VI. — An Ancient Bill in Chancery. — From N. Hare, Jun. 



Read at the Autumn Meeting, November 15, 1866. 



IN Mr. T. Q. Couch's interesting paper on Lanivet,* allusion is 

 made to the sufferings of Thomas Harrison and Henry 

 riamank. That they were not the only rectors of that parish 

 who endured "grete wronges" will appear from the following Bill 

 filed about 1460-1 by John Gody, against his parishioner Thomas 

 Harry, a tinner, complaining of various injuries done to him as 

 parson of the Church of Lanivet, for which he had no remedy at 

 common law.t The BUI is addressed to George Nevill, Bishop of 

 Exeter, made Chancellor the 25th July, 38 Hen. VI. 



The result of the application is not given in the Proceedings ; 

 but it is not unlikely that the records of the Stannary Court, if 

 searched, might throw some light on the matter, as the Plaintiff 

 alleges that defendant had brought several actions against him in 

 that Court, in consequence of his having sued the defendant for 

 certain Church fees, in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of 

 Exeter. 



It would seem that the Harrys were a mischief-making race ; 

 for we find that, some few^years before, one John Harry, priest, 

 and servant of Aleyn, Prior of Bodmin, was sued by Henry 

 Hoigges, an attorney of that place, for using towards him " sotill 

 craftys of enchauntement wycchecraft and socerye," by which his 

 leg was broken and his neck threatened to be. J 



Although Thomas Harry is described as only a tinner, it is 

 evident he must have been a person of some influence and weight 

 in Lanivet. Not only was he able to carry with him his parish- 



* Journal of the Royal Instittition of Cornwall, No. IV. 

 f Proceedings in Chancery, vol. i, p. Iviii. 

 I Proceedings in Chancery, vol. i, p. xxiv. 



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