Examination of Art Melaghlyn

fol. 113r

2042
The examinacion of Art Melaghlyn of Owldcastle in the County of Westmeath gent taken the xxvth day of July 1653 before vs Colonell Thomas Herbert and Robert Harding Esquires twoe of the Committee appoynted by the High Court of Justice sitting at Dublin to take examinacions of Massacres and murthers Committed in the Counties of Meath and Westmeath &c.
The sayd examinant aged fifty yeares or thereabouts being duely sworn and examined to so much as concerneth others deposeth and sayth That he did well know Edmund Dalton of Laleston in the County of westmeath gent whoe was his kinsman, and that in the yeare 1642 at the tyme when the Parly was betweene the Lo: of Ranelagh and Sir James Dillon, this examinant heard that the sayd Edmond Dalton was taken Prisoner by Oliver Magawly and his brother Lawrence Magawley as he was coming from Athlone towards the Place where the sayd Parley was had, which was neere vnto Cregan in the County aforesayd And that he was sent the same night day that he was so apprehended, from Cregan aforesayd vnto a place Called Booly vick Cahill ree and there kept that night, and the next morning being the Sabauth Day, he was there hanged and put to death by the direccion and Commaund of the sayd <B> Oliver Magawly But whoe was present at his execucion or whoe hanged him the examinant knoweth not, And the examinant further sayth that after the sayd Edmond Dalton was put to death in manner as aforesayd that he had speech at severall tymes with the sayd Oliver Magawly concerning the murther of the sayd Dalton And that the sayd Oliver did confess vnto this examinant, and did never deny to any but that it was he the sayd Oliver that caused the sayd
<164>

fol. 113v

2043
sayd Edmund Dalton to be hanged and put to <C> death in manner as aforesayd And this examinant further sayth that he heard by common report in the Country that the sayd Oliver Magawly did aske James Dalton of Mollinimeghan in the same County gent, brother and heyre vnto the sayd Edmund Dalton, when would the sayd James recompence him for hanging of his sayd brother Edmund, By whose death so great an inheritence came vnto the sayd James which was brought to pass by the sayd Oliver only in that he caused the sayd Edmund to be put to death as aforesayd: And this examinant further sayth that he was not at Cregan at the tyme of the apprehension of the sayd <D> Edmund Dalton But sayth that he was then at the parley He sayth he had the Comaund of a ffoot company at that tyme but never had any hand in the Murther of the sayd Edmund Dalton being his kinsman and one that he wist wisht well vnto The examinant further sayth that he doth not knowe whither Richard o Brien were at the apprehension of the sayd Edmund Dalton or not, And being demaunded an whether or noe the sayd Richard were at the Castle of Cregan at the tyme the sayd Edmund was sent thence to Boolyvick Cahill ree he sayth he doth not knowe, He sayth he doth not knowe whether or noe James Malone were present at the execucion of the sayd Edmund Dalton And sayth that he doth not knowe of any other that then was present at the sayd execucion And the examinant further sayth not
Artte Mellaghlen
Tho Herbert
Robert Harding
<165>

fol. 114r

2044

fol. 114v

2045

5
The examinacion of Art
Melaghlyn against
Oliver Magawly and
and Lawrence Magawly
concerning the Murther
of Edmund Dalton Esquire