Examination of John Ferrall

fol. 328r

1860
<A> John fferrall of Derrigawnagh in the Countye of longford gentleman aged ffifty yeares thereabouts being duely sworne and examined sayth that hee knoweth Captaine Marcus Cruise and did know luke Cl Cruise who was the said Captaines leivetenant in the ffort of Ballileage, and did also know Richard Cruise another brother of the said Captaine Cruise, And further did know Hugh mc Bryan fferrall late of Cloonemee in the said County gentleman deceased, And who was the Examinants kinsman and knowne to him ever since they were children, but did not know the said Captaine Cruise or his brothers till they came to the ffort of Ballileague in the said County where the said Captaine had some command, (being put in by the Earle of westmeath about three yeares since to his best remembrance) vntill hee and his company were thence expulsed by Captaine ffergus and Captaine Connell mc lisagh mc Gillernew fferrall, who were Captaines also in the said ffort, and pretended some tithe to the lands of Ballileague, And the Examinant further sayth that hee was present at a place called Clougher in the said County vppon a

fol. 328v

1861
a sunday a Holliday where many of the Countrey were mett at to heare Masse (much about this tyme two yeares or this tyme three yeares to his best remembrance) and after Masse <B> one James Dillon (since deceased) being gathering some money from seuerall persons for the pay of the said Captaine Marcus Cruise and his Company (then vppon their march out of the Countrey) hee this Examinant heard the said leivetenant luke Cruise demanding one shilling, as parte of his meanes, of the said Hugh mc Bryan, telling him hee was assigned him by the said Dillon as a delinquent for soe much, whereuppon the said Hugh mc Bryan wold haue assigned the said leivetenant to haue received the said shilling of another, which hee refused, but told the said Hugh if hee wold not pay the shilling hee must be his the said lukes prisoner, wherevnto the said Hugh answeared I will not be one mans prisoner, and thereuppon the said luke Cruise and Richard Cruise <C> both drew their swords vppon the said Hugh mc Bryan (that is to say first the said luke and then the said Richar Cruise seconding him) and the said Hugh mcBryan with a halfe pike hee had in both his hand

fol. 329r

1862
defending himselfe which the Examinant and others neere <D> about them seeing called to maior ffergus mcMurogh fferrall, and the said Captaine Marcus Cruise and others (who were not about not aboue a pistoll shott off the from the place) to come and helpe, who came on accordingly, but while the Examinant was calling for helpe hee heard a pistoll goe off, and saw Hugh fferrall (who received the shott in the bottome of his belly) falling downe to the ground, but who shott off the said pistoll hee knowes not, nor did observe a pistoll in the hands of any of the persons then vppon the place, And further sayth that soone after the wounding of the said Hugh mcBryan the said Captaine Cruise deliuered his sword to his owne maior, desiring mercy, and that the maior wold be carefull of him that hee shold not suffer for that hee feared the fferralls and the said luke Cruise was disarmed by the Captaine Lewis fferrall then vppon the place, And further sayth that the said Hugh mc Bryan died within two or three days after of the said wound And further sayth not his cause of knowledge is that hee went parte of the way to his buriall And further sayth not saue that hee sayth the said Hugh mc Bryan as this Examinant was making his will after hee was hurt told this Examinant hee did not know who shott him and And what is since become of the said

fol. 329v

1863
luke Cruise or Richard Cruise hee knoweth not.
John fferrall
Taken vppon oath the
8th day of december
1653 before vs
Will: Edwards
Tho: Richardson

r 20 li. ad comperend &c

6
John fferrall his Examinacion
touching the murther
of Hugh mcBryan
fferrall