679 Walthall v Miles

679 WALTHALL V MILES

Richard Walthall of Nantwich, co. Chester, gent v Thomas Miles of the same, yeoman

November 1640

Abstract

Walthall complained that Miles gave him the lie before several people and called him 'base gentleman, a base condiconed gentleman, a base rascall, a stinking scabb and a base stinking fellow'. Process was granted on 20 November 1640 and Walthall entered bond four days later; but the case was lost with the suspension of the court's proceedings in December.

Initial proceedings

5/167, Petition

'The petitioner hath been much abused by the scandalous and traducing speeches of one Thomas Myles, alias Pickavents, who in the hearing of divers persons gave your petitioner very fowle language, and told him that he was a base gentleman, a base condiconed gentleman, a base rascall, a stinking scabb and a base stinking fellow, and gave your petitioner the lye severall tymes as by the affidavits annexed may appeare.'

Petitioned for Myles to be brought to answer.

Maltravers granted process, 20 November 1640.

5/165, Plaintiff's bond

24 November 1640

Bond to 'appear in the court in Arundel house in the Strand without Temple Barr, London'.

Signed by Thomas Piggot acting for Walthall.

Sealed, subscribed and delivered in the presence of John Dynham and John Longland.

Notes

Possibly the royalist Major Richard Walthall (d.1691), who was the eldest son of Alexander Walthall of Wistaston (d.1657) and Alice, daughter of Sir William Skeffington of Fisherwick, co. Stafford, bart. Alexander's grandfather was a Richard Walthall of Nantwich.

G. J. Armytage and J. P. Rylands (ed.), Pedigrees made at the Visitation of Cheshire, 1613 (Publications of the Harleian Society, 59, 1909), p. 245; P.R. Newman, Royalist officers in England and Wales, 1642-1660: A biographical dictionary (London, 1981), p. 397.

Documents

• Initial proceedings
  • Petition: 5/167 (20 Nov 1640)
  • Plaintiff's bond: 5/165 (24 Nov 1640)

People mentioned in the case

• Dynham, John
• Howard, Henry, baron Maltravers
• Longland, John
• Miles, Thomas, yeoman (also Myles alias Pickavents)
• Piggot, Thomas
• Skeffington, Alice
• Skeffington, William, baronet
• Walthall, Alexander
• Walthall, Alice
• Walthall, Richard, gent

Places mentioned in the case

• Cheshire
  • Nantwich
  • Wistaston
• London
  • Arundel House
  • Strand
  • Temple Bar
• Staffordshire
  • Fisherwick

Topics of the case

• civil war
• denial of gentility
• giving the lie
• military officer
• royalist