Examination of Nicholas Stafford

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The examinacion of Nicholas Stafford of Codstowne in the Countie of Wexford gent aged about sixtie nyne yeares taken vpon oath on the behalfe of the Comonwealth Concerning walter Roch of Clonlough in the said County esquire deceased.
<To the 1st Interr> The deponent saith & deposeth that the said walter Roch liued at Clonlough & other partes of his estate as well the first yeare as during the whole time of the rebellion in the <o> then Irish quarters and did not remooue thence into any place in the Jurisdicion of the English, as english & protestants residing neere the said walter then did
<To the 2d Interr> Hee deposeth that the said Walter the said first yeare did remooue himselfe from Clonlough aforesaid vnto Newcastle a strong hold of his owne being a more <p> defensiue & secure place then Clonlough was; The cause of his remoouall the deponent conceiueth to bee for his the said walters more quiet & peaceable liuing
<To the 3d Inter> The deponent saith & is confident that the said walter did contribut{e} in the publicque taxes of the County for the maintaining <q> the Irish forces then raysed for the opposing the english It being soe generall a thing that the deponent conceiueth the said walter could not avoyd payment thereof
<To the 4th Interr> The Examinant deposeth that the said Roch was in actuall Armes for the Irish against the English the said <r> first yeare And did that yeare Act & abett in the promoting the said rebellyon & did of his the said Walters owne power seize & take in to his possession the castle of Ardcramon, in the County of Wexford bellonging to Edward Masterson then a protestant, And did thence driue and expell the seruants of the said Masterson, who then kept the same for the Their said Master The deponents cause of knowledge is for that he liued neere the said castle of Ardcramon the time the same was seized by the said Roch as aforesaid
<To the 5th Interr> T he deponent saith that hee hath knowne & seen the said walter at seauerall publicque meetings of the Irish the said first <s> yeare & at the County councell (whereof the said walter was a member that yeare) in order to the furthering the said rebellyon against the english
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<To the 6th Inter> The deponent saith & affirmeth that the said walter being one of the County councell & a man of quality, Joyned with others of the Countrey in electing men for the Generall assembly, His cause of knowledge is that <t> hee the deponent being a County Councellman himselfe did take notice of the said walters Actings
<To the 7th Inter> The examinant deposeth & beleiueth that the said walter did take the oath of associacion as others of his ranke & quallity did, it being a generall thing over the whole Countrey
<To the 8th Inter> Hee cannot depose
<To the 9th Inter> The deponent saith that the said walter was a member of the County Councell as aforesaid, And likewise the said <u> walter was intrusted with the office of Knight Marshall in & for the County of Wexford & soe acted, and had seauerall men as well horse as foote in Armes to attend him in the execucion of his said office in the said first yeare of the warre and ever sithence to the deponents personall knowledge.
<To the 10th Inter> The deponent saith that the said walter had three sons Namely Allexander Redmond & John And that Allexander <w> Acted sometime of the first yeare as a member of the Countie Councell & sithence was a Captaine of horse for the Irish against the english and that the said Redmond serued in the capacity of a Captaine of foote for the Irish against the english Interest, And saith that the said Allexander & Redmond during their said seauerall Actings against the english were cherished & releiued by and held correspondency with their said ffather
<To the 11th Inter> The examinant cannot depose any more then what <x> he hath already said in answeare to the 4th Interr>
<To the 12> He cannot depose
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<To the 13 Inter> The deponent saith that the said walter being Marshall generall of the said County did the said first yeare execute & hang Leiutenant Esmond and others of the english party bellonging to the forte of Duncannon, then kept by the Lord Esmond against the Irish, The said Leiutenant and the <y> rest soe executed being taken prissoners neere or at Redmonds hall in the County of wexford at a skirmish then had between the said Leiutenant and the Irish rebells of this County then in Armes; At which time and place one Captain Asten an officer of the English and many souldyers in his Company were killed and drowned: The cause of the deponents knowled{ge} is that he heard the same by the generall relacion of the Countrey and further saith not &c
Nicholas Stafford
Sworne before vs the
4th of January 1653
R: Hussey
Edward Withey

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2d walter Roch faire