St Mellion Parish
PROTESTATION RETURNS 1641
The English Revolution
(1640-60) began in November 1640 when Charles 1st. summoned Parliament
to help him out of a financial crisis. Charles was very unpopular and
was forced to agree to radical reforms which gave Parliament a more
prominent roll in the constitution.
The political crisis escalated
and the "Long Parliament" split into two opposing parties in
the Autumn of 1641, forming the King's party of Royalists (Cavaliers)
and the Parliamentarians (Roundheads), who demanded further political
and religious reforms. The events of 1640/41 led to the Civil War
which began in August 1642.
It was agreed and ordered on the
3rd May 1641, that every Member of the House of Commons should make a
protestation (declaration of loyalty), which the House of Lords also
agreed to the following day.
The Commons ordered the printing
of the protestation and preamble on the 5th May 1641 and this was
distributed by the Members to their counties. The Protestation was to
be made by everyone and the Rectors, Churchwardens and Overseers of
the Poor had to appear before the Justices of the Peace in their
Hundred to make their protestation and, on returning to their
parishes, any two of them were to witness the taking of the
Protestation Oath by all males over the age of 18 years. All names
were listed and anyone who refused was to be noted.
The protestation itself reads:-
I,-------- do, in the presence
of Almighty God, promise, vow, and protest to maintain, and defend as
farr as lawfully I maye, with my Life, Power and Estate, the true
Reformed Protestant religion, expressed in the Doctrine of the Church
of England, against all Popery and Popish Innovations, within this
Realme, contrary to the same Doctrine, and according to the duty of my
Allegiance, His Majesties Royal Person, Honour and Estate, as alsoe
the Power and Privileges of Parliament, the lawful Rights and
Liberties of the Subjects, and any person that maketh this
Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful Pursuance of the
same; and to my power, and as farr as lawfully I may, I will appose
and by all good Ways and Means endeavour to bring to condign
Punishment all such as shall, either by Force, Practice, Councels,
Plots, Conspiracies, or otherwise, doe any Thing to the contrary of
any Thing in this present Protestation contained: and further, that I
shall, in all just and honourable ways, endeavour to preserve the
Union and Peace betwixt the Three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and
Ireland: and neither for Hope, Feare, nor other Respect, shell
relinquish this Promise, Vow and Protestation.
John CORYTON Mr
Sepeo CORYTON Mr
John [CORYTON] his son
John GAYCH
William THOMAS
Sampson HANNOFORD
Edward CRABB
William PRIGES
Roger CALFE
Richard PINCH
Bennet CHAMLIN
Thomas HICHING
Thomas LEANE
Richard SMYTH
Toby TOSER
Robart WEDLOCKE
Ralphe GOLIAN
Jhames CLOKE
Emanuell STOYLE
William TREVISA gent
Richard RICHARDES
William TANCOCKE
John WADGE
George WILLIN
Richard ELLIOTTE
Edward ELLIOTTE
Samuell ELLIOTTE
Samuell ELLIOTTE
Edward HODGE
John TREMEERE
Thomas TREMEERE
William PANTER
John WALKEY
Richard BERERYBALL
Peter GAYCH
Ralphe FOXE
William GEFFORD
John VINTON
John REDE
John RUNDELL
Edward VINTON
John VINTON jun
Thomas MOTTON
Robart EVENES
Henry EVENES
Daniell EVENES
John COULE
John GEFFORD
William HARRYS
Edward ELLIOTTE
John JOSLINGE
John JOSLINGE jun
Emanuell JOSLINGE
Robart BENEY
John ANSTIA
John HAWKING
John HICHINGE
Robart GADGECOMBE
John EDGECOM
Richard TOSAR
Nathanyell TOSER
John GEFFORD
Jhames SMYTH
Richard BLIGH
John PIPER
John DEACON
Jhames GOODRIDGE
Oliver DOBLE
George SARGENT
John SARGENT
Ezechiell WEATHERED
John TREMEERE
Nicholas LISCOMBE
Eliazar TREVISA
John TREMEERE
John KNIGHT
Thomas PARNELL
Richard SLADE
John SHEARE
Thomas PHILLIPES
John HAWKINGE
Arthur WALKEY
John DENBOO
Nicholas PIKE
Peter WEEBB
Antony TREHANE
Peter JOSLINGE
Richard WALKEY
Frances SIMMON
Henry RAWE
John TOSER
Juelles NICHOLES
Henry JHAMES
John HOLLOCOM
John GIDDY
Matthew RANDELL rector
Phillip CUTTYE constable
Thomas ELLYOT constable
Richard RAWE [in justice list only]
Peter JOSLINGE churchwardens
No overseers are given in the parish list and two such names in the Justices list are erased
John CORYTON Mr
Sepeo CORYTON Mr
John [CORYTON] his son
John GAYCH
William THOMAS
Sampson HANNOFORD
Edward CRABB
William PRIGES
Roger CALFE
Richard PINCH
Bennet CHAMLIN
Thomas HICHING
Thomas LEANE
Richard SMYTH
Toby TOSER
Robart WEDLOCKE
Ralphe GOLIAN
Jhames CLOKE
Emanuell STOYLE
William TREVISA gent
Richard RICHARDES
William TANCOCKE
John WADGE
George WILLIN
Richard ELLIOTTE
Edward ELLIOTTE
Samuell ELLIOTTE
Samuell ELLIOTTE
Edward HODGE
John TREMEERE
Thomas TREMEERE
William PANTER
John WALKEY
Richard BERERYBALL
Peter GAYCH
Ralphe FOXE
William GEFFORD
John VINTON
John REDE
John RUNDELL
Edward VINTON
John VINTON jun
Thomas MOTTON
Robart EVENES
Henry EVENES
Daniell EVENES
John COULE
John GEFFORD
William HARRYS
Edward ELLIOTTE
John JOSLINGE
John JOSLINGE jun
Emanuell JOSLINGE
Robart BENEY
John ANSTIA
John HAWKING
John HICHINGE
Robart GADGECOMBE
John EDGECOM
Richard TOSAR
Nathanyell TOSER
John GEFFORD
Jhames SMYTH
Richard BLIGH
John PIPER
John DEACON
Jhames GOODRIDGE
Oliver DOBLE
George SARGENT
John SARGENT
Ezechiell WEATHERED
John TREMEERE
Nicholas LISCOMBE
Eliazar TREVISA
John TREMEERE
John KNIGHT
Thomas PARNELL
Richard SLADE
John SHEARE
Thomas PHILLIPES
John HAWKINGE
Arthur WALKEY
John DENBOO
Nicholas PIKE
Peter WEEBB
Antony TREHANE
Peter JOSLINGE
Richard WALKEY
Frances SIMMON
Henry RAWE
John TOSER
Juelles NICHOLES
Henry JHAMES
John HOLLOCOM
John GIDDY
Matthew RANDELL rector
Phillip CUTTYE constable
Thomas ELLYOT constable
Richard RAWE [in justice list only]
Peter JOSLINGE churchwardens
No overseers are given in the parish list and two such names in the Justices list are erased