Examinacion of John Blaire

fol. 68v

1548

The examinacion of John Blaire of Colerane yeoman taken before vs at Colerane the eight day of March 1652 aforesaid
<43:> Who being duely sworne & examined saith That soone the Murder at Portnaw James McColl McDonnell James McHenry ô Cahan Allester McColl McDonnell Gilduffe ô Cahan Tirlagh oge ô Cahan his son Henry McHenry Patricke ô Hara Donnell Magee & John Mortimer with almost all the Irish Gentry of the Roote as he then conceived & hath since oftentimes <A> heard came with neere three thousand men against Oldstone Castle then under the keepeing of Walter Kennaday & some of the Brittish whereof this Examinante was one That after the said persons & their men approached the said Castle (onely two Shotts being shott against them from the Castle whereof this Examinante shott one) the said Walter Kennaday yeilded vp the Castle vnto the said James McColl mcDonnell & the rest without the privity or consent of the Brittish vpon Quarters for their liues That he see the said James McColl McDonnell John Mortimer and Donnell Magee enter the Castle with maney more whom (after soe long time) he cannott well remember, That the said James McColl & Donnell Magee made this Examinante & others of the Brittish goe into aloft in the backhouse in the Castle bawne

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fol. 69r

1549

Castlebawne & afterwards into a Garratt in the Castle where they were Prisoners eight weekes, That James McColl McDonnells wife (commanded the house all that time) whose name is Mary Burnett, which Mary was about & threatened to hang this <B> Examinante had not James Purcells wife begged him That notwithstanding the said Quarters for life given vpon surrender of the Castle he see about twenty woemen with Children vpon their backs & in there hands knocked downe & murdred vnder the Castlewall by the soldiers who came along with the said Irish Gentlemen they being then neer at hand or lookeing on That about threescore old men woemen & Children who vpon surrender of the said Castle had quarter & license to goe vnto lairne or Carrickfergus were that day or the next day after the said Castle was surrendred murdred by the ô Haras party within a mile & an halfe of the said Castle That this Examinant remained in prison at Oldstone about sixteene weekes dureing which time the said James McColl McDonnell & his said wife with a Guard commanded the Castle That about May 1642 this <C> Examinant with the rest of the Brittish there were sett at liberty vpon a letter from the Earle of Antrim directed vnto the said James McColl That dureing his imprisonment there he did often see Toole McAllester Coll McAllester Donnell Magee Henry McHenry & his brother James McHenry Teige boy ô Hara Gilduffe ô Cahan & Tirlagh oge ô Cahan his son with Irish followers after them resorting vnto the said Castle And further he saith not

Tho: Coote
Rich: Brasier Major

78

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