STAC 5/C14/9

From Waalt

STAC 5/C14/9 - B A - 31 Eliz - Cambridgeshire - Richard Callowe v William Melsonbye STAC Callow

Transcribed by Helen Good

To the Queens moste excellent Majestie

In moste humble manner shewethe unto your moste excellent Majestie your most humble and faithfull poore subjecte Richarde Callowe of Leverinton in the Ile of Elye yeoman, that wheras there have bene manye holsome and profitable lawes provided for the severe punishment of forgerie of evedences wrytinges and other dedes betwene partye and partye wherin the said detestable enormitye tendinge to the overthrowe of all bargaines contractes trade /\ and /\ trafique betwene your Highenes subjectes is soughte to be remedied and reformed namelye the statute of the fyfthe yeare of your highnes moste gratious and happie Raigne which ordainethe a condigne punishmente for offenders in the haynous crime aforesaid yet not withstandinge yf it maye please your highnesse one William Melsabee of wisbiche in the yle of Elye aforesaid beinge as it appearethe not onlye deprived of the feare and favoure of god but also secure and carelesse of all feare dread or terror of your Majesties lawes hathe on or aboute the eaigtenthe of September in the xxviij th yeare of your Majesties moste gratious Raigne moste wickedlye and lewdlie conceaved contryved and forged a certaine obligacion or deede obligatorie bearinge the date aforesaid and further ymportinge that your said poor subjecte together with one Edwarde Callowe of Holbethe in the countye of Lyncolne yeoman your poore subjectes brother nowe deceassed were by the same deede obligatorie joyntlye and severallye bound and obliged unto the said William Melsabee his executors administrators or assignes in the somme of tenne pownedes with condicion thereuppon indorsed for the the true deliverye of six score stone of roughe hempe, good drye merchant and chapman at newebridge at or before the feaste of pentycoste otherwise called Whitsontyd nexte followinge the date therof unto the said William Melsonbee his heires executors administrators or assign as dothe more plainly and fully appeare by the said pretensed and forged deede readie to be shewed and produced by your poor subjecte, which said Melsabee did not onlye moste ympudentlye and wickedlye forge and contrve the said deede in the name of your said subjecte and the said Edward Callowe, but did further counterfaite the seales of your said subjecte and the said Edward and also the names and handes of one Henrye Neave and William Sturkes beinge supposed witnesses to the sealinge and deliverye of the said deede and hath sithence published the said deed as the deede of your said subject and the said Edward callowe and presumminge of the ignoraunce and and symplicitye of your said subjecte hathe comenced suite theruppon without anie the knowledge or privitie of your subjecte and by what indirecte meanes or practise your subjecte knowethe not the said William Melsonbee before anie summons or other Originall proces of suite againste your subjecte procured your said subjecte to be taken uppon a supposed proceces of execution /\ for the summe of eleven pounds /\ and theruppon at Wisbitche in the said Ile of Elie to be violentlye and outragiouslye drawne and haled notwithstandinge suerties and other meanes of securytie by your said subjecte offered for the said pretensed somme of tenne /\ eleven /\ poundes for that your said subjecte was forced to contente and satisfye unto the said Melsonbee the said some soe pretended by him to be due /\ together with xxj extended to be awarded for . . . which made up the said sume in the proces of execution specified /\ which beinge thus ympiouslye and Rigorouslye exacted by the said William Melsonbee was accordingly for the purchase of his present quietnesse paid and satisfyed by your said subjecte to his greate ympoverishinges and almost utter undoinge of your said poore Orator his wyfe and children In tender consideracion of which the premisses and for example of others maye it please your moste excellent Majestie to graunte unto your said subjecte your most gratious writt of Subpena to be directed unto the said William Melsonbee commaundinge him therby att a certaine daie and under a certaine paine therin to be prefixed personallye to be and appeare before your moste excellent Mjestie /\ and your Counsaile /\ in your Highnes Courte of Starchamber then and there to make answer unto the premisses and to stand to and abid such further order and direction therin as to the said honorable Courte as shalbe thought to be meete and conveniente and your poore Subjecte shall dalie praie to god as his bounden dutie is for your moste gracious and happie Reigne long to continue over us

Jurat 14 November Ao xxxj Elizabeth Regine

The Answeare of Willm Melsonby Defendant to the byll of Compleynt of Richard Callowe Compleynant

The advantages to the incerteynties and insufficiences of the said Bill of Compleynt to this Deft at all tymes hereafter saved for answere this Deft sayeth thay as to any lewdly forgeinge and publisheinge or contryving of any Obligacion or deed obligatory ymportinge that the said Compleynant and one Edward Callowe stood Joyntly and severally bound to this Deft in the Summe of Ten poundes with Condicion endorsed for the true deliverye of Sixe score stones of roughe Hemp good drye Marchaunt and Chapman at Newbridge at or before the feast of Pentycost other Wyse Whytsontyde next followinge the date thereof unto the said Defenaunt and to any other matter in the sayd Bill of Compleynt mencioned examynablein this honorable Court this Defendaunt sayeth that he is not thereof guyltie in suche manner and forme as the sayd Complt in his sayd Bill of Compleynt hathe slaunderously and untruely suggested. And humbly prayeth to be dysmyssed out of the same with his reasonable costes or chardges in this behalfe moost wrongfully sustayned.