Examination of John Holland

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The Examjnacion of P John Holland Serjeant to the ffoote=Company lately comanded by the Lord Esmond taken before Sir ffrauncis willoughby and Sir Robert fforth Knights and of his Maiesties honorable Priuy Councell in Ireland and vppon oath (for soe much as concernes others and not himselfe) ministred by the Clke of the Councell by dirrecion of the right honorable the Lo: Lievtenant and Councell
14 Aprilis 1645
<g> The said John Holland beeing duely sworne and examjned as aforesaid, saith that a little before the time that Serjeant Major Capron departed last from the fforte of Duncanon, there beeing a Parliament shipp at the Porte of Duncanon, Lievtenant Larkan deceased (who was Lievtenant to the Lord Esmonds ffoote=Company) went from the said fforte of Duncanon to the said shipp and at his returne from the shipp to the fforte hee brought with him a writeing which the examinant heard called a Couenant, Hee saith that all the officers and <h> soldiers in the said fforte (except the Lord Esmond, Major Capron, Ensigne St Lawrence, Lawrence Esmond and Mr Vnderwood) did signe the said Couenant Hee saith that hee knoweth of noe oath taken by the Lord Esmond or any the officers or soldiers in the said fforte for obseruacion of the said Couenant other then the said subscription, Hee saith that shortly after Larkan came from the said shipp there came to the said fforte as sent from the said shipp a small quantitie of pease and oatemeale, Hee saith that hee conceiueth that <i> the said Larkans goeing to the Parliament shipp and bringing the said Couenant from thence was without the Lord Esmonds dirreccion or allowance for hee saith that the greater number by some much of those that were in the said fforte did side with the said Larkan and were not ruled by the Lo: Esmond Hee saith that when the fforte was rendred to the enemy there was therein great store of oates and pease and beanes and holland=cheeses and some of the

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the Corne was spoyled by a fire=ball that was throwne into the fforte by the beseigers, but they wanted in the fforte, beere, bread, ffresh=water and men, theire number <k> of fighting men not beeing aboue seauenscore, of whom diuers were sicke and there were of the said seauenscore about thirtie eight seamen sent from the Parliament shipps whose boates were suncke by a storme, soe as they could not gett backe from the fforte Hee saith that the officers and soldiers made choise of Mr Vnderwood and Lievtenant Richard Esmond to parly with the enemy for quarter vppon surrendring the fforte who accordingly were sent forth to parly but the <l> said Vnderwood returneing and bringing the propositions with him, Lievtenant Anthony Poulton was sent out as a pledge in Mr Vnderwoods roome who continued in the enemies campe vntill the articles were agreed on in the fforte by the Lord Esmond and the officers and soldiers there, and one Dongan and Darsie two Captens of the enemyes, Hee saith that Capten Smith Capten in the Swallowe and Viceadmirall to the Parliament shipps sent a lettre to the fforte directed to the Lord Esmond adviseing him to agree with his adversary <m> while hee was in the way for that hee was not able to send him any ayde or assistance nor was hee able to fetch off any of the men or ordinance though the ordinance were of beaten gold but if hee the said Lord Esmond had any truncke or chest of any consequence hee would send his boate for it and bee his faithfull seruant to keepe it for him, which he this examjnant heard reade in parte and as hee conceiues occasioned a great diuision among the soldiers and much disheartned <n> them, Hee saith that as hee heard from some of the enemy since the rendring of the fforte, some of those which were false within the fforte did tye lettres to bulletts and threw them into the enemies trenches soe to giue them intelligence of the state of the fforte, Hee saith that the remainder of the men (other then those

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those that staide with the enemy) did departe from the fforte whereof about fortie two men came hirther with diuers widdoes and children and the rest went for Bristoll as they said, Hee saith there were in the <o> fforte at the rendring thereof eighteene peeces of Ordinance and fowre murdering peeces, six barrells of powder, seauen cartridges for ordinance and good store of spades shouells and picke axes and other vtensills, Hee saith that the Lord Esmond staide in the fforte vntill the Munday after the condicions of rendring made, and on Munday hee departed thence to Adamstowne within eight miles of the fforte and there the Lord Esmond dyed, the wednesday following <p> Hee knoweth not what Gouernor the enemy appointed to take charge of the fforte, but hee saith that there went into the fforte fiue or six colours of the enemy and about the number of fiue hundred men, and that one of those colours were Collonell Prestons owne Colours which were then immediatly placed on the topp of the fforte Hee saith that Robert Blundell, Richard Harris and William Bacon drumer were the first that moued for a parly for rendring vpp the fforte and were therein seconded by many of the soldiers in the fforte which Blundell, Harris and Bacon were of those that staide in the fforte with the enemy when they became possessed thereof,
John Holland
Fr Willoughby Robert fforte

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14 Aprilis 1645
The Examjnacion of John
Holland