MarychurchProtestation Return1641/42

MARYCHURCH - 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 king and to Parliament. 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. An indexed transcription is available in the West Country Studies Library in Exeter.

The Protestation Returns are arranged by parishes which are grouped in Hundreds* Marychurch belonged to the Hundred of Haytor (The original spelling has been preserved) Marychurch (or St. Marychurch as it is now known) was a thriving fishing village when this Protestation was made. The core of village life was down on the little beaches and in the coves which lay at the foot of the Downs. More men were away at sea fishing than remained present on shore to affirm their oaths at the time of the Protestation.
Baker, John	Donne, Martin	Parker, James
Barter, Michael, sen.	Eales, William	Peler, John
Barter, Michael, jun.	Earle, Thomas	Prout, William
Barter, Thomas, sen.	Edwards, Robert	Row, John
Bickford, Thomas	Eynoll, John	Shaplye, Silvester
Bickford, William	Fyer, Richard	Taylor, John
Bodlake, George	Gibb, Alexander	Taylor, William, sen.
Browne, John	Gord, John	Taylor, William, jun.
Bullye, Thomas	Gord, Robert	Varder, John
Chaple, Henry	Hart, Jacy	Varder, John, jun.
Codner, Christopher	Haywood, Thomas	Varder, Robert
Codner, Henry	Hoare, Philip	Waymouth, Christopher
Codner, Roger	Lane, Mr. Richard	Waymouth, John
Cowle, Christopher, sen.	Lee, Richard	Waymouth, robert
Cowle, Christopher, jun.	Major, Hugh	Waymouth, Stephen
Cowle, Christopher, jun.	Martine, Richard	Wheaton, Edward
Cowle, John, sen.	Merigame, William	Wilcockes, Thomas
Cowle, Robert, sen.	Necke, Stephen	Williams. Thomas
Cowle, Robert, jun.	Newcombe, Andrew	Williams, Thomas
Coxe, John	Newcombe, Peter	Woolcott, Richard

"The following are at sea and did not take the protestation"
Ameray, John	Courtis, William	Reatle, William, jun.
Ashlye, Erochias	Cowle, Bonaventure	Row, Gregory
Baker, Richard	Cowle, Thomas	Rowland, Andrew
Barter, Robert	Crockwill, William	Saunder, Edward
Barter, William	Crosse, Davy	Seavye, Richard
Base, John	Drew, Thomas	Sheman, Richard
Bennett, Peter	Edwards, Stephen	Sherman, Roger
Bennett, Philip	Escott, Nicholas	Streemer, John
Bennett, Philip, jun.	Gildon, Thomas	Taylor, John
Bennett, William	Good, John	Taylor, John, jun.
Bickford, John	Gowle, Richard	Varder, Anthony
Bickford, Robert	Haywood, John	Varder, Edward
Bickford, Thomas	Hoare, Thomas	Varder, John
Bickford, William, jun.	Hoare, William	Varder, Sidrach
Blanke, George	Husway, Bartholomew	Vening, Henry
Bluett, John	Husway, Thomas	Vening, Henry, jun.
Bond, Richard	Luce, Richard	Vening, Robert
Bowden, Peter	Martine, john, jun.	Waymouth, Christopher
Browne, Richard	Marwood, Alexander sen.	Waymouth, Stephen
Clampitt, Christopher	Marwood, William, jun.	Waymouth, William, jun.
Clyffe, William	Millar, Thomas	Wichalls, John
Codner, Nicholas	Newcombe, Anthony	Williams, Gregory
Cooper, Robert	Newcombe, William
Courtis, John	Philpe, John
Signed by Robert Ball - Vicar William Jackson - Constable Henry Vening - Constable William Cole - Churchwarden Martin Usher - Churchwarden William Barnes - Overseer William Peatle - Overseer John Varder - Overseer Aubrey Codner - Overseer

* For many centuries, Devon was divided into 32 administrative districts or Hundreds for land tax purposes.