Whereupon this Informant together with one Mr. Edward Ivie went to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland for Advice how to procure a Warrant for the apprehending the said Felons But in the Interim of time the Wife of Richard Powre one of the said Felons went and Inform'd the forementioned William Dobbins High Sherif of the County of Waterford that the said Felons did intend to appear against the said Earl of Tyrone Upon which the said Dobbins with the assistance of one Captain Morrice a friend of the said Earls procured a Warrant to seize upon the said Felons before this Informant should do it himself Which was done and they Committed to Newgate in Dublin which this Informant no sooner understood but he together with Mr. Hubert Bourk went to the said Persons in Newgate who acknowledged before this Informant and Hubert Bourk that they were committed to prevent the appearance against the Earl of Tyrone and Mr. Bradley and that they had the same matters to inform if they could be admitted their Liberty At the same time this Informant and Mr. Bourk being with the said Felons at the same Conference the aforesaid Mr. Dobbins and Captain Morrice came into the next Room and sent for the said Felons out of this Informants Company and there concluded an Agreement with the said Felons that they should not appear against the Earl or Mr. Bradley upon Consideration that the said Dobbins and Morrice should clear them out of Goal and obtain their acquitment from the Crime laid to their Charge Which the said Felons did acknowledge to this Informant and Mr. Bourk the next Morning The truth whereof appeared for that the said Persons were immediately Bailed by the said Dobbins and Morrice and so discharg'd out of Goal This Informant further saith that although he cannot make the Information himself yet he believes he may be able to bring sufficient Testimony of the quantity of Arms and Ammunition that was received by Mr. Bradley upon the account of the Earl of Tyrone for the service of the French King and where they were by him Concealed till occasion should require And this informant further saith that being in the City of London in April last past to complain of his own grievances and the miscarriages of the Irish Jury in the acquittal of the Earl of Tyrone his Majesty and the Council were pleased to order him back again to make out before the Lieutenant and Council in Dublin what he had here made known which accordingly he did viz. That the Major part of the said Jury were the Relations and the Dependents of the said Earl of Tyrone and Mr. William Bradley pickt and cul'd not only out of the proper County but out of several other remote parts and places of the Kingdome During which time for about a quarter of a year he was not only exposed to the Malice of his Enemies but also to very great necessities without any Allowance or Consideration from the Lord Lieutenant Whereas on the other side a poor and needy Scotchman coming in and pretending a Sham-Plot of the Presbyterians and denying the Popish Plot was immediately kindly entertain'd and cherished and well Rewarded for his pains Which said Scotchman came also at the same time to this Informant and endeavoured to perswade this Informant to joyn with him and desist from Prosecuting the Papists saying it would be far more advantagious to this Informant so to do than to Prosecute the Popish Plot in regard it was not minded as being an Affair wherein the Duke of York was concerned However in a short time after the said Scotchman gave them the slip and run away This Informant further saith that in the same year 1677. at the time when William Bradley Esquire imparted to this Informant the Design which was carried on by the Earl of Tyrone and the said Mr. William Bradley together with the rest of the Confederates the said Mr. Bradley gave this Informant to understand that the French King would send Ammunition and Arms to furnish the Army design'd for the Service of the said French King in Ireland and that there were several persons in Ireland appointed for receiving the same and that among the rest he the said Mr. Bradley was appointed for one and that he did expect the said Arms very speedily together with the Ammunition promised He also said that the Roman-Catholick Clergy both in England and Ireland made it part of their business to write Letters both to Rome and France and had their Agents abroad in those parts to sollicit and procure the raising of several thousands of pounds as well in Italy as in France to furnish and supply the wants of such as were employ'd by the Pope the French King and the rest of the Confederates And that the said Arms should be landed in the Creek of Ballirone which lay within half a mile of his House between the City of Waterford and the Town of Dungarvan which is also a Seaport-Town This Informant further saith that at the time of his Conference with the Titular Dean of Waterford Robert Powre by Name he told this Informant that one Dr. White was employed as an Agent betwixt the persons concerned in Ireland and the Pope to give the said Pope an accompt how Affairs were carried on and in what Condition the Kingdom stood The said Titular Dean also further said that there was hardly a Province in Ireland but there was one or other employ'd for that purpose This Informant further saith that about two years since the Earl of Tyrone did