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
Milborne John elder
Milborne John younger
Bell Humfrey fisher house
Bell John fisher house
Bell Willyam Loning
Bell Anthony Birkenside
Bell Humfrey Loninge
Robsonn Willyam
Bell George newgarby
Peares George massellyne
Peares Tho: massellyne
Cowson Lancelot massellyne
Pickering Cumanie massellyne
Peares Tho: massellyne
Bell Anthony Halles
Bell Richard Halles
Bell Joh: Willyingill
Bell Joh: younger Willyingill
Bell Tho: Willyingill
Bell John Bowbancke
Crake Andrew Bowbancke
Bell Tho: Bowbancke
Peares Henry Bowbancke
Hillary Willyam
Carrack Jo:
Wary Christopher
Dun Allexander
Bell John Bounhill
Robinson John
Gill Thomas
Peares Edward
Fleming Thomas
Thirleway Thomas
Thirleway Allexander
Bell Tho:
Bell Humfrey
Bell Tho: Humfrey's son
Bell Edmond
Moses John
Moses Mathew
Tomsone Humfray
Atkinson Edw:
Bell Joh: milner
Grame alias Hetherington John
Taylor John Armestrong gent, out of the country but we know that he is a protestant
Hutton John
Hutton Alburye
Hutton Thomas
Hutton Lanclote
Bell Mathew
Bell Robart
Tweddell James
Tweddell Richard
Grame alias Hetherington John
Chambers Arthur Vicar at Farlam
Bell Humfrey Lonning, Churchwarden and Constable
Thirleway Thomas Constable
Bell Humfrey West Farlam, Churchwarden
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