Ref: EDC 5/1591/2
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 5/1591/2 CHESTER (St John) Andrew Brodman vicar c Henry Aneon tanner saying “what doth Mr Brodman think that I am, a papist… if there is any papistry in Chester it is in him” – libel.
Summary:
Andrew Brednam M.A., vicar of St John’s in Chester contra Henry Aneon, senior.
Andrew Brednam’s libel claimed that Henry Aneon had accused the vicar of calling him a papist, to which his response was that it was Brednam who was the papist, as confirmed by his preaching. Aneon was also accused of stating that Brednam was dishonest and had libelled him.
Original Document
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Translation
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In the name of God, Amen: before you, worshipful and distinguished Master David Yale, Doctor of Laws, lawfully deputed official principal of the Chester Consistory Court, or your substitute or any other judge whomsoever competent in this regard, the party of the distinguished Andrew Brednam, preacher of the holy word, and also vicar of the church of St John of the city of Chester against Henry Aneon, senior, tanner, of the city of Chester aforesaid and also against any other or any others whomsoever lawfully intervening before you in judgement for the same by way of complaint and complaining to you in this behalf says, alleges and propounds in these writings in law jointly, severally and in articles as follows:
Firstly, namely that all and singular subordinates and subjects of this realm of England who speak, utter or express abuse, disparagements or opprobrious, scandalous or defamatory words to the injury or denigration of the good fame of any person with malicious intent and against public morals, were and are to be canonically corrected and punished according to the law; and he propounds jointly, severally and in articles as follows:
Also, that notwithstanding the premises and the same being true, the aforesaid Henry Aneon, not being ignorant of the premises but knowing them well enough, giving no thought to the welfare of his soul, being induced (as it is believed) by an evil spirit, in the months of January and February in the year of our Lord 1591/2 (now current) according to the computation of the English church, or in one or other of those months, in the city of Chester or elsewhere, seriously and grievously and with malicious intent and against public morals defamed the aforesaid Andrew Brednam previously in no way defamed in that respect, and he openly and publicly uttered and published defamatory words set out in English words, or similar in effect to these and importing the same effect, before trustworthy witnesses, saying, “what doth Mr Brednam thincke that I am A papist ney yf there be enye papistrye in eyther of vs I am perswaded in my conscience yt ys in him” meaning the said Brednam “and hath entered into matters which he Cannot goe through with and wounded my conscience with his sermon of the sacrament and confirmed the Papiste doctrine” however this party propounds and articles of any form whatever of defamatory words uttered by the aforesaid Aneon in this respect such as will be proved in the event of this suit; and he propounds jointly, severally and of any part thereof, as before.
Transcript
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In dei nomine amen Coram vobis venerabili et egregio
viro Magistro Dauid Yale legum doctore Curie Consistorialis Cestrensis
Officiali principali legitime deputato vestrove Surrogato aut alio Judice in hac parte competente quocunque Pars
discreti viri Andree Brednam sacri verbi predicator
necnon Vicarij Ecclesie Sancti Johannis Ciuitatis Cestrie
contra et aduersus Henricum Aneon seniorem Tanner
Ciuitatis Cestrie predicte necnon contra quemcunque alium seu quos-
cunque alios pro eodem coram vobis in Judicio legitime inter-
venientes per viam querele et vobis in hac parte quere-
lando dicit allegat et in hijs scriptis in Jure proponit
Coniunctim Diuisim et Articulatim prout sequitur
Imprimis videlicet Quod omnes et singuli Subditi et
subiecti huius Regni Anglie qui Convicia vituperia verbave
opprobriosa scandalosa seu diffamatoria in alicuis bone
fame læsionem seu denigracionem animo malicioso et contra
bonos mores dicunt emittunt seu proferunt fuerunt
et sunt Canonice et iuxta Juris exigentia corrigendi et
puniendi Et Ponit Coniunctim Diuisim et Articulatim prout sequitur
Item Quod premissis non obstantibus eisque veris existentibus
predictus Henricus Aneon premissorum non ignarus imo
satis sciolus anime sue salutis immemor spritu (vt creditur)
maligno ductus antedictum Andream Brednam prius in
ea parte minime diffamatum mensibus Januarij et
Februarij Anno Domini 1591 secundum computacionem Ecclesie
Anglicane iam currenti eorumve mensis vno siue
aliquo infra Ciuitatem Cestrie vel alibi grauiter et
enormiter animoque malicioso et Contra bonos mores
diffamavit ac verba diffamatoria in Anglicanis verbis
conceptis seu eis in effectu consimilia eundem effectum
importantia Coram testibus fidedignis palam et publice
Protulit et publicauit dicendo what doth Mr
Brednam thincke that I am A papist ney yf there
be enye papistrye in eyther of vs I am perswaded
in my conscience yt ys in him innuendo the said Brednam
and hath entered into matters which he Cannot goe
through with and wounded my conscience with his
sermon of the sacrament and confirmed the Papiste
doctrine Ponit tamen et Articulatur pars ista de qualibet
verborum diffamatorum forma per predictum Aneon in hac
parte prolata qualis in eventu huius litis probabi-
tur Et Ponit Coniunctim Diuisim et quolibet vt supra
Original Document
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Translation
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Also, that the aforesaid Henry Aneon in the months and year aforesaid these following defamatory words, or others similar in effect to them, openly and publicly saying in English “thou the said Brednam art or ys not an honest man but doest dele dishonestlye and badlye and gett thee out of the Citye to Farndon againe for thou art not estemed here in the Citye” meaning “the said Brednam”; and he propounds as before.
