STAC 5/D14/31
Court of Star Chamber:
Robert Dudley v Robert Brandling, Robert Lambart, Thomas Cockson & Willm Bonnting
Transcript: Dave King
Bill of Complaint:
(dated on reverse: 16 December 44 Eliz)
To the Quenes moste excellent Ma[jestie]
Humbly complaining sheweth and informeth your most excellent Ma[jestie] your highnes moste loyall and faithfull subiect Robart Dudley of the towne of Newcastell uppon tyne esquier as your said subiect hathe bene and contynued a justice of your Ma[jesties] peace within the said towne & county of Newcastell upon tyne aforesayd for the space of tenne ye[ar]s or there abouts and yet contynuethe and hathe faithfully executed the said office ..... ..... So yt is pleaseth yt your moste excellent Ma[jestie] that one Robart Brandling of Felling in your highnes county pallantyne of Durham esquier being a man of a turbulent spiritt & vyolent cariage neyther respecting the office or Condicon of your said subiect nor your subiectes elder yeres being of the age of threscore yeres & upwardes nor respecting that dewty w[hi]ch p[er]ticulerly the sayd Brandling ought to beare to your said subiect for that your said subiect is godfather unto the said Robart Brandling & gave to him his christen name but moste audacously w[i]thowt all respect or reverence eyther to your subiect or to the maior and aldermen of the said towne upon mallice and splene w[hi]ch the said Brandling did w[i]thowt cawse beare to your said subiect The said Robart Brandling in or abowt the tenth of February in the thre and fortyth yere of your moste gratyous and happie raigne in an open Market place & strete in the sayd towne called the Sandhill yt being then market daye in the presence of Mr George Selbye esquier then maior and of divers aldermen and Justices of peace there being likewise then and there present the said Robart being accompanyed w[i]th Robart Lambert Thomas Cockson Willm Bonnting and w[i]th divers other p[er]sons to the nomber of sixe or seven p[er]sons all weaponed and armed w[i]th pistolls swordes rapiers and daggers and other weapons aswell invasive as defensive w[hi]ch sayd p[er]sons the sayd Robart had purposely routously and ryo[tous]ly congregated and assembled together to that purpose & the said Robart Brandling and the said ryotous and routous p[er]sons so congregated & assembled did then and there make ane assalt upon your said subiect in faryous routous and ryotous manner your said subiect being then and there in your Ma[jesties] peace and the sayd Robart Brandling did then and there first strike and beate your sayd subiect upon the face w[i]th his fist and there upon did draw his rapier against your said subiect and the sayd Robart Brandling and the sayd ryotous p[er]sons wold then have slayne and killed your sayd subiect but for the ayd of the sayd maior and the said maiors officers and others that hindred the same and the sayd Robart Brandling and the sayd recyted p[er]sons did then and there in the presence of the sayd maior aldermen and Justices of peace aforesayd geve forthe and pronownce moste audaceous vannting and contumeleous speches against your sayd subiect geving your sayd subiect the false lye C[alling] your sayd subiect villane and rascall w[i]th other revyling termes w[hi]ch said vyolente ryotous and routous congregating and assemblinge of men together in armes to comitt Routes and ryottes and the sayd routous & ryotous and vyolent assalt beating and offring to kill your said subiect being a Justice of the peace (of w[hi]ch the sayd Brandling had then notice) and other the recyted contempts and misdemenors are against your Ma[jesties] lawes and statutes in such Cases provyded and wer donne and committed by the sayd Robart Brandling and the sayd recyted p[er]sons synce your Ma[jesties] last generall & fre p[ar]donne and doe tende to the evell example of other offenders in such like degrees yf condigne ponishment be not inflicted upon the sayd Robart Brandling and the sayd recyted p[er]sons according to the quallytie and nature of there offences In tender consyderacon whereof pleaseth yt your most excellent Ma[jestie] to grannt to your sayd aubiect your Ma[jesties] most gratyous writt of subpena now to be directed to the sayd Robart Brandling Robart Lambart Thomas Cockson Willm Bonnting and every of them and against the other ryotous p[er]sons whose names your sayd subiect now knoweth not but prayeth that after notice of there names he may inserte them into this bill and have like processe Thereby commanding them at a daye certane and under a payne therein to be contaned p[er]sonally to appere before your Ma[jesties] most honorable privy counsell in your highnes moste ho[norable] Court of star chamber then and there to answer the premisses and further to doe and to receave as to your sayd ho[norable] counsell sha;ll seeme fytt and your sayd subiect Will daylie (as he is bounden in all dewtie pray to god for the prosperous and happie estate and contynuance of your Ma[jestie] long to raigne over us
Willm Cock
