Witness Deposition – Thomas Morgan – 22 Apr 1667

Thomas Morgan of Frosterley in the County of Durham yeom[an] aged Seaventy yeares or thereabout Sworne and examined Saith as Followeth.



1. To the First Interrogatory this Depon[en]t saith that he doth know both the Compl[ainan]ts and also knoweth Humphrey Wharton William Fetherston Thomas Alsop <...................> John Harrison John Pilkington Cuthbert Emerson George Watson George Whitfeild Arthur Myres Godfrey Didsbury John Evans (but knoweth not the <.........................> known them for severall yeares last past  And also knoweth the parish in this Interrogatory named & partly knoweth the tythable places thereof <.........> for fifty yeares last past and upwards



2. To the second Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that he knoweth severall Lead mynes within the said Rectory out of which lead Oare hath bene <formerly gotten ..............> Ewetree, <Dryside> Ireshopeburne, <Berrywell> Langteyhead, Sallygraine, Greenfeild, Barkerburne, Whiterake, Brackensikes, Midgepits, Allerclough, Newmeadowhead, <.......................

.....................> And saith that all the Groves aforesaid were wrought thirty yeares agoe, but how long they continued working he cannot depose.



3. To the third Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that there is a custome within the said parish for the B[isho]p of Durham to have the nineth part  and the Parson of Stanhope <to have> the  tenth part of <all> Lead Oare gotten at all the Groves menc[i]oned in his deposi[t]ion to the second Interrogatory whether they be in the <customary lands or in the ................. he> saith as to the Freeholde, Copyholde and Stanhop Parke he doth not know whether or noe they pay tyths For he never carryed any lead Oare from thence.



4. To the fourth Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that at the aforesaid Groves menc[i]oned in his deposition to the second Interrogatory the custome was to pay to the B[isho]ps <Agent> the nineth part and to the Parson or his deputy the tenth part of all Lead Oare, in clean and well washed Oare which was due to them, And saith that this was due for accompt at foure times in the yeare (to wit) at Candlemass, St Marke day, Lammas and Allhallowmass, and that the Mooremaster or his deputy had a boke wherein accompts were taken of all the lead oare wrought and the tenth part thereof allotted to the Parson and the nineth part to the Bishop, &, if the nineth and tenth parts were paid before the next quarter day there was noe excep[t]ions taken, And further saith that what accompts the Grovers or Overmen gave in, the Bishops Agent and the

Parson or his Deputy did takewithout excep[t]ions.



5. To the fifth Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that at the times of accompting at the Chappell there was nothing appeared of deduc[ti]on or abatement of charges in respect of lot or tyth, soe farre as he knoweth or ever heard of till yesterday, that he this depon[en]t being in discourse with one Cuthbert Peart (who told this depon[en]t that he was to be a witness for the defend[an]ts in this cause) said that they the Grovers had an Over=man over the Groves, and that they did agree amongst themselves and did deduct out of the whole, charges for ropes candles and worke geare, but till yesterday & before this discourse he never heard of any deduc[t]ion at all.



6 8 9 10 11 12. To the sixth eight nineth tenth eleaventh & twelfth Interrogatories he is not required to be examined.



7. To the seaventh <Interrogatory> he can[n]ot depose.



13. To the thirteenth Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that he can[n]ot further or otherwise depose than what he hath deposed in his deposi[t]ion to the fourth Interrogatory saveing that he knoweth that Ralph Fetherston thirty yeares agoe had an interest in Allerclough Grove, and John Lonsdale in Greenfeild but knoweth <not whether> or noe they have any interest therein for the present and further can[n]ot depose.