Deposition of Henry Bringhurst
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Henry Bringhurst of kilkeron in the County of Mayo Esquire aged 57 yeres or thereabouts sworne and examined before his maiesties Commissioners appointed by Comission vnder his highnes greate seall of Ireland touching the present Rebellion deposeth and sayth That besides the many and miserable effects of this vnhappie time, the innocent bloud (most maliciously shed by the Rebells in Connaght) is not the Least but most inexcusable As by the sequell will appeare ffor it wilbe manifestly proved first. That in January 1641 twoe brothers of ô Connor Sligoe accompanied with a multitude of loose and dissolute villaines their associats & confederats by and with the advice and assistance of some of the northeren men called Owltaghs (banished and driven out of the north of Ireland vpon their rebellion in those parts by the brittish forcs there, began vpon a suddeine to slaughter and massacre the brittish Inhabitants in Sligoe, and in the streets presently killed & murthered one sheele a Scotchman with his sonn, and runing through the towne to finde out the rest, Whero to fly the slaughter endeavored to hide themselues, but being closse followed and found were perswaded by O Connor Sligoes said brothers and the rest to put themselues into their handes and protection Promissing to putt them into saff keeping vnder their protection for that night, and the next day to sende and convey them saffly to the Boile. Whereunto the poore affrighted innocent{s} (not mistrusting their treacherous intencions) Put themselues into their merciles hands Whoe presently putt them (being in number 39 persons or thereabouts besides children into the Comon Country gaole or dungeon where about Midnight a great company of them (the rebell{s} haveing lights in their handes) came with swords skeines & smiths sledges into the prison and there without remorse or pitty of women with chylde & yong children knocked some in the heads with their sledges & stabbed the rest with their skeines & cut them in peecs with their swords, And soe there in most butcherly manner slaughtered & murdered all the number aforesaid (having formerly ryfled all their howses, taken all the goodes and stripped their bodies, and left them there dead. And the Like slaughter was about that time or presently after Committed (as is reported) at Teetample by them or some of their
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their party wherein it is reported that John Crean a sonne of one Andrew Crean a Justice of the peace of that Countie with some other <A> not of the meanest of that County have bin actors: Afterwards vizt vpon the 13th day of ffebr in the same yere 1641 A convoy being given by the lord of Mayo vnto the Bishop of Killalla, with his wiffe children and servants, and together with them many other persons both English and Scottish whom the lord of Mayo with his sonn Sir Tibbot Bourk did in person accompany from Castlebar kinturk and Belcarr, with five companies of souldiers for their better security vnto the towne of Shrowle, Where 2 companies of souldjers were to receive them over the bridg of Shrowle being in the County of Galway: And for their better and more saffe Convoy, the titulary Archbishop of Tuam faithfully promissed to the Lord of Mayo to accompany them with his letters and seuerall preists and freers to see them saffly conveyed and deliuered in Galway or at the fort of Galway: And being all comen saffe to Shrowle, vpon Saturday night the xijth of ffebr, the lord of Mayo provided for them that night at the howse of Sergeant Robert Lambart and other howses in towne, and the next day for their dinner, And that night lay in one Chamber and vpon one bed with the Bishop, Whose wife & children according to his desire lay in the next chamber to them, The next day being Sunday (that bloody day) the gentlemen of the barronie of Kilmoane fynding themselues much charged and burdened by the souldjers, haveing Layen vpon them 4 nights together, intreated to bee eased of them by sending them away to their homes for that they had brought them to the end of the County of Mayo: Where they were to bee <B> received by the Companies of Morrogh Ne Doe ô fflaherty and Vllick Bourk of Castlehackett Whoe Lay that night within 2 myles of Shrowle, and were with them when they came thither, but were gone that night to lodg in the County of Galway and appointed to meete the Company at Kilnamanaghe, about a myle from Shrowle vpon Sunday morning Vpon which earnest request of the Cuntry the lord of Mayo dismissed all his companies and gaue them Lycense to depart home except one company vnder the Comand of Captain Walter Bourke whoe Lived within a myle of Shrewle or little more, which Companie being then Comanded by one Edmund Bourck brother and ensigne to the said Walter was staid and appointed to Convoy the company from thence to
