Examination of Walter Bourke
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The Examination of Walter Bourke Butler taken the xiith daie of December 1642 Before mee Sir Robert Meredith knight one of his Maiesties Justices of Peace for the Countie of Dublin
Who beeing sworne & Examined saith that hee this Examinant resideing in the Countie of Maio about Christmas last past saw & obserued the Rebellion to breake forth & encrease in manner following.
The Popish Archbishopp of Tuam one Malaghlin mcKeighlie went in Circuit ouer the said Countie & indeede ouer all the Prouince of Connaght to encite the Inhabitants to take Armes for the remoue of the English & Protestants out of this Kingdome, & to moue them therevnto hee enformed the people that by an Order conceiued in the Parliament of England all the Lordes & Gentrie of this Kingdome were to bee cut of and destroyed att theire next meeteing in Parliament att Dublin And further that there were to bee great divisions in England, & that they the Catholiques of this kingdome had authoritie to proceede heere against the Protestants for theire remoue The said Protestants beeing
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in truth Puritanes & contrarie vnto the kinges power & prerogatiue Wherevpon the Inhabitants of seuerall Counties tooke Armes and rebelliouslie destroyed the English & Protestants dispoileing them of theire Goodes & estates which beeing performed soone after assemblies were made of all the Inhabitants att which meeteinges there certaine were appointed certaine of euerie Countie to bee of the Councell of warr & likewise to bee Captaines casheereing sundrie who had taken vpon them that title and reduceing the number of Souldiers vnto a certainetie vizt in the Countie of Maio where hee this Examinant resided vnto 1500 men which number were to bee maintained by on the said Countie & att theire charge which course continued vntill about June last when by a gennerall agreement there beeing a meeteing to bee held att Kilkenny of seuerall persons to bee chosen & nominated out of euerie Countie in the kingdome, the Countie of Maio sent vnto the said meeteing in theire behalfe John Bourke of Castlelacken Tibbot Bourke of Maghennie & Murrogh ô Dow o fflagherty Att which said meeteing held att Kilkenny as aforesaid Itt was agreed on that euerie Prouince should elect two of the Commons
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out of euerie Countie who together with certaine Lordes & some of the Clergie should bee established & appointed to bee a Prouinciall Councell And accordinglie att a Gennerall meeteing of the Prouince of Connoght held att Ballinrobe about the ffirst of August last there were chosen out of the Countie of Maio to bee of the Prouinciall Councell for of Connaght Anthony Garvey of Clogher & John Bourk of Castle Lackie the Lord of Maio & the Lord of Clanmorris out of the Countie of Gallwaie And out of the Countie of Roscomman Sir Luke Dillon knight ffroghaghroe oge o fflin Out of the Countie of Sligoe, Teige Reagh ô Dowd & Teige oge o Higgin Out of the County of Gallwaie Thomas Bourk of Anballie & Hubert Bourk McDavyeson Anthonie Brabason Out of Leitrim Brian Ballagh ô Rourke & a brother of his which said Councell soe meeteing att Ballinroabe sate there daiely for a week together, & there gaue out orders both for raiseing of men & for the maintaineing of them as alsoe for the setlement of possessions And in particuler gave Order that all the Lord of Costellaghes possessions should bee preserved for him in regard
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that his Lordship was theire Agent in England <a> And this Examinant further saith that the aforementioned Archbishopp of Tuam did in Sept: last publish & make knowne throughout the said Countie of Maio that they should choose for the said Countie two, and out of euerie Borrogh two who should repaire vnto kilkenny to bee there on the 24th of October last past, & accordinglie for the Countie of Maio Sir Theobald Bourke sonne and heire apparent vnto the Lord of Maio & John Bourke of Castleclerken were appointed for the said Countie And out of the Burrogh of Castle barr John Bourk McOlleneras of Loughmaske a fryar & Richard Bourk mcDavy of Parterye, & out of the Countie of Roscomman Sir Luke Dillon & ffroghorie oge ô fflyn But who were appointed for the Burrogh Townes in the said County hee this Examinant knoweth not And this Examinant likewise saith that out of the Countie of Sligo L were chosen Luke Taath a Brother of the Lord Taathes And Patrick Pluncket Out of the Countie of Gallwaie Thomas Bourk of Anballie & Sir Vllick <b> Bourke, And this Examinant further saith that hee came out of the said Countie of
