Examination of Garratt Aylmer
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The Examination of Garratt Aylmer of Balrath Esquire taken the xxiiiith day of March 1641; before mee Chancelour of his Maiesties Court of Exchequer one of his Maiesties Justices of the Peace for the Countie of Dublin By direction of the right honnorable the Lordes Justices & Councell.
Who beeing sworne & Examined & sworne vnto soe much of the Examination as concerneth others and saith, that vpon the begining of the Seidge of Drog heda, as hee this Examinant vnderstood, hee himselfe beeing att that tyme in this Cyttie of Dublin, all the Lordes & many of the Gentrie of the Countie of Meath, with some of the cheife of the Northeren Rebells, mett att the hill of Croftie neare vnto Drogheda, where the said Lordes & Gentrie entered into agreements with the said Northeren Rebells as this Examinant was informed: And where (as the Examinant heard) Luke Netterfeild was present & appeared to bee very forward in the buisenes; Soone after the said Lordes & Gentrie, namely the Earle of ffingall, the Lord of Gormanstowne, the Lord of Trimblestowne, the Lord of Dunsany, the Lord Netterfeild, the Lord of Slaine, Sir Richard Barnewal{l} Barronet, Sir William Hill, Paterick Barnewall of Kilbrew, Nicholas Pluncket the Lawyer, Richard Birford
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<x> the Lawyer, Wesley of the Dingan, Linch of the Knock, Lynnam of Adamstowne, Darcie of Platin, & Bath of Athcarne, Sir Thomas Nugent Barronet, & this Examinant himselfe, Dowdall of Monckestowne, Dowdall of Brownestowne, Malone of Lismullin, & in truth all <xx> or most of the Gentrie of the said Countie, appeared att the hill of Tarragh said place beeing summoned by the Sheriffe, by vertue of a direction given in that behalfe, by the Lord of Gormanstowne, as this Examinant remembers And the ffirst worke of that meeteing was, to giue an answeare to a Proclamation, touching the said Lords comeing vnto Dublin to conferr with the State, which answeare was brought vnto the said meeteing readie drawne by the Lord of Gormanstowne, & soe was agreed on with very litle alteration. The next worke of that day as this Examinant remembers, was to provide victualls for the Northeren Rebells, that soe the spoyle of the said Countie might bee prevented. The third thing was to nominate a Gouernour (who was the Lord of Gormanstowne) & Councell to advise with him concerning the good & defence of the said Countie: the names of the said Councell were Sir Richard Barnwall, Sir Luke ffitz Garrald, Barnwall of Kilbrew, Wesley of the Dingan, Darcie of Plattin, James Bath of Athcarne, James ffleming of Stahullmock vncle vnto the Lord of Slaine, Sir William Hill, Sir Thomas Nugent, (who was then present) Edward
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<xx> Dowdall of Monckestowne, in summe two or three out of euery Barrony, & all the Lordes or any three of them, who by appointment were to meete att the said Hill of Tarragh, euery wensday weekely at which tyme And alsoe saith that the said Nicholas Plunckett, Richard Birford, & this Examinant, were appointed to bee assisting to them The next meeteing said Councell in matters of Law if anie did arise. Att The next meeteing (att which tyme this Examinant was absent) the worke (as this Examinant vnderstood) was to appoint Captaines out of euery Barronie, & by agreement, the Lord of ffingall, the Lord of Gormanstown, the Lord of Trimblestowne, the Lord of Dunsanie, and the Lord of Slane, had euery of them a Barrony assigned, and power giuen them to nominate soe many Captaines, as they thought fitt out of the Barronies respectiuely assigned vnto them. And accordinglie the Lord of Gormanston appointed, out of the Barronie of Duleeke where hee this Examinant dwelt, ffoure Captaines, namelie, James Bath of Athcarne, Caddle of Harbertstownes eldest sonne, Christopher Darcy third Sonne vnto Darcy of Plattin, & James Aylmer of <x> Dullerstowne; The Earle of ffingall likewise appointed for Captaines out of the Barronie of Skreene, a Brother of his owne, Patrick Cusack of Garratstowne, & Lawrence Dowdall of Athlumney. And the like power was given vnto Sir Richard Barnewall, & & Paterick Barnewall for the appointment{e} of the Captaines in the Barronies of
