Deposition of Robert Maxwell
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Doctor Robert Maxwell Rector of Tinon in the County of Armagh sworne & examined deposeth and saith
And first And as touching the nature of the rebellion deposeth & this deponent further saith That (to begin [ ] higher then the 22th of October 1641) at the coming in of the Scotts to Newcastle he observed Sir Phelemy ô Neale <a> Tirlogh oge ô Neale his brother Roberte Hovenden Esquire deceased and generally all his popish Neighbours, overioyed; and at theire peaceable disbanding as much cast downe and deiected, calling the English base degenerate Cowards. and the Scotts dishonorabl{e} Bragadochioes who came into England not to fight but to scrap vpp wealth marchandizing theire honors for a sume of money But He this deponent did not much heed those distempered speeches as euerywhere riffe in those daies and as proceeding from Bankrup{t} and discontented gentlemen; and the rather because many in Ireland at that time (measuring the Scotts lawes by their own{e)} accompted the Scotts subiection not much better then rebellion (although since by the event theire iudgments are now rectified) Yet he asked what they meant to be thus sadd at good news but ioyfull at evill. They said if the 2 Kingdomes had gone by the eares they hoped the Earle of Strafford (whose goverment had been m{ost} avaritious and tirannicall) would in regard of his forwardnes have perished in the combustion, but this he the deponent thought no{t} worth the informing because what they said, most men thought. <2> ffrom the disbanding of the Scotts vntill the breaking out of the present rebellion he observed frequent and extraordinary meetings of Preists and ffriars almost every where, vnder cou{er} of visitacions, and at the first sermons of ffriars, to the number of two or three thousand in a Company, would vsually meete <3> togeather, ffor a twelve moneth before the rebellion, the forenamed gentlemen and others of the same stampe borrowed what summes of money they possibly could from the brittish, and often without any apparent necessity Neither did it afterwards appeare what they did with the money so borrowed for they would not pay any man a penny And the deponent further saith that In Aprill 1641 there went a report amongst the Irish the deponen{ts} <4> next neighbours that the Earle of Tirone was seene with Sir Phelem{y} ô Neale in the wood of Ballynametash, but vpon examinacion they denyed it, yet since the rebellion they tould the deponent that a
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greate man out of Spaine was at that time with him but they would not name him, and about 3 yeares before that, one Preist mac Casie came from Roome with the popes bull for the parish of Tynon, and being kept out by Sir Phelemy, talked freely of a rebellion plotted and intended by him and others He went to Dublin to informe the lord deputy thereof, by whome being examined he either said nothing to the purpose or was not beleeved, or was taken off by Sir Phelemy And further saith that <5> Sir Phelemy ô Neale a little before the rebellion brought 2 hogsheads <b> of gunpowder from Dublin vnder Cullor of wyne by Patrick ô Daugherty vintner of Kynard. He bought a great part thereof by 10 or 12 pounds in the names of most of the gentlemen in the Country. This he bragged of to the deponent afterwards. And that <7> He likewise tould this deponent when the Lord macGuire and other rebells were taken in Dublin, his man James Warren and ffriar Paul ô Neale were apprehended amongst them, haveing sent them thither a little before to assist and attend the issue of the busines, but said that vpon examinacion at Counsell table they were both dismist, contrary to his expectacion, he said alsoe that some lord or other spake for them.
