Witness Deposition – John Lonsdale – 22 Apr 1667

John Lonsdale of Whitestones in the Forrest of Weredale and County of Durham Aged Sixty nine yeares or thereabouts Sworne and Examined sayth as Followeth ./.



1. To the First Interrogatory this Depon[en]t Sayth that hee knoweth all the partyes Compl[ainan]t and Def[endan]t in this Suite (Except William Blackett John Boulton Thomas Ritson and Edward Stoute) some of which hee hath knowne above Thirty yeares and others longer.



2.To the Second Interrogatory this Depon[en]t Sayth that hee knoweth the Severall Mynes hereafter particularly named (vizt) Hoesike in Ireshope Fairgrove in the same Greeneheads in the Same Taygrove in the Same Barberry Grove Earnewelhead Bradesike Ireshopburnefoote and Grovehead all lying within Ireshoppfell Allerclough Elmeford Stoupheads Clough head Lodgefoote nooks and the Rakes lying on Middleblackdeanefell Langtay head in Burne hopp Broadmay Sike Earneclough and Dowkes lying in Middlehopps Newmeadow Grove lying part in the Said Middlehopp and part in Easterblackdeanefell Groverake in A pasture called Westgate hyght Greenefeild in Carterfellsyde Toadstone Burneygrove and Bailehille in Sedling Greenehille in Middleblackdeane <alsoe> Brackensike Midgepitts Sedling grove Redgrove Westrake of Greenefeild all in Sedling fell [struck out: ‘Wolsingham’] Gorbut May Gravelclough Wolfeclough Langtay head Thorngrove all in Rookehopp Welheads in Welhopp East and West of Puddingthorne in Heddryclough fell Hilhagarth <Cowhouse> fell in Welhopp But for the rest of the Mynes menconed in the Interrogatory he knoweth them not all which Myne foresaid are distinct and Severall mynes Rakes and being as well as they have distinct and Severall names and further to this Interrogatory Deposeth not.



3. To the Third Interrogatory this Depon[en]t Sayth that hee knoweth that Allerclough and Greenefeild above mentioned paid Tythe unto the Parson of Stanhopp or to his Agent And that all manner of charges whatsoever for Digging workeing and winning of the Lead Oare was deducted out of the whole and the Tenth part of the Remaind[er] onely paid unto the Said Parson or his Agent and for his use except the owners of the Said Mynes who had none of theire owne wages allowed unto them (<…. for> the Said owners wrought) And hee likewise Sayth that it was and is A Custome within the Said Forrest of Weredale dureing all the time of this Depon[ent]s Remebrance and by report time beyond that memory that there were foure Dayes or termes in the yeare (vizt) Candlemas Day St Markes day Lammas Day and All Saints Day on which the Myners and owners of these Mynes did meete the Moorem[aster] or his Agent and an Agent for the Said parson of Stanhopp who were Appoynted to take the Accompts for Lott and Tyth oare att A place called St Johns Chappell in Weredale where they the Said Myners did give Accompt unto them for the Said Lott and Tyth where they had all charges allowed unto them and paid onely A Ninth and Tenth part of the Remainder and hee knoweth the better to Depose herein for that this Depon[en]t with other partners were owners and workers of the Said Lead Mynes called Allerclough and Greenefeild and gott good quantytyes of Lead oare there and had always Such charges Deducted as aforesaid and hee verily believeth that the Myners workeing at other Mynes within the Said Forrest which paid Tythes had such Charges Deducted as aforesaid for hee this Depon[en]t hath Seene other Myners of other Mynes p[re]sent att those Days and give in theire Accompts as aforesaid further to this Interrogatory Deposeth not ./.



4.To the Fourth Interrogatory this Depon[en]t Sayth and Deposeth that Dureing all the time of his Remembrance Tything oare and Cuttings Got out of the Waistgrounds wholegrounds and old heapes never paid any Tyth unto the Rector or Parson of Stanhopp or to any other per[son] for his use nyther was itt ever demanded to this Depon[en]ts knowledge ./.



5.To the Fifth Interrogatory this Deponent saith that he with other partners wrought at other Two Lead Mines vizt at < Stoupheads> in Middleblackedeane fell & Wolfesclough in Rookehoope and did digge winne and get some quantity of Lead oare at both places and yet never paid any Tithe oare for the Same unto the Said Rector or Parson of Stanhopp or to said Agent because the Expences and charges in working did surmount the profit thereof. And further to this Interrogatory deposeth not.



6.7.To the Sixth and Seventh he cannot depose.



8.9.To the Eight & ninth he is not required to be Examined



10.To the Tenth he cannot further depose upon what he hath p[re]deposed by answers to the former Interrogatories.



John Lonsdale