Prohibitions in Causes of Subtraction of Tithes

Contains prohibitions mainly in causes of subtraction of tithes, although some relate to testamentary (relating to disputes concerning wills and cases where the deceased died intestate) and defamatory causes (relating to the injuring of a person's reputation). Includes a bundle of Royal Writs of prohibitions added to file reference DCb/PRC/42/2 from unsorted Diocesan Boxes. These documents provide the name of the defendant, parish, and a summary of the case.

A cause of subtraction of tithes was initiated against an individual when a person failed to make payment or dispute the tithes. Tithes were the tenth part of agricultural production made originally as a payment made in kind (such as corn and livestock), but later as money, by parishioners to the incumbent and church. Tithe causes and other cases concerning financial damages were outside the jurisdiction of the church courts and a prohibition was made to prevent further action in the court prior to the transferral of the case to the civil courts. The existing documents generated in the church court proceedings were copied and sent to the Justices of the Peace.