Ref: EDC 5/13/6
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 5/13/6 – Sentence in defam. cause: John Sygar gent. v. Margaret wife of Thomas Palen of Bunbury. 30 Jul. 1552.
Summary:
John Segar contra Margaret Palen, wife of Thomas Palen.
This cause was initially brought jointly by John Segar and his wife, Katherine, but she was no longer a party to the proceedings by the time the sentence was passed (EDC 1/13, ff. 5v, 27v, 45v, 52, 57, 64, 73v, 76v, 79v, 82, 84v, 89, 98v, 103, 109).
Original Document
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Translation
[5/13/6 image 1]
In the name of God, Amen: the merits and circumstances of a certain cause of defamation or abuse which is disputed and depending undecided having been heard, seen, understood and fully investigated by us, George Wilmesley, Bachelor of Laws, appointed official principal of the royal Chester ecclesiastical court by the right reverend father, John, by divine permission lord bishop of Chester sufficiently and lawfully deputed for the exercising of spiritual and ecclesiastical jurisdiction within Chester diocese by the supreme authority of the most illustrious Prince in Christ and our master, lord Edward the sixth, by the grace of God king of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith and on earth supreme head of the English and Irish church under Christ, rightly and lawfully proceeding, between John Segar, gentleman, the complainant on the one part and Margaret Palen, wife of Thomas Palen of the parish of Bunbury of the said Chester diocese, the defendant and party complained of on the other part; the parties aforesaid appearing sufficiently and lawfully before us namely the plaintiff by Tristram Swadaill and the defendant by William Withens, substitute for Bower, her proctor; and the party of the aforesaid John Segar, urgently praying and seeking that sentence is passed and that justice may be done to his party while the party of the aforesaid Margaret Palen also urgently praying and seeking justice for her party.
The whole and entire proceedings had and done in this cause before us having first been examined and diligently considered by us and also matters which according to law should be observed in this respect having been observed by us we have thus thought fit to proceed to making the pronouncement of our definitive sentence or our final decree in the said cause, and we do proceed in this manner which follows:
Forasmuch as we clearly know and find by the acts enacted, set forth, propounded, alleged, proved and confessed before us in the aforesaid cause, that the party of the aforesaid John Segar his claim set forth in a certain libel of his judicially given and offered before us in this respect (the tenor of which libel follows and is such; In the name of God, Amen; before you, the venerable Master George Wilmesley, Bachelor of Laws, official principal of the Chester king’s ecclesiastical consistory court appointed by the right reverend father in Christ, John, by divine permission lord bishop of Chester sufficiently and lawfully deputed for the exercising of spiritual and ecclesiastical jurisdiction within the whole of the said Chester diocese by the supreme authority of the most illustrious Prince in Christ and our lord, Edward the sixth, by the grace of God lord king of England, France and
Transcript
[5/13/6 image 1]
[In dei Nomine amen Auditis visis intellectis ac plenarie discussis per nos Georgium Wymesley in Legibus baccallaureum curie regie ecclesiastice consistorialis cestrensis officialem ]
principalem per Reuerendum patrem et [dominum] dominum Jo[hannem permissione diuina] cestrensem episcopum ad exercendum iur[isdictionem] spiritualem [et ecclesiasticam infra totam]
diocesem cestrensem auctoritate suprema Illustrissimi [in christo principis et]
domini nostri domini Edwardi sexti dei gracia [anglie francie et ]
hibernie Regis fidei defensoris et in terris ecclesie anglica[ne et]
hibernice sub christo capitis supremi fulcitum sufficienter et
legitime deputatum meritis et circumstancijs cuiusdam cause de[fa]-
macionis siue convicij que coram nobis inter Johannem Sy[gar]
