County of Monaghan Gent. THis Deponent being duely sworn and examined inter alia deposeth And further saith That when he this Deponent was so robbed by the Rebells they imprisoned him and his brother in law Andrew Lesk Alexander Bailie James Anderson Iohn Mewrhead his son Alexander Ballengall and his son VVilliam and kept them there in Glaslock Castle for 14 dayes or thereabouts in great misery neither suffering their wives or friends to come and bring them relief From thence the Rebells sent them to the Gaole of Monaghan for 14 dayes more where they were in no lesser misery than before From thence they were sent back to Glaslock aforesaid and there Art mac Bryan ô Samogh mac Maghan did gather all the whole British prisoners aswell those afore-named as others to the number of 22 or thereabouts and sent them to Corbridge But in their going another Company by the direction of the said Art mac Bryan way-layd them and slew 16 of them and the next morning murthered 46 more English at Corbridge aforesaid where this Deponent escaping with his life was admitted to go to Sir Phelim ô Neal who gave him a Protection for himself his wife and childe And then this Deponent heard the said Sir Phelim say That he would make no man account for what he did And that he had his Majesties Commission for what he did under the great Seal of England And being asked who did put Master Richard Blany Senescall to the Lord Blany and one of the Knights of the Shire to death because it was reported that one Art mac Bryan ô Samagh mac Maghan put him to death He answered Let not that Gentleman be blamed for my hand signed the Warrant for his hanging for the persecuring of my cousen ô Rely And further saith That there were killed by the name or Sept of the ô Hughes 12 Families of men women and children of English and Scotish protestants and that Edmond Boy ô Hugh Foster-brother to the said Sir Phelim ô Neal did at Kinard at the entry of the said Sir Phelims gate shoot to death with a brace of Bullers behinde his back the Lord Cawlfeild And that night after killed seven Families of English men women and children that lived on the Land of the said Sir Phelim And as this Deponent hath heard there were above twenty Families slain betwixt Kinnard and Armagh by the Rebells And after the repulse given at Lisnegarvy Shane oge mac Canna and a Company of Rebells under his command marched thorow all the Barony of Trough in the County of Monaghan and murthered a great number of Brittish protestants amongst others Ensigne Peirce Gentleman Ambrose Blany Gentleman William Challengwood Gentleman and William his sonne David Draynan Gentleman Andrew Carr Weaver John Lasley Labourer and his wife And this Deponent heard it credibly reported amongst the Rebells at Glaslogh aforesaid That Hugh mac ô Degan mac Guire a priest had done a most meritorious act in the parish of Glanally and County of Fermanagh in drawing betwixt 40 or 50 of the English and Scottish there to reconciliation with the Church of Rome and after giving them the Sacrament demanded of them whether Christs Body was really in the Sacrament or no and they said Yea. And that he demanded of them further Whether they held the Pope to be supreme Head of the Church they likewise answered he was And that thereupon he presently told them they were in a good faith and for fear they should fall from it and turn hereticks he and the rest that were with him cut all their throats And this Deponent further saith That the wife of Master Luke Ward told him That the Rebells had forced her husband to be drunk in drinking of his part of 3s in drink and that they when he was so drunk hanged him And she shewed this Deponent the place where he was executed And saith also That the Rebells pulled up and took away the 〈◊〉 in the Church of Monaghan up to the Quire and carried them â—â— the Goal and made fires with them for the Friers And that the â—…ls did at Glaslock aforesaid burn two or three Bibles or Serâ—â—â— Books And heard them say they would never lay down arms till their Church were put into its due place and that all the plantation lands were given to the right owners and that if they had once gotten the City of Dublin taken they would hold it no rebellion to follow the Kings sword in doing any act they pleased And this Deponent heard Brian ô Hugh Priest to the said Phelim ô Neale say That they had fifteen hundred thousand of the Irish bloud to maintain their wars begun And the said Alexander further deposeth That about the beginning of Feb. last one Ensigne William Pew of Glaslogh in the County of Monaghan being stripped robbed and expulsed by the Rebels was seven times in one day taken up and hanged on a tree and taken down again for dead every time by Patrick Duff Mac Hugh Mac Rosse a Captain of the Rebels near Monaghan which cruelty was practised by the instigation of Patrick Mother mac Wade who had informed that the said William Pew had monies the confession and knowledge whereof was intended to be extracted by the