The Smugglers' City
Department of History, University of Bristol

Exchequer Depositions taken by Commission concerning allegations of smuggling in the case of: The Queen vs. John Yardley, John Newton and John Hopkins, 6 October 1585

Source: Transcribed by Evan Jones (2004)
Manuscript Ref.: National Archives E134/27&28Eliz/Mich8

fo. 2

Interagotoris to be mynistrid to witneses producid on the behalf of
our soveraynge Lady the Queens majestie on theone partye complaynaunt
Agaynst John Yardlye John Newton and John Hopkins defendaunts
the vith Day of october 1585 and in the xxviith yeare of her
majesties Reigne ///

In primis whether do you knowe the sayed defendaunts and one Andrew Browne ~
and one shipp called the Marry Fortwne of Bristoll about the burthen of fower skore tons
(yf ye) howe many of them do you knowe & howe longe have you known the same
and who was owner or owners of the sayd shipp about the tenth of october in the xxvi
yeare of her majesties Raynge that nowe is ///

Item Do you knowe or have you crediblye harde whether the sayd shipp did make
any vyadge shortly after the sayed tenth daye of October, yf yea to what place or
places did she make suche viadge who was master & masters matte botsone purser
for the owner and factor for the merchants goods ///

Item Do you knowe or have you crediblye harde whether the sayed defendants
or any of them or any other for them did compound or agre with any owner or
owners of the sayed shipp for the sayed vyadge wer of pryvye or did understand of suche
goods wares & merchandise as ther after were & shold be transported in the same
shipp ////

Item Doe you knowe or have you credibly harde whether any wheat corne
or other grayne was laden aborde the sayed shipp for the sayed viadge owt of any
trowe or trowes or other vessels with corne Downe Severen from glocester or
any other place or places (yf yea) what quantetye was so laden aborde the sayd
shipp and for whose accompte owt of what trowes or other vessels and by whome

Item Doe you knowe or have you crediblye harde whether any corne or grayne
was layed abord the sayed shipp for the sayed vyadge out of any trowe or trows
or other vessells with corne from the cytty of Bristoll by cokett to be carryed to
glocester & whether was the sayed corne layded aborde the sayed shipp in ~
Kingrode the walshe Roode or els carryed strayght to glocester, eyther landed ~
accordinge to the tennore of the Coket (yea or no (yf ye) what quantetye was so
layed aborde the sayed shipp of what trows or other vessels by whose apoynt
ment / and for whose accompt was it ///

Item Doe you knowe or have you crediblye harde whether any wheat or other
grayne weare transported in the sayed shipp callid the Marry Fortewne (yf yee)
what quantetye therof was so transported and by what merchant or merchants
factor or factors and to what place or places was it so transported and by
whose use was it sould and who sold the same and whither was such transpor
tations made and the corne landed beyonde seas betwyxts the sayed tenth daye
of October and tenthe of December then next ///////

[signed] William Hullars
[signed] William Gosllett

fo. 3

Robert Bayname of the cyttye of Bristoll sayllour of the age of thyrtie years or thear
abouts sworne & examyned, to the fyrst Interagotorye sayeth that he knoweth none
of the sayed defendants except John Hopkins of Bristoll & also that he knowethe one Andrewe
Browne and the shipp called the Marrye Fortewne of Bristoll & that she is aboute the
burthen of fower skore tons or upward and that the sayed John Hopkins was owner
of the sayed shipp at the tyme mensioned in the sayed Interagotoryes ///

Item to the second Interagotories, he sayeth that he verye well knoweth that the sayed shipp
did make a vyadge neare abowt the tyme specyfied in the sayed Interagotoryes from the
porte of Bristoll to the porte of St Lucas in Spaynge And that one Christover Smyth
was master in the sayed shipp for the sayed viadge & he this deponent was masters
mate and one John Flecher was botsone and one Walter Forde was purser for the
owners and the factor for the merchants & theyr goods was Andrewe Browne before named.

