Citations to Appear

Contains both consistory and archdeaconry court citations issued to parties in judicial court proceedings to appear at court.

Citations were the initial documents or summons in a cause. They are copies of the decrees made by the Judge after the libel has been filed in court, which were sent to the defendant and were returned with their reply. They name the Judge, day and place of court, the person cited and the accusation, addressed to the officiating minister of the parish and returned to the court with a certificate of the date and place of service. In cases where the defendant failed to answer the decree, the court declared them contumacious (obstinately disobedient) and excommunicate (deprived of the right of church membership) and they were listed in 'excommunications'.

For example, Reverend George Tawler Tilsley was cited to appear in the parish church of St Margaret in the City and Archdeaconry of Canterbury on the morning of 21 June 1744 in the matter concerning Ralph Fox and Jeffery Sackett, former sequestrates of the tithes and profits of the Rectory of Chartham, who were required to show their accounts at court.

The citations are arranged in chronological order.