Reference
ABCP
Title
Archdeaconry of Bedford Court papers
Date free text
1595-1850
Production date
From: 1596 To: 1850
Scope and Content
The main documents are as follows:-
Citation: about a week before the court (in the earlier period held at various places; latterly usually at Bedford in St Paul); in the name of the Commissary or occasionally the Arch deacon ( except during the Bishop’s triennial visitation); made out by the deputy registrar; signed by surrogate. It is also endorsed by a surrogate on the day of the court, as to the serving of it by the apparitor (sworn thereto), whose name usually appears; and/or as to its truth by persons bringing the action.
Libel: states the offences alleged.
Allegation & exceptive allegation: statements by the parties.
Depositions: statements by witnesses (much the most informative).
Interrogatory:
excommunication schedule and letters denunciatory ( the latter is sent to the incumbent and endorsed by him)
order of penance: endorsed as above
Acta: extracts from proceedings.
Archival history
Comparatively few of the case-papers relating to cases in the Archdeacon’s court have survived. Those cases for which they have survived (A.B.C.P. 97; 110 and 319) show how many there must have originally been. Most of these were received with the other Archdeaconry records; a few had strayed to Huntingdon, and were returned thence; a few were removed with the Probate records and came back with them. They have been recatalogued in one series in 1964.
Level of description
series