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Kilnemanaghe vnto the 2 companies there appointed to receive them: for that they were not comen as was promissed to Shrowle to receive them, And the day being farr spent, and the martch long (it being 14 myles from thence to Galway, and having noe place nerer for the poore travellers to lodg at that night then Clare, which was tenn myles and it being almost 12 a clock The said wicked <A> Ensigne Edmund Bourk, haveing with his wicked company bin at Mass And the titulary Bishop haveing fayled to send, either preists freres or letters according to his promisse And the towne not able to provide for all that company another night the said murtherer Edmund Bourk desired to be goeing with them to Kilnemanagh Where he would vndertake both the Convoy and saffe deliuery of them vnto the twoe companies appointed to receive them. Wherevpon (it suiteing with the desires of the travelling companie) (they being desirous to get to Galway) The Lord of Mayo furnished them with horses of his owne & his sonns. Soe that his sonn had not a horse left to goe with him: And having seen the Bishop with his wiffe & children and the rest of the company that had horses, on horsback, he tooke leave with them and soe they departed from him; Whoe not haveing his men ready to goe away with him stood looking vpon them goeing ouer the bridge And in the end perceiving some of their Carriage that was ouer the bridg fallen downe And fynding the souldjers rather willing to be pillidging or catching away then helping it vp: His lordship presently sent over his sonn to kepe the souldjers in order and to cawse them to be saffly sent away: And therevpon the Lord of Mayo accompanyed only with 2 or 3 horsmen rode away towards Conge to Sir Tibbott Bourks howse: (which was but 6 myles from Shrewle: Whoe (notwithstanding that he rode a good round pace) (for that the weather was very cold, intending to light and stay for his sonn at the howse of one Andrew Linch 2 myles short of Conge, A messinger (as he was ready to alight, came to him and told him, That presently after he was out of sight the said Edmund Bourk and his whole company fell vpon the Bishop and his whole Companie, had wounded the Bishop and stripped him with his wiffe & Children & all the rest of the company and had murdered some of them and were about
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about to murther all the rest. Wherevpon the Lord of Mayo went instantly into a Chamber and there wept bitterly. Pulling off his haire, & refuseinge to heare any manner of perswasion or comfort or to be patient, haveing noe manner of meanes at that time left him to be revenged for that Inhumane bloudy massacre & the irreparable dishonour done vnto himself besides he feared the Losse of his sonn, And that now they were entered into blood that they would fall vpon himself being then a protestant, and some fewe English then about him, together with his sonns wiffe and children, and some other English with her at Conge. And within half an howre after came Sir Tibbot Bourk, whoe with teares Related the tragicall event of that bloudy massacre: But could not certenly tell whoe was killd in perticuler or whoe escaped, But being demanded by his father why he would euer haue comen away but either haue preserved their Liues or have died with them, answered. That when they began to fall vpon the slaughter they charged him (having his sword drawne against them) both with their pykes and muskets and would haue killd him, <A> But that John Garvy the sherriff of the County of Mayo, (whoe was brother in lawe to that bloudy butcher Edmund Bourk the principall murtherer) came in betwixt them him and them, tooke him in his armes, and by the Assistance of some other company, Carried him by force over the bridge and there brought him a horse of Mr Garveys, and cawsed him to be gone after his father: ffor that he could there doe noe good, but <A> would be killd or endangered (if he opposed them: Wherevpon hee came away: But his father fearing further danger comanded him forthwith and withall speed to be gone to Conge, and to secure himself in the Castle with his wiffe and children, and the rest of the English with him (as Mris Bringhurst whoe Lay there very sick, and to take with him this deponent her husband, and to be well assured of the guard of his Castle there But the Lord of Mayo came not thither vntill the next day but lay that night in that thatched howse, growne desperate and in dispaire of himself, And the next day When he came to Conge he went Imediatly to bed: Where he lay for 2 or 3 dayes without taking any susteinance, And the third day he went to the howse of the titulary Archbishop being within a Quarter of a myle, Where
