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The Derwentdale Plot, 1663.1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

Extract

Derwentdale is the valley through which the Derwent runs on the north-west side of the county of Durham. In this valley one of the first Anabaptist churches was gathered in the time of the Protectorate, and here, in the early years after the Restoration, a dangerous plot was formed, which presently ramified through the length and breadth of England. The object of this design, in the words of the man who discovered it, was

‘to rise in rebellion against the government, and to destroy Parliament, and murder all Bishops, Deans, and Chapters, and all other ministers of the Church; to break all organs, and further to kill all the gentry that should either oppose them, or not join with them, and to destroy the Common Prayer Book, and to pull down all Churches.’

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1917

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References

page 125 note 2 Surtees, in his History of Durham, ii. 390Google Scholar, has given an account of the Derwentdale gathering, but he depreciates the character of the plot there formed, not perceiving its connexion with a wider design. The relation of the Derwentside Anabaptist community is described by D. Douglas in his Northern Baptist Churches (1846).Google Scholar

page 125 note 3 It must be remembered that this confession of Ellerington the informer (Add. MSS. 33770, f. 71 ), quoted by Surtees (Hist. Durh. ii. 89Google Scholar), was given by a man of no very high character, when under examination, and must not be pressed in detail. Still its general terms are supported by too many independent informations to be summarily rejected. The words probably represent the intentions of the north-country Anabaptists at the moment when the Muggleswick plotters were discovered.

page 126 note 1 As to the altered programme, which was framed and then revised later in 1663, see below, p. 132.

page 126 note 2 The information of Captain Robert Atkinson (leader of the Westmorland conspirators, and afterwards executed for his complicity in the plot) distinctly stated that ‘they intended to force the king to perform his promises made at Breda’ (S. P. Dom. Charles II, 84. 64).Google Scholar

page 126 note 3 The references are Clarendon, , iv. 218, ed. 1759Google Scholar, Burnet, , 198Google Scholar; or 342, ed. 1823; Rapin, , 111, 88, ed. 1737Google Scholar; Kennett, , 831, ed. 1728.Google Scholar

page 126 note 4 The Newcastle-upon-Tyne connexion is illustrated in the Diary of Ambrose Barnes, Surtees Soc., vol. 50Google Scholar, and for Yorkshire cf. York Depositions, Surtees Soc., vol, 40.)Google Scholar

page 126 note 5 Lords' Journals, vol. ii. 582.Google Scholar

page 127 note 1 S. P. Dom. Charles II, 84. 64.Google Scholar

page 127 note 2 Jan. 10, 1661. S. P. Dom., under date.

page 127 note 3 Ibid., April 13.

page 127 note 4 Ibid., January 21, 1662.

page 127 note 5 Ibid., January 22.

page 127 note 6 Ibid., January 27.

page 127 note 7 Ibid., January 29.

page 128 note 1 February 14. S. P. Dom., under date.

page 128 note 2 Ibid., April.

page 128 note 3 Ibid., May 18.

page 128 note 4 Ibid., July 7.

page 128 note 5 Ibid., July 12 and 16.

page 128 note 6 Ibid., July 12.

page 128 note 7 Ibid., October 20.

page 128 note 8 Ibid., October 24.

page 128 note 9 E.g. Plymouth, , ib. 10 31Google Scholar; Berks, , ib. 10 31Google Scholar; Somerset, , ib. 11 1Google Scholar; Dorset, , 11 2Google Scholar; Bristol, , ib. 12 22.Google Scholar

page 128 note 10 Ibid., December 27.

page 128 note 11 S. P. Dom. 91. 81.Google Scholar

page 129 note 1 S. P. Dom. 57. 73.Google Scholar

page 129 note 2 Ibid., 63. 34, and 34 (1). Cf. Surtees Soc., 55, 99.

