1663

1. WIGAN Administration bond of Roger Rogerson.

2. POTT CHAPEL William and Jane Bowers c Thomas Barnes for an irregular marriage in 1660. Thomas Barnes was minister for 34 years - depositions, interrogations.

3. TILSTON Churchwardens c William Pavey for refusing to pay his assessments after the rate of 15d half ploughland and 2/6d - libel.

4. ASTBURY Ralph Poole c Richard Proudlove concerning a pew. Poole not an ancient inhabitant. Certificate that the church was decently pewed long ago (1636) by a commission from York - depositions, certificate, libel, responsions, sentence.

5. FORMBY Peter Aspinall curate c John Heywood rector of Walton concerning vicarial tithes from Formby - responsions.

6. STOCKPORT Sir Wm Hulme of Hulme Hall c Alexander Robinson over a pew in church. Inhabitants of Reddish had a dispensation from Bishop Chadderton to go to Stockport as the nearest church: some family history of the Hulmes - depositions, responsions.

7. Thomas Booth c Margaret and Ann Oakes concerning a legacy - libel, bill of costs.

8. ALTHAM Office c Thomas Walker for preaching popery in a surplice - attestations.

9. WALTON Office c 17 persons informed upon for attending and hearing a silenced minister preach at Kirby chapel on 29th May 1663. Affidavit of denial, certificate of conformity.

10. NORTHWICH Office c Thomas Swinton master of the free grammar school being unlicensed, not subscribing 24 August 1662, a non graduate intruded during Civil War by some persons disaffected to the government. Foundation statutes by John Deane prebend of Lincoln and rector of St Bartholomew Great, London 1558 - libel, depositions.

11. WALTON Edward Chantler c Peter Hurdis unlicensed master who only attends sermons and whose conscience would not allow him to conform - depositions.

12. CHESTER Richard Brereton apparitor general c John Oldfield registrar to Rural Deans of Chester Archdeaconry and Amounderness concerning fees, gives details of the duties of Rural Deans.

13. EUXTON (Chorley) Guardians of the Parker children c executors of will of Wm Stansfield concerning a legacy with a draft summary of appeal (incomplete).

14. BOLTON Office c Wm Wales curate of Farnworth and master of Bolton free school, a negligent attender at church, holds conventicles in Mr Parke's house - depositions.

15. ECCLES Thomas Ashton c Edward Chetham for non payment of clerk wages due from the Lordship of Shooleworth - depositions, responsions.

16. NANTWICH Richard Walthall c Anne Knutsford for an abusive midwife who lies, steals and swears. Certificate of good character - libel, interrogations.

17. BREDBURY Isabella Ashcroft c Elizabeth Charnely slander. Accused Isabella of adultery with Robert Sidebottom - libel, constable's certificate, absolution for Tharnely, depositions.

18. DARNALL John Gaudy c Richard Garrett for slander. Extract from Act Book 1663.

19. ASPULL (Wigan) Jacob Cratchley c Miles Gerrard for slander. Accused Jacob of Stealing 2/6d - libel.

20. BREDBURY Office c Isabella Ashcroft for adultery with Robert Sidebottom, churchwardens presented case to the Rural Dean - libel, depositions (connected with 17 above).

21. DEAN John Angier vicar c John Tildsley ejected minister for non subscription and detaining curate's house and land - depositions, articles, declaratory, responsions.

22. DEAN Office c Peter Naylor deprived minister preaching at West Houghton and other places in Lancashire - libel.

23. MARPLE Edward Warren rector c Francis Clayton for tithe oats, barley, wheat - libel for both parties, responsions.

24. MANCHESTER Wm Heywood & Lawrence Crowder farmer of tithe of the Collegiate Church c Jacob Hulton of Blackley for plow seat money, tithe cows, stirks, hens, geese - libel.

25. MACCLESFIELD Downes Leigh disputing claim to a pew in right of a burgage house formerly property of Earl Rivers -depositions, sentence, libel, interrogations.

26. CHESTER (St Peter) Office c Wm Hignett et alia "with hats on" disturbing a funeral service of John Ridge and refusing prayer book office - libel.

27. MACCLESFIELD Richard Mottershed c John Stubbs, sexton, for disturbing the family tombe in the chancel to bury a child - depositions, interrogations, libel.

