Deposition – Thomas Greensword – 7 Aug 1680

Thomas Greensword of Stanhopp yeoman Aged Ninety Eight yeares or thereabouts sworne and Examined sayth 



1. To the First Interrogatory hee sayth that hee knowes  the Compl[ainan]t and knowes John Mowbray Richard Mowbray and John Westgarth and hath beene the Steward of father in god Nathaniell Lord Bishopp of Durham and knowes the two Parrishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale.



2. To the Second Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth that the p[re]sent Bishopp of Durham and his p[re]decessors are now and hath beene seized in right of theire Bishopprick of and in A County Pallatine and of all priviledges and Franchises thereunto belonging and of and in the said Two Parrishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and of all and singular the Lead Mynes groves and ures of Lead lying and being within the said Two Parrishes and Forest of Weredale. 



3. To the Third  Interrogatory this Depon[en]t  sayth that dureing all the time of his remembrance there hath beene an Officer called the Mooreman or Mooremaster and hee believes there hath beene the like Officer time whereof the remembrance of man is not to the contrary which said Officer dureing the time of this Depon[en]ts remembrance hath by vertue of his office held and Enjoyed all and every the Lead Mynes and  groves of Oare lying within the said Parrishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale and hath from time to time wrought the said Mynes eyther by themselves or by Tacks or Grants und[er] them as incident and belonging to theire said Office of Moorem[aster] which said Mooreman or Mooremaster was from time to time made and constituted by Grants or Lett[er]s Pattents from severall Bishopps of Durham 



4. To the Fourth Interrogatory this  Depon[en]t sayth that hee very well remembers that Sr George Bowes Mr William Bowes Mr Suertys Mr Wythers Mr Humphrey Wharton Mr Thomas Wharton Mr Richard Hutton and the Compl[ainan]t were all Mooremasters and held and Enjoyed the same  office by Lett[er]s Pattents as afores[ai]d by vertue of wh[ic]h Office they held and Enjoyed all and every the Lead Mynes within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest And this Depon[en]t sayth that one Mr George Hall and Thomas Tarne and Robert Heslopp were Deputy Moorem[aster]s und[e]r some of the said Moorem[aster]s and did by vertue of such theire deputac[i]on grant severall Tackes of severall Lead mynes and hath knowne severall persons take such Tacks or Grants from the said Mooremasters or theire Deputys of severall Lead Mynes within the Parrishes and Forrest of Weredale. 



5. To the Fifth Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth that the Moorem[aster] by vertue of his Office had full Power and Authority to prohibit Stopp and Lett all p[er]sons whatsoever from workeing winning or getting of any Oare or Ure within any Myne or Mynes within the said Two Parrishes of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale unless such p[er]son or p[er]sons soe workeing were Lycensed or Admitted thereunto by such Moorem[aster] or theire Deputy or Deputys.



6. To the Sixt Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth that hee knowes all the Lands Fells Moores Hoopes and grounds in this Interrogatory menc[i]oned and hath soe knowne them above Eighty yeares last past



