came to Dublin and therefore I desired to have his counsell and advise He began after this manner You intend to go to ublin saith he if you do you must go speedily for within two dayes the Irish Army will be before Dublin so that you cannot passe if you should get so much favour as to passe yet when you come to Dublin you will not be admitted to come within the Gates and in the Suburbs there are sixe or seven score dying daily for want of food so that there will be no abiding place for you If you intend to go for England the least childe you have will not be carried under twenty shillings and you saith he have not one penny if you should finde so much friendship as to passe gratis there are such a multitude of people that are gone out of this Kingdom that England being but a small Island and Populous of it selfe is not able to receive you if you should be received there can be no long continuing place for you for the Papists are striving in England as well as here the Queene being fled into France for some abuses offered her own Person her Servants and Chaplains which indignities the King of France intending to revenge hath leavied an Army of 40000 men to invade England and the Cardinall in Flanders hath leavied the like number to the like end and purpose therefore it will be no purpose to go thither Lord Mr Staples said I what shall I do then If you stay here you must do as they do and turn to Masse yet they will not trust you sayd he fearing least if the King of England should ever be able to bring an Army into this Country the turn-coat English should joyne with them and cut the Irish throats in a night as the English once did the Danes in England Therefore whosoever of the English should turn to the Romish Church they would also compell to take Armes and place them in the Front and eminent place of danger that so they might fall And for hereafter when they had gotten the Kingdome into their own hands which they make no question but to have in a short time having all the Forts Castles and strong-holds in Ireland in their own hands already but the Castle of Dublin and Drogheda and these two places they would not for many thousand pounds have gotten for reasons known unto themselves but when they have once obtained them and the Kingdome those English that have not fallen by the sword the holy Church hath so ordered it that they shall be cut off by the Inquisition so that they will not leave an English-man alive whose Ancestors hav◠not been here for 200 years with many other like words Jur. 29. Jan. 1641. John Biggar John Sterne William Aldrich William Hitchcock The examination of John Mountgomery late of Clounish in the County of Monaghan Gent. THis Examinate duely sworn e deposeth inter alia That in their journey and Marching within the County of Monaghan the Rebells murthered of his knowledge at the least fourescore Protestants and committed a number of other wicked barbarous and notorious Robberies and actions and by their owne relation robb'd stripped naked kill'd and drowned 45 of the Scots at one time and that the same Robbers also murthered Mr Blyth and Master Mathew two constant Protestant Preachers within the County of Tiron and murthered one Master Fullerton Parson of Loughall in the County of Armagh and neere fourescore more English more of Protestants by drowning and throwing them all over the Bridge of Portdown in the said County into the River Bann And further saith that the Rebells aforesaid or some of them confessed unto him and so he was told also by divers Scottish-men that they the same Rebells when they came to Armagh Monaghan and Dungannon set all the prisoners at liberty and that they broke open and defaced the Church of Armagh and burned the pewes pulpit and the best things in the said Church And this Deponent whilest he was with the same Rebells saw them to pull in peeces kick up and down deface and spoyl all the Protestant Bibles and other protestant books that they found in any place where they came neither this Deponent nor any other protestant prisoner nor other durst so much do as to save or looke upon any of them in their sight nor would they willingly suffer any one to speak the English tongue And further it was pretended that it was agreed in the Parliament House of England thet the Nobility and Gentry of Ireland should be sent for to Dublin unde colour of passing Patents of their Lands and there should be imprisoned untill such time as they should either go to the Protestant Church or should be put to death And if they should go to the Church yet not to be released untill they had given security that their followers should go to the Church also otherwise to bring them in to be censured And further saith That when the Rebells of the County of Monaghan had surprized or had command of all that County some of them said that they would be governed by the Roman Law and some by the English Law which they knew better And said further That when they had taken Dublin and Drogheda Derry and Knockfergus which they did not doubt but to conquer before Candlemas then next they would have a Parliament and would settle a Government but would have no Protestants amongst them but that they would suffer English or Scottish to be Deputies Lords Justices or Judges so that one of the Irish Nation might be joyned with them and so that all should go to Masse And the same Rebells publikely and generally also said That they made no account but to keep Ireland for ever in regard they had of their own Souldiers two hundred thousand fighting men besides labourers and they expected from the King of Spain according to his promise fifteen thousand souldiers and Arms and money fit for them and from the King of France some Ayd because the Queen of England his sister was so deprived of liberty of religion And the same Rebells also further said in this Deponents hearing That in all forraigne parts it was agreed and resolved that all Protestants or others that would not go to Masse should be put to the Sword And this Deponent further saith That he did hear Neale mac Kenny Baron of Trough neer Glaslock a notorious Captain of the Rebells say That the King had sent directions from Scotland that Sir Pbelomy Roe ô Neale Knight should be Generall of all His Majesties Forces in Ireland against the English and that he the said Neale mac Kenny should be Governour of the three Counties of Tyrone Armagh and Monaghan And that therefore he the said Neale mac Kenny and the rest of the Irish Forces would after their conquest of Ireland go into England and there by the assistance of the English papists also conquer the same And that from thence they