28. CHESTER (St Oswald) John Hurleston c Wm Brock of Upton and Mary Hulton of St Mary on Hill, for a pew in St Oswald. Brock claims a pew from his ownership of the Mitre in St Webergh's Lane, Pew next to Mayor's on north side of St Oswalds - libel, interrogations, attestations, depositions, responsions.

29. WEAVERHAM John Holland c Richard Harefinch for tithes - libel.

30. BLACKBURN Office c Leonard Clayton vicar for non residence, abusing officials of the consistory, threatening the parish clerk and churchwardens for presenting conventicles - libel, depositions.

31. BRADWALL (Sandbach) Disputed will of John Oldfield of Bradwall by John Oldfield procurator general of Chester c Wm Vernon of Shacklock et alia. Two preliminary inventories of property in Chester and Manchester. Full inventory of 37 folios including household and farm accounts dated July 1643 and case heard 1663 - libel, monition, responsions, prohibition, citation.

32. BOLTON Robert Harper vicar c John Greenhalgh accusing vicar of being drunk on May Day - citation, bill of costs, interrogations, depositions, libel, sentence, description of footpaths in Bolton, schedule of repairs to vicarage.

33. ASHTON UNDER LYNE Nicholas Walker c John Hardman for a pew in respect of Taunton House - responsions.

34. ASTON Robert Woodhall et alia c Thomas Watson for repairs to ruinous pews and making uniform as ordered at the visitation of Archbishop Neil 1634. During Civil War church used as a prison and a garrison so pews broken and many burned - responsions, depositions.

35. HOLT Thomas Standforth c Roger Santley for brawling over a pew in church during divine service - libel.

36. ROSTHERNE Office c Ralph Urmston concerning tithes. List of tithe payers - depositions, libel.

37. HALSALL George Aspinall for adultery and bastardy with Ellen Lunt and desertion of his own wife - libel.

38. CHRISTLETON Zachariah Croston c Thomas Carter for perjury and marriage of Hannah Croston (under sixteen years of age) without parents consent. Croston had a licence to marry Hannah to Robert Williamson of Davenham - libel.

39. BLACKBURN Wm Mawdersley c Robert Eastham saying former had three bastards by two women and had cuckolded twenty men - depositions.

40. CHESTER Anna Taylor c Frances Eaton of Watergate Street for saying that Anna will be like that old pimp her mother - depositions, libel.

40a. BLACKBURN Wm Mawdersley c Robert Eastham for bastardy. Articles of exception.

41. CHESTER Anna Taylor c Francis Eaton of Watergate St for saying that Taylor was impudent like the old pimp her mother - depositions, libel, articles of exception.

42. ECCLES Office c John Smith saying that Mr Marsden's preaching against the Solemn League and Covenant was prating. He wore his hat and stood with hands on hips - libel.

43. CHESTER (St Peter) Robert Meacocke c Nathan Jolly calling a tradesman and a freeman a knave - libel.

44. CHESTER (St Oswald) Richard Halliwell c Ralph Serjeant threatening to have Halliwell by the ears - libel.

45. CHESTER (Holy Trinity) Maria Williams c Elizabeth Sutton for slander. Leaving her husband for Hugh Lane - libel.

46. RUNCORN William Finmore clerk B.A. vicar c Thomas Sutton for tithe - sentence, bill of costs.

47. MANCHESTER (Broughton) Jane Bowers c Thomas Barnes for bastardy - libel, interrogations, depositions, responsions, sentence, bill of costs, certificate of marriage by curate of Pott Chapel.

48. WILLASTON Edward Winsor c Ermin Jennings for tithe hay - libel, depositions, responsions, affidavit.

49. SANDBACH Maria Leadbeater c James Bailey for indecency - libel, depositions, constables', presentment to Justices at Warrington, sentence.

50. MACCLESFIELD Samuel Elcocke c Edward Chantler for indecency with Sarah Whanley - interrogations, depositions.

51. CHESTER Elenora Taylor c Anna Pears saying she was a bawd. Words spoken by Elizabeth Gray a common swearer - depositions, sentence, bill of costs.

52. GREAT BUDWORTH Ralph French c Jacob Livesey for slander - sentence, bill of costs.

53. MELLING Alice Halsall c Margaret Clapham saying Alice committed adultery with Mr Molyneux at Melling Hall - depositions, bill of costs.