Also, that in the months and year aforesaid the abovementioned Henry Aneon, with persistent malicious intent, saying these defamatory words, or others importing the same effect in English words “thou the said Brednam hast and doest Cast libells against me in the
streetes” meaning “the said Brednam”; to the injury and denigration of the good name and fame of the said Bednam, both in the city of Chester and elsewhere, resulting in no small prejudice and trouble to the said Brednam; and he propounds as before.
Also, that before the utterance of these defamatory words the aforesaid Andrew Brednam was a man of good fame, unblemished reputation and honest conversation, and commonly called, taken, named and reputed openly and publicly for such and as such among his acquaintances and friends; and he propounds as before.
Also, that by occasion and reason of the premisses the standing and good fame of the aforesaid Andrew Brednam are seriously and grievously injured among good and substantial people in the city of Chester and elsewhere, resulting in no small prejudice and damage to the said Brednam; and he propounds as before.
Also, that the aforesaid Henry Aneon, was and is of the parish of St John in the city of Chester and of Chester archdeaconry and diocese, and by reason thereof well known to be subordinate and subject to your jurisdiction; and he propounds as before.
Transcript
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Item Quod antedictus Henricus Aneon mensis et
Anno predictis hæ verba diffamatoria subsequentia
palam et publice vel alia eis in effectu similia in
Anglice dicendo thou the said Brednam art or ys
not an honest man but doest dele dishonestlye
and badlye and gett thee out of the Citye
to Farndon againe for thou art not estemed here
in the Citye innuendo the said Brednam Et
ponit vt supra
Item Quod mensis et Anno predictis antefatus Henricus
Aneon in animo suo malicioso persistens hæ verba
diffamatoria vel alia eundem effectum importantia
in Anglicanis verbis dicendo thou the said Brednam
hast and doest Cast libells against me in the
streetes innuendo the said Brednam ad boni
nominis et fame dicti Brednam læsionem et
denigracionem infra Civitatem Cestrie quam alibi in
dictum Brednam preiudicium non modicum et gravamen
Et ponit vt supra
Iem Quod ante huiusmodi verborum diffamatorum
prolacionem predictus Andreas Brednam fuit vir bone
fame opinionis illese et conuersacionis honeste
proque tali et vt talis inter notos et vicinos suos
Communiter dictus tentus nominatus et reputatus palam
publice et notorie Et ponit vt supra
Item Quod occasione et pretextu premissorum status
et bona fama predicti Andree Brednam apud
bonos et graues infra Civitatem Cestrie quam alibi
grauiter et enormiter leduntur in dictum Brednam
preiudicium non parvum et grauamen Et ponit vt supra
Item Quod prefatus Henricus Aneon fuit et est parochie
Sancti Johannis Ciuitate Cestrie Archidiaconatus et diocesis Cestrensium
eoque pretextu vestre Jurisdiccionis notorie subditus et subiectus
Et ponit vt supra
Original Document
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Translation
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Also, that all and singular the premises were and are true, public, notorious, manifest and at the same time infamous, and that there was and is public voice and rumour of and upon them.
Whereupon, due proof being made as required by law in this regard, the party of the said Brednam prays that right and justice may be done and administered with effect to him and his party and that the said Aneon will be corrected and punished for the outrage of such temerity as in the premises and in matters concerning the same, according to the requirement of law; and also condemning him in the lawful costs incurred and to be incurred on behalf of the said Brednam, and having been condemned, that he will be obliged and compelled to the real payment of the same; and otherwise, that what will have been of right and reason in the premises is done, established and decreed; which the party of the said Brednam propounds and prays to be are done jointly and severally, not obliging himself to proving all and singular the premises, but so far as he will have proved in the premises thus far may he obtain in the petitions, always reserving the benefit of law in all things etc., humbly imploring your office in the premises, Lord Judge.
Transcript
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Item Quod premissa omnia et singula fuerunt et sunt vera
publica notoria manifesta pariter et famosa et quod de et
super eisdem laborarunt et laborant publica vox et fama
Vnde facta fide de Jure in hac parte requisita
petit pars dicti Brednam ius et iusticiam sibi et parti sue
fieri et ministrari cum effectu dictumque Aneon pro tanto
temeritatis excessu in premissis et ea concernentibus iuxta
Juris exigentia corrigi et puniri necnon in expensis
legitimis ex parte dicti Brednam factis et fiendis
condemnando condemnatumque ad realem solucionem earundem
cogi et compelli vlteriusqueque fieri statui et decerni
in premissis quod Juris fuerit et rationis Quæ proponit
et fieri petit pars dicti Brednam Coniunctim et Diuisim
non arctans se ad omnia et singula premissa probanda
sed quatenus probauerit in premissis eatenus obtineat in
petitis Juris beneficio in omnibus semper salvo et cetera Vestrum
Officium Domine Judex in premissis humiliter implorando
Original Document
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Translation
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[Endorsement]
Libel on behalf of the distinguished Andrew Brednam against Henry Aneon senior etc. 1591.
[in pencil in a later hand]
Chester
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[5/1591/2 image 4]
[Endorsement]
Libellus ex parte discreti viri Andree Brednam Contra Henricum Aneon seniorem et cetera 1591
[in pencil in a later hand]
Chester
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved