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88 HISTORY OF CORN MILLING: vol. iv.
DEE^MiLLS Prescriptive right cannot be in a matter of wrong."
CHESTER. Evidence was called to prove :—
of the inhabitants
13. Action (0 That the multure and grist
the
^g^i"st ^'
of the city belonged and doth belong to Dee Mills,
jj^^/
William Whitehead, baker, aged 82 years or thereabouts,
has known for threescore years the customs to
be as stated by plaintiffs. George Whitefield, miller,
aged 68 years or thereabouts, confirms : about twenty
years past
he was farmer of this Bache Mill and the
windmill, and at that time he '' would not be supposed
to grind any grain of the inhabitants of the city."
Robert Dandrey, of the Ryddings, esquier [one of
the original defendants apparently], aged 60 years or
thereabouts, confirms, having known the custom fully
for thirty-six years. John Cotgreave, miller, confirms.
(2) That corn and malt of the inhabitants of the
city, carried to any other mills to be ground, hath
been used to be [seized and] taken to Dee Mills ;
and the horses or carts that carried the same were
brought to the casde and impounded. Thomas Ball,
of Christleton [apparently another of the original
defendants], aged 60 years, testifies that he hath been
at divers times troubled for fetching corn out of the
city to Boughton Mill, and about twenty-seven years
past his horse with corn upon him was taken from
him by the millers of Dee Mills. George Whitefield
appears again, and says that when he was farmer of
Bache Mill his horse and corn were taken as afore-
said ; and he knows that the horse and corn of
one Bushell, who was farmer of Boughton Mill, was
so taken. William Whitehead and John Cotgreave
confirm.
(3) That such persons as carried corn away from
the said Dee Mills to any other mills were bound
in recognisance in the Exchequer of Chester not
to commit the like offence again. Robert Dandrey,