acknowledg to this Deponent that one James Lavalline who was to murther the King was sent over into Ireland to be there secured from being apprehended and that the said Earl did receive Letters to that purpose from his Highness the D. of York upon which he forthwith sent the said Lavalline to his Kinsman Mr. John Powre to be there kept private This Informant further saith that the persons concerned in this Conspiracy for the County of Waterford were the Earl of Tyrone William Bradley Esquire Quartermaster Ely Mr. John Butler Paul Strange Richard Powre Peirce Welsh John Powre VVilliam Powre Peirce Powre Edmund Powre VVilliam Fits Gerrald Michael Row Richard Manswell John Folio James Fumigan Denis Macnamarra John Lahor and this Informant with several others In the County of Limerick the Lord Brittas Bourk Collonel Peirce Lacy John Harly Sir John Fits-Gerrald David Fits Gerrald and several others In the County of Cork VVilliam Fits-Gerrald VVilliam Barry James Barry Theoby Roch David Coudon Denis Mac Cartie Teige Mac-Cartie and several other In the County of Kerry Sir Tirlagh Mac-Mahon Daniel Mac-Conor Teige Mac-Conor John Sulivan Derby Sulivan Daniel Sulivan and Garret Skack with several others In the County of Clare John Macnamara Tirlagh Obrian with several others FINIS ARRATA P. 9. l. 2. read for 1677. read 1679. l. 26. for Fish read Frith
which time this Informant observed that there were several Masses said particularly for the welfare and prosperity of His Royal Highness the Duke of York and of the Earl of Anglesey in several places of the said County of Waterford and in some of those Congregations this Informant has prayed himself for the said persons according to the directions of the said Priests and Dean The said titular Dean moreover said That the Earl of Anglesey being assisted by the Duke of York did endeavour that the Parliament should not sit to prevent the persecution of the Roman Catholicks And this Informant further saith That in the year 1677. the Earl of Tyrone produced unto this Informant a Letter sent over by Captain Daniel Macnamara setting forth That what he expected from His Majesty meaning the French King was granted and that Captain Garrett Fitz Girald one of the French Captains was sent over with the Articles of Agreement which were concluded on by the French King being all according to his Lordships desire which was that his Lordship should raise a thousand Men in the County of Waterford to which purpose the French King had sent his Lordship a Commission under his Hand and Seal to be a Collonel of Horse and blank Commissions to be dispos'd of as his Lordship thought convenient together with the said French King's Propositions which were That his Lordship would be satisfi'd to have the County and City of Waterford to be his Lordships lot and share for his good service And further said That if his Lordship did deserve it he would make him Lieutenant General of his Forces in that Kingdom This Informant further saith That in the same year before that the said Earl made this Informant privy unto this said Letter the said Captain Garrett Fitz Girald by whom the said Message was sent lodged at the said Earl's house for one mouth and that this Informant was several times in the said Captain's company both at Waterford and Caraghmore and that the said Captain did present the respects and service of the said Capt. Daniel Macnamara to this Informant as from a person of his familiar acquaintance and also told this Informant that he the said Capt. was sent over by his King meaning the French King with a Message to the Right Honourable Richard Earl of Tyrone This informant further saith That the said Capt. Fitz Girald desir'd this Informant to let the Brother of this Informant go along with him the said Capt. into France and that he would get him an Ensigns place in the French King's Service This Informant inform'd the said Earl of that proffer made to this Informant's Brother but the said Earl made answer that he should not go in regard he the said Earl did not know how soon an opportunity might fall to prefer him to as good a place in his Native Country This Informant further saith That the said Captain Garret Fitz Girald when he saw his time went away from the said Earls house in disguize after he had ended his business with the said Earl and took a Ship immediately for France This Informant further saith that Capt. Daniel Macnamara came out of France some time before and this Informant meeting with him in the City of Waterford after his the said Captains Landing went into one Mr. Goodricks house in Waterford to give the said Capt. his welcom into Ireland as being one of this Informants Relations and Name where he fell into a discourse with the said Capt. what his occasions of coming over were at that time The said Capt. told this Informant that he was sent over by the French King unto the Earl of Tyrone and from thence he would go to the County of Clare and County of Linmick and deliver his Message there and would immediately take shipping again at Dingleicuse and told this Informant withall he should see an alteration of the world very suddenly This Informant further saith That in the same year 1677. a friend of this Informants whose Wife had then a Child of this Informan is at Nurse had a difference with another man which occasioned a quarrel between them upon which they both falling to blows this