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
A REMONSTRANCE OF Divers Remarkeable Passages concerning the Church and Kingdome OF IRELAND Recommended By Letters from the Right Honourable the Lords Justices and Counsell of Jreland And Presented By HENRY JONES Doctor in Divinity and Agent for the Ministers of the Gospel in that Kingdom TO The Honourable House of Commons IN ENGLAND London Printed for Godfrey Emerson and William Bladen and are to be sold at the signe of the Swan in Little-Brittain 1642 To our very assured loving Friend Master Lenthall Esquire Speaker of the Honourable the Commons House of Parliament in the Kingdom of ENGLAND THere hath been presented unto us a Remonstrance of the deplorable estate of this Church of Ireland and the lamentable Condition of the Clergy therein occasioned by the present Rebellion The Remonstrants desiring our Letters in the Representing of the same to the honourable House of Commons in England unto whose grave and wise consideration they do apply themselves We shall not need to say much in a matter so much speaking it self and the experience we have of the true sence they have of this distracted State gives us great assurance that they will take to heart this our miserable Church and Gods servants therein reduced unto unexpressable extremities both Church and State being now involved in one common calamity The bearer hereof Henry Jones Doctor in Divinity is intrusted by the Clergy to negotiate in their behalf and we have intreated him to solicite the cause of the poor robbed English expressed in our Letters to you of the fourth of this moneth We therefore do crave leave to recommend him in this imployment to that Honourable House he being a Person who is able to say much in this businesse having been some while a Prisoner in the hands of the Rebels and observed much of their proceedings and being intrusted with others as a Commissioner to take the examinations out of which the Remonstrance now to be by him offered to that Honourable House is extracted As for himself he hath suffered much in his private fortunes by these troubles and in respect of his Abilities and Learning and Painfulnesse in his Ministry he deserveth favour and encouragement Besides we have found him very diligent and forward in attending all occasions for promoting the publike services here by timely and important intelligence given to us of Occurences during his imprisonment with the Rebels and since especially in his information made to us of the approaches of the enemy to Drogheda when we could not conceive they would rise to that boldnesse by which information amongst others we had the opportunity of sending thither the present Garrison without whom it might have been in danger of surprising And so we remain from His Majesties Castle of Dublin the seventh day of March 1641. Your very assured loving Friends W. Parsons Jo. Borlace R. Dillon Ad. Loftus J. Temple Cha. Coote Tho. Ratherham Fran. Willoughby Rob. Meredith To the Honorable Assembly of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the Commons House of Parliament in the Kingdom of ENGLAND The undernamed in the behalf of themselves and their brethren the poore dispoiled and distressed Ministers of the Gospel in Ireland with the Widdowes and Orphans of such Humbly represent their lamentable Condition Shewing THat by the instigation of Popih Priests Friers and Jesuites with other fire-brands and Incendiaries of the State partly such of them as have been resident here in this Kingdom of Ireland before partly flocking in from Forraign parts of late in multitudes more then ordinary and chiefly by such of them as resorted hither out of the Kingdom of England And out of that ancient and known hatred the Church of Rome heareth to the reformed Religion As also by reason of the surfet of that freedome and indulgence which through Gods forbearance for our tryall they of the Popish faction have hitherto enjoyed in this Kingdom There hath been beyond all paralell of former ages a most bloudy and Antichristian combination and plot hatched by well-nigh the whole Romish sect by way of combination from parts forraign with those at home against this our Church and State thereby intending the utter extirpation of the reformed Religion and the professors of it In the room thereof setting up that idoll of the Masse with all the abominations of that whore of Babylon This also ayming at the pulling down and defacing the present state and government of this Kingdom under his Sacred Majesty theirs and our undoubted Soveraign and introducing another form of rule ordered and moderated by themselves without dependance on his Highnesse or the Kingdom of England whence have proceeded such depredations of of the goods and such cruelties exercised on the persons and lives of the loyall Subject such wasting and defacing of all Minuments of civility with such prophanation of holy places and Religion that by the most barbarous and heathenish Nations the like could not in any age be found to be perpetrated All which doth daily appear unto us your Suppliants appointed to enquire upon oath of the premisses and other particulars