Parish of Chideock
PROTESTATION ROLL 1641
The
English Civil War period (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.
The
Protestation for Chideocke
[Note; there appears to be two sets of
Churchwardens, Overseers, etc, those marked with an * may well be for the next
parish.]
Andrew,
ABBOTT,
George,
ABBOTT,
Tho.,
ADAMS,
John,
ADDAMES, churchwarden*
Thomas,
ALFORD, churchwarden
John,
ALFORD,
Thomas,
ALFORD,
Thomas,
BAKER,
Bartholomew,
BAKER,
Joh.,
BATSTONE,
Hugh,
BATSTONE,
Symon,
BAYLEY,
Symane,
BEERE,
Thomas,
BEERE,
Andrew,
BEERE,
John,
BLACKEFORD,
John,
BOWDEN,
Joh.,
CARY jun.,
John,
CHAMP,
Joh,
COLEFOX,
Joh.,
COLLENT,
Tho,
COLLENT,
Nich
, COSSENS,
churchwarden*
Joseph,
COX,
Robert,
COX,
Rob.,
COX,
Nicholas,
CRAB,
Will.,
CROCKER,
Joh.,
CROCKER,
Will.,
CROCKER,
Joh.,
CUSSENS,
Franc.,
CUSSENS,
Joh.,
CUSSENS,
Joh.,
CUSSENS,
Andrew,
CUSSENS,
Nicholas,
DOLEINGE,
Jon.,
FOWKE,
Mathew,
GARDENNER,
John,
GAYE,
Thomas,
GAYE,
Christ.,
GILL,
Richard,
HALLETT,
Joh.,
HARRIS,
William,
HODDER, curate*
Tho.,
HODGES,
Walter,
HOLMEAD,
Joh.,
HOUNSELL,
Robrt.,
HOUNSELL,
Richard,
KNIGHT,
Will.,
KNOTT,
John,
KNOTT,
William,
LACKE,
Edward,
LARCOMBE,
Math.,
LARCOMBE,
Nathanyell,
LONG,
Walter,
LUSH,
John,
MARTINE,
Thomas,
MEATYARD,
Rob.,
MINSON,
Robert,
MINSON,
Joh.,
MINSON jun,
Edward,
MOLLINS, overseer*
George,
MULLENS,
Rich.,
NUSSITER,
William,
OLIVER,
Richard,
ORCHARD, constable
Robert,
ORCHARD, overseer
William,
ORCHARD,
Richard,
ORCHARD,
John,
ORCHARD jun.,
Thomas,
PAINE, overseer*
Joh,
PAINE,
Tho.,
PEACH,
Thomas,
PEACH,
Henry,
POMERIE,
John,
PORTER,
Robert,
PRENCE,
John,
SAMPSON,
Richard,
SQUIBB, curate*
James,
STOOLEY,
John,
SWEET,
Edmond,
TAAYLORE,
Tho.,
TRUNCOLE,
Tho.,
WAADE,
Simon,
WAADE,
Math.,
WAADE,
Andrew,
WAADE,
Richard,
WADDEN, constable*
John,
WADE,
Lawrence,
WALDREN, churchwarden
William,
WALDREN,
Robert,
WARREN, overseer
Joh.,
WHETTOME,
William,
WHITE,
Tho.,
WILLABIE,
John,
WILLIAMS,
Samul,
WINCH,
William,
WOODCOCKE,
constable
Thomas, WOODCOCKE