Short title: Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster v Parker. Plaintiffs: Attorney...

Short title: Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster v Parker.

Plaintiffs: Attorney General at the relation of Sir Robert Heath and Sir Cornelius Vermuyden.

Defendants: Parker and Carrier.

Documents: depositions concerning the Dovegang commission in Wirksworth, Derbyshire.

Taken 8 January, 10 Charles I.

Deponents for plaintiffs: Thomas Coates of Cromford, miner, aged around 58, deposed that the Dovegang was drowned and had been for 40 years and was unprofitable. The draining of the Dovegang by Sir Cornelius Vermuyden was considered not only difficult but impossible 'And very much money hath been spent therein' [and very much money had been spent]. Many labourers were maintained in work at the Dovegang; Anthony Wood of Riber, miner, aged around 66, deposed that the Dovegang had been drowned for 24 years and has produced only little or small profit but that 'the drainige thereof is a worke of great difficultie and yet possible to be done' [the drainage thereof is a work of great difficulty and yet possible to be done]; Edward Mellor of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 3 score and 16 [17 years], deposed first for defendants then for plaintiffs, deposed that the west side of the Dovegang rake and other veins were free from water. 20 years ago the miners got ore without an engine but now it would be costly to drain. 'the generall opinion of miners is that there lyethe greate store of Oare drowned in water in the said Rake called Dove gange Raike ffortie ffathoms deepe' [the general opinion of miners is that there lies great store of ore drowned in water in the said rake called Dovegang rake fotry fathoms deep]. Dawes and Sharpey spent £3000 attempting to drain a Dovegang, 'their charges far exceeded their getts' [their charges far exceeded their gains]. The miners attempt to drain drowned mines sometimes with 'lether baggs or buckets' [leather bags or buckets] sometimes with engines. Heath and Vermayden attempted to claim that they were exempt from paying lot and cope due to the costs incurred in draining the Dovegang. [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]; Raphe Poyser of Wirksworth, miner, aged 48, deposed that the King has the authority to grant parcels of land within the King's Forest to a single person. The mines in Griffe Grange, Smerril Grange and Middleton were owned by individuals and no lot and cope was collected; Anthony Coates of Cromford, miner, aged 45, deposed that he has owned workes on the Dovegang for 25 years. When he drained the Dovegang 23 years ago there were only 2 ongoing works by Robert Hall and Richard Wigley; William Bamford of Langley, Derbyshire, gentleman, aged 64, whose memory of the lead industry of Wirksworth goes back 50 years [to 1586]; Anthony Eaton of Matlock, yeoman, aged 70; Thomas Fogge of Wirksworth, yeoman, aged 48, whose memory of the Dovegang goes back [30 years], deposed that Heath works in a watered mine where he carries the water out in leather bags as is done at Barley Flat, the Layes, Nethercliffem Raventor, yet he pays lot and cope. Vermuyden and Heath have employed such a great number of the miners in working the rakes of Dovegang that mines and rakes elsewhere in the wapentake 'lye unwrought for wante of myners and laboureres' [lie unwrought for want of miners and labourers]; Lawrence Stokes of Wirksworth, yeoman, aged 48; Edward Somers of Wirksworth, yeoman, aged 36; Robert Flint of Cromford, husbandman, aged 34.

Deponents for defendants: Thomas Charlesworth of Bonsall, yeoman, aged around 66; George Knowles of Matlock, weaver, aged around 76; Anthony Cadman of Bonsall, yeoman, aged around 73, whose memory of Ball Lee mine in Bonsall goes back 36 years [to 1598] and of Tearall 50 years [to 1584]; William Smith of Bonsall, husbandman, aged around 59, [provides a long list of operating waterworks in Matlock, Wensley and Bonsall area, operating up to 36 years] deposed that he has heard one such work cost £700 to drain; Richard Cadman of Bonsall, yeoman, aged around 36.