Short title: Beck v Cowles. Plaintiff(s): Thomas Beck. Defendant(s): Stephen Cowles,...

Short title: Beck v Cowles.

Plaintiff(s): Thomas Beck.

Defendant(s): Stephen Cowles, William Young, Anthony Smart, John Wylse.

Subject of depositions: Coal mines and quarries in the Forest of Dean, lately in the possession of Edward Tirringham, deceased. Touching a "decretal order or injunction out of the Court of Exchequer against all or most of the colliers and quarrymen of said forest, that none should gett, sell, or dispose of any of the said coales, and for the quieting the possn thereof either in his Ma'ty that then was or in the said Edward Tirringham." Touching the payment of an annuity of £300 by Sir John Wintour (patentee of such mines and quarries) to Edward Tirringham during the continuance of his (Sir John's) grant until his surreuder thereof. Customs, rights, and privileges of miners and quarrymen; how derived? particularly as to a "pretended custom." "Is it a branch or parte of their pretended custome that all persons that are borne in the hundred of St Briavels are free to worke at mine and cole and having worked a yeare and a day are they become free miners; have they at any time and when made a lawe that none shall be admitted as free miners, altho' borne and worked as aforesd before they have served an apprenticeship?".

County/place: Herefordshireshire; Gloucestershireshire.

Date of commission: 27 June 1683.

Additional information: interrogatories and depositions taken 11 September 1683 at Rosse.

Deponent(s): John Symonds (2); Richard Sladen; Henry Hooper (2); William Probyn (2); Thomas Palmer (2); Kedgewyn Hoskyns (2); Trustram Tresteed (2); Richard Jelfe; Eustice Hardwicke; William Worgan.