133 Coryton v Peryman

133 CORYTON V PERYMAN

William Coryton of West Newton Ferrers in St Mellion, co. Cornwall, esq v John Peryman of Bodmin, co. Cornwall

May - June 1638

Abstract

Coryton complained that John Peryman had sent him an insulting letter on 13 January 1638 which accused Coryton's father and grandfather of murder. Peryman's letter also upbraided him for his baseness, wished that 'the plagues of Pharoe light upon thee' and claimed that God had punished him by bereaving him of his eldest son and leaving his other son disabled. Coryton had been one of the leading members of the house of commons during the 1620s and was a justice of the peace, deputy lieutenant, deputy custos rotulorum, vice warden of the Stannaries, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber and former sheriff. Peryman had served as his deputy sheriff. He acknowledged he had sent the letter in a 'sudaine exorbitant passion' and claimed he had already begged Coryton's forgiveness, in writing and in person. He was attached to appear before the court on 7 May 1638 and held in the messenger's custody until 2 June. No sentence survives, but it is clear that Coryton won the case. Peryman petitioned on 8 June that his fine should be reduced on account of his innocent wife, their seven children and their 'small meanes of subsistence'.

Initial proceedings

13/2u, Libel [mainly Latin - damaged]

1. For the past 15 to 20 years Coryton had been a Justice of the Peace and for the past 3 to 12 years deputy custos rotulorum and deputy lieutenant, and vice warden of the Stannaries under William and Philip, earls of Pembroke, and was sheriff and commissioner of oyer and terminer, and was, and is, a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to the king, and his family had been reputed gentry for up to 300 years; and that Peryman was deputy sheriff to Coryton.

2. Peryman's son had delivered a letter to Coryton.

3. Within two days or months after this, John Peryman declared publicly: 'that hee had written the letter and would mainetaine everye word of it', or words to that effect, and that he had also sent a similar letter to Humfrey Nicolls esq.

On the grounds that these were words provocative of a duel, Coryton requested satisfaction in the Court of Chivalry.

13/2t, Letter from Peryman

Endorsed 'To the noble gent William Coryton most worthy of ignoblenes these'

'Extra libel Coryton 2 June 1638'

'I know that thou cannot be ignorant of the murder commytted by thy grandfather and father, and that thy grandfather and blynking [sic] father were accused of murder which never passeth without punishment; and God is just and hath shewed his justice uppon thee and thy children, and thou mayest bee sensible that hee is a just God, first in taking awaye thy children and thy eldest sonne, and next in shewing that the son which hee hath left thee is marked with God's tokens in having 2 eyes with divers tokens. But what shall I shewe thee with God's tokens whoe art not sensible nether of God's mercyes nor justice. In a word take thy base course and thy great friend Roe, and take thyne and his course; I doubt not but make both thyne and his basenes... [word crossed out] appeare. The plagues of Egypt I doubt not but will follow both him and thee, and the plagues of Pharoe light uppon thee and noe doubt but God will preserve.'

Signed by John Peryman

Note that: 'This lettere was delivered unto Mr William Coryton, esq, 13 Jan 1637/8 by the sonne of Mr John Peryman in the presence of:'

Signed by Jo: Tredinham, John Smith, Arthur Roe, Richard Wallis.

Submission

EM121, Defendant's petition

'That the 7^th day of May last your petitioner was attached by warrant from the right honorable Henry Lord Maltravers upon the petition of William Coryton, esquire setting forth therein that your petitioner by a letter formerly sent Mr Coryton had thereby provoked and scandalized him, which your honor's petitioner with harty contrition doth acknowledge and hath divers and sundry times, as well by his severall letters written unto Mr Coryton, as also in person, begged forgiveness, as being ready to submit and acknowledge his offence in any words or manner Mr Coryton should devise. And your petitioner remained under the custody of the messenger until the second day of this instant June to his great costs, and then Mr Coryton declined his way upon his petition and now prosecuteth your petitioner in your honor's Court Military notwithstanding there was one court held before your honor after your petitioner's first attaching before Mr Coryton proceeded in your honor's Court Military. And your petitioner appearing unto Mr Coryton's libell did the last court make his humble and unfained submission and confession thereunto. Your petitioner therefore humbly prayeth your honor to commiserate the distressed case of him his innocent wife and 7 children, that have already small meanes of subsistence through the great debts of your petitioner in ordering Mr Coryton such amends only as your petitioner, by all the facultyes of his body and mind, can make him reparacon of his reputation so fowly traduced through a sudaine exorbitant passion of your honor's now penitent petitioner.

And your petitioner as in all humble duty he is bound) shall pray for your lordship.'

Dated 2 June [1638]

Notes

William Coryton (1580-1651) was the eldest son of Peter Coryton of Newton Ferrers, co. Devon. He was high sheriff of Cornwall in 1613 and served as a justice of the peace for many years. He was also Vice-Warden of the Stannaries and mayor of Bossiney was elected M.P. for Launceston in 1640. He was deprived of his seat in 1641 and served as colonel of a royalist trained band regiment in 1642. By 1645-6 Coryton had entered talks with the parliamentarians and aided in their subjugation of the county. His son, John Coryton, was another royalist officer and created a baronet at the Restoration.

L. J. Reeve, 'William Coryton (1580-1651)', Oxford DNB (Oxford, 2004); P. R. Newman, Royalist officers in England and Wales, 1642-1660: A biographical dictionary (London, 1981), p. 87; J. L. Vivian and H. H. Drake (eds.), The Visitation of Cornwall in the year 1620 (Publications of the Harleian Society, 9, 1874), p. 49; M. F. Keeler, The Long Parliament, 1640-1641: A Biographical Dictionary of its Members (Philadelphia, 1954), p. 143.

Documents

• Initial proceedings
  • Libel: 13/2u (no date)
  • Letter: 13/2t (2 June 1638)
• Submission
  • Defendant's petition: EM121 (2 June 1638)

People mentioned in the case

• Coryton, John
• Coryton, William, esq
• Herbert, Philip, earl of Pembroke
• Herbert, William, earl of Pembroke
• Howard, Henry, baron Maltravers
• Nicoll, Humfrey, esq
• Peryman, John
• Roe, Arthur
• Smith, John
• Tredinham, Jo.
• Wallis, Richard

Places mentioned in the case

• Cornwall
  • Bodmin
  • Bossiney
  • Launceston
  • West Newton Ferrers in St Mellion

Topics of the case

• custos rotulorum
• denial of gentility
• deputy lieutenant
• high sheriff
• insulting letter
• justice of the peace
• member of parliament
• military officer
• office-holding
• parliament
• provocative of a duel
• royal servant
• trained band
• royalist
• royal servant