Short title: Wright v Carrier and others. Plaintiffs: George Wright. Defendants:...

Short title: Wright v Carrier and others.

Plaintiffs: George Wright.

Defendants: Richard Carrier, Jennet Carrier, George Tompson, John Allcocke, Anthony Ferne and Elizabeth Ferne.

Documents: depositions concerning Wirksworth, Derbyshire.

Taken 19 June, 9 Charles I.

Deponents for plaintiffs: Anthony Wardlow of Wirksworth, miner, aged 30; Dennis Spenser of Wirksworth, miner, aged 26; Thomas Buxton of Milnehouses at Wirksworth, aged 35, deposed that Jennet and Richard Carrier, Anthony and Elizabeth Fearne, George Thompson and John Alcocke have made £200 or more profit from the works on Steeple which are in dispute after they passed from Wright's hands. He believes that Richard Carrier [barmaster] and the other defendants purposefully deprived George Wright of the disputed grove and arranged for his arrest 'upon pretence of a great debt the complainant should owe him'. George Wright was carried to the gaol at Derby where he was kept for 5 weeks. Carrier and the others acquired Wright's share in the mine and gained a great store of ore; Matthew Carver of Wirksworth, miner, aged 26, deposed that Carrier told Wright that unless he paid the debt 'hee would roole him and keepe him in prison soe longe as hee lived' [he would rule him and keep him in prison so long as he lived]. While Wright was in prison John Austulby stole the stoes from the mine and Carrier and others moved in; Ralph Poysor of Wirksworth, husbandman, aged 46; Richard Hancocke of Wirksworth, carpenter, aged around 45; Thomas Wigley of Wirksworth, miner, aged 54; William Hopkinson of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 34.

Deponents for defendants: Edward Ragg of Wirksworth, miner, aged 40; William Torr of Wirksworth, miner, aged 40; Lawrence Stokes of Wirksworth, miner, aged 34; Alice Wright of Wirksworth, wife of George Wright, aged 60: Richard Hancoke of Wirksworth, carpenter, aged around 45; Thomas Wigley of Wirksworth, miner, aged 54; William Hopkinson of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 34, deposed that Richard Carrier and Thomas Parker were mutually supportive and that Jennet 'is often in the companie of the sd Mr Parkers deputie barmrs and that hee conceiveth that shee doth not onely looke to her husbands oare but also the duties of the lot and cope wthin the sd Wapentake taken in her fathers name' [is often in the company of the said Mr Parker's deputy barmasters and that he conceives that she doth not only look to her husband's ore but also the duties of the lot and cope within in her father's [Parker] name]. [Lot a mineral duty paid by the miner to the lord of the liberty to search for and mine ore. Cope duty paid by the buyer of the ore to the lord of the liberty]; Leonard Swallow of Wirksworth, miner, aged 20; John Swallow of Wirksworth, miner, aged 27; Richard Wigley of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 35, deposed that it is usual practice amongst miners within the wapentake of Wirksworth for the first takers of any grove to another miner who they 'shall like well of and thinke able to mayntayne and pay there pportionable pts' [shall like well of and think able to maintain and pay their proportionable parts].