The Cause Papers

Cause Papers in the Diocesan Courts of the Archbishopric of York, 1300 - 1858

Search the Cause Papers by Keyword:

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Advanced Search

This screen allows you to search the cause papers catalogue across a broader range of fields, using any combination of those given below. Searching combinations of fields will return all records which match all of your search terms. If you are not generating any information, try a more limited search. To find out more about a particular field click on the question mark beside it. For more general information about searching the database, click here.

Keywords

Keyword include variants
whole phrase only

This will search any word actually used in the entry for each cause. By default, this includes variants of surnames: searching Green will return hits for Grene. It also includes variants of place-names: thus searching Whitby will also return hits for Whiteby, a historical spelling of the town's name. If you want to search for a specific spelling, turn off the 'include variants' option. When variant searching, multi-word phrases are usually split into individual words - tick the 'whole phrase only' box if you want to search for the complete phrase. The 'whole phrase only' box has no effect if variant searching is turned off - the whole phrase is always used for non-variant searching.

Excluded Keyword

Enter a surname or place-name here to restrict your search to causes which don't include these words. If you exclude a name, the system will also exclude all forms identified as variants of that name (e.g. excluding Brown will also exclude Browne).

People

Surname include variants
whole phrase only

You can enter the surname in a standard form or a variant form (e.g. Brown or Browne). The database will link the form you type to all other forms identified as versions of the same surname. Sometimes it may seem to link to some unusual options. If you cannot find anything with the variant you have, try another. If you want to search for just one variant, untick the 'include variants' box. When variant searching, multi-word phrases are usually split into individual words - tick the 'whole phrase only' box if you want to search for the complete phrase. The 'whole phrase only' box has no effect if variant searching is turned off - the whole phrase is always used for non-variant searching.

Given Name

First names are entered in English forms and have been standardized [Please see the Cause Papers Project Standardization Guide(PDF, 332kb) for more information.]. Accordingly, your search may not work if you are using a name which has more than one form (such as Isabel and Isobel). If you are having trouble finding an individual, try searching surname only. You can also use this field to search for corporate names, such as Office or Churchwardens of Whitby.

Sex

Choose from the drop down menu. If you are uncertain choose Any. For causes involving institutions (such as the Office of the court) select Undefined.

Role

Choose from the drop down menu. If you are uncertain choose All.

Status

This field is for searching for individuals described in the papers as having unpaid positions. This may include information about marital status (for instance, widow, spinster or Married to X); descriptions indicating social status such as gentleman or yeoman; unpaid roles such as churchwarden; clerical titles such as clerk, and unspecific titles relating to age/name, such as junior or the younger. This field also includes information about relationships between case participants.

Occupation

This field is for searching for individuals described in the papers as having paid positions: such as tailor or rector. These are given as in the papers.

Places

County

Select from the drop-down list. The database uses pre-1974 counties. Note that some places may have been affected by historic changes to county boundaries.

Place Name include variants
whole phrase only

You can enter a place-name in a standard form or a variant form (e.g. York or Ebor, the city's Latin name). The database will link the form it's given to all others identified as versions of the same place. If you cannot find anything with the variant you have, try its modern spelling. If you want to search for uses of just one variant, untick the 'include variants' box. When variant searching, multi-word phrases are usually split into individual words - tick the 'whole phrase only' box if you want to search for the complete phrase. The 'whole phrase only' box has no effect if variant searching is turned off - the whole phrase is always used for non-variant searching.

Place Type

You can use the drop down menu to restrict your search by place type. However, it was not always possible to identify this from the case documents. For a broader search, select Any.

Documents

Reference Has abstract
Has image

The Reference box is for use when you know the exact reference of the cause [for example CP.H.2345 or CONS.CP.1800/2]. Please note that some causes have been re-referenced. If you have a reference from an early list or an older printed book it may not now work.
Tick the 'Has abstract' checkbox to restrict your search to records which have viewable abstracts: short summaries which indicate what the cause was about, drawn from research on the original documents. Only a small selection of causes have abstracts. If available, you can view the abstract by clicking a link on the record screen for that cause.
Tick the 'Has image' checkbox to restrict your search to those cause papers which the Borthwick Insitute have made digital images available online and to view zoomable images of the cause.

Court Type

Choose from the drop down menu. If you are uncertain choose Any.

Case Type

Use this drop down menu to restrict your search by type of case. Note that Appeals cases include those which were heard on appeal from an inferior court, and thus encompass a variety of the other different types of case.

Case Details

This field can be used to search for specific sorts of cases within the overarching case types. For instance, defamation cases are grouped into those involving sexual slander, slurs on character and accusations of theft, among others. A list of the most commonly used specific sub-groups in the database can be consulted here. You can also use this field to search for specific types of crop or livestock mentioned in Tithe cases.

Date Range From (month/year)
To (month/year)

These fields limit your search by the period during which the case was held: this can differ from the period at which the events included occurred, sometimes by several years. Julian and Gregorian dates are displayed as appropriate on the results and cause paper pages, but for the search, please specify the date assuming a year that begins in January and ends in December, regardless of whether the date falls during the Julian or Gregorian calendar period.

'The Cause Papers' was developed by The Borthwick Institute for Archives at The University of York Library and Archives with technical development provided by The Humanities Research Institute at The University of Sheffield