Instance act books 3

This series consists of an instance act book which appears to fit between DL/C/5 and DL/C/607.

Act books recorded the daily judicial business of the court and the hearing of cases under Canon Law. There were two basic types of cause, namely office causes and instance causes. Instance causes were private cases, brought by one individual against another. They included a wide range of cases such as disputes over wills testamentary business, marriage, divorce and separation matrimonial business and defamation cases. The proceedings were recorded by the Judge's Registrar in the act book, often some time after the case was heard, and information usually included the names of the parties, sometimes the charge against the defendant and sometimes the outcome. Extracts from the evidence are rarely included.

<p>For act books 1496-1756 see DL/C/1-54. For act books 1551-1553 see DL/C/649, and 1553-1609 see DL/C/607-613 and DL/C/302. Where there are gaps in the series it is advisable to check the miscellaneous series. Details of causes after 1765 can be found in the series of original acts DL/C/074-083, assignation books DL/C/110-141, deposition books DL/C/278-299 and libel, allegation and sentence books DL/C/174-191</p>

From the Manuscript Section of the Guildhall Library

This volume has been microfilmed. Please use microfilm X19/81