BHO

Derbyshire Quarter Sessions: 1630s

Petitions to the Derbyshire Quarter Sessions, 1632-1770.

This free content was born digital and sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The cost of photographing the petitions was funded by an Economic History Society Carnevali Small Research Grant: ‘Seeking Redress in Early Modern England: Petitions to Local Authorities, c.1580-1750’, the cost of transcribing eighteenth-century items was funded by a later Economic History Society Carnevali Small Research Grant: ‘Poverty, Taxation and Regulation: Petitions to local magistrates in Eighteenth-Century England’; and the other costs, including transcription of seventeenth-century items and editorial work, were funded by an Arts and Humanities Research Council Research Grant: ‘The Power of Petitioning in Seventeenth-Century England’ (AH/S001654/1). CC-NC-BY.

Citation:

In this section

William Edwards, minister, and others of Ashover, on behalf of Robert Norman. Q/SB/2/28 (1632)

Theis may be to certifie the worshipfull bench at the Sessions houlden at Darbye, for the Countye of Darbye. That whereas the bearer hereof Robert Norman who beinge formerly charged to be the reputed father of a woman child begotten on the bodye of Mary Stubbinge and was bound by recognizance to the Sessions, for the savinge of the parish of Ashover harmeles, from keepinge of the said child. We whose names are hereunder written do certifie for truthe, that the said child is departed this life, and was buried in the parishe churchyard at Northwingfield the 25th daye of Aprill 1632. And therefore the said Robert Norman humbly desireth that his recognizance may be drawne, and therebye saved from all further troubles which might ensue hereof, by reason of his neglect.

  • William Edwards Minister
  • William Wing Clearke
  • Richard Flint Churchwarden
  • John Watson Churchwarden
  • Jhon Mossley Churchwarden
  • George Brealforde
  • and
  • John Brealforde
  • with manie others

Thomas Wiberley, constable of Knyveton Ofcoate and Underwood. Q/SB/2/637 (1634-1639)

Derb ss

To the right worshipfull his Majesties Justices of the peace and quorum, assembled at the quarter sessions at Derby for the said County.

The humble peticion of Thomas Wiberley Constable of Knyveton Ofcoate and Underwood in the said county

Sheweth unto your good worships that your peticoner beinge Constable of Knyveton cum membris aforesaid, is to pay in moneys to Mr Walker the High Constable, And divers of the inhabitantes doe refuse to pay their lunes and taxes, in regard that it is of late found out, that many of the landes within the libertie pay not any thinge but the shipp money, and divers landes that are scituate in the parish of Knyveton, doe pay to Ofcoate and Underwood which is in Ashborne parish, and soe some of the said inhabitantes doe answer your peticion that they will pay for their land where it lyeth, and they will not pay except all other landes within the libertie pay as well as ther landes, whereby your peticoner is in danger to incurre the displeasure of the bench

In consideracion whereof your peticoners humble suite is, that your good worshipps wilbe pleased to sett downe an order that your peticoner may have his lunes paid him, and that all the landes within the libertie may pay their lunes, and pay within the libertie where they are scituate, and if any refuse to pay for their landes that they hould, that then they may be ordered to appeare at the next monthly meetinge within the weopentage of Wirksworth their to shew cause why they soe refuse, And your peticoner as in duty bound shall ever pray etc.

John Manners and others on behalf of Mathew Bagshaw. Q/SB/2/85 (1639)

Aprill the 20th. 1639

Right worshipfull Maye it please you that Mathew Bagshaw hath moved Sir Thomas Hutchenson Mr Manners Mr George Columbell Junior and Mr Richard Senior to erect a house in a croft where hath formerlie been an ancient cottage the sayd Sir Thomas hath thought it fit that the sayd Mathew Bagshaw should request the worshipfull Bench that hee might build him a house in Darley because hee hath been an antient inhabitant and now is destitute of a house. Thus much wee thought good to certifie you that you would be a meanes whereby this poore man may have an order from the bench to build a house and so wee humbly take our leave & rest

Your lovinge neighbours

  • John Manners
  • George Columbell Junior
  • Richard Senior

Robert Tunnecliff. Q/SB/2/1217 (1639)

To the right honorable Sir Robert [Heat]h Knight one of his Majesties Justices of Assise for the County of Derby.

The humble peticion of Robert Tunnecliff.

Sheweth that William Wheeldon of Chesterfeild a common informer did repaire unto your petitioner and tould him that hee had exhibited an informacion att your Sessions att Derby in July x o. Caroli Regis against your petitioner for unlawfull buying of sheepe and other cattle but tould him that if hee would then give him the said Wheeldon tenn shillings hee would proceed noe further against him, and that hee your petitioner should not appeare to answere the said informacion or any other exhibited against him your petitioner by him the said Wheeldon as informer for the said offences; which tenn shillings your petitioner did accordingly pay to him the said Wheeldon and thereupon your petitioner did as hee your petitioner informed theis deponents forbeare to give any direccions for his your said petitioners appearance att the said quarter Sessions thereupon.

Notwithstanding theis deponents are enformed that an appearance was afterwards entered thereupon for your petitioner to the said Wheeldons informacion and a Judgment upon a Nihil dicit of one thousand poundes thereupon unconscionably gained against your petitioner and execucion thereupon awarded in the said Courte Sessions

paratextLet the Justices of peace for this Countie of Derby take this peticion into consideracion and if upon their examinacion they find shall find the substance therof true, that then they take order for the vacatinge the said Judgment, and admitt the peticioner to pleade de Novo to the said informacion and in the meane tyme the execucion upon the said Judgment to stay 14 March 1638 Ro Heath

The inhabitants of Mapleton. Q/SB/2/638 (1639-1640)

To the Right Worshipfull his Majesties Justices of the peace and Quorum for the County of Derby.

The humble peticion of the Inhabitants of Mapleton:

Humbly sheweth unto your good Worships That whereas your poore peticioners haveinge formerly beene at great charges with manie taxacions laide upon them concerninge the towne of Mappleton in the said Countie of Derby, beinge all or the most parte of the towne verie poore, men, And whereas divers severall persons, have heretofore held, and still doe hold, certaine groundes belonginge to the said towne of Mappleton, which have heretofore paid both towardes his Majesties provision and the Shipp money, And now deny to pay the taxacion laid upon them, concerninge the trayninge, and the charge of settinge forthe the prest soldyers, Prayinge that in this case your peticioners may be relieved as to youre good Worships, shall seeme most fitt and convenient, And that those persons houldinge the groundes aforesaid, may pay theire due accordinge to every ones rate, which soe houldeth the groundes as aforesaid, towards the easinge of us youre poore peticioners, wee haveinge had, all the charge laid upon us, hitherto, and soe are likely still to have, unlesse youre good worships will be pleased to sett downe, and take some order for our relieffe herein, And your poore peticioners shall be ever bounden to pray: etc: