Deposition of Joseph Wheeler, Elizabeth Gilbert, Rebecca Hill, Thomas Lewis, Jonas Wheeler, Patrick Maxwell, John Kevan
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1641 Deposition Item Type Metadata
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Joseph Wheeler of Stawcarty in the Countie of Kilkenny Esquire Elizabeth the relict of Lieutennant William Gilbert (of Captain Ridgways Company sworne an Rebecca Hill the relict of Thomas Hill late Livetennant at another tyme to the said Captain Ridgway Thomas Lewis late of Kilkenny gent Jonas Wheeler late of Stawecarty aforesaid of County in the County of Kilkenny gent [ John Kevan prebend of Kilkenny] & Patrick Maxwell of the Graige in the same County gent sworne and examined depose and say: That since the beginning of the present Rebellion That is to say about Easter 1642 one Richard Phillips & five others whoe were the old garrison souldjers then vnder the Comand of Captaine ffarrell a Captain on his Maiesties C part, were by the Comand <A> of the Lord Mountgarrett att the end of a howse in Kilkenny hanged to death by That Cruell and bloudy rebell & provost Marshall Thomas Cantwell of Cantwelscourt Esquire st or some of his servantes or souldjers in his presence whoe would hardly suffer them to say their prayers after they were taken out of prison before they were putt to death, Those poore men dying very patiently & ye t resolutely in the manteinance of the protestant faith
But one of them becawse he was an Irishman was offered his Liffe yf he would turne papist, but he chose death rather <A> which he quickly hadd with the other fiue: And further say that a little befoe Christmas 1641 Mr William Hill of the Abbey of Leix in the Queens County Esquire & the said Leieutenant Thomas Hill his sonn Comeing to Kilkenny to fetch home Mary Hill the wiff of him the said William Hill and the said Rebecca one of theis deponentes were then and there sent for by the Lord Mountgarret and by him comitted prisoners to the gaole of Kilkenny where they contynued in a dark dungeon bowlted for 2 months: but were offered freedome if they would ioine with the rebells and become papistes, but they refused: And after the said Lord Mountgarrett was gone into Mounster <B> with his forcs (which was an example to all the rest of the wicked irish to rise also into Rebellion) one fflorence fitzpatrick
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of Castletowne in Osserie in the Queens County <B> Esquire a Captain of Rebells & his souldjers came to Kilkenny & then and there (without resistance of any) broke open the gaole there & forceibly tooke away & carried away with them into Ossery aforesaid the said William and Thomas Hill: where they kept them in miserable durance for some tyme, and then hanged them both: And a poore yong girle being sent sent from the towne of Ballinekill to see what was become of them: the said Florence fitzpatrick meeting her caused her to be half hangd, then letten downe and after to be buried quick: And by report of one Joane Grace (that sayd she was an eywitnesse) the Rebells threw the dead bodies of the said William and Tho: Hughes Hill into a sawpitt: Leaving them soe far vnburied that their heads & leggs lay bare vntill she came & Covered them with earth about a weeke after: And further saith That they haue credibly heard & beleeve <C> that the said fflorence ffitzpatrick haveing inticed a Rych merchant of Mountrath to come to his the saide ffitzpatricks howse & to bring thither his goodes which he promissed shold bee protected & saffly redeliuered He the said fflorence ffitzpatrcik possessing those goodes afterwardes caused the said Marchant and his wiffe to be hanged And they have credibly heard that the said fflorence ffitzpatrick alsoe hanged Liuetennant Keys (and his sonn); one Hughe <D> a schoolemaster and divers other protestantes: And theis deponentes further say that Mr Edmund Butler eldest sonn to the Lord Mountgarrett Edward Butler his second sonn Captain Garrett Blanchfeild and divers other Rebellious Comanders and souldjers to the number of 600 or 700 horse and foote a little before Michaelmas 1642 Marched from Balliragget, nere to the iron forge of Ballinekill & there meeting with Liuetennant Gilbert aforenamed Ancient William Alfrey the yonger Mr Tho: Bingham the minister Robert Graves [ ] Richard Bentley