<B 8> This deponent further saith that he heard Sir Phelemy ô Neale (vpon his first returne from strabane) say that this plott was in his head 5 or 6 yeares before he could bring it to maturity: but said that after it was concluded by the parliament (meaneing the popish partie) he was one of the last men to whome it was communicated; He said likewise, that to bring about his owne ends he had formerly demeaned himselfe as a foole in all great mens Company, but that he hoped by that tyme the greatest of them saw that Sir Phelim ô Neale was no such foole as they <5> tooke him for..And further saith that he <9> This deponent heard Sir Phelemyes brother Tirlogh oge ô Neale say, that this busines (meaneing rebellion) was communicated by the Irish Committee (meaneing the popish Irish) vnto the papists in England who promised their assistance, and that by theire advise some things formerly resolved vpon were altered, saying it was a good Omen, and vndoubted signe of divine approbacion, that the parliament heere should send {over} a Committee, the maior part whereof were papists. He also affirmed that when the protestants of the lower howse in Ireland Withdrew themselves apart vnto Chichester hall, the papists at the same tyme (never dreameing the deponent should live to tell it againe) debated concluded and signed a Combynatory writing of this rebellion under theire hands in the Tolbooth or Tollsille which he said that secession drew on and hastened sooner then it was intended
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And when the deponent answered that the papists in all former parliaments (which either of them had seen) vsually and without excepcion consulted apart as often as they pleased He replied in great Choller But so never <C> did the protestants before. And this deponent further saith that in <10> december 19he 1641 the deponent heard Sir Phelemy in his owne howse, and in the hearing of Mr Joseph Traverse and others say, that if the lords & gentlem{en} (meaning popish) of the other provinces, then not in armes, would not <d> rise but leave him in the lurch for all, he would produce his warrant signed with theire hands and written in theire owne blood that should bring them to the gallows, and that they sate euery day at Counsell board and whispered the lords Justices in the eare, who were as deepe in that busines as himselfe And saith alsoe that on <11> The third day after this rebellion began. Turlogh oge ô Neales wiffe (a most blooddy women and naturall daughter to the late Earle of Antry{m} tould this deponent that all Ireland was in the same case with Vlster, for said shee, My brother the Earle of Antrym hath taken the Castle and Cittie of Dublin, haveing lately removed thither for the same purpose, and not to please the Dutches (as was given out) and my brother Alexande{r} mac donell (according to the general appoyntment) hath taken the town{e} and Castle of Carrickffergus. He the deponent then asked what they meant to doe with those whome they had disarmed and pilladged she said, as long as theire preservacion should be deemed consistent {with} the publique saftie, they should enioy theire lives, when otherwise better theire enemies perish then themselves. which was but very cold <E> Comfort to a ffreshman prisoner And Also saith that <12> Sir Phelemy ô Neale tould this deponent in December last that his st{ore} in money amounted to 80000 li. ster wherwith he said he was able t{o} maynteyne an Army for one yeare though all shifts els fayled {And?} <13> that Captaine Alexander Hovenden tould him that as soone as his broth{er} Sir Phelemy was created Earle of Tyrone and Great O Neale he wrote letters and sent them by ffryars to the pope and Kings of Spain{e} and ffrance but would not discover the Contents And further saith that <14> About the first of March last the said Alexander tould the deponent tha{t} the ffriars of Drogheda by ffather Thomas (brother to the lord of Slan{e)} had the second time invited Sir Phelemy thither, and offred to betray the towne vnto him by makeing or discovering (I the deponent knoweth not whether) a breach in the wall through which he might march six men abreast The deponent saw this ffriar at the same time in Ardmagh, whome Sir Phelemy tooke by the hand and brought to the deponent saying this is th{e} ffriar that said Masse at ffinglasse vpon sasunday morneing, and in th{e} afternoone did beat Sir Charles Coote at Swords. I hope said the ffri{ar} to say Masse in Christchurch Dublin within 8 weekes And furth{er} <15> deposeth that he this deponent asked many both of their Comanders
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and ffriars what cheifly moved them to take vpp armes. They said <M> why, may not wee aswell and better fight for religion which is the substance then the Scotts did for Ceremonies (which are but shaddows) and that my lord of Straffordes goverment was intollerable. The deponent answered that that goverment how insupportable soever was indifferent and lay noe heavier on them then the English deponent on him and the rest of the brittish protestants. They replied that the deponent and the rest of the brittish were no considerable parte of the Kingdome, and that over and aboue all this they were certainely informed, that the parliament of England had a plott to bring them all to Church, or to cutt off all the papists in the Kings dominions, In England by the English protestants (or