Chancery Court Proceedings, 1669.   11

     defend.t waveing the same M.r Moorecroft craves time till the next Liber CD
     Court to reply or Except to the sd defend.ts second answ.r which this
     Court held reasoneable and doth order the same accordingly.

      The same day John Bayley pl.t Raymond Staplefort defend.t

      M.r Rozer for the pl.t craves time to till the next Court to Reply
     or Except to the answer putt in this day by the defend.t to the
     plaintiffs Bill which this Court doth ord.r accordingly

      The same day Christopher Rouseby and Eliz.a his wife plantiffs
     John Peirce defendant

      M.r Moorcroft Attorney for the plantiff prays that an Attachment
     may Issue out of the Court defendant for
an answer but M.r Notley   the defendant side mov
     that the Bill is a Bill of an extraordinary length and as yett
     he had had no time to draw the sd defend.ts answer and therefore
     prayed that he might have time till the next Court to putt in an
     answer to the pl.ts Bill but M.r Moorcroft alleadging there was a
     Suit and not approving that motion so as the plantiff wou'd Surcease
     his proceedings at the common Law. It is thereupon ordered by this
     Court that that the said defend.t shall have liberty to putt in his
     answer by the next Court and that an Injunction be awarded against
     the sd defendant for Stay of his proceedings at Law the plantiffs
            he shall perfectly and directly answer the pl.ts Bill and
     this Court take other order to the Contrary.
                                   Ro. Carvile Reg.r

     The Sherriffs Oath
      Ye shall Swear that well and truely you shall serve the Lord
     pröpry in the office of Sheriff of the County of N. & do his Lord-
     ships profitts in all that belongeth to you to do by way of your office
     as far forth as you may or can Ye shall not assent to decrease or
     lessen nor to Concealment at any of his Lordships rights or of his
     franchizes and whensoever ye shall have knowledge that his Lord-
     ships rights be concealed or withdrawn be it in Lands Rents f ran-
     chizes or Gifts or any other things ye shall do your true power to
     make them to be restored to his Lordship again and if ye may not
     do it ye shall Certify his Lordship or some of his Councill thereof
     such as ye shall for Certainty know will say it unto his Lordship ye
     shall not respitt his Lordships Debts for any Gift or favour where
     you may raise them without great Grievance of the Debtor ye shall
     truely and righteously treat the people of your Sheerifwick and do
     right to poor as well as to rich in all that belongeth to your office ye
     shall do no wrong to any man for a Gift or other behest or promise
     of goods nor yee shall disturb no mans right ye shall acquitt all those
     of whom ye shall any thing receive of his Lordships debts ye shall