Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 2.djvu/147

326 punishment; and averred that he and his ancestors had been tenants of the said mill for two or three hundred years, and had laid out upon it, in building and repairing, as much as £100. The bishop believes it to be true that Miles Letherbarrow and his ancestors had been tenants of the said mill for two or three hundred years, and if they have been at charges of £100 on repairing or rebuilding it, they have been recompenced by the tolls and profits of the mulchture of corn and grain, but he denies all the rest of her allegations. There was no order or decree made in this case; but the sentence was deferred until the next term, in order to give widow Letherbarrow time to submit herself to the bishop and obtain his pardon for her contumacy. It may be inferred from the following letter given to Mrs. Letherbarrow by the chancellor of the Duchy to take to the bishop, and by the bishop endorsed: "lr̃e of L. Newbrugh chauncelor of the Dutchy about Bridge Corn Mill in Wigā decembr. 1629," that the widow's manner and charms made a strong impression upon the court: "My Lord I receaved yor lops letter, and have had that care of yor cause that the justice of it required; soe as yor lop will understand that it is ready to be determined, to yor owne satisfac̄con, and the sentence only respited till the next tearme, to give yor lop the glory of a greate worke of chanty. If I had mett wth anie fowle breath that had attempted to cast the least blott of slander upon yor lop I should have checked and punished it; but I must yield this testimonie to this bearer and her counsaile, that their plea was for charity and mercy, and her carriage humble and submissive, and full of shewes of compunction, wch moved me (as I can assure yor lop it hath wrought the same passion wth all that heard the cause) to wish yor lops charity may be extended to her. I shall not neede to use arguments to encline yor lop to that vertue, wch I know is habituall in you; it wilbe enough to p'sent you wth such a subiect where you may raise it to the highest pitch, and give yor lop occasion to fasten