as <ff> they calld them puritans) In Ireland by the Scotts And further deposeth that he asked (as seeming very carefull of theire safetye) what hope of aide they had and from whence, as alsoe what discreet and able men they had to imploy as agents to theire freinds beyond the sea They said if they held out this next winter they were sure and certaine in the Spring to receave aid from the pope ffrance and Spaine, And that the Clergie of Spaine had already contributed 5000 Armes and powder for a whole yeare, then in readines, They said theire best and only Agents were theire preists and ffriers, but <e> especially the forenamed Paul ô Neale Vpon whose comeing with advise from Spaine they presently opened the warr, And that since the warr began: in the very dead of winter he both went with letters and returned with instruccions from Spaine in one moneth. professing the good cause had suffered much preiudice if he had been hanged in Dublin And this deponent further saith that he demanded why sometimes they pretended a Commission from the king, at other times from the Queene, since all wise men knew that the King would not graunt a Commission against himselfe and the Queene could not <hand> They being Comanders and friers said that it was lawfull for them to pretend what they could in advancement of theire cause, that many of the garrison souldiers now theire prisoners whome they determined to imploy in the warr and to traine others would not serve them in regard of theire oath vnles they were made so to beleeve it That in all warrs rumors and lyes served many tymes to as good purpose as armes And that they would not disclaime any advantage. But they said for the Queene in reguard (as a Catholique, she had enemies enough) already) they would comand theire preists publiquely att Masse to discharge the people from speaking of her as a cause or an abettor of the present troubles And that the deponent alsoe asked Sir Phelemy ô Neale what his demands were without which his Lordship
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and the rest would not lay downe armes. At first he tould this deponent that they required only liberty of Conscience, but afterwards as his power so his demands were multiplied. They must haue noe lord deputy. Greate Officers of State privy Counsellors Judges or Justices of peace but of the Irish nation. Noe standing Army in the Kingdome. All tythes payable by papists to be paid to popish preists. Church lands to be restored to theire bishopps. All plantacions since Primo Jacobi to be disannulled none made hereafter. Noe payments of debts due to the brittish or restitucion of any thing taken in the warr. All fortificacions and Strengthes to be in the hands of the Irish with power to erect and build more if they thought fitt. All strangers (meaneing brittish) to be restrayned from comeing over. All Acts of parliament against popery and papists togeather with poynyngs Act to bee repealed, and the Irish parliament to be made independent, but saith that others tould him that although all theise demands were graunted yet Sir Phelemy for his owne part was not resolved to lay downe Armes vnles his Maiestie would confirme vnto him the Earledome of Tirone with all the antient patrymonie and priviledges belonging to the o Neales <f> And further saith that in March 1641 Alexander Hovenden (by Sir Phelemies direccions) sent from the Campe before Drogheda A Prophesie said to be found in the Abby of Kells importing tha{t} Tyrone (or Sir Phelemy) (after the Conquest & Settlement of Ireland) should fight 5 sett battaylls in England In the last whereof he should be killed vpon Dunsmore heath but not before he had driven king Charles with his whole posteritie out of England who shou{ld} bee thereafter. Profugi in terra aliena in æternum (The paper itselfe with the deponents whole library to the value of 7 or 800 li. was lately <[C]> burnte by the Scotts vnder the Conduct of the lord Viscount Moun{t}gomery). Since that prophesie the deponent saith he hath often see{n} Captaine Tirlogh mcBrian ô Neale (a great man in the County of Ardmagh) with many others no meane Comanders drinke healthes vpon the knee to Sir Phelemy ô Neale lord generall of the Catholique Army in Vlster Earle and of Tyrone and King of Ireland, but and the deponent professeth in verbo Christiam he did never pledg{e} that health although sometymes he shifted it with hazard of <N> his life if he had been observed And this deponent further saith that Art Oge ô Neile his eldest sonn (whose name if it be not Art he hath forgotten now) and of a long tyme a Captaine and one of th{e} stoutest rebells in the Countie of Ardmagh was (as he tould the deponent) in Dublin at Schoole, and dieted at an Aldermans howse
