Ref: EDC 5/1560/2
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 1560/2. TILSTON John Fytton wife of Robert Fytton c Ralph Leche for saying to Joan “Thou art a nawghty harlot with other similar words” which were spoken in the Town fylde of Cardesey – libel.
Summary:
Joan Fitton, wife of Robert Fitton, contra Ralph Leche
Original Document
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Translation
[1560/2 image 1]
[…] the party of the honest woman, Joan Fitton, wife of Robert Fitton, of Carden in the parish of Tilston of Chester diocese against Ralph Leche of the said parish and diocese and of your jurisdiction and against any other whomsoever lawfully intervening before you in judgement for the same by way of complaint and complaining to you in this behalf propounds says, alleges and propounds in these writings in law jointly, severally and in articles as follows:
1 Firstly, that all and singular subordinates and subjects of this realm of England who speak, utter, assert, express or declare abuse, disparagement or insulting, opprobrious, vexatious, disparaging, scandalous and defamatory words of any person against public morals, sounding or tending to the injury or denigration of the good fame of any person, were and are to be canonically corrected and punished and are to be obliged and compelled to desist and to completely abstain from these abuses, disparagements and defamatory words in future; and he propounds jointly, severally and concerning any of these points.
2 Also, that the said Ralph Leche, not being ignorant of the premises but heedless of the welfare of his soul, being induced, as it is believed, by an evil spirit, grievously defamed the said Joan Fitton, previously in no way defamed, in the months of July, August and September last, namely in the one thousand five hundred and sixtieth year of our Lord now current, or in any of those months, in one or other, of and upon the crime of incontinence, and he proffered these defamatory words to the same Joan Fitton, with intent to defame her, in the place called ‘the Commen Town fylde of Carden’ namely ‘Thow art a nowghty[1] harlot’ or he proffered other words similar to these and importing the same effect, as will become clear and appear by lawful proofs in the event of this suit; and he propounds jointly, severally and concerning any of these points.
3 Also, that by occasion and reason of this defamation and of the crime and the utterance, assertion and declaration of the defamatory words aforesaid, the status and good fame of the said Joan Fitton are seriously injured and harmed and the said Joan Fitton is at some trouble and expense and otherwise and for other reasons in many ways wearied, vexed, oppressed, burdened and perturbed, and among and between good and substantial people of less reputation and favour and good and substantial people have ascribed and given, and at present ascribe and give, less trust and favour to the same Joan by reason of the premises; and he propounds as before.
[1] Naughty – here means immoral.
Transcript
[1560/2 image 1]
[…] Pars honeste mulieris Joanne fytton vxoris Roberti
fytton [de] Carden in parochie de Tylston Cestrensis diocesis contra et
aduersus Radulphum leche dicte parochie et diocesis et vestre Jurisdiccionis
ac contra quemcunque alium coram vobis pro eodem in Judicio legitime
Interuenientem per viam querele et vobis in hac parte querelando
dicit allegat et in hijs scriptis in Jure proponit Coniunctim et diuisim
atque articulatim prout Sequitur
1 In primis Quod omnes et singuli huius Regni anglie subditi et subiecti
qui Convicia vituperia verba ve Contumeliosa opprobriosa
calumpniosa vilipendiosa scandalosa et diffamatoria ad
alicuis bone fame lesionem seu denigrationem sonantia vel tendentia
contra bonos mores de aliquo dicunt emittunt asserunt proferunt
seu predicant fuerunt et Sunt Canonice Corrigendi et puniendi
et vt ab huiusmodi Convicijs vituperijs et verbis diffamatorijs
desistant et Se penitus abstineant in futurum Cogendi et
Compellendi Et ponit Coniunctim diuisim et de quolibet
2 Item Quod dictus Radulphus leche premissorum non ignarus
immo anime sue salutis immemor spritu vt creditur maligno
ductus dictam Joannam fytton proprius minime diffamatam
mensis Julij Augusti et Septembris vltimo elapsis videlicet in Anno domini millesimo
quingentesimo Sexagesimo iam instanti eorumve mensium vno siue
aliquo de et super Crimine incontinentie grauiter diffamauit et
hec verba diffamatoria eidem Joanne fytton in loco vocato the
Commen Town fylde of Carden protulit animo diffamando
eadem videlicet Thow art a nowghty harlot seu alia
verba hijs similia et eundem effectum importantia
protulit provt in eventu huius litis per probationes legitimas
liquebit et apparebit Et ponit Coniunctim diuisim et de quolibet
3 Item Quod occatione et pretextu huismodi diffamationis criminiumque
et Conviciorum ac verborum diffamatorium predictorum emissionem
assertionem et predicationem status et bona fama dicte Joanne
fytton leduntur grauantur et attenuantur dictaque Joanna
fytton fuit et est in nonnullis laboribus et expensis ac alias
et aliunde mulipliciter fatigata vexita grauata onerata et pertur-
bata ac apud et inter bonos et graues minorum reputacionis
et fauoris bonique et graues adhibuerunt et dederunt adhibentque
et dant in presenti eidem Joanne fytton minorem fidem atque
fauorem pretextu premissorum Et ponit vt supra
Original Document
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Translation
[1560/2 image 2]
4 Also, that before the assertion and declaration of these defamatory words the aforesaid Joan Fitton was a woman of good fame, unblemished reputation and honest conversation and among and between good and substantial people and previously in no way defamed; and he propounds as before.