this present year 1641. been among them proclaimed a year of Jubilce and Pardons before hand granted of all sins of what sort soever that shall be therein committed tending to this great work F Excommunications also thundred against any that shall refuse to joyn therein G It doth secondly appear that they had their correspondents in England for raising the like Rebellion there this not being a report made to us from one part but confirmed from all places of this Kingdome whence the passage hath not beene stopped by the present obstructions H That thirdly they reported themselves to have had the like partie in Scotland that the Scots joyned with them I and were their friends K That the like troubles were to be raised in Scotland L That the Scots were joyned with them in Covenant not to leave a drop of English bloud in England as they the Irish Rebels would do the like in Ireland For which they pretended a writing signed with the hands of the prime Nobility of Scotland M And that the Tower of London the Castle of Edenborough and the Castle of Dublin were to be surprised all upon one day N As for that part of that cursed Faction within this Kingdom of Ireland the Actors therein acknowledge it to be a plot of many years some say two O some eight P some 14 or 17 years Q A plot wherein all the Popish Nobilitie and men of quality were interessed R and by Sir Phelim ô Neale that Arch-Rebell it is professed that what he did was by the consent of the Parliament of Ireland S thereby intending the Popish members therof Notwithstanding all which that this appeareth to have been a long-laid conspiracie yet these Traytors for giving some colour to their Rebellion pretend as if the occasion moving them thereunto were new unexpected and pressing so that with the safety of their lives and duty which they owed God and their Country they could not do lesse then they have done falsly pretending that there was a plot layd in this Kingdome grounded on a pretended Act passed in the Parliament of England for the cutting off of all the Nobilitie and others the Papists in Ireland T and all this to be done in one day V and that to be on the 23 or 24th of November now last past for preventing whereof they laid say they this their counterplot a full moneth before viz. on the 23 of October W For effecting which their wicked and devillish design the sayd Conspirators and Traitors have entred into a most accursed Covenant and bound themselves by an oath of confederation the same being subscribed by the hands of the chiefest Rebels and certaine men being appointed to administer the same to all such as shall either offer themselves or be pressed to serve as Souldiers in that cause others also being sent abroad and in chief the Popish Primate Reily X who hath compassed far and neer to draw into this conspiracy such as had not before been there withall acquainted As also to satisfie any scruples if any were that did or might retard any from entring thereinto the Popish Clergie being observed for the most forward advisers and putters on of the people in this way For whereas many of the Rebels seemed no give eare to a Proclamation of grace Dated the first of November 1641. they were forbidden by their Priests assuring them it would be their undoing Y Hence it is that these Rebels are so hardned in their course of wickednesse that they professe against accepting of any quarter and that they will not accept of any but a generall Pardon A Others again disclaiming any Pardon casting out words to the dishonout of his Sacred Majesty as if his Royall word and Seale were not to be relyed upon B And yet for making the more plausible introduction into their said wicked Rebellion the Conspirators aforesaid have traiterously and impudently averred and proclaimed that their authoritie therein is derived by Commission from his Highnesse Sometimes at distance making offer to shew a large Patent or Commission with a broad Scale giving out that in that their power did appear C Others taking upon them to read some forged writing to that purpose D All which they stick not publikely in Market-places to proclaim E falsly also reporting that his Highnesse was among them in the North of Ireland riding up and down disguised and with glasse eyes desiring not to be discovered Others againe pretending their Commission to be from the Queens Highnesse and professing themselves her Souldiers and that what they did was under the hands of the best of the Nobility of England which yet in favour of the English they did not say they execute to the full G All which they falsly reported to the end that thereby they might distract the mindes and discourage the hearts of the true Subject and that therein they might gain more upon such as they desire to draw into their party or if any should for a time stand aloose as Newters to win a better opinion with them then to be accounted Traytors or their enterprise a Rebellion Whereas it is apparant that Allegiance or Obedience to his Majesty is not the thing they ayme at the contrary being plainly confessed and professed by themselves now that they are entred as far as they can into their diabolicall practise and that their confederates are for the most part declared and drawn unto an head For some of them to the making way for their Trayterous intentions F have given out That the King was dead and that the young King was gone to Masse G That they would have the Prince in Ireland whom they would make their Vice-Roy tutoring him in the Romish religion And that the King should live in Scotland H sometimes That the Duke of York should live with them But others more fully unvizard themselves professing That they would have a King of their own and him Crowned within a fortnight I That they had him already K And that it was from their new King that they had their Commission so much spoken of L Declaring also their new King according to their severall fancies Some being for the Earl of Tyron M others for Sir Phelim ô Neal N If perhaps these two be not intended for one and the same thus we finde the said Sir Phelim honoured with the style of His Majesty O Others yet being rather for the Lord Maguire P there being some that said they had a consecrated Crown for the best deserver * But of His sacred Majesty how contemptuously do they speak Let your King say they fetch you out again Q These being their words to some of His Majesties Subjects oppressed by them We care not for the King of England say others R a third That neither King nor Queen shall govern Ireland