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(whose name he also doth not remember) in the begining of the rebellion and that being found in Dublin the Alderman aforesaid became bound at Counsell board in one thousand pound for his forth comeing, but afterward seing how busines sorted he came vnto this young man and said boy gett you gone and shifte for your self. Alas sai{d} he Sir you are bound for me in 1000 li. No matter boy said he I must {lo?}ose that and many thousands more wherevpon he saith he fledd vpon foote and escaped to the Army about Drogheda that same night And further saith that in May 1642 Captaine walter white tould to Edward <g> Bleeke (an English man) and the deponent in Mrs Hovendens garden that amongst others Roger Moore or More and Brian O Neale were designd to take and mann the posterne doore of the Castle of Dublin and that he was in Dublin and himselfe of the plott that tould them this of his owne knowledge. It may be enquired, if there were any more Brian ô Neales in towne at that time then one. The deponent durst not aske what Brian he meant. And further saith that Turlogh oge ô Neale tould him in Ardmagh three or foure daies before the Irish Army went to Strabane that the lady of Strabane had by letters invited Sir Phelemy thither, assuring him that the towne should be betrayed vnto him or yeelded (he knoweth not whither) And Sir Phelemy himselfe at his returne from taking Strabane, tould him the same over againe, yet he said to avoyd when he came to the Castle, to avoyd suspition they shott 10 or 12 shotts over him He tould the deponent likewise that nothing withstood his present marriage with the said lady, but the want of a dispensacion (impetrable from theire lord Primate) for a vow which she made, not to marry for 3 yeares to come. He said also, that at his entrance into the Castle, the ladies entrance preist (a scotch Jesuite) excuted and ministred an oath vnto him that he and those his noble Cavaliers came thither for the propagacion of the Catholique faith, and not in any way to violate the lady. Since it is reported very credibly that they are married. Captaine Alexander Hovenden tould the deponent that when Sir Phelemy brought her to Kynard from her owne Castle of Strabane she did pray him to burne and raze it, least thereafter it might be vsefull to the Scotts and was of opynion Sir Phelemy did very ill in neglecting so good advise The deponent and the rest of the Brittish expected much favour by her meanes but imediatly after her comeing to theise partes the sword was lett fly amongst them a fresh whither at her intrety or not the deponent cannot affirme More the deponent hath heard but because it is not treason, and she is <a lady> nobly descended lady he forbeares the will not publish it. And further the deponent <hand> saith that in March last a footman of the Earle of Antryms was
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<h> denyed lodging (as was reported) by Mrs Hovenden Sir Phelemies mother which gave much occasion of discourse in that Country And that he heard doctor dally say, that Sir Phelemy would never have vndertaken the province of Vlster, if he had not been perswaded that the said Earle would have taken vpp armes as soone as himselfe, and he himselfe hath heard others say that his approbacion of the busines was as much as theires, but that when it came to action he durst not shew his face in the feild for feare of discomposing his cloaths, and that Hugh Owen mc Clymon at his parting from the Earle in March last (as himselfe reported to divers in the Country) tould him that the common cause suffered by his non concurrence. but he replied, the busines was already spoyled, especially in Vlster, by bloodshedd and robbery, and that he would not declare himselfe either one way or other vntill after May day following. And the deponent hath heard many of the rebells call Sir Phelemy a confident foole for letting him goe, when he was taken prisoner by the Captaine of Charlemont, saying that he deserved to loose his head for some words he spake going through Ardmagh about the last of Aprill, or first of May last vizt that he saw nothing amongst them but desolacion and execrable crueltie for which gods wrath and the Kinge iust revenge hung over theire heads and would very speedily overtake them. As he rode through the parish of Derenoose he would very gladly (although the deponent is a stranger vnto him) have seene him the said deponent but could not procure the ffriars his guides to send a messeage for him. They were afraide (as some of them tould him afterwards) tha{t} he would have reskowed the deponent, but he the deponent thinketh they more feared least he might have labored to divert his Lordshipp from ioyneing with them which was then presently expected, soe that a man can see noe parte of this Tragedie wherein there is not a devill or a fryar or both. And the deponent further saith that he was certainly informed by the Cheife of the o Donellies and ô Lappans and many others whereof some were very neare vnto Sir Phelemy, and it is generally reported in those partes where the deponent lived That Mrs May widdow <i> to Mr Edward May late of Dublin (a meere Irish woman whome the gentleman long kept for his fancy, and thereafter married out of conscience) is and was ever since this rebellion began Sir Phelemies cheife and vnsuspected Intelligencier, that he addressed all his packetts sen{t} to Dublin vnto her, and by her meanes, and for the most part by Owen Hugh Mc Clymen aforesaid and other of her servants received Answeres Perhaps the truth may be found out by a sudden search for letters or vnexpected examinacion of her and her servants a part. And also saith that he hath heard many of the rebells say amongst themselve{s} that they feared nothing no so much as the corrupting and spoyling of theire harvest, and that if G.M. Monroe had put 3000 men in the townes of Ardmagh Dunganon and Monaghan before they were burnt he had made himselfe absolute Master of all the Corne in three Counties
