STOKENHAM - 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.
Stokenham belonged to the Hundred of Coleridge
The original spelling has been preserved |
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| James Adams | Robert Gould | Peter Pereton |
| Robert Adams | Robert Gould | Philip Pereton |
| Thomas Adams | William Gould | Thomas Pereton |
| Richard Adey | William Gould | Walter Pereton |
| George Andrew | Robert Goulde | Richard Perrett |
| Philip Andrew | James Grate | Richard Perrett |
| Robert Andrew | Zachary Hackston | Richard Perrotte |
| Richard Attwill | William Hannaford | Andrew Phillipp |
| John Austin | Hercules Haukins | Ellis Phillipp |
| John Baker | Richard Haukins | James Phillipp |
| George Ball | William Haukins | Michael Phillipp |
| Walter Bargin | John Head | Michael Phillipp jun. |
| Thomas Barnes | Michael Head | Nicholas Phillipp |
| William Barteram | Michael Head | Richard Phillipp |
| John Bastard | Philip Heaman | Thomas Philipp |
| Joseph Bastard | Richard Hept | Thomas Phillipp |
| Francis Blackeller | John Hepte | John Phillipps |
| John Blackeller | George Hill | Robert Phillipps |
| Nathan Blackeller | John Hine | James Pitt |
| Robert Blackeller | Humphrey Hodge, Gent | Peter Pollard |
| Nicholas Blanke | John Hodge, Gent | John Pope |
| Thomas Boddrey | Leonard Hodge | Michael Pope |
| Peter Brown, Gent. | Gilbert Holland | Michael Pope |
| William Browne | Nicholas Hollett | Nicholas Pope |
| John Burgand | Nicholas Hollett | Peter Pope |
| Walter Burgand | Riochard Hollett | Richard Pope |
| Thomas Burgame | Richard Hone | William Pope |
| John Burridge | Richard Hoppin | William Pope |
| Peter Cardod | William Hoppin | Richard Pound |
| John Catland | John Horswell jun. | Edward Powell |
| Thomas Catland | Nicholas Horswell | Nathaniel Pretijohn |
| Thomas Catland jun. | Edward Houpper | Nicholas Pretijohn |
| John Cawker | John Houpper | William Pretijohn |
| Peter Cawker | John Hoyle | William Pretijohn |
| Richard Cawker | John Hoyle | Solomon Prouse |
| Samuel Churchwill | Richard Hoyle | Robert Randall |
| Crispin Clarke | William Hoyle | Roger Randall |
| Mathew Clarke | Peter Hyne | William Randall |
| Robert Clarke | Robert Hyne | William Scoose |
| William Clarke | John Jefferie | Richard Scotte |
| William Clemant | Michael Jefferie | Peter Shath |
| Thomas Clife | Michael Jefferie | Thomas Shath |
| Henry Cloke | Michael Jefferie | Thomas Sheppeard |
| Bartlett Cole | Nicholas Jefferie | William Sheppeard |
| James Cole | William Jefferie | Edmund Shipheard |
| John Cole | Andrerw Jeffery | Thomas Shutt |
| Michael Cole | Christopher Jeffery | John Simonds |
| Nathaniel Cole | James Jeffery | John Somaster, Gent. |
| Philip Cole | Robert Jeffery | William Stear |
| Robert Cole | Thomas Jeffery sen. | John Steare |
| Robert Cole | Thomas Jeffery | Robert Steare |
| Thomas Cole | John Jellard | John Steele |
| Thomas Cole | Peter Jellard jun. | Philip Steele |
| William Cole | William Jellard | Thomas Steele |
| Edward Coles | Robert Kennaway | George Stidston |
| William Collin | David Kinge | Henry Stone |
| William Cooke | Nicholas Kinge | Isaac Stone |
| Richard Cornish | Richard Kinge | Nicholas Stone |
| Richard Crewse | William Kinge | Robert Stone |
| Walter Cussen | {hilip Kingston | Robert Stone |
| William Cussen | Robert Knight | Samson Stone |
| William Cussen | Hugh Knowles | Thomas Stone |
| Richard Cutland | Jezrea Knowles | Thomas Stone |
| John Cutmore | Andrew Lake | John Stme |
| John Dare | George Lake | Arthur Tabb |
| Thomas Dare | Edward Lange | Richard Tabb |
