Published by Bristol Record Society
Among the archives of the Corporation of Bristol is an incomplete series of six volumes labelled Depositions. They contain copies of voluntary sworn statements made before the mayor and one or more aldermen in connection with a wide variety of subjects, including loss of ships and merchandize at sea, non-payment of debts, domestic quarrels, thefts, making of bonds and, in the case of the first volume, statements regarding various hardships and misadventures encountered during the troubled period of the Civil War.

Vol I, 1643-1647
[This is the earliest extant volume.]

To all christian people to whom these presentes shall come I Humfrie Hooke Esqr now Maior of the Citty of Bristol send greeting in our Lord God everlasting Knowe yee that on the day of the date hereof there came and personally appeared before me the said Maior [and struck through] Iames Stirry of the said Citty Sailemaker and did depose and make voluntary othe taken vpon Evengelists of God that shortly after [t struck through] his Majesties forces entered this Citty, the right honourable the Lord Hopton was informed that one Thomas Rycroft of this Citty Grocer had before that time sould a parcell of Oyles ynto [page 8] Richard Tovy of the said Citty Sopemaker which Oyles ( as the said Rycroft confessed in the hearing of this deponent) were sent from Thomas Cary of London Salter, to him the said Rycroft, Wherevpon the said Richard Tovey together with the said Thomas Rycroft on the nyneteenth day of September last past were converted before the said Lord Hopton and after some debate touching the premisses the said Richard Tovey (by the consente and appointment of the said Rycroft and in his presence) did then pay to the said Lord Hopton to his Majesties vse the summe of Thirtie pounds fowerteene shillings and nyne pence for the said Oyles for which money the said Lord Hoptpn then gaue a receipt to the said Tovy in this deponents presence, All which vpon reuqest etc. dated the viiith of Ianuary 1643 - Humfrie Hooke Maior

Vol 2, 1650-1654
[Owing to the length of the volume, not all events were transcribed in detail. The events below was 'calendared' or summarised]

1651 Jun 17 John Stirry of Bridport, mariner, concerning dealings with between Richard Bond, merchant, and Christopher Read, mariner deceased