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Bray
Parish Registers for Bray survive from 1652. But searching earlier Bishops Transcripts (BT's), which were transcribed by J.W. Brooks in 1980, and covered 1607-1635, they include one Burial for Roberts Spenscocke (see below) - this is Robert Spenswicke, a Bargeman of Bray, will survives dated 1618. And who also appears in the the National Archive Document C24 409 P2, of 1614, as Robert Spangwick, a Bargeman, aged about 50, of Bray [see extract below]. But in the absence of other surviving references in the BT's I've not as yet been able to link Robert and family to any other branch of Spanswick's - any other information would be of great interest.
Note : BT's survive for 1607, 1612, 1616-1623, 1628, 1631, and 1635.
2 Oct 1618 Robert Spenscocke
18 die November 1614 A{nno} Re[gis] Jas xii [12th]
Robert Spangwick of Bray in the Countie of Berkes , Bargeman , aged 50 yeres or therab[outs] sworne , etc 1/ That He knoweth Griffin Ferryeman , named for def[endant] and hath knowne him these xvi [16] yeres past & upwardes but doth not knowe Lawrence Browne , Ladyer* , named for the Comptt [Complainent] in this suite. 2/ That he doth not know nor hath heretofore heard that there was any speech or currancy w[hi]ch passed betwixt the comptt and deft in or about the month of June 1613 , Concerning the buying of any Oade** which the deft then had in a Storehouse in or neare the Cittie of London as [?] the Inter[ogatory]is sett downe therefore canot either of his owne knowledge or by any heresay depose any thing touching any such Conversation , or touching any further proceeding w[hi]ch passed betwixt the deft and Comptt for or Concerning the s[ai]d Oade but saieth that all that he can say to this Inter[ogatory] is this , (viz) , That he this dep[onent] and some other Bargemen about sommer last (?) was xii Ive [12] months long hired to carry some Oade for the deft from a place called Burkett in the County of Oxon and the same Oade being very rach Oade , as this dept and the s[ai]d Bargemen now Coming from Burhett to London by water which the same Oade they were at the apointment of the deff to take into the s[ai]d Barge about Three Tonne of Coarse Oade from the deft'shouse in Suni(ng)? in the Countie of Berks, and so did , and so Coming (?) along w[I] th all the s[ai]d Oade in the s[ai]d Barge towards London and being to lay the same into a Storehouse which the deft had below London Bridge and to lay the better sort of Oade in one Chamber and the wors sort of Oade in another Chamber it being _ght(?) upon the Corne(?) to the s[ai]d Storehouse there was found unstaking in layering in some twoo sackes of the Rach Oade was shott amongst the Coursest(?) of Oade and the deft being afterward acquainted w[I]th the s[ai]d unstaking in shooting the s[ai]d seemed very angry therewith and much blamed this dept and the rest of the bargmen therewith.
3,4,5,6 : Item ; he hearing all these Inter[ogatories] playnely read unto him at the tyme of his exa[mina]con(?) cannot say ant thing either upon his owne Knowledge or by any Caredille*** report touching any such questions in the same Interrogatories any of them propounded nor touching any other unto one in question betweene the plaintiff and deft other than what he hath already deposed to the second Interrog. Precedent. Noe more, ete.
Notes:* Possibly "Ladyer" = Laider or one who "loads" or carries loads on barges
** I wonder if "Oade" is a cargo of "Oates" and that Rach Oade (Rich Oats) was mixed with Coarse Oats and some fraud peretrated ??
*** Credible ?
18 die November 1614 A Re Jas xii
John Pond of Bray in the Countie of Berks Bargeman aged 46 yeres or thereaboutes, sworne in 1/ That he knoweth Griffin Ferryman named for deft., and hath knowne him these foureteene or fiveteene yeres past but doth not knowe Lawrence Browne, Ladyer, named for the Comp[lainen]tt. 2/ That he neither knoweth nor hath herotofore heard that the Comptt about the month of June 1613 had any speech or Communicacion(?) wioth the seft Concerning a parcell of Oade which the deft. About that tyme had lyeing in a Storehouse in or nere the Cittie of London therefore canott satisfy the questions of these Interog. Touching any such Convercacion or speech that them passed betwixt the deft. and Compt. or any other proceedings than had about the said Oade but all that this dep[onen]t can say to this Interog. Is this ; viz , That hee this dept being hired to bringe some Oade for the deft by water from Burkett in the Countie of Oxon to London having brought the same to London and also bringing downe along from Suning(?) in the Countie of Berkes from the deftes house at the same tyme about three Tunnes of Oade which was as he the s[ai]d deft said of a kind of courser and worse Oade than that whichcame from Burkett afores[ai]d. This dept and foure other watermen __(?) to lay the s[ai]d Severall sackes(?) of Oade into the deftes Storehouse. There was some instaking in shooting the s[ai]d Oade out of the Sackes so that the Courser Oade which came from Suning(?) was mingled w[I]th the best oade that came from Burkitt wherewith the deft. Being acquain ted seemed to be very much offended and said that , he the dept and the rest of the watermen had done him , the s[ai]d deft , an ill turne in doing for , quoth he , the _____(?) derest worth x.. [£40] the tonne and the worst sort was not worth x___, x…[£10] or xx an lis [20 English Pounds]? The Tonne.
3,4,5,6: That he the deponent hearing all these Interrogatories read unto him at the tyme of his examination he saieth he canott either upon his owne knowledge or by any Certein or Credible report, depose any thing for the satisfaction of the questions in them or any of them propounded more than what already to the 2 Interog. Precedent . He hath deposed no more . Etc.