p 128 (12 March)
Responsiones personales
Iohannis Smyth
libello ex parte Claritie baker
dato
Ad .1. deponit et dicit that the last yere this respondent was somer lord & the said Clarice was sumer lady of newton & ffrancis Dumper of that parish was a grete mover & persuader of this Deponent to promise marriadge to the sayde Clarice et aliter non credit articulum
Ad .2. non credit articulum
Ad .3. non credit articulum
Ad .4. respondet that the said Clarice gave him a sherte & he this respondent gave her a Crowne of golde et aliter non credit articulum
Ad .5. non credit articulum
Ad .6. credit articulum
Ad vltimum credit credita &c
...
p 128 (12 March)
John Smyth's personal responses
to the libel given on the
part of Clarice Baker
To the first (article) he deposes and says (English) and otherwise he does not give credit to the article.
To the second, he does not give credit to the article.
To the third, he does not give credit to the article.
To the fourth, he responds (English) and otherwise he does not give credit to the article.
To the fifth, he does not give credit to the article.
To the sixth, he does not give credit to the article.
To the last, he gives credit. Credited, etc.
...
The main record of this case in the consistory court instance act book (HRO: 21M65/C2/20) for this period shows that this was a matrimonial case, and identifies Clarice Baker as being from Newton Valence, while John Smyth was from Droxford. The date is given on p 124 as 'xij Martii 1579,' but the year numbers change at Lady Day in these documents, so the year is actually 1580. The 'Crowne of golde' is more likely a coin than a crown that might have been part of their costumes as summer lord and lady. In many of the matrimonial cases before the consistory court a gold crown or half-crown is mentioned as the token exchanged to indicate betrothal. No register survives for this period.
Record title: Consistory Court Deposition Book
Repository:
HRO
Shelfmark: 21M65/C3/8
Repository location: Winchester
The book is made up entirely of depositions before the
consistory court of Winchester diocese in cases of
disputes over tithes, marriage promises, wills, and slander.
9 October 1578–15 December 1582; Latin and English; paper; 476 leaves; 341mm x 217mm; modern ink pagination; good condition; original parchment cover with parchment rectangles on spine to reinforce string bindings, title on front cover: 'Liber Atestacionum | a termino Michaelis | Anno Domini 1578,' in another hand and much darker ink, below original title: '1578,' in smaller numbers inside a square box below that (and perhaps a third hand): '50' (the volume's number among the manuscript books in the diocesan registry). The HRO shelfmark is written at the top right of the front cover in pencil.