defamation hearing at Archdeaconry Court

When I hear the phrase Archdeaconry Court I naturally think of wills.
One of my husband's ancestors was had up for defamation in said court as
appended (allowing for my possible transcription errors).

Hugh Watkins...

=20

So how bad did defamation have to be to be hauled up in front of the
Archdeaconry Court? What was the sort of penalty they could impose? How
powerful were they? What was the worse that could happen to you if you
ignored the summons? Are we talking the equivalent of an 18th century
ASBO here?

Thanks to anyone who can enlighten me.

John Sleech Clerk Master of Arts Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry of

andrew...

Daf -

Yes, all very interesting, but it does rather leave one dangling on
tenterhooks wondering what was actualy said!

Yours Aye Andrew Sellon

Cornwall Lawfully Constituted To all manner of Persons whatsoever
Appointed within the said Archdeaconry Greeting We hereby charge and
command you that you peremptorily cite or cause to be cited Henry
Tregear of the Borough of Truro within our said Archdeaconry to appear
before us our Official or Lawful Surrogate or some other competent
Judge in this behalf in the Parish Church of Bodmin on fryday the
Twenty third day of this instant February Between the hours of Nine
and twelve in the forenoon of the same day; Then and There to Answer
Roger Powell Gent and Priscilla his wife in a Cause of Defamation at
their Instance and Promotion and further to do and answer as to Law
and Justice shall apportion And what you shall do in the promise of
you shall duly certify and or some other competent Judge in this
behalf at the time and place aforesaid Together with these presents.
Given under the Seal of our Office the Ninth day of February in the
year of our Lord 1787.

Hugh Watkins...

you better learn to use GENUKI

which has this basic kind of geographical / administrative data
(you need old-maps of all kinds too)

web-search
genuki portsmouth

Search
fourth one down

Portsmouth Registration DistrictGENUKI Contents =B7 GENUKI Contents =B7 L=
ist=20
of Counties =B7 List of Districts. PORTSMOUTH REGISTRATION DISTRICT.=20
Registration County : Hampshire. ...

PORTSMOUTH REGISTRATION DISTRICT
Registration County : Hampshire.
Created : 1.4.1900 (previously Portsea Island district).
Sub-districts : Kingston and East Southsea; North End and Buckland;=20
Portsea and Lindport; Portsmouth and Mid-Southern
GRO volumes : 2b (1900-30).
Parishes in Hampshire (1900-30):

Great Salterns, Portsea, Portsmouth.

Registers now in Portsmouth district.

or use web-search

enjoy

Hugh W

Jeff...

The defamation did not necessarily have to be religious in
nature (and in fact was very rarely so) These Courts also
dealt with matters that today would bee dealt with in the
Civil Courts.

You'll find a pretty good description of these Courts at:

Worth reading are:

Colin Chapman Ecclesiastical Courts, their Officials and
their Records, 1992
Jane Cox Hatred Pursued Beyond the Grave. Tales of our
Ancestors from the London Church Courts, 1993
Anne Tarver Church Court Records. An Introduction for Family
and Local Historians, 1995