foresaid hard usage Iur. primo Martii 1641. Alexander Creichton Iohn Sterne William Hitchcock The Examination of Roger Holland of Glaslogh in the County of Monaghan THis Examinate duly sworn deposeth inter alia That during his imprisonment he was credibly informed that there were 38 persons men women and children drown'd being thrown over into the river of Corr-bridge in the County of Armagh and also saith That Sir Phelim ô Neale under pretence of sending a Convoy with many of the English of Loghgall and thereabouts the said Convoy did drown at the Bridge of Pontie-Down 68 persons as he is credibly informed And likewise that he did see 14 or 15 kill'd by the Irish as he passed in the country And further saith That Friar Malone when this Examinate arrived at Skerries that his Company shot one shot at the Vessel and that the said Company asked whether we had a Passe or not which we told them we had whereupon they replyed That if we had not we should all suffer But so soon as we shewed them our Passe they made much of us told us that we should take no hurt which they performed the next day being Christmas-day The said Friar took a boat to go to the boat to see whether there were a leak in our Vessell or not and searching for the leak he found some Bibles and other Prayer-Books which said Books he cast into the fire and wished that he had all the Bibles in Christendom and he would serve them all so and demanding of him what was the reason he answered That it was fitting for every man to have the Bible by rote and not to misinstruct them which should have it by rote and the said Roger sitting by
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
and some expert souldiers for the present with arms and ammunition of all which they expect a speedy supply out of Flanders their own Regiments there exercised being to be sent over and some shipping from Spain allotted for service That this Kingdom being setled there are thirty thousand men to be sent into England to joyn with the French and Spanish forces and the service in England performed joyntly to fall upon Scotland for reducing both Kingdoms to the obedience of the pope which being finished they have ingaged themselves to the King of Spain for assisting him against the Hollanders And for drawing their followers to some head and for giving the fairer glosse to their foul Rebellion it is to be admired what strange and unlikely rumours of their own devising they cast abroad sometimes that many sail of Spaniards are landed now at one port then at another That Drogheda was taken at such a day and hour with all the circumstances at large and Letters to that purpose dated from Drogheda by the Rebels that besieged it That Dublin was taken And being infinitely ambitious of gaining the Earl of Ormond to their part for the greater countenance to their cause giving out that he was their own which was so long beleeved by the said followers until that noble Earl giving daily those honorable Testimonies to the contrary and they finding it to their cost though with the hazard of his own person further then his place might well allow they are now otherwise satisfied and place him in the rank of their mortall enemies together with that terrour to them Sir Charls Coot and others And thus have I laid down all that I have heard to me related omitting what I finde others more largely to insist upon All which their treacherous vain and ayry projects God disappoint As for my own private sufferings by the present rebellion I refer them to another Schedule this being so far taken up Deposed before us March 3. 1641. Hen. Jones Roger Puttock John Sterne Iohn Watson William Aldrich William Hitchcock The Examination of Edmund Welsh of Moylerstown in the Kings County THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Piers Fitz-Gerald of Ballisonan in the said County taking his Peternell ready cocked presented the same to this Deponents brest saying when this Deponent offered to draw his sword that it was in vain for him to strive against so many and so disarmed him and took from him his sword and dagger with eight Guns with certain Powder and Lead alleadging that there was an Excommunion from the chief of their Church against any of his Religion that would not do the like and if he had not done so and that soon some of his neighbours would have had his head and that they would never ask any Quarter nor accept of any pardon And these trayterous words were then and there spoken and these hostile and outragious acts committed as aforesaid all which this Deponent upon oath averreth Edmund Welsh Iur. 22 Ian. 1641. VVilliam Aldrich Iohn Sterne The Examination of John Edgworth Esquire high Sheriff of the County of Longford THis examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That he sending abroad to know what the meaning of this Insurrection was word was brought him by one Thomas Stafford once a servant to this examinate that he heard there was a Commission come from his Majesty to the Irish