STAC 5/B90/2

From Waalt

Court of Star Chamber:

Thomas Bates of Moorepeth[Morpeth], Northumberland v Raphe Gray, Luke Ogle

Transcript: Dave King


Bill of complaint:

Dated on reverse ".. x.... pashe 1584"


To the Quenes most excellent Ma[jes]tie

Humbly complayning Sheweth and Informeth unto your highenes your humble Subiect and orator Thomas Bates of Moorepeth in your Ma[jes]ties [county] of Northum[berland] ....... That wher[as] a Parliam[en]t holden at Westm[inster] in the thride yere of the Reigne of the late prince of most worthie memorye King Henrye the Seventh ............ most noble ........... it was amongest other things established and Inacted, That the said Late King remembringe howe by unlawful maintenance giving of lyveries signes and tookens and Retey.... ............ promysses and other writinges or otherwise Imbrasurs of his Subiects untrewe dealings of Sheriffs in making of pannells and other untrewe retornes, taking of money by .... by great Ryotts and unlawfull assemblyes the pollicy and good rulle of the Realme was almost seduced and for none punyshinge of those inconvenyences and by occation of the pre... ..... or Li.. might be found by inquery wherby the Lawes of the land in execution took litle effecte to thencrease of murders Robberyes p[er]iuryes and unsuerties of all men Living and ....... there Landes and goodes to the great displeasor of allmighty god Therfor it was for reformacon of the same p[re]misses by authoritie of the said p[ar]liament enacted that the Chancellor and treasuror ...... and for the time being and the keep[er] of the Kings prevye seale or two of them calling to them a busshopp and a temp[or]all Lord of the Kings most honorable Counsell and the two chief Justices of the Kings Benche and Comon plees for the time or two other Justices in theire absence upon bill or informacon putt to the saied Channcellor for the King or any other against any p[er]son for any misbehaving aforsaid have author... to call before them by wrytt or previe seale the saied misdoers and they and others by theire discretions by whom the truth may be knowen to examyne and such as they find therin defective to punyshe them after th.. desents after the forme and effect of the statutes therof made in Like maner and forme as they should and owght to be punyshed if they were therof convicted after the dewe order of the lawe as by the same acte more at Large it doth and may appeare w[hi]ch acte and all things therin conteyned by ... ... of p[ar]liament had and made in the xxjth yere of your highnes most deare father of most famouse memory King Henry theight was also ratifyed and confyrmed And wher one Raphe Gray of Horton in the County of Northumbreland esquyre was by your highenes made sheriff of the said County of Northumbreland and took Corporall othe amongest other things to mak dewe retorne of all your Ma[jes]ties writts and p[ro]ces and lawfully to doo and execute all things as unto the saied office of Shervaltie shold app[er]teine in lik... as other sheriffs of other counties w[i]thin this your Ma[jes]ties Realme doo and of Anncyent time have used to doo who mad and Constitute his undersheriff one Luke Ogle gentleman, Now so it is most gratyous sovereigne Ladie that upon a Judgem[en]t geven in your highenes Court of plees befor your Ma[jes]tie to be holden called the Quenes bench in a plea of Trespasse browght by your said Suppliant against Willm Bunton Willm Bullock George Marshall and Henry Bowes of Moorepeth in the said county Yeomen in michelm[a]s terme last past ther was a Capias Satisfaciend awarded owt of the same Court of your highnes bench unto the same sheriff comanding him therby to tak the saied p[ar]ties and every of them and to have their bodyes in the said court befor your highnes ... Justice of the said Court in Cras... purifica... in hillary terme last there to satisfy unto your orator the some of eight poundes for the hurts your said orator did susteyne aswell by occation of the said trespasses to your said suppliant by the saied p[er]sons comytted as for coasts in the same suyte susteyned wherof in the saied Court they the saied p[ar]ties were convicted w[i]th wrytt bearing date in mychelmas last as is aforsaid was dee...ed in Aulnewick in the said countye the second daye of January then next followinge to thandes of the saied Luk Ogle undersheriff then sitting openly in the C.... Court wher the said Willm Burton was present and did sitt as Clerk of the same Court upon receipt of w[hi]ch wrytt the saied Luk Ogle did deliver the same to the saied Willm Burton to Reade and in open Court took his promyse to entre in bonnde to annswere the wrytt and to dischardge the saied sheriff therof thother p[er]sons named in the wrytt were also arrested by vertue therof by the said sheriff and his officers yet that not w[i]thstanding the said Raphe Gray esquyre sheriff of the saied County of Northumbreland not having the Feare of god before his eyes nor yet regardinge the [?dooty?] of his saied office for the dewe and trewe retorne of your Ma[jes]ties wrytts or for the good ministration of Justice nor his Corporall othe by him receyved to execute and p[er]forme all things as to his said office of Sheriff did app[er]teyne, but in contempt of the same neglecting his dewty false.... of his saied corporall othe in the daye of the Retorne of the saied wrytt he still being sheriff of the said Countye and sworne as is aforsaied did mak a retorne upon the same wrytt de .... none of the p[er]sons named in the saied wrytt were to be found w[i]th ........wicke of Northumbreland after the receipt of the saied wrytt wheras in verye trueth he knewe ....rton to be arrested as is aforsaied and also at diverse tymes after had ....... his ......... w[i]th false corrupt and untrewe returne your saied orator is not onely delayed of his exe....... therby the said Sheriff hath comytted willfull p[er]iurye ......................................... p[er]illouse example for others in that Country to comytt the lik yf condigne punyshement ..herin spedely had It maie therfor please your highnes .................................. howe the Sheriffs of the said Countie have not of Longe time accompted nor do nor ... any accompt So that no fynes nor am[er]cyam[en]ts ....................................... Returnes or other theire lik .... orders are levyed or paied nor no proces dewly served .... pleasor or displeasor of the p[ar]ties as theffection ............................. to grannt your Ma[jes]ties wrytte of Subpena to be directed to the said Raphe Gray and Luk Ogle comannding them and eyther of them at .................................................. paine therin by your highnes to be limytted p[er]sonally to appeare before your highenes Court of Starre chambre then and there to annswere ...................................................... further order and direction concerninge the same as to your highnes said most honorable ..... of the said Court shalbe thought convenyent in ......................... accordynge to his most bounden duety shall dayly pray for the prosperous p[re]servation of your ........... ro contyn.. etc