Ref: EDC 5/14/1
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 5/14/1 – Libel in matrim. cause: Elizabeth Smyth alias Rixton v. Giles Smyth & Margaret Barrington of Rostherne. Jun. 1553.
Summary:
Elizabeth Smyth, otherwise Rixton, contra Giles Smyth and Margaret Barington.
Original Document
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Translation
[5/14/1 image 1]
[…] supreme, 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, appointed, sufficiently and lawfully deputed or any other judge whomsoever competent in this respect; the party of Elizabeth Smyth, otherwise Rixton, against Giles Smyth of the parish of [blank] and of Chester diocese, her husband, and Margaret Barington of the parish of Rostherne if and to the extent that she considers that she should appear and also against any other person or persons whomsoever lawfully intervening before you in judgement for the same or either of them by way of complaint and complaining to you in this behalf and by every better way, method and form of law by which, according to law, he was or is able to follow and to every effect of law which will be or is able to follow therefrom says, alleges and propounds in these writings in law in articles as follows:
1 Firstly, that the said Giles Smyth and Elizabeth Smyth, otherwise Rixton, free and equally at liberty from all matrimonial contract, well known to be in this freedom and liberty contracted together a true, unconditional and lawful marriage 16, 15 or 14 years ago by appropriate words of present consent or, at least, espousals lawfully expressing their mutual consent, and they confirmed this, thus contacted, by sexual intercourse; and he propounds jointly and severally and concerning any of these points.
2 Also, that the said Giles Smith, led, as it is believed, by an evil spirit, without the guidance or advice of his parents and friends and heedless of the health of his soul thereafter, namely about the feast of the holy apostles Phillip and James[1] 13 or 14 years now last past, notwithstanding the premises, contracted de facto illicitly and invalidly a certain pretended marriage, or in reality a semblance of a marriage, with the said Margaret Barington and he procured or rather prophaned that pretended marriage or semblance of a marriage to be solemnised in the face of the church, about the time aforesaid; and he propounds jointly and severally and concerning any of these points.
[1] This feast was celebrated on 1st May.
Transcript
[5/14/1 image 1]
[…] sup[rem]a Illustriss[imi in] christo principis et domini nostri [domini]
Edwardi sexti dei g[racia] Anglie Francie et hibernie Regis
fidei defensoris et in terris ecclesie anglicane et hibernice
supremi capitis fulcitum sufficienter et legitime deputato
aut alio iudice in hac parte competenti quocunque Pars
Elizabeth Smyth alias Rixton contra et aduersus Egidium
Smyth <parochie de [blank] et Cestrensis diocesis > maritum suum et Margaretam Barington <parochie de Rostorne>
si et quatenus suum putauerit interesse ac contra
quemcunque alium seu alios quoscunque coram vobis in iudicio
Legitime interuenientem pro eijsdem siue eorum altero per viam
querele et vobis in hac parte querelando omnibusque meli-
oribus via modo et iuris forma quibus melius aut
efficacius de iure debuit aut debet atque ad omnem
iuris effectum qui exinde sequi poterit aut potest dicit
allegat et in hijs scriptis in iure proponit articulatim prout
sequitur
1. Inprimis quod dicti Egidius Smyth et Elizabeth Smyth alias
Rixton ab omni contractu matrimoniali liberi pariter
et immunis atque in huiusmodi libertate et immunitate notorie
existentes xvj xv aut xiiij Abhuic annis matrimo-
nium verum purum et legitimum per verba de presenti ad hoc
apta seu saltem sponsalia eorum mutuum consensum
exprimencia legitime adinvicem contraxherunt et illud
sic contractum per carnalem copulam confirmauerunt Et
ponit coniunctim diuisim et de quolibet
2. Item quod dictus Egidius Smyth spiritu ductus (vt creditur)
maligno, sine parentium et Amicorum suorum suasu et
consilio, ac sue anime salutis Imemor postea videlicet circiter
festum sanctorum Apostolorum Philippi et Jacobi adhuic xiijci aut
xiiijcum Annis iam elapsis premissis non obstantibus quoddam
pretensum matrimonium imo verius effigiem matrimonij de
facto illicite et invalide cum dicta Margareta Barington
contraxhit ac illud pretensum matrimonium seu potius effigiem
matrimonij in facie ecclesie solempnizari seu verius propha-
nari obtinuit circiter tempus predictum Et ponit coniunctim
diuisim et de quolibet
Original Document
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Translation
[5/14/1 image 2]
3 Also, that it was and is on the part and behalf of Elizabeth Smyth, otherwise Rixton, that this action is rightly and lawfully brought to you, lord judge aforesaid; and he propounds jointly and severally and concerning any of these points.[1]
