In Dei nomine Amen. Nos Henricus Watkinson [contracted qualifications] / [approximately four pale lines naming jurisdiction, not fully resolved] / Johannem Charlesworth juniorem parochiae de Birstall Ebor diocesis / Nos articulos Capitula sive Injurias omnia et singula a / infrascripto [unread contraction] omnium sua salvis ac in forma modo / reformacionem ex officio mero ad promotionem Gratiae Rayner / viduae [contracted clause unread] / [remaining introductory legal reservation, about four lines, not fully read].
[Subscription in left margin:] Hen Squire.
1. Imprimis [contracted formula] omnibus et eorum cuilibet Quod omnes et singuli qui convitia / vituperia contumeliosa scandalosa et diffamatoria ad / infamiam seu diminutionem status et bonae famae alicujus / [pale clause concerning malicious utterance and Christian charity, approximately four lines] / [clause concerning correction and punishment, approximately three lines] / salutarem ad [unread contraction] et animae [unread] et omnium / de tali modo et forma puni[unread] [remaining clause unread].
2. Item [contracted formula] omnibus et eorum [unread] Quod fuit et est quaedam constitutio / provincialis [unread] titulata De omnibus [remainder of heading unread] / [unread intervening text] qui gratia odij lucri vel favoris aut alia quacunque de causa / crimen alicui malitiose imponunt unde apud bonos et graves / diffamatus sit [remaining provincial-constitution clause partly unread].
3. Item [contracted formula] omnibus et eorum [unread] Quod dicta Gratia Rayner fuit et / est mulier bonae honestae bonae famae et conversationis integrae / [unread clause] videlicet infra diffamacionem [unread] / [contracted reservations] / [unread words] dicta tenta habita nominata et reputata palam publice et Notorie / in dicta parochia de Birstall praedicta alijsque locis vicinis Et [contracted closing formula].
4. Item [contracted formula] omnibus et eorum [unread] Quod praemissis non obstantibus Johannes / Johannes Charlesworth junior spe temeraria ductus mensibus / Aprilis Maij Junij Julij Augusti et Septembris Anno domini 1682 / jam immediate [unread contraction] mensium sive Anni quolibet uno sive / aliquo infra parochiam de Birstall praedictam alijsve locis vicinis / malitiose et animo diffamandi et injuriandi eandem Gratiam / Rayner ipsam diffamavit et injuriavit nonnullaque verba / opprobriosa injuriosa scandalosa et diffamatoria adversus Gratiam / Rayner [contracted clause] et pluries / haec verba Anglice sequencia seu alia ejus in effectu consimilia / videlicet you this said John Charlesworth the younger speaking / to and of the said Grace Rayner said and reported (these / words) that the this said Grace Rayner was a Whore and / a Witch Et [contracted formula] de tali et tanto tempore loco modo et / forma verborum diffamatorum praedictorum [unread clause] / [formula referring to proof in due time and place].
5. Item [contracted formula] Quod post praemissa omnia et / singula tu Johannes Charlesworth junior [pale clause] / [three pale lines alleging his acknowledgment that he spoke the words] / [clause about recognition before trustworthy witnesses] / [formula and reservation].
6. Item [contracted formula] Quod post et per praemissa [unread] verba / diffamatoria praedicta status bona fama et opinio ipsius Gratiae / Rayner apud bonos et graves [unread] qui ipsam existimabant bonae / famae et opinionis [unread] graviter et enormiter laeduntur et / diminuuntur ac de verisimili plus laedentur in futurum Et / [formula].
7. Item [contracted formula] Quod tu praefatus Johannes / Charlesworth junior es et eras de Birstall diocesis Ebor / ac sic [contracted jurisdiction clause] et [formula].
8. Item [contracted formula] Quod de et super praemissis [unread] / et singulis fuit et est publica vox et fama infra dictam / parochiam de Birstall praedictam alijsque locis vicinis Et [formula].
Unde facta fide de praemissis quantum de jure / [prayer begins, approximately four pale lines on left and six on right: correction of junior Charlesworth and costs sought; complete wording not resolved].
Salvo jure [contracted reservation].
Et protestamur [contracted reservation].
Libellus et [unread contraction]
Rayner contra
Charlesworth junior
[proctor/filing words partly unread]
1682
[vertical docket:] Rayner contra Charlesworth junior
9o Nov: 1682
[recording formula partly contracted]
Hen: Watkinson
Responsiones personales Johannis Charlesworth junioris
[super?] positionibus et articulis alicujus libelli [contracted clause]
per partem Gratiae Rayner contra eum dat[unread] et exhibit[unread].
