In 5 Ed. IV. the inquest at the court make this short return, “Nil presentant propter breve tempus.”
At the Halton Court held in 4 Hen. VIII., 1512, Elizabeth Heath, servant to John Blinsten, and Agnes, wife of John Owen, were found to be common carriers away of the poles of the park, and were fined for it; and Agnes was further charged with stealing the racks placed in the park to hold the hay which had been placed there for the King’s deer (feris).
In 1544 the jury at Thelwall presented Robert Bold and Thomas Heypey for keeping cards “talos [dice] et alia joca illicita,” in their houses, “contra firmam statuti.”
In 1559 a tenant was presented at the court for not ringing his swine.
In 1608 John Lawton was fined 3s. 4d. for allowing Thomas Whiteley to remain tippling in his house, which it is presumed was public, for one hour.
In 1655 a man was fined for suffering his wife to fight and draw blood.
On Thursday before St. George’s Day, 4 Hen. VIII., 1512, William Hicson was excused attending at the Manor Court because he was going with the King on his wars in France. This man probably went with the Marquis of Dorset’s unfortunate expedition, with which, however, the King did not go.
In the 42 Edward III., 1370, Hamon de Warburton is fined by the court for taking a hare in the lord’s warren at Whitley. The warren here spoken of must mean the lord’s free warren, for hares are not, like rabbits, confined in an enclosed warren.
In 1507 the jury at the Halton Court held at Thelwall presented John Bollyng of Warrington, yeoman, for that he on 1 February, and on divers other days as well before as after at Appleton and elsewhere within the fee of Halton with greyhounds and other dogs (cum greybitches venaticis et aliis canibus) was a common hunter “vi et armis,” not having lands and tenements to the value of xls. a year, and, it is added, “nil habet ideo capiatur.”
In 1512, at the Runcorn halmote, the jury, as we have before mentioned, presented William Runcorn of Runcorn, chaplain, for that he not being beneficed to xls. a year did keep a hare hound and was a common hunter.