DEPOSITION BOOKS

Ep/I/11

DEPOSITION BOOKS

1557-1694

The contents of each deposition book have been calendared.

The main aim of this calendar has been to collect the biographical details of each deponent, as given in the preliminary paragraph before each deposition. Details of whether he or she put a signature or mark have been noted as an indication of literacy.

The subject of the case and the parties involved have been given. They have been taken as far as possible from the preliminary heading before each set of depositions, but where necessary and possible additional information has been added from the contents of the depositions themselves.

Cross references have been given to other sets of depositions in the same case or a linked case. It is not always clear, without further research, whether two separate sets of depositions on apparently the same matters are part of the same proceedings - but they often appear to represent the expected pattern of the case:- i.e., A v B, with depositions ex parte A, and (separately on another date) B v A, with depositions ex parte B.

The depositions are made in answer to a series of articles or questions which are not given in the Deposition Book. For the most part these have to be deduced from the answers given, though it is probable that a few will survive among the series of Miscellaneous Court Papers (Ep/I/15). The proceedings of the cases are recorded in the Instance Act Books (Ep/I/10), but the information there is normally confined to the formal process and it is often difficult to discover the final outcome. The judges final decision (sentence) occasionally survives among the Miscellaneous Court Papers.

The dates given for each group of depositions is usually derived from those given at the end of the statements. They were read over before one of the officials and this fact, with the date, was frequently noted in the Deposition Book. Sometimes a single series of statements will have been taken on two or more dates; sometimes there will be no indication of date. In the latter case, a date has been deduced from the dates of the previous and following cases and given in square brackets.

The calendar of the 12 volumes covering the period 1607-1694 (Ep/I/11/11-22) was made by the late Mr. K.Williams during the period 1985-1988. The volume covering 1603-1607 (Ep/I/11/10) was calendared by the late Mr. W.E. Thumwood. The earlier volumes have been calendared by Mr.G. Hothersall

<span class="wrapper"><p>See Ep/I/15; for earlier depositions see Ep/I/10 and I/17/2</p> <p>(Miscellaneous Court Papers, 1554-1851)</p></span>

English