387 Longville v Ashby

387 LONGVILLE V ASHBY

Sir Michael Longville of Wolverton, co. Buckingham, knt v Sir Francis Ashby of Harefield, co. Middlesex, knt and bart

No date

Abstract

Longville complained that Ashby had called him 'a coward, a beggar, a dishonest man' and 'a dangerous fellowe', remarking that 'that he had no warning given him to take heed of' Longville. Longville was pensioner to the king, a J.P. and deputy lieutenant, and he petitioned that Ashby should answer before the Earl Marshal. No further proceedings survive.

Initial proceedings

EM316, Petition

'Whereas your lordship's supplicant having for many years continued in the service of his majestie as a pensioner, and in his countrey a justice of the peace and deputy lieutenant, where he married (as your lordship knows) into an honorable house, and hath hitherto borne himself according to his ranke and qualitie without deteccon of anie, till now of late he hath been defamed, and that in a publike manner, by one Sir Francis Ashby knight and baronet, living in Harefield in the countie of Middlesex, as that your supplicant is a coward, a beggar, a dishonest man, a dangerous fellowe, and that he had no warning given him to take heed of him, with many other fowle aspercons tending to the prejudice of your supplicant in point of honor and reputacon.

Maie it therefore please your lordship, your supplicant having no other helpe in a cause of this nature but to flie to your honor for reliefe, and by vertue of your authoritie as Earl Marshall to command Sir Francis Ashby to appear before your lordship, whereby your supplicant may receave such due satisfaccon for theis unsufferable injuries as you in your lordship's wisdom shall thinke fitt. And he shalbee much obliged to your lordship for the same.'

No date.

Notes

Sir Michael Longville was the son of Sir Henry Longville of Wolverton, co. Buckingham and Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Cotton of Bedhampton, co. Hampshire. Sir Michael married Lady Susan Grey, the daughter of Charles Grey, earl of Kent. He was a brother of Sir Thomas Longville [see cause 388]. His elder brother Sir Edward Longville (1604-1661) was created a baronet in 1638. Another brother, Charles Longville, was killed on the Isle de Rhé expedition.

W. H. Rylands (ed.), The Visitation of the County of Buckingham, 1634 (Publications of the Harleian Society, 58, 1909), p. 84; G. E. Cokayne (ed.), Complete Baronetage, vo. 2, 1625-1649 (Exeter, 1902), p. 437.

Sir Francis Ashby of Harefield, co. Middlesex (1595-1623) was the son of Sir Robert Ashby of Harefield and Dorothy, daughter of Francis Haydon of Watford, co. Hertford. He matriculated at Gray's Inn in 1607 and was knighted in 1617. He was created a baronet on 18 June 1622. He died without heirs on 23 December 1623 and was buried at Harefield. The baronetcy became extinct and his widow Joane died in 1635. Sir Francis was mentioned in the pedigrees listed in BL, Harl. MS 1551, fo. 94.

G. E. Cokayne (ed.), The Complete Baronetage, 1611-25 (Exeter, 1900), vol. 1, p. 198; G. J. Armytage (ed.), Middlesex Pedigrees (Publications of the Harleian Society, 65, 1914), p. 135.

Documents

• Initial proceedings
  • Petition: EM316 (no date)

People mentioned in the case

• Ashby, Dorothy, lady
• Ashby, Francis, knight and baronet
• Ashby, Joane
• Ashby, Robert, knight
• Cotton, Elizabeth
• Cotton, Richard
• Grey, Charles, earl of Kent
• Grey, Susan, lady
• Haydon, Dorothy
• Haydon, Francis
• Longville, Charles, esq (also Longvile, Longvyll)
• Longville, Henry, knight (also Longvile, Longvyll)
• Longville, Michael, knight (also Longvile, Longvyll)
• Longville, Susan, lady (also Longvile, Longvyll)
• Longville, Thomas, knight (also Longvile, Longvyll)

Places mentioned in the case

• Buckinghamshire
  • Wolverton
• France
  • Isle de Rhé
• Hampshire
  • Bedhampton
• Hertfordshire
  • Watford
• London
  • Gray's Inn
• Middlesex
  • Harefield

Topics of the case

• allegation of cowardice
• deputy lieutenant
• giving the lie
• inns of court
• justice of the peace
• office-holding
• royal servant