Ref: EDC 5/13/7

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[5/13/7 image 1]

In the name of God, Amen: before you, the venerable George Wilmesley, Bachelor of Laws, 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 under Christ of the English and Irish church, for deciding ecclesiastical causes within Chester diocese appointed by the right reverend father in Christ, John, by divine permission lord bishop of Chester, by the same authority lawfully deputed vicar general in spirituals and official principal of his Consistory Court or your commissary or any other judge whomsoever competent in this respect; the party of the worthy woman, Joan Carter, of the parish of Middlewich, against Randle Carter, her pretended husband, of the same parish of Chester diocese and of your jurisdiction and also against any other person whomsoever lawfully intervening before you in judgement for the same says, alleges and propounds in these writings in law jointly and severally in the manner which follows […] Randle and Joan contracted matrimony together and caused it to be solemnised in the face of the church, and have lived together as man and wife in conjugal duty for some months and years, mutually providing conjugal rights, however, Joan is not required by law to live with the aforesaid Randle or to provide conjugal rights to the same in that and because the aforesaid Randle Carter in the months of March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, January or February in the years of our Lord 1551 and 1552 or in any of those months and years in any one of them or another, sinning against conjugal law and violating the marriage bed within the said parish of Middlewich carnally knew and knows and had and has at present an adulterous relationship with a certain Joyce Grastie and that all and singular the premises were and are true, public, notorious, flagrant and well known and public voice and fame were and are at present circulating regarding and concerning this in the said parish of Middlewich and in other parishes neighbouring the same. Whereupon due proof being made as required by law in this regard, the party of the said Joan Carter prays that right and justice may effectively be done and administered to her upon all and singular the premises and that by occasion and reason of the premises she, Joan, will be divorced, separated and absolved from bed and board and also from cohabitation and mutual rights and conjugal duties with the said Randle Carter, and they, will be decreed, pronounced and declared as thus separated and absolved by you and passing your definitive sentence or your final decree in that respect, distinguished judge aforesaid. And otherwise, that what will have been of right and reason in the premises and anything concerning them may be done, established and decreed. The party of the said Joan Carter propounds the premises and prays that they will be done jointly and severally, not binding herself to prove all and singular the premises, nor to the burden of a superfluous proof, against which she protests but so far as she shall prove in the premises so much may she obtain of the petitions always reserving the benefit of law in all things, humbly imploring your office in the premises, distinguished judge aforesaid.

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[5/13/7 image 2]

[Endorsement]

Libel of Joan Carter against Randle Carter in a cause of divorce.

[Written the other way up.]

Answer of Randle Carter […] he says that they were married in Middlewich church […] years ago and lived together for 7 years and had 5 children and […] 13 years et cetera and about […] Joyce Grastie for the space […] and had carnal knowledge of her and as it is […]

[in pencil in a different hand]

/7

1552

[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]

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