TRISTRAM SWADAILL (SWADALE), fl. 1552

Qualifications: None known

Career: acting as proctor in the Chester Consistory Court by 1552

He was appointed ‘Custodian of the Abbey Gate’ in 1549 and ‘Chief Janitor to the Dean and Chapter’ of Chester Cathedral in 1563. In 1551 he leased the tithes of Wervin from the Dean and Chapter of the cathedral, at which time he was described as a yeoman of Chester. He was also described elsewhere as being a servant of William Cliff, dean of Chester. He registered a lease made by the Dean and Chapter in 1553 when he was described as ‘Deputy Registrar’ although it is not clear to what this office relates.

He acted as Robert Bower’s substitute as proctor for the plaintiff in EDC 5/13/4.

Sources:

Cheshire Sheaf, 1st series, ii, pp. 191-192; 1st series, iii, pp. 39-40

CAUSES:

ROBERT BOWER (BOWES/ BOWYER/ BOYER), b. c. 1508

Qualifications: None known

CCEd person ID 35736

Career: acting as proctor in the Chester Consistory Court by 1552

He is referred to as ‘dominus’ or ‘sir’ and as ‘clericus’. He had been a vicar choral of the college of St John’s in Chester and was retained as the first vicar there after the dissolution of the college in 1547/8. He was born about 1508 as he was said to be aged 40 in the commissioners’ certificate. He seems to have been of humble birth as his only known kinsman was a shoemaker who stood surety for him in September 1541 when he was bound over to keep the peace.

In 1549 he held the anchorite’s chapel in the precinct of the former college and by 1559-1560 he had resigned as vicar and was living in the chapel.

Some time between 1547 and 1551, while Richard Rich was Lord Chancellor, a case was brought against Robert Bower in Chancery in which it was claimed that some 14 years previously ‘neglecting his duetie profession office of presthod & vocacon’ he had had an illegitimate daughter and had entrusted her to a friend to bring up, offering to pay her for the child’s keep. However, it was claimed that ‘the said Sir Robert nowe being a welthy and Ryche prest havyng greate livynges Frendes and prefermentes’ refused to pay what he had agreed. He did not deny having fathered the child but did deny owing anything to the petitioner (TNA C 1/1275/52-53, 54-56).

Occurs as witness to the sentence in EDC 5/12/3,  was possibly attending court as a proctor.

Tristram Swadaill was his substitute as proctor for the plaintiff in EDC 5/13/4.
William Withins was his substitute as proctor for defendant in EDC 5/13/6.

See also his entry in the Directory under People.

Sources:

Douglas Jones, The Church in Chester 1300-1540 (Chetham Society 3rd series, 7, 1957), pp. 26, 162

George Ormerod, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester (second edition, revised and enlarged by T. Helsby, London, 1882), vol. i, p. 314

J S Barrow, J D Herson, A H Lawes, P J Riden, M V J Seaborne, ‘Churches and religious bodies: The collegiate church of St John’, in A History of the County of Chester: Volume 5 Part 2, the City of Chester: Culture, Buildings, Institutions, ed. A T Thacker, C P Lewis( London, 2005), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/ches/vol5/pt2/pp125-133 [accessed 23 January 2025]

CAUSES:

EDC 5/13/4 -Nicholas Hardware, vicar of Weaverham, contra Edward Walker.  Tristram Swadaill was acting as his substitute when the sentence was passed.
EDC 5/13/6 – John Segar contra Margaret Palen, wife of Thomas Palen. William Withens was acting as his substitute when the sentence was passed.