by which they had power to destroy the English in this Kingdom and in so doing to revenge the wrong done to his Majesty by the Puritans of England who had not onely taken away his prerogative but had also deposed him and put up the Palsgrave in his stead this examinate discoursing further with the said Stafford asked him if there were not a great meeting of Friers and priests about the the third or fourth of October last being Saint Francis day at the Monastery of Multefarnam in the County of VVestmeath to which the said Stafford answered There was and being further asked by this Examinate what was the meeting for he answered he did not know onely thus much That some of the Friers told him that this was a yeer of Iubilee and that there was a plenary Indulgence or Bull as he termed it from the Pope for all the sins committed and all that should be committed this yeer of Iubilee Iohn Edgworth Deposed before us Febr. 23. 1641. Hen. Iones VVilliam Aldrich The Examination of John Brooks of Ballyheys in the County of Cavan Yeoman THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That by some of the Rebells this Deponent and other English Protestants were threatned to be presently murthered unlesse they would presently be gone And if they went to Dublin they should finde small relief there if for England as little there for England was in the same case And further said That they had long paid Rents to the English but they would make them pay it back again further alleadging That what they did they had authority for the same from the King or words to that effâ—ct Iohn C Brooks his mark Jur. 5 Ian. 1641. Roger Puttock Iohn VVatson The Examination of Grace Lovett wife to Fran. Lovett of Ballew-hillan in the County of Fermanagh THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Patrick mac Collomac Donnell Edmond mac Donnell and the rest of their company the 25. day of October last entred into severall parcells of Land and outed this Deponent and her children as also took away the Lease Writings Will and Escripts that this Deponent had that concerned the estate of the severall parcells of Land And further deposeth That she heard one of the Company of Captain Rory Magwire who as this Deponent heard was a Friar say That it was well that this Deponent was come into their Company to save her life for if she should go for Dublin it would be as bad And if she went for England it would be worse for said he we have the Kings broad Seal for what we do And for the reason of our rising it is because the Puritans preferred a Petition against us and could not let us enjoy our Religion quietly for we stand for our lives And if we should not have done this we had all lost our lives upon one day or words to that effect And further this deponent saith That she this deponent her husband and four children were all stript naked by the said Rebels belonging to the said Captain Rory the said 25. day of October last at Newtown alias Castlecool Grace â— Lovets Mark Deposed before us Jan. 5. 1641. Hen. Jones Hen. Brereton The examination of Elizabeth Coats of Drumully in the County of Fermanagh Widdow THis examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That she heard some of the Rebellious company say and ask the English Protestants that were there robbed what they intended to do or whether to go saving unto them if they went for Dublin that was taken by the Lord
him alone demanded of him what might be the reason of their going out in such manner as in killing and robbing the English and perswading him to make peace he replyed unlesse all men that had estates lost by the Kings giving them unto great men that were little worth in former times unlesse they had their estates given under the Kings Broad-Seal that they would never yeild And withall that it they had not the Duke of York for their Governour and Ruler in this Kingdom and to be a Papist they would never yeild as aforesaid And further said That they would have the whole Kingdom to themselves and that they have been about this plot this seventeen yeers past but never had so fit an opportunity as now they had And the said Roger saith further That being in company with Colonell Pluncket at Newry and Carlingford the said Colonell told the said Roger and many others that this said plot was for these seventeen yeers past in plotting and that the said Fryar Malone and himself and one of the Lord of Trimbortons sonnes which is a Fryer with many others of the Nobility of the Pale and in the North knew it of long time but that others of the Nobles knew not of it but of late but as for the rest they have known of it the space and yeers aforesaid And that they said they would have their Religion or not any or else that they would loose both their lives and estates for in strength they were able enough for he said all the Irish would not fail but stick close to them for they fought for God and their Country for certain they knew that there cause was just and that God would not see them suffer