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Where he was that day received to Masse Celebrated by the titulary Archbishop, And within 2 dayes after tooke his way to a great meeting of the County at the towne of Mayo. From whence he went home at Castlebar: After which time he was euer or for the most part vnder the Comand of the Romish Clergy: At this slaughter the Bishop of Killalla (as is sayd) fled towards the Church, neare wherevnto he was wounded on the head, & stripped, His wiffe stripped to her smock with his daughters, And the rest for the most part stripped & murthered: At which tyme was murdered Robert Fargy Deane of Killala John Bucannon his father in law, a Justice of peace of that Countie: William Barnard Comissary to the Archbishop of Tuam the Chauntor of Killalla, A chapleine of the Bishops of Killalla, a minister that lived at Strade whose name this deponent remembreth not, Whoe wrote the booke called the Scotch Armour vngirte, one Mr Smith Mr Jones and divers others to the number of sixty five persons, All which within twoe daies after were tumbled into twoe pitts closse by the high way without any Ceremony or order, & soe they ly as yet (a lamentable spectacle) Shortly after the Lord of Mayo by his letters to the lord of Clanrickard intreated a meeting nere that place either in person or by Commissioners to examin and fynd out the certeine Actors of this bloudy tragedy: Which was concluded to be at Shrewle about some ten dayes or a fortnight after by Commissioners of both the Counties But the day being (as it seemeth) mistaken, the Commissioners for the County of Galway only appeared, Att which tyme Edmund Bourk <B A> that traiterous murtherer, with divers others rude vncivill & barbarous persons his Complicees and Companions armed and ready for further mischeefe came to them, And in a peremptory manner demanded the cawse of their Comeing thither, And if it were to know Whoe killd those people they needed not to trouble themselues ffor that hee affirmed that it was he that killed them, And that he would doe it againe (if it were to doe in dispate of Clanrickard & Mayo or any other that should oppose with divers other words of dishonor and opprobry to the said Lords Wherevpon the Commissioners fynding Little busines
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Lesse safety to stay there any longer: for that cawse departed & went away makeing report vnto the Erle of Clanrickard of what they fownd: But it cannot be conceived that this bould and impudente affirmacion of this blowdy villane should be altogether truth, or that he of himself did or could doe this greate and damnable act, without other Abetters and assistants (as evill or worse, if worse could bee affected as himself) For otherwise how could it bee That he and his Companions and assistants in this murther namely Tibbott Ro <A> Bourk of Mojle, Walter Malled one of the Company of Walter ne Mully a sonn to Rickard Mc Tho: Ro Burk Whoe having by seege taken the Castle of Clonecashell from Sir Henry Bingham Barronet yet keepeth it with the assistance of such traytors) alsoe William Croane mcPhellim, Donogh ô Hoobane Walter Roe Pindergas Towell ô Higgin a fencer somtymes of Ballenrobe Richard Reagh Manus McMurraghe and Kedagh Ro mcDonnell, with divers others whose names are not yet knowne souldjers of the then dismissed <B> Companies As alsoe some of the company of John Bourk of Castle=Lackan, William Bourk his sonn and divers souldjers of the Companies in the County of Galway appointed to be of the Convoy from Shrowle to Galway whoe came not to receive them yet came in to the murther, and spojle Notwithstanding that they are well knowne to all the cuntry aswell by their owne acknowledgments braggings and boastings thereof as by the booties and preys that they brought from the slaughter) they are not apprehended or layd hold of by any: but entertained releeved and received by all manie of the Cuntrie, whoe would euery where, and euery one be forward and ready to apprehend a Cowstealer or a Mutton stealer, and cawse him to be hanged But for bloud or murther nothing is or may be spoken to or against anie of them, as most plainly appeared by the last man abovenamed vizt <B C> Keadagh Roe mcDonnell, Whoe within twoe or three daies after the Massacre at Shrewle comeing into a howse at Belcarra where he was calleing for drinck and freely expending his money, shewed the cloths of some of the persons murdered, with good store of gold & silver shewed alsoe his skeane and hands bloudie, as his clothes alsoe were And being asked why he washed not off the bloud, he answered That
