[Appendix A(77) 1792 Report of Commissioners of Inquiry]

N° 77.

DEPOSITIONS of WITNESSES, taken at an Exchequer Court, holden this 4th Day of February 1757, concerning the killing of the Lord's Game.

JOHN CAIN of the parith of Kirk Conchan, being sworn and examined, deposeth and saith,

That on Monday last he saw a greyhound, belonging to Robert Banks, kill a hare, and shortly afterwards saw James, son of the said Robert Banks, take up the hare from the said hound; and the Deponent was informed that the said James Banks killed another hare the same day. And the Deponent being examined by Robert Banks on the behalf of the said James Banks, deposeth and saith, That the said hare which he saw killed was taken up by the said James Banks in a field belonging to Robert Creer, which the Deponent says is no part of the commons.

JOHN CAIN, his mark x,

James Cannon being sworn and examined, deposeth and saith, He saw Patrick Quine go through the Deponent's farm with two dogs; and the said Quine inquired of the Deponent for a hare, and some days afterwards saw the said Quine and James Banks with a greyhound and other dogs, who appeared to the Deponent to be on a chase, but the Deponent did not see the hare; and being interrogated by the said Robert Banks, where the said Quine proceeded after he had so inquired for a hare as aforesaid, declared, that the said Quine went to the lands of Mr. Allen,

JAMES CANNON, his mark x.

Patrick Quine being sworn and examined on behalf of James Banks, saith, That the Deponent James Banks and others, when taking their diversion in a boat on Easter Monday last, agreed to go a coursing ; and the said James Banks going home, brought a greyhound, and they went a coursing; that they killed a hare in one Creer's and, and that they chased another and lost her before the death of the said hare, but found the said hare dead in a bush of gorse on a hedge, And the Deponent saith, That both the said hares were so killed as aforesaid on rented lands. That some time after, the Deponent and the said Banks went to course on Mr. Allen's estate, and chased a hare down the sea bank; and the Deponent saith, that he had two dogs of his father's with him at both the times aforesaid.

PATRICK CREER, his mark x

Robert Creer being sworn and examined on behalf of the said James Banks, saith, That on Easter Monday last he saw James Banks, Patrick Quine, and some lads coursing, killing, and taking a hare a hare in the Deponent's ground.

Lib Scacc 1757 At Castle Rushen, February 4, 1757 It appearing to this Court that James Banks of Ballnahow destroyed the Lord's game by the depositions of sundry persons, he is therefore fined in iiil, which is to come out in the Moar's debit before the next settlement.

BASIL COCHRANE

Examined by JOHN QUAYLE, Compr. and C. Rolls

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