Examination of Lieutenant Poulton

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The Examinacion of Lievtenant Anthony Poulton taken before Sir ffrancis Willoughby and Sir Robert forth knights and of his Maiesties honorable Privy Councell in Ireland, and vppon oath (for soe much as concernes others and not himselfe) ministred by the Clerke of the Councell by direccion of the right honorable the Lo Lievtenant and Councell
xijo Aprilis 1645
<c> The said Lievtenant Anthony Poulton beeing duely sworne and examjned saith as aforesaid saith that hee hath noe Coppie of the Couenant, nor knoweth k who sent it into the fforte at Duncanon, but conceiueth that Lievtenant Larkan brought it into the fforte from aboard a Paliament shipp then lying in that harbour which Couenant was signed by all the officers and soldiers within the said fforte, (except the Lo: Esmond Major Capron Ensigne St Lawrence Lawrence Esmond and Richard vnderwood Clerke Hee saith that hee knoweth of noe oth taken by the officers or soldiers in the said fforte for obseruacion of the said Couenant other then the signeing of the Couenant as aforesaid, <d> Hee saith hee that when the fforte was rendred vpp there were six or seauen barrells of powder with s{ } Cartridges for ordinance (as the Gunner then tould him) in the said fforte, Hee saith that there were in all in the fforte eighteene peeces of ordinance and foure murdering peeces, and of victuall three hundred Holland Cheeses one hundred and fiftie barrells of pease and a great store of some quantitie of oates and beanes which were spoyled by a fire worke throwne into the <e> fforte and fired the house where they lay Hee saith that there were twentie two men lost in the fforte dureing the seige, Hee saith that when the fforte was rendred vpp there marched out of the said fforte seauenscore men whereof about fortie were seamen, which seamen Lievtenant Larkan sent for from aboard the Parliament shipps, and theire boates beeing sunke by extremity of foule weather were forct to stay in the fforte

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<f> vntill the rendring thereof, Hee saith that Richard vnderwood Chaplaine to the Lord Esmond and Thomas ffleminge Clerke or one of them did vsually morning and euening sing a psalme and reade prayers in the said fforte Hee saith that Capten Smith Capten in his Maiesties shipp the Swallowe and Vice=Admirall of the sent a lettre to the fforte directed to the Lord Esmond adviseing him to agree with his enemy adversary while hee was in the way for that hee was not able to send him any <g> assistance or ayde nor was hee able to ffetch off any of the ordinance or men if his Gunns were of beaten gould but if hee the said Lord Esmond had any truncke of or che s t any value to send, hee would send his boate for it and bee his faithfull seruant to keepe it for him, which he this Examjnant heard reade, and which did much disaminate the soldiers, and hee beleiues the said lettre was intercepted [ ] by Sir Thomas Esmond among other papers belonging the Lord Esmond, Hee saith that Robert Blundell Richard Harris and William Bacon drumer and seuerall others were <h> the first that moued for a parly for rendring vpp the fforte and were seconded by diuers other soldiers in the fforte, which Blundell Harris and Bacon were of those that staid in the fforte with the enemy when they became possessed thereof, 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 <i> forth to parly, but the said Esmond vnderwood returning this and bringing the propositions with him this examjnant was sent out as a pledge in Mr vnderwood 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 oneDongan Capten amongst the enemy and a Preist whose <k> name the examjnant knoweth not, Hee saith hee knoweth not the reason why they Lord Esmond had noe ordinance allowe d him in the Articles all [ ]eed in the articles of agreement other then that hee heard

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heard that the enemy would surrender vpp the fforte and ordinance to the King or whom hee should appoint whensoeuer it should bee demaunded Hee saith that there <L> were was noe releife of men or victualls sent into the fforte from the Parliament shipps before or dueing the time of the seige other then the seamen before menconed, who brought with them some few hoggsheads of beeffe and porcke, and some small quantitie of provisions which were sent in from the a shipp that lay in the harbour when the Couenant was subscribed, And further saith that the holland=cheeses, pease <m> beanes and oates which were in the fforte was sent from aboard a Holland shipp, which hee heard was sent for reliefe of the distressed Protestants in Ireland out of which shipp they were to receaue (as the examjnant heard) one thousand barrells of Rye, one hundred and fiftie barrells of oatemeale, but that they were hindred by the ordinance of the enemy, and soe were left forced from the ffort and went for Munster, And further cannott depose,
Anth. Poulton
Fr Willoughby Robert fforte

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{12 April 1645}
The Examjnacion of Lievtenant
Anthony Poulton