5 Also, that all and singular the premises were and are true, public, notorious, manifest and equally famous, and public voice and fame were and are circulating regarding and concerning the same in the parish of Knutsford and Prestbury and in other places neighbouring and surrounding the same. Whereupon, due proof being made as required by law in this regard, for the making of which according to the requirements law, the party of the said Elizabeth Smyth, otherwise Rixton, offers herself ready and prepared for justice to be administered to her with effect in the premises and matters concerning them and that the aforesaid pretended marriage between the said Giles Smyth and Margaret Barington de facto contracted and solemnised, or more accurately, profaned and all and singular following therefrom by reason of the premises was and is cancelled, made void and annulled and is pronounced and declared nullified, invalidated and annulled and should not survive in law and was and should be lacking all force in law and that they, Giles Smyth and Margaret Barington in so far as they are joined together de facto will be separated and divorced and a true and lawful marriage contracted and confirmed will be pronounced and declared between the said Giles and Elizabeth Smyth, otherwise Rixton, by you and your definitive sentence or your final decree And otherwise, that what will have been of right and reason in the premises and anything whatsoever concerning them may be done, established and decreed; which the party of the oft-mentioned Elizabeth Smyth, otherwise Rixton, propounds and prays that they are done jointly and severally, not obliging himself to proving all and singular the premises, nor to the burden of superfluous proof, concerning which he protests, but so far as he will have 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 lord judge aforesaid.
[1] There is a part of the manuscript missing at this point and it may be that there is another paragraph as the number of this paragraph has not survived and the next is numbered 5.
Transcript
[5/14/1 image 2]
[ 3] [Item quod fuit et est ex parte]
et per partem [Elizabethe Smyth alias Ryxton ad vos]
dominum iudicem anted[ictum rite et legi]time qu[erel]atum Et poni[t coniunctim]
diuisim et de quolibet
5 Item quod premissa omnia et singula fuerunt et sunt vera
publica notoria manifesta pariter et famosa atque de et super
eijsdem laborarunt et in presenti laborant publica vox et
fama in parochia de Knottesforth <et Presburye> alijsque locis eisdem
vicinis et circumvicinis
Vnde facta fide de iure
in hac parte requisita ad quam faciendam iuxta iuris exigenciam
offert se promptam et paratum pars dicte Elizabethe Smythe alias
Ryxton Justiciam sibi in premissis et ea concernentibus
quibuscunque ministrari cum effectu Atque predictum pretensum matri-
monium inter dictos Egidium Smythe et Margaretam Barington
fuisse et esse de facto contractum et solempnizatum seu verius
prophanatum ac omnia alia et singula inde sequita premissis
pretextu cassari irritari et Annullaru cassumque irritum et
nullum fuisse et esse ac de iure subsistere non debere
viribusque iuris omnino caruisse et carere debere pronunciari
decerni et declarari Ipsosque Egidium Smythe et Margaretam
Barington quatenus de facto sunt coniuncti adinvicem
seperari et diuorciari ac pro vero et legitimo matrimonio inter
dictos Egidium et Elizabeth Smyth alias Ryxton legitime
contracto ac confirmato pronunciari et declarari per vos et
vestram Sententiam diffinitiuam siue vestrum finale decretum
Vlteriusque fieri
statui et decerni que in premissis et ea concernentibus quibuscunque
quod iuris fuerit et racionis Que proponit et fieri petit
pars sepefate Elizabeth Smyth alias Ryxton coniunctim et divisim non arctans
se ad omnia et singula premissa probanda nec ad onus superflue
probacionis de quo protestatur sed quatenus probauerit in
premissis eatenus obtineat in petitis iuris beneficio in omnibus semper
saluo vestrum officium domine iudex antedicte humiliter Implorando
Original Document
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Translation
[5/14/1 image 3]
[Endorsement]
1553, first of June
[in pencil in a different hand]
/1
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2025 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[5/14/1 image 3]
[Endorsement]
[1]553
[pri]mo Junij
[in pencil in a different hand]
/1
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2025 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
People
Elizabeth Smyth, otherwise Rixton – plaintiff
Giles Smyth – defendant
Margaret Barington – defendant
Notes
In this cause the plaintiff alleged that her lawful husband had married in church for a second time while she was still his lawful wife. As this second marriage was contracted some thirteen or fourteen years earlier the reason for the delay in bringing this suit is not clear, perhaps his first wife had only just learned of the second marriage.