverill and Damerham and elsewhere he now remembers not. Alice, the widow of Francis Exton was the wife of Gutch. Several folios badly damaged.
ff86v-88r, 98v-99v. Joan Brooke [wife of John Brooke] v Agnes Carter; defamation. Evidence of:
Robert Wallis*, Easton Grey, husbandman, 26; has lived there for 20 years; was born at Sherston. he heard Agnes call Joan a whore and a jade.
Elizabeth Gorrey, spinster, 40; she was born there and has lived there for 8 years; before at Chedlow in Crudwell for 14 years; at Ashley for 2 years and Rodmarton, Gloucs for 1 year. On New Year’s Eve last, she was carding wool in Ann Carter’s house and heard her call Joan a whore.
ff96v-98v. Ann Rainger v Clements alias Tabor; defamation. Evidence of:
Thomas Hughes, Hindon, husbandman, 42; has lived there for 8 years; before at East Knoyle for 4; before at Stockton for 5 and Chilmark for two and half years; was born at Tetbury, Gloucs. On Sunday after Ladyday he was sitting at the door of The Hart in Hindon and heard Clements, whose door was a ‘coites [quoit’s] cast’ from the Hart, say that about Ann concerning not coming to church or sleeping in church. Ann went to her Aunt Weeks into whose backside the hall window of Clements house does open. He heard Clements call Ann whore, jade or Jaques. The Hart door is a stone’s throw from Clement’s house.
ff100r-102v, 170r-179r. Edmund Cowslade v Robert Liford; tithe wool, lamb, cow white & calf. Evidence of witnesses all of Rodbourne Cheney:
Christopher Strange, Even Swindon, husbandman, 20; has lived there for 2 years; was born at Highworth. Cowslade has been farmer of the tithes of the vicarage of Rodbourne C for 3 years. Also the feeding of agistments & barren cattle. Some cattle on Vicars marsh believed to be Liford’s.
Robert Wilkes*, husbandman, 50; has lived there for 30 years.
Robert Heath*, Even Swindon, husbandman, 34; has lived there for 6 years.
William Hayward, Rodbourne Chebey, husbandman, 34; has lived there for 10 years; before at Ogbourne St George for 2 years; before at Cotmarsh in Broad Hinton.
Thomas Stevens*, Steventon, Berks, 56; has lived there from birth.
William Weston*, yeoman, 40 Abingdon, Berks; has lived there for 8 years.
ff105v-116v. Mr [Hugh, rector v churchwardens of Etchilhampton, William Lawrence; non resident curate. Evidence of:
Robert Mathew*, curate of Etchilhampton, 53; has served there for 24 years. Mr Gough on first coming to be parson of All Cannings [in 1593], spent 18d on repairing a minor fault in the chancel of Etchilhampton church. He found a record in the bishop’s registry and believed it to absolve him of the responsibility. The chapel of Etchilhampton belongs to the rectory of All Cannings and the parson receives all manner of tithes. He was appointed curate by Mr [John] Powell, then parson and also vicar of Enford. From Michaelmas to Christmas lived at Enford. He lodged in the house of Edmund Willis in Stert until Lent; then moved to the house of William Lawrence in Etchilhampton until Lammas. From then he has lived in the parsonage house of All Cannings. Before him sir Thomas Kemp lodged for 2 years at Enford and at Stert, but then at the house of Richard Bailey in Etchilhampton. Before him Lawrence Jones served the cure and lodged at Bishops Cannings, where he kept a school. William Tarrant stated that sir Morgan who was curate lived at All Cannings, which he knew because his mother, then living in Etchilhampton, baked his bread and brewed his beer which he took to him there. Mr Blandford and Mr Jefferies served the cure and lived sometimes in their own houses in Devizes and sometimes in Etchilhampton. Their wages were paid by the rector or his farmers. When he came to Etchilhampton there was a little smoking house then used as a barn containing 3 small fields [bays] and was generally termed as the parsonage house. Some inhabitants said that in over 60 years they had never known any minister dwell in it. Two poor labouring men had dwelt in it. The close in which it stood was three yards, an acre of arable and certain plots in the common meadow belonged to the house. At the time of enclosure the land was taken up by the inhabitants and the parson’s [land] was placed elsewhere for more inconvenient and upon this much of the controversy has grown. In the 25 years that house has been used as a barn, rented by many of the inhabitants to house corn, until as most of it had fallen down, mr Gough removed the timber to All Cannings and used it for necessary & convenient uses.