Informants friend beat the other person who thereupon got a Warrant of the Peace against his Adversary from one Andrew Lynn Esquire which as soon as this Informant heard of he went to another Justice of the Peace one Mr. Bradley being a friend of this Informants to procure a Superfedeas of Mr. Lynn's Warrant The said Mr. Bradley presently took this Informants word for the Appearance of his Acquaintance and discharged him from the Warrant above mentioned and having so done took this Informant side and then gave him an Oath of Secresie in reference to the Plot intended and design'd in Ireland by the Earl of Tyrone and the rest of the Confederates agianst the King's Majesty At which time he imparted to this Informant that the Earl of Tyrone had receiv'd a Commission from the French King to be a Collonel of Horse in the County of Waterford and that he the said William Bradley was to be his Lieutenant Collonel and desir'd this Informant to provide himself with Horse and Arms and to procure as many as he could of those he durst to trust and that this Informant should have a Command of a Captain under the said Earl and him Whereupon this Informant did provide himself and spoke unto John Follio James Finicon and Denis Macnamara to provide themselves with such necessaries as were requisite for that purpose informing them also that Mr. Bradley had imparted several matters of concernment unto this Informant and thereupon this Informant furnish'd them all three with Arms but to the said Denis Macnamara gave both Horse and Arms. And this Informant also did accordingly impart the same matters to the said John Folio John Finicon and Denis Macnamara who being afterwards sent for by his Grace the Lord Lieutenant and Council did confess the same during this Informants Confinement and that too before this Informant had liberty to speak with them or they with him being then kept close Prisoner from any one of the King's Evidence This Informant further saith That after the aforesaid William Bradley did impart to this Informant the aforesaid Treason this Informant met with the Earl of Tyrone upon the Lands of Saveston in the County of Waterford with two of his Men viz. Thomas Powre his Gentleman and Garrett Mac Teege his Fowler and another whose name is Luke Powre this Informant having in company with him one William Powre and Boetius Clancy being then abroad a hunting with their Doggs The said Earl knowing this Informant at a distance called to him upon which this Informant went to his Lordship The said Earl then taking this Informant from the company asked him whether Mr. Bradley had imparted to him any matter of Secrecy This Informant replyed he had Thereupon the said Earl told this Informant that he must be very private
hear and make information of the said Sampsons Confession Whereupon the said Earl was very well satisfied and commending the said contrivance said that Bourk had not the wit to prosecute him without the assistance of the said Sampson However to prevent any further danger said the Earl I would have you write unto the said Bourk and bring him to some composition This Informant made answer that he knew not where the said Bourk was Whereupon the said Earl told this Informant that he was at Gurtens in the County of Kilkenny and that he heard that the said Bourk had a design for England to apply himself to the King and Council therefore to prevent that mischief said he go home and write a Letter immediately to him and let the Contents of the Letter be that you have urgent occasions with him and that you must of necessity have some private conference with him According to the said Earls instructions this Informant went home and writ a Letter to the said Bourk desiring him to come to this Informants house but the said Bourk refused so to do Nevertheless this Informant understanding afterwards by a Messenger sent by the said Bourk where he was being then removed from the aforesaid Gurtens whither the Earl had said he was retir'd This Informant went to Waterford and there meeting with the said Bourke courted him so long to go with him to this Informants house that after many perswasions the said Bourk consented to go along with this Informant Of which two days after this Informant went and gave notice to the Earl Whereupon the said Earl gave this Informant these following Instructions That this Informant should endeavour to get the said Bourke to confess that one Squier Villiers Capt. Nichols Mr. May Mr. Bradley and Peter Anthony were the persons that had hited him the said Bourke to accuse the said Earl and that if he would acknowledg the same and give it under his hand the said Earl promised he would give him the said Bourke a Farm well stockt together with a considerable sum of mony and would save him harmless from any danger that could ensue This Informant in answer to the said Earl knowing that the said Mr. Bradley was concerned in the Plot asked his Lordship the Reason why he should go about to bring the said Bradleys Name in question The said Earl made Answer that Mr. Lyn his very good friend and Mr. Bradley had contrived it so that if Bourk did acknowledg the same the said Mr. Bradley should confirm what the said Bourk should say and that he the said Earl should bring his Action of Sandalum Magnatum to the vallue of 40000 pound against the rest After which the said Earl appointed Major John Butler and Mr. John Ronan