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without which they could not possibly subsist this winter. And saith moreouer that Sir Phelemy ô Neale and his deputted liuetenants and governors in all theire Commissions Passes and warrants leave out theise words (in his Maiesties name) yet if any be tendred by the Brittish in the old Stile they seldome except against them, eo nomine and as seldome signe them. And the deponent also saith that the last who were devoured were Apostates through feare and revolters to popery who though but a very handfull yet such was their insa= <A> tiable thirst of blood, they could not speare them: And further saith that t h e rebells it was credibly tould him, that the rebells least they should hereafter be charged with more murthers then they had comitted Commanded theire Preists to bring in a true Accompt of them, and that the persons so slaughtered (whither in Vlster only or the whole <154000> kingdome the deponent durst not enquire) in March last amounted vnto <symbol> one hundred ffitie foure thousand) And that Sir Phelemy ô Neale asked the deponent very scornefully once in Ardmagh and in the hearing of many, why the Scotts in so many weeks came not to releive or revenge the death of theire Countrymen, The deponent durst not reply in this so dangerous a question, but one that stood by said, that they did wisely to stey vntill his Lordshipp made them more elbow roome. This Riddle was soone after interpreted vpon the March of the Scottish Army from the Newry back to Carrickfergus by the blooddy massacre of above 5000 of the brittish in 3 daies. About 200 persons within 7 weeks after that were releived by the lord Conwaies Army sent for the same purpose, So that the deponent doth confidently say that now of all the Royall plantacion in Vlster there doth not remayne alive 200 more amongst the Rebells And further saith that a Nephew of Art Oge ô Neals, brother to Henry <B> ô Neale lord of the ffues tould him this deponent that his Vnckle the said Art had but one scotchman vpon his land, and that about two daies foregoing he gave direccions to have him murthered, thereby to give to Sir Phelemy a prooffe of his Zeall in the Common Cause, from which there was a suspicion he meant to revolt. And further saith, that there went a common report amongst the Irish in Ardmagh, that the bishopp of Derry had vndertaken to <k> betray the towne of Derry vnto Sir Phelemy ô Neale, which he remembring or being put in mynd thereof at Strabane (as he tould the deponent vpon his returne) he resolved from thence to have written vnto him a letter promising to be with him such a night, and desiring admittance att the gate appoynted. This letter said he I intended to send by a prisoner, with whome vpon serch, finding this letter, the Scotts without more examinacion would haue cutt the Bishopp into Collops. but he said somewhat put this proiect out of his head. He may in time doe as much for others as then he intended to doe for the Bishopp wherefore the deponent thought this passage not vnworthy the inserting. And the deponent further saith that Turlogh oge ô Neale then Governor of Ardmagh caused an English Ditcher to be killed vpon prooff made that he should say, he was a better preacher then James Vsher Primat of Ardmagh This he did (as he said) to suppresse Brownisme in his Goverment.
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And further saith that amongst the rebells he hath seene some laugh and wonder at the English for keeping theire words or proteccions given to the Irish, and some said in mockery, that this was a secrett confession of the protestants that the papists were not heretiques <1> And for some instances of extreame crueltie vsed by the Irish <A> in Vlster The deponent saith that by speciall command from Sir Phelemy ô Neall they dragged the deponents brother Lievetenant James Maxwell out of his bedd in the rage and height of a burning feaver, and least one of his Acquaintance or freinds should bury him they carried him 2 miles from any Church, and there cruelly butchered him, when <2> he knew neither what he did or said And thus Sir Phelemy paid him 260 li. which he owed him. And that his wife Grisell Maxwell being in Childbirth, the Child halfe borne and halfe vnborne, they stript <3> starke naked, and drove her about an arrow flight to the blackwater <B> and drowned her. The like they did to another English woman in the same parish in the begining of the rebellion, which was little inferiore (if not more vnnaturall and barbarous) then the roasting of Mr Watson <a> alive after they had cutt a Collop out of either buttocke. That a scotch woman was found in the Glyn wood lying dead, her belly <5> ripped vpp, and a liveing child crawling in her wombe, Cutt out <C.