Ref: EDC 5/1/6
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 5/1/6 Libel in defam. cause: John Mynshull & Sir Gilbert Lightfote v. Alice Sceriot re. her words in Warmingham church April 1534
Summary:
John Minshull and Sir Gilbert Lightfoot, chaplain, contra Alice Scariot
The plaintiffs in this unusual defamation cause claimed that Alice had defamed them by saying that they had bribed her to defame Agnes, wife of Edmund Kinsey, by calling her ‘stronge hor’.
Original Document
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Translation
[5/1/6 image 1]
In the name of God, Amen: before you, venerable Master Richard Smyth, Bachelor of Canon Law, official of the lord archdeacon of Chester, or any other commissary whomsoever lawfully deputed in that behalf; the party of the distinguished John Minshull and Sir Gilbert Lightfote,chaplain, jointly and severally, against Alice Scariot, formerly of the parish of Warmingham, of the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield and against any other whomsoever lawfully intervening before you in judgement for the same says, alleges and propounds in these writings in law jointly, severally and in articles as follows:
m Firstly, the party of the said John Mynshull and Sir Gilbert Lightfote propounds and it is articled jointly and severally, as aforesaid, that there is a certain constitution of the province of Canterbury promulgated, concerning sentence of excommunication which begins ‘By authority of God, the Father almighty’ in which it is provided and established that all and singular subordinates and subjects of the province of Canterbury who for the sake of hatred or for any other cause whatsoever maliciously impute a crime to any person whereby he is defamed among good and substantial persons whereby canonical purgation is awarded to him or he is harmed in some other manner were and are by culpability bound and tied ipso facto by the sentence […] of major excommunication promulgated in the said constitution.
Transcript
[5/1/6 image 1]
In dei nomine Amen Coram vobis venerabile viro Magistro Richardo Smyth in decretis baccallario Officiali domini [Archidiaconi cestrie seu]
commissario in hac parte legitime deputato quocunque pars discretorum virorum Johannis Mynshull [et domini Gilberti Lightfote]
capellani coniunctim et diuisim contra et aduersus Aliciam Scariot nuper parochie de W[armingham]
couentrensis et lichfeldensis diocesis ac contra quemcunque alium coram vobis in Judicio legitime pro eidem intervenientem [dicit allegat et in]
hijs scriptis in Jure proponit coniunctim et diuisim atque articulatim pro ut sequitur
m In primis ponit et articulatur pars dictorum Johannis Mynshull et domini Gilberti lightfote coniunctim ut prefertur et divisim [est quedam]
constitucio provincie cant’ de sententia excommunicacionis que incipit Auctoritate dei patris omnipotent[is]
promulgata in qua cavetur et habetur quod omnes et singuli cantuar’ provincie subditi et subiecti qui [gratia odij?]
seu alia quacunque de causa crimen alicui maliciose imponunt vnde infamatus sit apud bonos [et graves]
purgacio canonica eidem indicatur vel alio modo grauetur fuerunt et sunt in maioris excommunicacionis sentencia […]
lata ipso facto dampnabiliter involuti et innodati
Original Document
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Translation
[5/1/6 image 2]
m Also, the plaintiff aforesaid propounds and it is articled that the aforesaid Alice Scariot was and is subordinate and subject to the said province of Canterbury […] and is taken and held as such, and openly, publicly and notoriously so known and reputed.
m Also, the said plaintiff propounds and it is articled that the aforesaid Alice Scariot, not ignorant of the premises, but heedless of the health of her soul, led by an evil spirit, in the month of April in the present and current year of our Lord one thousand five hundred 34, namely on […] day of Easter last past, in the parish church of Warmingham, of the diocese aforesaid, openly and publicly before a multitude of people then assembled there, falsely, wickedly and maliciously and out of hatred, imputed to the aforesaid John Minshull and Sir Gilbert, and either of them, the crime set out below; namely that while a certain Edmund Kinsey of the said parish at the time […] the said Alice Scariot who had caused her, Alice, to defame Agnes, wife of the same Edmund, the said Alice Scariot openly and publicly replied, ‘Mary that did John Mynshull for he promised to geve [a] kyrtyll[1] for to sclaunder hyr to be a stronge[2] hore’ and with other defamatory words similar to these and […].
