Ref: EDC 5/15/1
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 5/15/1 – Sentence in defam. cause: George Whrenhalle of Eccleston v. Lawrence Finch of same. 6 Apr. 1554.
Summary:
George Wrenhalle contra Lawrence Fynch.
Original Document
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Translation
[5/15/1 image 1]
In the name of God, Amen: the merits and circumstances of a certain cause of defamation which was disputed for some time and is still disputed and depending undecided having been heard, seen and understood and fully investigated by us, George Wilmesley, Bachelor of Laws, by the authority of the right reverend father in Christ, George, by divine permission lord bishop of Chester to decide ecclesiastical causes within the diocese of Chester vicar general in spirituals and lawfully deputed official principal of his episcopal consistory between George Wrenhalle of the parish of Eccleston in the county of Lancaster, the party plaintiff and complainant on the one part and Lawrence Fynch of the same parish of Chester diocese and of our jurisdiction, the defendant and party complained of on the other part; rightly and lawfully proceeding the party of the aforesaid George Wrenhalle appearing before personally and through his proctor and party of the said Lawrence Fynch appearing before us through his lawfully constituted proctor; and the party of the said George Wrenhalle seeking that sentence is passed for his party and the party of the said Lawrence Fynch urgently seeking justice for his party.
The whole and entire proceedings had and done in this cause having first been examined by us and diligently considered, and matters which according to law should be observed by us having been observed, 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 know and clearly find by the acts enacted, set forth, alleged, propounded, proved and confessed, that the party of the said George Wrenhalle his claim set forth in a certain libel of his given and offered before us in this cause (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, etc. the party of the honest man, George Wrenhalle, of the parish of Eccleston, against Lawrence Fynch of the same parish of Chester diocese and of your jurisdiction etc. which certain libel we hold as here read and inserted and we wish to be held as sufficiently and fully founded and equally proved and that nothing effectual has been or is set forth, alleged, proved nor confessed on the part or behalf of the said Lawrence Fynch which could destroy or in any way weaken the claim of the said George Wrenhalle in this respect.
Therefore we, George Wilmesley, official principal aforesaid, having first called upon the name of Christ, and having and setting God himself alone before our eyes from and with the advice of the learned in the law with whom we have conferred promptly in this respect pronounce, decree and declare that the aforesaid Lawrence Fynch for such great audacity in defaming the aforesaid George Wrenhalle as is alleged in the said libel and more fully appears, to which libel we refer ourselves in that respect, should be corrected and punished according to the requirement of law by reason of the premises; and we also condemn in the lawful expenses incurred and to be incurred on the part of the said George Wrenhalle in this respect, reserving taxation […] or any other judge whomsoever competent and we do reserve it by this our definitive sentence or our final decree which we pass and publish in these writings.
Transcript
[5/15/1 image 1]
In dei Nomine amen auditis visis et intellectis ac plenarie discussis per nos Georgium Wylmysley in legibus baccallaureum auctoritate
Reuerendi in christo patris et domini nostri domini Georgij permissione diuina Cestrensis Episcopi ad causas ecclesiasticas infra diocesem Cestrensem de[cidendum]
vicarium in spiritualibus generalem ac officialem principalem sui consistorialis Episcopalis legitime deputatum meritis et [circumstan-]
tijs cuiusdam cause diffamationis que coram nobis Inter Georgium Whrenhalle parochie de Eccleston in comitatu lan[castrie]
partem actricem et querelantem ex vna et lawrentium fynch parochie eiusdem Cestrensis diocesis et nostre iurisdictionis partem [ream]
et querelatam partibus ex altera aliquandiu vertebatur et adhuc vertitur et pendet indecisa rite et l[egitime]
procedentes parte prefati Georgij Wrenhalle personaliter et per procuratorem suum parteque dicti lawrentij fynch [per]
procuratorem suum legitime constitutum coram nobis comparentibus parteque dicti Georgij Wrenhalle Sentenciam ferri pro p[arte]
sua petenti [pa]rteque dicti lawrentij fynch Justiciam fieri pro parte sua instanter postulantibus
Rimato p-
[rimit]us per nos atque diligenter inspecto toto et integro processu in huiusmodi causa habito et facto atque seruatis per nos
de Jure in hac parte seruandis ad nostre Sententie diffinitiue siue decreti nostri finalis in dicta causa ferendam <prolationem> sic du[xi]-
mus procedendum et procedimus in hunc qui sequitur modum
Quia per acta Inactita deducta allegata pro[posita]
probata et confe]ssata comperimus et luculenter Invenimus partem dicti Georgij Wrenhalle Intencionem suam in quodam s[uo]
[libello coram no]bis in huiusmodi causa dato et oblato deductam cuius quidem libelli Tenor
sequitur et est talis In dei nomine
[Amen coram] vobis venerabili viro magistro Georgio Wyllmysley in legibus baccallaureo et cetera pars honesti
viri Georgij Wrenhalle parochie de Eccleston contra et aduersus lawrentium fynch parochie eiusdem Cestrensis diocesis
et vestre Jurisdictionis et cetera Quem quidem libellum pro hic lecto et inserto habemus et haberi volumus sufficienter et ad plen[um]
fundasse pariter et probasse nihilque effectuale ex parte aut per partem dicti laurentij fynch fuisse aut esse in hac parte
deductum allegatum probatum nec confessatum quod Intentionem dicti Georgij Wrenhalle in hac parte Elideret seu quomodo
libet Enaru[aret]
Idcirco nos Georgius Wylmysley Officialis principalis antedictus cristi nomine primitus
Invo[cato]
ac ipsum solum deum pre oculis nostris habentes et preponentes de et cum consilio Jurisperitorum cum quibus mature in hac
[p]arte communicauimus prefatum lawrentium fynch pro tanta sua temeritate in diffamando predictum Geo[rgium]
Wrenhalle prout in dicto libello allegatur et plenius apparet ad quem quidem libellum <nos> in hac parte referimus Juxta Juris
[exigentium] corrigendum et pvniendum fore debere pretextu premissorum pronuntiamus decernimus et declaramus necnon
[in expensis] legitimis per partem dicti Georgij Wrenhalle in hac parte factis et fiendis condemnamus Taxationem
[…] aut alio Judici competenti cuicunque reseruando et reseruamus per hanc nostrum Sententiam diffinitiuam siue
[h]oc nostrum finale decretum quam vel quod ferimus et promulgamus in hijs scriptis
Original Document
Click to view fullscreen
Translation
[5/15/1 image 2]
[Endorsement]
This sentence was read by the lord aforesaid on the 6th day of the month of April in the year 1554 with the witnesses as it is recorded in the acts.
Sentence Wrenhalle against Fynch in a cause of defamation.
[in pencil in a different hand]
/1
1554
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2025 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[5/15/1 image 2]
[Endorsement]
[Lecta] fuit huiusmodi sententia per dominum antedictum vjto die mensis aprilis Anno
[15]54 testibus vt in actis inscribitur
Sententia Wrenhall contra fynch in causa diffamationis
[in pencil in a different hand]
/1
1554
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2025 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
People
George Wrenhalle – plaintiff
Lawrence Fynch – defendant
Officials
George Wilmesley – official principal
Notes
The Deposition Books and Act Books for the relevant period have not survived so it is not possible to discover the nature of the libel.