Item to the third Interagotorye he sayeth, that the sayed John Hopkins was abord the sayed
shipp & knewe that she had wheate aborde And of any further composisson or A
greement between him & the merchants he knoweth nothinge ///

Item to the fourth Interagotorye, he sayeth that becawse the shipp hade in her ladinge
before he was shipped or came aborde he knoweth not by what trowes or vessels
neyther by whome the same was brought abord but further sayeth that when he came
into the shipp he fownde her neare fully ladden w ith wheat and also that he hard it
reported amonge the companye that all the wheat came owt of Severn except that
which came from Bristoll //

Item to the fyvthe Interagotorye he sayeth that by estymacon which he gatherith by the
burthen of the shipp he thinketh that ther was thyrtye wayes of wheat in the ship or ther
abouts laden before his comynge, but from whens or to the rest of the Interagotorie
he cannot depose.

Item to the syxte Interagotorye he sayeth he knoweth that ther was near aboute
thyrtie wayes of wheat laden & transported in & by the sayed shipp from the
port of Bristoll to St Lucas in Spaynge by the sayed Andrew Browne who
was factor for the sayed goods for that vyadge and also that the sayed Andrewe
did sell the same in St Lucas to his owne or his masters use And further he
sayethe that the sayed transportacon was made & finished and the sayed whet
landed and sold in St Lucas as aforesayed betwyxt the sayed tenth daye of
october and the tenthe of december then imediatly followinge as this Interagotory
is menssyoned ///

James Galwaye of the Cyttye of Bristoll saylour of the age of fortye years or
ther aboute beinge sworne & examyned / To the first Interagotorye sayeth that
he knoweth none of the sayed Defendaunts but John Hopkins onlye, And that he
knoweth the sayed shipp callid the mary fortewne & thinketh her to be of the burthen
of fower sknor tons or more And that the sayed John Hopkins was owner of the
sayd shipp at the tyme specyfyed in the sayed Interagotorye to his knowledge

Item to the second Interagotorye he sayeth he knoweth that the sayed shipp made
a vyadge about the tyme menssyoned in the Interagotorye from the port of Bristoll
to St Lucas in Spaynge one Christover Smythe being master & Robert Baynam his
mate and John Flecher was botsone and Walter Ford purser for the owners and
a certeyne yonge mane whose name he knoweth not but thinkethe he was of
London was merchant or factor for the sayed goods ////

Item to the thyrd Interogagorye he saythe nothinge but that he thinketh the owner
did knowe what was her ladinge //

Item to the fowerth Interagotorie he sayeth he verry well knoweth and remembreth
that too severall trowes beinge laden with wheat came Down Severn from above the
roks callid the Shuts but the quantetyes of the wheat he knoweth not all which wheat
was discharged into the sayed shipp for the sayed viadge out of the trowes in Kingrood
& he further sayeth that there was certeyne wheat laden into the sayed shipp before
but the quantetie therof he knoweth not neyther yet the names of the sayd trows
nor theyr owners nor of what burthen they weare /

Item to the fyvthe Interagotory he sayeth that ther was one trowe laden with wheat
which came from the keye of Bristoll & discharged abord the sayed ship in hungrod
for the sayed vyadge and further he canot saye of this Interagotory ///

Item to the syxt Interagotory he sayeth that ther was certeyne wheat laden &
transported in the sayed shipp from the port of Bristoll to St Lucas in Spaynge for the
sayed viadge to the quantetye as he supposeth of thirtie wayes or ther abowts by the
factor before specyfyed whose name he knoweth not and ther landed and
deliverid to the sayed factor but to whos yewse he knoweth not ///

[signed] William Hullars
[signed] William Gosllett

fo. 4

John Badger of the cyttye of Bristoll trowman of the Age of thre skore years or
therabouts sworne & examyned to the fyrst Interagotorye sayeth that he dothe not know
anye of the sayed defendaunts (except John Hopkins) nor the sayed Andrewe Browne,
but he sayeth he knoweth the sayed shipp callid the Marry Flower [sic] of Bristoll & she is as
he thinketh of the burthen of fower skore tons or more. And he also knoweth that one John Hopkyns
of Bristoll merchant was parte owner of the sayed shipp about the tenthe of October in that
Interagotory menssioned ///

