Deposition – Lancelott Chapman – 12 Aug 1680

The further Execuc[i]on of the Comic[i]on hereunto annexed is Adjourned unto the Dwelling house of Lancelott Chapman att Bucklerscale in the Parrish of Stanhopp upon Thursday the Twelfth day of August in the Thirty second yeare of the Raigne of King Charles the Second



Lancelott Chapman  of Bucklerscale in the Parrish of Stanhopp yeoman Aged Ninety eight yeares  Sworne and Examined sayth.



1  To the First Interrogatory hee sayth that he knowes  the Compl[ainan]t and knowes John Westgarth  John Mowbray and Richard Mowbray And knowes the two Parrishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale 



2  3 & 4  To the Second Third and Fourth Interrogatorys this Depon[en]t sayth that the p[re]sent Lord Bishopp of Durham and his p[re]decessors have time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary beene seised of and in A County Pallatine and of all the libertys and Franchises to A County Pallatine belonging and of and in the Two Parrishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale And of and in diverse and sundry Lead Mynes Groves and vaines of Lead Oare lying within the Two Parrishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale  And sayth that there now is and  time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary  there have beene an Officer called the Mooreman or Mooremaster of all the Lead Mynes Groves and Ures within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest which said Officer and Officers have from time to time been made and appoynted by Grants and Lettres Pattents from the Bishopp of Durham And sayth that all the Lead Mynes which were and have been wrought within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest of Weredale were wrought by the said Mooremaster or by Tacks or Grants from them  And this Depon[en]t sayth that hee is the better able herein to depose for that hee this Depon[en]t hath knowne the said Offices held and Enjoyed by Sr George Bowes William Bowes Mr Suertys Mr Withers Mr Humphrey Wharton Mr Thomas Wharton Mr Richard Hutton and the Compl[ainan]t  And hath knowne the said severall Mooremasters worke severall of the Mynes and groves within the said Parrishes and Forrest and Lett severall Tacks or Grants of severall Mynes to several p[er]sons for the workeing and getting of Oare and Ures of Lead within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest of Weredale  And hath knowne Thomas Tarne Richard Groswick George Emerson Mr George Hall Robert Heslopp and John Vasy who were all Deputy Mooremasters and by such Deputac[i]ons had power to Lett Tacks

 

To the Fifth Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth that the said Mooreman or Mooremaster by vertue of the said Office hath full Power Liberty and Authority to hinder and stopp all p[er]sons whatsoever from workeing sincking and getting of any oare or ure within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest of Weredale unless such p[er]son or p[er]sons soe workeing and sinking were lycensed and Admitted thereunto by such Mooremaster or Mooremasters or theire lawfull Deputy or Deputys And this Depon[en]t sayth that the said Mooremen or Mooremasters have full Power and Authority by vertue of theire said Office to worke and sinke for oare or ure as well within all and every the Lands Closes and Enclosed Grounds of all and every the Leasehold[er]s and Coppyhold[er]s as of all other p[er]sons whatsoever within the said two p[ar]ishes and forrest (<Except> in the Freehold grounds of the p[er]mitted Freeholders) onely if any Myne or Mynes were soe sunke within Auntient Enclosed grounds by the said Mooremasters or theire Deputys or by Tacks or Grants from them such Mooremaster or Tacker did pay to the owner of the ground reasonable Damages for treading or spoyleing theire grass by workeing or carrying away the said Oare there gotten And this Depon[en]t is the better Able to depose herein for that hee hath dureing all the time of his remembrance wrought and knowne others worke severall Mynes or groves of Lead Oare within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest by Tacks and grants from  the Mooremasters or theire Deputys as well within as without Enclosed grounds 



To the Sixt and Seaventh Interrogatorys this Depon[en]t sayth that hee knowes all and every the Lands Fells Moores Hoopes and grounds in these Interrogatorys menc[i]oned and hath soe knowne them for above Eighty yeares last past  And p[ar]ticularly hath knowne the Mynes hereafter menc[i]oned wrought within Auntient Enclosed grounds by Tack from the Mooremaster (vizt)  upon Billing hee knowes the Myne called Drygill which said Myne was  wrought by Tack or Grant from Sr George Bowes by one Gamaliell Walton  Upon Newlandside hee very well knowes the Myne or veine called Newlandside lying within Auntient Enclosed Coppyhold grounds and knew the said Vaine wrought by Tack from the Mooremaster either by Sr George or Mr William Bowes and within that p[ar]t of the said Newlandside vaine lying in the p[ar]ticular Enclosure now belonging to Widdow