page 129 note 3 Cf. Brand, 's History of Newcastle, sub anno.Google Scholar

page 129 note 4 For Hobson's share in planting Anabaptism in the North, cf. Douglas, David, Early Northern Baptist Churches.Google Scholar

page 129 note 5 S. P. Dom. 63. 34.Google Scholar

page 129 note 6 P. C. Register, 56.Google Scholar

page 129 note 7 S. P. Dom. 103. 110 (1).Google Scholar

page 129 note 8 It is called in one of the confessions ‘the great meeting’ at Muggleswick (cf. S. P. Dom. 103. 110 (1)).Google Scholar What took place then is described by Ellerington in his examination of March 22, 1663, in S. P. Dom. 70. 13Google Scholar, and somewhat more fully in Add. MSS. 33770, near end, quoted in Surtees, , Hist. Durh. 2. 389.Google Scholar Its connexion with wider schemes is described in S. P. Dom. 97. 63.Google Scholar

page 130 note 1 S. P. Dom. 81. 77Google Scholar, which is Sir Thomas Gower's useful diary of the northern part of the general plot.

page 130 note 2 This Lady Forster was widow of Sir Claudius Forster of Bamburgh and Blanchland. She resided sometimes at Blanchland and sometimes in the South Bailey, Durham. See A History of Northumberland, 1. 156Google Scholar, and references in that volume, p. 162, and vol. 6, under Blanchland.

page 130 note 3 See S. P. Dom. 70. 13Google Scholar for Cosin's report, and Ibid. 98. 34, and 96. 33 and 33 I and II., also 96. 70, and 97. 33, for Ellerington's own confessions.

page 131 note 1 S. P. Dom. 98. 34.Google Scholar

page 131 note 2 Ibid. 98. 4 and 34.

page 131 note 3 Ibid. 70. 58. The Bishop was warmly thanked by the Council. P. C. Register, 56, p. 373.Google Scholar

page 131 note 4 See above, p. 129.

page 131 note 5 Cosin Corr., vol. 55, p. 104.Google Scholar

page 132 note 1 There were others whose names are given in various lists of prisoners and agitators, e.g., S. P. Dom. 96. 69 and 70Google Scholar; also 99. 110 (1). The latter list is particularly useful, for it gives not only the northern names but those conspirators who were connected with some twenty counties of England, besides those from the West of England and South Wales. The total number of agitators in England and Wales is 198, of whom 85 appear to be officers with the rank of Colonel downwards.

page 132 note 2 S. P. Dom. 97. 63.Google Scholar

page 132 note 3 Ibid. 97. 18.

page 132 note 4 Ibid. 115. 36 (1). This document is an information of the spy Leonard Williams, dated 18 March 1665, in which he directly attributes the formation of the central council to this obscure John Atkinson of Askrigg.

page 133 note 1 S. P. Dom. 97. 98.Google Scholar

page 133 note 2 See the express note on this point, Ibid. 115–36 (1).

page 133 note 3 A confederate called Crowder or Crowther (whose subsequent examination is given in Add. 33770, f. 10) was sent on April 16 to Liverpool ‘to meet some out of Ireland.’ Crispe, Jolly, and others from Lancashire and other counties met at Coaley and other places.’ In June there was a considerable ising in Dublin. See S. P. Dom. 81. 77.Google Scholar

page 133 note 4 S. P. Dom. 81. 77.Google Scholar

page 133 note 5 Ibid.

page 133 note 6 This important northern agitator had been appointed by the Long Parliament preacher if not Dean of Ripon Minster. He was extruded at the Restoration, practised as a physician at Harrogate, and took a great part in the proposed rising of 1663. When it was discovered he managed to flee into Holland where apparently he died some years later. In Holland he compiled a book called Anglo-BelgicaThe English and Netherdutch Academy in Three Parts: Amsterdam 1677. The book was designed to promote intercourse between English and Dutch, and is practically a conversation manual. See Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, under Ripon, also S. P. Dom. 98. 1, 115. 38Google Scholar; also Add. MSS. 33770, ff. 34, 42, &c.

page 134 note 1 See S. P. Dom. 81. 77, 97. 98Google Scholar, and Add. MSS. 33770, ff. 25. 38.

page 134 note 2 S. P. Dom. 81. 77.Google Scholar

page 134 note 3 Ibid., and 98. 1.