5 Also, that the said Ralph Leche was and is of the parish of Tilston of Chester diocese and for that reason notoriously subordinate and subject to your jurisdiction; and he propounds jointly, severally and concerning any of these points.
6 Also, that it was and is on behalf of the said Joan Fitton that complaint is rightly and lawfully made to you, lord judge aforesaid, and to your Chester consistory court; and he propounds as before.
7 Also, all and singular the premises were and are true, public, notorious, manifest and equally well known and public voice and fame were and are circulating regarding and concerning this in the parishes of Tilston and Tattenhall and in other parishes and public places.
Whereupon, due proof being made, as required by law in this regard, the party of the said Joan Fitton prays that right and a complement of justice may be done and administered to her in all and singular the premises and that it will be decreed that the said Ralph Leche should be corrected for the expression and declaration of the aforementioned defamatory words according to the due requirement of law, and obliged and compelled to desist and to completely abstain in future from these abuses, disparagements and defamatory words and also that he will be condemned in the lawful costs incurred on the part of the said Joan Fitton in this matter, and he protests those to be incurred, and having been condemned, that he will be canonically obliged and compelled to the due and real payment of the same by your passing your definitive sentence in that behalf, lord judge aforesaid; 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. The party of the said Joan Fitton propounds the premises and prays that they are done jointly and severally, not binding himself to prove all and singular the premises, nor to the burden of superfluous proof, about which he protests, but so far as he shall prove in the premises so much may he obtain of the petitions, always reserving the benefit of law in all things, humbly imploring your office in the premises, lord judge aforesaid.
Transcript
[1560/2 image 2]
[4 Item Quod predicta Joanna fytton ante huiusmodi verborum
diffamatorium] assertionem
et pre[dica]tionem et vsque a[d ea] fuit mulier [bone] fame opinionis
illese et Conuersacionis honeste ac apud [et in]ter bonos et
graues proprius minime diffamata [Et p]onit vt supra
5 Item Quod dictus Radulphus leche fuit et est parochie de tylston
Cestrensis diocesis et eo pretextu vestre Jurisdiccioni notorie Subditus
et Subiectus Et ponit Coniunctim diuisim et de quolibet
6 Item Quod fuit et est ex parte dicte Joanne Fytton ad vos
dominum Judicem antedictum et ad Curiam vestram Consistorialem
Cestrensem Rite et legitime querelatum Et ponit vt supra
7 Item Quod premissa omnia et Singula fuerunt et sunt
vera publica notoria manifesta pariter et famosa atque de
et super huiusmodi in parochijs de Tylston et Tetnall et alijs parochijs
et locis publicis laborarunt et laborant publica vox et fama
Vnde facta fide de Jure in hac parte requisita petit pars
dicte Joanne fytton Jus et Justiciam ac Complementum
Justicie sibi in premissis omnibus et singulis fieri et ministrari
Ac dictum Radulphus leche pro supradictorum verborum diffamatorum
prolacionem et predicationem predictorum iuxta Juris debitam exigentiam
Corrigendum fore debere decerni et vt ab huiusmodi convicijs
vituperijs et verbis diffamatorijs desistat et se penitus abstineat
in futuro cogi et Compelli Necnon in expensis legitimis per partem
dicte Joanne fytton in hac parte factis et protestatur de fiendis
Condempari ac Condempnatum ad realem solucionem
earundem Canonice Cogi et Compelli per vos et vestram sententiam
diffinitiuam in hac parte ferendam domine Judex antedicte
Vlteriusque fieri statui et decerni in premissis et in ea concernentibus
quibuscunque quod Juris fuerit et Rationis Premissa proponit
et fieri petit pars dicte Joanne fytton Coniunctim et diuisim 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 Juris beneficio in omnibus
semper Saluo vestrum officium in premissis domine Judex antedicte
humiliter Implorando
Original Document
Click to view fullscreen
Translation
[1560/2 image 3]
[The original endorsement is illegible.]
[in pencil]
/2
1560
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[1560/2 image 3]
[The original endorsement is illegible.]
[in pencil]
/2
1560
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
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