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and about 60 more of the English souldjers The Both <E> the same parties ioyned in Battaile But the English forcs though fighting valiantly and killing many Rebells (& one Walter Butler a Captain amongst the rest) were at the last soe overcomen with the multitude of the Rebells that then and there they the said lieutennant Gilbert William Alfrey Thomas Bingham Robert Graues Richard Bently and twoe others of the English souldjers were absolutely slaine, & then heades of all those seven heades cutt carried to Kilkenny by those Rebells (their pipers for ioy playing before them on horsback) & on a Markett day: which happened to be the next day following those heades as trophies of their victoryes were brought out & sett vpon the Markett crosse: where the Rebells: but especially the women there and amongst the rest Elice Butler a reputed house whore mother of severall bastards yet the daughter of the said Lord Mountgarret stabbd cutt and slasht those heades: the said Elice Butler drawing her skeine slasht at the face of the said William Alfrey & hitt him on the nose: & those that could but gett a blow or stabb at those heades seemed to account themselues happie
And the Rebells then and there putt a gagg in the mowth of the said Mr Bingham the minister & laying the leafe of a bible before him bade him preach saying his mowth was open wyde enowghe: And one of those lewd viragoes that had noe weapon struck one of the heades soe with her hand
That the same night at that her said hand grew black & blew ranckled and shee was extreamely lame of it that hand a greate while a a quarter of a yere after & that lamenes & the swelling thereof growing to an issue is like to contynue vntill shee dy And another of those women that with great reioyceing went and sawe those heades: did quickly after sight thereof fall into such an estonishment & distraccon that for 3 or 4 daies after she could not sleep nor rest but cryd out that she still saw those heades before her eyes: which heades
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being said by the Rebells to bee the heades of hereticks <D ff> were not afforded Christian buriall but buried without the Citty in a Crosse high way all together in a hole: The buryers choping and cutting their heades with their spades at as they threw mowldes vpon them And to make the manner of their buriall & the heades themselues the more contemptible: The Rebells (over the hole where the heades were layd) sett vp a long stick where to they fixed papers that all might take notice of the place And after and from that tyme the Rebellious roguish boyes tooke vpp and frequently vsed an oath, by the Crosse of the seven divells heads that buryed on Sct James greene
And further say that vpon the testemony of a rogueish boy that one an English man whoe was a Maltster to one Richard Shawe of Kilkenny hadd sayd that hee would beleeve the divell as soone as the pope: The cruell Rebell provost Martiall Lieutennant Cantwell aforenamed suddenly tooke and hangd him vpp in an Appletree till he died And further sayy that one Vnsill Grace & divers other Rebells in Kilkenny broke open the dores of the Cathedrall Church there & robbed the same Church of the Challice surplesse ornamentes books recordes & writinges there being: & made gunpowder in Sct Patricks Church & digged the tombes & graues in the churches in Kilkenny vnder colour of getting vp mowldes whereon to make gunpowder: And theis deponentes < [ ] I> have credibly heard & verely beleeve that the Rebells at Gowran tooke 25 protestants men women & children & pretending & promissing vnto them a Convoy to Duncannon hangd them dead in the way in a wood nere new Rosse: And that the Rebells half hanged 5 more protestantes at Balliragget by the command of the said Captain Edward Butler and the said Tho: Cantwell the Marshall: and letting them downe againe before they were dead suffered them somwhat to recouer and [ ] then buried them quick: And theis deponentes Tho: Lewis and Patrick Maxwell further say That
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as they have beene credibly tould by Walter Archer of Kilkenny <ff> a Rebell, that a poore English mans wiffe, that went out <G> to gather stickes at a place about 2 myles from Kilkenny: was taken and hangd vp by the Rebells: And the deponents Elizabeth Gilbert and Patrick Maxwell further say: That a poore woman and 2 children (she being the wife of one Harvy of Ballinekill) comeing to Kilkenny about Candlemas was tweluemonth: was were then and there assaulted and sett vpon by the Rebellious inhabitantes of that Citty & hunted bayted & torne with doggs miserably & cruelly stabbd with skeins and soe miserably vsed that one of the children dyed presently (haveing the guttes pulld out) And the deponent Patrick Maxwell further sayth that there were taken out of Graige by the Rebells & hanged to death one John Stone and his wiffe & his sonn William; Joseph Valentine Robert Pine & his wiffe one of their children of a yere and half ould, and one Tho White a Merchant and his wiffe (whoe being great with child had her belly ript up after shee was hanged: soe as the child fell out of the Cawle aliue) Walter Sherley Mris Joane Salter an ancient widow one John servant to John <3> Stone aforenamed; the Rebells that hanged them were Garrett <G> fforrestall of Knocknie & Gibbon fforrestall of Tiniyhinch and theldest sonn of Richard Baron alias ffitzgerraldine of Knockeene aforesaid: & divers others whom he cannott name <symbol> all of the County of Catherlagh: which said Robert Pyne after hee was hanged up twice proved aliue in his grave and as earth was throwne vpon him Sate vp in his graue, and struckt his hand vpon his brest saying Christ receive my sowle and <symbol> with those wordes in his mowth was then and there buried quick
