Examination of Mathew Gardner

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And further saith that the said m r Walker and his man Darsy Wood was kild at Logh Bruly neere vpon twainty <g> Mills from Rosserke, and he heard that the said Pickmen did not resist in the Least those who Comitted the Murd{er} and they they returned to mr Bourkes Towne againe And further saith not onely that himsealfe was left for ded By one Robert Barett out of Reueng for deliuering vp the steeple to mr Bourke
Math: Gardner

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Examination of Mathew Gardner tutching Murders comitted in the Begineing of the rebellion in Conaght vpon Mr Tho: Walker and his man Darsy Wood
Saith that his father John Gardner liueing in Rosserke Abey. & vnderstanding that the Irish did entend to rebell fortfyed the steeple of the said Abey. into which steeple afterwards he the said John & his children with his seruants (who were Prodestants, was forched to betake themselues to in regard Teig reagh o Dowd, and Patr: Dowd and Donnicke <A> Barett with seuerall of their depenances forced into his dwelling house, in the night Plundered the same, vnto but what [ ]ly Patr: Dowd saued something, for his sister being Maryed to this examinant Brother
Saith saith that Mr Thomas Walker a minister and his man Darsey Wood, being striped and robed of all their clothes came into to to the steeple where they weare receaued of the said Gardner and his children, whoe & gaue to them clothes to couer their nakedness
That within one weeke or two after the Begineing of the Rebellion Pierce Barett of Baliskelly came to the said Gardner spoke to him being into the said steeple, bemoneing the said Gardners Condition he being a good neibour and an honest man in the Contry Wherevpon the said Pierce desired Mr Gardner to suffer him to inter [ ] into the house and Posession of Rosserke, and that he would keepe all others from intering into the said house, for he knew a gret many had an Aime to take possion, of the said Rosserke Wherevpon the said Pierce had night the examinant fathers consent to enter into possession. and he put in one Sauerly mcDonell
<B> that the next day [ ] about the same time daragh oge McDonell with 60 men fased the said steeple demanding it and the goods in it for him sealfe & vpon which this examinant shott at him and his men which shot wounding one of his men, they all ran away, and came to the sheege of Belecke at this examinant could perceaue by their March
That about the same time the same day Theo Bourke McEleaens came with his Company being 80 men came out of Tirera and faced the same steeple <C> and wrote a letter to this examinant father to deliuer to delue him the steeple or he would see his hed cut of cu t of his [ ] & his head the which words this examinant seeing seeing in his letter Made a shott at a cluster of his men (who were with their pikes schearching tanpitts belongeing to the said th is Gardner, and broke on of their hands (as was tould afterwards) And they all ran away
that this examinant his Brothers Rich Gardner & Archibald McSeauly a minister d who was there from the first mr Walker and his forsaid Man and Margrett Gardner stepmother to this examinant and Idith Gardner wife to the said Rich: Gardner did resolue to contenew in the said steeple vntill releefe came out of England, or prouision ended, for they heard that the Irish comitted basse murders against the Prode [ ] stants in seuerall parts of Conaght

