Examination of Thomas Birne

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The examinacion of Thomas Birne of the Towne of Kildare yeoman taken before vs Sir Robert Meredyth knight and Richard Tighe Esquire this second day of ffebruary 1652 .
Who beinge duely sworne and examined deposeth and sayth that soone after the begininge of the Rebellion one Raph Howard of Clonuffe in the County of Kildare haueing beene seruiceable before the Rebellion vnto Roger Moore of <a> Ballyna which was within a myle of the said Clonuffe the said Roger Moore together with Lewys Moore brother to the said Roger did giue a proteccion in writeing vnder theire hands vnto the said Raph Howard for the secureing of him his wife Children, famely, and goodes from any vyolence, or damadge of the Rebell partie vppon the assurance of which proteccion the said Raph Howard remayned after the Rebellion about 4 monthes vppon the said Land of Clonuffe but afterwards notwithstanding the said proteccion the said Lewys Moore being a Collonell of the Rebells, and garrisoned with his Regiment at Ballyna aforsaid did (as was Conceaued by this examinant & seuerall others) send Certaine of the <B> Rebells vnder his Commaund to destroy the said Raph Howard and to dispoile him his wife, and Children of theire liues, and goodes, and accordingly in, or about the Later end of Aprill 1642 about ten in number of the said Lewys Moores souldiers Came vnto the said Raph Howards house at Clonuffe aforesaid on a Saturday in the euening and there haueing supt with the said Raph Howard they ledd the said Howard into his owne garden, and there they stript him, and afterwards murthered him with theire skeines, and the said murther being soe performed they againe returned into the said Howards house, and thence tooke his wife, and two Children to a tree on a banke without the said garden, and there hanged the said Raph Howards wife, and by her side hanged one of her101v
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Children about seauen yeares of age, and the other Child about fiue yeares of age they hanged at the mothers girdle, and soe both mother, and Children hanged there vntill they <C> were dead, and this examinatt further sayth that of the said ten parties who Comitted the said murther hee knowes the names onely of one Pole mc Gille Pole, and Dorby Keyes which Dorby Keyes was sometimes footeman vnto Sir Henry Cowly of Carberie, and Bryen mc Shane Lee, and this examinant alsoe saith that the said Raph Howards goodes vppon the said murther Committed was Carryed & Conueyed away by the said parties who Committed the murther vnto Barnaby Kelly of now of Ballyna but at that time at dwelling at Cadamstowne in the County of Kildare and of the said goodes hee remembers that there were either three, or foure Cowes, and as for his houshold goodes hee Cannott Call to minde the particulers thereof, and further sayth not.
Thomas [mark] Birne his marke
Taken, and sworne before
vs the day, and yeare
aforsaid.
Rob Meredith
Rd: Tighe.

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1
The examinacon of Thomas
Birne of the towne of Kildare
Concerneing the murther att
Clonuffe and Lewis Moore
for the murther of Howard
Y Y

from the Committee for
Kildare & Lowth