| Philip Davie | John Lange | Walter Tabb |
| Richard Derrie | Nicholas Lange | William Tabb |
| William Derry | Richard Lange | John Terrie |
| William Derrye | Robert Lange | Andrew Toller |
| John Downinge | Edward Lee | Edward Toller |
| William Downiynge | John Lee | Vincent Toller |
| Michael Drew | John Lee | William Toller |
| Nicholas Dunnynge | Nathaniel Lee | Henry Tombe |
| John Eaton | Walter Lethbridge | John Tombe |
| William Edmonds | Robert Ley | Nicholas Toombe |
| William Edward | Christopher Life | John Tooker |
| John Edwardes | Joseph Life | Michael Tooker |
| John Edwardes | John Liffe | John Toupe |
| Richard Edwardes | John Liston | John Towley |
| Robert Edwardes | William Locke | Nicholas Treble |
| Roger Edwardes | George Lonnge | Thomas Treble |
| Anthony Edwards | Richard Lowd sen. | Michel Trout |
| Jophn Edwards | Richard Lowde jun. | Richard Trout |
| John Edwards | Robert Lowde | Richard Trout |
| Robert Edwards | Muchael Lowe | Thomas Trout |
| Thomas Edwards | Michael Lowe | Thomas Trout |
| Leonard Ellis | Thomas Lowe | Robert Troute |
| Peter Ellis | Thomas Lowe | Robert Troute |
| Nicholas Ewen | Robert Luccrast | John Upwell |
| Robert Ewen | Arthur Luest | Andrew Wakeham |
| Samson Ewen | Muchael Luest | Michael Wakeham |
| William Ewen | Richard Luest | Richard Wakeham |
| William Ewen | William Luest | Richard Wakeham |
| Peter Ferres | William Luest | Richard Wakeham |
| William Flare | Richard Lure | Peter Wakeham, Gent |
| Nivcholas Foster | Andrew Luscombe | William Wakham |
| Edward Fountaine, Gent | John Luscombe | Thomas Walter |
| John Fountayne, Gent | Peter Luscombe | William Ward |
| John Fountaine jun, Gent | Richard Luscombe | John Warden |
| John Foxe | Thomas Luscombe | Nicholas Warden |
| John Foxe | John Lust | James Warrin |
| Robert Foxe | Henry Maddocke | Michael Warrin |
| Stephen Foxe | Peter Matscombe | Nicholas Wats |
| Edward Garland | John May | James Watt |
| John Garland | William Miles | John Watts |
| John Garland | William Mingoe | Hugh Wellman |
| John Garland jun. | Andrew More | Nicholas White |
| Mark Garland | Thomas Morrell | William Widecombe |
| Mark Garland | Nicholas Mortimer | John Wills |
| Nicholas Garland | Thomas Mortimer | Peter Wills |
| Thomas Garland | John Newman | Thomas Wills |
| William Garland | Michael Newman | Edward Winter |
| William Garland | George Owen | John Winter |
| Richard Gilberd | Vincent Pacey | Peter Winter |
| Thomas Glenfeild | Michael Pascho | Peter Winter sen. |
| John Godfrey | Robert Pascho | Peter Winter jun. |
| Alexander Goodyear | Thomas Pascho | Peter Winter jun. |
| Michael Goodyear | Richard Patey | Richard Winter |
| Nicholas Goodyear | William Patey | Thomas Winter |
| Henry Goodyeare | Nicholas Pearse | Lewis Yabbacombe |
| John Goodyeare | Peter Pearse | Edward Yabbacomb |
| John Gould | Richard Pearse | John Yabbacomb |
| John Gould | Thomas Pearse | John Yabsley |
| John Gould | William Pearse | Andrew Yeo |
| Peter Gould | John Peeke | Peter Yeo |
| Richard Gould | Richard Peeke | Peter Yeo |
| Richard Gould | Hugh Pereton | - |
(The above names are written in the same hand; the following are signatures) Jonas Stile - Vicar Robert Phillipp - Constable Nicholas Cole - Constable Richard Mylton - Churchwarden Philip Luckhamp - Churchwarden Thomas Tope, Churchwarden William Clarke - Overseer Thomas Gillard - Overseer Robert Edwardes - Overseer Christopher Fiall - Overseer |
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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
20 April, 2012
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