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it was english bloud whereof he hoped to haue more And that his skeine had pricked the cleane white skins of many at Shrowle even to the hilt thereof And that amongst others It had been in the body of a faire complexioned man, whose name was Jones: whoe of Late Lived not farr from Belcarra. Att which time of his discourse the wiffe of the said Jones with 4r of her smalle & pretty children (made fatherles by that vyllaine) were in that howse sitting by the fyre, And the poore woman hearing him recount, and soe impudently bragg of the slaughter of her husband durst not cry out, but striving to suppresse her extreame greefe fell into a sowne, and was carryed out of the roome for feare lest that murtherer should haue done the like to her and her poore children, This villane was after apprehended & brought to restraint, but was not suffered to be executed, but by the meanes and Labour of Mr Walter Bourk of Turlogh and Alexander mcDonnell (as is reported was let forth vp on baile Since which time nothing is sayd <D> to him or to any of the rest of his Companions. And it cannot bee supposed that those rude and rascall Regiment, (whoe only shewed themselues in that bloudie action, durst haue attempted it If they had not bin well assured that by the Countenance and consent of the more eminent they should incurr noe danger or feare of punishment which encouraged the said Edmund Bourk to vse such peremptory Language to the Commissioners of the County of Galway and to slight & contempne the Lords of Clanrickard and Mayo, Besides the titulary Archbishop with his preists and freres promissing to assist in the Convoy and fayleing at the very time when their assistance was most needfull and requisite, giveth iust cawse of suspition, That those people whose sowles and bodies are vnder their absolute Comand had (rather) their approbacion then prohibition in and to that bloudy Act, together with the tacite Consent of all or the most part of the then Romish Catholicks those parts aswell as the Robbing of the English and Scottish wherein although they shewed not themselues absolute actors yet there is few of them that at this day have not shared in the spoiles of their neighbours (whoe neuer bore Armes against them nor
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<E ff> or euer gaue them iust cause of any offenceAnd this deponent further saith That in sommer tyme of the yere 1642 divers brittish Inhabitants of the Barrony of Tirawly whoe had formerly bin pillidged yet haueing saved somthing for & towardes their future releefe putt the same into the Custody & protection of the friers in that barrony, whoe therevpon promissed to protect their persons alsoe, And yet fynding their goodes daily taken from them by the wicked and vnconscionable natives and others of the irish And fynding an opportunity by some open boats to get the smalle remainder of their goodes and provision left them to be carryed over (although to the great hazard of their lives) vnto Calebeggs in the north they made a shift to boate their goods & persons nere Killalla Howbeit the sept of the Barrets in Tirawly with their tennants and other evill disposed and wicked persons whose names this deponent knoweth not. But saith that vpon Inquiry they will easily be discouered, having notice given them thereof by the friers (as is reported) followed them with boats And in the harbour or bay not farr from Killalla fell vpon and murthered and drowned them all being in number 25 or 27 persons besides children and tooke all their goodes and provision which they shared amongst them: Shortly after which tyme, and in that Sommer the Clanjordans Clanstevens and Clandonells came to Strade & Belalaghans And gathering together all the brittish there fownd closed them vp in a howse in the same manner as at Sligoe, and intended that night to deale with them as was done with them of Sligoe: But notice being thereof given to the lord of Mayo, their wickednes was prevented by him and the poore Innocent people preserved from slaughter And this deponent further saith That by meanes of this Rebellion and since the same began he hath bin and is deprived and dispojled of his goods Chattells & meanes of the value & to his losse of One thowsand and one hundred poundes ster: besides the benefit of his imployment worth at least 100 li. per annum
H. Bringhurst
Jurat
March 11. 1643.
Hen: Jones
Hen: Brereton
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