Short title: Allen v Deane. Plaintiffs: Edward Allen. Defendants: William Deane....

Short title: Allen v Deane.

Plaintiffs: Edward Allen.

Defendants: William Deane.

Documents: depositions concerning inheritance of land and whether it was freehold or copyhold in Wirksworth, Derbyshire.

Taken 11 January and 19 January, 11 James I.

Deponents for plaintiffs: John Norton of Wirksworth, glover, aged 22; John Whittall of Yeldersley, gentleman, aged 48; Mary Norton, wife of Thomas Norton, of Wirksworth, aged 25; John Norton of Wirksworth, yeoman, aged 55; Henry Wigley of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 58; Edward Mellor of Wirksworth,gentleman, aged 55 or 61 in a second deposition, [makes various references to leases]; Roger Luckowe of Wirksworth, miner, aged 60; John Carman of Wirksworth, carpenter, aged 66; Raphe Milner of Wirksworth, schoolmaster, aged 45; John Cowper of Wirksworth, gentleman and servant to defendant, aged 20, deposed that he had seen a document [presented to him at court] one which he and others set their names to; John Norton of Wirksworth, husbandman, aged 58; James Deane of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 23; Walter Bagnold of Marston, yeoman, aged around 43, deposed that on the 23 October 31 Eliz and 19 November 32 Eliz, Thurston and Allen surrendered copyhold land in Wirksworth court to Arthur Gell on behalf of Wirksworth grammar school; John Somers of Yeldersley, yeoman, aged around 25; George Somers of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged around 23, deposed that he has recently dated documents held at Tutbury which relates to the administration of Wirksworth grammar school. [Crticises William Hill's deposition as it only refers to what he heard Martin Marshall say regarding the amount of money he had paid to the grammar school].

Deponents for defendants: Anthony Hopkinson, gentleman, Wirksworth, aged around 44; William Hill of Wirksworth, miner, aged around 39; John Cowper of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged around 20, deposed that he copied extracts from the court books on behalf of his master, the defendant, William Deane; Henry Wigley, gentleman, observed that 'he thinketh that the court kept for the said manor Wirkesworth ought to be kept publicklie but manie courts have been kept at private houses there' [he thinks that the court kept for the said manor [of] Wirksworth ought to be kept publicly but many courts have been kept at private houses there]; Robert Allen of Cowley, yeoman, aged around 48; Henry Cocke of Tideswell, yeoman, aged around 35; Roger Lockowe of Wirksworth, miner, aged around 60; John Whitall of Yeldersley, gentleman, aged around 48, deposed that he was deputy steward of the court at the time of the land grant in question, the grantor was his father; Nicholas Rowse of Ashbourne, gentleman, aged around 55, deposed that Anthony Hopkinson in his second depostiion confirms a complex legal point regarding the custom in Wirksworth for the transfer of title with reference to a copy of a court roll in his possession dated 1 Edward VI.