any longer for they would govern it themselves S And that their Religion should flourish in despight of King or State T In all which having broken thorow the due bounds of their Allegiance their vain and ambitious thoughts rove without knowing any limits It will not now content them to settle anew and mold again this Kingdom to their own Modell by calling of Parliaments making Laws and appointing their own Governours V Thus discourse they of the modestest sort but they will with the assistance of Spain and France set footing in England and after that in Scotland W where all things being setled to their desires the whole Forces of Ireland in way of retribution and acknowledgement of gratitude are intended for the King of Spain against the Hollanders X Unto which their disloyalty to theirs and our most gracious Soveraign they have added expressions of unheard of hatred to His Brittish Subjects of this Kingdom banishment or slavery are the greatest favours that would be afforded them But their generall profession is for a generall extirpation even to the last and least drop of English blood Y Which that it may be drayned to the full such of the English as cannot prescribe a settlement in this Kingdom for two hundred yeers are to be cut off and that notwithstanding they be of the Romish Sect It being to that end provided That such as do revolt to their part should for the present be accepted of yet so disposed as being drawn into the List of their Army they should be set upon the most dangerous Enterprises so either to be made away or to serve their own turns of them And what the Sword cannot for the present effect an Inquisition like that in Spain for finding out the Jewish and Moorish blood shall in time thorowly accomplish Z As for the future their Covenant is That no English should ever set footing again in Ireland A Even the very Language must be forgotten none being to speak English under a penalty B But that which exceeds all Not an English Beast or any of that breed must be left in the Kingdom C And as we finde the hearts of these men in their tongues so in their actions doing what they professe and being in both beyond all measure profane and heathenish in their impious words and behaviours towards God and the holy Scriptures Religion and the places of Gods publike Worship Blaspheming our God bidding his servants whom they had first T V stripped naked to go to their God and let him give them clothes D Breaking into Churches burning Pulpits Pues and all belonging thereunto with extreme violence and expression of hatred to our Religion and triumphing also in their impiety E Professing That not one Protestant should be left in the Kingdome F Dragging some Professors thorow the streets by the hair of the head into the Church where stripping whipping and cruelly using them they added these taunting words If you come tomorrow you shall hear the like Sermon G How have our sacred Books of holy Scriptures been used Gods Book hath been O horrible cast into and tumbled in the Kennell thence taken up and dashed in the faces of some Professors with these words I know you love a good lesson this is an excellent one come to morrow you shall have as good H They have torn it in pieces I kicked it up and down K treading it under foot with leaping thereon they causing a Bag-pipe to play the while L laying also the leaves in the kennell leaping and trampling thereupon saying A plague on it This Book hath bred alltne quarrell hoping within three weeks all the Bibles in Ireland should be so used or worse and that none should be left in the Kingdom M and while two Bibles were in burning saying that it was hell-fire that was burning N wishing they had all the Bibles of Christendome that they might use them so But what Pen can set forth what Tongue expresse whose Eye can reade Ear hear or heart without melting consider the cruelties more than barbarous dayly exercised upon us by those inhumane blood-sucking Tygers Stripping quite naked Men Women and children even children sucking upon the Brest O whereby multitudes of all sorts in the extremitie of that cold season of Frost and Snow have perished Women being dragged up and down naked P Women in child bed thence drawn out and cast into prison Q One delivered of a childe while she was hanging R One ripped up and two children taken away and all cast unto and eaten by swine S One other stabbed in the breast her childe sucking T An Infant cruelly murthered whom they found sucking his dead mother slain by them the day before V A childe of 14 years of age taken from his mother in her sight cast into a Bog-pit and held under water while he was drown'd W The forcing 40 or 50 Protestants to renounce their profession and then cutting all their throats * What should we speak of their murthers X their hanging half-hanging and that oft times reiterated they delighting in the tortures of the miserable Z Hence some being left wounded in vain crying out that they might be dispatched A This being purposely done that these wretches might languish in their miserie their tormentors affirming that their Priests commanded them so to do B What should we speake of those 30 or 40 burnt in one House and 50 in another C the denying of buriall to the dead D whereby Christians have been eaten by Dogs and Dogs tearing Children out of the wombe the bloudy beholders relating such things with boasting and great rejoycing E And to make perfect the measure of their cruelty Two were said to be buried alive F and others that had been long buried digged up they saying that the Churches could not be Consecrated while Hereticks bodies or bones lay therein G The cruell usage of those 48 poore prisoners in the Gaole of Monaghan H Of those in the County of Armagh after drowned in the River of the Ban to the number of 80 I or 100. K or 196 L as it is diversly reported those 45 drowned together M And those 179 burnt in one house x All these we refer to the reading of the severall depositions concerning them hereunto annexed But how can that be forgotten or where shall it be beleeved which we hear to have been done in the Church of Newtown in the County of Fermanagh where a childe of Thomas Strettons was boyled alive in a Caldron A thing which as one bare reports we durst not so neither can we now with confidence enough present it to that your honourable Assembly nor can we averre it for true otherwise then as by concurring examinations we finde them solemnly deposed whereunto we desire to
