Deposition of William Collis

fol. 285r

William Collis of the towne and Countie of Kildare Sadler gent sworne & examined deposeth and saith That since the begining of the present Rebellion. That vizt about Christmas 1641 Hee this deponent at Kildare aforesaid: and at Ballinagh in the Kinges Countie was deprived or otherwise dispojled of his Cattle horses howsholdstuff Provition Ready monie & benef other goodes and Chattells of the value of one hundreth Powndes & above by the Rebells And is like to be depr i ved of the future proffits of his farme of Ballinagh worth clerely: 14 li. per annum vntill pe a ce be setled vizt of his goods within the County of Kildare <A> by theis Rebells vizt by Colonell Henry Dempsie of Ballybrittus in the Queens Countie & his souldjers and one Captain Crosby of Clanmaleroe & others whose names he knoweth not, And of his goodes at Ballinagh aforesaid in the Kinges County By the Rebells John Mc Kegan and ffarrell mcKegan of the Parrish of Clinalley & Kinges County: Whoe (as they said) were ancient owners of Ballinagh: & were formerly putt of it by the plantacion and therefore they would enter vpon that land (as they did when they tooke his goodes: And further saith: That after that this deponent was robbed: One Captain Tho: [ ] ffzgarrett sonn of Oliver ffzgarrett of Dunneery Dunneny and the souldjers of the said Colonell Dempsie surprised this deponents person and kept him prisoner & they plotted together to shoote to death him this deponent and Roberte Woodes (another english Protestante: which said Woods they (the next morning) shott to death accordingly; Howbeit this deponent haveing notice of the same plott made meanes to escape away: And then quickly after the Erle of Antrim entertained this deponent in his then howse at Maidenstowne; & kept him and his wiffe and Children there for viijt weekes together And then one Captaine <B> ffitzgarrett of Brownstowne a n now Prisoner at Naas for Rebellion sent word to the said Erle of Antrim That if he suffered him this deponent to passe away: Then he would beate downe the said Erles howse (as the said Erle tould this Deponent) Howbeit afterwards the deponente, made an escape out of the said Erles howse, And as hee was comeing to Dublin: was surprised by a scowt of the Rebells & carried to Leixlipp: but in the way first brought him to and before the Rebell Captain Long whoe cawsed the deponent to be stript and searched & tooke 3 li. 11 s. 6 d. & a djall from him. Then sent him to Leixlipp
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835

fol. 285v

Where the said Captain ffzgarrett last named was governor & there he the deponent being kept all night a prisoner The Erle of Castlehaven the next morning sent one of his men with a letter thither: Whereby his lordship signifyed to all those whom it might concerne, That they should not suffer him this Deponent to passe to Dublin for he would not for one thowsand Pownds that he should goe thither or wordes to that effect Wherevpon this deponent (haveing seene the letter and heard it redd by Captain ffzgarrett) was stayd there still, and was ordered to be hanged the next day But when the messinger retorned home reioyceing & had tould that this deponent was fast enoughe, and was alsoe to be hanged Then the Erle of Antrim (hearing thereof) sent a letter a about Midnight following by his owne footeman to the said Captain ffitzgarrett: Thereby desireing him to send the deponent back vnto him for that he was his the Erles servant Wherevpon he was sent back to the said Erle accordinglie And then after the said Erle gave this Deponent a passe & sent one of his owne men with him to Sct Katherins nere Leixlip: ffrom whence they both came to Dublin: And att that tyme the said Erle harboured & releeved a great number of of English protestants that had beene Robbed by the Rebells and would without doubt have been killd: If the said Erle had not saved and sheltered them: & the said Erle (when they desired it) sent them away to Dublin with mony & clothes which hee freely gave them: And the said Erle of Castlehaven being after at length apprehended and imprisoned at Dublin: and thence escapeing away: is now or lately was a great Comander of the Rebells horse, about Kilkenny, as this Deponent hath beene credibly informed.
William Collis
Jur iiijto Maij 1643
Joh Watson:
Hen: Brereton.
<And this deponent heard divers of the Rebells at Kildare say & confesse That seven of them meaning them the Rebells hadd Ravished & had Carnall knowledge of one Elizabeth woods an English protestant: woman (one presently after <C> another) soe as they gaue her not tyme to rise till the last act performed, And saith that the Rebells at Kildare digged vp & tooke vp the carcasses & bones of this deponents granmother & other protestants dead and buried in the Church & Churchyard there: And that one Walter white of Kildare a divellish Rebell said: that if others had not hindered him: he would have brought the corps of this deponents granmother & reard the same vp at the deponents doore And this deponent further saith that one Lawrence>
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<D> white of Kildare aforesaid (one of the said Captaine ffitzgarretts souldjers) publiquely said, in the hearing of this deponent and others, that hee thought the worse of himself the day that he sawe any of the seed of the English walke along the streetes. And alsoe saith That it was comonly reported by the said Captaine ffitzgarrett: & by one of the sonns of Mr Sarsfeild of Tully, & divers others of the Rebells: That when they hadd made an end of all the Protestants in Ireland: They would goe with an army into England & doe as much with the protestants there: which wordes were spoken before Christmas 1641 when the present Rebellion in Ireland was but new begin.
William Collis
Jur eodem die
John Watson:
Hen: Brereton

837

fol. 286v

William Collis Jur: May. 4.
1643
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Intw
154

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