Deposition of Andrew Brereton

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<Lieutennant> Andrew Brereton late of Killadoole in the Queens County {gent} duely sworne and examined deposeth that since the beginning of this present rebellion which begunn in those partes about November vltimo 1641 he was at severall times robbed and despoyled of his horses, Cowes, sheepe and swine to the vallue of 170 li. of his Corne in haggard and in ground to the vallue of 200 li: of househoulde stuffe and necessaries for husbandry 30 li. of the benefit of his lease of the sayd Killadoole vpon which he expended [ ] in improvement at least 100 li., the which he giveth for lost: in all 500 li. By the <A> hands and meanes of the Lord of Vpper Ossory and his followers all now in open rebellion as the natives of that Cuntry now alsoe rebels did confesse vnto this examinat. And further sayth that himselfe and all the neighbor protestants of the barony of Vpper Ossory in the sayd County at the beginning of this rebellion betooke themselves to the Castle of Burroes in the sayd County to defend themselves and were there beseedged by the said L ord of Vpper Ossory, fflorence fitzpatrick <B> of Castle towne Esquire Andrew fitzpatrick of Castle flemming and Collonell Bryan fitzPatrick of Rathdownagh with about 6 or 7 hundred of theyre rebellious route in the County aforesayd vntill Easter day 1642, At which time they were releeved by the honorable Sir Charles Coote. After whose departure they were againe beseedged vizt about Lammas following by the fore sayd rebels for the dureing which siedge the sayd protestants for a lon{g} <X> time fed vpon horses, dogs, cats beane leaves, potato tops, and cow hides beinge without eyther bread drinke or salt. And further sayth that about <C> Alhollantide last past Collonell Pluncket with a thousand men came vnto the sayd Castle and demaunded the surrender therof in the kings name saying <X> that if the warders helde the sayd Castle for the Kings vse that he would send <more> armed men vnto them to assist them, vnto which this examinat (beinge left by Sir Charles Coote chiefe commaunder of the sayd Castle) replyed, that if he would shew any authority vnder the king for what he required and offered, that he would obey, wherevpon for want of such authority, as it seems, he departed And <D> further sayth that about 10bris vltimo last past Collonell Preston with about 150{0} <X> other rebels besett the sayd Castle and played vpon the Court gate {thereof with} 2 field peeces and one small battering piece and begun to worme vnder ground, whose power this deponent and the warders vnder {his} commaund not being able to resist, in regarde there were but twenty of the sayd warders and that the Castle, was Large and with all that {almost} theyre whole munition was spent, as not having as much powder as would {defend} themselves or offend the enemy one day longer always they were compelled to surrender vpon quarter haveing theyre l ives and worst Clothes o n e ly graunted the m And further sayth that there were present at the {said} <E> last siedge the Earle of Castle haven, Thomas Hovendon Esquire, fflorence {fitz}

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Patrick Esquire Edmund Row alias Butler the Lord Mountgarett his brother or sonn and diverse gentlemen out of Kilkenny whose names this deponent remembreth not. And further sayth that serjant major generall Preston and Captain Burnett tooke this examinant in privat and tould him they had commission to examine him by what authority he helde the sayd Castle and this deponent replyed for the king he kept it, and that he was left the Livetenant or commaunder of the castle by Sir Charles Coote, and that they then sayd Sir Charles Coote was proclaymed traytor by the king because what he did was for the parliament and not for the king. And further sayth that as he <E> was conducted vnto the Citty of Dublin by one Ancient Casey a rebell, that the sayd Casey toulde this deponent that one Antonie a Dutchman would shortly come with strength of shipping and stop the passages twixt England and Ireland that no supply might be brought into this kingdome. And further saith that [ ] there was observed one Br a ndan Br ai ndan C o hin ner a popish preist who came about a yeere before lately out of Roome from the Pope to be very busy in those partes a long time before this rebellion began in those partes and to be the very first that did take vp armes in Ossory against his Maiesty and had about 60 more traytors at his heeles, and to seduce many others into this wicked rebellion: And sayth alsoe that one Turlogh fitzpatrick high Constable for the barrony of Ossory then a seeming loyall subiect but now a rebell wroated vnto Mr Robert Piggott as he tould this deponent that the sayd Brandan Braydone the intended suddenly to cutt of and murther all the English of Mountrathe whilest they were at church, by which discovery that plott was prevented
Andrew Brereton
Deposed febr vltimo 1642
John Watson
Hen: Brereton

Queens County
Mr Andrew Brereton
Jur vlt ffebr 1642
Intw
hand w 30 no
134