And one of those poore protestantes at Gowran by name Tristram Robinson the Rebells hanged him twice trust him through with darts but he still contynuing aliue and speaking they buried him quick And this deponent Jonas Wheeler further saith That one old English protestant whoe was a sheppard and his wiffe goeing from Kilkenny towardes Ballydonnell the Rebells hanged up the poore old man & goeing a little off: his wife perceiving that t here was yet breath in her husband sayd vnto him oh joy you are aliue yet: which
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some of the Rebells overhearing hanged him outright and after <ff> dragged him vp and downe vntill his bowells fell out, then his wiffe desireing them to hang her too: but they refused
<H> And saith that this deponent asking the Rebells at Kilkenny <hand> how they durst doe what they did considering the king was against them they answered that if the king would not hould with them they could haue 40000 to come to assist them out of ffrance & Spaine and bring amunition armes enough and allthinges necessary & fight against the kinge & the English. And the deponent Elizabeth Gilbert further sayth That she heard one James Ewstace servant to the Rebell Colonell Cullen say publiquely in Mr Josephe Wheelers howse in Kilkenny, Lett the kinge take heed For if they they meaning the irish had not their owne desires they would bring in a forreine kinge: And one Tristram dyer a protestant, was (as his wiffe tould this deponent; murthered in a wood with his owne hatchett and Couered with Leaues & Mosse: And this deponent Patrick Maxwell for himself sajth That since the begining of the presente Rebellion and by meanes thereof Hee was deprived & robbed or otherwise dispoyled of Iron Cattle horses mares hay howshold stuffe & other goodes & meanes worth CCxxix li. ster and he is like to be depriued of & loose the future proffitts of his imployment in the iron works of Graige Douisk in the County of Kilkenny worth 40 li. per annum vntill a peace be established: And further saith That the Rebells alsoe robbed and dispojled one Mr William Stanopp of his stock of iron oare & other wood Coale & materiall for the iron workes worth CC li. & above And the said Rebecca Hill further saith That since the begining of the present Rebellion and by meanes thereof Her said late husband & shee were depriued robbed or otherwise dispojled of their goodes chattells & estate Consisting of Corne Cattle horses sheepe howshold goodes & the benefite and proffitts of their farmes worth one thowsand twoe hundred powndes ster and above
And the said Elizabeth Gilbert further sajth That since
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<G> the begining of the present Rebellion and by meanes thereof Shee & her said husband were deprived robbed or otherwise dispojled of their Corne hay Cattle horses sheepe howshold goodes & other goodes & chattells worth fiue hundred powndes and above
Elizabteh Gilbert Rebekah Hill Jonas Wheeler
And thies deponents Joseph Wheeler & Tho: Lewis Lewis further sayth That the names of the parties that soe made gun powder in the Churches of Sct Patricks <I> & Sct Johns in Kilkenny are theis that followe vizt Mr Munsell Doctor of Phissick Richard Murphy thone of the Sherriffs of the Cittie James Archdecon Merchant Henry Archer & Patrick Archer his brother & Edmund Sellenger Apothecary: And this deponent Tho Lewis gaue vnto the said Richard Murphy she the sherriff a boulsteir that cost x s. for standing of 2 truncks 16 daies in his chamber: But this deponent could gett noe more then the emptie truncks back againe from him: all the goodes being there taken out worth 40 li. And this deponent Tho Lewis was alsoe by meanes of the presente Rebellion deprived of & lost howshold goodes apparrell Cattell sheepe <80 li.> & other thinges worth fforty poundes more: Some part of which goodes <K> were taken from him by the said Henry Archer and some other part by Thomas Leighe of Ballilinan gent and by he said Edmund Sellinger & Anthony Sellinger his brother. & (as this deponent hath beene credibly tould) by the eldest sonn of Mr ffitzgarrett baron < [ ] hand> of Brownsford And the deponent Tho: Lewis further saith that one Captain Weisley son of Mr Weisley nere Trim whoe came over out of ffrance with Generall Preston in December last 1642 tould one Mris Manwaring now wiffe to Mr Phillip Purcell in this deponents presence and hearing: That the warrs comotion or designe no then in hand in Ireland was and hadd then had beene six or seven yeres in plotting as he heard ffor soe long before that tyme he heard of it in ffrance, And the said Mris Manwaring afterwardes speaking of the same to one Mr Luttrell: saying withall that she could not beleeve it, because they the irish were noe better provided and furnished with armes & amunition wherevnto the said Mr Luttrell answered: That the irish could not bring armes & amunition into the kingdome but be by discouered But their plott and intencion was to surprise & take the castle of Dublin
