The Court of Chivalry 1634-1640.
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'674 Waller v Watmole', in The Court of Chivalry 1634-1640, (, ) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/court-of-chivalry/674-waller-watmole [accessed 26 April 2024]
In this section
674 WALLER V WATMOLE
Thomas Waller the elder of Bedford, gent v William Watmole of Bedford, scrivener
June 1640
Abstract
Waller, a former mayor and now an alderman of Bedford, complained that on 7 March 1639 Watmole, in company with his son Thomas Waller the younger and other witnesses, said that the elder Waller was 'a promoting knave.' Process was granted on 13 June 1640 and both parties entered bonds; but no further proceedings survive.
Initial proceedings
5/78, Petition
'Your petitioner is a gentleman descended from an ancient family of gentry and hath borne the office of mayor and is now an alderman of the towne of Bedford. One William Watmole of the parish of St Peter in Bedford, scrivener, upon the vii day of March 1638, or thereabout, being in company with Thomas Waller the younger, your petitioner's sonn, and others, said that his father (meaning your petitioner) was a promoting knave, which opprobrious speeches were as aforesaid uttered publiquely and in the presence of divers witnesses, to the manifest reproach and disgrace of your petitioner and to provoke him to duell.'
Petitioned that Watmole be brought to answer.
Maltravers granted process 13 June 1640.
5/77, Plaintiff's bond
16 June 1640
That he was to 'appear in the Court in the Painted Chamber within the Pallace of Westminster'.
Signed by Thomas Waller
Signed, subscribed and delivered by J. Oughton.
5/96, Defendant's bond
26 June 1640
That he was to 'appear in the Court in the Painted Chamber within the Pallace of Westminster'.
Signed by William Watmole.
Signed, subscribed and delivered by John Longland.
Notes
Thomas Waller was mentioned as a former mayor, and an alderman of Bedford in the Visitation of 1634.
F. A. Blaydes (ed.), The Visitations of Bedfordshire, 1566, 1582 and 1634 (Publications of the Harleian Society, 19, 1884), p. 71.
Documents
- Initial proceedings
- Petition: 5/78 (13 Jun 1640)
- Plaintiff's bond: 5/77 (16 Jun 1640)
- Defendant's bond: 5/96 (26 Jun 1640)
People mentioned in the case
- Howard, Henry, baron Maltravers
- Longland, John
- Oughton, J.
- Waller, Thomas the elder, gent
- Waller, Thomas the younger
- Watmole, William, scrivener
Places mentioned in the case
- Bedfordshire
- Bedford
- St Peter, Bedford
- Middlesex
- Westminster
Topics of the case
- alderman
- corporation
- mayor
- office-holding
- provocative of a duel