1627

1. CHESTER (St John Baptist) John Frances c Katherine Byrd for slander - depositions, sentence, repair.

2. CHESTER (St Michael) Churchwardens c Eleonora Brereton for non payment of assessments - libel, with copy of parish assessment for 1578-1626.

3. CHESTER (St John Baptist) Gregory Turner c Sir Geo Calverley concerning his claim for mortuary dues - remnant of libel, sentence, responsions.

4. CHESTER (Bruera Chapel) Richard Coffin chapelwarden c Ralph Kirfoote chaplain for neglect of duty - sentence.

5. WHALLEY Ralph Ashton c Richard Towneley & Daniel Barnard of Alkencoates in Colne for tithe sheep, wool, lambs, wheat, barley oats, 3 water mills i.e. Carre milne, Roughlea milne Munchroyd milne - libel.

6. PRESTBURY Sir Brian & Thos Leigh impropriators c Christopher Byrom for tithe arising in 32 acres of land and tithe corn from Hurdesfield - libel, responsions, depositions, repair.

7. WILMSLOW Laurence Leicester clerk c Anna Worthington for trying to detain Elizabeth Leicester in her house away from her husband on grounds of cruelty - libel, responsions, depositions.

8. PRESCOT Thos Malbon c Jacob Garnett for tithe. Garnett says the tithes were commuted for 2/- a thrave - responsions, depositions, repair.

9. PRESCOT Elizabeth Smith widow & Jacob Jolly c Thos Lyonn and Edward Greene saying that Smith & Jolly were seen commiting adultery - libel.

10. CONGLETON John Prestbury & Joanna Halliday c Elizabeth Leake saying Joanna was Prestburys whore - libel, repair.

11. CONGLETON Robert & Maria Buckley c Susanna Wood saying that Maria was a drunken queane - libel. Too fragile to use.

12. MARBURY Hugh Wicksteed c Thos. Benion in dispute over seating - depositions.

13. MARBURY Hugh Wicksteed c Wm Constantine and others about a seat in the north aisle - depositions.

14. LEYLAND Impropriators c Sir Richard Hoghton for tithe corn - libel, repair.

15. LEYLAND Wm Maudesley c Thurstan Leyland concerning parish register transcripts, flagging the church, making seats uniform, mending two bell clappers -depositions.

16. BURTON Churchwardens c Richard Preston for non payment of his assessments on Holmes Park - responsions, interrogations, depositions.

17. THORNTON Fragment of a tithe dispute between impropriators and Samuel Knipe on tithes arising in Netherlands hamlet.

18. MACCLESFIELD Edward & Maria Bertles c Suzanna Oldfield saying she was naughty with Edward Daine - libel.

19. MACCLESFIELD Jacob & Thos Oldfield c Richard & Elizabeth (?) for slander - libel.

20. PRESTON John Walshman c Grace Breers saying he was a drunkard - libel.

21. CHILDWALL Jacob Chritchley, vicar, c John Ireland for tithe poultry and cattle yielding milk to the value of £6 yearly - libel.

22. WEAVERHAM Office c Richard Stretch for fornicating with Marjorie Shuttleworth - depositions.

23. WEAVERHAM Sentence in tithe cause between Richard Osley vicar and John Jackson.

24. GOSFORTH Office c John Danson for fornicating with Jenet Caddy - libel, responsions.

25. ASTBURY Brian & Thos Leigh impropriators c Christopher Birom for tithes on pasturing cattle - responsions.

26. STRETTON Alice Minshall c Randle Minshall for matrimonial dispute he has left her and gone to Ireland - libel.

27. STRETTON Richard Kirke curate c Richard Grimsditch, Thos Watt, Wm Rathbone, John Minshall, Richard Bromfield for non payment of their agreed portion being £6 p.a. on the township of Appleton for his stipend as a minister of God's word - responsions.

28. DODDLESTON Richard & Alice Grosvenor c Wm & Matilda Abraham saying Alice committed adultery with Thos Newbold in Richard Grosvenor's barn - libel, interrogations, responsions, depositions.

29. BARROW Impropriators c Henry Broadhurst for tithe dues -libel, responsions.

30. BARROW Anna Harrison c Elena Bridge for defamation - libel.

31. BARROW Alineri Houghton rector c Ralph Hunt of Chester for tithes - libel.

32. WAVERTON Thos Ellis c Anna Ellis for annulment of marriage due to her adultery with Edward Jones of Wellington (Salop) - libel.

