Ref: EDC 5/1580/9
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 5 1580. 9. ASTBURY Jane Asgard c John Leigh of Ridge, Prestbury saying that Jane had a child to her father in law Mr Rode – libel.
Summary:
Jane Agard contra John Legh, esquire, of Ridge and Elizabeth Legh, widow, of Ridge
The alleged defamation was that Jane had had a child, fathered by a servant of Mr Rode. Mr Rode was said to be her father-in-law, but as she is described is ‘virginis’ from ‘virgo’ this presumably does not mean the father of her husband, but her stepfather.
Original Document
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Translation
[1580/9 image 1]
In the name of God, Amen; before you, worshipful Master Robert Leche, Doctor of Laws, rightly and lawfully deputed official principal of the Chester episcopal consistory court, or your deputy or any other judge whomsoever competent in this regard, the party of the honest and gentle maiden, Jane Agard, of the parish of Astbury of Chester diocese against John Legh, esquire, of Ridge of the parish of Prestbury and Elizabeth Legh, widow, of Ridge of the parish and diocese aforesaid and of your jurisdiction and against any other person or persons whomsoever lawfully intervening before you in judgement for the same, by way of complaint and complaining to you in this behalf 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, disparagements or opprobrious, disparaging, scandalous or defamatory words sounding or tending to the injury or denigration of the good fame of any person against public morals 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 part thereof.
2 Also, that the said John Legh and Elizabeth Legh, not being ignorant of all of the premises but forgetful of the welfare of their souls, being induced, as it is believed, by an evil spirit, in the months of March, April, May, June, July and August in the year of our Lord 1580, now current, or in any of those months whatsoever, in one or other of them, within the parish of Prestbury and other parishes and places neighbouring and surrounding the same and under your jurisdiction they, and either of them, seriously and grievously defamed the said Jane Agard, previously in no way defamed, saying these following defamatory words in English to the said Jane Agard, or of her, maliciously and by reason of hatred ‘that she’ meaning the said Jane Agard ‘had borne a childe begotten by [blank] Wedgwood late servant to Mr Rode her father in lawe’ or the said John and Elizabeth Legh expressed and uttered other defamatory, scandalous and disparaging words similar in effect to these and importing the same effect to the said Jane Agard, or of her, before trustworthy witnesses as will come to be proved more fully in the event of this suit; and he propounds and articles jointly, severally and concerning any part thereof.
Transcript
[1580/9 image 1]
In dei Nomine Amen [coram vobis vobis venerabili viro Magistro Roberto]
Lech legum doctore Cu[rie] Consistorialis Episcopalis Cestrensis [officiali principali]
rite et legitime deputato vestroue deputato aut alio Ju[dice in hac parte]
competenti quocunque Pars honeste et generose virg[inis] Jane
Agard parochie de Astbury Cestrensis diocesis contra et aduersus
Johannem Leighe de Ridge parochie de Prestbury Armigerum et Elizabetham
Leighe de Ridge viduam parochie et diocesis predictis ac vestre Jurisdicionis
ac contra quemcunque alium seu quoscunque alios pro eijsdem coram
vobis [in Judicio legitime intervenientem per viam querele et vobis] in hac parte querelando dicit allegat et in hijs scriptis
in Jure proponit coniunctim diuisim atque Articulatim provt sequitur
1 Inprimis quod omnes et singuli huius Regni Anglie subditi et subiecti
qui convitia vituperia verbaue opprobriosa vilpendosa scandalosa
vel diffamatoria ad alicuis bone fame lesionem seu denigracionem
sonantia vel tendentia contra bonos mores dicunt emittunt asserunt
proferunt seu predicant fuerunt et sunt canonice corrigendi
et puniendi, et vt ab huiusmodi convitijs vituperijs et verbis
diffamatorijs desistant et se penitus abstineant in futurum cogendi
ac compellendi ac ponit coniunctim diuisim et de quolibet
2 Item quod dicti Johannes Leighe et Elizabetha Leighe
premissorum omium non ignari imo animarum suarum salutis immemores
spiritu vt creditur maligno ducti dictam Janam Agard prius
minime diffamatam mensibus Martij Aprilis Maij Junij Julij
et Augusti in Anno domini 1580 iam currenti eorumue mensium quolibet
vno siue aliquo infra parochiam de Prestbury alijsque parochijs
et Locis idem convicinis et circumvicinis ac sub Jurisdicione vestra
grauiter et enormiter diffamauerunt et eorum vterque diffamavit dicendo
dicte Jane Agard siue de eadem maliciose et ex causa odij hec
verba diffamatoria Anglice sequentia that she invendo dictam Janam
Agard had borne a childe begottin by [blank] Wedgw[ood?]
late servant to Mr Rode her father in lawe seu alia verba
diffamatoria scandalosa et vituperiosa hijs in effectu quam similia
et eundem effectum importantia dicti Johannes et Elizabeth Leighe
dicte Jane siue de eadem coram testibus fidedignis protulerunt
et emiserunt provt in eventu huius litis plenius veniet comprobandum
et ponit atque articulatur coniunctim diuisim ac de quolibet
Original Document
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Translation
[1580/9 image 2]
3 Also, that by occasion and reason of this defamation, crimes and insults and the utterance, assertion and declaration of the aforesaid defamatory words the standing and good fame of the said Jane Agard are injured, blackened and lessened and the said Jane was and is at no little trouble and expense and otherwise and elsewhere wearied, vexed, oppressed, burdened and perturbed in many different ways, and among and between good and substantial people she is 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 Jane by reason of the premises; and he propounds as before, jointly, severally and concerning any part thereof.