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& the other forts & storehowses in Ireland: And by that <H> meanes they should have beene furnished with sufficient armes Amunition Artilery: & all other engins & necessaries for warr: And further saith That since the begining of <K> the present Rebellion: and by meanes thereof Elizabeth Brett this deponentes owne mother [ ] at Cottrellsboly in the County of Kilkenny: was deprived robbed or other wise dispoyled of her cattle horses Mares sheepe Howshold goodes apparell Corne hey proffittes of her Jointure Landes & other thinges all worth ffive hundred powndes at Least And that shee is like to be depriued of and loose that the future proffitts of her Jointure Landes worth ffowrscore pounds per annum vntilll a peace be established. And this deponent Joseph Wheeler further saith That in December last the said James Ewstace in December last 1642 divulged and gaue out in this deponentes presence (& swore it accordingly) seuerall tymes, That after Christmas then next following Generall Preston and all his forcs would Martch to Dublin: and there take the Citty and Castle saying further that they would not bee twoe dayes in takeing of it the Castle ffor that there were twoe thowsand in the Citty of their party that would help them & And that the Castle would bee yeilded vpp vnto them And that the state of Kilkenny had given vnto him Sir Robert Dixons Landes vnder their handes and sealls & that hee would not take fiue hundred powndes ffor his interest therein: And further this deponent saith
That since the begining of the present Rebellion and by meanes thereof hee hath beene & is deprived robbed & dispoyled of the possession rents and proffits of his farmes Cattle horses sheepe Corne hay howshold stuffe and other thinges worth twoe thowsand three hundred powndes And that hee is like to bee deprived of and loose the future proffitts of his farmes (worth Clx li. per Annum vntill a peece bee established And hereafter followeth A relacion of some passages in theis wordes vizt5 1075
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A relacionK L> Heyden now remayning in the Kings Gayole of Kilkenny
ffirst at the Gennerall sitting of the Irish Assembly in Kilkenny he being then amongst them hee pened all their Acts, and afterwards <L> vppon his Coming away, (as hee saydth) readdy to take horse was suddenly apprehended Committed Rifild and still Continueth in restrainth
Afterwards (being as he sayd) in great miserie, made himself knowne to Joseph Wheeler Esquire, and others of the English, was by him and them daily reliued for a great while givinge out and made them beliue, hee was Sir John Heyden sonn and Heegire to Sir Richard Heyden one of the Privie Councell & Nephew to Collonell Craford Sir Paule Dauies, and allsoe Crafords heyire, and was Imployed by the State and for his service, performed and to be performed, was made Knight Barronett if Carryckmayne whearevppon to breede a full belife in vs produced a Comission vnder the Lords Justices lo Marquis and Councell hands and seale mencioning therin that none of the Irish should haue quarter nor anny abearence with the English, and lyckwise in the sayd Comission it was incerted that whomsoever hee protected vppon their othes, to be [ ] his Maiesties leige subjects and true protestants should bee safe haveing his pass onely and those of the English, that had not his pass should be sent into france or sume wheare ells by yond the Seas,
Lyckwise, he said that whosoever hee Comended to his ffather for anny estate of lands falen to the Kinge by this late rebellion hee was sure to procure it.
Allsoe hee posessed Mrs Purcell alias Maynwarring with forged letters, both from hir sonn Mr Anthony Stoughton and hir sonn in law Mr Bulckeley, that shee should haue great care of him the said Heyden lying in restraint, that he should be suplieed by hir, and withall to match, hir grandchild Mr Stoughtons daughter vnto him; which was, as the letters mencioned: a greate match for hir. which the sayd Mrs Purcell beliued and thervppon, shee Consented and matcht hir Grandchild vnto him, to her vtter ruine and ouerthrow, beliuinge truly fully that, both the Letters weare pened by the hands of both hir sons in law and to press amore belife in hir and vs hee sent into the Custody of the said Joseph Wheeler 500 li. and three hundred, to the Custody of Mrs Purcell
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A relation
which sumes of monnyes in a short tyme hee gott againe, sayinge that it <K> was to be imployed to his Maiesties vse to gett intelligence.
