Examinations regarding the murder of George Foster

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The Examination of John fferrall of Tirlickin in the Com of Longford Esquire taken before vs the 29th of Ja: 1652, touchinge the murther Comitted att Tirliskin aforesaid on George ffoster Clothier in the yeare 1642
The said Examinatt being demaunded what he could declare touchinge the said Murther saith the next summer after the be- <A> gineing of the wars, the countrie being in an vproare; & Sir James Dillon comaundinge the Irish soldiers then in armes aboute the said quarter the said Examinatt Laboured to secure his castle and to that end had prouided a few musketts & amunition; and kept in his house, mrs Hollenton, & her children; mr Prise his son & seuerall others, & amounge others the said George ffoster and his wife, who Lay within the said Examinatts Bawon euerie night, being before then his Neighboures & wellwishers; And the said John fferrall being vpon some ocations out of town <B> some of the said Sir James Dillons soldiers goeing to the said towne, mett the said ffoster abrode in the towne, who was Kild by one of the said men; called Shane Sallagh Tully and his associatts, as the said Examinatt was tould, And then went towards the said castle & shott att those within the same, whereupon one of the said Examinatts daughters being by them shott was like to dye thereof And the said Sir James his men being continually incamped, abo aboute that time att Shrowell, a mile & a halfe distant from Tirlickin, the said Examinatt seuerall times desired that none of the English then vnder his protection should Expose themselues to the vew off their Enimies who counted all their harbourers enimyes vnto them, & acordingly vsed them, as to the takeing of their goods, & spareinge noe thinge butt Life, which is all the said Examinatt can say, onely that vpon his first meeting of Sir James Dillon he complained of the said Murther & tould him the Authours the best he could Learn, & desired iustice against them, which the said Sir James promised though hee performed nott, other then that vpon the said Examinatts complaints the Said Sir James caused the said shane Sallagh & three more & three more of his fellowes in that Murther to be disarmed, & secured who were soone after Released, how, or in what manner the said Examinatt knoweth not.
John fferrall

The Examination of Faghna ferrall of creagh in the said Com gent being examined touchinge the within murther the said 29th of January 1652, saith as followeth

See another Examination of the same Ferrall before
[ ]
verte fol

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The said Examinatt saith in all pointes as the said John fferrall said, onely that hee was nott present when the said John complained of the said Murtherers to the said <B> Sir James Dillon butt heard that the said John complained vnto him and that the said Sir James promised to doe iustice therein.

Mary Helie of Tirlickin spinster being duely Examined the day aforesaid saith that the forenamed Shane Tully with seauen more came aboute the time beforementioned, & findinge the said George foster abrode in the towne Kild him vpon which the said John ferrall being aduertised thereof went where the said Sir James his Major (cald George Birtt) was in the campe att Srowell, & brought him with him to restraine the mallefactors who were gon before the said Maior came, further saith that the said John went to complaine to to the said Sir James of the said Murther who promised, as this Examinatt heard to doe iustice, Alsoe saith that the said John fferrall when the English of the countie of Longford were flieing away from those soe risen in armes haueing incouraged such as were h{is} Neighboures to make vse of him for their securitys soe much as hee could, wherupon Gathered into the said John to Tirlickin aforesaid threescore familyes who continued two dayes & nights with him at Tirlickin in soe much as they had taken vp his castle; Great house & houses off office within the Bawen & had fortie fiers together vntill hee went in person with them, & secured them all, & their goo{ds} till hee Left them att Ballimore; & saith that hee kept others of the English att his owne charge some for a yeare, some two, & others three, & that shee this Examinatt when she saw any of the Irish comeinge to the said house would hyde the English from them; and Especially the said George Foster whom she sheltered from time to time, as far as Lay in her which instructions she & the rest of the said John his housould seruants had from the said John; her cause of Knowledge is, that she was then seruant to the said John, & within the howse when those murtherers attempted fieringe the howses after the murther, & shott into the castle & wounded one of the said Johns Daughters who was Like to dye of the same.
Tho Richardson
J: Stopford

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16. 17. 18
John fferrall of Tirlicken
his Examinacion & [ ]
ffaghny fferrall of Creagh
and Mary healy their
Examinacions
Com Longford

1 Ex

x

(recognizance of John Ferrall on

fol. 282r

)