and that they were sure of Dublin for there was not any thing done but that they had such friends that they heard out of Dublin every day and as for Sir Phelomy ô Neal he made no accompt as he said of all Ireland to be his own and others for that was there intents And further saith That at Carlingford when the foresaid Roger was there three or four dayes Sir Con Magenis sent his Warrant to send away all such prisoners as came from Newry over to Green Castle which Warrant was directed to one Jo. Babe Provost Marshall directed by Sir Con Magenis which Provost Marshall according to his direction sent them away which prisoners were sent for the releasing of some prisoners that were taken at Down-Patrick but no sooner came the aforesaid prisoners unto Green-Castle but they were all cut off And the next day following the said Sir Con Magenis sent a Convoy with all such prisoners as were there left and what became of them this Examinate cannot tell And further saith That an owner of a Boat in Carlingford told him that one Mris Holland was hang'd and as she was hanging was delivered of two children and further cannot say Jurat this 4 of March 1641. Roger Holland William Aldrich Hen. Brereton The Examination of George Cottingham Parson of Monaghan THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That about the 30 day of October this Examinate with most of the English was cast into the Dungeon which was a place of that noysomenesse by reason of great heaps of mens excrements that had been there a long time that they were almost stifled the Dungeon was so little and the people so many being some fourty eight persons that they were fain to lie one upon another so that the Examinate after he had been some seventeen dayes sometimes in the Dungeon sometimes in the Goal got such a loosenesse with cold and hard lodging that he was not able to go but as he was carried betwixt men During their continuance in this miserable restraint no meat was allowed the prisoners by the Rebells neither would they scarce suffer either their wives or friends to see or speak with them but oftentimes both in the night and day severall of the Rebells came to the prisoners with swords and Skeans drawn with Pistolls cocked to the great terrour of the prisoners and some came often and scarched them and if they found any silver either more or lesse they took it from them and stripped them of their clothes in the very Dungeon and left many almost naked with few or no rags to cover them And when these prisoners were set at liberty soon after many were murthered with Skeans some drowned and some hanged Master Richard Blaney who was prisoner in another place being bolted with Irons was taken forth suddenly and hanged and cast into a kinde of a Boggie place without Buriall stark naked The same day one Master Luke VVard was taken and hanged in the same Town of Monaghan in the beginning of the night and was never told he should die but being taken by one Patr oge ô Connelley was brought into a house in Town and there Patr gave him worth 12d or more of drink as though no hurt were intended presently went to the back side and called out the said Luke VVard and with others of his company laid hold on him and hanged him and after threw him into a little River where he lay naked and unburied The next morning many of those that were let out of prison being almost starved and famished were murthered with Skeans and others drowned Master Oliver Peirce Ensigne to the Lord Blaney murthered with Swords and Skeans Master John Francis Edward Lewis Richard Bollard and VVilliam Iones murthered with Skeans and Swords and many others pursued who escaped that night Thomas VVest was never heard of since A poor English-man unknown came stragling to the Towne having escaped from some other place was hanged Some of those that were imprisoned were sent out of the Town of Monaghan to Glaslough where they had lived formerly and there they with others to the number of fourty were cast into a River at the edge of the County men women and children In the mean time so many as escaped were in great misery and fears dayly hearing that not an English man woman or childe should be left alive that there was the like stirre in England and Scotland and that never a Protestant must be suffered to live in any of the three Kingdoms and that the Seas were full of Spanish and French Shipping and that all the Irish in other parts were coming homewards to help to subdue the English in Ireland and then they were to be in England before May for the same purpose and the like to be done in Scotland also It was usually reported that none must bear rule in Ireland but onely the Natives and that all the Lands which were enjoyed by any of the British must forthwith be taken from them which was accordingly done in all parts hereabouts It was frequently noysed and reported That the Kings Majesty was dead or not to be had and that there was a Crown consecrated for some other that should deserve it best and when