ABC

Court books

1540-1844

From: 1540 To: 1844

Although some of the books have different titles (Liber Instantium 8,11; Liber Actorum, 10, 12, 13, 15), others having no title, it appears that they are a continuous series in which material of many kinds was entered, including at first even the registering of wills; and that the wills registers were the only material which branched off to form its own series (see ABP). Thus they include cases of different types:- the 'office' against the accused; the 'office' at the instance of a third person against the accused; cases between private persons; the business of proving of granting licences, caveats and visitations. Matters dealt with include disputes about tithes and rates, refusal to attend church or take the sacrament, church repair, wearing of vestments, failure to carry out duties, misuse of Sunday, immorality and slander. There are also precedent books.

The main part of this series was received from the Archdeacon in 1922. Some volumes had been removed with the probate record in 1858, first to Northampton and later to Birmingham, apparently because some of them also contained probate material; and these returned to Bedford from the Probate Division with other probate records in 1950, (nos. 1-2, 6,10,14-18). See also ABP/R1. By resolution of the County Records Committee 29 April 1938 an act book of Archdeaconry of Huntington, 1590 - 6, recording cases in Hertfordshire only, was transferred to Hertford. It was inscribed 'ex libris Marci Newman' (cf. nos. ABCP20 - 23).

sub-fonds