> of the Cawll. That Mr Starkie Schoolmaster att Armagh a gent of good parentage and parts being vpwards of 100 yeares of age they stript naked, caused 2 of his daughters virgins, being likwis{e} naked, support him vnder each arme not being able to goe of himse{lf} and in that posture carried them all three a quarter of a mile to a turff pitt and drowned them, feeding the lust of theire eyes and the Crueltie of theire harts with the selfe same obiects at the <6 D> same tyme. Att the seige of Augher they would not kill any English beast, and then eate it but they cut Collops out of them being alive, letting them there roare. till they had noe more flesh vpon theire backs so that sometimes a beast, would live or 2 or 3 days togeather in that torment The like they [did? ] When they Murthered Hugh Echline Esquire of Ardmaghe <7> they hanged all his Irish servants which had any waies prooved faythfull or vsefull vnto him during this rebellion. And as touching Exemplary Constancy in religion The deponent saith <8> that Henry Cowell Esquire a gallant and well bredd gent was murthered because he would not consent to marry a beastly Trull Mary ny Neale, (a neare kinswoman of Sir Phelemies) He was proffered his life without the Blowse, if he would haue gone to Masse, but he Chose rather to dye then to doe either. There was made the like proffer of life for going to Masse vnto Robert Echline sonn to the abouenamed Hugh Echline a Child of 11 or 12 yeares of age, but he also refused it saying he saw nothing in theire religion, for which he would change his owne. And the deponent further saith that his and the rest of the brittish cheeff{e} and best frends amongst the Rebells were Mrs Katherine Hovenden widdow
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widdow mother to Sir Phelemy ô Neale; she preserved 24 English & scotts in her owne howse and fedd them for 37 weekes out of her owne store and when her children tooke her away vpon the Approch of an Army she left both them and this deponent to theire libertie, and gave them free leave to escape. Many more she would haue saved but that while she lay sick 10 weekes of an Ague none of them were suffered to come neere her. She sounded twise (as was tould) when she heard that 56 were taken out of the deponents howse and murthered in one day. She vsed often to say, she had never offended the English Except in being mother to Sir Phelemy. And Captaine Alexander Hovenden sonne to Mrs Hovenden and halfe brother to Sir Phelemy He conducted 35 English out of Ardmagh to Drogheda (whereof some were of good quality) (when it was thought) he had secrett direccions to haue murthered them. 20 more he sent safe to the Newry and would trust noe other Convoy then himselfe. It is to bee <9> observed that all others perished vnder cullor of Convoyes (except only those whome he vndertooke) Att the deponents request he saved Ardmagh twise from burning, and would have saved it the third time but that he lay sicke of a ffeaver. When he beheld the Ruines thereof but especially of the Church (I t is sayd) he wept bitterly, saying who will ever trust the Irish againe, who have neither kept theire promisses to god nor proteccions to men. When he saw Sir Phelemies warrant for the last generall Massaker, after the taking of the Newry he solemly swore he would never draw his sword againe in Sir Phelemies quarrell or this Cause, cursing the (in his passion) the brittish if ever they spared Irish man woman or child. He was desirous to submitt himselfe to the Kings Mercy vpon the lord Mountgomery his proteccion, Offering to root that blooddy Sept of the Hughes with his owne followers, and Armes out of Ireland, but the motion was reiected (perhaps worse wilbe admitted) he never had his hand in blood either in or out of battayle ( that ( though <this deponent> knoweth he be noe Coward) He is not yet (which may pleade some favour) full 22 yeares of age and doth not pretend to one foote of Inheritance. Doctor Dally preached so vehemently against murthering that in the end he was forced to fly himselfe for safeguard of his life. Patricke Kelly and Gillduffe mcTynny would suffer nothing robb’d from the brittish to come within theire doores. And this <post Examination> deponent further saith that very many of the brittish protestants the rebells buried alive, and tooke greate pleasure to heare them speake vnto them, as they digged downe ould ditches vpon them Except those whome they thus buried, they the rebells buried none
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none of the protestants, neither would permitt any who survived to performe the dutie for them And further saith that the Rebells they would send theire children abroad in great troops especially neare vp{on} Kynard armed with long watles and whipps who would therewith beate {?} mens bodies about theire privy members vntill they beate or rather threshed them off an{d} then would returne in greate ioy to theire parents whoe receaved them for such service, as it were in triumphAnd further sait{h} If any women were found dead lying with theire faces Downwar{ds} they would turne them vpon theire backes, and in great flockes { } vnto them censuring all partes of theire bodies, but especially such {as} are not to be named which afterwards they abused so many wayes { } so filthyly as chast eares would not endure the very nameing thereofAnd further saith that many of the protestant{s} the rebells would not kill out right, but being halfe dead would leave them intreating for noe greate favor [ ] at theire handes <10> 2 or 3 daies after but to kill them outright which sometimes was graunted, sometimes denied. A young youth haveing his backbone broken was found in a feild, haveing like a beast eaten all the grasse round about him, the deponent could not learne that they killed him, but that they removed him to a place of better pasture. So that in theise most blooddy and execrable wretches, that of the H. Gh. is cleerly verified, the very mercy of the wicked is Cruelty. And further saith that the Rebells themselves tould him this deponent that they murth{erd} 954 in one morning in the Country of Antrym, and that besides them