many of Our good Subjects Brittish and Protestants who have been seperated from their setled habitations and scattered in most lamentable manner and many others have beene deprived of their Lands Rents goods and Chattles And forasmuch as it is needfull to take due examination concerning the same Know ye that We reposing especiall trust and confidence in your fidelities care and provident circumspection have nominated and appointed you to be Our Commissioners and do hereby give unto you or any two or more of you full power and authority from time to time to call before you and examine upon oath which We hereby authorise you or any two or more of you to administer on the holy Evangelists As well all such persons as have been so Robbed and spoiled or deprived of their Lands Rents goods or Chattles as all the witnesses that can give testimony therein what Robberies and spoiles have been committed on them or any other to their knowledge since the two and twentieth of October last or shall hereafter be committed on them or any of them what Lands Rents goods or Chattles whereof any person or persons were or shall be so robbed spoiled or deprived to what valew by whom such robberies or spoiles were committed what their names are and where they now or last dwelt that committted those robberies or spoiles on what day or night the said robberies or spoiles committed or to be committed were done what Traiterous or disloyall words speeches or actions were then or at any other time uttered or committed by those robbers or any of them and what unfitting words or speeches concerning the present Rebellion or by occasion thereof were spoken at any time by any person or persons whatsoever what violence or other lewd actions were then performed by the said Robbers or any of them and how often what numbers of persons have been murthered by the Rebels or perished afterwards in the way to Dublin or other places whither they fled or retired for refuge either by way of defence or otherwise What person or persons Clergimen or other Protestants have become Papists since the said two and twentieth day fled or retired for refuge either by way of defence or otherwise What person or persons Clergimen or other Protestants have become Papists since the said two and twentieth day of October last and all other circumstances and things touching or concerning the said particulars and every of them either before the three and twentieth of October or since And for the better performance of this service all Incumbents Curats Parish-Clerks and Sextons of Churches in this Kingdome are hereby required to give in to you Our said Commissioners to the best of their knowledge the names and numbers of the poore so spoyled who have beene buried in their respective Parishes and hereafter in and about Dublin they are to give in weekly Bills under the hands of the Ministers or Church-wardens of such Parishes of such of the said persons as shall be so buried in the said Parishes And you our said Commissioners or any two or more of you as aforesaid are to reduce to writing all the Examinations which you or any two or more of you shall take as aforesaid and the same to return to our Iustices and Councell of this Our Realm of Ireland under the hands and Seals of you or any two or more of you as aforesaid Witnesse Our right trusty and wel-beloved Councellors Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet and Sir John Borlase Knight Our Iustices of Our Realme of Ireland At Dublin the eighteenth Day of January in the Seventeenth yeare of Our Reigne Carleton Examinations taken before us His Majesties Commissioners thereunto appointed by vertue of a Commission to us or any two or more of us directed under the great Seal of Ireland Dated the 23th day of December in the 17th yeare of his Majesties Reigne And by vertue of one other Commission directed as aforesaid bearing Date the 18th day of January in the yeare aforesaid The examination of John Day of Drumleiff in the County of Cavan Weaver THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That the Rebells bad him open the doors of his House otherwise they would fire his House and they said that they had a Commission from the Queene and from beyond the Seas for what they did And that they would not suffer an English-man to stay in the land Jur. 8. Feb. 1641. John Day William Aldrich William Hitchcock The examination of Lucy Spell of Drogheda in the County of Lowth THis Examinate duly sworn deposeth inter alia That at Ballendary where she was prisoner three weeks and lodged in John Parsimers house during which imprisonment she saw one time John Malon a Fryar who taketh upon him the title of Chaplain to the Catholike Army in Ireland together with Michael Murffy Garret Newgent of Drogheda Marchant John Griffin and Patrick Griffin of the same Merchants Roger Belin of the same Merchant with others in their company and heard them in their conference say we will shortly have the Prince of England here in Ireland and make him Vice-Roy and we will tutor him and bring him up in the Catholike Religion and the King himselfe shall live in Scotland and before Easter day next we shall have an Army out of Spain and then we will go all into England and with the helpe of the Catholikes there all whose names the said Fryar said that he had we will put all the Puritans and Protestants to the sword The marke of the said Lucy Jur. 5. Feb. 1641. William Aldrich William Hitchcock John Sterne Henry Brereton The examination of John Biggar of Miltown in the County of Dublin Clerke THis Examinate being duely sworn deposeth inter alia That these words were spoken by the Rebells especially by their Leader For the third of December Edmond Eustace of Ballymore-Eustace that they did give us but our owne Law For whereas there was an Act made by the Councell of England in the absâ—nce and without the consent or knowledge of the King for the expelling banishing and putting away the Papists out of England and seizing of their goods which when they had there effected would have brought the like over hither for extirpation of the Irish Nation that are Papists These considerations for the defence of the Religion the Queens person and by the Kings license moved them to take Arms having the Scots for a president they have also vowed not to leave an English-man in Ireland The Kingdome they will have in their own hands Lawes of their own and a Deputy of their own without molestation or interruption of any other Nation This night at the Widdowes house of one Lawrence Purcell I met with one George Staples who for late years had taught the Children of the chiefe of the Gentry in our parts Having beene formerly acquainted with him he began to examine me what course I intended to take I told him I could not tell untill I
