Ref: EDC 5/7/1
Catalogue Entry:
EDC 5/7/1 Sentence of divorce: Hugh Holland v. Joan Bruckfeld alias Holland of pa. Ormskirk co. L. 14 Oct 1546.
Summary:
Hugh Holland contra Joan Bruckefeld or Holland
This is a sentence of annulment of an invalid marriage, although no background detail is available to explain why the judgement was made.
Original Document
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Translation
[5/7/1 image 1]
In the name of God, Amen: the merits and circumstances of a certain cause of divorce or annulment of marriage having been heard, seen and understood and fully investigated by us, Nicholas Bucksey, clerk, sufficiently and lawfully appointed as commissary of the venerable George Wilmesley, Bachelor of Laws, vicar general in spirituals of the right reverend father in Christ, John, by divine permission lord bishop of Chester, by the supreme authority of the most illustrious Prince in Christ and our master, Henry the eighth, by the grace of God King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith and on earth supreme head under Christ of the English and Irish church, and official principal of his consistory lawfully deputed in that respect by the said reverend father, which was disputed for some time and is as yet disputed and pending undecided before the said venerable man, between Hugh Holland, the party plaintiff and complainant on the one part, and Joan Bruckefeld otherwise Holland of the parish of Ormskirk of Chester diocese and of the same archdeaconry and of the jurisdiction of the said venerable man the defendant and party complained of on the other part; and the parties aforesaid appearing before us sufficiently and lawfully, namely the party of the said Hugh Holland in person and through his proctor and the party of the said Joan Bruckefeld through her proctor; the party of the said Hugh Holland praying that sentence is passed and that justice may be done to his party and the party of the said Joan Bruckefeld fervently praying that justice may be done to her party.
All and singular acts, enactments, deductions, propositions, allegations, confessions and proofs had and done by all sides in this cause having first been examined and diligently considered by us, and having reviewed and weighed them with promptness and diligence, and all and singular matters which according to law should be observed in this respect having been observed by us, 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;
the whole and entire proceeding had and done before us in the said cause having first been examined and diligently considered by us, and having observed all and singular matters which according to law should be observed in this behalf, we have thus thought fit to proceed to making the pronouncement of our definitive sentence in the above-mentioned cause between the parties aforesaid, and we do proceed in this manner which follows;
forasmuch as we know and clearly find by the acts and enactments set forth, exhibited, propounded, proved and similarly confessed had and done by all sides in the said cause that the aforesaid Hugh Holland has sufficiently and fully established and proved his claim in a certain libel judicially given and offered before the said venerable official principal in that respect, the tenor of which libel follows in these words, ‘In the name of God, Amen: before you, venerable Master George Wilmesley, Doctor of Laws, et cetera’, the which libel we hold and wish to be held as here read and inserted and nothing effectual has been or is excepted, set forth, propounded, alleged or proved on behalf of the said Joan Bruckefeld which has destroyed or in any way weakened the claim of the said Hugh Holland.
Therefore we, the commissary or deputy abovesaid, having first called upon the name of Christ, and having God himself alone before our eyes, with the advice of the learned in the law with whom we have consulted promptly in this behalf break, make void and annul all and whatever pretended marriage between the aforesaid Hugh Holland and Joan Bruckefeld contracted de facto while it was void in law since it is, and we pronounce, decree and declare that it was and is quashed, void and nullified and we separate and divorce them, Hugh and Joan, from each other and any bond of marriage by this our definitive sentence or this our final decree which we pass and publish in these writings.
This sentence was read by Nicholas Bucksey on the 14th day of the month of October in the one thousand five hundred 46th year of our Lord.