54. MALBON Anna Knutsford c Henry Greenhalgh for slander -sentence, bill of costs, certificate and testimonial for Knutsford.

55. WRENBURY Joseph Ottiwell vicar c Alice Edge for calling her a whore - libel, depositions, affidavit, sentence.

56. PRESTWICH Robert Leaver c Edward Kenion vicar for striking Leaver and pushing him towards river - libel, depositions, allegations and exhibits on appeal to York.

57. WALTON John Heywood rector c Peter Aspinall for tithes of Formby value £90. Heywood instituted 5 Sept. 1666 from York. Aspinall had converted tithes to own use in 1659/60 - libel, depositions.

58. STOPFORD Alexander Robinson c William Hulme concerning a pew - interrogations.

59. COCKEY CHAPEL Office c Jacob Rothwell churchwarden for allowing disaffected persons following Oliver Heywood, Rootes, Norbury, Jolly to preach there -libel.

60. CHESTER (St John Baptist) John Sparke rector c John Challoner for tithe of four acres of land where he pastures kine - responsions, deposition, articles of exception.

61. Blank folio

62. WALTON (Kirby Chapel) John Heywood rector c Francis Green for tithe hay, lambs, corn, wool at £56.15s per annum - depositions, responsions.

63. CHESTER Peter Leigh, Glover c William Halliwell saying former had venereal disease - libel, Leigh's confessions, full penance at High Cross by Pentice on 11 February.

64. POTT CHAPEL Elizabeth Young c Robert Heywood calling her a salt bitch - depositions, sentence.

65. CHESTER (St John Baptist) John Sparke c Thomas Johnson for tithe of 100 horses, sheep, mares - responsions, libel.

66. WIGAN (Aspull) Elizabeth Gerrard c Roger Wood for slander - libel, depositions, bill of costs.

67. WALTON (Liverpool) Adriana Leigh c Richard Jones for slander - sentence, bill of costs.

68. MANCHESTER Edward Chantrell c William Halshall for swearing, cursing, abusing neighbours, fighting and drunkard - libel, articles, depositions, evidence given to Justices in 1661 when he was bound over.

69. DARNALL Richard Garrett c John Gandy for a cozening knave - libel.

70. MIDDLETON (Burndon) Office c John Grundy for adultery with Alice Makinson in Bolton. Had carnal knowledge of her behind a hedge - libel, articles of exception, deposition, bill of costs.

71. BANGOR Henry Bridgemen rector c John Meare for tithe animals at Worthenbury. Tithe on barren animals 6d weekly - responsions.

72. WALTON John Heywood c Thomas Crompton for tithes of corn, hay, wool at Toxteth Park formerly received in 1659 by minister of Toxteth chapel - deposition by John Fogg rector of St Mary on Hill, Chester -responsions.

73. CHESTER Office c Jonathan Gouldson holding conventicles in his house and other houses, sitting for communion in conformity to the late abolished Presbyterian government, irreverent to book of Common Prayer. Constables - certificate.

74. MACCLESFIELD Downes Leigh c Thomas Parsons et alia concerning a pew with a burial place - libel, depositions.

75. WINWICK Richard Sherlock S.T.P. c Edward Herle for printing slanderous verses against him, church courts and clergy - libel, depositions, copy of verses, interrogations.

76. CHESTER (St Mary) Nicholas Stephen c John Anderson for tithe cattle - libel.

77. WALTON John Heywood c John Burgess for tithe - bill of costs, sentence.

78. ASTBURY Thomas Hutchinson rector c John Jackson for tithe. Rector's loyalty to Charles I led to his sequestration and has recently been restored to living - responsions, depositions.

79. LEIGH Robert Eaton et alia c William Smith for tithes of Atherton demesne - responsions, sentence, bill of costs.

80. PRESTBURY William Jackson c Dorothy Lees threatening to stab Jackson - libel, deposition, sentence.

81. CHESTER Richard Harrison c Elizabeth Gray for abusing Harrison the Sheriff when collecting Hearth Tax -interrogations, depositions, bill of costs.

