Deposition of Garrald Byrne

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Garrald Byrne Late vicar of Bellaheine in the diocs of Tuam and County of Mayo sworne and examined deposeth and saith That in the later end of October 1641 The present Rebellion began within the County of Mayo And then this deponent was by the Rebells <A> especially by Riccard Bourk of Partary in Loghgcarroghe gentleman a Rebellious Captain and his souldjers forceibly expelled from his Church & schoole meanes there worth in all fowrscore pounds per annum Whereof hee accompteth to haue since lost 3 yeres value worth CCxl li. And of his bookes apparell and ready money worth 40 li., And this deponent is Like to be deprived of and loose the future proffits thereof his said Church and Schoole meanes vntill a peace be established. And further sayth That he this deponent for saffety of his Liffe fled away privately in the night, and came to Leinster in into the Queens County and there stayd at Stradbally a few dayes from thence he repaired to Sir Tho: Butler knight and Barronet to his howse, at Rathhellen in the County of Catherlagh from whence (by generall Prestons warrant) he was fetcht away and sent prisoner to Kilkenny where he was kept in durance for a quarter of a yere before he could know for what cawse he was brought thither at Length this deponent being admitted to the presence of the lord Mountgarrett president of the papists gran Counsell there, and desireing to know his accuser and cawse of imprisonment, saying further that none could charg him either with felony treason or any capitall offence, his Lordship answered, were you not a minister, he replied his betters were, and whatsoeuer he was, he thought himself ingaged to stand for his King and Cuntry: To which his lordship said, you haue some back frends, I am but one man and can doe noe more then one man can doe for you & then went from him: Howbeit the deponent, wearying as he thincketh his lordship and the rest of the Counsell with multiplicity of peticions, gott his inlargement a little before Cessation of armes: And during his aboade there, he obserued theis persons following to be of the Rebells grand Counsell there vizt the before named Lord Mountgarret their president, Doctor Kealey titulary Archbishop of Tuam The lord of Gormanston The Erle of Castlehaven & others whose names he cannott remember: And there were of their proviniciall Counsell one Patrick Brian Esquire The Lord Nettervill Patrick Netterville Edward Walle of the County of Catherlaghe Esquire Mr Cusack the lawyere and others: But what their plotts proiects
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or designes were he cannott tell becawse of his restraint and those things being kept secrett from him: Howbeit he knoweth that they Comitted to prison other protestants aswell as himself and alsoe held in prison at Kilkenny such other protestants souldjers as they tooke in the feild vntill they were ransomed or exchanged: And as to murthers and cruelties exercised by the rebells vpon and against the persons of the protestants he hath heard of many, but was not present at any nor can speake of any thing materially other then the robbing dispojleing and imprisoning of himself & some other protestants as aforesaid
<Dr J: H B>
Ger Bjrn
Jur viijo Januarij 1643
Hen: Jones
Hen: Brereton

30
Mayo
Garald Byrne Jur
viijo Jan: 1643
Intw
hand 30 octo

5

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