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Maio vnto the said meeteing att Kilkenny in companie with Sir Theobald Bourke & as one of his attendants where hee this Examinant saw & obserued as followeth Namely that the said meeteing was by order there made called a nationall assemblie and not a Parliament in regard they wanted the kings writt, & that of the house of the Lordes Mr Patrick Darcie was the Speaker & for the house of the Commons Mr Nich: Plunckett all sitting in one roome o n f ormes the Lords on the right hand And in the said Assemblie itt was ordered that in Maio next the like Gennerall assemblie which should bee called the National Councell should meete there or att such place as should bee appointed In the meane tyme there were twentie ffoure persons nominated to bee of the supreme Councell, twelue of which were to reside att Kilkenny or other where in certain as should bee thought meete Of which suprem{e} Councell aforesaid were the Lord Mountgarrat the Lord Nettervill the Lord of Gormanston the Lord of Maio Patrick Darcie the Lawyer Nicholas Plunket the Lawyer Richard Bealing Secretarie vnto the said Councell Geoffrie Browne the Lawyer the tituler Archbishopp of Tuam the Bishopp of Clonfert and Sir Luke Dillon And vnder these Prouinciall Councells
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consisting of two out of euerie Countie & vnder them againe a Councell in euerie Countie to bee raised by two out of euerie Barronie, & the standing Councell att Kilkenny to gouerne the affaires of Leinster without any other Provinciall Councell for the Province And this Examinant likewise saith that by the Gennerall assemblie held att Kilkenny as aforesaid itt was concluded that 6000 foot and fiue hundred horse should bee constantlie mainteynd in Leinster besides 2000 foot & 250 horse for a running army which were to bee raised out of the ffoure Provinces & to bee imployed likewise in Leinster And ouer the 6000 foot & 500 horse aforesaid Preston is was to bee Leiutenant Gennerall & ouer the runing Armie, Birne, but not vnder the command of Preston And likewise saith that the Earle of Castlehauen was appointed Gennerall of the said 500 horse, & Sir Robert Talbott Captaine of Prestons Troope, Cullen Leivtennant Gennerall vnder Preston, & ffitzGarrat of Ballysonan Seriant Maior And this Examinant further saith that for the Prouince of Connaght the Earle of Clanrickard was att the aforesaid Gennerall assemblie nominated to bee Gennerall & when in case of his
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refusall the said one John Bourke latelie arriued heere in this kingdome And att the meeteinge of the Provinciall Councell for Connaght which is to bee held on this present daie by agreement at Kilkenny at m r Martines Chamber they are to agree on the numbers of men to bee raised & maintained by the said Prouince, And this Examinant likewise saith that hee heard Richard Martin the Lawyer att a meeteing of all the Agents Clergy & gentry held for Connaght being in Kilkenny deliuer wordes to this effect in his owne chamber being then Lam e of a sore foote vizt that hee would not looke for any good to come of theire proceedeings vnlesse they went readilie about the takeing of the ffort of Gallwaie & effect itt this winter season & in case they did not soe doe hee the said Martin said hee would seeke for peace from his Enemies which was buisenes was afterwardes left vnto the Prouinciall Councell And lastlie this Examinant saith that for the maintenance of the Armie of Leinster there is to bee raised forthwith in that Prouince 30000 li. which summe is to bee brought into the handes of the Lord Mountgarrat and the Lord Netterfeild to bee issued by there direction of the supreme Councell
This Examinant further saith that hee saw James Cusacke Clerke of the defectiue tytles at Kilkenny and very busie and actiue into their howse of Comons and often appointed by the orders which were [ that was ] sett vppon their howse doore a Comittee man to heere seuerall matters and to certifie them thereof and that they did vsually
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sett vpp Bills of the matters that were to bee treated of with mens names vnder it them by the name of a Comittee
The Lord viscount Mayo was by the Provinciall Councell of Conaght held at Ballenrobe in August 1642 appointed Governor of the County of Mayo and had for his better guard & attendance a hundred foote and fifty horse allowed him in pay on that County of Mayo and hee tooke vppon him that Comaund
Rob: Meredith
A A
The Examination of Walter BourkConcerning the begining of the rebellion in Conaght and the [ ] of the Counsel at Kilkenny