m Also, the same plaintiff propounds and it is articled that the aforesaid Alice Scariot, at the time and place aforesaid, and then immediately […] by the same Edmund […] had caused or instigated her to defame Agnes, his wife, of having committed adultery with someone, replied openly and publicly ‘Syr gilbert lightfote counseled and caused me so to sclaunder hyr an hor’ or by other defamatory and scandalous words similar to these, and […] the same ill-fame and scandal [and] he propounds jointly, severally and concerning any of these points, as before.
m Also, the said plaintiff propounds and it is articled that before this said defamation and the imputation of the said crime, the aforesaid John Mynshull and Sir Gilbert Lightfoot have been and were, and either of them has been and was, men of good fame, […] opinions and taken, held, known and reputed as such between close friends and neighbours.
m Also, the said plaintiff propounds and it is articled that by occasion and reason of this said defamation and these crimes or […] and good fame of the said John Mynshull and Sir Gilbert and, and either of them, are grievously injured, burdened […] their relatives and neighbours and also among good and substantial persons to the grave danger of the soul of Alice Scariot and to no small prejudice and damage to the said John and Sir Gilbert and the pernicious example of Christian faithful, and he propounds as before.
m Also, the same plaintiff propounds and it is articled that all and singular the premises were and are true, public, notorious, flagrant and public voice and fame were circulating of and upon the same, just as they are circulating at present, in the parish of Warmingham and other places neighbouring the same.
[1] kirtle = a gown or skirt
[2] strong = (of a crime) gross or flagrant
Transcript
[5/1/6 image 2]
m Item ponit et articulatur pars actrix predicta quod prefata Alicia Scaryot fuit et est dicte cant’ provincie […]
subdita et subiecta ac pro huiusmodi tenta habita atque palam publice et notorie cognita et reputata
m Item ponit et articulatur dicta pars actrix quod prefata Alicia Scariot premissorum non ignora imo salutis anime sue immem[or spiritu]
maligno ducta mense Aprilis presenti et currenti anno domini millesimo quingentesimo xxxiiijto videlicet die […]
pasche vltimo peracte in Ecclesia parochiali de Wermyncham diocesis antedicte palam et publice coram populi multitudine
tunc ibidem congregata falso nequiter et maliciose atque ex odij fomite prefatos Johannem Mynshull et dominum gil[bertum]
ac eorum vtrique crimina subscripta imposuit videlicet quod cum quidam Edmundus Kynse dicte parochie tem[pore] […]
[…] dictam Aliciam Scaryot quis causauerat ipsam Aliciam diffamare Agnetam vxorem eiusdem Edmundi
dicta Alicia Scaryot palam et publice respondebat Mary that did John Mynshull for he promised to geve [a]
kyrtyll for to sclaunder hyr to be a stronge hore et per alia verba diffamatoria hijs consimilia et p[…]
m Item ponit et articulatur eadem pars actrix quod prefata Alicia Scaryot tempore et loco predictis ac tunc statim ab eodem Edmundo […]
causauerat seu instigauerat ipsam Aliciam diffamare dictam Agnetam vxorem suam super adulterio cum q[uodam]
commisso Respondebat palam et publice Syr gilbert lightfote counseled and caused me so to sklaunder
hyr an hor vel per alia verba diffamatoria et scandalosa hijs consimilia et eandem infameam et <idem> scandalum […]
ponit coniunctim et diuisim ac de quolibet ut supra
m Item ponit et articulatur dicta pars actrix quod ante huiusmodi dictam diffamacionem et dictum criminum imposicionem prefati Johannes [Mynshull et dominus]
Gilbertus lightfote fuerunt et erant viri et eorum vterque fuit et erat vir bone fame opinionis […]
et vt tales inter proximos et vicinos habiti tenti cogniti et reputati
m Item ponit et articulatur dicta pars actrix quod occasione et pretextu dicte diffamacionis huiusmodi et dictorum criminum seu cu[…]