7. To the Seaventh Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth that within the Fells Moores Hoopes and Grounds in this Interrogatory menc[i]oned hee knowes there are severall Auntient Lead Mynes or groves  of Lead oare which hath been dureing the time of this Depon[en]ts remembrance wrought by Tack from the Mooremaster at such time or times when the same were wrought p[ar]ticularly hee knows that within the Fell called Bollihopp there were the severall mynes called Bollihoppgrove Mirkegill Harnishaw Shaftwell Cragg:grove Blackburne Eastgraine und[er] Cragg Bollihopp sheele nooke Ewtree Levyclough and knew the same wrought by Tack from the Mooremaster  And knowes the place called the Billing and the severall Mynes therein called Drygill Birk:hill and Ludwell hills and knowes that Gamaliell Walton late of Stanhopp wrought the said Myne called Drygill about sixty yeares since by Tack from the Mooremaster And hee better remembers the workeing thereof for that hee this Depon[en]t was Employed as A Carriage man for carrying the Oare there gotten to the Smelt mills of the then Mooremaster  And sayth that the said Myne called Drygill was wrought for severall yeares together and this Depon[en]t carryed very great quantityes of Oare there gotten to the said Mooremasters or their Deputys to such place or places as they appoynted which said Drygill lys within an Auntient Enclosure and the Mynes have beene Auntiently wrought by the Mooremaster as well before as since the time that Gamaliell Walton wrought the same  And sayth that hee knowes the Mynes on Westgatehight called Groverake and saith the said Myne was wrought by Tack from the Moorem[aster] and the oare there gott above sixty yeares since was carryed by Oare carryers to the then Moorem[aster] or their Deputys who Paid for the same And likewise knows Postwell wrought by vertue by a Tack from the Moorem[aster] which said Mynes of Groverake and Postwell are within very Auntient Enclosures which have been Enclosed dureing the memory of man  And on Middleblackedeane fell hee knowes the Mynes called Allerclough Elmeford Stoupheads Rakes  Cloughhead Cragg:grove and Fawgrove which said Mynes of Allerclough Cragg:grove and Fawgrove were wrought by Cuthbert and Ralph Fetherston by tack from the Moorem[aster] above sixty yeares since which said Mynes ly within very Auntient Enclosures and have dureing all the time of this Depon[en]ts remembrance beene wrought by Tack or Grant from the Mooremaster  And the Depon[en]t sayth that upon Ireshoppfell he knowes the Mynes called Fawheads Greenwellheads Greenwellfoote Claygrove Peiterclough Earnewell West End of Earnewell Howlesike Wyndsike Deepeclough head Bradesike Ireshopburnefoote Groveheads and Cawdberry End And sayth that hee hath knowne the said Mynes wrought by Tack from the Moorem[aster] and hee the better remembers the same for that this Depon[en]ts <grandfathers> were Imployed in carrying of the oare there gotten in the said Mynes to the Smelt Mills of the then Mooremasters  And this Depon[en]t knowes the Mynes in Burnehoppfell called Green Law end  Langtayhead East and West of Langtay Berrywell Green grove Stonysike Stonysike foote  Scrathheads Springwells Cocklake Blacklaws East and West of Blacklaws Hesleygill Sallowgraine and Wyndsike  and hath knowne the same wrought by Tack from the Moorem[aster] And knowes the Mynes in Westenhopp (vizt) Paup[er]hills Eshclough East and West End Blaberryclough West of Blaberryclough Westgraine East and West Nicholsons grove Wolfeclough East and West End and East of Westenhopp w[hi]ch said Mynes were wrought by Tack from the Moorem[aster] And hee knowes the Mynes on Swinhopp fell called Berryclough Ramshawell and West of Berryclough  On Harthopp fell hee knowes the Mynes of Allersikes and Harthennes  On Daddrysheild fell hee knowes Allersikes East End and Harthe-nnes East End  And on the fell called Kilhopp hee knowes the Mynes called Ellyclough Westrake of Greenfeild High:birkes <Bigg>:grove Hesleyhill Claygrove Cowford Low birke and Southgraine   And hee knowes the Mynes on Stanhopp hopp called Reeburne  And on Crawley fell hee knowes Crawley and Rogerswell  And knowes the Mynes called Newlandside and the Myne called Peakeside  And likewise knowes on Wolsingham fell the Myne called Pickstone  Severall of w[hi]ch last menc[i]oned Mynes hee hath known wrought by the Moorem[aster]s or by Tacks or Grants under them  And further sayth that all the Mynes within the said Parrishes and Forrest of Weredale were wrought by Tacks or Grants from the severall Mooremasters and that noe p[er]son or p[er]sons whatsoever could worke or sinke for any Oare within any Enclosed or not Enclosed grounds within the said two P[arr]ishes and Forrest without such Tack or Grant as aforesaid  And this Dpon[en]t sayth that the Mynes wrought by one William Hall were formerly wrought by the Moorem[aster] or by Tacks from the Moorem[aster] and p[ar]ticularly knew the Peackside wrought by Nicholas Richardson by Tack from the Moorem[aster] above Thirty yeares since And this Depon[en]t sayth that hee is the better able to Depose as he hath p[re]deposed for that hee this Depon[en]t was an Oare Carryer above sixty yeares since and carryed oare from severall of the Mynes aboves[ai]d for aboute Three yeares together and carryed the said oare to such place or places as the Moorem[aster] or his Deputy appoynted  

 

8  To the Eight Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth that severall of the Mynes which this Depon[en]t hath menc[i]oned in the former Interrogatory are very Auntient Lead Mynes and have layd unwrought for severall yeares as appeares by the  Auntient greate heapes of Rubbish and Vaine Soyle that hath been gott out of the said Mynes  And sayth that whenever the said Mynes were openned and wrought the same were soe wrought by Tack from the Moorem[aster]  dureing all the time of this Depon[en]ts remembrance  And hath heard itt reported by very Auntient men that none could worke any Myne whatsoever within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest without Tack or lycense from the Mooremaster And hee this Depon[en]t very well knowes that Groverake Postwell and Newlandside have beene Auntiently wrought Mynes before this Depon[en]ts remembrance (as well as since his remembrance) as hee hath p[re]deposed And great quantityes of oare in probability hath beene digged and gotten Auntiently out of the same greate heapes of sparr and vaine soyle lying att and aboute the said Mynes Ever since this Depon[en]t cann remember 



9 & 10th  To the Ninth and Tenth Interrogatorys hee is not required to be Examined.