Examination of Melcher Stafford

fol. 257r

The examinacion of Melcher Stafford of Wexford gent aged about fortie fiue yeares taken vpon oath on the behalfe of the Comonwealth Concerning the said Allexander Roch of Wexford aforesaid Alderman deceased
<To the 1st Inter> The Examinant deposeth and saith that for theese many yeares past the Examinant well knew the said Allexander they being sisters children: & knoweth that the said Allexander did liue at the Towne of Wexford in the Irish quarters the whole time of the Rebellyon & did not thence remooue into the english quarters <s> As he might haue done with the english liuing at wexford did and that the said Allexander Continued in the said towne till the same was taken by the Lord generall Cromwells Armie
<To the 2d inter> Hee cannott depose
<To the 3d interr> The examinant deposeth and saith that to the deponents personall knowledge the said Allexander did maintayne foure or fiue men in Armes in the time of the warre in the towne of Wexford, for defending thereof <t> against the english as well the first yeare as the residue of the rebellyon And the deponent beleiueth that the said Allexander did contribute (as others) of the towne did his proporcion of the publicque Levyes reflecting on the towne for maintenance of the Irish forces then in Armes
<To the 4th interr> The examinant deposeth and saith that he hath seen the said Allexander in Wexford in Actuall armes <u> (as he conceiueth) the first yeare of the warre & afterwardes
<To the 5th inter> The examinant saith that to his knowledge the said Allex was with the constant meetings of the Aldermen <w> in the towne of Wexford and yeilded his aduice in furthering the Irish cause against the english the said Allexander being himselfe an Alderman in the said towne
602

fol. 257v

<To the 6th inter> Hee deposeth and saith that he is very confident that the said Allexander (being an alderman as aforesaid) Joyned with others of his fraternitie <x> & others the Inhabitants in choosing burgesses out of the towne of Wexford for the to goe to Kilkenny to be of the generall assembly
<To the 7th inter> Hee deposeth and saith that there being an oath of associacion generally ministred to all sortes of <y> people of the Irish the deponent conceiueth the said Allexander did take the said oath
<To the 8th inter> The Examinant deposeth that he heard by the relacion of the Towne Inhabitants that the said townesmen did make <z> a leuy amongst themselues for buying & prouiding powder and Amunicion for mayntenance of the warre against the english, wherein the defendant deponent conceiueth the said Allexander did beare his proporcion being a member of the said towne
<To the 9th inter> Hee deposeth and saith that the said Allexander was an Alderman in the said towne during the <a> whole time of the rebellyon, being all the offices that the said Allexander was Imployed in to the deponents knowledge
<To the 10th Inter> The deponent saith that the said Allexander had one sonne by name William Roch which said William was in <b> Actuall Armes in the towne of Wexford in defence thereof against the towne of Wexford Lord generall Cromwells Armie, when the same was beseiged & taken.
<To the 11:> Hee cannot depose
<To the 12th inter> Hee deposeth that to his personall knowledge <c> the said Allexander did buy a barque & a load of Coales therein a ship of an hundred tuns the same being taken at sea by pyrates
603

fol. 258r

from a Scotch man for the which barque or ship and wares the said Allexander gaue Captaine Antony or Captain Nicholas the pyrates that tooke the same thirty poundes or thereabout to the best of the deponents remembrance
<To the 13th inter> Hee cannot depose And further saith not
Melcher Stafford
Sworne before vs the
13th of January 1653
Edw Tomlins
Am Andrewes

604

fol. 258v

2d Allexander Roch fayre

Allexander Roch of
Wexford