Deposition – Arthur Morgan – 12 Aug 1680

Arthur Morgan of Frosterley in the Parrish of Stanhopp <Yeom[an]> Aged sixty seaven yeares <or thereabouts> Sworne and Examined sayth 



1  To the First Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth that hee knowes the Compl[ainan]t  And William Blackett John Mowbray Richard Mowbray and John Westgarth  and knowes the Two p[ar]ishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale and hath knowne the same dureing all the time of his remembrance.



2. 3. 4. 5. 6. & 7   To the Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixt and Seaventh Interrogatorys this Depon[en]t sayth that the p[re]sent Bishopp of Durham and his p[re]decessors have beene time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary seised in Fee of A County Pallatine and Franchises thereunto belonging and of the Two Parrishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale and of and in all Lead Mynes groves and ures within the said Two Parrishes and Forest  And this Depon[en]t sayth that the Mooremaster by virtue of his Office had full power liberty and Authority to Prohibitt Stopp and Lett all persons whatsover from workeing or getting of  any Oare or ure within the said Parrishes and Forrest of Weredale unless such p[er]son or p[er]sons were lycensed or <admittedthere>=unto by the s[ai]d Mooremaster his Deputy or Deputys  And this Depon[en]t doth very well remember that Mr Wythers Mr Humphrey Wharton Mr Thomas Wharton Mr Richard Hutton and the Compl[ainan]t have all Exercised the said Office of Mooremaster and hath heard and believes that Sr George Bowes and  Mr William Bowes were likewise Mooremasters And this Depon[en]t sayth that the said Moorem aster by vertue of his Office had full power liberty and Authority to worke all the Mynes Groves and Vaines of Lead Oare within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest (Except within the Freehold Landes <or> severall p[ar]ticular Freeholds) And this Depon[en]t hath knowne severall Mynes and groves wrought under the Mooremaster within the said parrishes and Forrest both within and without the Enclosed grounds of all the Coppyhold[er]s L<easeh>olders <Tenants> for yeares and Tenants for Lives and Customary Ten[an]ts within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest of Weredale p[ar]ticularly hee knowes the Mynes of Lead on Bollihopp Fell called called Harnishaw Ewtree Bollihoppgrove Mirke gill Shaftwell and Levyclough   On the fell called Middlehopp hee knowes the Mynes called Dowkes and Newmeadow head  On Sedlinghopp fell hee knowes the Mynes called <Whiterake> Midgepitts Barkerburne and Brakensike  On Rookehopp fell he knowes the Mynes called Gorbutt may and Greeneclough On Ireshopp fell hee knowes the Myne called Ireshopp burne:foote  On Middleblackdeane fell hee knowes the Mynes called Allerclough and Cragg grove w[hi]ch said two Mynes ly within very Auntient enclosed grounds and the said Cragg:grove was wrought above Fifty yeares since by Ralph Fetherstonhalgh by Tack from the Mooremaster  On the fell called Burnehopp hee knowes the mynes called Langtayhead Berrywell and Sallowgraine all which said Mynes were wrought by Tack from the Mooremaster  And hee is the better Enabled soe to depose for that this Depon[en]t aboute Fifty Five yeares since was Employed as an Oare Carryer and for aboute Twenty yeares together followed that Imployment under the said Mooremasters and carryed severall considerable quantitys of Oare from the Mynes above menc[i]oned to the Bayle hills and Smelt mills of the then Mooremaster  And this Depon[en]t sayth that itt is above Twenty <nyne> yeares since this Depon[en]t gave over the Carriage of any Oare.



To the rest of the Interrogatorys hee is not required to bee Examined.