protestation_returns
MORVAH
Protestation Returns 1641
This Transcription by Heather Carbis
Source: "Cornwall Protestation Returns 1641"
from a transcript  (circa  1914) by Reginald Morshead Glencross
 Additional material by H L Douch

Edited and published by T L Stoate 1974

The Protestation was a form of oath of loyalty, ostensibly to the King, but in fact to Parliament, and was initiated

in the House of Commons, when Members themselves took it. Later the scope was very vastly widened, when

instructions went out that it should be taken by every adult male and recorded.

The Returns in Penwith were made on the 4th/5th March (Morvah Saturday 5th March), just days after ministers and parish officers had taken the oath at Helston. The ministers and parish officers took their oath in the presence of  Ezekiell Grosse, magistrate, of St Buryan, John Trefusis, magistrate, of Mylor, Hugh Thomas, High Constable, of St Buryan and Simon Prust of Lelant, Hundred Constable.  Each parish in the Penwith hundred sent one minister or curate.  Every parish also sent at least two constables, two churchwardens and two overseers of the poor

The Oath:
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. 
[s] = Signed    [m] = Mark 


Barnard    LAYTYE   [s]     
Ralph    OSBORNE  [m]
Richard    TREMBATH    [m]
Richard    HARRYE    [m]  
Richard    GUYE    [m]
James    EDWARDS    [m]   
Bernard    NICHOLAS   [m]   
John    CHAMPION    [s]    
George    HALL   [m]    
Martyn    FITT    [m]    
Thomas    ANGWYN    [m]    
Richard    COOCKE    [m]    
Richard    THOMAS    [m]    
Thomas    ALLYN    [m]    
Henerye    PHILIPS   [m]    
William    HARRYE    [m]    
Martyn    JOSE    [m]    
Arthur    JAMES    [m]    
William    HODGE    [m]    
Michael    WILLIAMS    [m]    
Madron    TREMBATH   [m]    
Nicholas    GUILES    [m]    
James    UMPHRA    [m]   
George    GYE        [s]
John    GYE        [s]
Thomas    UMPHRA    [m]    
William    ANGWYN   [m]    
Ralph    ALLYN    [m]    
John    NICHOLAS    [m]    
Martyn    UMPHRA    [m]    
John    KETE    [s]                  Vicar
John    OSBORNE     [s]       Constable
John    LANYON    [s]            Church Wardens
Thomas    GILBART    [m]    
Hannibal    HARRYE   [s]      Overseers
Marten    JAMES        [s]  
To See the Percentage of Signatures & Marks on Protestation Returns for Penwith click here 
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