In the time of Mr Powell the tenement and house at Etchilhampton and parsonage house and barns at All Cannings were then greatly decayed and upon view were valued at most of £100. Mr Powell died intestate and a brother came from Wales and took letters of administration and caught what he could but died before he had ended. One Morgan another Welshman came and took letters of admin of goods not administered and ‘catcht what he could and got away into Wales & as yt was said became banckrupt’. Mr Gough could not relive himself albeit he did labour and strive to his uttermost and brought his action against the administrators. Out of his own estate he has expended at least £200 building and repairing the parsonage house and barns and other buildings.
He lives in the house with Mr Gough. He was born at Dewsall [Downeswall], nr Hereford and was a scholar in Hereford until he was made a deacon and after a full minister within a year he served the cure of Trellech [Trealeague], Mon. He taught school for 6 years. From there he came to Wiltshire.
The church of All Cannings is a good mile from the chapel. There is a brook over a yard and a half over [wide] betwixt which ‘uppon a suddeyne reyne may overflow’. It is soon up and soon down. but in 25 years he has not known but that a passenger might pass. He does not remember being stopped by the inundation from passing from All Cannings to Etchilhampton, ‘and the waies are indifferent faier as other waies in that country are and such as men do & may passe if they will unles uppon a suddeyne reyne the water brake out of the brooke and may a little hinder but the same wille soon down againe’. A dozen years since the bridge being not good and the way not repaired to keep himself dry he would sometimes walk from All Cannings with his books and he remembers one Sunday ‘bycause he would not be watershord, put of his hose and shooes and waded through & put the on again. But the bridge and way have been repaired.
Fullaway, which is a good mile and a half from All Cannings church, is within the manor and parish of All Cannings and the farmer there has been churchwarden and tithingman of All Cannings and pay all duty to the church. But the inhabitants there his tenants have and do hear divine service and receive the sacraments christenings and burials at Etchilhampton. there is no house in Etchilhampton which is above a mile and a quarter from All Cannings church.
There are 12 communicants in Fullaway and between threescore and fourscore in Etchilhampton. He knows of none in respect of age or sickness, except Mrs Lavington, William Lawrence and his wife and Robert Widdows but may come to All Cannings if occasion did so require it.
The chapel at Etchilhampton has a chancel, font, two bells a churchyard & all the other ornaments & rites as the churches have.
Michael Gough, son of mr Gough, said he would pay 40s to repair the chancel in case the cause went against his father, and he has had it repaired. He hopes that the administrators will be content with a curate not resident.
Mr Gough gives him 20 nobles a year and his diet.
‘Upon a very urgent occasion & that seldom or not at all, the inhabitants of Etchilhampton alias Ashlington ‘have not wanted service morening & afternoone uppon sundaies and hollidaies, and evensong every or most Saterday night and every or most wensday night & friday morening service and they have had all other services & duties fitly and conveniently performed, and sermons they have hd but how many [he] cannot remember.’ Does not know of any seats in All Cannings for inhabitants if Etchilhampton or Fullaway, but inhabitants of Fullaway pay towards the repair of All Cannings church. Does not remember any payments from Etchilhampton towards repairs of All Cannings church.
ff116v-117v, 128r-129v,153r-155r. 2 Jul 1617. Fortune Crew v Ann Comyn; defamation. Evidence of:
Elizabeth Price, Crudwell, spinster, 17; has lived there from birth. Between Allhallowtide and Christmas last she is a servant of Fortune and heard Ann call her mistress a ‘arrant whoar and pocky whoar’ and that she ‘did stinck of the pockes’. Also present were Mr Bradshaw, parson of Crudwell, John Comyn, Ann’s husband and Arthur Crewe, Fortune’s husband.
John Bradshaw*, rector of Crudwell, has lived there for 18 years. As Elizabeth’s evidence. Also present were scholars who Arthur Crewe taught. Fortune said to John Comyns ‘his wife should term her husband a Fidler, but yt is no matter, a Fidler is as good as a bagpipers daughter. Elizabeth was a scholar of Fortune Crewe or her husband Arthur. Fortune hit and kicked Ann.
ff117v-119r, 121r-123r, 125v-126v. Thomas Shermore v Thomas Willier; defamation. Evidence of witnesses of Hannington:
John Plummer*, Hannington, husbandman, 40; has lived there from birth. At the beginning of May last he was coming from Highworth market he went with Willier to the house of Thomas Plomer at Bide Mill in Hannington, where John serves.
