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

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.^[1]

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 chauncelo^r 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 yo^r lo^ps letter, and have had that care of yo^r cause that the justice of it required; soe as yo^r lo^p will understand that it is ready to be determined, to yo^r owne satisfac̄con, and the sentence only respited till the next tearme, to give yo^r lo^p the glory of a greate worke of chanty. If I had mett w^th anie fowle breath that had attempted to cast the least blott of slander upon yo^r lo^p 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, w^ch moved me (as I can assure yo^r lo^p it hath wrought the same passion w^th all that heard the cause) to wish yo^r lo^ps charity may be extended to her. I shall not neede to use arguments to encline yo^r lo^p to that vertue, w^ch I know is habituall in you; it wilbe enough to p'sent you w^th such a subiect where you may raise it to the highest pitch, and give yo^r lo^p occasion to fasten

1. Duchy of Lancaster Pleadings, 4 Car. I., Hilary Term.