| Description | Depositions were the testimony and answer of witnesses to ‘articles’ or points contained in plaintiff’s case (the libel), and to interrogatories, allegations and other series of questions, or points to be answered, produced by both parties in the course of the case. The witnesses did not appear or give evidence in court but were seen in private and their evidence taken down, and then signed by them; it was usually framed to answer the points item by item. A certain number of ‘personal answers’ are also included; the main difference between these and depositions is that they were the answers of the parties to the case, not the witnesses.
The depositions usually give the witness’s name, occupation, age, parish and length of stay in there. They are not usually dated but the date and name of the parties of the case they are connected with is usually given. They often contain a good deal of repetition, because several witnesses may be called for the same case and may give identical testimony. In the headings of the cases the name of the plaintiff(s) precedes that of the defendant(s).
The great majority of cases, certainly in the period covering the late 16th and early 17th centuries, instance (between individuals) as opposed to ‘office (brought by or on behalf of the bishop). |