Fermanagh Gentleman THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That the Rebels then said that they had a Commission or Broad-Seal from the King for what they did and that when they the said Rebels had vanquished or over runne this Kingdom they would go over into England where they would have the assistance of Spain and France for over running the same Nath. Higginson Jur. 7. Ian. 1641. Coram Roger Puttock Hen. Brereton The Examination of Anne Marshall of Castle-Waterhouse in the County of Fermanagh Widdow THis examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That some of the Rebels most cruelly murthered VVilliam Marshall husband unto this Deponent giving him sixe severall mortall wounds then said that the Scots were at that time sent to leave never a drop of English bloud in England and that the Irish now had authority and command from the King to leave never a drop of English bloud in Ireland And further deposeth That the common speech of the said Rebels was that they were the Queens souldiers Anne Marshall Deposed before us 3. Ian. 1641. Roger Puttock Hen. Brereton The Examination of Jathniell Mawe of Ferringrin in the County of Fermanagh Gentleman THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That he heard some of the Rebellious Irish company say that there should not be one English man Woman or Childe left within this Kingdom and that they had the Kings Broad-Seal for what they did Iathniell Mawe Deposed before us Ian. 3. 1641. Hen. Iones VVill Aldrich The Examination of Richard Cleybrook of Ballyellis in the County of Wexford Farmer THis Examinate duely sworne desposeth inter alia That he heard Luke Toole say that he intended soon after to march to Killeothery and take it and afterwards to come to Dublin and take the Castle there and that he would not leave an English Man nor English Woman in the Kingdom but they all should be banished and that he would not leave any English beast a live nor any of the breed of them He saith also That he heard the said Luke Toole say that he would have his own Religion setled in this Kingdom And that he would pull the Lord Parsons Hat from his Head Richard Cleybrook his mark Coram me Ia. VVare The Examination of Margaret Farmeny and Margaret Leadly VViddows both of Acrashaniey in the Parish of Clowish and County of Fermanagh THese Deponents duely sworne inter alia depose That on the 23 day of October last the Rebells in that County to the number of an hundred or thereabouts robbed the Deponents of their goods and chattells and bound their hands behinde them urging them to confesse money And that the said Rebells bound one of the Deponents husbands and led and dragged him up and down in a rope and cut his throat in her own sight with a Skean having first knockt him down and stript him And at the same time murthered 14 persons more all English Protestants the said Rebells then alleadging That they had the Kings broad Seal to strip and starve all the English and that they were his souldiers And as the Deponents fled for succour towards Dublin they were stripped on the way by the Irish seven times in one day and left stark naked being aged women of 75 yeers old and the Rebells that saw the Deponents naked bid them go and look for their God and let him give them clothes Iur. 3 Ian. 1641. John Sterne William Hitchcock The examination of Henry Fisher of Powerscourt in the County of Wicklow THis examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That Luke Toole chief of the Rebells in those parts said That there was landed at Wexford nineteen thousand of the Spanish enemy whereupon they leaped and danced for joy And this Examinate further deposeth That Bryan Linch of Powerscourt revolted and fell from the protestant Religion to Masse and the said Linch with severall other Rebells entered the parish Church of Powerscourt called Staggonnell and burnt up pues pulpits chests and Bibles belonging to the said Church with extreme violence and triumph and expression of hatred to Religion And this convert Linch strongly laboured to have this Deponent hanged Hon. Fisher Jur. Ian. 25. 1641. Iohn Sterne VVill Hitchcock The Examination of Adam Clover of Slonosy in the County of Cavan THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That this Deponent and his company that were robbed observed That 30 persons or thereabouts were then most barbarously murthered and slain out-right and about 150 more persons cruelly wounded so that traces of blood issuing from their wounds lay upon the high way for 12 miles together and many very young children were left and perished by the way to the number of 60 or thereabouts because the cruell pursuit of the Rebells was such that their parents and friends could not carry them further And further saith that some of the Rebels vowed That if any digged graves wherein to bury the dead children they should be buried therin themselves so the poor people left the most of them unburyed exposed to ravenous beasts and fowl and some few their parents carried a great way to bury them after they were dead and some were hid in bushes that the Rebells should not finde them And this Deponent further saith That he saw upon the high-way a woman left by the Rebells stripped to her smock set upon by three women and some children being Irish who miserably rent and tore the said poor English woman and stripped her of her smock in a bitter Frost and Snow so that she fell in labour in their hands and presence and both she and her childe miserably died there And this Examinate further deposeth That Iames ô Rely of or neer to the Parish of Ballyheys Yeoman and Hugh Brady of or neer the parish of Vrnagh and divers others of the Rebells did then often take into their hands the Protestant Bibles and wetting them in the dirty water did five or sixe severall times dash the same on the face of this Deponent and other protestants saying Come I know you love a good lesson here is a most excellent one for you and come to morrow and you shall have as good a sermon as this and used other scornfull and disgracefull words unto them And further saith That one Owen Brady of the parish of Armagh Gent. being one of the principall Guard to Philip mae Hugh mac Shane ô Rely did take divers protestants as they went by their Court of Guard to the Church by the hair of the head and in other cruell manner and dragging them into the Church there stripped robbed whipped and most cruelly used them saying If you come tomorrow you shall hear the like Sermon or to that effect with other scornfull and opprobrious words Deposed before us Ian. 4. 1641. Hen. Iones Randall Adams The mark of Adam Glover The Examination of Elizabeth Tayler wife of Iohn Tayler of the Newtowne alias Castlecool in the Parish of Drumuly
