STAC 5/C80/26

From Waalt

Court of Star Chamber:

Agnes Cropley v [blank] Pooly, Edward Bardwell, Edmund Melsome als Melsopp

Transcript: Dave King


Bill of complaint of Agnes Cropley:

To the Quenes most excellent Maiestie

Humbly sheweth unto yo[u]r most excellent maiestie yo[u]r humble Suppleyannt and Faithfull Subiect Agnes Cropley wyddow Syster of Margery Mother unto Mary Page daughter and heire of John Page hir Father Deceased That wheare Landes and Tenements in Westlye in the Countye of Suff[olk] to the clere yerely value of Twentye markes or therabouts weare and be Dyscendyd unto the said Mary on the parte of hir said Father the same Mary at the death of hir said Father being of suche tender enfancy as not able to Speake and From thence untyll hir age of xij yeres or thereabouts the said Mary Remayned in the Custody of hir said Mother and then after the death of hir said Mother the said Mary being under thage of xiij yeres lawfully bacame to Keping educacon and governannce of yo[u]r said Suppleyannt being hir Aunte on the Mothers part and from that tyme remayned w[i]th yo[u]r said Suppleyannt untyll the Thurseday in Easter weake last past viz the xviiith day of this p[rese]nte Apryll the Second yere of yo[u]r Maiesties reigne the whiche daye one Edward Bardwell servannt to [blank] Pooly of Icklingh[a]m in the Countie of Suff[olk] esquyer with an other servannt of the said [blank] Pooly whose name to yo[u]r Suppleyannt ys unknowen Confederatyd with one Edmund Melsome als Melsopp of Gaseley in the said Countye of Suff[olk] from Gaseley aforesaid as persons not Dreading god nor yet yo[u]r highnes Lawes or statutes with bylls bucklers and theire Swordes drawen ryotously unlaufully & forcybly by strong hand conveyed and tooke away the said Mary Page then being unmaryed and uncontractyd and within the age of xvj yeres out of the possession and custody of yo[u]r said Suppleyant not onely ageinst the wyll of yo[u]r said Suppleyannt but also ageinst the wyll of the said Mary who by reazon of their ryotous unlawfull & forcyble attempt aforesaid was greatly dysmayed and put in great feare of hir lief [... ... ...] making open outcryes and sondry tymes falling from the horse wheare they had forcybly ageinst hir wyll Sett hir in suche sorte that at length the said evyll dysposed persons dyd forcybly and most shamefully sett hir on horsebacke strydeling garding hir by the way on eche syde with theire swerdes drawen and in that ryotous unlawfull and forcyble man[ner] conveyed the said Mary unto the dwelling house of the said [blank] Pooly being iiijor myles dystant wheare she is kept & orderyd at their pleaso[u]r to the great terror of yo[u]r Maiesties Subiectes that a [?gent?] should thus be the [?Fawtor?] of such offenders and like to be the utter undoing of the said Mary and to the great and haynous Contempt of yo[u]r highnes Lawes and statutes and to the evyll example of other malescors to do the like yf Condigne Remedy and punyshment be not spedely provyded in this behalf In Consyderacon whearof may it please yo[u]r maiestie to grannt yo[u]r highnes Severall erytts of sub pena to be dyrectyd to the said [blank] Pooly Edward Bardwell Edmund Melsome als Melsopp and the rest of the said Offenders Comanding them by the same personally to appeere before yo[u]r highnes most honorable Counseill in the Co[u]rte of Starre Chambre then and there to Annswere to the premysses And therupon that order may be taken aswell for the Sauff delyv[er]ye of the said Mary in the same & like case as she was before she was taken and conveyed away As also for the due punyshement of the premysses as may be for the conservacon of yo[u]r highnes quyet Subjectes and of obedyence to yo[u]r maiesties hollsome Lawes and statutes in yo[u]t comon wealth And yo[u]r said Suppleyannt shall Dailie pray to god for the prousperous preservacon of yo[u]r most royall maiestie