Ad primam positionem eundem refert se ad Canones
sacrosanctae [contraction unresolved] tales siqui tales sint Et aliter non credit
[unread contraction] esse vera in aliquo.
Ad secundam positionem eundem refert se ad Constitutionem
provincialem [insertion unread] siqua talis sit Et aliter non credit [unread contraction]
esse vera in aliquo.
Ad tertiam positionem eundem non credit eandem esse veram in
aliquo.
Ad quartam et quintam positiones eundem credit quod de jure
non tenetur eisdem respondere quia sunt positiones
Criminales.
Ad sextam positionem eundem non credit eandem esse veram
in aliquo.
Ad septimam positionem eundem credit eandem esse veram.
Ad octavam positionem eundem credit credita negat
negata.
[Signatures:] Wm. Savile. / John Charlesworth.
10 Januarij
1682
Thomas Brooke de Cleckheaton in Com[itatu] Ebor[acensi]
aetatis 40 annorum Clothier testis super positionibus et
articulis ex parte et per partem Gratiae Rayner
contra Johannem Charlesworth junior[em] dat[unread] et
exhibit[unread] productus admissus juratus et examinatus et
Primo de notitia partium testis dicit quod
dictam Rayner per Sexdecem annos novit
dictum Charlesworth junior[em] per viginti annos
novit.
[Margin:] Repetitus [provisional expanded reading] / Hen: Watkinson.
Super quarto articulo praedicto dicit That in May last this Ex[amina]te
upon Cleckheaton green within the p[ar]ish of Birstall
[deleted: an unresolved phrase] heard the ar[ticula]te John Charlesworth
call the ar[ticula]te Grace Rayner Whore & Witch
being then by and p[re]sent this Ex[amina]tes contest Mary
Williamson and divers others whome this Ex[amina]te has
forgotten who did or might have heard whats
deposed Et al[ite]r nescit deponere.
Super quinto articulo praedicto dicit quod nescit deponere.
Super Sexto articulo praedicto dicit quod nescit deponere.
Super reliquis non [unread contraction] Et [contracted ending].
Thomas Brooke
Timotheus Askwith de Cleckheaton in Com[unread contraction]
aetatis 26 annorum aut circ[iter] testis ut supra
productus admissus juratus et examinatus et primo
de notitia partium testis dicit quod dictam
Rayner per Sex annos novit et Charlesworth
praedictum [contracted word] tempore novit.
Hen: Watkinson.
Super quarto articulo praedicto dicit That in May last
as near as this deponent remembers he this party
was p[re]sent in the Shop of one Richard Blackburnes
situat in Cleckheaton when & where the ar[ticula]te
John Charlesworth junior speaking of the ar[ticula]te
Grace Rayner
Rayner said & reported that she was a whore
& a witch & repeated the same often over
being then p[re]sent Joshua Askwith Richard
Blackburne John Walker whoe all heard whats
deposed Et al[ite]r nescit deponere.
Super quinto articulo praedicto dicit That he this Ex[amina]te has
divers times since the speaking the words
p[re]deposed heard the ar[ticula]te Charlesworth owne &
speak the same words & especially when
this Ex[amina]te came to depose in this cause he told
him for two pence if he had occasion to York
he would speake the s[ai]d words againe Et al[ite]r
nescit deponere.
Super Sexto articulo praedicto dicit that by reason of
the s[ai]d words the good name of her the said
Grace Rayner is much hurt & she the [contracted word]
much lost amongst her neighbours Et al[ite]r nescit
deponere Et [contracted ending].
his marke
Timothy T A Askwith
[Margin:] Maria uxor [remaining contracted wording not fully read].
[Deleted:] Johannes [altered name: Williamson] de
Cleckheaton in Com[unread contraction] Clothmaker aetatis
23 annorum [unread contraction] testis ut supra product[unread] admiss[unread]
jurat[unread] et examinat[unread] et primo de notitia partium [unread]
dicit quod dictam Rayner per Septem menses
novit dictum Charlesworth praedictum tempus
novit.
Hen: Watkinson.
Super quarto articulo praedicto dicit That about the latter
end of Harvest last [insertion:] yeare as this Ex[amina]te remembers
she this Ex[amina]te was in the ar[ticula]te John Charlesworth
owne house situate in Cleckheaton where
he talking of her the said G[race, altered] Rayner said
that he beleived the s[ai]d Rayner was a witch
whoe was p[re]sent this deponent remembers
not Et al[ite]r nescit deponere.
Super quinto articulo praedicto dicit quod nescit deponere.
Super Sexto articulo praedicto dicit quod nescit deponere.
Et [contracted ending].
her marke
Mary m Williamson
In Dei nomine Amen.
