Examination of William Stafford re William Esmond

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The examinacion of william Stafford of Temon gentleman aged thirty nine yeares or thereabout being duelye sworne & examined by vertue of his oath vpon the seuera{l} Interrogatories in the Comission of inquirye on the behalf{e} of the Comon wealth saith and deposeth concerning willia{m} Esmond of Johnstowne esquire
<To the first interro> This deponent saith that he knoweth william Esmond of Johnstowne esquire and that he the said william did liue in the peere of Rohaspeck in the barrony of ffort when the warr began <a> and euer since at Johnstowne aforesaid it being it being in the Irish quarter there being at that time no English garrison but Duncanon in this county & further saith that the said Esmond might haue remoued himselfe into the English quarters but as the deponent supposeth not without danger of his person and loss of his goods in the first yeare of the rebellion, and further saith that mr Nicholas Codd & mr Nicholas Roe mr walter Stafford deceased & Sir walsingham Cooke Nicholas Loftus esquire Mr John Ichingham mr Treisteene and seuerall others whome this deponent Cannot remember did remooue them selues some for England some for Duncanon & some for Dublin and to this interrogatorye he Cannot further depose
<To the 2nd interro> Hee Cannot depose
<To the 3d interro:> Hee saith and deposeth that he is confident that the said william Esmond did Actuallye Contribute money <b> in the first yeare of the warr and before the 10th day of Nouember 1642 in the then publique leuies of the Irish against the English and the said Esmond did subscribe to warrants for the raising of men and prouiding of Armes and prouission of money and other things for the seruice of the Countrye against Duncanon and the blocking in of the Lord Esmond and the forces vnder him from spoiling the Country and all in the first yeere of the warr and that the said Esmond was at Duncanon when it was blocked vp, as this deponent hath heard but in what Capacitye this deponent knoweth not
<To the 4th interro> Hee saith and deposeth that this deponent hath heard that the said Esmond was present when Duncanon was <c> sumoned and that as a country counceller & Contributor the said Esmond did vphold the warr in the yeare 1641 and :42. against the English
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<to the 5th interro> Hee saith and deposeth that he knoweth that the said Esmond was at the Countrye councell & meetings <d> seuerall times in order to the discharge of his dutye & trust in that Capacitye in the first yeere of the warr and since and to this interrogatorye he Canot further depose
<To the 6th interro:> Hee saith that the said Esmond was not of the supreame or provinciall Councell but saith that the said Esmond <e> nor to this deponents knowledge was he at any election of any of the supreame or provinciall Councell but saith that the said Esmond was of the Country Councell in Waxford in februarye or march 1641 and soe forward and to this interrogatorye this deponent Cannot further depose
<To the 7th enterro> Saith and deposeth that he confidentlye beleeueth that the said Esmond did take the oath of association in the <f> yeare 1641 & alsoe an oath of the Country Councell both which oaths were to this effect that hee should be true to the King and vphold his rights and vphold the Roman Catholick religion And defend his Countrye against all opposers And to this interrogatorye he Cannot further depose
<To the 8th interro:> Hee Cannot depose
<To the 9th interro:> Hee saith and deposeth that the said Esmond in the first yeere of the warr had the Imployment of <g> A Country Counceller & afterward a Comissinor of the Irish Armye to leuie such moneyes as by order was appointed from the Supreame And provinciall Councells in the Countye of wexford in the yeere 1643 or in the yeere: 44: or in both

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<To the 10th interro:> Hee saith and deposeth that the said Esmond had one sonne John Esmond by names that this deponent <h> verelye beleeueth was a horseman in the Countye troope vnder the Comand of Captain John Roch in the yeere 1645 or :46: And that the said John Esmond had releife & entertainment from his father william Esmond by his access to him the said william as to his father which said John Esmond is yett liueing with his said fathere & other friends
<To the 11th interro:> Hee Cannot depose
<To the 12th interro:> Hee saith that hee knoweth not that the said Esmond did take and possess any goods of any Englishman for his owne vse but saith and deposeth that hee <i> knoweth that an order was directed from the Countye Councell to the said Esmond & others in the first yeere of the warr to seaze one third parte of the Corne of Nicholas Codd protestant who was then fled, for the vse of the Irish publique which accordinglye the said Esmond did seaze, & left some soldiers in possession of the said Corne And the said Nicholas Codds howse & Castle at Castletowne in the Countye of wexford which said Soldiers did some spoyle of the said Corne And on Complement made the soldiers were remoued by the said Councell And the cause of this deponents knowledge as exprest to all the foregoeing interrogatoryes was in that this deponent was clarke to the County councell the first yeere of the warr and after was a Comissinor for the Countye of wexford by order of the supreame Councell:
<To the 13th interro:> Hee Cannot depose
William Stafford
Sworne and examined
the 26th of December
1653 before vs
Tho Hart
John walker
mathew Stothard
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