they suppose that they killed aboue 11 or 1200 more in that County <l>They tould him likewise that Collonell Brian ô Neale killed about 1000 in the Countie of Downe besides 300 killed neere Killeleagh, and many hundreds both before and after in both those Counties Att Sir Phelimis returne from Lisnegarvy some of his souldiers forced about 24 brittish into a howse where they burned them alive whose terrible outcries they delighted very much to imitate and <11> expresse vnto others, and saith that he heard Sir Phelim likewise report that he killed 600 English at Garvagh in the Countie of Derry, and that he had neither left man woman nor child alive in the Barony of Muntullony in the Countie of Tyrone and that betwixt Ardmagh & the New{ry} in the seuerall lands and Plantacions of Sir Arch: Atcheson John Hamilto{n} Esquire, the Lord Caulfeild, and the lord Mountnorrice. And sai th also th{at} there were aboue 2000 of the brittish murthered in theire owne howse{s} for the most part, and that he was informed hereof by a scotchman, who was in those parts [himselfe ] with Sir Phelim, and saw theire howses fille{d} with theire dead bodies. In the Glenwood towards Dromore there we{re} slaughtered (as the rebells tould the deponent) vpward of 1200 in all, who were all killed in theire flight to the Countie of Downe. The numbe{r} of people drowned at the bridg of Portadowne are diversly reported according as men stayd amongst the rebells, The deponent (who stayd
as
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as long as any, and had better intelligence then most of the English <12> amongst them, had best reason to know the truth & saith, there were by theire owne report 190 drowned with Mr ffullerton. At another time they threw 140 over the said bridg, at another time 36 or 37, and so continued drowneing every day more or fewer for 7 or 8 weeks So that the fewest which can be supposed there to haue perished must needs be aboue a thousand, besides as many more drowned betwixt that bridg and the great Loghe of Mountioy, besides those who perished by the sword fire and famine in Clonbrasill, and the English plantacion adiacent which in regard there escaped not 300 out of all <13c> those quarters must needs amount to many thousands. Neere vnto <Corbridg> the deponents owne howse 36 persons were throwne from the Curr bridg at one time, at another time 18 or 19. at another time 56 men women and children (all of them being taken out of the deponents owne howse) and at seuerall other times seuerall other numbers, besides those who were drowned in the blackwater att Kynard. In which towne & parish of Tynon (wherof the deponent was Rector) there were drowned slaughtered and died of ffamine and for want of Clothes about 600 And saith he might add to theise many thousands more, but the diary which he the deponent wrote amongst the Rebells, being burned with his howse bookes and all his papers, he referreth himselfe to the numbers in grosse which the rebells themselves have vpon enquiry found out, and acknowledg <14> which notwithstanding will come short of all that haue been murthered <symbol> in Ireland (there being aboue 154000 now wanting of the brittish within the very precinct of Vlster. And the deponent further <A> saith that it was common table talke amongst the Rebells that the Ghosts of Mr William ffullerton Timothy Jephes, and the most of those who were throwne over Portadowne bridg were dayly and nightly seen to walke vpon the river. sometimes singing of psalmes sometimes brandishing of naked swords, and sometimes scritching in a most hidious and fearefull manner. The deponent did not beleeve the same at first, neither & yet is doubtfull [ ] whether to beleeve it or not, But saith that divers of the rebells assured him, that they themselves did dwell neere to the said River, and being dayly affrighted with those apparitions, but especially with theire horrible scritching were in conclusion forced to remove further into the Country Theire owne preists and ffriars could not deny the truth thereof but as oft as it was by the deponent obiected vnto them, said that itt was but a cunning fatal fleight of the devill to hinder this great worke of propagating the Catholique faith and killing of Heretiques or that it was wrought by witchcraft. The deponent himselfe lived within 13 miles of that bridg, and never heard any man so much as doubt of the truth thereof. Howsoeuer the deponent oblidgeth noe mans faith in regard he saw it not with his owne eyes. Otherwaies he had as much certainty, as morally could be required of such a matter.
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And the deponent further saith that the degenerated pale English were most cruell amongst the brittish protestants being beaten from theire owne lands, and were never satisfied with theire blood vntill they had in manner seene the last dropp thereof, affrighting Sir Phelemy ô Neale every day with theire numbers, and perswading him that while they (meaneing the protestants) lived there would neither be roome for them nor saffty for him. It was easie to spurr on the Cowardly & blooddy rebell, yet noe sooner were the protestants cutt off, but contrary to theire expectacion the meere Irish tooke present possessi{on} of theire lands and howses. whereat they very much grumbled & said Sir Phelemy had not kept promise with them, Howsoever they were forced to swallow these and many other iniuries.
<15> And further saith that he knew one boy neere vnto himselfe no{t} exceeding 14 yeares of age who killed at Kynard in one night 15 able strong men with his Skeane, they being disarmed, and most of theire feete in the Stockes, another not aboue 12 yeares of age kille{d} 2 women and one man att the Seidge of the Augher. A woman tenant to the deponent killed 7 men and women of her English fello{w} tenants in one morning, and it was very vsuall in all partes for theire children to murther the protestants children, and sometimes with Lath swords heavy and well sharpned they would venter vpon men and women of riper yeares (Cruelties not to be beleev{ed} if there were not so many eye witnesses of them.
the deponent further saith that the first three dayes and nighte{s} of this present rebellion vizt October 23.24 and 25 it was general{ly} observed that noe Cock crew or any dogg was heard to barke noe not when the Rebells came in greate multitudes un{to} the protestants howses by night to robb and murther them about 3 or 4 nights before the 56 persons were taken out of the depon{ents} howse and drowned and amongst those the deponents brother Lieutenan{t} James Maxwell In the darke of the moone about one of the Clock at night, a light was observed in manner of a long piller, to shy{n} for a long way through the aier and refracted vpon the North Gabell of the howse, gave so greate a light about an houre toge{ther} that divers of the watch read both letters and bookes of a very sma{ll} Character thereby The former the deponent knoweth to be most tr{ue} both by his owne experience and the generall observacion of as many as the deponent mett with within the Countie of Ardmag{h} The later was seene by all those of the deponents family, and beside{s} by many of his Irish guard (for some of them at that time we{re} drunke and could see nothing) who interpreted the same to be an imediate expression and token of divine providence and watchfullnes of the protestants affirming that many times the rebells
had
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had a purpose to destroy the deponent and his familie but were alwaies hindred and interupted, but which way themselves could not tell. but the deponent (as is well knowne) made a farr contrary interpretacion thereof which shortly after fell out to be the truer of the two, for presageing thereby that blooddy massacre which insued. The deponent [ then ] with the rest of his family that were present gave themselves to fasting and prayer expecting each hour an that vniuersall cutting off which fell out very shortly after
Rob: Maxwell
deposed 22 Aug. 1642
Joh Watson
Will: Aldrich
14
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<post Information 7o Julij 1643>
<1> And further this deponent saith that the rebells haueing exposed the murthered bodies of the brittish so long vnto the publique view & censure that they began to stinke and infest the ayre (which comonly being a thing very strong would not sometimes happen vntill 4 or 5 weekes after the murders committed) they vsually permitted some of theire bodies to be removed and cast into ditches, but so, as they must ever be layd with there faces downeward. The reason whereof this deponent not vnderstanding asked the rebells themselues what was meant thereby whoe readily answered that they soe placed them to the intent they might haue a prospect and sight of hell only And therefore when they killed any of vs they vsed alwaies theise words Animam Dewll which is thy soule to the Devill. And this deponent further saith that notwithstanding <M> all the moderation formerly pretended by the forenamed Alexander Hovenden, and the many reall favours done by him vnto many of the brittish and in particular to this deponent that yet notwithstanding he heard him both say and sweare, that he wished them all damned both body and soule who were against them in this Cause ffurther <o> this deponent saith that it was vsuall sport with oneMcMahowne Captaine of the Castle and towne of Monaghan (as the said mcMawhown{e} confessed before Mr Hugh Echlyne and many others) to take a woodden prick or broach and thrust it vpp into the fundament of an English or scottish man, and then after drive him about the roome with a Joynt stoole vntill through extreame payne he either faynted or gave content to the spectators by some notable skypps and ffrisks, which rare invention he offered to put in practise at the same time and in the same place where he boasted thereof, but that the said Mr Echlyne prevayled with him to omitt it, as sufficiently without any further demonstration beleeveing the excellency of the sport. And it is further of vndeniable truth that the said McMahowne and other rebells in the Castle of Monaghan after a greate feast there held tooke an English or welchman and bound him naked vpon the table at which they dranke after dynner. and at every health gaue him a Gash or wound (but not mortall) vntill his whole body became as it were one contained wound, and thereafter flung him out vpon a Dunghill where he died partly of his said wounds and partly of ffamine none dareing to relieve him.
Robert Maxwell
Jurat vt supraCopia [ ]
Joh Watson
15
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501
A notable
William