Bunny Village History Society - Protestation Returns 1641

"I, _________ do, in the presence of Almighty God, promise, vow and protest to maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, 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 Realm, contrary to the same Doctrine, and according to the duty of my Allegiance, His Majesty's Royal Person, Honour and Estate, as also the Power and Privileges of Parliaments, the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects, and every person that maketh this Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful pursuance of the same; and to my power, and as far as lawfully I may, I will oppose and by all good Ways and Means endeavour to bring to condign Punishment all such as shall, either by Force, Practice, Councels, Plots, Conspiricies, or otherwise, do 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, Fear nor other Respect, shall relinquish this Promise, Vow and Protestation."

The incumbents of every parish in the country had the duty of ensuring all of their parishioners signed the oath. Records of everyone who did, and didn't, were returned to Parliament in 1641. Those who refused to sign were known as Recusants.

The term "recusant" meant a non-conformist, one obstinate in refusal, especially to comply with the Anglican Church ritual, one who refused to acknowledge the supremacy of the sovereign in religious matters.

The Bunny Protestation Letter

The following is an extract of a letter from Thomas Parkyns and Gervas Pigot to Sir Thomas Hutchinson and Robert Sutton. It says that no subscriptions can be raised there being no recusants in Rushcliffe except a poor one at Sutton Bonnington. Due to absence, some people from Bunny, Bradmore and Keyworth did not take the oath.

?Worthy Gentlemen,

Wee have revew'd our Protesta~n. and reveiw'd your Polemeney; of both you may please to receave our Certificates for Rushcliffe Hundred, where beeing happily heretofore strengthned with Sir Tho. Hutchinsons good helpe, this part of your County was rais'd to the inst height, that wee are not able upon your revelws to advance our first suns to any Considerable value, though our wale to your service would easily have carried us further if our Wapentake could have affoarded better estates or have given us better informaffon. The Protesta~bn hath pass'd nullo recusants, except one Bond of Sutton Bonnington a poore beggerley recusant: some there are besides [as you may see in a little paper amongst your Certificates] of Bradmore, Boney, and Keyworth that have not taken it, but this wee impute to theire necessary absence when it was tender'd to those Parishes, rather then to any willing negkct, or willfull refusall; However wee meane agaire to propose it, and [if any deny it] to Certify- And thus wee hope our parts of this service is Compleated, which wee wish was as timely, as wee are Confident it is fully perform'd; wherein nevertheless your favours to us, and your favourable report to your house will excuse.

Your humble servants
Isham; Parkyns;
Nott. March, 22 1641 Gervase Pigot

The Bunny Protestation Return

Boney cum Bradmore

Archer, Thomas
Armesby, Thomas
Arnold, Richard
Baker, Henry
Baldock, William
Barrett, William
Barrow, William sen of Bradmore - Churchwarden, Recusant
Barrs, Christopher
Harston, Christopher
Battersby, Mark
Heck, William
Benett, Richard
Bond, William
Bowsworth, Thomas
Bradely, Arthur
Branson, George
Brearly, Richard
Brentney, John
Browne, George
Browne, Gregory
Browne, Percival
Browne, Richard
Brunt, John
Brunt, William
Brunt, William
Burrowes, Henry
Burrowes, Hugh
Burrowes, Robert
Butler, Emery
Butler, John
Butler, Richard
Butler, William
Cartwright, Robert - Churchwarden
Cartwright, Robert jun.
Caunt, Robert
Chamberlaine, Nicholas
Chamberlaine, Thomas
Chambers, John sen -
Chambers, John jun
Clifton, Thomas sen
Clifton, Thomas jun
Cobley, William
Corbett, John of Bradmore - Recusant
Cowe, Nathaniel
Creswell, Edward
Creswell, John
Davis, John
Dickinson, John
Dickinson, Thomas
Forster, Robert
Greene, Robert
Hallam, Edward
Hazard, John
Heapes, John
Henson, William
Hog, Robert
Hollinsworth, Thomas
Hooton, Laurence
Hopwell, William
Howard, John
James, Robert
Johnson, George
Johnson, Robert
Kempe, George
Kempe, Nicholas
King, George
Kirkby, George
Lane, James
Lane, John
Lees, Thomas
Lightfoote, Samuel - Vicar
Locker, Richard
Lovatt, Edward
Lovatt, Robert
Maples, Robert
Marshall, Francis
Marshall, William
Martin, Oliver
Millett, George
Millett, John
Mosley, Francis
Mylford, George Mr.
Nixon, Thomas
Nixon, William Mr.
Oxford, John
Parker, William sen
Parker, William jun
Peirson, William
Pendock, John Mr.
Pugson, Francis
Radford, Hugh
Redfeame, Nicholas
Rhodely, Richard sen
Rhodely, Richard jun
Rowsley, William
Sellars, Men Mr.
Seirson, William
Sheepheard, John
Sheepheard, Thomas
Sills, George of Bradmore - Churchwarden
Smith, Edward
Smith, John
Soresby, James
Stapleton, Bartholomew
Stevenson, Thomas sen
Stevenson, Thomas jun
Stevenson, William
Storer, Edward Mr.
Storer, William
Sweete. Edward of Bunny - Recusant
Thornton, William
Towle, James of Bradmore - Recusant
Treece, Richard
Tunicliff, William
Twinbury, Aden
Vincent, William
Walker, John
Walker, Richard
Waterhouse, John Overseer
Watson, William
Weane, Richard of Bunny - Recusant
Wells, William
Wheatley, Edward Constable
Wheately, William
Wild, Francis
Willimott, Gervas
Wright, John Overseer
Yarwood, Robert

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