Short title: Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster v Gell, otherwise Earl of...

Short title: Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster v Gell, otherwise Earl of Northampton v Gell.

Plaintiffs: Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster [at the relation of James Compton, Earl of Northampton].

Defendants: John Gell.

Documents: depositions concerning the right to lot and cope in the wapentake of Wirksworth, Derbyshire.

Taken 1661.

Deponents for plaintiffs: John Milward of Snitterton, esquire; Anthony Charlesworth of Alderwasley, miner, aged 80, unable to sign name; Edmond Higton of Cromferd, husbandman, aged 80, deposed that the 'brazen dish' was the standard measure for ore and that it was 'free and open to every myner to bringe their oare to be measured accordinge to the custome of the myne' [free and open to every miner to bring their ore to be measured according to the custom of the mine]. It was kept locked and chained in the lower room of the Moothall; Andrew Slack of Adworth, miner, aged 60, marked his name; James Shipley of Aldwark, miner, aged 47; Joseph Bond of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 70, deposed that George Hopkinson had attended a Barmote meeting with various documents proving the Earl of Northampton's claim to the lot and cope of Wirksworth. George Thompson discredited George Hopkinson saying the documents he witnessed were 'ballads'. John Sladen, servant to Gell, had been intimidating the miners into not paying their lot and cope to Northampton. [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]; John Annable of Wirksworth, ironmonger, aged 23, deposed he had been threatened by one of Gell's men when attempting to mine in Cromford; John Steeple of Elton, miner, aged 55, deposed that George Thompson had been 'tamperinge wth the myners soe much that he [...] thought there would have bin a tumulte' [tampering with the miners so much that he [...] thought there would have been a tumult]; William Scattergood of Brassington, miner, aged 60, marked his name; Francis Kirke of Brassington, miner, aged 68, marked his name; Robert Heaward of Carsington, gentleman aged 46, signs name; Nicholas Chadwicke of Bonsall, miner, aged 42, marks name, deposed that he collected the lot and cope at Bonsall for Gell; John Hugh of Brassington, miner, aged 38, marks name; George Adams of Matlock, yeoman, aged 29; Henry Greatrax of Bonsall, yeoman, aged 27; Henry Tavers of Brassington, yeoman, aged 27; Edward Wheatcroft of Wirksworth, carpenter, aged 40.

Deponents for defendants: William Shaw of Bonsall, yeoman, aged 38, deposed that the transactions of mine shares and also agreements with merchants for the supply of ore at a certain price were all conducted by miners by word of mouth; Raphe Marple of Bonsall, miner, aged 66; Robert Cliffe of Matlock, gentleman, aged 38; William Gregory of Hopton, yeoman, aged 66, deposed that he worked as a cook and servant to Lady Elizabeth Coke and asked if she would appoint him as one of her deputy barmaster. She told him she did not own the right; John Bellackhouse of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 53; Edmund Ford of Wirksworth, gentleman, aged 33; Timothy Braylesford of Mansfield, Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, gentleman, aged around 27; Timothy Cocke of Brinsley, Nottinghamshire, gentleman, aged around 27; George Gregson of Turnditch, Derbyshire, gentleman, aged around 55; Robert Poole of Coddington in Crich parish, gentleman, aged 57; Isabel Poole, wife of Robert Poole, of Coddington in Crich parish, aged 58; John Steer of Stancliffe, Derbyshire, gentleman, aged 44; Thomas Gladwin of Boythorpe, Derbyshire, gentleman, aged 59; John Beresford of Smerrill, gentleman, aged 57; Raph Gell of Hopton, gentleman, aged 45; John Radcliffe of Kings Newton, yeoman, aged 50; Hugh Storer of Wingerworth, yeoman, aged 48; Nicholas Willimott of Grays Inn London, esquire, aged 50.