Magwire upon Saturday before and there they should finde small relief if for England or Scotland it was as bad there as here saying further that what they did they had the Kings Commission for it Elizabeth M Coats her Mark Deposed this fourth of Ian. 1641. before us Randal Adams Iohn Watson The examination of Nicholas Willoughby of the Carrow in the County of Fermanagh Esquire THis examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Con oge mac Mabon said that all the Counties in Ireland were in action or rebellion as well as Monaghan and Fermanagh and that there was warre in England and Scotland between the Papists and them And moreover he said That the Irish were certainly enformed that there was a course to be suddainly taken with them to make them go to Church or else to loose their lives and that they had seen some writing or letter to that effect and said that Owen mac Art ô Neal was come out of Spain and landed about Strangford or that side and that he had brought store of Arms and men with him and that there were many Redshanks come over out of the Highlands in Scotland to take their parts Nicholas Willoughby Deposed before us Febr. 23. 1641. Hen. Jones VVill Hitchcock The examination of Thomas Crant of Cavan in the County of Cavan THis examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That the said Donnagh mac Gwire expressing that he was not made privy to the generall Cause untill two or three dayes afore the day came if he had been made of the Councell he would advise other wayes then to take up Arms but that now it was so his hand was in and that he would not take it cut and that if the Lord of Eveskillin was ill used we should be farre worse and that if he suffered we should all be destroyed not one should escape and that for his part he would never lock for pardon for that he knew well enough that they could pick a fault in any pardon after that he was come in to destroy him for that how many pardons soever the Earl of Tyren had as yet they did him no good Therefore he would not trust to any but would stand out to defend his Country with his bloud Expressing that the Scots were and had been alwaies their friends and that they had a Covenant to shew whereby it might appear the fair correspondency between them the Irish and the Scors in Scotland which covenant imported that the Irish should never take part with the English against the Scots and that the Scots should never take part with the English against the Irish And that it was so covenanted between many of the Lords of Scotland and many of the Lords and their Gentry of Ireland and that Hugh mac Mahon had the Covenant to shew Saying That he was more a Papist then a Protestant and that the Puritan Parliament of England was the cause of all this that they had laid a plot that at the next Sessions of Parliament here in Ireland that the Papists of the house should be all committed to the Castle or murdered and the Protestants were to murder all the Papists throughout the Kingdom and that they having intelligence of that Therefore they did begin first and would now continue and that all the whole Kingdom did rise as they did the self same day the 23. of October and that all the Papists in England did so that same day rise in Arms against the Protestants and also that some Papist Earls and Lords in Scotland did likewise so too So that there was warres in England and Scotland as there was here in Ireland Divers Women and Children murdered lying unburied till dogs spoiled their Corps Women with childe murdered and some dyed for cold after being stript forth of their cloaths lying unburied that dogs gnawed their Children forth of their Wombs which this examinate heard some of the vulgar people report with a cheerfulnesse Also there he heard reported by Con oge mac Con mac Hugh mac Mahon Patrick oge mac Rosse Magwyre that upon Christmas-day they with a matter of a 1000. men went down to Eneskillin fiedge and there they burnt the house of Lisgoole where into was come of Men Women and Children a matter of fifty souls of Scots who they burnt all in the house except Master Iames Dunbarre and his Sister whom they gave quarter to and took them forth of a Window and keepe them prisoners as also they had burnt a Castle called Tullin wherein was a matter of thirty or forty souls of Scots and that as yet they could not do any good on Moone-Castle nor of Eneskillin A poor Man was met withall by a couple of Irish Women who knockt him in the head and killed him the Lord of Dunsany sent for the Women examined the reason why they did so they answered that Barnaby Reyly was hanged at Dublin and they did it to revenge his death the Lord of Dunsany committed them to prison what since is done with them this examinate knoweth not At my being at Racaine I heard it credibly reported that on the Sunday before Christmas-day that after Edmund mac Mulmore ô Rely had pillaged Bishop Bedle of Kilmore and sent him with his two sonnes to Cloughwater Castle to restraint That the Romish Bishop Mac Swine came to the Church of Kilmore and there did consecrate it anew and set up an Altar there and so said Masse and there liveth in the Bishops house Thom. Crant Iur. 13. Febr. 1641. Roger Puttock VVill Aldrich The examination of Elizabeth Parker late of Battydust in the County of Catherlagh VViddow THis examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That when she and others were wishing themselves in England What should you do in England for it was as bad as in Ireland Besides the Seas were very dangerous and Comerfords Wife further said that the Queens Priest was hanged in England which was the cause of the insurrection in this Kingdom or to that effect Iur. 13. Ian. 1641. Coram Elizabeth Parker Roger Puttock Iohn VVatson The examination of Ockar Butts late of Bollganreagh in the County of Wexford Gentleman THis examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That one of the Rebels of the said company being as he said the Leader or Commander over them spake these words viz. That they had full power and commission from their Generall to execute such and the like exploits against the Protestants and that we should have no longer respite to remain in this Kingdom then untill the next day following And that then all Protestants should have generall warning to depart this Kingdom upon pain of death And they then made question whether we should be permitted to land in any part of England or no And that such straight Commission was granted and sent over unto their Generall by the Queen and some of the best Nobility of England And also that they did not neer execute towards us