depending thereupon by vertue of a Commission to us directed under the great Seal of this Kingdom of Ireland bearing Date the three and twentieth day of December in the seventeenth year of his Majesties Reign and by one other Commission further enlarged concerning the premisses Dated the eighteenth of January in the year aforesaid Copies whereof together with the Copies of such and so much of the Depositions as answer to the particulars of this our Remonstrance we have hereunto annexed that both the validity of our proceedings and the truth of this our sayd Remonstrance may the better appear Vpon view of all which it doth very evidently appear that in the present most dangerous designe against this Kingdom the Popish faction therein hath been confederate with forraign States If we may rely upon the report made therof by the conspirators themselves and their adherents here whereof the following examinations are full IT being confessed that they had their Commission for what they did from beyond the Seas A That from Spain they did expect an Army before Easter next consisting if of none others yet of the Irish Regiments and Commanders serving in Flanders and else where under that King together with a great quantity of Powder Ammunition and Arms for a great number of men to be raised in Ireland This Kingdome as they make up their estimate being able to make up the body of an Army of two hundred thousand or more B From France also they looke for ayd C Being in all this further encouraged by Bulls from Rome some of these Rebels requiring to the Popes use and in his name the yeelding up of such places of strength as they had beleaguered D In all which respects and in allusion to that League in France they terming themselves the Catholike Army E and the ground of their war the Catholike cause And to this purpose hath
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
would go into Scotland and by the like assistance subdue that Kingdom and settle their religion in all places And further saith That he this Deponent was in the County of Armagh credibly informed by some cots and the same was confessed and confirmed to be true by some of the Irish That one â— Mr Keoon neer Cregance in the said County and his Souldiers did take a Scottish-man and a woman and tortured them by hanging them up in a Rope to confesse their moneys but still before they were dead let them down again And saith further That oâ—e Bryan mac Erowny a Ring-leader of Rebells in the County of Fermanagh and his souldiers killed one Ensigne Lloyd and Robert Workman both of the same County Gentlemen and four of their servants one of which they having wounded but not to death they buried quick And this Deponent was credibly informed That the daughter in law of one Ford in the Parish of Clonnish and County of Monaghan being delivered of a childe in the Hills the Rebells who had formerly killed her husband and his father killed her also and two of her children and suffered their dogs to eat up and devour her said new born childe which they found with her in that place And saith further That Cole mac Bryan mac Mabon the Colonell and his souldiers did kill and murther at Mellifant at the Lord Moores house 18 of the said Lord Moors servants and would not suffer the greater part of them to be buried but to lie upon the ground and be devoured by Dogs Crows and revenous Creatures And this Deponent had and hath seen and observed the like to be done by the Rebells since this Rebellion began within the County of Monaghan to divers other Protestants that they had murthered Jur. 26 Jan. 1641. John Mountgomery Iohn Sterne William Hitchcocke Roger Puttocke VVilliam Aldrich Hen. Brereton The Examination of Patrick ô Bryan of the Parish of Galoon in the County of Fermanagh THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Donagh mac Guye of the County aforesaid said That it was against his will that this was begun but seeing he had put to his hand he would not give out for if I should come in I should be used like Tyron who was persecuted notwithstanding his many pardons Con oge mac con mac Hugh mac Mabon of Aghneholagh and County of Monaghan said That the King knew of this Rebellion and that it was as hot in England and Scotland as here at the same time And he further said That all the Nobles of this Kingdom which were papists had a hand in this plot as well as my Lord Maguire and Hugh oge mac Mahon and that they expected Ayd out of Spain by one Owen Roe ô Neal viz. 10000 men and Arms for as many Item the said Deponent further saith That he heard Colonell Plunckett say That he knew of this plot eight yeers ago but within these three yeers he hath been more fully acquainted with it the cause of this Deponents knowledge is that he was sent with a Letter unto the said Colonell Plunckett from Mr. Nicholas VVilloughby and heard the same from the said Plunckett as aforesaid Patrick ô Bryan Deposed before us Ion. 29. 