[From Lib Scac 1724]

We Edmond Curgey & Willm Stean both of
Ramsey doe declare upon oath, that upon
Saturday the 18th Inst July being sent by Capt
Nichos [Chrystian?] with some provissions & liquor
for the Govr officers & Mr Richard McGwire's use
to a certaine place in the mountains, were stop't
& assaulted on the road by one Stean & some other
persons (whose name the deponts doe not know) in a place
called Knockould in the prsh of Ballaugh, alledging that
it was not a common way, whereupon these deponants
went back, as soone as they were stopt, but the sayd
Stean with severall others of the neighourhood
pursued these deponts in a most rageing manner, who
drawing forth his knife, cutt the ropes of the carriage
of the horse which had a casque of ale thereon, in two or
three places, threating these deponts that they shud not
come off the mountains that day with their lives, &
wishing that those who the provishons was provided
for might be choaked at the eating thereof to the
truth hereof wee have subscribed our names & markes
this 22d of July 1724
Edward Curghey
William Stean my mk

[ipart of rh margin lost in binding]
23r July 1724 Jon Stean acknowled in ye face
of the court that he cut the ropes and
& tould them that they shoud not come
of the mountains that day wth their lives as is
set forth in ye wthin declaration
Jon Stean his mrk x
...
Fine for his assault £0 13 4d
and to give in security for his good
behaviour

[next page]
Gilbt Kinread being examined deposeth
and saith that he happend lately to meet
with one Philip Quayle Ballaskelly where he
was raising a fould ? hedge, and had some
talk with him; about the mauntains being
taken to rent upon wch the sd Philip Quayle
expressed himselfe in high words. If Mr
Mcgwire will come to take our mountains
as it is reported he designes to do we will
fight him & defend the mountains, rather
than he shall get them upon hearing these
words the examt left him & the same day
tould it to Ned Gills wife
Gilbt Kinread his mk x
23 July 1724
Jurat Coram me
The above Philip Quayle acknowleges
ye substance of the above
declaration (in court) to be
true and begs mercy.
Philip Quayle my mk

[verso - rh margin lost in binding on copy]
Tho Quayle discloseth upon oath that
he heard Philip Quayle and Gilbt Kinread
talking about Mr Mcgwire and []
mountain, but being a little dist[ance]
from them he can't be posi[tive]
in any particular words that
passd betwixt them
Tho Quayle my mrk
23 July 1724
the within and above declaracons were taken upon oath &
ye acknowledgemt of Philip Quayle before me Jon Lloyd

[next page]
The declaration of Capt Wm Mercer
Constable of Peel Garrison in relation
to whats past on the 18 July last
on the Mountains of Kk Michael.
The above declarer at the request of Alderman
Poole did that day wait upon the Honbl Govr
to the forsd Mountains, where the great En=
quest metyt in order that the same might
be rented, and the Govrnnor & the rest of
there gentlemen that accompanied him
being a little before : this declarer & Major Wood
were at a little distance behind,the Major
halting the declarer rode up towards the Govrnr & there to his great surprize
saw a great mobb with long sticks & staves,
the declarer heard the Goverrnor call to
them to lay down their sticks & staves, but
there was not one single person that offerd
to lay downe but on the contrary held
them up, and inclosed two Soldrs that went
to take one of them into Custody, the declarer
seeing this rode towards them & asked them
what they ment, were they going to rebel
against the Lord & Governmt & desired
them to desist, but they would not, then the
declarer dismounting threw himself among
them & tooke from one Robert Corlet a stick which
he strove to keep in his hands struggling with
one of the soldrs for the same but deliverd it to
the declarer all wch is certified by him this 20th August 1724
Wm Mercer
[verso - rh margin lost in binding on copy]
The same day the sd Robert Corlet mett within [de]
=clarer upon another part of the mountain []
the Attorney General & Dept Comptr being []
company with the declarer & he []
his stick to which the declarer made []
that he give it to the soldr, or some of the []
were present, then the sd Corlet replied []
would be even with the declarer or such
like words, which the declarer desired []
aforsd gentlemen to take notice of
Wm Mercer

