Ref: EDC 5/3/1
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 5/3/1,2 Libel & exceptions in tithe cause: Thomas Valentyne gent. Of Benclif in pa. Eccles co. L v. Sir Richard Brereton kt. Farmer of tithes of Eccles. 1542
Summary:
Sir Richard Brereton contra Thomas Valentine – exceptions against the libel
These exceptions indicate that Thomas Valentine had been working for Sir Richard Brereton and deponents in this cause (CALS EDC 2/2 ff. 456v-457v) stated that it had been agreed that his wages would comprise tithes of his own land ‘as longe as they cold agree and now about mydsomer last Master Brereton … discharged hym’. However, Thomas Valentine claimed that he was still entitled to the tithes in dispute. He also claimed that any dispute in this matter should be heard by the secular courts.
Exceptions against the witnesses are filed as EDC 5/3/2.
Original Document
Translation
[5/3/1 image 1]
In the name of God, Amen; in a certain pretended cause of subtraction of tithes, which is in effect disputed and pending undecided before you, venerable Master George Wilmesley, Bachelor of Laws, official principal of the Chester consistory court, between Sir Richard Brereton, knight, farmer, as he alleges, of the rectory of […], of Chester diocese on the one part, and the distinguished Thomas Valentine, gentleman, of Bentcliffe, of the parish […] of the parish of Eccles, on the other part; the party of the said Thomas Valentine against the said Richard Brereton and against any other person whomsoever lawfully intervening before you in judgement for the same, and also against a certain pretended libel on behalf of him, Sir Richard Brereton, against the aforesaid Thomas Valentine in this alleged cause, and whether offered and by the power of […] consonant way, method and form of law and to every suitable effect of law which may follow therefrom, says, alleges and in these writings propounds in law jointly and severally as follows;
Firstly, that the party of the said Sir Richard Brereton should not nor cannot help himself by reason of the declarations or narratives in his said pretended libel, nor the tithes in that respect […] which or […] acquire or intend any other advantage or benefit in law whatever inasmuch as the said Thomas Valentine for the whole and entire time libellate in that respect and before and since was, just as he is at present, […] or an inhabitant of the village or hamlet of Eccles of the said parish of Eccles, and as such and for such was commonly held […] openly, publicly and notoriously.
[…] libelled in that whence and to whom the tithes of grain by the said Sir Richard Brereton from the aforesaid Thomas Valentine […] are and claimed within the neighbourhood, surroundings and confines of the village or hamlet of Monton are confirmed and lay and […] commonly held and reputed.
[…] that although the said Thomas took and had and applied and converted to his own use tithes of barley and oats of the said third of an acre or half an acre in a certain place called […] in Monton as is suggested in libelling, which thus alleged […] which this party does not admit, propounding in turn, but denies; not only the same tithes of barley and oats […] and singular tithes of grain from Bentcliffe, his demesne farm, of Henry Oldham, Thomas Smyth, Richard Nedham, of the village or hamlet […] of Eccles, and also of all and singular tithes of grain ‘in the whetcroft’ and ‘stokkynkes’ in the village or hamlet of Barton […] tithed for two complete years without the interruption or opposition of any aforesaid […] before the aforesaid suit was moved or begun […] Valentine used, enjoyed and gained possession of and also took, had, applied and converted to his own use all and singular the same tithes with knowledge and permission formerly (as is aforesaid) tithed by the aforesaid Richard Brereton, farmer aforesaid, […] and with the permission of the said venerable Richard Brereton, knight, for his true, just and faithful service and for his salary […] and was spent he took, had and applied and converted to his own personal use as would have been fair, permissable and just to him on account of […] lawful and sufficient as will become clear and plainly appear.
[…] that by reason of matters set out already and by occasion and reason of the premises this said pretended cause better appertains to the royal court than to the ecclesiastical by reason […] all and singular the said tithes should first of all have been tithed and afterwards taken and kept by the said Thomas Valentine by reason of the gift […] of the rental and discharge aforesaid to him by the said venerable man permitted him to do on account of the true, just and faithful service and as his salary […] [and] converted and applied to his own use as is fair and just.
Also, that all and singular the premises were and are true, public, notorious, evident and famous and public voice and fame were and are circulating upon the same.
Whereupon, due proof being made as required in this regard, the party of the said Thomas Valentine prays that justice may be done and administered to him in the premises […] and that the complaint of the aforesaid Sir Richard Brereton will be sent and dismissed to the royal court and with the observation of your judgement in that respect; and also that he, Sir Richard Brereton will be condemned in the costs of this suit, by you and your passing definitive sentence or final decree in this respect; and otherwise, that what will have been of right in the premises and anything concerning them may be done, established and decreed, which the party of the said Thomas Valentine propounds and prays will be 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 only as much may realise the confirmation of his claim as in the premises, or may be required by law; reserving the benefit of law in all things, humbly imploring your office, lord judge aforesaid.
