[WED]The Curse of Malachi, or the case of the Odd Calves
Edward Yescombe
edward@yescombe.com
Sun, 16 Sep 2001 12:32:05 +0100
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Those researching the parish of Wedmore in the late 17th and early 18th =
centuries might be interested in an epic battle on the payment of tithes =
between vicars of the parish and their parishioners which took place in =
two legal cases in the Court of Exchequer at that time.
In the first case, Davis v Tutton et al., in (1677-8) the vicar sued =
various parishioners, and in the second, Yescombe et al v. Downton =
(1702-4), various parishioners sued the vicar. The main issue was how =
tithes on calves should be calculated.=20
The facts were not known to Revd. Hervey when he wrote the "Wedmore =
Chronicles", although he was aware from Revd. Davis' memorial in the =
church that he had been in dispute with his parishioners.=20
A large number of parishioners were involved - 8 defendants and 31 =
witnesses in the first case, and 7 plaintiffs and 21 witnesses in the =
second. A lot of incidental information about the lives of these =
parties, and in the parish in general, comes out of the cases. Those who =
can trace their families back to Wedmore at this time may thus be able =
to add some flesh onto the bare bones of the parish register entries.
I have placed a write up of the cases, and my notes on the background =
documents, on my family history website - =
http://www.yescombe.demon.co.uk/yescombe.htm. See section 2 - "The =
Yescombes of Blackford", which also contains other research notes on my =
family, who lived in Wedmore until the early 18th century, and owned =
land there until 1780. (Most of the documents are in Word 97, and can be =
downloaded. Please do not create any links to this site, or forward to =
search engines, as it contains copyright material.)
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<DIV align=3Djustify>Those researching the parish of Wedmore in the =
late 17th=20
and early 18th centuries might be interested in an epic battle on the =
payment of=20
tithes between vicars of the parish and their parishioners which took =
place in=20
two legal cases in the Court of Exchequer at that time.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>In the first case, <EM>Davis v Tutton</EM> <EM>et =
al.</EM>,=20
in (1677-8) the vicar sued various parishioners, and in the second, =
<EM>Yescombe=20
et al v. Downton</EM> (1702-4), various parishioners sued the vicar. The =
main=20
issue was how tithes on calves should be calculated. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>The facts were not known to Revd. Hervey when he =
wrote the=20
"Wedmore Chronicles", although he was aware from Revd. Davis' memorial =
in the=20
church that he had been in dispute with his parishioners. </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>A large number of parishioners were involved - 8 =
defendants=20
and 31 witnesses in the first case, and 7 plaintiffs and 21 witnesses in =
the=20
second. A lot of incidental information about the lives of these =
parties, and in=20
the parish in general, comes out of the cases. Those who can trace their =
families back to Wedmore at this time may thus be able to add =
some=20
flesh onto the bare bones of the parish register entries.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify>I have placed a write up of the cases, and my notes =
on the=20
background documents, on my family history website - <A=20
href=3D"http://www.yescombe.demon.co.uk/yescombe.htm">http://www.yescombe=
.demon.co.uk/yescombe.htm</A>. See=20
section 2 - "The Yescombes of Blackford", which also contains other =
research=20
notes on my family, who lived in Wedmore until the early 18th =
century, and=20
owned land there until 1780. (Most of the documents are in Word 97, and =
can be=20
downloaded. Please do not create any links to this site, or forward =
to=20
search engines, as it contains copyright material.)</DIV></BODY></HTML>
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