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saith after they conteneued in the said steeple 3 quarters of a yeare they vnderstood that the Contry intended to hinder them of the litle Liberty they had of Bringing in turfe and water, entended to make the best of the tyme and this examinant on the saboth went downe the lader whereby they went in and out <D> of the steeple, for hee thought that they weare all abroad at Mass and a seruant man, whome this examinant thought to procure with to bring h{im} a douzen lods of turfe, And as soone as this examinant came downe { } was surprised by 12 men belongeing to one Robertt Barett Brother to the forsaid Pierce, And in regard that they made hast to bring him into an other roome, he Ran from their and went into the steeple where he Parlyed with them and demanded of them, the reason they had to take him they Answered that they weare Blamed by their Bishop for Admitting such a nest of Prodesta{nts} in that Place and that they would not parte except vntill they had us out: And their they would stayed and suffer u s the m Breing noe more in to vs but wat they had already
That Edmond Bourke McEliner as vnderstanding that this examinant escaped from them Baretts sent a letter Priuatly vnto us expres{sing} his gladnes in that I he escaped them Trascerous followes hands <E> confirmeing that if I he had not soe esckaped that they would kill him, and that there was noe trust to be Imposed in them And if they weare pleased to consent to hime he would come and turne them out of Possession, and he would performe to them Better condition then euer they did, in suffering the Turffe and water with all other nessesaries to come into them and that when they had a Mind to leaue the steeple he would convay them to the Boyll or else where salfe [ ] The which letter this examinant the two Ministers, and the rest peruseing with one consent, returned an Answer that when the said Edmond would be pleased to come they would asist him to trune the Baretts out of posession, and acept of what he offered in his letter. And they weare moued the More thervnto in that they heard the said Edmond Convayed Sir Robert Hana salfe out of the Contry
That in hopes of the said Edm: comeing this examinant with the rest Batter{ed} with stones the slates of the house whearein the said Barett were in and declared absolutly against them asuringed them that they should not enioy possession any Longer, and soe contenued <f> for 5 or 6 weekes dureing and the said Edm: came not as he promised dureing which tyme this examinant and his Brother Richard Receaued from the Baretts som two dangearus shots And afterwards this examinant {and} the rest seeinge that Edm: Bourk did not come thought it fitt to make ther Pease with the Baretts soe that they Bar and the Baretts had a Parly for 3 or 4 day.

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That Edm: Bourke sent a second letter expressing that he did wonder that haueing mad a promis to him, that we should offer to hyeald to the Baretts. they returned Answer that if he came not they could not otherwise preuent it; and after the letter was sent Oliuer og <H> Bourke son to the said Edm: with two Irish men in his Company caled to this examinant behind the steeple and did demanded whether we intended that or desired that his father should com of the whether they wanted anything or noe, this examinant repleyed they wanted heallp to turne them Baretts out, he asked whoe was in the house Answered but one ar two for the rest weare gon to Baliskelly to Muster (they Belonging to Hen: Baretts of the same Balliskelly) vpon he wished that he were in the house, This examinant tould if he went to the dore that he would let him in and this examinant did soe and Gided the said Oliuer into the house The man left by the Baretts to keepe the house seeing that, sent a litle Gearle at a Bake window to Baliskelly which was but one Mill of to giue notise to the said Baretts, and this examinant Aduertised mr Bourke to send to his father wh And he sent on of the 2: Imediately away.
That Hen: Barett and his Company Came from Baliskelly; & when they saw no posibilitie of Getinge the house in the night with straw set on fire vpon top of pikes they sett the parte of the house which were tached on fir soe that this examinant was compelled with the rest to retire vp into the steeple And By reason he was loth to leaue mr Oliuer as to the mercy of the Baretts Admitted him and his Man to come also into the steeple.
That about ten of the clocke Edmund next day Edmond Bourke with sixscare men Marced with flyeing Coolers towards Rosserke, where the Baretts with an other Company weare to opose him some of them in the house & the rest one tope of Ohill by the Towne
That the same day Edmund Bourke and the said Baretts did concur and agree that we must they in the steeple Must be sent away. and that the diference of haueing the Towne should be refered to the Bishop &c.
That Mr Edmond Bourke vpon the same come vpp the lader into the steeple and tould them the said that they were to <I> part the steeple and that he would send a salfe conduc{t} with them to the Boyle wherevpon Mr Walker and his man and the women would venter first, & if they went salfe the rest would follow. and mr Bourke sent the said four over the water towards the Boyle , and next day in the euening this examinant heard that these men weare killed and that mr Bourke sent with them but six Pickmen and Rich Bourke the fryer & the women came naked to Mr Charles Doweds house, and related as this examinant herd that the Pickmen tooke a gould Ringe and some clothes of, the women for saueing theire liues
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The examinacion of Mathew Gardener Ensigne
Mr Walker

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