Adam McBuy declares upon oath that he was
prsent at ye mountain ye said time & []
Robt Corlet of Ballachoag struggling with []
souldrs for his stick, and Capt Mercer []
in & took the stick from ye sd Corlet, a[]
the sd Corlet said that he could beat any
two of them for he did not feell them[]
in his hand
Adm Mcbuy x

[next page part of lh margin lost in binding]
Tho Steven of Ballaugh sworn & examinined declares
uopn oath yt being by & present in the mountains
July the 18th he well remembers yt when the crowd came
to where the Governr was he heard Adam Caine cry out
rhe peace is broke; and the sd Caine being taken hold
[] by the soldiers who was then by he saw Patt
Curlett & Wm Curlett, with some others yt he possitively
[] take hold of the sd Caine but did not see
the Governr touch him, & further saith not
Tho Steven my mark x

I Wm Curlett Coronr of Michael sheading being by &
present the day aforesd do very well remember to
have heard one cry out Maugher, which in English
I take to be Battle & to the best of my knowledge
took the same to be Adam Caine and all this in the Govrnrs
presence Wm Corlet

Tho Quaile sworn & examined declares upon oath
yt being by & present in the mountains ye day above
sd he heard Adam Caine cry out Maugher come on
but did not see the Governr touch him or come near
him, I further saith not Tho Quaile my mark x

Philip Gell sworn & examined saith yt being in the
mountains yt aforesd day where a great crowd of people were
gathered together he heard Adam Caine cry out Maugher
come on, upon which the crowd advanced forward towards
the Governr & the Governr demanding their reasons for
comeing there, they still advanced forward nearer the
Governr but did not see ye Governr touch any person
& further saith not. Philip Gell mark x
[verso]
The names of some of the prsons that was
in ye crowd or affray given in upon oath []
the within depont
Ballaugh
notr Adm Cain
notr Robt Corlet Ballacory
Nich Caley
Mich Cross
Robt Corlet smith
Patt Corlet
Ew Corlet
notr Wm Corlet Ballatersin
Wm Corlet Ballacain

Kk German
Wm Christian

An an Exchequer Court holden at Castle Rushen 20th Aug 1724
The afforegoeing depositions were taken before me Jon Lloyd

[next page]
Philip Corlet declares upon oath as he was going
towards the mountains that morning the
Enqst was there being 18th July last he
heard Wm Corlet ask Capt Christian junr
of Jurby what side he would be for
would he be for our side or their side
upon wch this depont said don't
bother me with yor foolish discourse
and futher saith not Philip Corlet x

Wm Christian of Jurby being sworn & examined
do by vertue of my oath declare yt Wm Corlett
above mentioned as I was going up to ye mountains
ye day above sd askd me what side would I be for
as declared by Philip Curlett and afterwards Philip
telling him ye sd Wm Curlett yt they might goe forward
& that he said I shoud come together upon which he
Wm Curlett said yt he Philip Curlett must? be with them
when they woud be putting themselves in order or
words to that purpose
Wm Christian

Debet Court

Adam Caine being one of the most notr offending
is fined in £4 13s 4d and to be stocked in the
4 market towns for 2 hours the next
market day to with a paper
Wm Curlet Baletersin & Ro Curlet Ballacory
being also found to be notorious & premedatating ?
& are fined in £3 6s 8d a piece and to be set
in the stocks at Douglas & Castletown for an
hour ye 2d market day with a paper
to
All the rest in 20s a piece and to be set in ye
stocks in Castletown & Douglas 2 at a
time - on each market day with a paper &c

[then a list of sureties etc]

Some of the background to this disturbance which saw similar objections to enclosure in the 19th Century is given by Quayle

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2010