Deposition of James Weld

fol. 241v

<2> Queens Com
<Exr 103> James Weld of Mountragh
that returning from Dublyn was in the barony of Clanmaleroe nere Ballybr Brittas in the Queens County [ th an ] was ther e was robbed by rebells that wer in those partes about the Last of november Last of mony & goods to the valew of xiiij li. robbed [ ] despo
The rebells wer Murtagh Dempsy & others <C> of the dempsyes, and the domesticall seruants & tenants of the Lord Clanmeleroe in number to 100 persons this deponent having only 3 men & a maide in Company then was robbed with this deponent att about that tyme by the said rebells Jeffry Corbett William Ayerst Oliuer Mea all of Muntragh & Jeffry Corbett Corbetts daughter And att Muntragh a nag & Cowe v li. <D> household goods x li. lease x li. his Children stripped naked & now dead by the Cruell vsage ther apparrell 50 s. Rebells Horans sonns of the Downe Com Regine & fflorence {fitz}patricke his tenants. garden iij li. { }

fol. 242r

1365
The Murther of John Nicolson & his wife first stripped naked then murthered haveing carried their goods to the Castle of florence fitz Patricks <A> of Castle towne he pursueing them Cruely Thomas Wotton murthered by Teige Lallor of of the Vpper Woods
By Reporte Mr Hill a Justice of peace & his sonne are hanged by the Lo. of vpper Ossery & thrust darts thorough hym in hanging hym Leiftenant Keyes likewise was Hanged by fflorence ffitzpatricke & that no english man durst not stir so far as to fetch a bundle of hedge wood out of the towne vnles guarded with Company & armes & that not far from the towne
The rebells threatned the vtter extirpation of the english nation, & that before Christmas day all that wer in the fforte of Leix shold be forced to goe to mass, or dye like doggs And saith in Mucragh the Rebells digged vp the Church ground turned vp the dead Corpses by reporte brooke downe & malitiously defaced the Churche
And that theis are Apostataes & revolters whom this deponent verily beleveth (haveinge formerly professed the religion of the protestants) to haue gone to mass. Robert Board of Colte. <B> William Skelton. ff Periman Goslyn. Thomas Harding. Richard Grace. Capten Crosbey. George Logh. & that most of the Irish Inhabitants of Mary borowgh haue deserted the towne wher the protestants wer, & Carried off away ther goods alleadging that the towne shold be burnt, & betooke them selfes to places off far more vncerten & vnlikely to secure them, then the place they forsooke had they not bene papistically affected, followers both of the rebells & rebellious

fol. 242v

1366
<A> Captain Crosby sayd that the knowen Rebells of Ballifyn wer honester men those that kept the king forte. being English and protestants
The serjeant of the fforte Company justified to the said Captains face that he had layd x musketeers to cutt the ffoote company off as they sallied forth vpon service & sayth that That William Skelton of Maryborowe ordinarily <B> Harbors & succors rebells & traitors in his house
That h eard say those which buried Nicolson & his wife <Intr> wer threatned to be hanged, they say ther bowells wer stripped for to make tallow for candles
<symbol Richard Burke> John Lallor of Maryborough by repute a Comon harborer of Rebells turnd this rebellion
Intr
James Weld
Jurat 9 Apr 1642
John Sterne
Randall Adams