Examination of Richard Greene

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The Examination of Richard Greene taken before mee the 5th of January 1641 by directions from the right honnorable the Lords Justices & Councell
<M> Whoe beeing sworne & Examined saith that his this Examinants house beeing neare vnto the ffort of Duncannon the same was about the midle of November last assaulted and robd by certaine of the Rebbells And that whilest the said Rebells were plundring of this Examinants house, certaine of the Souldiers garrisoned in the said ffort came vpon them, & there killed one of the said Rebbells <N> hurt one other & tooke three Prisoners whom they carryed vnto the said ffort But within three or foure dayes after vpon the Letter of one Dermot mc Dowling the Grand Rebell of those parts vnto the Lord Esmond Governour of the said ffort the said three Prisoners were released, The Examinant further <O> saith that hee beeing present in the said ffort for about two monthes hee heard the Souldiers often complaine that the said Governour admitted the Rebbells into the said ffort with theire Armes & on the Contrarie alwaies enforced the English & good Souldiers Subiects to vnarme themselves before they had admittance into the said ffort And this Examinant

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<P> alsoe saith that two Masse Preistes had accesse vnto the Governour into the said ffort And likewise that one John Esmond Leivtenant of the said ffort going to fetch in necessarie fireing for the releife of the said ffort hee the said Lievtenant was assaulted by one James Brian a Burgesse of the Parliament (But then a cheife Rebell) & certaine others who had way laid him the said Lievtenant & the kings Souldiers attending on him the said Lieuvtenant, & who killed in the said assault the said Brian & three others of the cheife & tooke one Prisoner who they carried vnto the ffort And within few dayes after there comeing one of <Q> the said Rebbells vnto the said Governour to labou{r} the release of the said Prisoner, one Mr Archdal{e} a Minister beeing then present, acquainted the Governour that the said partie who soe solicited his Lordship was the verie man that robd him the sai{d} Minister & his house Notwithstanding his Lordship (to the great discontent of the Garrison) released and dismissed aswell the said Prisoner as the partie soe <R> accused by the Minister And that vpon the killing of the said Rebells by the said Garrison the Rebells sen{t} vnto the Governour that hee should deliver into theire handes the said Souldiers And although the same was not accordinglie performed yet [ ] the said Lievtenant & some of the Souldiers had soe small encouragement from theire Governour as they chose rather to quitt theire imployments then remaine there.

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<S> And further this Examinant saith that one William Yeatman a poore Englishman beeing robd & comeing vnto the said ffort for releife, hee there espied the partie who robd him And therevpon acquainted the Governour therewith But the said Governour notwithstanding that the said accusation was acknowledged before him by the partie accused yet continues the Robber for one of the Souldiers hee beeing a meere Irishman And likewise hee this <T> Examinant beeing further demanded what provision of victualls was laid into the said ffort for the keeping of the same Hee answeared that the said ffort is neyther furnished with Bread, Beere, or fire, for to hold out aboue three weekes And yet the Governour might if hee had pleased haue furnished himselfe & the said ffort with plentie of the said particulers <V> without the offence of any. And the Examinant saith that on the xxiith of December last Sir Thomas Esmond base sonne vnto the Lord Esmond was with his Lordship att the said ffort, & thence departed the next day And the day following one of the said Lord Esmonds kinsmen brought his Lordship a Letter from the said Sir Thomas, & had secret Conference with the said Lord & the same partie vpon his departure from his Lordshipp rid into the ffeildes where a fflock of one thousand Sheepe was which belonged vnto Sir Arthur Loftus And after hee had enquired whose the said sheepe were hee rode awaie But within an houre

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<W> after returned armed with certaine of the Rebells and drove awaie seaven hundred of the said Sheepe which grased within Muskett shott of the said ffort, & the Governour then lookeing on And severall of the Garrison beeing desirous to rescue the said fflock & pursue the Rebells The said Gouernour would not permitt them soe to doe though this Examinant earnestlie desired his Lordship to send out the said <X> Souldiers And further hee this Examinant saith that att the same tyme there beeing certaine cattle belonging vnto a Souldier of the Garrison taken awaie by the said Rebells, the wife of the said Souldier followed her goods in hope to gaine them back by entreatie And vpon her returne back vnto the said ffort the next morneing she declared that Sir Thomas Esmond was in companie and ioyned with the said Rebbells and had sent for a hundred men for that <Y> service And this Examinant haueing spent some tyme in the said ffort & beeing on his remoue thence & provided of certaine Barrells of Beefe readie salted and knoweing the wants of the ffort hee made tender of the said Barrells of Beefe and to receiue his Lordshipps ticket for the same but his Lordship refused the said Barrells of Beefe
Rob Meredith

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