to meet Mr. Bourk and this Informant at Cariginure Mill being also an Alehouse And that this Infarmant should appear as the said Bourks friend and the other two for the said Earl which accordingly we did There we had a long conference about the business but the said Bourk being very obstinate refusing to concur with our desire though we proffered him the said Farm and Stock and a thousand pound to boot We broke off and the said Major Butler and Mr. Bourk went along with this Informant to his House that night The next morning the said Major Butler departed with an Account to the said Earl that we could not bring the said Bourk to any composition Upon which the said Earl immediately petitioned the Lord Lieutenant that whereas the said Bourk according to his Recognizance had not appeared to prosecute him that there might be some course taken therein Upon which there was an Order granted for apprehending the said Bourk who thereupon was taken at this Informants House and carried to Dublin by the Pursivants and examined the reason of his absenting himself from the Assizes where he was bound to prosecute the Earl of Tirone He answered that he wanted the rest of the Witnesses and being examined who they were he said there wanâ—ed Mr. Sampson Mr. Ivy and this Informant with several other Witnesses upon which the said Sampson and Ivy were sent for and appeared and upon their appearance gave in an Information against Quartermaster Ely John Ronan Major John Butler Dawrence Sulivin this Informant and several other persons Upon which Information a Letter missive was sent for the aforesaid persons together with this Informant and directed to Quartermaster Ely notwithstanding he was accused The said Quartermaster having received the Letter immediately repaired to Caraghmore to the said Earls House and shewed him his Order upon which the said Earl sent Tho. Powre his Gentleman for this Informant But this Informant being not at home at that time the said Thomas Powre followed this Informant to Waterford where he found this Informant in Company with the High-Sheriff of the said County and one Squire Welsh a Relation and correspondent of the said Earls and told this Informant his Message and that he must immediately repair to Caraghmore for that there were Orders from Dublin for this Informant and the aforementioned persons to appear there and answer a Charge laid against them by the aforesaid Sampson Bourk and Ivy. Upon which the said Squire Welsh Son to Sir Robert Welsh now or late living in this City of London begg'd of this Informant to appear for the said Earl with promises of great rewards for so doing which this Informant promised he would do the said Wealsh afterwards being one of the Grand Jury for the Trial of the said Earl But this Informant having sent his Horse home that night by his Servant told the said Earls man that he had never a Horse to go along with him Upon which the said Earle's man procured a Horse for thâ—â— Informant In our journey to Caraghmore we met with one Jasper Grant that had been a Captain of one of his Majesties Men of War who told this Informant that the said Earl had employed him the said Grant to speak with this Informant and to go seek him where ever he could find him and further said that if this Informant did appear for the said Earl in Dublin he would reward him at a high rate This Captain was also afterwards admitted of the Jury for the Trial of the said Earl This Informant further saith that after he arrived at Caraghmore at the said Earls house the said Earl together with the said Quartermaster Ely took him into the Garden and there did engage this Informant not to discover any kind of thing that he knew and swear to the contrary of having any knowledg of any Treason that Father Robert Powre the Titular Dean would give an Absolution to the said Informant for so doing for that it was not a sin to swear any thing to save a mans Life and further told this Informant that Judg Keating and Sir John Davis were the said Earls great Eriends and would stick close to this Informant and gave the
said Informant Letters to be delivered to the said Judg which were to Invalidate the Testimony of the aforesaid Bourk and which this Informant delivered accordingly and found that what the said Earl said was true for during the time that this Informant denied the Treason and kept it undiscovered the said Judg did Act for him as much as he could so that at night after the Council was up the aforesaid Quartermaster Ronan Sulivan and this Informant went to Sir John Davis being Secretary of State and one of the Earls great friends all the while that this Informant was of the said Earls Partie who gave us the aforesaid Witnesses a full Account of what was done against us every day in Council This Informant further saith that the said Earl at this Informants coming to Dublin exchanged one of his Gueldings with Mr. Michael Roe because this Informant should ride the said Roes Horse for fear that there would be notice taken of this Informants riding the said Earls Horse and gave this Informant mony to bear his expences to Dublin with promises of greater rewards for appearing for him and withal admonished this Informant in what danger he was if he should discover the said Treason as well as the said Earl which very much terrified this Informant and kept him from making any Discovery for a long time This Informant