Examination of George ffeife

fol. 271r

1862

his said father in lawe & the said Tute at the same time <B> as by the often averments & protestacions both of his said mother in lawe &c. & of many other credible protestants more in that Cuntrie) that they were really done in manner as is before expressed: And beleeveth nothing more then that the same reports were & are true: And this deponent was alsoe credibly enformed as well by his said mother in law as the other credible persons. That althoughe the said Lord of Muskery was well acquainted with the murthering <C> of the persons aforesaid & that afterwards the parties Murtherers came into his presence & gave him some accompt of the same: yet he neither & punished nor restrained them of Liberty for the same which cawseth this deponent fully to beleeue thinck he either Commanded or approved of the said Murther; & is highly guiltie of the blood of those persons soe murthered as aforesaid

Georg: ffeife
Jur 6o Augusti 1653
coram
Joh. Harding
Isay Thomas
Tho: Waring

Against Lo: Muskery
George ffife A:2
A 2

fol. 271v

1861

<A> Examinations of witnesses taken at the Citty of Corke in the moneth the fourth day of August 1653 Before Colonell John Hodder doctor John Harding Isaiah Thomas Esquire Captain John Baker Walter Cooper gent & Thomas Waring gentleman by force of a Comission Comission to them directed out of the honorable & high Court of Justice sitting at Dublin bearing date the xxvth day of July [ ] 1653 for enquiry of murthers cruelties &c.
George ffyfe of the Cittie of Corke husb yeoman sworne & examined deposeth & saith That about five fowre yeres since the Donoghe Lord Viscount Muskery haveing given a protection to one William <A> Woods & then of kinnealeachin kilhominy within the Barony of Muskery yeoman for him & his family to stay quietly there and to enioy their goods & meanes, & they therevpon staying there with their goods accordingly Divers of the souldiers vnder the Command of the said Lord of Muskery whose names he knows not afterwards vizt about fowre three yeres since in the nightyme came in a forcibly & rebellious Manner to his the said woods howse, & then & there by force & Armes robbed & deprived him, of his wife, daughters & English family of their goods & stript them all starke naked And that done those Rebells (as this deponents mother in lawe Hanna Woods whoe was then wife of the said William Woods but is since deceased hath often told this deponent) did surprise take & force him the said William Woods together with one William Tute to goe along with them in their shirts as prisoners above twenty Myles Westward thorough some others of the forcs of the said L ord of Muskery engarrisoned there: & from thence carried them about 4 or 5 myles more westward where those merciles Rebells hanged them both to death, notwithstanding the promised protection aforesaid: The which passags & cruell Actions (though this deponent did not see them with his own eys) yet he is satisfied in his Conscience, aswell by reason he lost

2