generosum partem querelantem ex vna et Margaretam Palyn vx[orem]
Thome Palen parochie de Bunburye dicte cestrensis diocesis par[tem]
ream et querelatam partibus ex altera vertitur et pendet
indecisa rite et legitime procedentes partibus predictis coram nobis
sufficienter et legitime comparentibus <videlicet actrice per tristram et parte rea per Withens substituti Bower proc[uratoris eo]> Parteque prefati Johannis Syg[ar]
sentenciam ferri et iusticiam fieri pro parte sua parte
vero prefate Margarete Palyn iusticiam eciam pro parte sua
instanter postulantibus et petentibus
Visis primitus per nos <et diligenter inspectis> toto et
inte[gro pro]cessu coram nobis in huiusmodi causa habito et facto atque dili-
gent[er rec]ensitis servatis eciam [per nos d]e iure servandis in hac
parte
ad sententie nostre diffinitiue siue d[ecreti] nostri finalis in dicta causa
ferendum prolacionem sic duximus procedendum et procedimus in
hunc qui sequitur modum
Quia per acta inactita deducta
proposita allegata probata et confessata coram nobis in p[refata]
causa comperimus luculenter et invenimus partem prefati Johanni
Sygar intencionem suam in quodam suo libello coram nobis in hac
parte iudicaliter dato et oblato deductam cuius quidem libelli tenor
sequitur et est talis In dei nomine Amen Coram vobis
venerabili viro Magistro georgio Wymesleye in Legibus bac[cal]–
laureo curie regie ecclesiastice <consistorialis> cestrensis officiale principali per Reuerendum in christo patrem et dominum dominum Johannem permissione diuina Cestrensem
episcopum ad exerce[ndum iurisdictionem] spiritualem et ecclesiasticam infra dictam d[iocesem]
cestrensem auc[toritate suprema] Illustrissimi in christo principis et
domini nostri [domini Edwardi] sexti dei gracia Anglie Francie et
Original Document
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Translation
[5/13/6 image 2]
and Ireland, Defender of the Faith and on earth supreme head of the English and Irish church, or any other judge whomsoever competent in this regard, the party of John Segar, gentleman, of the parish of Bunbury of Chester diocese, against Margaret Palen of the said parish and diocese and also against any other person or persons whomsoever lawfully intervening before you in judgement for the same etc. which certain libel we hold as here read and recorded and we wish to be held as sufficiently and fully founded and equally proved and that nothing effectual has been or is excepted, set forth, alleged, proved nor confessed on the part or behalf of the said Margaret Palen which could destroy or in any way weaken the claim of the said John Segar in this respect.
Therefore we, George Wilmesley, official principal aforesaid, having first called upon the name of Christ, and setting and having God himself alone before our eyes from and with the advice of the learned in the law with whom we have consulted in this behalf pronounce, decree and declare that the said Margaret Palen is corrected and punished according to the due requirement of law in that she wickedly, falsely and maliciously defamed the said John Segar, gentleman, among good and substantial people of and upon the crime of heresy or heretical depravity just as is evident, is clear and appears to us from the proofs in this respect, and uttered and spoke these abusive and defamatory words of the aforesaid John, upon which crime (as it is apparent to us the same John was never detected or […] by reason of which the said John Segar was and is burdened and vexed by very many troubles, expenses and burdens) and we also pronounce and decree that the same Margaret Palen is compelled to abstain from these scandalous, dishonourable and defamatory words in future and we impose perpetual silence upon the same Margaret Palen about these scandalous words and we also condemn the said Margaret in the lawful expenses incurred and to be incurred on the part of the said John Segar, gentleman, in this respect by this our definitive sentence or our final decree which we pass and publish in these writings; while reserving taxation of these costs to us in this matter, and we do reserve it.