Joan Plomer, 34, wife of John Plomer, Bide Mill, miller; has lived there for 13 years. Heard Willier say to Shermor ‘Tom Shermor thou fuckest Nassy [Agnes] Archard.’
Margaret Harper, widow, 37; has lived there for 4 years. As Plomer; ’Tom Shermor here is a gold pawne yt [that] if thou durst I will manteyne yt that thou didest fuck Nassy Archard’.
ff119r-120v,123r,126v-128r, 155v-159v, 182r-184v. Jane Seymour v Anthony Rider; defamation. Evidence of witnesses of Ramsbury unless otherwise stated:
Ellen Smith, 30, wife of John Smith, inn holder. About Ladyday last in her husband’s inn, Rider and William Helliar spoke about Jane, who Rider said had been his wife for 7 years. ‘I have had the breaking of her’. Jane is unmarried and a ‘modest civil & honest woman’.
Anne Smith, Ramsbury, widow, 60; has lived there for half a year.
126v. Thomas Skeete, shoemaker, 19; has lived there from birth. About Lent last he was in The Rose and Crown, John Smith’s inn, Rider and Henry Burch, keeper of Aldbourne Chase. Rider said that there was good will between him and Jane and had been for 5-7 years.
Robert Bryant*, Aldbourne, husbandman, 44; has lived there for 10 years. He is keeper of deer under Mr Doily in Aldbourne Chase and he and Rider have walks under Mr Thomas Walrond who has command of the conies in the Chase. Their lodges [Briant’s and Rider] stand close together and they meet often. At Candlemas he was in Smith’s inn and heard Thomas Paine say that he had lain with Ellen Smith. He gave John Smith 3s 4d and they became friends.
John Allow, glover, 50; has lived there from birth. Ref to Paine ‘mangling’ ie defaming Ellen. He often goes to Rider’s lodge for skins.
Jonas Aloe, glover, 25; has lived there from birth. Refers to the inn as The Crown.
Daniel Medcalf, carpenter, 40; has lived there from birth. See D1/42/33.
ff129v-133r. John Wattes v John Crooke; defamation. Evidence of:
William Flower, Bulkington in Keevil, husbandman, 62; has lived there from birth; has known Crooke for 20 years and Wattes for one. He attended the last visitation of the archdeacon of Sarum at Edington with Edward Baker, as churchwardens, and presented Crooke and William Dickes to Mr Hungerford, the archdeacon’s official, as new churchwardens. Ref to Mr Hutchens, registrar.
Edward Baker*, Keevil , tailor, 36; has lived there for 4 years; was born at Tilshead and lived there until he was 16; then at Orcheston St George for 7 years and then at Tilshead for 7 years.
ff133r-136r-139v-142r, 143v-. 9 Sep 1617. Mary Tucker v Mr William Jeninges [curate of Erlestoke]; defamation. Evidence of:
Nicholas Atkinson*, Salisbury, embroiderer, 64; has lived there for 30 years. January last he and his wife were with the litigants in the house of Mr Doctor Moseley at St Nicholas. Ref to Dr Jessop. Chancellor of the diocese. Heard Mr Jennings accuse Mary Tucker of having a bastard.
Bridget Atkins[on], 46, wife of Nicholas Atkinson; has lived there for 3 years.
ff142r-143v, 144r-145v, 179r-181v, 185v-189r, 191r-194r. 29 Jul 1617. Office, promoted by Tristram Pope, v Robert Wood; payment of wages of parish clerk. Evidence of witnesses of Malmesbury unless otherwise stated:
Henry Johnson, weaver, 59; has lived there from birth. Tristram rents a third part of a tenement and is a poor man and does not say towards the wages of the parish clerk of Malmesbury. Pope has not the ability to prosecute this cause and is set up by Mrs Warneford to displace Wood from the clerkship. Wood lives in Westport but within the borough of Malmesbury.
John Barlow*, clothworker, 42; has lived there for 15 years; was born at Castle Combe and lived there and at Slaughterford until he came to Malmesbury.
Edmund Breed alias Sansom, Malmesbury St Paul, yeoman, 53; has lived there from birth. Wood lives in Westport a bowshot from M church. He is in good case & has two houses, a broad loom.