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Rathtoth & Dunboyne, The same power was alsoe given as hee conceiues vnto Hugh Hussey, Sonne & heire apparent vnto Hussey Baron of Galtrim, & Hussey of Multrussie, for the nominateing of Captaines in the Baronie of Dease. The like power was given vnto Sir Luke ffitzGerrald, & Wesley of the Dingan, in the Barronie eyther of Lune or Moyfenrogh. The rest hee doth not remember The next worke was, for the raiseing of Companies for the said Captaines, & for that purpose euery Plough Land in the whole Countie, Barrony of Skreene as hee vnderstood was to sett forth eight men, which to this Examinants knowledge, (But not by him this Examinant) was accordinglie performed in the said barrony of Skeene. And the proportion of victuall allotted for the maintenance of the Souldiers, was, a Beefe, & halfe a Barrell of Corne every day, for euery hundred throghout the Countie. And in like sort for the Northeren Rebells In the Barrony of Duleeke, the Collectors were, Bartholomew Moore of Downanstowne, and Caddle of Harbertstowne,who was likewise Marshall, and claymed one Beefe in euerie score for his ffees. And the manner of the Collecting of the said Provision was by warrant from the Lord of Gormanstowne, vnto the Sheriffe of the Countie. And the Sheriffes warrant therevpon issued vnto the Collectors, & the Provisions soe by them given vnto the said Marshall were by him to bee conveyed vnto the Armie. Att annother meeteing about a month since att the said Hill of Tarragh where hee this Examinant (by apointment of the Sheriffe was) & where the Lordes
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of ffingall, & Gormanstowne were present with Sir Luke ffitz Garratt as h e e remembers Itt was propounded by the said Earle of ffingall, that horse should bee raised throughout the whole Countie, & to this purpose, Paterick Barnwall of Kilbrew, & Wesley of the Dingan, with one out of euery Barronie in the Countie were appointed for the makeing vpp of of a List of horse. And out of the Barronie of Dulee{ke}, hee this Examinant was to furnish one, Darcie of Plattin two, & Bath of Athcarne two, & soe respectiuelie as euery one was esteemed able, & soone after att Tarragh <x> the Lord of ffingall caused a Proclamation to bee made that vpon paine of Death euery man throughout the said Countie named in the aforementioned list should bee readie with theire horses att a certaine day, att which daie the parties faileing soe to come. His lordship then issued a warrant vnder his hand requireing them to meete againe (vpon paine of Death) att Tarragh the Satturday following. And accordinglie hee this Examinant sent a horseman & horse to waite on his Lordship for the defence of the Countrie which said horse & horseman were absent from this Examinant about a ffortnight, & were by his Lordship appointed to bee vnder the command of one Captaine fflemmyng, Sonne vnto Thomas fflemmyng of Cabrough in the Countie of Cavan, as this Examinant vnderstood. And beeing demanded whether hee was present att any meeteing had, betweene the Lordes & Gentrie of the Pale and the Northeren Rebells, answeared, that att the tyme when
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the shipping went first into the harbour of Drogheda for the releife of that Towne. There beeing a Gennerall cry about the Countrie & the Beacons Lighted, hee went towardes the Hill of Croftie & there hee saw Sir Phelim ô Neale, Phillip ô Relie, Myles Relie, & others, cheife of the said Northeren Rebells, in consultation on horseback with the Lord of Gormanston Lord of Slaine Lord of Lowth, & sundrie of the Gentrie wherevpon he this Examinant returned home to his house And the Lord of Gormanstowne the Lord of Slaine with Sir Phelim ô Neale went vnto Slaine, And that [ next ] night da y after hee this Examinant heareing of much shooting about Drogheda, hee went in the morning vnto Plattin & there hee vnderstood that there was a bre a ch made vpon the wall of Drogheda & that some of the Irish Army were entered in & beaten back