Examination of Richard Shortall re Peirce Buttler

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The examinacion of Richard Shortall of Eniscorthy gent aged about fortie yeares taken vpon oath on the behalfe of the Comonwealth Concerning Peirce Buttler of Clough in the Countye of wexford esquire deceased vpon the Interrogatoryes annexed to the Comission of enquiry
<To the 1st Interr> The Examinant deposeth and saith that he well knew the said Peirce for many yeares: And that the said Peirce did Liue at Clough in the County of wexford in the Irish quarters, the first yeare & the whole <u> time of the rebellion, and did not thence remooue into the english quarters: As the deponent Conceiues hee might haue done, amongst the english Liuing neere him the said Peirce
<To the 2d interr> The deponent saith, that the said Peirce hearing that the Lord generall Cromwell with his Armie were come to Arckloe, did departe with his cattle and <w> goods from Clough into other Countyes: The deponents cause of Knowledge is for that the said Peirce told the deponent of his said departure, and would haue perswaded the deponent to accompany him the said Peirce in his said recesse
<To the 3d Interr> Hee deposeth and saith that the said Peirce did in the first yeare of the rebellyon Contribute his person, & the vtmost of his abillity to the promoting the warre against the english his cause of knowledge hereafter appeares
<To the 4 & 5th Inter:> Hee deposeth and saith that the said Peirce did act & abett the rebellyon against the english, in the first yeare thereof: And in testimony of his forwardnes the said Peirce did rayse & Comand a partie of men of the County of wexford, to beseige Duncannon forte, defended by the Lord Esmond against the Irish: And that the said Peirce was not onelie present at the summoning thereof the said forte but was the Comander in cheife that sumoned the same: The deponents cause of Knowledge is for that the deponent Coning with Letters from the Lords Justices and Councell at Dublin directed to the Lord Esmond the deponent was with the said Letters taken before the said Peirce & by him examined, & that thereuppon the said Peirce did call togeather all the officers vnder his Comand, in Nature of a Councell of warre, whereof the said Peirce was president, who gaue Judgement against this deponent to be Imprissoned for a night and a daie which Imprisonment the deponent accordinglie sufferred
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And further saith that the said Peirce did sumon & take the castle of Eniscorthy in the said first yeare of the warre, then kept by Walter Lacie seruant to Sir Henry Wallopp: And did from thence take and carry away the Lead that covered the said castle to the vallue as the deponent conceiueth of one hundred poundes ster: The deponents cause of Knowledge is for that the examinant <x> Lived neere the said Castle, and did see the said Lead or some parte thereof taken away by the said Peirce as aforesaid: And further saith that the said Peirce was at the meetings of the Irish in order to the Carrying on the rebellion, His cause of knowledge is for that he hath seen the said Peirce present at & president & the most actiue man at the said respectiue meetings of the Irish, as at Eniscorthy, at & against Duncannon & else where, as well in the first yeare of the rebellyon & els sithence
<To the 6th Interr> The examinant Deposeth and saith that the said Peirce was a member of the Countie Councell the first yeare of the rebellion. And afterwardes a Continuall <y> member of the generall assemblie: The examinants cause of Knowledge is for that he hath seen the said Peirce act in them capacities, And the further cause of the deponents Knowledge is for that the deponent did see a warrant signed by the said Peirce and others of the County Councel in the first yeare of the rebellyon, directed to Eneas Keinsly and Anthony Cavanagh, Impowering and Requiring them to burne the howse of Limericke (bellonging to the Lord Esmond, & then Inhabited by his Lady) and to cease on the goods & cattle within and without the said howse, for the vse of the Irish publicque
<To the 7th Inter> Hee deposeth and saith that the examinant was personally present in the towne of Rosse in the first yeare of the Rebellyon, when and where he did see the said Peirce amongst other gentry of the Country take [ ] the said oath of associacion before the Lord of Mountgarret
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the Names of the other gentry that did take the oath at that time with the said Peirce as the deponent remembers were Sir Morgan Cauanagh knight Eneas Keinsly of Ballincargie Thomas Rosceter of Rathmacknee: James Buttler of Bellabora & Edmond Buttler the Lord of Mountgarrets eldest son with others whom the deponent doth not rember
<To the 8 Interr> Hee deposeth and saith that the said Peirce was one of the Nuntius his faction or confederacy that was sent or came into Ireland from the pope, & beleiues that the said Peirce being an eminent man and a powerfull man did treat with the said Nuntius for supplying the Irish with monyes (to promote their <z> rebellyon) whereof the said Nuntius had a vaste sum his cause of knowledge is for that he heard the same by the generall report of the Countrey, & further for that the said Peirce Buttler was generally called Catholicque Peirce signifying his zeale & affection to the said Nuntius & the his faction.
<To the 9th inter> The examinant cannot depose, other then that he hath deliuered in the preceding parte of his deposicion in his answeare to the 4th 5th & 6th Interrogatoryes - with that that the <a> said Peirce had the title and Comand of a Collonell of foote for the Irish interrest against the english in the first yeare of the rebellion & afterwardes.
<To the 10th Inter> the deponent saith that he hath seen the said Peirce his seruants constantly in Armes, attending and <b> accompanying his their master as well the first yeare as sithence
<To the 11th Inter> He sath that one George Jabelin, an english taylor was seruant & tennant to the said Peirce, in the first yeare of the warre & ever sithence, & that the said George <c> is resident at or neere Clough the said Peirce his late habitacion.
<To the 12th Interr> The examinant deposeth and saith that inor in or shortly after the first yeare of the rebellyon, the said Peirce <d> did ceize and carry away from the castle of Eniscorthy to the Clough, a small brasse peice, & a small Iron peice of Ordnance bellonging to the said castle of Eniscorthy: The deponents cause of knowledge is for that [ ] Walter Lacie the keeper of the Castle
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told the deponent thereof: And shewed the deponent where the said peices of Ordnance had grated vpon, or broken the castle wall as they were throwne downe from the top of the said castle of Eniscorthy
<To the 13th Inter> Hee cannot depose, other then that he hath heard & verily beleiues that the said Peirce was one of the Councell that passed sentence of death against <d> Leiutenant John: Esmond, & fourteen souldyers of the english party bellonging to the forte of Duncannon taken prissoners at the tower of Hooke & further saith not.
Rich: Shortall
Sworne before vs the
16th of January 1653
Will Woodwards
B Hussey
John walker
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1 Peirce Buttler Clough