up of the register of the estates of Roman Catholics. In so many words it states that the re-enactment of the penal laws was directly due to the Rebellion of 1715: "Whereas the Papists within this Kingdom, notwithstanding the tender regard that hath been shown them for many years last past, by omitting to put into execution the many penal laws which (on occasion of the many just provocations they have given, and horrid designs they have framed for the destruction of this Kingdom and the extirpation of the Protestant Religion), have been made against them, and notwithstanding they have enjoyed and do still enjoy the protection and benefit of the Government, as well as the rest of His Majesty's subjects, have not only all or the greatest part of them been concerned in stirring up and supporting the late unnatural Rebellion for the dethroning and murthering his most Sacred Majesty, for destroying our present happy Establishment, for setting a Popish Pretender upon the Throne of this Kingdom, for the destruction of the Protestant Religion, and the cruel murthering and massacring its professors, by which they have brought a vast expense upon this nation: and whereas it manifestly appears by their behaviour that they take themselves to be obliged by the principles they profess to be enemies to his Majesty, and to the present happy establishment, and watch for all opportunities of fomenting and stirring up new rebellions and disturbances within the Kingdom, and of inviting foreigners to invade it: and forasmuch as it is highly reasonable that they should contribute a large share to all such extraordinary expenses as are, or shall be brought upon this Kingdom by their treachery and instigation: and to the end that by paying largely to the late great expenses by them brought upon this nation they may be deterred, if possible, from the like offences for the future, and that this nation may have the benefit of his Majesty's gracious condescension in giving his interest in the two third parts of all his Papists' estates which are already forfeited to him by law, for the use of the public, either by seizing the said two third parts of their estates for the public service, or by laying some tax or charge upon their estates in lieu thereof, in such proportion and in such manner as shall be determined to be reasonable in Parliament." The Act provides that all Roman Catholic landowners, in Quarter Sessions of the county in which their lands are situated (or in certain other Courts), shall register their names, lands, and tenements, the names of the tenants, or those in possession of the said lands, the yearly rents thereof, particulars of leases, fines paid on renewal of such leases, etc. The certificates were to be brought to the Clerk of the Peace either by the landowner in person, or by others to whom he had given a Power of Attorney, and enrolled in Court in parchment books to be subscribed by him or them, and laid up with the records of the county or shire. In the custody of the Clerk of the Peace of Northumberland, two sets of registers are preserved, viz., (1) the original paper certificates, signed by the landowners, accompanied by a Power of Attorney to other persons to appear in Court, and (2) the enrolment or fair copy written on parchment signed by one of the persons to whom the Power of Attorney had been given, and numbered in the order in which they were enrolled. Neither of these sets is quite perfect, but the gaps can be made good from the contemporary copies sent up from time to time to the Commissioners in London, which copies are now deposited in the Public Record Office. The series at the Moot Hall in Newcastle do not comprise the registers enrolled by landowners within the boroughs of Newcastleupon-Tyne and Berwick-upon-Tweed, nor yet for Bedlingtonshire, Islandshire, or Norhamshire, which, until 1844, were within the county palatine of Durham. The original certificates from these places have disappeared, and the abstracts are made from the Public Record Office copies. REGISTER OF ESTATES OF ROMAN CATHOLICS IN NORTHUMBERLAND IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. I. Register of the estates of SIR NICHOLAS SHIREBURNE* OF STONYHURST IN THE COUNTY PALATINE OF LANCASTER, BART., dated 12 April, 1717. A tenement or farm at Cartington in possession of widow Hogg, Isack Bolham, and John Buddell, let at 27li. A tenement or farm in Snitter let to same at goli. Another tenement or farm at Snitter let to John Detchen at 26li. Another tenement or farm there let to George Lawson at 8li. 16s. Another tenement or farm there let to Ralph Prat at 8li. 16s. Another tenement or farm there let to Robert Gray at 8li. 16s. Another tenement or farm there let to John Lawson at 6li. 7s. 6d. Another tenement or farm there let to Edwin Gibbons and others at 8li. 16s. od. Another tenement or farm there let to Thomas Maughling at 10s. od. * Sir Cuthbert Radcliffe of Dilston, knight, succeeded to the castle and manor of Cartington through his mother Anne, daughter and sole heir of Sir John Cartington, the last heir male of that very ancient house. By a family arrangement the property was given in marriage with Mary, one of the daughters of Sir Francis Radcliffe, first baronet, to Roger Widdrington, a younger son of Edward Widdrington of Swinburn Castle; the marriage settlement being dated 18th November, 1601. He was succeeded by his son, Sir Edward Widdrington, created a baronet 8th August, 1642, who raised a regiment of horse in the service of Charles I, and whose estate was sequestered. He died in exile 13th July, 1671, aged 57, and was buried in the Capuchin church at Bruges. His wife, Christian Stuart, grand-daughter of [Francis], Earl of Bothwell, as a widow, resided in York, and made her will 17th February, 1678-9, in which she mentions her daughter Dame Mary Charlton, her daughter Catherine Hamond, her son-in-law Gervase Hamond, her grand-children Mary Charlton, Christian Talbot, Catherine Charlton, and John Talbot. Dame Christian Widdrington was buried at St. Maurice's, York, and her will was proved 8th December, 1684. Sir Edward Widdrington, having survived his son, was succeeded in Cartington by his eldest daughter, Mary, wife of Sir Edward Charlton of Hesleyside, who was created a baronet 6th March, 1645-6. Sir Edward Charlton was buried in the Cartington porch of Rothbury church on the 20th Jan., 1674-5, leaving issue four daughters and co-heiresses, viz. Elizabeth, wife of her cousin, William Charlton; Christian, wife of John Talbot; Catherine, wife of Sir Nicholas Shireburn of Stoneyhurst in Lancashire, created a baronet 4th February, 1685-6; and Mary, wife of Ralph Hardwick of London, described as merchant. cf. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 3 ser., vol. viii, pp. 21-34. |