Whitfeild w[hi]ch said Enclosure in Sr George Bowes his time to the best of this Depon[en]ts remembrance belonged to one <…..... …....halg> And this Depon[en]t likewise knowes the Mynes called Peakeside and Cragg grove both which said Mynes were wrought by Tack from the Mooremaster p[ar]ticularly Cuthbert and Ralph Fetherston wrought the said Cragg grove above fifty yeares since by Tack from the Mooremaster which said Cragg:grove lys within Middleblackdeanefell And this Depon[en]t sayth that hee knowes the place called Westgatehight and the Lead myne there called Groverake and other Mynes lying within the said Westgate hight all which said Mynes ly within Enclosures that have beene Enclosed before the time of this Depon[en]ts remembrance and were wrought by severall Mooremasters or by Tacks from them or theire Deputys within the time of this Depon[en]ts remembrance And this Depon[en]t likewise knowes the severall Mynes hereafter named which were likewise wrought by Tack from the Mooremaster (vizt) upon Ireshopp Fell hee knowes the Mynes of Hoesike Greenwell and Earnewell which said Earnewell was wrought above sixty yeares since by Tack from the Mooremaster In Burnehoppfell hee knowes the Mynes called Sallagraine Langtayhead and Springwells on the Fell called Bollihopp hee knowes the Mynes called Bollihoppgrove Harnishaw Shaftwell Eastgraine und[er] Cragg Ewtree and Mirkegill on the Fell called Middleblackdeane hee knowes the Mynes called Allerclough Elmeford Stoupheads Rakes Lodgefeild Clough head and the before menc[i]oned myne called the Cragg grove On the fell called Middlehopp hee knows severall Mynes called Dowkes Newmeadowhead and Earneclough On the fell called Westenhopp hee knowes the Mynes called Eshclough Blaberryclough and Wolfeclough On Swinhopp fell he knowes the Myne called Ramshawell On the Fells called Sedlinghopp and Heddryclough hee knowes the severall Mynes called Greenefeild Toadstone <Burnegrove> Greenhills Brakensike Whiterake Midgepitts and Sedlinggrove On the Fells called Welhopp and Kilhopp hee knowes the Mynes called Mossgrove Puddingthorne Cowhause and Reedhills On Rookhopp fell hee knowes the Mynes called Wolf<clough> Gorbutt May Greeneclough Dixonsgrove Langwell Foulewood Groverake Resby myes Thornegrove and <Southgraine> All which said Mynes or Groves were wrought by Tacks from the Mooremaster or his Deputy att such time or times <the> said Mynes were wrought  And this Depon[en]t doth very well remember that on the abovesaid Fells there are <severall> Auntient Lead Mynes which have beene wrought by former Mooremasters but for the certaine names thereof hee refers himselfe to the Mooremasters booke or Register for that purpose  And this Depon[en]t is the better enabled to depose herein as hee hath p[re]deposed for that this Depon[en]t aboute Eighty yeares since and severall times since that hee hath beene frequently at the Chappell in Weredale at the Foure Quarterly dayes of meeteing between the Mooremasters and Myners vizt upon Allsaints day Candlemas day St Mark's day and Lamas day where the Myners usually met the Mooremasters deputy and Accompted for the Oare gott in each of the <respective> Mynes in workeing within the said Parrishes and Forrest att such time or times of theire meeteing att the said Chappell in Weredale



To the Ninth Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth that hee hath heard of A Lease Obtained by Alphonsus Bulmer and William Hall from the Bishopp of Durham of some Mynes within some Enclosed grounds by vertue of which said Lease the said Bulmer and Hall wrought the two Mynes above menc[i]oned called Peakeside and Newlandside  But this Depon[en]t sayth that the <said> two Mynes and all other Mynes which are wrought or p[re]tended to be wrought under the Tythe of the said <Hall Lease> have formerly within the remembrance of this Depon[en]t beene wrought by severall Mooremasters or by Tacks or Grants und[er] them.



To the rest of the Interrogatorys hee is not required to be Examined