WILLIAM PYLLYN (PYLLEN/ PILLYN), fl. 1526-1533

Qualifications: Notary Public

Occurs as witness to the sentence EDC 5/1/2, probably proctor for the plaintiff

CAUSES:

JAMES BANESTER (BANISTER)

Qualifications: Notary Public

Signature of James (Jacobus) Banester from CALS EDC 1/20, f. 464

CAUSES:

WILLIAM WITHENS (WITHINS, WYTHENS)

Qualifications: admitted to act as a proctor in the Chester Consistory Court on 6 May 1574, at which time he was described as literatus (literate or learned man). He was a Notary Public, but there is no reference to his having had a degree (CALS EDC 1/20, f. 312).

Notes: possibly a relative, perhaps son, of William Wethins who had been active as a proctor in Chester in the 1540s and 1550s.

CAUSES:

WILLIAM COWPER

Qualifications:

Career: acting as proctor in the Chester Consistory Court by 1566

CAUSES:

ROLAND WRIGHT

Qualifications: Notary Public, no other known qualifications

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

CAUSES:

ROBERT PARKINSON

Qualifications: probably of Oxford; Bachelor of Arts 5 November 1561.

Sources:

‘Pace-Payton’, in Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714, ed. Joseph Foster (Oxford, 1891), pp. 1104-1131. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/alumni-oxon/1500-1714/pp1104-1131

CAUSES:

WILLIAM MAN, d. 1585

Qualifications: probably of Christ Church, Oxford, 1551; Bachelor of Arts 26 January 1555, Master of Arts 20 October 1558. Proctor at Chester from late 1561. If this is the same man, he was at Christ Church at the same time as Robert Leche, Chancellor of the diocese of Chester.

CCEd person ID 32107

Career: possibly vicar of Rickmansworth in 1559; rural dean of Warrington from about 1573; rural dean of Wirral 1582.

Further notes: It seems likely that he was the man of that name who was summoned to appear before the Ecclesiastical Commissioners on 30 April 1565 accused of fornication and was ordered to carry out the humiliating penance of appearing in St Peter’s church in Chester on a Saturday with bare feet and legs and without a hat and with a paper pinned to his shirt saying ‘Fornicator apon Easter daie at night’ and to go from the church through the Corn Market and then to stand on a ‘scaffold’ in the market place and publicly declare his offence. From there he was to go into the cathedral and offer 12d for the poor. It was often possible in offences like this arising from visitation presentments to commute such humiliating public penance for a cash payment to a charitable cause but this was not offered to Man. He refused to carry out the penance and also arranged for his co-accused, Jane Ruttor, to be illicitly released from prison. He was committed to gaol in Chester Castle but unfortunately no further record survives to show how he gained his liberty. Two of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners who imposed this penalty were William Downham, bishop of Chester, and Robert Leche. (CALS EDA 12/2 ff. 97, 98, 99v.) Man probably subsequently married Jane Ruttor as a cause from 1575/1576 was brought by Jane Man, wife of William Man, Master of Arts; she died as his widow in 1592.

The signature of William Man from CALS EDC 1/10, f. 433

Sources:

CALS EDA 12/2 ff. 97, 98, 98v.

‘Mab-Marygold’, in Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714, ed. Joseph Foster (Oxford, 1891), pp. 956-982. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/alumni-oxon/1500-1714/pp956-982

CAUSES:

BRIAN GARNETT, fl. 1529-1533

Qualifications: Notary Public

References to this proctor are unusual as he is often referred to as ‘Brian’ or ‘Bryan’ whereas proctors are usually referred to by their surname.

CAUSES:

JOHN PRICHARD, 

Qualifications: Bachelor of Laws

Career: acting as proctor in the Chester Consistory Court by 1565

 Possibly studied at Oxford he may be ‘John ap Prichard – studied 5 years, B.C.L. 29 May, 1560.’ British History Online: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/alumni-oxon/1500-1714/pp1208-1224

 Sat as substitute for the bishop’s official, Robert Leche, in July 1566 and passed sentence in a defamation cause (EDC 5 1566/20).

CAUSES: