Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 2.djvu/45

224 whereupon I removed to the side: And when the Mayor having the seate began to talk to me, and saying, what I had already gotten I should make myself merry withall for I should have no more, I told him I came not thither about my own business and therefore desired him not to disturb the bench with private matters. Yet, because he persisted speaking of it, I said publickly, that as I had formerly so now again I did offer unto the Town, that, if they would, we would put all our demands to the hearing of indifferent gentlemen of the country or 2 Judges or 2 Lawyers, and enter into a £1000 Bond on either side to stand to that which they should say is just and right, with this condition, that they would voluntarily swear beforehand that on the perill of their soul they would speak what they thought in their conscience was just. But the Mayor and his father and Peter Marsh, &c. refused it, saying 'we will try it by law to the utmost' I then desired a short issue, but they refused it.

Now in the meantyme, whiles I was sitting in the seat where the Justices had requested me to sitt, and whiles the Mayor was contending about it, some of the townsmen said aloud (viz. old Wm Ford, Hugh Challoner, Charles Leigh, &c.) 'we will spend all that we are worth before he shall sitt there,' and Thomas Forth said, 'nay, we will spend our lives even before we will let him sitt there,' which Francis Brigs the Sheriffs man heard and said to him 'you speak more than you can warrant,' and Henry Reynolds bid him bear witness of it; and Mr. Nowell, minister, also heard it, as he told Wm Wicksteed.
 * Witnesses

Wm Wicksteed.

Henrye Raynold."

The suit for the walk, or fulling, mills on the river Douglas was proceeding in the court of the Duchy of Lancaster before Sir Humphrey May and Sir Edward Moseley at the same time with the suit above mentioned, the following bill of complaint having been presented in November, 1617: