Deposition of Robert Howell

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Robert Howe{ll} late of { } within the Countie of Kilkenny merchant (a brittish protestant) due{ly} examined and sworne before vs by vertue of his Maiesties Comission vnder the broade seale of this kingdome (beareing date &c) concerning the losses robberies and spoiles since this rebellion comitted vpon the brittish and protestants within the Province of Munster &c deposeth and saith That in or aboute the last of November 1641 and diuers times since this examinant last was robbed and forceably dispoiled of his goods and Chattles to the seuerall values followeing vizt
Of [ ] horses and one hogg to the value of four seventeene pounds. Of houshould stuff weareing apparell & cloath to the value of one hundred Two seven and Twenty pounds Of Implements belonging to Ironwoorkes, and nyne tunns of Iron pots kettles morters Iron plates, Iron weightes & furnace tooles to the value of Two hundred and Ten pounds. Of hay bales & houshould provision to the value of fiue pounds. Of debts amounting to the sume of Two thousand foure hundred fiftie two pounds nyne shillinges due from diuers persons in the seuerall Countries of England Germany ffrance and Ireland. And allthough he accounted the same to be goode debts before the begining of this rebellion, yeet in regard this examinants bills bonds and bookes of account were forceably taken away from him therefore the deponent is not likely to gett any satisfaction from the said debts. The totall of his losses amounts to Two Thousand eight hundred Twenty and foure pounds fif. This examinant being further examined deposeth. That about the time aboue mencioned & aboute 7 or 8 of the clocke in the morneing of the same day Capteine Thomas Butler & John Brenan accompanyed with fiue or six hundred men entred the said Towne of Castle Comer and violently assaulting the same robbed this deponent of aboue fortie pounds woorth of his said goodes & then & there likewis pilladged and rifled thes said Towne. He alsoe saith That on or about the first of december 1641 Barnaby Dempsie of Knocke in the Queenes County Esquire with like force and armes trayterously came into

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{the Towne of} {Ballin } {in the} said Countie in the night time and haueing robbed and pilladged diuers houses in the same he then and there forceably tooke and carryed away woorth Two hundred pounds of this examinants goods aboue mencioned, He likewise declareth That vpon the 17th of december aforesaid or therabouts this examinant (haueing fled to Kilkenny where he Imagined to be salfe) was robbed of his goods there woorth one hundred Twenty seven pounds <B> by the meanes or hands of the lord Mountgaret, the lord of vpper ossery and Phillipp Purcell (son in lawe to the said Mountgarrett & others) & then this deponents bills & bonds aboue mencioned were forceably seized vpon by the said parties & their followers. Aboute the 24th day of december aforesaid this examinant after he and diuers other English and protestants to the number of seven score persons men women & children or therabouts were stripped by the said Mountgarretts followers and forces, the said Mountgarrett gaue directions to Edward Butler (one of his sons) & that by much entreaty of the Countesse of Ormond to yConvey the said stripped parties to Waterford for which he was to haue fiue and Twenty pounds for his paines for himself and his company, but the said Butler in a perfidious maner & notwithstanding his said contract and after receaueing the said mony conveyed them noe further then hard by a place called Knocklogher and that ten miles from Waterford aforesaid, and ther left them exposed to be pilladged and stripped the second time by the Contry people, & then & there this examinant obserued that diuers children were left by their parents in the high way that to this day it is not knowen what is becomes of them haueing neither horses nor cariadges from for them. Hee alsoe declareth that being soe diserted and forsaken by the said Butler, the said stripped people being in number seven score

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persons or therabouts as it is {always} { }, were constrained (for feare of being set vpon or assaulted by the Country) to giue nyne & Twenty pounds to one Collonell Butler of Knocklogher aforesaid to Convey them salfe to Waterford aforesaid which s ume the said Butler violently took from them being all the meanes (as this examinant verily beleeueth) which all that company had to releeue them, out of which the said Butler restored backe vnto them againe the matter of eleven or Twelue shillinges & further he deposeth not.
Robert Howell
Jurat coram nobis
8o Aprilis 1643
Phil: Bisse
Jam: Wallis

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Kilkenny
Robert Howells deposition
C
A Copie onely