| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| absolution |
acceptance of an individual back to the church after excommunication |
| Act Books |
the principal record of the business dealt with by the Archdeacon and his officials, showing proceedings and judgements of the court |
| apparitor |
court messenger, whose duties included issuing and returning citations |
| articles/ books of articles |
lists of questions to be answered at a visitation by churchwardens |
| banns |
usual way in which people advertised their intention to marry, called three times in each of their parish churches; the alternative method was to procure a licence from the church court |
| call book |
list of clergy and churchwardens summonsed to attend a visitation |
| citation |
summons to attend court |
| compurgate |
provide a number of credible people (compurgators) who will swear to the innocence of an accused person |
| contumacy |
wilful disobedience to authority, especially used for failing to appear in court when called |
| defamation |
verbal abuse or accusation, slander |
| deposition |
witness statements, usually in English, in Instance business brought before the Archdeaconry court. |
| excommunication |
forbidding of an individual from attending church services or taking communion; greater excommunication involved the exclusion of the individual from all Christian company; the punishment was lifted by absolution |
| exhibit |
particulars of a clergyman's career and induction into a benefice |
| induction |
formal process of investing a clergyman into a benefice |
| interrogatory |
written questions and answers in Instance business brought before the Archdeaconry court. |
| Instance business |
causes in the Archdeaconry court brought by individuals against other individuals |
| libel |
preliminary paper setting out the case of the plaintiff in Instance business brought before the Archdeaconry court. |
| marriage bond and allegation |
two-part document entered into in order to procure a licence to marry without the calling of banns |
| marriage licence |
authority from the church courts for a couple to marry without the calling of banns, allowing the wedding to take place more quickly |
| notary public |
official charged with writing down and certifying acts of the court |
| Office business, or correction business |
causes in the Archdeaconry court brought by the Office of the judge, usually as a result of churchwardens' presentment bills |
| Official |
judge of the Archdeaconry court |
| peculiar |
area falling outside the usual ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and responsible for its own probate, correction business and Instance business |
| penance |
public display of repentance for an ecclesiastical crime |
| presentment bills |
reports usually made by churchwardens or sidesmen, but sometimes by clergy, at regular visitations by the Archdeacon; they detail failings in church buildings, conduct of clergy, and conduct of parishioners; cases were taken forward as correction business of the court |
| process |
official mandate authorising the issue of citations to clergy and churchwardens to attend a particular court session |
| proctor |
lawyer in an ecclesiastical court |
| register/registrar |
court official responsible for writing and filing acts and documents |
| sentence |
official document wrapping up a case of Instance business by explaining the process and assigning punishments. |
| swornmen, sidesmen, sidemen (in early 17th century) |
all terms for the churchwardens' assistants |
| visitation |
regular and formal visit by an Archbishop, Bishop, Archdeacon or Rural Dean to the parishes under his control, or to a convenient central meeting place, usually in conjunction with a fact-finding exercise |