Examination of Daniell Couran

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Thexamynation of Daniell Couran, aged about fiftye yeer taken the 10o febr. 1652. before
The sayd Examinant beeinge duly sworne & Examyned saith that he this Examinant was in the Castle at the Dysert in the Queenes County at the tyme when Maior Jo: Pigott his sonn James Couran this examinants Brother, Mr Robert Brerton minister (& may others, were murthered in or about October 1646. & this examinant saith that the sayd maior was Resolved to defend & keep the Castle afforesaid against Owen Roe who at that tyme was in the Cuntrye, & had taken severall houlds, but when the Enymye was drawen about the said Castle, & had fyred the houses & Come about it, the said Maior by the intreatie of Mrs Pigott (his wife, Consented that a partie should bee beaten, which was done, where vpon the Rebells did

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did Come ner to the Grate of the said Castle & an officer (as this examinant <B> thinketh, hee was, of the Rebbells Came neer neerer to the Grate then the Rest & did speake to the said Maior & to Mr Barnaby Dunn, & tould them that one Coll ffarell was Cheife in Comand, & the sayd officer (in this examinants heeringe) did promyse Quarter to off lyfe for all that were in the Castle & hee (the sayd Officer sayd) that hee did promyse that quarter by the dyreccions (or comand) of the said Coll ffarell, whear vpon the sayd Maior willed all the men in the Castle to Lay downe theyr Armes, which was done accordingly & this examinant knows not whether (or not, the said quarter was to bee put in to wryteinge, and hee sayth that a short tyme after, the sayd Mr Barnaby Dunn, went out, at the Grate as this examinant did think to Confirme & make suer the Quarter which was

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was before agreed vpon, & hee saith that the said maior was Gone vpp, the <C> stayers from the Grate, before the said Mr Dunn went out & that Mr Dunn had dyreccions from the said maior to Goe owt to make Good the Quarter and hee further saith that as the said Mr Dunn went out, the Rebbells surprysed the said Grate & Rushed in to the house or hale that Joynes the said Castle, & theare stript & turndt out at the Grate all the men & woemen & Children, & as they went out the men weare all murthered, & this Examinant with about 12 men more went vpp & were aboue, in the vpper Roome in the said Castle, & perceuinge that the Rebbells weare weare Cominge vpp, the said maior & the men that weare aboue with him & this examinant, did defend the stayer hed & by throwinge Lumber stopt theyr Cominge vpp, & then those Rebbells that weare Cominge vpp did promyse & sweare that

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that they would Giue Quarter to all as before they had promysed vpon which the said maior did take a way the Lumber, & permitted them to Come vpp & as soone as they (the said Rebbells) Came vpp they fell a plunderinge, & soe fell a strippinge & killinge, & thene the said Rebells did most Cruelly & unhumaynly stripp the weomen & kild severall of the men & others of the men weare turnd naked downe stayers, & were kild without & as they went out, & further this examinant saith that hee this examinant was stript & wounded, & was left naked for dead & lay amongst the dead bodies for about 12 houres, & soe Escaped to Sir William Gilbarts house, a myle off the Dysert, & further hee saith not
Daniell [mark] Couran his marke
taken by vs
Will Gilbert
Dl: Hutchinson
Hen: Jones
Bond to att 40 li.