Monday, April 23, 2012

Cumrew - Eskdale Ward Protestation Returns (Cumberland, England)

A few years ago I photographed and transcribed all the Protestation Returns for Eskdale Ward in Cumberland and these records were taken in 1641-42. The history behind these particular statistics follows (http://www.tackbear.co.uk/Protestation%20Returns.htm):

The Protestation Returns relate to the years 1641/42, around the start of the Civil War. The Protestation was an Oath of loyalty to the King, and was originally drawn up and taken by the members of the House of Commons on May 3rd 1641. The following day the Protestant Peers in the House of Lords also swore it.
On July 30th the House of Commons passed a resolution that all who refused the Protestation were unfit to hold office in Church or Commonwealth. The scope was widened so that it should be sworn by all adults over the age of 18.  In practice this meant all men; women were not usually asked to sign.

A letter was sent by the Speaker of the House of Commons to the sheriffs instructing them to take the protestation with the justices of the peace in their county, and then the incumbent of each parish was to read the protestation to his parishioners and they were all to sign. This took place in February and March 1641/2. The Protestation Returns were then sent back to Parliament.

The Oath:
I, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ do, in the presence of Almighty God, promise, vow, and protest to maintain, and defend as farr as lawfully I maye, with my Life, Power and Estate, the true Reformed Protestant religion, expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England, against all Popery and Popish Innovations, within this Realme, contrary to the same Doctrine, and according to the duty of my Allegiance, His Majesties Royal Person, Honour and Estate, as alsoe the Power and Privileges of Parliament, the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects, and any person that maketh this Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful Pursuance of the same: and to my power, and as farr as lawfully I may, I will appose and by all good Ways and Means endeavour to bring to condign Punishment all such as shall, either by Force, Practice, Councels, Plots, Conspiracies, or otherwise, doe any thing to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained: and further, that I shall, in all just and honourable ways, endeavour to preserve the Union and Peace betwixt the Three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland: and neither for Hope, Feare, nor other Respect, shell relinquish this Promise, Vow and Protestation.

In total I transcribed eighteen parishes in Eskdale Ward which included: Arthuret, Bewcastle, Brampton, Castle Carrock, Crosby Eden, Cumrew, Cumwhitton, Denton, Farlam, Hayton, Irthington, Kirk Andrews, Kirk Linton, Lanercost, Scaleby, Stanwix, Stapleton, and Walton. I have proofread only Lanercost and it was published in 2010 in The Cumbria Journal. I will post a blog every day for the next eighteen days with the names of the individuals who signed the Protestation Returns in each of the eighteen parishes (there will occasionally be a suffix or an occupation and sometimes there will be the name of a particular property within the parish. If this is helpful to anyone that is great. If you have a query then please leave a comment and I will try to answer. I am only researching the Routledge, Tweddle, Robson  and Bushby families (and primarily Routledge because most of my Routledges married other Routledges. Remember I have only proofread Lanercost and I have adhered to the spelling as shown on the original document. If you think that I have a letter wrong in a name feel free to query it and I will answer as soon as possible.

Surname    Forename    Suffix    Standing
Allen    Alexander        Curate
Atkinson    James        Churchwarden, Reeve
Gill    Thomas        Churchwarden
Dixon    George        Constable
Robinson    John        Constable
Gill    John        Overseer of the poore
Vertie    Thomas       
Waughe    Sir Leuen       
Hodgeson    Sir Leuen       
Heuiside    John       
Tompson    John       
Gill    John       
Moses    Thomas       
Atkinson    Humfrey       
Grayson    Thomas       
Grayson    George       
Hodgeson    George       
Robinson    John       
Moses    Michaell       
Moses    Barnard       
Moses    John       
Dod    Henry       
Tompson    Thomas       
Beacham    Sir cimen       
Dixon    Thomas       
Gill    Christopher       
Waton    Thomas       
Milburne    John       
White    Thomas       
Tompson    Thomas       
Grayson    John       
Tompson    John       
Dixon    George       
Ivinson    George       
Hodgson    Henry       
Tompson    John       
Hall    Christopher       
Gill    Henry    elder   
dixon    Christopher       
Grayson    John       
Heuiside    Thomas       
Tweddell    Nicholas       
Hodgeson    John       
Dixon    Adam       
Dixon    John       
Dixon    John       
Hodgeson    Humfrey       
Grayson    Christopher       
Dixon    Adam       
Fleeming    Patrick       
Tompson    Henry       
Atkinson    John       
Burton    James       
Tompson    Thomas       
Dixon    Lancelot       
Beacham    Humphrey       
Harrison    Edward       
Robinson    Henry       
Dixon alias Beacham    Thomas       
Beacham    Henry       
Moses    Thomas       
Tompson    John       
Moses    Michaell       
Tompson    Mather       
Gill    Henry       
Tompson    Adam       
Atkinson    John      

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