Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 1.djvu/149

Rh in the Sheriff's hands. That such attachment was not served upon the said Richard Moore or others. That they did not know that the Sheriff stayed the execution thereof from any friendship that he bore towards Moore and the others; nor that any money was given by Moore or others to stay the execution of the said process. That they did not know, but had heard it reported by others, that there was a privy seal served upon one Robert Pennington, at the suit of the same bishop and Sir Thomas Langton, and that the same Robert did break the same and cast the wax at the before mentioned William Straitbarrell.

The deposition of Peter Marshe, Robert Pennington and Thomas Becke agrees with that of the three former defendants. Thomas Stanley and Sir Thomas Langton say in answer that James Harryson [Henryson] is bailiff in Wigan and that he had the said Sweeting in execution of a certain debt, and Sweeting "dyd flee from the sayd Harryson and wolde have escaped owte of execution, and thereupon the sayd Harryson did freshelye hym pursue, and the sayd Sweeting dyd returne agayne and draw hys dagger and dyd stryke at the sayd Harryson; and that the blows struck by Harryson were in self defence. With regard to the other matter they say that a piper came to the church playing on his instrument before a bryde according to the uses of the country, that he did not make any disturbance, and that the said Straitbarell did neither procure him nor come with him."

The defendants, in reply, deny that Harryson had an execution against Sweeting, or did pursue, as stated by the complainants, but assaulted Sweeting unjustly and would doubtless have murdered him if some of the townspeople had not interfered. They declare all the statements made to be untrue. There is no order or decree to be found with reference to this suit. It would seem, however, that it had the effect of bringing Bishop Stanley and his parishioners at Wigan to some understanding; for in this same year he confirmed to the burgesses of Wigan