Transcript
[5/7/1 image 1]
In dei nomine Amen auditis visis et intellectis ac plenarie discussis per nos Nicolaum Bucksey Clericum venerabilis viri Georgij
Wylmysley legibus baccallarij Reuerendi in Christo patris et domini domini Johannis permissione diuina Cestrensis Episcopi vicarij in spiritualibus generalis ac eius
Consistorij suprema auctoritate illustrissimi in Christo principis et domini nostri henrici octaui dei gracia Anglie Frantie et Hibernie regis fidei defensoris et in ter-
ris ecclesie Anglicane et hibernice <sub Christo> capitis supremi Officialis principalis per dictum reuerendum patrem sufficienter et legitime Fulciti Comissarium
suum in hac parte legitime deputatum : meritis et circumstantijs cuiusdam cause divortij siue nullitatis matrimonij que coram <dicto venerabili viri> inter hugones holland
partem Actricem et querelantem ex una et Johannam bruckefeld alias holland parochie de Ormskyrk Cestrensis diocesis ac archidiaconatus eisdem et dicti venerabilis viri Juris-
dictionis partem ream et querelatam ex parte altera Aliquandiu vertebatur et adhuc vertitur et pendet indecise rite et legitime procedentes partibusque predictis
videlicet parte dicti hugonis holland personaliter et per procuratorem suum parteque dicte Johanne bruckefeld per procuratorem suum
coram nobis sufficienter et legitime comparentibus parte dicti hugonis holland sententiam fieri et Justiciam fieri pro parte sua postulantibus
parteque dicte Johannis bruckefeld Justiciam fieri pro parte sua instanter petente
Visis primitus per nos atque diligenter inspectis omnibus
et singulis actis inactitatis deductis propositis allegatis confessatis et probatis in huiusmodi causa hincinde habitis et factis eisque cum maturitate et dili-
gentia recensitis et ponderatis ac seruatis per nos omnibus et singulis in hac parte de Jure seruandis ad nostre Sententie diffinitiue siue decreti nostri
finalis in dicta causa ferendum prolationem sic duximus procedendum et procedimus in hunc qui sequitur modum
Quia per acta et inactita
deducta exhibita proposita probata pariter et confessata in dicta causa hincinde habita et facta comperimus et luculenter Invenimus prefatum hugones
holland suam intentionem in quadam libello coram dicto <venerabili> officiali principali in hac parte Judicaliter dato et oblato cuius quidem libelli tenor sequitur in hec verba
In dei nomine Amen coram vobis venerabili viro Magistro Georgio Wilmysley in legibus baccallario et cetera quemquidem libellum pro hic lecto et inserto
habemus et haberi volumus sufficienter et ad plenum fundasse et probasse Nichilque effectuale ex parte dicte Johanne bruckefeld fuisse aut esse exceptum
deductum propositum allegatum seu probatum quod intentionem dicti hugonis holland elideret seu quomodolibet eneruaret
Idcirco nos commissarius siue deputatus supradictus Christi nomine primitus invocato ac ipsum solum deum pre occulis nostris habentes ex consilio
Jurisperitorum cum quibus mature in hac parte communicauimus Omnie et quodcunque pretensum matrimonium inter prefatos hugones holland et Johannam bruckefeld
de facto contractum cum de Jure nullum fuerit cum sit cassamus irritamus et annullamus cassumque irritum et nullum fuisse et esse pronuntiamus
decernimus et declaramus Ipsosque hugones et Johannam ab invicem et a quocunque vinculo matrimonij separamus et divortiamus per hanc
nostram Sententiam diffinitiuam seu finale decretum quam vel quod ferimus et promulgamus in hijs Scriptis
lecta fuit huiusmodi sententia per Nicolaum bucsey xiiijto die mensis octobris Anno domini
millesimo quingentesimo xlvjto
Original Document
Click to view fullscreen
Translation
[5/7/1 image 2]
Sentence Holland against Holland in a cause of divorce; it has been registered
[in pencil in a different hand]
1546 Oct. 14
\1
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Translation copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
Transcript
[5/7/1 image 2]
Sententia holland contra holland in causa divortij Regestratur
[in pencil in a different hand]
1546 Oct. 14
\1
[Produced with the permission of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance.]
Transcript copyright ©2022 P J Cox All Rights Reserved
People
Hugh Holland– plaintiff
Joan Bruckefeld – defendant
Officials
George Wilmesley – chancellor of the diocese of Chester
Nicholas Bucksey – deputy
John Bird – bishop of Chester