Witness Depositions – John Wilford – 2 Apr 1690

John Wilford of Stella in the County of Durham yeom Aged thirty Six yeares or therabouts Sworne and Examined.



9:10:15	To the Ninth Tenth & fifeenth Inter[ogator]y this Depont saith that he knows that about twenty yeares Since one Ralph Douglas and Robert Chambers Farmed of the Deft the way through the Peth now in question and the Leadhill called Stella Leadhill for which they paid about the yearly Rent of three pound ten shillings And saith that they were willing and Content to advance and pay a greater Rent for the same if the said Deft would Change or alter the said way which went through the said Peth The Same being sometimes to be repaired which this Depont saith the said Douglas and Chambers or one of them Whilst the farmed they Same used to repair, And saith he hath seen the said Douglas working and repairing the said way through the said Peth to the Def[endan]ts Leadhill called Stella Lead hill And this he can Depose for that he hath seen the said Douglas and Chambers pay their said Rent to Robert Addy the Defts Steward for the way leave and Bancke roome through the said Peth to the Defts Lead Banck And this Depo[ne]nt saith that about twenty two yeares since he was a servant to the said Robert Addy the Def[endan]ts Steward And then a Load or Carriage of Lead which which had come through the said way called the Peth and was passing over Bladon burne to the Low Leadhill the said Def[endan]t being then pres<ent> <cau>sed this Depont to Stop the said Load untill Satisfaction was made for way leave [word(s) obscured] the said Peth and Banck leave And accordingly this Depont Did Stopp the said Carriage and [word(s) obscured] horses and Carryed them to the Poundfold But whether any Satisfaction was [word(s) obscured] this Depont knows not