ffurther hee mayde vs beliue if anny Stole away to anny of the English Garrisons, he Should not be suffered to pass nor lett in <M> without his pass But should be left to the mercy of his enemyes
Moreover (as he sayd) being in want of money by reason of the miscarriadg of letters [ ] money sent from the State. hee writt to Mrs Purcell that the state by reason of the Miscariad{ge} aforesaid Could not supply him and that they desired hir and others of the English to furnish him which shee and they effect{ed} to their abilities with promises to be repaied againe out of the Exchequer, as appeareth by sum certificats vnder his hand And further manny letters and messingeres came weeckly vnto him (as he sayd) from the State and Garrisons, informing of theyr proceedinges and hee lyckwise sending messingers vnto them of the proceedings of the Irish partie, soe (as hee said) hee knewe what was donn of both sids Continuallie
Last of all the poore English being [ ] parting out of Kilkenny hee sent intelligence vnto them that the Irish Councell had given him to understand that they should be rifeld of all they Carried with them, and wished them that what they had little or much be it monny Juells ringes plate clothes or other wise to send all to him and they should be sure to receaue all againe either in Catherlogh or in Dublin which they lyckwise did, and soe weare cheated of all they had morover manny other letters weare seene from divers of the citie of Dublin, all which weeare Contefeat letters the manny other prancks and trickes might bee heere added inserted which weare to tedious to be related
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<L> And this deponent Jonas Wheeler for & by himself further sayth That theldest sonn of Mr George Greene of Kilkenny: (one of the Rebells Counsell and Mr of their store there), about Candlemas last 1641, tould this deponent, that he had seene a booke in print where vnto 40000 handes & names of the protestantes were subscribed, and that amongst the rest the names of Joseph Jonas Wheeler the deponentes father & of Deane Warren of Sct Kennice Church in Kilkenny [ ] were alsoe sett, Whereby it was appointed and resolved that when the irish nobility & gentry of the Parliament should come to Dublin that they there should bee all taken & restrained as prisoners
And that presently after all thenglish in Ireland should rise vpon a certeine day: & putt all the irish to the sword soe as none of them should be left aliue and soe thenglish to haue all Ireland to themselues & to suppresse and quite overthrow the romish Catholique Religion: And one <M> Symon Archer of Kilkenny a noteable R Rebell in the time when the English were robbed & had their houses ryfled at Kilkenny said he saw such a booke as aforesaid in some of the howses vizt that either of this deponentes said father: or of the said Mr John Keava{n} or of William Connell then Register of Kilkenny. And saith that vpon this report the Lord Mountgarrett comanded the said Archer to bring out the booke: But he not doeing it nor telling where it was was twice racked and he once had to the gallowes to confesse where it was: the Lord Mountgarret saying That if he wuld fynd the booke he would putt to death this deponentes father and all the rest of the English: Howbeit in deed (as this deponent is verely perswaded in his conscience there being noe such booke at all: none could either be fownd, or truly confessed where any such was but the said Archer was for his wickednes kept in prison for 3 quarters of a yere and then released, The vulgar sort of Rebells at Kilkenny most falsly & maliciously saying That the English had given the said Archer a bribe not to confesse where the booke was saying further It was pitty that either he or any of thenglish should escape death: which was false reportes were a great motive and cawse that incensed & provoaked the irish therabouts against the English: soe farr as they the irish had therevpon likd to haue massacred all the English Jonas Wheeler
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And this deponent Joseph Wheeler for himself further <M> saith: That the parties Rebells That Robbed h and depriued him of his goodes were and are theis that follow vizt Peter mc Codey alias Archdeacon of ffasoghe Gowley in Rathpatrick in the Countie of Kilkenny gent Nicholas Dobbin of Lihtana Lisintana gent Peter Denn of Muckully gent Thomas Comerford of Derrileoghe gent Lawrence Strong of Dromdowny gent Cornelius Meara of Kilkenny gardiner Redmond Purcell Sherriff of Kilkenny James Archdeary of the same both Merchantes:
And this deponent John Keavan of prebend of Kilkenny alsoe duly sworne further saith that the parties Rebells that robbed and deprived him and of his goodes and chattells <M> were the said Peter mc Cody of the alias Archdeacon Nicholas Dobbin aforenamed The servants of Peter Shortall of Kill leane gent, James Blanchfeild of Rathgarvin gent, Art mc Brian of Ballaloughan in the County of Catherlagh gent the servants of Michaell Cantwell of Kilkeran gent him and his whoe drew the deponentes wiffe downe the stares as shee told him this deponent) and his servantes; Richard Comerford of Balliburr gent John Grace fitz Roberts of Gallestowne gent John Raggett of Walsloghe gent, The servants of David Rowth of Tulloghmane and his tennants of the graug to the number of 40 and aboue at one tyme: Redmond Pursell the sherriff <N> of Kilkenny & James Brenan fitz John of Kilkenny aforesaid merchant
Joseph Wheeler +
John Keevann
Tho: Lewes
Jur [ ] quinto July 1643
Will: Aldrich
Hen: Brereton
1080 [ ]