further saith that the said Quartermaster Ely after the Commitment of this said Informant into the Pursivants hands by Order of the Lord Lieutenant and Council was with him every day charging this Informant not to discover for his Life the said Treason for that if he did he would certainly be hang'd and gave this Informant money to bear his charges till the said Earl could furnish him this Informant with more And this Informant further saith that one John Powre Esquire a Relation of the Earls together with Mr. Cowdal and Mr. Roe proferred 700 l. security for this Informant during his Confinement and brought this Informant a Petition to prefer to the Lord Lieutenant and Council wherein they had ordered this Informant to move that the said security might be taken with Reflections upon the Kings Witnesses in a high nature which this Informant kept but never preferred And further saith that being alone in the Condition that he was this Informant made his Addresses by Prayer to Heaven to direct him the said Informant being then at a stand whether it were better for him to Discover the Treason or to Conceal it for the guilt lay so heavy upon this Informant's Conscience that he was in as much fear of himself as of those that were most concerned But at last and he believes it to be the Effect of his Prayers God put it into his mind that in was the truest way to discover what he knew Upon which this Informant gave in this his Information concerning the Plot and his knowledge of such Persons as were to be Commandders in the Army intended to be raised by the Earl of Tyrone and William Bradley Esq for the use of the French King This Informant further saith that at what time he went to the said Earl to give him an Account of what this Informant and the rest had done with Bourk when they were ordered to tamper and make a Composition with him the said Earl of Tyrone shewed this Informant a Letter from his Father in Law the Earl of Anglesey Signed Anglesey and which the said Earl averd to this Informant to be his own Letter and Subscription wherein this Informant read that the said Earl of Anglesey had made so many Friends in England and Ireland for him the said Earl of Tyrone that there was no need to fear what was laid to his Charge and that he had spoken with the Duke of York about Interceding for him which the Duke had promised he would do This Informant further saith that the Earl of Tyrone did imploy several persons whose names were James Powre Richard Powre William Powre and Owen Whelam formerly a Tory and one of the said Earls followers with several others to steal Horses from several parts of the Kingdom for the service of the Army designed and promised by him to be raised to joyn with the French Kings Forces which were expected to be Landed in Ireland In pursuance of which directions of his Lordship the said persons did accordingly steal several Horses of good value out of several parts of Ireland and brought them all into the County of Waterford to the number of thirty or thereabouts which by order of the said Earl were distributed among such persons as were by him engaged in and privy to his design Particularly some to William Finch the said Earls menial Servant and a Papist some to one Mr. John Welsh Nephew to the said Earl some to this Informant some to Mr. William Dobbin and some to Mr. William-Bradleys Servant John Labor which by the Order of his Master he received at Raghneskdoig and some to John Powre of Clonmel But some of the owners of the said Horses making pursuit after their stollen goods and apprehending by Virtue of a Warrant some of the Persons who had stollen their said Horses they were by Sir Thomas Osborn Committed to the Custody of one Patrick Karney then High Constable and one of Mr. William Bradleys Fosterers to be by him Conveyed to the Goal of Waterford from whence they were to be removed to Maroborough Goal in Queens County Whereupon the said Mr. William Bradley understanding that the said Persons were Apprehended and as he knew well upon what account being doubtful least they might betray the Business immediately wrote to the said High Constable his Fosterer to set those Persons at liberty Upon which the said High Constable in the way to Waterford notwithstanding he had a sufficient Guard of Six petty Constables and others Assistants gave liberty to the Felons in Custody to make their escape upon a couple of the stollen Horses that were led along with them bridled and saddled for that purpose For doing of which he had the engagement of the said Mr. Bradley and the said Earl of Tyrone to save him harmless Wherein they were as good as their words for the said High Constable being questioned at the next Assizes at Waterford the said Earl and Mr. Bradley by their great interest in the High Sheriff who was then that very William Dobbins already mentioned who had some of the said Horses in his Custody and being a Confederate provided the High Constable such a Jury that he was soon acquitted besides that the Judge of the Assize the Lord Chief Justice Keating was no less the Earl of Tyrones friend then the High Sheriff And this Informant further saith that after this Informants appearing against the Earl of Tyrone in the City of Dublin John Folio and Mr. Denis Macnamara being in the company of this Informant those Felons of which mention hath been already made did acknowledge the particulars aforesaid