1641. Henry Iones Iohn Sierne The Deposition of Henry Jones Doctor in Divinity and Dean of Kilmore I Henry Iones Doctor in Divinity in obedience to His Majesties Commission requiring an Accompt of the losses of His loyall subjects wherein they suffered by the present Rebellion in Ireland Requiring also a declaration of what trayterous words projects or actions were done said or plotted by the actors or abettors in that Rebellion Do make and give in this following report of the premisses to the best of my knowledge As for the present Rebellion howsoever the first breaking out of this fire into a flame began first on the 28 of Octob. 1641 yet was it smoking as may well be conjectured for many yeers before God having given us many and apparant grounds for the discovery of it had they been duely considered or fully prosecuted to a discovery of which kinde we finde these following four particulars 1. The first That about three or four yeers since amongst many Books brought into Limrick from forraign parts and seized upon by the Reverend Bishop of that Sea as prohibited being thereunto authorizâ—d by the State One had a written addition to the first part which was printed the Manuscript containing a discourse of the Friars of the Augustine Order sometimes seated in the Town of Armagh in Vlster But by reason of the times and that Present resident as that writing imported in the City of Limrick in Munster That while it flourished at Armagh it was protected and largely provided for by the then Earl of Tyrone Since whose expulsion out of Ireland that Convent was also decayed and driven to those distresses it did for the present undergo but that within three yeers this is as I remember the time limited Ireland should finde that he had a sonne inheriting his fathers vertues who should restore that Kingdom to its former Liberty and that Convent to its first lustre or words to that effect This was related unto me by that zealous and learned Prelate Doctor VVebb now Bishop of Limrick who saw and read the said passage purposing as his Lordship told me to send that book to the Lord President of Munster to be taken into further consideration 2 Hereunto was added a second passage about the same time at Limrick aforesaid where a Popish Priest gave out that within three years there should not be a Protestant in Ireland or words to that purpose with some other materiall circumstances which I do not now remember yet all so concurring with the former or the first with this for which preceded I know not Both being about one time that it was thought fitting to be considered of the sayd Priest being sent unto the Lords at Dublin and he committed to the Castle 3 The third did agree with the two former and fell out about the same time in the County of VVestmeath in the Province of Limster where VValter Newgent of Rathaspeck in the said County eldest Son to VValter Newgent Esquier a man of great fortunes upbraiding an Irish Protestant who was the Parish Clerk of Rathaspeck aforesaid with his Religion and both speaking Latine the said Newgent uttered these words Infratres annos venient tempus potentia in Hibernia quandò tu longè likely meaning diu pendebis in cruce propter diabolicam vestram Religionem The party to which this was spoken feared the power of the man durst not speak of it only in private Yet being called upon and examined juridically upon oath he deposed these words And being demanded whether the words were in Hiberniam or Hibernia the first importing an Invasion the other an Insurrection at home He deposed the latter having time given him to consider of it These Examinates were sent
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
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
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
crying lamentably for some to come and end their misery by killing them out And further he saith That the names of the chiefest of the Rebels in those parts are Phelomy ô Neal of Kinnard in the County of Tyron Knight and Turlagh ô Neal Esquire his Brother and one Colonell Pluncket and Captain Manus oge ô Caban of the County of Armagh Gentlemen and Redmond ô Mullan of the Grange in the County of Tyron Gentleman and Patrick ô Mullan now of Armagh Gentleman who wrote Proclamations in His Majesties Name And further he saith That he heard by credible English-men that the said Phelomy ô Neal affirmed that his taking up Arms was by His Majesty and the Queens consent and the Parliament in this Kingdom and further that one Captain Shane ô Neal in the County of Tyron stiled the said Phelomy ô Neal with the title and stile of His Majesty Iohn Greg. Iur. 7. Ian. 1641. Coram nobis Will. Hitchcock Roger Puttock The Examination of Henry Raynolds of Cornemuekley in the County of Cavan Yeoman THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That he heard one whose name as he thinks is Ferdoragh an Irish Priest say that they had the Kings hand for what they did and the cause of there rising was because there was a Statute made in England that all papists should go to Church before a certain time or be banished Hen. Raynolds Deposed before us 4. Ian. 1641. Hen. Iones Io. Watson The Examination of Charles Crafford of Navan in the County of Meath Gentleman THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That the reason generally given by them for their doing was that they had found