wherevpon hee this examinant returned back to his owne ho u se < and the Lord of ffingall came to this Examinants house that night with two of his brothers & very neare 20 horse who procured this examinant to goe with waite vpon him to Plattin the next morning {t}here to learne further newes > <where he> saw the Lord of Slaine, the Lord of Gormanston, the Lord Netterfeild, the Earle of ffingall & Wesley of the Dingan, Bath of Athcarne, Darcie of Plattin, & sundry others of the Gentrie of the Countrie, together And with Sir Phelim ô Neale, Phillipp Reley, Miles Relie Coll McBrian, and seuerall others of the Irish Rebells Att which tyme itt was agreed on by the sayd lords all the G entlemen, and alsoe by the Irish that Sir Phelim ô Neale, should bee Gennerall Gouernor of the fforces about Drogheda. And about a weeke after that, there issued a summons from the Sheriffe Nicholas Dowdall, that all the persons within the Barrony of Duleeke, betweene the age of sixteene & threescore, should meete att Dublin Duleeke on a certaine day & accordinglie hee this Examinant was present att the tyme tyme & place appointed. But there beeing noe full number they were dismissed by the Lord of Gormanstowne for that tyme. And since (by annother summons from the {said}
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45Sheriffe) Lo: of Gormanstowne vppon payne of deathe all the Inhabitants of the said Countie were required to bring eight, out of euerie Ploughland, of theire ablest men with theire best furniture vntillo the Hill of Ardchaffe; whether hee this Examinant went alsoe, & there found the Lord of Gormanstowne, the Lord Netterfeild & James Bath of Athcarne but few brought any men along with them, save Patrick Barnewall of Kilbrew, who brought (within a myle of the said place) neare vpon a hundred persons, & Cusack of Garrattston about a dozen. And therevpon they were dismissed. And this Examinant beeing demaunded on what pretence the said Lords & Gentrie haue taken vpp Armes, saith, that hee heard (by report) that the pretences were, for libertie of theire Religion, for maintaining of the kings prerogatiue, & ffreedome of the subiects, are as they of England are. And beeing further demaunded whether hee saw Talbott the Preist att any of the meeteings, or knew whether the said Talbott was sent for Armes into fforraigne partes, saith, that hee saw the said Talbott the Preist, att the first meetinge of Tarragh. But knowes nothing of his sending for Armes, Yet saith, that hee vnderstood that Patrick Barnwall of Kilbrew, was sent vnto Wexford for Armes, which were reported to bee there Landed. And lastlie saith that att his comeing from this Cyttie (vpon the begining of the Seidge of Drogheda) hee found in his house the Lord of Lowth, Collonell
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Birne, Collonell Moore, & Edmund Relie, with about the number of threescore armed men in their company. And att annother tyme there came vnto his house the said Collonell Moore, Collonell Birne, & Collonell Phillip Relie with att least fortie Musketteires to attend to them. And att annother tyme Collonell Moore came vnto his this Examinants house with sundrie about thirty Musketteires wayteing on him, dureing which tyme the Irish Camp lay within two Myle of his this Examinants house & were euery day robbing & takeing awaie the ir e his owne & neighbours Goodes & were Maisters of theire houses And this Examinant further saith that the reasons of his repaireing to the said meeteings were for that hee was threatned by the said Lordes to haue his house burnt and head cutt of if hee failed to attend the said Lords att the meeteings aforesaid And saith that such of his Neighbours that were English as were robbed & spoiled of theire Goodes as namely Mr Finch Church of Duleek and one Mr Gavan were soe robbed and spoiled by some of the inhabitants of the Countie of Meath And this Examinant further saith that hee credibly heard the Lord of Gormanston and certaine other of the said Lords wrote letters into Munster vnto the Lord Mountgarret & others there & likewise to some in Connoght to procure theire assistance in ioyneing with them
Rob Meredith