STAC 5/B39/11
STAC 5/B39/11 - B A - 12 Eliz - Shropshire - Richard Barnefeld v Thomas Richardson
Transcribed by Helen Good
In most humble wise complaineth showeth unto your Majesty your graces subject Richard Barnefelde of Barnards Inn in the county of Middlesex gentleman that whereas your said subject was seased in his demesne as of fee and in the manors of Newport and Edgemond within your graces county of Salop and he being thereof seized as aforesaid about the term of Easter last past did exhibit his Bill of Complaint into your graces high court of Chancery against Thomas Richardson late Bailiff of the said manors and Frances his wife for the determining and the withholding of your graces said subject his Court Rolls Terriors and rentals of the said manors of Newporte and Edgemonde and upon the said Bill obtained forth of your graces said court of Chancery your majesties most honourable writ of Subpoena against the said Richardson and his said wife returnable in the said court of Chancery at a certain day in the said writ of Subpoena limited that is to say the the third day of May then next following before which day your said subject caused the said Writ of Subpoena duly to be served upon the said Defendants whereupon the said Richardson appeared and took a copy of your said subject his Bill of Complaint aforesaid and perceiving the content of the same to be true and such as in very deed he might upon his oath no way avoid pretending and imagining how to detain and keep your subjects deeds and evidences and also to avoid the making of any apparent oath or affidavit upon his said Answer by the sinister persuasion and abetment of Robert Pygott Richard Dyckinson and Richard Banes William Richardson Elizabeth his wife did the eight day of the said month of May upon his oath in the said court of Chancery falsely depose and swear that his said wife was so impotent that she might not come to answer the said bill in the said high court of Chancery at the day in the writ prescribed without whom as he also affirmed he could not answer the contents of the said Bill and thereupon purchased forth of the said court one commission directed to Robert Pygott esquire and Richard Dyckinson gentleman the said Dyckenson being then and yet his master and the said Pygott a mortal and cruel enemy to your said subject and a great maintainer and suborner of all perverse and naughty causes within your said county of Salop of very truth and for knowledge that they the said Pygott and Dyckinson would not swear the said Defendant and his wife upon the said answers as in very deed your said subject well perceiveth they did not for that your said subject is able to aver and maintain his said Bill of Complaint in all and every article and branch to be good and true although the said Defendants and either of them have traversed and denied the effect of the said Bill directly and flatly and further in their said answers sayen directly that the said Bill and the substance of the matters therein contained was set forth by one William Tylston of mere malice without any just cause matter or ground where in truth the said Tylston was never privy to the said writ purchased nor the matters in the said Bill alleged in which said oath and affidavit made in your graces court of Chancery for the impotency of his said wife the said defendant Thomas Richardson not having the fear of God before his eyes nor at all regarding his own soul and conscience hath committed and done most wilful and manifest perjury to the danger of his own soul and the pernicious and evil example of others if these men should escape unpunished for that he the said Defendant did well know that the said wife was in good and perfect health at the house of the said Dyckinson at and before and after the day of her appearance in the said writ of Subpoena prefixed where before he took his journey towards London he purposed to leave her as by his own report to good and credible persons made here after shall duly appearance and for that also he nor his said wife by their Answers neither did nor any way might make to themselves any manner of title to the said manor of Edgemond and Newporte nor either of them nor yet show any colour to detain the writing in the said Bill specified he the said Thomas Richardson might very well have answered without his wife.
May it therefore please your highness the premisses considered to grant that your gracious writ of Subpoena may be directed to the said Thomas Richardson commanding him by virtue thereof personally to appear before your highness our your council in the Star Chamber at a certain day and under a certain pain therein to be limited then and there to make answer to the premisses and further to stand to and abide such order and direction therein as by your majesty shall be thought good and your said subject will daily pray to God for your majesties prosperous estate long to continue.
