Witness Deposition – William Smith – 22 Apr 1667

William Smith of St Johns Chappell in Weredale in the County of Durham Clerke aged thirty five yeares or thereabout Sworn and examined Saith as followeth.



1. To the first Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that he knoweth Isaac Basire one of the Compl[ainan]ts in this Suite and also knoweth all the defend[an]ts except Edward Stout and Thomas Burges, but knoweth not the other Compl[ainan]t William Blacket, & hath known some of them for a longer time & some of them for a less, And also saith that he knoweth the Parish in this Interrogatory named and the precincts thereof and hath known the same for ten yeares last past or thereabout. 



2. To the second Interrogatory he is not required to be examined. 



3. To the third Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that of his owne knowledge he doth not know the custome of tything lead Oare within the said Parish for that he is a stranger and came into the said Parish but about ten or eleaven yeares since, but saith that he hath credibly heard and believeth it to be true that there is a custome within the said Parish that the tenth part of all lead Oare gotten within the said Parish (the copyholds & freeholds excepted) should be paid to the Parson of Stanhop in this Interrogatory named And he is the rather induced to beleive the same to be true for that he this deponent did draw a lease for a <farme> of all the tyth lead Oare tythable within the said Parish from one Mr Bewicke who was then Parson of Stanhop aforesaid unto one Mr George <Bacon> under the rent of fifty pounds.



4.5.6. 7.8.9.10. To the fourth fifth sixth seaventh eight nineth & tenth Interrogatories he is not required to be examined.



11. To the eleaventh Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that about June last he this depon[en]t was p[re]sent in his own house and did there for the defend[an]t Humphrey Wharton Signe Seale and deliver unto the defend[an]t Thomas Alsoppe James Vickers and others a Tacke of a Grove called Stoophead lying <above> Crag=Grove in Midle=BlackDean=high=pasture (which hath not bene wrought since) And also saith that at or about the same time he did See the said <D[efendan]t> 

Wharton in like manner Signe Seale and deliver another Tack unto Mr John Pilkington Toby Trotter and others, of another Grove called Allerclough within the said high pasture, In both which said Tacks was inserted this Condition that the said Thomas Alsoppe and John Pilkington and the rest therein respectively concerned should pay to the said Mr Wharton as Mooremaster and to his Successors the Lot and tyth or nineth and tenth part of the lead Oare there gotten in clean well washed and dressed Oare, And further to this Interrogatory cannot depose. 



12. To the twelfth Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that during the time of this depon[en]ts remembrance (but doth not particularly remember the time when) he hath known two severall groves of lead Oare to wit, Todstone, by Cuthbert Watson & others, and Lodgslit by John Rutter and others, opened and wrought And saith that out of Lodgslit there hath bene good quantities of lead Oare gotten and but smale quantities out of Todstone; and further to this Interrogatory can[n]ot of his owne knowledge depose.



13. To the thirteenth Interrogatory this depon[en]t saith that he knoweth that on All Saints day last there was a meeting at the house of James Vickers com[m]only called Chappell-house in Weredale touching the taking and passing of accompts of lead Oare gotten within the said Parish, where and when Doctor Basire did demand of the Mooremasters stewards namely Mr John Westgarth and Mr William Deacon and also of others his tenth or tyth Oare of what oare had bene

gotten. And did also require a sight of their bookes according to the ancient custome used as he hath credibly heard. And further saith that he knoweth Ralph Harrison of the Hill and saith that he confessed to him this depon[en]t and others this day that he the said Ralph Harrison had an interest and was a partner in the Grove called Barkerburnemay which is a lead myne within the said Rectory, And alsoe saith that James Vickers had a Tack (as he hath  <p[re]deposed)> which was to be forfeited for not working, but whether or noe he hath forfeited the same he can[n]ot depose; And further to this Interrogatory can[n]ot depose, save that he knoweth the p[ar]ties named in this Interrogatory.