STAC 5/W6/13

From Waalt

STAC 5/W6/13 - A - 31 Eliz - Herefordshire - John Weston v Thomas Brydgwaters et al see STAC Weston

Transcribed by Helen Good

The Answer of Thomas Bridgewaters one of the defendants for his part to the Bill of Complaint of John Weston complainant

The said defendant sayeth that the said Bill of Complaint is exhibited by the said complainant being a troublesome person, against this defendant without any just cause to move the said complainant thereunto, And also sayeth that the said Bill is uncertain and insufficient in the law to be answered unto. Nevertheless if this defendant shall be by this honourable court compelled to make any further answer to the same Bill than the advantages of exception to the uncertainty and insufficiency thereof to this defendant now and at all time hereafter saved, for answer to such of the matters in the said Bill mentioned as do touch or concern him this defendant, he this defendant sayeth that upon or about the tenth or eleveth day of December in the said nine and twentieth year of her Majesty’s reign this defendant being then one of the Constables of the village or hamlet of Merston within the parish of Pembrydge within the said county of Hereford, and the said John Carpenter one other of the defendants in the said Bill also named being then Chief Constable of her Majesty’s Hundred of Stretford in the said County of Herefordshire did by virtue of commission to them directed from her Majesty’s Council established in the Marches of Wales repair to the said messuage in the Bill mentioned, to the intent to have entered therinto and to have bound by obligation the said complainant for his personal appearance before her Majesty’s said Council in the Marches of Wales, there to answer to the complaint of the said Walter Stead one other of the said defendants in the said Bill also named, and to have done and executed such other things, as by the said commission the said John Carpenter and this defendant as one of the Constables of the same parish of Pembrydge were commanded to have done and executed, at which time the said now complainant being within the said messuage or house, the said John Carpenter and this defendant did give the same now complainant to understand of the effect of their said commission, and did require him to obey the same, who then refusing so to do and standing at his defence with weapons and fearing that he would other kill or be killed before he would obey the same, the said John Carpenter and this defendant did quietly depart meaning to certify unto her Majesty’s said Council the disobedience of the said complainant, and did so certify to the said Council accordingly, without that that this defendant is guilty any the supposed riots, unlawful assemblies, forcible entries, beating, hurting or wounding of the said complainant or of any other the supposed misdemeanors in the said Bill surmised in such manner an form as the same are in and by the said Bill untruly surmised, and without that that any other thing or matter in the said Bill mentioned touching or concerning this defendant material or effectual to be answered unto and before in this answer not sufficiently confessed, advoided, traversed, denied or otherwise sufficiently answered unto is true all which matters this defendant is ready to aver and prove as this honourable Court shall award and prayeth to be dismissed out of this honourable court with his costs for his wrongfull vexation in this behalf sustained