Transcript
[5/3/1 image 1]
[In dei] nomine Amen in quadam pretensa causa subtraccionis decimarum que coram vobis venerabili viro Magistro Georgio W[ilmesley]
[in legibu]s baccallario Officiali Consistorialis Episcopalis Cestrensis inter Richardum Brereton militem firmarium ut asseruit rectorie de
[…] Cestrensis diocesis ex parte vna et discretum virum Thomam Valentyne de benchlif generosum parochie […]
[par]ochie de Eccles ex parte altera de facto vertitur et pendet indecisa pars dicti Thome Valentyne con[tra et adversus]
[dictum] Richardum Brereton ac contra quemcunque alium coram <vobis> pro eodem in Judicio legitime intervenientem Necnon contra quendam [pretensum]
[libellum ex] parte ipsius domini Richardi Brereton contra prefatum Thomam Valentyne in asserta causa huiusmodi vtrumque oblatum vimque […]
[…] consonum via modo et Juris forma melioribus ac ad omnem Juris effectum commodiorem qui exinde sequi poterit […]
[dicit allegat] et in hijs scriptis in Jure proponit coniunctim et diuisim prout sequitur
[In pri]mis quod pars dicti domini Richardi Brereton ex deductis et narratis in dicto suo pretenso libello Juuare aut decimas in ea parte […]
[…] qui vel […] quicquid aliud comodum seu emolumentum acquerere vel sentere de Jure non debet neque potest
[pro] eo videlicet ex eo quod dictus Thomas Valentyne toto et omni tempore in hac parte libellato anteaque et citra fuit prout in presenti est
[…] siue habitatorum villule seu hamelecte de Eccles dicte parochie de Eccles ac pro tali et ut talis communiter habitus […]
[…] palam publice et notorie
[…] in hac libellatum vnde et de quabus decime granorum per dictum dominum Richardum Brereton ab predicto Thoma Valent[yne …]
[…] sunt et vendicate infra ambitum circuitum et precinctum villulle seu hamlecte de Monton firmantur et Jacent ac per […]
[…] communiter habiti et reputati
[…] quod licet dictus Thomas decimas ordij et Avenarum dictarum tercium acrarum siue dimedium Acre in quodam loco vocato […]
[…]ackes in monton percepit et habuit ac ad vsum suum proprium applicauit et conuertit prout per libellantem suggeritur que sic all[egatur…]
[…] non fatetur pars ista respectiue proponens sed diffatetur Non solum easdem decimas ordij et Auenarum […]
[…] singulas decimas granorum de benclif fundum sui domincalis Henrici Oldome Thome Smyth Richardi Nedham villule seu [hamlecte]
[…] de Eccles Necnon omnes et singulas decimas granorum in the whetcroft et stokkynkes villenele seu hamlecte de Barton
[…] decimatorum per duos annos integros ante pretencis litis mote seu inchoate absque interrupcione seu contradiccione alicuis prefat[…]
[…]
[… V]alentyne vsus gauisus et potitus sunt ac eciam percepit habuit applicauit et ad vsusm suum proprium conuertit prefatus Richardus B[rereton]
[firm]arius antedictus ad sciente et tollerante Easdem decimas omnes et singulas per prius (ut prefertur) decimatas […]
[…] et dimissione dicti venerabilis viri Richardi Brereton militis pro vero iuste ac fideli seruicio ac sala[rio] suo […]
[…] et impenso percepit habuit ac ad vsum suum proprium prout equium licetum et iustum sibi fuerat applicuit et conuertit pro […]
[… legit]imas et sufficientes liquidabitur et plene apparebit
[…] quod dicta huiusmodi pretensa causa occasione premissa ac premissorum occasione et pretextu potius tangit forum Regnium quam ecclesiasticam rac[…]
[…] dicte decime <omnis et singulis> primo et ante omnia decimato fuerint ac postmodum per dictum Thomam Valentyne percepte et habite racione dona[…]
[…] locacionis et dimmissionis predictis sibi per dictum venerabilem virum pro vero iusto et fideli seruicio ac salario suo […]
[…] suum proprium conuerte et applicate prout equium et iustum ei licebat facere
[Item] quod premissa omnia et singula fuerunt et sunt vera publica notoria manifesta et famosa ac de et super eisdem laborarunt et laborant pu[blica]
[vox et] fa[m]a
Vnde facta fide de Jure in hac parte requisita petit pars dicti Thome Valentyne Justiciam
sibi in premissis fieri [et ministrari]
[…] predicti domini Richardi Brereton instanciaque et obseruacione Judicij vestrum in hac parte ac ad forum regnium premissorum occasione […]
[…] mittendum fore et dimitti Necnon ipsum dominum Richardum Brereton in expensis huius litis condempnari per vos et vestram s[ententiam]
[diffinitivam si]ue finale decretum in hac parte ferendam Vlteriusque fieri statui et decerni in premissis et ea concernentibus quod Juris fuerit […]
[…] q[ue] proponit et fieri petit pars dicti Thome Valentyne coniunctim et diuisim Non arctans se ad omnia et singula premissa <probanda> nec ad onus
[su]perflue probacionis de quo protestatur Sed ad ea tantum que ad suam intencionem in premissis fundandam proficiat vel fuit de Jure requisit[…]
[Ju]ris beneficio in omnibus semper saluo vestrum officium domine Judex antedicte humiliter implorando
Original Document
Translation
[5/3/1 image 2]
[Endorsement]
Material on behalf of Thomas Valentine against Richard Brereton, knight, in a cause of subtraction of tithes
1542
[in pencil in a different hand]
/1
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[5/3/1 image 2]
[Endorsement]
Materia ex parte Thome Valentyne contra Richardum Brereton
militem in causa subtraccionis decimarum
1542
[in pencil in a different hand]
/1
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
People
Sir Richard Brereton – plaintiff
Thomas Valentine – defendant
Officials
George Wilmesley – chancellor of the diocese of Chester
Related Causes
EDC 5/3/2 – Sir Richard Brereton contra Thomas Valentine