4 Also, that before this defamation and the utterance, assertion and declaration of the defamatory words and until then, the said Jane Agard was a woman of good name, unblemished reputation and honest conversation, and previously in no way defamed among and between good and substantial people; and he propounds as before.
5 Also, that the said John Legh and Elizabeth Legh, widow, were and are of the parish of Prestbury or the parish of Davenham and for that reason subordinate and subject to your jurisdiction; and he propounds as before.
6 Also, that it was and is on the part and behalf of the said Jane Agard that complaint is rightly and lawfully brought to you, lord judge, 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 circulating and are circulating regarding and concerning this in the parish of Astbury and in other parishes neighbouring and surrounding the same.
Whereupon, due proof being made as required by law in this regard, the party of the said Jane Agard prays that right and justice may be done and administered to her in all and singular the premises and that the said John Legh and Elizabeth Legh should be corrected and punished for the imputation of the said crimes and for this pronouncing and declaration of scandalous and defamatory words according to the due requirement of law,
Transcript
[1580/9 image 2]
[3] [Item quod occatione et pre]textu huiusmodi diffamacionis criminium
et conviciorum ac [ver]borum diffamatoriorum predictorum emissionem assertionem
et predicacionem status et bona fama dicte Jane Agard leduntur
denigrantur et attenuantur dictaque Jane fuit et est in nonnullis
laboribus et expensis ac alias et aliunde mulipliciter fatigata
vexata grauata onerata et perturbata ac apud et inter bonos
et graues minoris reputacionis et favoris bonique et graves
adhibuerunt et dederunt adhibentque et dant in presenti eidem
Jane minorem fidem atque favorem pretextu premissorum Et ponit
vt supra coniunctim diuisim et de quolibet.
4 Item quod dicta Jane Agard ante huiusmodi diffamacionem et
verborum diffamatoriorum emissionem assertionem et predicacionem et vsque
ad ea fuit mulier bone fame opinionis illese et conuersationis
honeste ac apud et inter bonos et graves prius minime
diffamata Et ponit vt supra.
5 Item quod dicti Johannes Leighe et Elizabeth Leigh vidua fuerunt
et sunt parochie de Prestbury siue parochie de Davenham et eo
pretextu vestre Jurisdiccioni subditi et subiecti et ponit vt supra.
6 Item quod fuit et est ex parte et per partem dicte Jane {Leigh} [Agard]
ad vos dominum Judicem et ad curiam vestram Consistorialem Cestrensem
rite et legitime querelatur 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 parochia de Astbury et in alijs parochijs eidem convicinis
et circumvicinis laborarunt et laborant publica vox et fama.
Vnde facta fide de Jure in hac parte requisita
petit pars dicte Jane Agard ius et iusticiam sibi in premissis
omnibus et singulis fieri et ministrari ac dictos Johannem Leighe
et Elizabetham Leighe pro dictam criminum impositione huiusmodique verborum
scandalosorum et diffamatoriorum prolacionem et predicacionem iuxta Juris debitam
exigentiam corrigendos et puniendos fore debere et cum
Original Document
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Translation
[1580/9 image 3]
and that they will be punished with effect and are to be obliged and compelled to desist and to completely abstain from these defamatory words in future and also that they will be condemned in the lawful costs incurred on the part of the said Jane Agard in that behalf, and he protests those to be incurred, and having been condemned, that they will be canonically obliged and compelled to the due and real payment of the same by you making your definitive sentence or your final decree 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 Jane Agard 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 a superfluous proof, against 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
[1580/9 image 3]
effe[ctu puniri Et vt ab huiusmodi]
verbis diff[amatorijs desistat et se penitus abstineat infuturum]
cogi et compelli [Nec]non in expensis Legitimis p[er partem]
dicte Jane Agard in hac parte factis et protestatur de [fiendis]
condemnari ac condemnatos ad debitam et realem so[lucionem]
earundem canonice cogi et compelli per vos et vestram sententiam [diffinitiuam]
siue vestrum finale decretum in hac parte fiendum domine Judex
antedicte. Vlteriusque fieri statui et decerni in premissis et
ea concernentibus quibuscunque quod Juris fuerit et rationis. Premissa
proponit et fieri petit pars dicte Jane Agard 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
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Translation
[1580/9 image 4]
[Endorsement]
[…] a cause of defamation, 1580.
Of Jane Agard.
[in pencil in a different hand]
Astbury
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[1580/9 image 4]
[Endorsement]
[…]
caus’ diffamati-
onis 1580
Janæ Agard
[in pencil in a different hand]
Astbury
[There also appears to be something written on the bottom of the page.]
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
People
Jane Agard – plaintiff
John Legh of Ridge – defendant
Elizabeth Legh of Ridge – defendant
Officials
Related Causes
EDC 5/1580/47 – Jane Agard contra John Leigh, esquire, of Ridge and Elizabeth Leigh, widow, of Ridge (return of commission to examine witnesses outside Chester).
Notes
John Legh was the son of Elizabeth Legh, his father had died in 1578. As they lived in the parish of Macclesfield it is perhaps unusual that they are accused of defaming a resident of a different parish.