Walter Bull, broad weaver, 40; has lived there for 4 years; was born at Cherington, Glous. He keeps aloof in his houseHe knows that Pope pays 4d a year to Wood as parish clerk.has known Pope for 4 years, to be a tiler and mason and is industrious and is worth £5 pa.
Thomas Wiles*, felt maker, 24; has lived there from birth. He is an apprentice to a feltmaker
Nicholas Mathew, weaver, 30; has lived there from birth except for 2 years. Mr Watson [Mathew Watts, vicar] dismissed Wood from the clerkship and took in Pope. Final two folios badly damaged and incomplete.
ff143v-144r, 147v-148r. Margaret Agborow v Henry Bruncker; defamation. Evidence of witnesses of Broughton Gifford:
Thomas Little, carpenter, 45; has lived there for 17 years.
Edward Somers, cobbler, 24; has lived there for one year; he was born there and has lived at Melksham; has known the litigants for 109 years. At Candlemas returning from Melksham with Little and Bruncker, he heard Bruncker say that Margaret was a witch. He receive communion last Easter but was never taught the catechism.
ff146r-147r, 148v. [Samuel] Widnell [proctor] v Maurice Hiscox; defamation. Evidence of:
Thomas Clarke*, vicar of Marlborough St Mary, 30; has lived there for 7 years. Hiscox was with Thomas Wren. Wren put on a gown and sat in chair and made Dr Jessop [chancellor of the diocese]. Wren has been mocked on the open market with the name of Dr Jessop, and has confessed that the ‘pranck was plaied by them’.
John Shadwell*, St Margarets in Preshute, innholder, 57; has lived there for 2 years. About mid lent last he heard that Hiscox and Wren had made kind of a play of Dr Jessop. One Webb [John in Inges evidence], servant of Hiscox said that on St Steven’s day last Wren and Eleanor, his wife, supped at his master’s house and after supper being very merry, Wren had on Hiscox’s gown and sat on a chair as Dr Jessop. There was great laughter. Hiscox said ‘ I believe your worship be good unto me, for I am accused to live incontinently with Eleanor Wren’.
Robert Inges, Marlborough, Sherman, 34; has lived there from birth.
ff149r-152r, 162r-169v. Elizabeth Evans v Browne? Edith Taylor; seating in Hindon chapel. Evidence of witnesses of Hindon:
Joan Oram, widow, 88; has lived there for 60 years. The tenants of Blackhouse have sat in the lowermost seat on the north side of the chapel. Since Elizabeth has dwelt at Blackhouse she has sat there.
Eleanor Stower, 58, wife of Thomas Stower; has lived there for 20 years.
Elizabeth Gilson, widow, 61; has lived there for 60 years.
William Cossens, husbandman, 30; has lived there for 5 years.
Ann Pinfold, widow, 40; has lived there for 12 years.
Joyce Morgan, spinster, 28; has lived there from birth.
Adrie Barber, spinster, 22; has lived there from birth. A month after Easter last, Edith was sitting in the seat in dispute, Elizabeth came into church and ‘slunck down to her knees’ close to the seat. Trying to sit there Edith asked her whether she would ride over her back and sit on her gown.
152r-153r, 159r-162v. John Perry v [Edith] Taylor; brawling in church. Evidence of witnesses of Hindon:
Eleanor Stower, 58, wife of Thomas Stower; has lived there for 20 years. Ref to John Wild clerk.
Elizabeth Gilson, widow, 61; has lived there for 60 years.
William Cossens, husbandman, 30; has lived there for 5 years.
Elizabeth Evans, 41, wife of Dunstan Evans, shepherd; has lived there for 19 years. Ref to Chilmark fair. Believes anyone awaking someone sleeping in church cannot be reckoned a scold.
Ann Pinfold, widow, 40; has lived there for 12 years. Joan Perry often lays get head down upon her seat in church but she does not know whether she sleeps.
184v-185v,189v-191v. Taunton alias Butcher v Butcher; testamentary; re legacies from Nicholas Butcher [will not traced]. Evidence of:
Francis Wallis*, gent, Westbury, 32; has lived there from birth. Nicholas Butcher, son of Nicholas B and John Hancock came to Westbury to the house of John Lane sometimes called Lang.
John Hancock, Steeple Ashton, broad weaver, 58; has lived there from birth.
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