1676

1. HALE Confession by Henry Hill that Henry Byrom had committed adultery with Catherine Wright in Hilly Lane.

2. NANTWICH Sentence in case between William Andrewes and Ralph Bristowe (see 1675 no.13).

3. PENNINGTON Anna Wood c Henry Smith for slander - libel, depositions.

4. OVER Littleri Sheene clerk c Abraham Smith clerk for being an alehouse haunter, fighting, brawling, locking chapel door against the vicar, locking the pulpit door and allowing layman to read prayers - libel, interrogations, depositions.

5. PENWORTHAM John Bridgman c William Hand for tithe animals -libel.

6. PENWORTHAM Certificate from churchwardens, overseers and constables that John Wilding linen weaver, and John Whittle are frequent attenders at church as well as Hoole chapel.

7. BACKFORD John Oldfield proctor c Singleton Birkenhead for non payment of consistory court fees. (Repair).

8. HALE Henry Hill c Catherine Wainwright accusing him of bastardy - libel.

9. BOWDEN Churchwardens c Richard Alcocke for ten church lays for his plow seat of Bember Hall - responsions, costs.

10. MOBBERLEY Thomas Castell rector of St John's, Suffolk c Jonathan Briddock rector of Mobberley for dilapidations in St John's chancel and parsonage -libel, responsions, detailed costs of repairs.

11. ECCLESTON Robert Pickering rector c Edward Henett sentence costs and appeal to York.

12. WYBUNBURY Edward Mainwaring vicar c John Podmore of Nantwich for tithe herbage - libel, depositions.

13. CHESTER (St Mary on Hill) Susanna Cowley and Elizabeth Davies c Margaret Davies for slander - libel.

14. CHESTER (St Oswald) George Manley c Alderman John Poole for tithe -responsions, depositions (see 1675 no.32).

15. NORTHENDEN George Livesey and James Whitelegg c John Cooke rector - sentence, mandate for compurgation to incumbents of Prestwich, Ashton on Mersey, Malpas, Budworth, Presbury, Hargreaves, Bowden, Eccles, Flixton, Nantwich and Mobberley (see 1674 no.3; 1675 no.28).

16. MACCLESFIELD Copy of entry in parish register transferring a pew in the southside of the Lady Chapel to Edward Morescroft from Lord Strange. Consent of Lord Strange to transfer. Detailed interior plan of the church with pews and names of pew holders including the Corporation).

17. MACCLESFIELD Sara Brooks c William Skellin accusing her of bastardy - libel.

18. MACCLESFIELD Elizabeth Watson c Edward Watson concerning her title to a pew in right of Swainscough house - full file (see 1675 no.1).

19. DUNHAM ON HILL Sentence in tithe dispute between Margaret Savage and Ralph Colcane (see 1675 no.15).

20. ALTRINCHAM William Lupton c Richard Brucke of Mobberley calling him a beggards brat who did out run Liverpool - libel, interrogation, responsions.

21. ALTRINCHAM William Lupton c Elizabeth Ashton for slander.

22. WAVERTON Samuel Higginson curate c Peter Joynson saying he was drunk at Elizabeth Joanes in Waverton when he should have been at church and also drunk in Chester - libel, depositions, confession.

23. OVER Richard Houghton of Alton Lee c Alice Starkey of Darley for slander and her counter charges - libel, depositions.

24. OVER Samuel Ravenscroft c Thomas Heawood for slander - libel, interrogations.

25. PRESCOT John Entwistle c Jane Laithwaite concerning her title to a seat in church - libel.

26. PRESCOT Richard Eltonhead c Robert Sutton for slander in the highway from Warrington - libel, depositions.

27. AUGHTON Jane Wilding c Peter Leadbeater of Ormskirk calling her his whore - libel.

28. AUGHTON Jane Wilding c John Spencer for saying she was Peter Leadbeater's whore - libel.

29. STOCKPORT John Stringer notary public c Richard Kingston for saying that he would take fees form both sides - libel, depositions.

30. Bill of costs for John Hynde c Alice Parlycke.

31. REGISTRY Mandamus concerning frequency of clandestine and irregular marriages to be read in churches stating that Canon Law on marriage will be enforced. To Churchwardens of Astbury, Congleton, Farndon, Bowden, Ashton on Mersey, Rosthern, Over Peover, Knutsford, Budworth and Prestbury. All these are very fragile and need urgent repair.