Deposition of John Walsh

fol. 306r

John Walsh late of Castledermott in the Countie of Kildare Clerk sworne and examined, deposeth and saieth that in the begining of the Rebellion or Insurreccion of the Irish in Ireland in the mounth, of October 1641. The Right honorable George Earle of Kildare giving meeting vnto the gentrie and Comons of that Countie at Naas the said gentrie and Comons made choyse of the said Earle to be Gouernore of that Countie and the said Earle, gentrie gen and Comons did choose 3 gentlemen of that Countie to be Captaines (Instructed by his Maiesties Counsell at Dublin) for the Guarding and defendinge of that Countie in that disordered tyme as this de= <A> ponent supposeth: Piers fitz Gerald of Ballysonan in the said Countie Esquire (being one of the said chosen Captaines) having receiued Armes and Amuniccion out of his Maiesties store house in Dublin for an hundred men was appointed to Garrison at Castledermott vnto which place the said Capt: fitz Gerald with his companie repaired, and being ther the space of one weeke or tenn daies procured the said Earles warrant to this Exami: that this Exa: should forth with deliuer vnto the said Capt: fitz Gerald the quiet possession of his Castle in Castl{e} Dermott for the preseruacion of his Maiesties Armes, and defence of that Countie; vppon demanding of the Castle by vertue of the said warrant by the said Capt: this deponent tould him that that were not safe for him, his children, and freinds that were then with him for saftie of their liues and such goods as they had in that Castle, nor safe for this exami: for his goods and Catles that were without his Castle doores, Whervppon the said Captaine fitz Gerald swore and protested that he would Loose his whole estate and all the bloode in his bodie before this Exami: should Loose the vallew of one Shillinge; vppon which protestacion and warrant this deponent then suffered the said Capt: and his men as many as he would to come and liue in the said Castle And after 3. weekes or ther abouts the said Capt: his cheefe officers, with 6. or 8: souldiers alwaies attending him, all of them at this Exami: charge within the
1000

fol. 306v

the said Castle for that space; the said Capt: on the 7th day of December 1641 tould this Exa: that the Irish in the Counties of Catherlagh and wicklow threatned to take a way the Kings armes that night from him, which he would not wish for an 200 li., and further said that he would place his pykes in the sellers of that Castle, and his musketts wher with his souldiers in an vpper loft of the said Castle, which he did (as he then said to this Exa Exa:) to prevent the Irish from seising on his Armes but it was altogether meant as and it soe happned by his perfidious treacherie, to seise and possesse himselfe of all the goods and chatles that this exa: within and without the said Castle had to the vallew of 3000 li. ster. besides the dispossessinge him of the yearelie rent of 600 li. ster. per annum And further this Exa: deposeth, that that night vidz the 7th of December 1641. the said Capt. and his officers being at supper with this Exa: in the said Castle, aboute the midle of supper 24 me of his souldiers came from the said vpper loft with their swords and skeynes drawne, into the roome wher the said Capt., his officers this Exa: and his Protestant frends were at supper the first of the 24 men that entred the roome gaue the said Capt. the Watch word which was betweene them as this Exa: verielie beleeueth, which was Sancta Maria Capt:. then the said Capt. and his officers (excepting his Leftenant Nicho: Wale) drew their swords and skeynes <B> & one Luke fitz Gerald whoe was Ensigne to the said Capt: fitz Gerald, with somm of the souldiers fell this exa: vnder them and whoe had their skeynes at either side of his throate presently to haue murthered him, had not the Capt. said, that he would haue noe bloode drawne then the said Ensigne lett this Exa: goe and this Exa comying to the Capt. whoe had his sworde in his hand drawne at the table side where=at they supped, this Exa: demanded of him what or wher-fore the matter was, the said Capt. made answere and said that this Exa
1001

fol. 307r

Exa: and all the Protestants that were with him were meere enemies to the generall cause for which he then drew his sworde for, and therefore their liues and goods were at his disposall, yealding noe other reason but because they were Protestants, therfore enemies to him and his pretended cause And soe threacherouslie and forciblie he possessed himselfe of all the goods, Coyne, plate, Rings, Jewells, lynyn, woollen bedding, brasse, pewter Iron, Corne in haggards, Corne in ground, Corne and malte in store=houses with all other the Exa: goods and househould stuffe, and soe likewise possessed himselfe of all horses, sheepe Cowes, oxen garrans and swine to the vallew of 3000 li. ster. besides the dispossessing this Exa: of the yearely rents of 600 li. per annum as before is mentioned, wherof nor by which this exa: receiued receiued not one pence for his owne or children s nor for his 4 motherlesse children vse or mayntenance since the first of these distempers. And this Examinat further saieth that the said Captain fitz Gerald (as he verielie thinketh) was much incenced by one <C> Lawrence Goghagan a ffranciscans ffrier to deale treacherouslie with this exa: as he did, and that the said ffrier had for his reward from the said Capt parte of the Exa: goods, and that he did breake open a trunck of this Exa: then and tooke away many of his writteings, and evidences, with two Bibles, for which he said that he would haue this exa: hanged for having such Hereticall bookes, in his trunck or custodie, but was the Judgments of God on the vngodlie, when the said ffrier fell sick his mouth was drawne vpp to his eare on one side his tongue hung out his eies were still open after his death, and this exa: sister seeing his Corps on a table after in that maner & of that order before buriall, shee said that that was the iust doome of God vppon soe wicked a man as that ffrier was; for his incitinge for which words the said Capt and many other gentlemen to runn into Rebellion, for which words of hers she was like to be murthered by somm other friers that were then by had not somm freinds rescued her from them as this Exa: said sister
1002

fol. 307v

Sister did afterwards tell this Examinate in the tyme of Sessacion of armes
<D J: H B>
Joh Welsh
Jur 14o Julij 1645
Hen: Brereton Hen: Jones

Kildare 0
Mr John welsh Jur
14o Julij 1645
Intw Cf
7 dec

+

1003