Protestants the tenure and rigour of their said Commission protesting with great prophane oathes That they shewed much favour unto us Oekar Butts Iur. Ian. 25. 1641. Coram nobis Iohn VVatson Hen. Brereton The Examination of Edward Denman of Belturbut in the County of Cavan Merchant THis Examinate duâ—ly sworn deposeth inter alia That he asking John Rely why they did not meddle with the Scots he said the Scots did joyn with them Jurat coram nobis 27 Jan. 1641. Edward Denman Iohn Watson Randall Adams The Examination of Geo. Fercher of Toneheye in the County of Fermanagh Clerke THis Deponent being duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Con oge mac Mabon of the County of Monaghan and Barony of Dartrie did say That what they did against the English was done by Commission from His Majesty and that all the Scottish Nation was joyned with them in a Covenant for the extirpation of the English and to that effect he said he was able to let me see the Earl of Argile his Hand together with the Hands of the greatest part of the prime Nobility of Scotland Deposed before us Ian. 4. 1641. Hen. Iones Randall Adams Geo. Fercher The Examination of Elizabeth Dickinson neer Clounish in the County of Fermanagh THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That some of Rory Magwire his Company did in the hearing of this Deponent say That the Scots were to leave never a drop of English blood in England and that the Irish had command to leave never a drop of English blood in Ireland and that they were the Queens Souldiers And further sayeth not Deposed before us Ian. 3. 1641. Roger Puttock Hen. Brereton Eliz. Dickinson The Examination of John Shorter of Callahill in the County of Fermanagh THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That they asked this Deponent whither he would go to whom he answered For England then said they This day Dublin Castle is taken the Tower of London and Castle of Edenborougb and you have but four and fourty hours to live and then both English men and women and children shall be slain Deposed before us Ian. 5. 1641. Roger Puttock VVilliam Aldrich John Sborter The Examination of Thomas Knowles of Newtown alias Castle-cool in the County of Fermanagh Yeoman THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Hugh mac Mabon and one Patrick Magwire told this Deponent That they had Commission from His Majesty for what they did and that the same doings was done thorowout the whole Kingdom at that time their plot having been working for two yeers last past and that certainly God had a great hand in the same all places of the Protestants abode being taken and yeelded except three viz. London-Derry Eneskellin and another Town this Deponent now not remembring the name and that those Towns could not long withstand their Forces because the Lord Magwire had taken Dublin Castle as they said the Saturday before otherwise if it had not been taken and that their plot had been discovered the said Lord Magwire had been with them again upon Saturday aforesaid Deposed before us Ian. 3. 1641. Hen. Iones Roger Puttock Tbo. Knowles The Examination of John Kerdiff Rector of the Parish of Diserte reagh in the Barony of Dungannon and County of Tyrone THis Examinate duely sworn inter alia deposeth and saith That the Trayterous actions committed and words spoken by the Rebells against the Protestants were as followeth October the 23 and 24 they surprised these Forts Viz. Dungannon Charlemont Castle Caufield Mountjoy Munnymore Castle Blaney Monagban Newry in a word all the chiefe Forts in the Counties of Armagh and Tyroneâ— and ransackt every Town and house which belonged either to English-man or Scottish They murthered the very first day Mr Mader Minister of the Parish of Donoghmore by some of the Donellies within a while after they murthered Mr. New Curate to Mr. Bradley of the Church of Ardtra by one of the The Minister of Dungannon Mr. Blyth with eight more were murthered being first stript and after driven out of the Town under colour of Conduct and within half a mile to the Town murthered Mr. Blyth holding Sir Phelomies protection in his hand as if he would call Gods vengeance down on such treacherous truce-breakers It was also related to me that Mr. Fullerton Minister of Loughgale and Master Morgan Aubery were kild at the Bridge of Port of Downe at which time about eighty or an hundred of the Inhabitants of Loughgale were cast into the River and there drowned Many more Murthers were committed on the English and Scotch Robberies Master Bradley was robbed to the value of one thousand pounds and whilest he was robbing Sir Phelim ô Neal and his company passed by and soone after he was turned out naked out of his house the Rebels neither leaving Dublet Coate Hat nor Shirt with him His Wife is falne into an extream frenzey by these outrages Master Dunbarre Minister of Donoghemie with his Wife and five or six small Children with an old Father and Mother were all of them stript and robbed of whatsoever Goods or wearing Cloaths they had so that for a while the man was distracted and after compelled to tye some straw about his thighs to cover his nakednesse and was whipt as I was certainly informed and what is become of him his wife or children no man in the County could tell me though I lived within three miles of him Master VVright Archdeacon of Dromore had his house which cost him much burnt I saw himself his wife and two children in extream misery at Charlemont from whence they journied to Kinard Master Robinson Minister of Kinard and his wife lived miserably at Loughgale having nothing left to satisfie nature but what they could procure by others distressed like Master Hasting Minister of Tullaniskin was turned out of his lodging and stript starke naked and clad in beggars Cloaths no a Shoe to his Foot in which state he came to the house wherein I was lodged where the people of the house durst not give him lodging fearing least he should be murthered for twice the next day there was search made for him Sir VVilliam Brumley had his Town and Castle burned and all his goods taken away What shall I say more All the English and Scotch in the Counties of Armagh and Tyrone a few onely excepted were not left worth a farthing At Armagh Archdeacon Maxwell related That about fourty men women and children were drowned at Cor Bridge neer Glaslough the children going merrily hand in hand as to a place of refuge and one of their company having license to pray prayed so effectually that one of his Executioners went frantick with the conceit of his impious fact The words which I took notice of were these Sir Phelim ô Neal told in my hearing That he had Commission for what he did not only from most of the chief of the Nobility of this Kingdom but from his
