Witness Depositions – Albert Silvertop – 2 Apr 1690

Albert Silvertopp of Bladon in the County of Durham yeom Aged twenty one yeares or thereabouts Sworne and Examined Deposeth as followeth: 



4	To the fourth Interr[ogator]y this Depon[en]t Saith That he knows the way which leads from Bladon to Newcastle And saith the Same is only a Bridle way and not a way for Cart and Carriage to pass by reason of Severall  Small and Narrow wicketts And saith that about two yeares agoe there comeing four Waines or Carriages from Swalwell to Bladon laden with Waggon Wheels which is part of the Bridle way which leads betwixt Bladon & Newcastle hee this Depont being servant to George Dunn who is the Defts Steward by the said George Dunns order Did Stopp the said Carriage untill they paid acknowledgement for comeing that way being partly through the Defendts Grounds And thereupon this Depont rec[eive]d one penny of each Waine as an Acknowledgement for their passage or way leave 



10	To the tenth Interr[ogator]y this Depon[en]t Saith that about three yeares come July next by the order of his said Master George Dunn, Steward to the Deft he this Depont stopd One Carriage or Waine Load of Wood which was goeing over Bladon burne to unload at Bladon Leadhill and Caused John Newton who brought the said Carriage to Bring and unload the Same at Stella Lead hill And Saith that about a year Since He this Depont Did likewise Stop another Cart or Carriage of on Thomas Bell loaden with Wood goeing over Bladon burne afores[ai]d to Bladon Leadhill and caused the Same to be unloaden at Stella Leadhill And saith that the Cause of his Stopping the said Carriage was for to have Satisfaction for way leave through the Defts Grounds called the Eastfeild And for Banck roome att Stella Lead hill, whereupon the said Newton and Bell paid this Depont for the said way leave and Bankd leave four pence for Each Carriage for the Defts use: 



17	To the Seaventeenth Interr[ogator]y this Depon[en]t Saith that about two yeares Since One Michaell Robinson John Edward Bulmer Pond and others who hee Beleives were Servants or Someway Concerned under Sr William Blackett or his Agents came to the Defts Grounds in the Peth and there Digged the Ground and mended part of the way through the Peth on which this Depont Endeavoured to hinder them, But they goeing on this Depont went to the Deft & acquainted him what they were Doeing, And he Sent his Servant to Discharge them, To whome the said Michaell Robinson Answered they would doe the Same if the Def[endan]t himselfe were p[r]esent And saith that the Def[endan]t Caused the said persons afterwards to be Indicted for the Same And Beleives the said Indictment was found by the Grand Jury: 



Capt et Jurat die Anno et

Loco Supradict Coram nobis 



Jo Em[m]erson  Fred Newton  John Pickells 





[word(s) obscured] of Witnesses sworne & Examined on Counter Interrys Exhibited on the [word(s) obscured] the Deft Sr Thomas Tempest