Examinations of Captaine Marcus Cruise

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1870
The Examinacion of Captaine Marcus Cruise of late of ledwichtowne in the County of westmeath being duely taken before Colonell william Edwards and Thomas Richardson Esquire members of the high Court of Justice sitting at Dublin by order of the same Court the fifteenth day of November 1653.
The said Examinant being duely examined sayth and confesseth that about three yeares since of this winter (to his best remembrance) hee this Examinant) hee was commanded with his Company by the Earle of westmeath (then Generall of the Irish fforces for the Province of leinster) into the ffort of Ballileague in the County of longford, to strengthen the said ffort against the English, at which tyme there was also in the ffort (of the Irish party) one Captaine <A> ffergus mc Lisagh fferrall, and Captaine Connell mc lisagh fferrall, with one Company of ffoot betweene them, And further confesseth that hee continued about eight or nyne weeks in the said ffort, and then was expus expulsed with his men out of the same by the said Captaine ffergus fferrall and Captaine Connell fferralls company, and some of their Officers, And the Examinant further confesseth that after his said expulsion as aforesaid hee continued with his men in

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1871
in the Barony of Rathclime for about foureteene dayes, gathering his meanes due to himselfe and his Company, And confesseth that about the same winter tyme hee was at Masse at a place neere James Dillons house in the on Bagganaveele, and that after masse hee demanded of the said James Dillon the remaine of a fortnight meanes being about three pounds due to himselfe and his Company, (the said James Dillon being then <C> Receiver for that meanes) whereunto the said James <hand> answeared you shall haue your money or solvent delinquents, according to my order, where and then shewed this Examinant one of the fferralls standing by (with a Pike of about thirteene foot long in his hand) sayeing there is one that owes some of your meanes, take your money or doe with him what you please make a prisoner of him, whereuppon this Examinant demanded of the said fferrall (whose Christian name hee knoweth not) that hee wold pay what was due by him, but the said fferrall said hee wold pay none at all, whereuppon the said dillon said he to this Examinant I will not pay you a penny more till you take your money of that man, meaneing the said fferrall, And further sayth <D> that as hee and his Maior (ffergus mc Murrogh fferrall) were walking too and fro together while the said mr Dillon was receiving some small moneys from others of the Countrey then vppon the place, hee the said Maior and this Examinant saw the said fferrall that had the Pike

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1872
in his hand charging luke Cruise with his said Pike, & the said luke was with his sword drawne in his hand against the said fferrall, whereuppon the said Maior and this Examinant presently ran towards them, and both drew their swords, to appease the difference & tumult, and presently came in alsoe Captaine lewis <E> (or lisagh) fferrall, with some horse, to quiett suppress the said strife, and the Examinant confesseth hee heard a shott goe off, which hitt the said fferrall that had the pike in his hand, who was presently carried away, and thereuppon this Examinant seeing the tumult increase (being commanded by his Maior ffergus fferrall) deliuered him his sword, and soone after rode away with his said Maior and Captaine lisagh fferrall, and was the same night with his owne Company, And the Examinant denieth that hee knoweth or ever yett heard who made the said shott, or that hee saw his brother Richard Cruise in the quarrell till the Cry was vppe, or that his said brother Richard had ever a pistoll that day, being but a foot Soldier, or that hee himselfe had any pistoll pistoll about him or in his hand when the quarrell was, nor till it was ended and appeased, And about about two or three howers after, this Examinants that his man brought him his horse to ride away, and then hee tooke one of his pistolls out of the holster & rode with it in his hand as others did, but And denieth that hee ever gave out after hee [wob] was expulsed the ffort of Ballileague that

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1873
that hee wold kill man woman and Child (in the Collow) of the Irish aswell as hee wold of the English, And sayth that being demanded what is become of his brothers Richard Cruse and luke Cruise the said Examinant sayth that hee saw not the said luke theise nyne week past, and that the last tyme hee saw his said brother luke was at Kels, and that about the last of may last hee saw his brother Richard Cruise at Molingar, and hath since heard the said Richard is gone out of the land, And further sayth not, save onely that hee confesseth that after hee heard the shott goe off the Examinant seeing the quarrell renued againe hee called to his boy that held his horse neere the place) to giue him one of his pistolls which hee did accordingly, and the Examinant held the same in his hand till a while after hee deliuered it with his sword to his Maior but denyeth that hee fired or shott off any pistoll or drew one drop of blood that day and f but onely endeavoured to appease the tumult and quarrell & further sayth not.
Mar: Cruise
Taken before vs the day and
yeare first aboue written
Will Edwards
Tho: Richardson

The said Examinant (being further Examined) denieth that any demand was ever made of him by Hugh mc Bryan fferrall of a Spade or that hee had any spade of him whiles hee was in the ffort of Ballyleage, ad and denieth that hee gaue or offered his sword at all to Captaine Lisagh fferrall, but gaue it to his owne

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1874
Maior named ffergus ffergus fferrall, And denieth that hee was sent <f> at all into the ffort of Ballileag (after the said Hugh mc Bryan was hurt) there to remaine till it shold appeare whether hee wold recover or not, And denieth that ever hee sent or promised to send any money or other satisfaccion to the wife or widow of the said Hugh mc Bryan fferrall, or was lett out of the said ffort vppon his paroly to procure any freinds to engage for him to giue the said widow satisfaccion for the death of her husband, And further sayth not.
Mar: Cruise
26th of November 1653.
taken before vs
Will Edwards
Tho: Richardson

fol. 334v

1875

8
Capt Marcus Cruise prisoner
his Examinacion touching
the Killing of Hugh
mc Bryan fferrall

Prisoner