Majesty and had also Letters to that purpose from the Earl of Argile And that their intentions were onely for the liberty of their Religion and for the recovery of their Lands which should appear by the Law of the Land to be unjustly held from them Colonell Plunket told us at Armagh That seeing this exploit was begun he was one of the chief plotters thereof and was seven yeers emplyed in the compassing of it Frier Malone of Skerries did take the poor mens Bibles which he found in the Boat and cut them in pieces and cast them into the fire with these words That he would deal in like manner with all Protestant and Puritan Bibles At Master Connors house where the Frier was they had Hanmors Chronicle out of which they animated the Rebells with the Story of the Danes Discomfiture by the Irish though for the most part unarmed and paralelled the History with these times This Frier acknowledged that he was fourteen yeers employed to bring this designe to passe At Dongaâ—non they reported of a Vision seen a little before this Insurrection began A woman compassing about the Town with a Spear in her hand when any would approach her she would seem to go from them when any would go from her she would draw neer unto them The like they say appeared before Tyrones former Rebellion At Armagh Colonell Pluncket told us of another Vision seen at Lisneigarvey which he and about twenty more beheld after the Battle wherein the Irish lost very many of their men and most of their Arms There was an house set on fire at the end of the Town by the light of which fire they discerned a number of Horse-men riding to and fro the number seemed to the Colonell to be about a Thousand or Fifteen hundred Upon which relation I was bold to enquire whether they seemed their own or their enemies he answered That sometime they conceived them their own other while their enemies Yet I believed they could hardly seem their own because amongst them they had not neer so many Horses I further desired to know what they supposed them to be he said They were conceived to be Fayries or such like At Ardtra we were set upon by some of the Scots of whom Robert Stewart brother to the Lord of Castle-Stewart was chief who took some of the goods out of the house and many of our horses and Arms from us Jurat ult. Feb. 1641. John Kerdiff William Aldrich John Sterne The Examination of Edward How of the Parish of Galoon in the County of Fermanagh Clerke THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That he heard Donagh mac Quire say when Hugh mac Mahon of the County of Fermanagh excused my Lord Magwire and said that others had perswaded him of late to stirre in this action That my Lord Magwire knew of it long before and all the Nobility and men of quality that were papists in this Kingdom Moreover I heard Conoge mac Con mac Hugh mac Mahon of Aghnebolah and County of Monaghan say That if my Lord Lievtenant had not been put to death they had not made this Insurrection Further I heard him say That there was an Act made by the present Parliament of England That all Papists there or else-where in this Kingdom should go to Church otherwise be hanged at their own doors and therefore they would begin with us lest we should begin with them here as they did in England for he said they had hanged a Jesuite in London which was the Queens Chaplain And further this Deponent cannot say Deposed before us Ian. 29. 1641. Edw. How Hen Iones Iohn Sterne The Examination of George Cook late of Lissnegney in the County of Cavan Yeoman And of John Cook his son THe Deponent being duly sworn inter alia deposeth And further saith That as he and his wife and children fled away towards Dublin they met at Kells with a Protestant Minister by name Master Sharpe who had three children and carryed two of them on his back whom the Rebells perceiving to be a Protestant Minister did most barbarously hack cut in pieces and murther thrusting into his body three or four pikes together and threw him into a ditch of water where they left him but because the Deponent fled to save his life he cannot tell what became of the said Ministers poor children And the Depoponent John Cook further saith That the same night one Tirlogh Brady took away the Deponents fathers goods he the said Tirlogh told the Deponent That that action was a great Rebellion and that all the papists in Ireland were in Rebellion against the King and Counsell and that the Lord mac Guire had then taken the Castle of Dublin And that the Protestants must be banished out of the Kingdom and the papists would have the same themselves And about the same time one Tirlogh ô Gowen alias Smith a popish priest demanded the Key of the Church of Lara of this Deponents brother which being delivered unto him he the said Tirlogh said that the papists would have their Churches Lands and Kingdom from the English and be no more slaves to the English as they had been or else they would lose their lives Jur. Jan. 22. 1641. George Cooke Hen. Brereton VVilliam Aldrich John Cooke The examination of John Jesop of Cloynmoore in the County of Kildare THis Examinate duely sworne desposeth inter alia That he hath credibly heard that all the Papists in the County of Wexford and Kilkenney and in all the Counties of Ireland are Actors Abettors or at least secret well-wishers unto this Rebellion Iohn Iesop Iur. 8. Ian. 1641. Coram nobis Hen. Brereton Wâ—ll Hitchcock The examination of John Greg of Levileglish in the County of Armagh Yeoman THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That His Wife and five small Children are in the Rebels hands who were most cruelly stripped before he left them even to the childe that sucked the brest further he saith that his said Wife being stripped to the skin by one of the Donnells was by him most cruelly beaten with his drawn Sword in a triumphing and rejoycing manner and with singing Further he saith one Captain Art ô Neal of the Parish of Levileglish aforesaid Gentleman who pretended friendship to him said that unlesse he would take up Arms and go to Masse there was no hope of his life unto whom he replyed that that was great cruelty neither to suffer him the said Gregg to live a slave amongst them nor suffer him to passe into his Native Countrey unto whom the said Captain replyed that neither of those requests would be granted affirming that it was intended by them not to leave an English Protestant alive in this Kingdom and that there was no hope of peace for tenne yeers to come He further saith That in the aforesaid Parish there were divers English-men most cruelly murthered some twice some thrice hanged up and others wounded and left half-dead