Deposition of Edward Leech

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The Deposicion of Edward Leech of the Iland of Lambay in gent who being sworne and examined saith before his Maiesties Commissioners saith
<A> That on the 12th day of December 1641 John O Malony a fryer with Thomas Hurlston and Jesper Hurlston both of Skerrys a Haven towne in the County of Dublin and one Dennis Connor a Clarke in the Courts in Dublin armed came to the Iland of Lambay aforesaid neere Howth, in one Boate belonging to the Iland armed, and two Boats more with other men armed in them being of the Inhabitants of Rushe came to the m & that thereabouts and sixe or seaven boats more (that putt not off from the mayne shoore) at Rush neere the Skerryes aforesaid which Boats were ready as the ffryer said and were directed to followe them if they should make a fyre, with men in them to ayde them as this deponent heard them say. Imediatly vpon the landing of the said ffryer in the Iland he sent to this Deponent a Lettre without date offring this deponent quarter (if he would leave all to him) voweing by the Allmighty if he refused this gratious offer to kill man woman and Child belonging to the said deponent Soone after the said ffryer came vpp to the Castle, and told this deponent what he must trust vnto And this deponent being vnable to resist (his owne servants and the whole Tennants of the Iland being Papists f Leaving him) he submitted to the ffryers pleasure, who ransaked the Castle, and tooke all that he had within doores and without (saue xx s. which he left this deponent out of 7 li. 9 s. 6 d. in money which he tooke from him.) this deponent and two Caddowes with & certaine wearing apparrell) and allsoe he left with tooke from a sonne in Lawe of this deponent xx s. out of xiij li. xvij s. which he tooke from him And afterwards he gave to this Deponent and his Company, a passe calling himselfe Chaplen Maior of the Catholique Army and Ouerseer of the Coasts & harbours and caused this deponent the next day and his family the next day to be landed at Howth, and would not suffer them to stay at Lambay alleadgeing he did intend the Castle of Lambay for a storehouse for the Catholique Armye And as the said Deponent and his family were travelling from Howth to Dublin on the xiiijth of December 1641 they were robbed of all their apparrell and what other
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other things the ffryer left them (saue the mony & Clothes on their back s ) neere vnto the towne of <B> Clantarfe vizt (vpon the uery lands of Clantarfe the vsuall place of salting herrings) by the Inhabitants neere adioyning. And this deponent further saith that vpon his landing at Howth he found the Inhabitants there keeping strict watch & ward for feare of their neighbours then in armes, and were loath to enterteine this deponent alleadgeing that they should fare the worse for it (he being a protestant) & an english man) Hee allsoe saith that the Rebbells who robbed th him of and the rest, at that tyme said thay they were souldiers vnder the commande of Captain Richard Golding of Kinsaly two or three myles distant from the place and that the said Captain was the same tyme with others at Swords & wished this deponent to goe thither vnto him which he refused to doe. Hee allsoe saith that at the same time he refused to goe through the towne of Clantarfe, and but came by the sea side hearing and fearing worse vsage in the Towne. Hee allsoe saith that at the same tyme he heard there were 300 men in Armes in the Wood of Tartaine <C> belonging to Mr Hollywood (adioyning to Clantarfe) Hee allsoe saith that the said ffryer shewed this deponent two Commissions (which as he alleadged were from the King of Spaine) sealed with Crucifixes, which he said was to authorize him to doe what he did, And the said ffryer tooke a Masse booke out of his pockett & swore by the contents thereof, that he was the first man that drewe the plott for the present Rebellion in Ireland and that he himselfe in person had acquainted the Pope and all the Kings in Christendome therewith excepte the King of England and the King of Denmark and that some Collonells in Dublin, had had mony of him, for to rayse men for Spaine, and that he had kept them aboard for some tyme within the harbor of Dublin
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Dublin, and that it was resolved by them meaning the Catholicks armie, then that not the Spawne of an English protestant should be left in Ireland very shortly. He said he was well acquainted with the Lord Justice Parsons and bid this deponent tell the Lo: Justice Parsons soe much, and allsoe saith that they (meaning those who hade taken Armes) had noe reason to complaine of their greivances to the Lords Justices because they had noe power to intermedle therein Hee allsoe said that they had both powder, and Ordnance makeing in Ireland, and when the deponent desired his Bible, which the said ffryer tooke from him with other Books, he refused to give it, and but told this Deponent that he was sworne to burne all the protestant Bibles that came to his hands. The said ffryer vsed many perswasions to this deponent and his wife to turne to their Religion and promised them, that if they would soe to <D> doe, they should goe with him to the howse of Mr Barnewell of Brymore, and fare noe worse then he did, and that if they would trye, if they lyked it not, he would leaue them safe in at the Walls of Dublin, which this Deponent refused, and then he comanded the Inhabitants of the Iland on paine of death to looke to the Cattle and goods there to the vse of the Catholique Armye Hee allsoe saith that in the way as he came by the sea syde from Howth to Dublin, with his Company being about 13teene all on foote saue his wife and haueing their Books goods at their backs and on vppon one Carre, there were many of the women of the villages thereabouts gathering Cockles (as vsually they doe) they who shouted aloud sayeing Siggy Sassinagh, Siggy Sassinagh, that is there comes English, which this deponent conceiveth was to sett on the people in armes Hee allsoe saith that at the same tyme as he passed by Clantarfe, he sawe some Coles carryeing away by some of the Inhabitants there adioyning from aboard a shipp a s h that came into the harbour with Coales which shipp they pillaged, but wheather they carryed the Coales he this deponent knoweth not. Hee allsoe saith that all which this was
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was performed before the burning of Clantarfe and (as he conceiveth) was one of the causes thereof, he haueing vpon the said xiiijth of December shewed the said passe to some neere freinds of the Lords Justices and related the said proceedings and he saith that he was robbed as aforesaid Comeing by Clantarfe, after sheweing his passe and quarter to Captain Goldings company and after one of them had reading yt: Hee allsoe saith that about a weeke before that the said ffryer came to him to Lambay, a shipp comeing out of England to the key of the L Skerryes laden with diverse goods was pillaged by the said ffryer and the Inhabitants thereabouts as the said ffryer told this deponent Hee allsoe saith that abo u vpon the 9th day of December 1641 se he sent a Boy e to D Man to with Lettres to Dublin to learne howe the busines went there, hearing that our Army was defeated goeing to Wickloe, which man as soone as he landed at Rush, was put in prison by the Inhabitants thereof and his Lettres opened and himselfe deteyned vntill he brought the Lettre from Malony above mencioned. He allsoe saith that being in familier discourse with the said ffryer the ffryer told him that all the English in Christmas Dublin should be put to the sword before Christmas then followeing and that he would saye Masse in Christchurch on christmas day said and seeming to favour this deponent gave him the word Skeane to preserve him when that day should come, and at this tyme the said Malony told this deponent that on the said 13th of December all the protestant party in Drogheda were to be massacred
Edward Leech
Jurat xviijo Martij 1643
Hen: Jones
Edw Pigott

Dublin
Edward Leech, & Lewis Meredith C. Dublin
Jurat
Intw
hand 12 dec
Intw

494