Witness Depositions – John Selby – 2 Apr 1690

John Selby of Wheelebirkes in the County of Northumberland yeom aged Sixty Six yeares or thereaboutes Sworne & examined Deposeth as followeth. 

2 4 & 5	To the Second Fowerth and Fifth Interr[ogator]ys this Depont saith that for these Fifty yeares last past he this Depont and the whole Countrey round both of Northumberland and Durham as they had occasion, to the knowledge of this Depont had used and Enjoyed a Com[m]on high way for leading & carrying with waines Carts and Carriages wood Lead Timber Flaggs Slates and such like Comodities both from the two Leadhills called stella & Blaydon Leadhills, and alsoe Downe the Peth over Blaydon Burne Downe Eastwards to Blaydon Towne, and to Swallwell and whickham where they had occasion to goe with their Carriages; and this Deponet saith that neither he this depont nor any other that he knowes or ever heard of was ever Stopt or Disturbed in the usage and Enjoyment of the said Com[m]on high way; nor was ever any thing paid or Demanded for the useage thereof either from this Depont or any other useing the said com[m]on high way in any the parts or places aforesaid that this Depont knowes or ever heard off; but this Depont saith that when they laid or landed their Carriages & Goods att either of the said Leadhillls, there was Two pence a Foother and Fower pence a Tunn paid for liberty to lay and place their Goods in and upon the said Leadhills and was called and paid as & for banckmoney for grounding of their Goods and not for way leave that this Depont knowes or ever heard off;  and this Depont saith that when the Carriages went Eastward to Blaydon Towne Swallwell or whickham as aforesaid and did not touch or land their Goods att the said Leadhills, then was not any thing paid or as much as Demanded for the useing of the said Com[m]on high way, although they used the same aswell as well as when they landed their Carriages att the Leadhills aforesaid, and this Depont saith that to his this Depont's knowledge the said Com[m]on high way hath beene used for leading & Carrying of Planks Dales Iron and other Com[m]odities from the Leadhills and Blaydon aforesaid to Hexham and other places in both Counties with waines carts carriages after they had beene brought & landed by water from Newcastle att Blaydon & the Leadhills aforesaid, and never interupted nor paid any thing therefore save for Bankeage as aforesaid. 

[3 & 5]	To the third & last Interr[ogator]ys this Depont saith that when any Thurst or Stop happened that Carriages could not pass Downe the Peth then they went into the Defts Grounds either on the right hand or the left and were not interrupted or Disturbed therin; and saith that Robert and Thomas and the rest of the Farmers of the respective Leadhills Did usually repaire the Peth.