f [1]
Responsum Thome dikes parochie de Vico Malbano factum articulis presentatis Cuiusdam libelli alias Contra eum ex parte Elizabethe Colly vxoris Roberti Colly parochie predicte vtrumque dati et exhibiti
...
ff [1v–2]
...In Iune last past ‸⸢anno <..>
1637 iam
Currenti⸣ (as this respondent beleeveth) the
said Wildinge & the said Elizabeth Colly were
scandalously togeither at a Cockfight at Bettley in Staffordshire where vnder a Colour they had gott Robert Colly her husband
‸⸢a silly man⸣ to be with them & there they
the said parties were togeither betting and drinkeing from Munday morneing as he beleeveth till Tusday at night although
the said Elizabeth Colly had little children at home & one very younge
& tender that should have sucked at her breastes and at this Cockfight shee
professed yat she purposed to have stayed all the weeke longe if
it had continued so longe And further this respondent answereth
yat he beleeveth that at the same tyme at the instant of her comeing home
from the said Cockfight he this deponent happened to be in the way &
none hearing the wordes but her husband Colly the said Wilding & some
of this respondentes family ‸⸢to this
Respondentes knowledg⸣ he this respondent in his
anger & great perplexity of mind for this misbehaviour of his
said daughter asked her whether Cheshire could not serve her tourne to play the whore in, but she must
travayle into Staffordshire with soe lewd a companion? telling her
yat the same act of hers before related was liker a whores, then an
honest womans part or wordes sounding to like sence so far as he this
respondent remembreth. intending therby no more but to rebuke and
reproove her his said daughter (as he beleeveth he lawfully
might, and was bound so to do in Conscience) & noe way to bring her into any
infamy or reproach, for into that shee had formerly without shame
contrary to former promises | run her
self withe whole Countrey that knew or heard of it/
aliter non credit articulum esse verum in
aliquo ‸⸢Saving that he is of the parish of Namptwich⸣
diocess of Chester
(signed) Thomas dyckes
f [1]
The response of Thomas Dykes of the parish of Nantwich made to articles of a libel both given and produced elsewhere ex parte Elizabeth Colly, wife of Robert Colly of the aforesaid parish.
Thomas Dikes here responds to a complaint of defamation brought by his daughter, Elizabeth Colly. Much of the detail of the case is not relevant and is not transcribed here. According to Thomas’ response, between January and June, 1635, Elizabeth was in great suspicion of adultery with one Thomas Wilding of the parish of Coppenhall, and the couple were presented diverse times by the churchwardens of Nantwich for incontinency. Thomas Dikes and Randle Meakin, godfather of Elizabeth, persuaded her to promise to avoid Wilding’s company, and Dikes likewise persuaded Wilding to avoid her house. But all to no avail, because the incident here related took place, apparently in June 1635. Dikes was careful to correct his place of residence to Nantwich, not Middlewich.
Record title: Diocese of Chester
Consistory Court Case, Response to Complaint in Colly v. Dikes
Repository: Cheshire Record Office
Shelfmark: EDC 5 (1635)/87
Repository location: Chester
1635; English and Latin; paper; bifolium, folded in 2 to make 2 leaves, subsequently folded in 4 vertically; 302mm x 374mm; unfoliated; writing on ff [1–2] and endorsed on third panel of f [2v].