532 Porter v Larder

532 PORTER V LARDER

Richard Porter of Launcells, co. Cornwall, esq v Edward Larder of Stratton, co. Cornwall, gent

1639

Abstract

In what appears to be a parallel case to cause 534, Porter, a captain of a trained band, complained that Larder had called him 'a base gentleman, a base condiconed gentleman, a knave, a false forsworne knave', saying that he had 'forsworne in all the courts of England'. Larder lost the case and was ordered to perform his submission at a muster of Porter's trained band company where he was to apologise and acknowledge that he was 'a gentleman of good quality and of ancient descent of gentry.'

Initial proceedings

R.19, fo. 1r, Summary of libel

'Richard Porter being a gentleman and descended of an ancient family; and that he and his ancestors for above 300 years past have bin soe commonly reputed to be gentlemen; and that for some years he had bin a capt. andc. Larder before many gentlemen and others, said that Porter was a base gentleman, a base condiconed gentleman, a knave, a false forsworne knave, and has been forsworne in all the courts of England, thereby to provoke him to a duel.'

1639

No signature.

Submission

4/39, Submission

Larder was to perform his submission between 1 and 4pm 'on the day of the generall meetinge of the trayned bands of the soldiers under the command of Capt. Rich. Porter of Launcells in the county of Cornwall... standing bareheaded in some convenient place to be appointed by him, Captain Porter, shall read, or after some one reading unto him. as followeth:

Whereas I, Edward Larder, stand convict by sentence diffinitive given against me in the high court militarie to have much abused in words Captain Richard Porter of Launcells in the county of Cornwall, and in particular to have said that Richard Porter was a base condiconed gentleman, I do now hereby humbly acknowledge that Richard Porter is a gentleman of good quality and of ancient descent of gentry, and that I am heartily sorry for those my rash and unconsiderate speeches; and that the sentence of the high court military given against me for the same is just and honourable. And I do further hereby pray the pardon and forgiveness of Mr Porter, promising for the future not to offend in the like kind but to behave myself towards him and all the gentry of the kingdom with due respect.'

No date.

No signatures.

Notes

Richard Porter of Launcells, co. Cornwall, was the son of Walter Porter and Gertrude Chamond. He was aged 44 in 1620, while his nephew, Richard Porter, also of Launcells, was aged 14.

J. L. Vivian and H. H. Drake (eds.), The Visitation of Cornwall in the year 1620 (Publications of the Harleian Society, 9, 1874), p. 178.

Documents

• Initial proceedings
  • Libel: R.19, fo. 1r (1639)
• Submission
  • Submission: 4/39 (no date)

People mentioned in the case

• Chamond, Gertrude
• Larder, Edward, gent
• Porter, Richard, esq
• Porter, Walter

Places mentioned in the case

• Cornwall
  • Launcells
  • Stratton

Topics of the case

• allegation of perjury
• denial of gentility
• military officer
• trained band