page 134 note 4 He had been governor of Appleby Castle, and represents himself as cajoled into taking part in the conspiracy. He was ultimately executed, after escaping and further plotting, September 8, 1664. His own full confession is given in S. P. Dom. 84. 64.Google Scholar

page 134 note 5 S. P. Dom. 98. 1.Google Scholar

page 134 note 6 Ibid. 81. 77, 82. 107 and 108.

page 135 note 1 S. P. Dom. 83. 42.Google Scholar

page 135 note 2 Ibid. 81. 77.

page 135 note 3 Ibid. 87. 31.

page 135 note 4 Ibid. 87. 50.

page 135 note 5 Ibid. 109. 125.

page 135 note 6 Ibid. 78. 16.

page 135 note 7 S. P. Dom. 97. 63Google Scholar, in the original document.

page 136 note 1 S. P. Dom. 81. 77.Google Scholar

page 136 note 2 S. P. Dom. 79163.Google Scholar

page 136 note 3 Ibid. 97. 63.

page 136 note 4 Ibid. 81. 77.

page 136 note 5 Add. MSS. 33770, f. 11b.

page 136 note 6 S. P. Dom. 81. 77.Google Scholar

page 137 note 1 S. P. Dom. 81. 77.Google Scholar

page 137 note 2 Ibid. 115. 36, cf. 38.

page 137 note 3 Add MSS. 33770. f. 33b. Evidence of Walters.

page 137 note 4 S. P. Dom. 81. 77.Google Scholar

page 137 note 5 Ibid. 80. 115, 122

page 137 note 6 Ibid.

page 138 note 1 S. P. Dom. 80. 115.Google Scholar

page 138 note 2 Ibid. 80. 139.

page 138 note 3 Cf. Add. MSS., 33770 f. 22.

page 138 note 4 S. P. Dom. 81. 77.Google Scholar

page 138 note 5 Add. MS., f. 11.

page 138 note 6 Ibid. 81. 77. Cf. 81. 53.

page 138 note 7 Ibid.

page 139 note 1 S. P. Dom. 81. 63, and 82. 81.Google Scholar

page 139 note 2 Ibid. 82. 44.

page 139 note 3 Ibid. 81. 81.

page 139 note 4 Ibid. 81. 96, and 92. 77.

page 139 note 5 Ibid. 81. 98.

page 139 note 6 Ibid. 92. 58.

page 139 note 7 Ibid. 82. 87.

page 139 note 8 Ibid. 81. 91.

page 139 note 9 Ibid. 82. 26.

page 139 note 10 Ibid. 82. 37.

page 139 note 11 Mick. MSS. 31, f. 68.

page 139 note 12 Add. MSS. 33770.

page 139 note 13 See for Westmorland, S. P. Dom. 82. 52, and for Wilts, 82. 102.Google Scholar

page 140 note 1 S. P. Dom. 83. 42.Google Scholar

page 140 note 2 Cf. Ibid. 82. 47.

page 140 note 3 Ibid. 97. 67.

page 140 note 4 Ibid. 98. 103.

page 140 note 5 Ibid. 81. 49.

page 140 note 6 Ibid. 101. 63.

page 140 note 7 Ibid. 90. 95.

page 140 note 8 Ibid. 91. 4.

page 140 note 9 Ibid. 96. 70, and 96. 42.

page 140 note 10 Ibid. 95. 104–110.

page 141 note 1 Mickleton MSS. 31, f. 77.

page 141 note 2 Ibid.

page 141 note 3 E.g. Ibid. 82. 52.

page 141 note 4 Ibid. 94. 9.

page 142 note 1 16 Charles II., cap. 4.

page 142 note 2 S. P. Dom. 115. 3536.Google Scholar

page 142 note 3 [Special acknowledgment must be made of the kind help given by Mr. Hubert Hall to the writer of this paper. Mr. Hall undertook a good deal of research at the Public Records Office, investigating the gaol-books and other documents, and drawing attention to various returns which were unknown to me.—H. G.]