a Letter wherein the English had resolved to hang the Irish at their doors if they would not go to Church and that therefore they would begin with the English first Charles Craffords Mark Iur. 22. Ian. 1641. Roger Puttock Io. Sterne Ioh VVatson VVill Aldrich The Examination of John Wood of New-Rath in the County of Wicklow Gentleman THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That these words were spoken by Nicholas Byrne James mac Cahire and divers other of the Rebels that they were discontented Gentlemen and having their Lands unjustly taken away by the Plantation could not have any satisfaction but by the Sword Therefore it was their Colonell Luke Tooles pleasure that all Protestants should depart the Kingdom upon pain of death And for Dublin if that did stand out long with them they made no question to burn it but if they could take it and not fire it so they might have the head of my Lord Parsons and three or four more of the chiefest of the City all the rest should fare so much the better And they further said That there was an Act of Parliament in England that all papists in Ireland should upon pain of death either go to Church or be banished the Kingdom by such a day of the moneth which as I take it was by the 24. of November And therefore they desired liberty of conscience and to enjoy all that Land which there predecessors did formerly enjoy For why should not they have there demands as well as the Scots John Wood Jur. 17. Feb. 1641. John Stern Randall Adams The Examination of Henry Steel Curate of Cluntubbrid THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That when they were imprisoned in the Dungeon in the County Goal all the robbers and rogues first set at liberty they remained there in a most miserable estate there being in number about forty eight more or lesse where they had no roome to stand or lye And further deposeth That he by Gods great mercy being enlarged his wife yet prisoner in Castle-Blaney he came away with one Master Barnewell and being in a place called Cabret where one Master Fleming liveth whose Daughter is married to the Lord Magwire he heard the servants of the house and other Irish relating that this Magwire and the popish Primate whose Sirname is Rely were a long space travelling through the Kingdome together to perswade them all to condiscend to this most inhumane plot and this Rely was then at this Flemings house Hen. Steel Deposed this 10. of Ian. 1641. Will. Aldrich Iohn Sterne The Examination of Katherine Graunt of Navan in the County of Meath Widdow THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That the whole Town and Corporation of the Navan made good preparation for the entertainment of the Northern Rebels in victuals and drink for them very many of them went to the Rebels before they came to Town and generally all of them met them with great joy and welcoming of them when they came to Town She further deposeth That she heard the Priest that came with the Rebels from the North and the Priest of the Navan Master Fay among them as she verily beleeveth all charging divers of the Captains not to go back nor come in upon the Proclamation of pardon that came from the State for if they did they were all undone Kath. Graunts Mark Deposed this 5. of Ian. 1641. Roger Puttock Hen. Brereton The Examination of Hugh Madden late of Kirreke in the County of Wickloe Gentleman THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That after he had been first besiedged by at least eight hundred of the Rebels having conference with some of them they then gave out in words that that businesse which they had begun they would pursue till it were effected and would not look for a pardon for the same or to that effect Hugh Madden Iur. 23. Feb. 1641. Iohn VVatson Iohn Sterne The Examination of John Right late of Newtown alias Castle-câ—ol in the County of Fermanagh Butcher THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Rory Magwire shewed to him and others whom he then robbed a Parchment or paper with a great Seal affixed which he affirmed to be a Warrant from the Kings Majesty for what he did And he further deposeth That when he and his neighbours then robbed complained of their miserable condition being robbed and stripped the said Rory replyed That if they were not content with what was done they should see worse within a few dayes Iohn Right Jurat Jan. 5. 1641. coram nobis Randall Adams Iohn Sterne The Examination of George French of Karbery in the County of Kildare THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That he demanded of the Rebells why they dealt so with VVilliam Coleman to whom Luke Brumingham answered That they had a Commission from His Majesty for what they did and Gerald Fitz Gerald of Carbery aforesaid read the Commission that was a supposed Commission from His Majesty to take away all English mens goods Geo. French his mark Jur. 1 Feb. 1641. cor. John Sterne Randall Adams The Examination of Jane Mansfeild lately of the Parish of Castle-Jordan VVidow THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That she coming towards Dublin in her
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