Auditis visis intellectis ac plenarie et mature discussis
per Nos Henricum Watkinson legum doctorem [contracted office]
Christo patris et domini domini Richardi providentia divina Ebor
Archiepiscopi Angliae primatis et Metropolitani, Vicarium in
spiritualibus generalem et officialem principalem legitime constitutum
Meritis et Circumstantiis Causae sive negotii [contracted formula]
sive prolationis quorundam verborum scandalosorum et
injuriosorum per Johannem Charlesworth juniorem parochiae de
Birstall Ebor diocesis et contra Gratiam Rayner viduam
contra regulas Charitatis et Christianitatis; Quae sive quod coram
nobis in judicio inter praefatam Gratiam Rayner partem
promoventem ex una, et dictum Johannem Charlesworth juniorem
partem promotam ex altera, jamdiu vertebatur vertiturque
adhuc et pendet indecisa; Oblatisque Articulis per seu pro parte
partem promoventem cum copia eorundem parti promotae
[contracted words] [clause about answers, partly unresolved]
[approximately four lines referring to procedural terms and the sentence day, partly unread]
[approximately six lines naming John Preston and Robert Squire as proctors and the parties' request for judgment, partly unread]
[approximately nine lines of deliberation formula, partly unread]
Quia per actitata articulata deducta
exposita exhibita narrata allegata probata pariter et
confessata in hac Causa comperimus luculenter et
invenimus dictam partem promoventem intentionem suam
in dictis Articulis suis in hac Causa datis et exhibitis
deductam et propositam sufficienter et ad plenum fundasse
pariter
[image 8 left continues:]
pariter et probasse; Nihilque incontrarium allegatum aut
probatum fuisse aut esse, quod intentionem dictae partis
promoventis elideret seu quomodolibet enervaret,
Idcirco nos Henricus Watkinson legum doctor Judex
antedictus praefatum Johannem Charlesworth juniorem malitiose
Diffamasse dictam Gratiam Rayner, ac nonnulla verba
contumeliosa vituperiosa scandalosa et diffamatoria in hac
Causa libellata ad infamiam laesionem diminutionem sive
Diminutionem status bonae famae et opinionis dictae Gratiae
Rayner protulisse et jactitasse contra bonos mores et Charitatem ad
regulam Charitatis et injuriam dixisse asseruisse
protulisse et praedicasse juxta probationes [unread contraction] in hac Causa
habitas et factas pronuntiamus decernimus et declaramus
praefatumque Johannem Charlesworth juniorem pro tanto
temeritatis suae excessu in dictis praemissis et ea concernentibus debite
corrigendum et puniendum fore, ac ad reclamationem et
reformationem dictorum verborum diffamatoriorum
[unread contraction] cogendum et compellendum fore pronuntiamus
etiam decernimus et declaramus, Eundemque Johannem
Charlesworth in expensis [unread contraction] ex parte et per partem
Dictae Gratiae Rayner in hac Causa factis et fiendis
condemnamus, Condemnatumque ad debitam solutionem
earundem parti dictae Gratiae Rayner legitime cogendum et
compellendum fore pronuntiamus decernimus et declaramus
per hanc nostram sententiam diffinitivam sive hoc nostrum
finale decretum, quam sive quod ferimus et promulgamus in
hiis scriptis; Taxationem vero hujusmodi expensarum nobis
aut alijs [altered word] Judici in hac parte competenti [unread contraction]
reservantes et reservamus etiam in hiis scriptis.
Hen Squire
29mo die Martij 1683
Lecta et lata per nos
Hen: Watkinson.
About this case and its sources
The research database records what this source says. Follow these links to the records in Throwing Bones.
All events citing this source in Throwing Bones
Events
- 1682: Articles plead defamatory words during April–September 1682 at Birstall or neighbouring places; correction and costs sought. Pleaded reputation and alleged acknowledgment remain allegations, not witness findings.
- 1682-11-09: Answers dated 9 November 1682 deny the reputation and injury propositions, decline to answer articles 4–5 as criminal, and admit jurisdiction. This refusal is not an admission.
- 1683-01-10: Brooke reports insults on Cleckheaton green. Askwith reports repeated insults in Blackburne’s shop, later acknowledgment and reputational harm. Mary recalls Charlesworth saying at his house that he believed Grace was a witch. These are distinct recollections, not independent proof of witchcraft. Deposition date 10 January 1682 as written is interpreted 1682/3 under the English March-year chronology.
- 1683-03-29: On 29 March 1683 Watkinson finds Grace’s case sufficiently and fully proved, declares malicious defamation, orders correction and punishment and reclamation or reformation of the words, and condemns Charlesworth junior in costs, reserving assessment. No performed penance, retraction or payment is evidenced.