82. TILSTON Churchwardens c William Pavey for plow seat money - interrogation, sentence.

83. CHESTER (St John Baptist) John Sparke impropriator c John Cowles for tithe animals in Spittle field - libel.

84. WIGAN Bishop of Chester c Edward Webster for tithes of wax, cows, calves - allegations, bill of costs.

85. WEAVERHAM John Holland vicar c John and Thomas Barker for tithe on forty pigs - libel.

86. AUDLEM William Plumley c Thomas Dudley calling him a villanous rebel - libel, deposition, interrogations.

87. PRESCOT Samuel and Sarah Day c Margaret Swift slander - libel.

88. BUNBURY Ann Fothergill c Richard Woodward, found in bed together by Ann's mother - libel, depositions.

89. WYBUNBURY Edward Mainwaring vicar c John More for tithe of cattle in Hatherton township of two shillings in pound for non parishioners - libel, deposition, citation for witnesses.

90. CHESTER Elizabeth Ridley c Edward Bristoe calling her a drunken slut - sentence, bill of costs.

91. CHESTER (St Mary on Hill) Nicholas Stephenson c John Anderson for tithe of 100 barren or drift cattle - libel.

92. WILMSLOW Thomas Wright, rector, deceased his widow Ann claims arrears of tithe - responsions, confession of Ann Wright.

93. CHESTER (Barrow) Sentence in divorce case of Mary Gardner and John Rowlands - bill of costs.

94. KNUTSFORD Elizabeth Humphreys c Thomas Cheswood for slander - libel, attestations.

95. CHESTER Ralph Almond c John Foster a drunken idle knave - libel.

96. CULCHETH Ann Ward c Francis Heys threatening to kill Ann - interrogations, significant to sherrif of Lancashire to arrest Heys. Warrant to constables of Culcheth and Bedford.

97. OVER John Ashbrook c Ralph Maddocks. Ashbrook evicted from living and profits sequestrated. Maddocks claims he paid dues to sequestrators - libel, depositions.

98. ROSTHERN John Bradshaw c Robert Eaton for slander - allegations, sentence.

100. WEAVERHAM Richard Venables c William Pownall for right of a pew belonging to Brownheath House and brawling in church over the same - libel, responsions.

101. CHESTER (St Oswald) Catherine Ashton c Mary Morgan for slander - libel.

102. CHESTER Matthew Starkey c Richard Brereton calling him a "turn coate knave" - libel.

103. CHRISTLETON Ralph Hutton notary public c Samuel Slater for fees - bill of costs.

104. DEAN (Westhoughton) Edward Chantrell c Peter Naylor for contumacy and refusing to subscribe in 1662. Naylor is of Wigan parish.

105. ST MICHAEL ON WYRE Sentence definitive for divorce of Nicholas and Dorothy Butler.

106. WRENBURY Joseph Ottiwell c Edward Hannett calling the vicar rogue, knave, fool - libel, citation for witnesses.

107. CHESTER Interrogations for Alice Hale in case of child marriage between Ralph Davenport and Mary Salmon.

108. BRINDLEY Sentence in matrimonial dispute between John Gerrard and Janet Ugnall.

109. GREAT BUDWORTH Impropriators c Godfrey Shakerly for tithe - allegations.

110. CHESTER Ann Reeves c Elizabeth Gray for slander - libel.

111. CHESTER (St Peter) Office c Richard Baxter for bastardy - libel.

112. HALSALL Roger Hoskins c Francis Spencer - sentence.

113. PENWORTHAM Alice Cliffe c Elizabeth Hughes playing whore at Hutton - libel.

114. TARVIN John Neild c Maria Beckett - sentence.

115. STOCKPORT Concordat between Giles and Margaret Green, and Anne Millington. Millington to pay 50/- to Green and do penance for slander.

117. WAVERTON Simon Land rector c Elizabeth and John Marigold for dilapidations in rectory - sentence.

118. ECCLESTON Clare Poole c Elizabeth Wilson - apparitor's certificate.

119. WEAVERHAM John Holland rector c Joseph Gerrard for tithe wool - responsions.

120. DODDLESTON Charles Duckworth c William Crompton for tithe hay - responsions (see 1664 No. 58).

121. CHESTER John Skellerne c Richard Bird alderman for slander - depositions.

122. WALLASEY Churchwardens c Thomas Meoles for assessment -sentence.

123. Unidentified bills of costs - see list on folder.

124. SWETTENHAM Kermersley c Cadman - sentence (needs repair).

125. PRESCOTT Margaret Swift c Anna Kenion for slander - confessions.

126. Notes re unidentified case.