Transcript
[5/13/6 image 2]
[et hibernie Regis fidei defensoris et in terris ecclesiæ anglicane et hibernice supremi capitis fulcitum sufficienter et legitime deputatum seu alio iudice in hac parte competenti quocunque Pars Johannis Sygar]
paroch[ie de] Bunberye cestrensis diocesis generosi [contra et aduersus]
[Mar]garetam Palyn dicte parochie et diocesis necnon [contra quemcunque alium seu]
alios coram vobis in iudicio legitime interv[enientem] pro
[eodem] et cetera quem quidem libellum pro hic lecto et inscripto habemus [et hab]eri
volumus sufficienter et ad plenum fundasse pariter et probasse
Nihilque effectuale ex parte aut per partem dicte Margarete Palyn
fuisse aut esse in hac parte exceptum deductum allegatum probatum nec
confessatum quod intencionem dicti Johannis Sygar in hac parte
elideret seu quomodolibet enarvaret
Idcirco Nos Georgius
Wymesley officialis principalis antedictus christi nomine primitus
invocato ac ipsum solum deum pre occulis nostris preponentes et
habentes de et cum consilio iurisperitorum cum quibus in hac parte
communicauimus dictam Margaretam Palyn (pro eo <ipsam> dictum Johannem
Sigar generosum de et super criminem hereseos siue heretice pravitatis
pro <vt> ex probatis in hac parte nobis constat liquis et apparet nequiter
falso et maliciose <apud bonos et gravis ac publice> diffamauit et huiusmodi verba conviciose
et diffamatoria de predicte Johanne protulit et dixit super quo
crimine (quatenus nob[is con]stat) idem Johannes prius [nunquam] fuit aut est
detectus aut […]uatus quorum occasio[ne dictus] Johannes Sygar
pluribus lab[oribus] expensis et oneribus […] <fuit et est> oneratus et
vexatus) iuxta iu[ris] debitam exigentiam corrigendum et puniendum
fore pronunciamus decernimus et declaramus ac
eadem Margaretam Palyn ab huiusmodi scandalosis contumeliosis et
diffamatorijs verbis imposterum abstinere compellendum fore
itidem pronunciamus et decernimus eidemque Margarete <Palen> de huiusmodi
verbis <scandalosis> silencium perpetuum imponimus Necnon <est eandem Margaretam> in expensis legitimjs
per partem dicti Johannis Sygar generosi in hac parte factis et
faciendis condempnamus per hanc nostram sententiam diffinitiuam
siue nostrum finale decretum quam siue quod ferimus et promul-
gamus in hijs scriptis Taxationem vero huiusmodi expensarum nobis
in hac parte reservando et res[ervamus]
Original Document
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Translation
[5/13/6 image 3]
This sentence was read on the 30th day of the month of July in the year of our Lord 1552 with these being then present there, Sir Roger Bennet, vicar of St Oswald’s in the city of Chester, John Ball, chaplain and Henry Snape, witnesses.
Transcript
[5/13/6 image 3]
Lecta fuit h[uiusmodi sententia]
xxx [die mensis July anno]
domini 1552 [presentibus tunc ibidem domino]
Rogero Ben[net vicario sancti oswaldi ciuitatis cestrie Johanno Ball capellano]
et Henrico s[n]ape testibus[1]
[1] The names of the wintnesses are taken from the court Act Book (EDC 1.13 f. 82) except that Henry Snape, whose name can be read on this document was listed in the Act Book as a witness to the next sentence, rather than this one. James Burroes is listed in the Act Book as witness to this sentence in the place of Henry Snape.
Original Document
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Translation
[5/13/6 image 4]
[Endorsement]
[…] defamation read and passed 30th of July in the year 1552.
[in pencil in a different hand]
/6
1552
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2025 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[5/13/6 image 4]
[Endorsement]
[…]
[d]iffamationis Lecta et
Lata xxxo Julij
Anno 1552do
[in pencil in a different hand]
/6
1552
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2025 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
People
John Segar – plaintiff
Margaret Palen – defendant
Roger Bennett, vicar of St Oswalds – witness to the sentence
John Ball – witness to the sentence
Henry Snape – witness to the sentence
Officials
George Wilmesley – official principal
Notes
This cause stemmed from an argument between the parties. Witnesses deposed that John Segar had killed some of Margaret Palen’s ducks and thrown them into her yard, she threw them back and he threw them over again. In the course of this dispute ‘lowde wordis’ were exchanged and Margaret called John a heretic. No witness confirmed that his reputation or ‘fame’ had suffered as a result but Margaret was found to have defamed him (EDC 2/5 ff. 21, 86-88).