Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Cumwhitton - 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.

Name    Forename    Suffix    Standing
Gibson    Richard        Minister
Skane    Robert        Churchwardens
Hall    John        Churchwardens
Hall    Xpofer:        Churchwardens
Earle    John        Churchwardens
Atkinson    John        Constables
Bird    John        Constables
Nicholson    John        Constables
Bird    Lancelot        Overseers for the poore
Hall    Robart        Overseers for the poore
Atkinson    John       
Earle    Xpofer:       
Robson    John       
Holme    William       
Earle    Thomas       
Lamprey    John       
Pearson    John       
Amey    Michaell       
Pearson    Edward       
Holme    Robart       
Okana?    Robart       
Atkinson    John       
Earle    Xpofer:       
Atkinson    John       
Milburne    Anthony       
Bird    Christopher       
Rea    John       
Iveson    Edward       
Atkinson    Thomas       
Atkinson    John       
Gibson    Henry       
Iveson    Thomas       
Ballay    Andrew       
Bird    Thomas       
Bowman    John       
?yson    John       
Rea    John       
Hoggart    Georg       
Vudan    Thomas       
Railton    Richard       
Iveson    John       
Hodgson    Robart       
Tompson    Thomas       
Milburne    John       
Dixson    John       
Earle    Thomas       
Wawgh    John       
Skane    John       
Balay    John       
Bird    James       
Iveson    Thomas       
Earle    Thomas       
_ndan    Robert       
Hall    William       
Byars    Thomas       
Pearson    Thomas       
Iveson    Thomas       
Grame    Anthony       
Hall    John       
Burton    Robart       
C?mpson    Thomas       
Pearson    Edward       
Burton    Robart       
Iveson    Xpofer:       
Pearson    Thomas       
Bacon    William       
Byars    Edward       
Fisher    Thomas       
Micholson    John       
Hewatson    John       
Hewatson           
Pearson    Henry       
Skane    John       
Fisher    Edward       
Earle    Robart       
Robson    George       
Robson    Nicholas       
Robson    Thomas       
Hamson    John       
Micholson    Thomas       
Moston    Rowland       
M__s    Thomas       
Watson    Robart       
Leach    Robart       
Burton    Michaell       
Henderson    John       
Iveson    John       
Earle    Xpofer:       
Skane    Anthony       
Birde    Adam       
Skale    Richard       
Skane    Thomas       
Skane    Anthony       
Pearson    James       
Henry    Nicholas       
Milburne    Richard       
?yson    Henry       
Galay    Nicholas       
Walter    John    sen   
Tailor    Mathew       
Bowman    William     

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