Item to the seconde Interagotorye he sayeth that he verely thinketh she made avyadge about
the tyme mensyoned in the Interagotorye but to the rest of the same Interagotorye he can
saye nothinge ////

Item to thyrd Interagotorye he sayeth that John Hopkins one of the owners of the sayd
shipp was abord the same shipp when this deponent dischardged a trowe of wheat into the
sayed shipp & did soe the same but of other pryvetyes or agrements with the merchants he
knoweth not ///

Item to the fowrthe Interagotory he sayeth that he him selfe was master in a trowe namyed
the george of glocester, being one William Tylors trowe, And that the sayed deponent
with others abowt the seventhe of october last browght the same trowe too several tymes laden
with wheat from the keye of Bristoll wher he recevid the same of William Hawkins
servant to Lewke Garnamur of Glocester unto a place callid hungrode wher the sayed shipp
laye & dischargid both the sayed ladinges into the sayed shipp beinge in quantity by
Estymacon tene wayes atyme & so make the hoole twentye wayes ///

Item to the fyvthe Interagotorye he sayeth, that the sayed William Hawkins told him
that he had a coket for the sayed wheat owt of the custom howse of Bristoll for the
carryadge of the same to glocester, And that when he hyred him for the sayed
servis he sayed to him that so it myght chance that he shold carry the same wheat to
glocester , but for the trowthe towchinge the carryadge & delyverye therof he resserithe
him selfe so that he hathe sayed in his depossysyon to the fowrth Interagotorye
And towchinge the landinge of the sayed wheat at glocester he cane saye nothinge

Item to the syxte Interagotorye he cane saye nothinge more than he hathe already
sayed ////

John Flecher of the cyttye of Bristoll saylour of the age of twentye eyght years or
ther abouts beinge sworne & examyned to the fyrst Interagotory sayethe tha he dothe
knowe John Hopkins one of the sayed Defendants, and no more of the sayed defendants
And he knowe a yonge mane which tooke uppon him to be a factor to the merchants and theyr
goods for that vyadge but his name he knoweth not, And also he knoweth the shipp callid
the Mary Fortewne of the burthen of fower skore tons or thereabouts. And that the sayd
John Hopkins was owner of the sayed shipp at the tyme mensioned in the sayed Interagotory
//

Item to the second Interagotorye he sayethe, that he knoweth that the sayed shipp made
avyadge aboute the tyme mensyoned from Bristoll to St Lucas in Spaynge and that
one Chrstover Smythe was master & one Robert Baynam his mate & this deponent
was botsone and one Walter Fourd was purser for the owner //

Item to the thyrd Interagotorye he saythe that John Hopkins aforesayed beinge owner
of the sayed shipp was pryvye & Did knowe of the wheat laden in the sayed
shipp, but he knoweth not of any composission or agrements betwen the merchants
and him for the same

Item to the fowrth Interagotorie he sayeth that he knoweth of certeyne wheat laden ~
aborde the sayed shippp for the aforesayed viadge but the names of the trows or
vessels which brought it or from whens they came with it except one trowe which
came from Bristoll or for whose accompt the same abord he knoweth not

Item to the fyvthe Interogartorie he sayeth he knoweth of one trowe laden withe
wheat which came from Bristoll & discharged the same her ladinge into the sayed
shipp then beinge in Hungrode for the vyadge mensyoned in the Interagotorye but
whether there was any cokett for the carringe of the same wheat to glocester or
what the trows name was or the just quantetye or for whose accompt he knoweth
not ////

Item to the syxt Interagotorye he sayeth that ther was by estymacon thirtie
wayes of wheat laden & transported in the sayed shipp from the port of Bristoll
to St Lucas & ther layed alande & delyverid to the sayed factor Eyther to
his owne use or his masters & that the sayed transportacon was made and
fynished betwyxt the tenth of October & the tenthe of December then next
and mensyoned in the sayed Interagotorye ////

[signed] William Hullers
[signed] William Gosllett