Testimony about Highway Robbery

[zenobia37]

Hi everyone, I've recently acquired a scan of a legal testimony from 1661 given by someone who alleged they had been the victim of a robbery in the Yorkshire Dales. I have translated much of it but a few small sections are still causing me trouble so I'm hoping someone might be able to help. I'm having to post them separately due to the file size though.

James Braithwaite is alleging he's been robbed by John Harrison and James Swythenbank after they stopped to ask him directions to Langstrothdale. The first of these sections is preceded by that request  and "he [JB] said he thought that way:"

Thanks in hope

[zenobia37]

The second section is preceded by the robbery itself and them threatening him not to tell anyone about it - they know his usual route and would "kill him at any time &.."

If anyone has any ideas what Richard's last name is (it looks like Nirolphons???!?) I'd be grateful because that's also a bit of a mystery!!

[arthurk]

In both extracts it looks as though James Braithwaite's words were taken down verbatim, and then changed to the third person, so I/me are replaced by he/him. I'm transcribing it as amended.

First extract:
... Then he bad him lead the way
& callinge him Rogue sayd hee would make him and
*steucke strucke att him w(i)th a longe staffe, w(hi)ch he defended w(i)th
his arme, & gott w(i)thin him & they fell downe both together

*steucke - perhaps 'stake' or 'stick'? 'strucke', as pointed out in Reply #4 below

Second extract:
... kill him att any time & soe left him. Soone after
they were gone, hee went on to Kidstons, & made his
case knowne, And Laurence Metcalfe & diverse
others went w(i)th him to Burton, & the Constable
raysed huy & cry & went towards West Witton,
& further sayth not, but that hee hath heard
since, That both John Harrinson & James
Swythenbanke, were then at Richard Nicholsons
house in Burton aforesaid, and might have
beene taken, if they had not been fovoured

The final word might be wrong, though it could well be misspelt. It might be meant to be 'favoured', or perhaps it's an attempt at 'forewarned'?

[AlanBoyd]

Surely, must be Nicholson?

[Vance Mead]

Looks like Nicholsons to me. Compare the final letter with the s in James in the line above.

steucke att him w(i)th a longe staffe
Strucke att him...

[arthurk]

steucke att him w(i)th a longe staffe
Strucke att him...

Yes, of course. I'll modify what I wrote.

[zenobia37]

Thank you so much, that all makes sense and fits everything else. 'Struck' and 'forewarned' do seem to fit given the context.

And Nicholson... it's so obvious now you suggest it and I've spent a while looking at that and not seeing it! It's especially interesting because it now sounds like he might have been an ally; I'd got the sense he might not be.

If I can ask about one last word, after that first section when Harrison assaults Braithwaite it describes how Swythenbank came running around something. It looks like it begins with M but I'm at a loss to as to what it is. the context made me think horses because it looks like he then 'looses' something, but that doesn't appear to fit the word to me.

[Vance Mead]

came running down from the Mosse (meaning a peat bog)

[zenobia37]

Oh yes it does look like that. Thank you!