et bona fama dictorum Johannis Mynshull et dominum gillbertum ac eorum vtriusque enormiter leduntur grauantur […]
vicinos et proximos suos etiam bonos et graues in anime Alicie Scaryot graue periculum dictorum [Johannis et domini Gilberti]
ac vtriusque eorundem preiudicium non modicum et grauamen ac aliorum christifidelium exemplum perniciosum et p[onit ut supra]
m Item ponit et articulatur eadem pars actrix quod omnia et singula premissa fuerunt et sunt vera publica notoria manifesta [atque de]
et super eisdem in parochia de Wermyncham predicta ac locis alijs eidem convicinis laborarunt et in presenti l[aborant publica vox et fama]
Original Document
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Translation
[5/1/6 image 3]
Whereupon, due proof being made, as required by law in the premises, the party of the said John Mynshull and Sir Gilbert Lightfoot, and either of them severally, prays that the aforesaid Alice Scariot, by occasion and reason of the premises, has culpably sustained and incurred major excommunication issued ipso facto in the manner as is aforesaid in the said constitution of the province, and is and was bound and […] by that, and is pronounced, decreed such and as such should be publicly denounced and the said Alice Scariot should be canonically punished for such excess of temerity, according to the due requirement of law: and will be condemned in the lawful costs of this suit incurred and […] on behalf of the said John and Sir Gilbert and either of them, and, having been condemned, will be canonically obliged and compelled to the real payment of the same by you passing your definitive sentence in that behalf, lord judge aforesaid; and furthermore that what is of law and reason in the premises may be done, established and decreed; the plaintiff aforesaid propounds the premises and prays that they are be done jointly and severally, not obliging himself to prove all and singular the premises, but so far as he has proved in the premises thus far may he obtain in the petitions, always reserving the benefit of law in all things, humbly imploring your office in the premises, lord judge.
Transcript
[5/1/6 image 3]
Vnde facta fide in premisis de Jure requisita petit pars dictorum Johannis Mynshull et domini Gilberti light[fote]
vtriusque per se diuisim prefatam Aliciam Scariot premissorum occasione et pretextu in dictam maiorem excommu[nicacionis]
constitucionem provincie modo quo prefertur latam ipso facto dampnabiliter incidisse et incurrisse ac ea ligatam et […]
[…] fuisse et esse atque pro tali et ut tales denunciandam publice debere pronunciari decerni et [dictam]
Aliciam Scaryot pro tanto sue temeritatis excessu iuxta Juris debitam exigentiam canonice [puniri]
Atque in expensis legitimis huius <litis> per partem dictorum Johannis et domini gilberti ac eorum vtriusque factis et […]
condempnari condempnatamque ad realem solucionem earundem canonice cogi et compelli per vos et v[estram sententiam]
difinitiuam in hac parte ferendam domine Judex antedicte Uleriusque fieri statui et decerni in [premissis]
quod Juris fuerit et racionis Premissa proponit et fieri petit pars actrix antedicta 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 saluo vestrum officium domine Judex in premissis humiliter implorando
Original Document
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Translation
[5/1/6 image 4]
[Endorsement]
Mynshull
against Scariot
Lightfoot
[in pencil in a different hand]
1534
/6
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[5/1/6 image 4]
[Endorsement]
Mynshull
contra Scariot
Lightfoot
[in pencil in a different hand]
1534
/6
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
People
John Minshull – plaintiff
Sir Gilbert Lightfoot – plaintiff
Alice Scariot – defendant
Agnes Kinsey – mentioned in the libel
Edmund Kinsey – mentioned in the libel
Officials
Richard Smyth – official of the archdeacon of Chester