33. ASHTON Office c John Cartwright for attempting to procure a royal pardon without paying fees - responsions.

34. TARVIN Elizabeth Bruen c Matilda Smith of Hulme Street Lane for adultery - libel, depositions.

35. WALTON John Mosse c Margaret Fletcher in a case of irregular marriage. Nevil Key vicar of Walton solemnised the marriage in the house of Margaret Fletcher - allegation, depositions.

36. LIVERPOOL Thos Tarlton c Richard & Katherine Higginson saying that Tarlton committed adultery with Henry Boden's wife - libel.

37. BACKFORD Deuveux Beverley c Wm Wilkinson & Hugh Cowell of Eastham for tithes. Wm Denson vicar for past 30 years - depositions.

38. GOOSNARGH Thos Yates for Dronfield (Derby) c George Rogerson of Goosenargh for adultery with his wife Jennet - depositions.

39. ALDERSEY GREEN Confession by Katherine Dee concerning adultery between Robert Aldersey and Ann Horton wife of John.

40. CODDINGTON Office c John Manifolde of Aldersey for adultery with Margaret Smith wife of John - libel, responsions.

41. ASHTON UNDER LYNE Henry Fairfax, rector, c John Sounderforth for tithe animals - libel (part only).

42. LOWICK Leonard Fell, Reader c John Askew for laying violent hands on him when reading morning prayers and because he would not stop and allow John Fell to read he put him out of the church - responsions, depositions, penance.

43. PLUMTON Jacob Boardman c Elizabeth Charnely for defamation - libel.

44. DARESBURY Richard Richardson, c Thos Harper of Moore saying he was a "cucoldly asse" - libel.

45. LAWTON Office c Richard Wilkinson & Elizabeth Tootel for being clandestinely married - libel.

46. MOBBERLEY Thos Mallorie, Dean of Chester and rector of Mobberley c Robert Robinson for tithe hay from Hobcroft - responsions, depositions.

47. SADDLEWORTH Curate c Alice Marsland for non payment of her portion of tithe dues after the death of her husband - deposition.

48. BUDWORTH Thos & Jane Gardner c Anna Dale and others saying they were "cuckold birds" - libel.

49. BUDWORTH Office c Thos Garratt & Alice Janion for being married clandestinely - depositions in a poor state.

50. BLACKBURN Churchwardens c John Braddell for non payment of his assessments to the repair of the church - sentence.

51. MANCHESTER Office c John Glover for usury - responsions.

52. WIGAN Bp. of Chester as rector c Wm Ford for non payment of tithes on 26 acres of land, herbs and flowers - libel.

53. WIGAN Wm Ormishawe c Laurence, Ralph and Alice Anderton concerning claim to a burial place on the west side of the tower - libel, responsions.

54. WIGAN Elizabeth Prescott c Thos Rylands for defamation - libel.

55. NANTWICH Churchwardens c Richard Badcocke in a dispute over a public pew - libel.

56. NANTWICH Magister Jerom minister c Elena Bradwell & Alice Powell calling him "an unknowing harlott" - depositions.

57. NANTWICH Maria Winter c Jane Harrison calling her a whore's bird - depositions.

58. ALDFORD Richard Badcocke c Richard Harward & Thos Malbon concerning their title to a pew - depositions.

59. BRUERA CHAPEL Ralph Cotton c Ralph Kirfoote in an undetermined case concerning title to seats in the chapel in right of lands in Saughton. (See No.4).

60. DAVENHAM John Leftwich & John Holford c Churchwardens concerning assessments for the repair of the church - responsions.

61. SANDBACH Alice Street c John Sherman saying she committed adultery - libel.

62. TARPORLEY Frances Done c Emma Mosse saying she practised witch craft and made potions - fragment of libel.

63. Bills of Costs all torn.

64. NANTWICH Jane Kennerly c Anna Golborne for slander - libel.

65. Dorothy Wright c John Downes for getting her with child and refusing to marry her - libel.

66. Decree from Chancery Court at York in a cause between Hugh Brereton and Edward Wilkinson.

67. PRESTBURY Confirmation that John Lecester married Robert Boardman and Elizabeth Greaves after banns duly called.

68. HANMER Maria Edwards c Anna Segoll of Bettisfield - responsions. (Not identifiable).

69. Richard Offley vicar c John Jackson for tithe - fragment only.

70. PRESTON Fragment of a sentence in a cause between Edward Tildesley of Morles and Anna Breers of Preston.

71. Hugh Darlington c Joan Whalley - interrogations, but a fragment survives.

72. Miscellanea

73. CONGLETON Susannah Wood c Maria Buckley for saying she kept a bawdy house (see 11).