STAVERTON - THE PROTESTATION RETURN OF 1641/2 |
By the end of 1640, King Charles I had become very unpopular. Parliament forced him to make changes in the Constitution which gave them a bigger say in how the country was governed. From then on, Parliament was split into two factions - Royalists (Cavaliers) who supported the King and Parliamentarians (Roundheads) who wanted political and religious reform.
On 3 May 1641, every Member of the House of Commons was ordered to make a declaration of loyalty to the crown. This was ratified next day by the House of Lords. They called it their Protestation against " an arbitrarie and tyrannical government" and another order was made that every Rector, Churchwarden and Overseer of the Poor had to appear in person before the JPs in their Hundred to make this Protestation Oath in person. It was to be a declaration of their belief in the" Protestant religion, allegiance to the King and support for the rights and privileges of Parliament".
They then had to go back home to their own parish where any two of them were to require the same oath of allegiance from all males over the age of 18. The names of all who refused to make the oath were to be noted and assumed to be Catholics.
We have, in the Devon Protestation Returns, a set of amazing documents - something akin to a census even though no women or children are named. A transcription is available in the West Country Studies Library in Exeter. |
The Protestation Returns are arranged by parish. Staverton belonged to the Hundred of Haytor
The original spelling has been preserved |
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| John Abraham sen. | Mr Edward Gold, Gent | Zachary Nosworth |
| John Abraham jun. | Edward Gold | John Pack |
| Robert Abraham | John Gold | Richard Pack |
| Thomas Abraham | William Gold | Richard Pack |
| John Adams | William Gold jun | Richard Oke |
| Thomas Adams | Edward Goodridg | Walter Oxford |
| Thomas Alexander | Thomas Gortly | Edward Pack |
| William Apter | Thomas Gotham sen. | James Pack |
| Nicholas Avery | Thomas Gotham | Richard Peek jun |
| Richard Avery | John Gow | Thomas Peek |
| William Balkwell | Thomas Hamlin | Thomas Peek |
| William Barons | Hugh Hanks | Henry Penney |
| William Beare | Hugh Hannaford sen. | John Penney |
| Nicholas Beere | Hugh Hannaford jun | Nicholas Penney |
| Edward Bennett | James Hannaford | John Penning |
| George Bennett | John Hannaford | Bartholomew Pheress |
| Richar Bennett | Laurence Hannaford | John Pirrey |
| Nicholas Berry | Nicholas Hannaford | Richard Pomroy |
| Thomas Berry jun. | Thomas Hannaford | Hugh Pope |
| George Bider | William Hannaford | John Pope |
| Francis Blackler | William Harford | Richard Potter, clerk |
| John Blackler | Barnard Harris | John Prouse |
| Robert Bonnd | Bartholomew Harris | Edward Pusher |
| George Bovey | Edward Harris | William Rabjohn |
| John Bovey | George Harris | Tobias Renel |
| Thomas Bovey | John Harris | William Revell |
| John Bowdon | Richard Harris | Gregory Rich |
| Roger Bowdon | Thomas Harris sen. | Peter Rider |
| Roger Bowdon jun. | Thomas Harris jun. | Geoffrey Risdon |
| William Bower | Simon Haughton | Richard Rixon |
| John Bragg | John Haukins | John Round |
| Edward Brodridg | Roger Haukins | Alan Row |
| Henry Brodridg sen. | John Head | Edward Row |
| Henry Brodridg jun | Peter Hearnaman | George Row Esq. |
| Thomas Brodridg sen. | Henry Hert | Richard Row |
| Thomas Brodridg jun | Richard Hert | William Row Gent |
| Thomas Brodridg | John Hill sen | John Rowland |
| Richard Browne | John Hill jun. | Richard Rowland |
| Oliver Bucklett | William Hingston | Walter Sanders |
| Thomas Bulley | Richard Hitchins | Alan Searle |
| Thomas Bunclark | Walter Hodg | William Searle |
| William Bunclark | Walter Hodg | Philip Scobble |
| Thomas Burd | Edward Hollowcomb | Christopher Simon |
| Henry Butchers | Hugh Horsham jun | George Simon |
| John Butchers | John Horsham | Ellis Simons |
| Nicholas Butchers | John Horsham | Luckcrost Simons |
| William Butchers | William Horsham | Thomas Simons |
| John Butland | William Horsham jun | William Simons |
| THomas Bycott | Hugh Hortham | Thomas Skirrett |
| Martin Canaford | Nicholas Ingle | William Smith |
| George Cannter | George Irish | Robert Snowdon |
| Thomas Cannter | Leonard Irish | Geoffrey Spark |
| Richard Carpenter | John Jones | John Sperk |
| John Casely | William Jones | John Standon |
| Emmanuel Casely | Randle Kelley | Thomas Standon |
| Esau Casely | Robert Kennicott | William Standon |
| John Casely | Humphrey Kimmins | Roger Steer |
| Arthur Champlain | John Knight | William Stephens |
| Daniel Champlain sen | William Lambell | Robert Stert |
| Daniel Champlain jun. | Gabriel Lamboll | Thomas Stidston |
| David Chasse | George Lamboll | William Tap |
| John Clement | Joseph Lane | Andrew Tapper |
| William Clement | Edward Lang | Gregory Tapper |
| David Cole | Richard Lang | John Tapper |
| Hugh Cole | William Langdon | John Tapper |
| Peter Cole | Peter Langworthy sen | Andrew Tarr |
| Thomas Cole | Peter Langworthy jun | John Tarr |
| Silvester Colman | James Lapthorne | Walter Towsy |
| Solomon Cook | James Lapthorne jun | John Trust |
| John Coxon | Francis Lavers | Jacob Tucker |
| Benjamin Cranaford | Henry Lavers | William Tucker |
| Alexander Crees | John Lavers | John Tudd |
| Richard Cronding | Thomas Leaman | John Undrell |
| John Crossing | Abraham Leigh | William Usher |
| William Crossing sen | Richard Leonard | William Vesey |
| William Crossing jun | John Linscott | Christopher Wade |
| John Currey | Jonas Liston | Edward Wade sen. |
| Philip Deanch | Robert Lowman | Edward Wade jun |
| John Denning jun | Roger Luckam | James Wade |
| George Diggon | William Luscomb | John Wade |
| John Diggon | Thomas Lymbrae | John Wade |
| William Diggon | Zachary Lymbrae | John Wade jun |
| John Dingle | Andrew Man | Thomas Wade |
| Samuel Dingle | Thomas Man | Henry Wash |
| Thomas Doak | Andrew Martin | William Weekes |
| Robert Dodg | Nicholas Martin | Stephen Weeks sen. |
| Nicholas Dolling | Richard Martin | Stephen Weeks jun |
| John Downing | Alexander May | Richard Weston |
| Josias Drake | Clement May | Jonathan Weymouth |
| John Dranch | Edward May sen. | Laurence White |
| John Eales | Edward May jun | Nicholas White |
| Walter Eales | Francis May | Thomas White sen. |
| Edward Efford | John May sen. | Thomas White jun. |
| George Emmot | John May sen. | Edmund Whiteway |
| Chrsitopher Emmott | John May jun | Richard Whiteway |
| John Emmott | John May jun. | Robert Whiteway |
| Goerge Evans | John May | Hugh Widdecomb |
| Rice Evens | Richard May sen. | Henry Widdicomb |
| Sidrach Field | Richard May jun | John Widdicomb |
| William Field | Robert May | Thomas Widdicomb |
| Hugh Finch | Thomasa Meardon | Benjamin Widgen |
| Hugh Finch jun | Gregory Metherel | Humphrey Widger |
| Nicholas Finch | Gregory Metherel jun. | William Williams |
| Edward Fleace | Henry Memory sen. | Richard Windeat |
| Richard Fleace | Henry Memory jun | George Windsor |
| James Fox sen. | John Memory | James Windsor |
| James Fox | Gregory Metherel | John Windsor sen |
| John Fox | Gregory Metherel jun | John Windsor jun |
| Robert Fox sen. | William Metherel | John Windsor |
| Ellis Furse | Thomas Miller | Nicholas Windsor |
| John Furse | Austin Miller | Peter Windsor |
| Philip Furse | Francis Milward | Richard Windsor |
| John Fursman | John Milward | Arthur Wolfson Gent |
| John Ganacley | John Murch | Arthur Wolfson jun |
| Gregory Gildon | Thomas Murch sen. | Mr John Wolfson |
| John Gildon | Thomas Murch jun. | Richard Wolfson |
| Philip Gildon | William Norwood | Ellis Worth |
| John Glanfield | Edward Nosworthy | Capt. Simon Worth |
| John Goard | Edward Nosworthy | Richard Wotton |
| Christopher Gold | James Nosworthy | Thomas Yolland |
John Row, Gent and Thomas Row, Gent, sons of George Row Esq and Cornelius Heseman, servant to John Row, Gent, refused to take the Protestation The above names are in the same hand, the following ten are signatures)
John Horsham - Vicar William Nosworthy - Constable Bartholomew Widger - Churchwarden Thomas Norsham - Churchwarden Zachary Gould - Overseer Thomas Rennell - Overseer Thomas May - Overseer Philip Nosworthie - Overseer Thomas Diggon Constable John Scobble - Constable |
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* For many centuries, Devon was divided into 32 administrative districts or Hundreds for land tax purpose. |
| Taken from the transcription by A. J. Howard published in 1973 which is available in the West Country Studies Library, Exeter Courtesy: Devon County Council |
© M.E. Brine. This page last updated
27 February, 2014
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