Deposition of Richard Lewys

Date: 1641-12-30

Identifier: 833034r026

County: Cavan

Deposition Type: Dublin Original

Nature of Deposition: Apostacy, Death, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Stripping

Commissioners: Henry Jones, Roger Puttock

Deposition Transcription:

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Richard Lewys late of Belturbut in the parish of Anna in the Countie of Cauan & and in the Barony of Loughte gentleman an English man & a protestant of the age of fiftie niene yeares & vpwards duly sworne vppon the holy Evangelests deposeth that he was forceibly was outed and dispossessed of and lost by reason of this present Rebellion
li.s. d.
In leases of houses and lands______130__00__00
In horse, Cowes, & other cattell worth______54__10__00
In howsall goods, other goods & provision______155__19__00
In money taken from me______01__00__00
And in money which wilbe due vnto hime by extent out of the Lands were lately Sir Stephen Butlers in the Counties of Cavan & Fermanagh in the succeding rents May 1642: All Saints 1642: & May 1643: ______150 li.__00 s.__00 d.
Which in tot is______49 1li.__09 s.__00 d.
By & by the meanes of Phillip mc Hugh ô Rely of Ballenecargee in the parish ofand in the Barrony ofand beeing <a> of Cavan aforesaid Esquire Mulmore ô Rely late high Sheriffe of the said County Esquire and there adherents & followers beinge a great number whoe on the 1th: day of November last about 9 of the clock of the same day in the morninge, being armed with swords, skeines, pitchforkes and other weapons, enteringed into this deponents house of the said Richard Lewys in Belturbat where much of the said goods were, & owtinged & dispossessinged him thereof, and contrary vnto theire former vndertakings & promises made vnto the towne of Belturbat in generall both by word and writings; for vppon the first Risinge of that Rebellious Crue 23th: of 8ber last the said Phillip mc Hugh ô Rely, Phillip Mulmore ô Rely, & Mulmore ô Rely with other of theire followers sent word to the towne of Belturbat that vnles they would yeald vnto them the towne with all there weapons and municion, they wold come & destroy the towne and all the inhabitants with fier and sword, whervppon that night the towne stood vppon theire guard, Mr. Ash and some other of the towne goinge the next day to parley with the rebells vppon which parle, they thus far vndertooke if the towne would yeeld as formerly was propounded they should not be any ways towched in bodys or estates but free from all danger whatsoever, for what they intended was no more but to have an free entercourse to the towne & in the towne, and to enioy the fredome and libertie of there Religion without molestacion

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which propositions beinge made propounded to the provast and townesmen were approved on and condiscended vnto provided they would ratifie the same vnder their hands writinge so accordinglie the Munday followeinge beinge the 25th: of 8ber the aforesaid Mr: Ash with some others of the towne went to the said ô Relys beinge within a myle or tow of Tarbot, acquaintinge them with the resolucion of the said provast and townesmen of Belturbet, wherevppon <b> the said Phillip mc Hugh ô Rely, Phillip Mulmore ô Rely, and Mulmore ô Rely then sheriffe, made a writinge vnder there hands which they delivered vnto Mr: Ash signifying vnto the towne of Belturbat that if they would yeeld vpp theire weapons and municion vnto them as also free libertie to come into the towne of Belturbut and to vse there Religion they should peacablely and quietly possess and enioy there estates without any damadge or preiudice of any thing att all and thervppon matters were concluded the tuesdaye followinge 2 6th : of 8ber beinge as I & remember the day all the townsemen of Belturbet brought in there Armes, and delivered them vnto Mr: Ash who caused them to be sent vnto the Aurelys; The next day followeinge being Wednesday the 27th: day of 8ber: there came of the said Rebellious company a great number of them to the town of Belturbet, and severall of them entringe by six or eight or more & comeinge into mens houses, being armed as aforesaid, and then forciblely would search into every Roome and every truncke, chist & corner of the house for all goods whatsoever takinge particuler notice of all, and givinge speciall chardge that nothinge should be stirred, & the deponent havinge in myhis house 2 especially to gward the house within & Lodginge there, as I he vnderstood there did in all other howses and the towne that nothinge should be [pur? ] or made away, [ thoygh ] though they pretended it was for the preservinge of all those inhabitants from the mc Quires and those Rebells in the next Countie of Fermanagh, who threatened to come & pilladge and burne vp all the towne (a salfe place in an ill cause) but about friday followinge as I remember beinge the 29th of 8ber the generall notice from the Aurelys was that they could no longer protect the towne, for if that they the said Aurelys would not presently dispatch the English out of towne, Mc Quire with his cont of Fermanagh would come and destroy towne and inhabitants

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Soe from the friday till tuesday beinge the 1th: of November we the deponent & { } were all dayly expectinge our owtinge & dislodginge from them which that day was performed, but in manner & form as aforesaid but the said Phillip mc Hugh and Mulmore ô Relys promised a gward to conduct vs in safety thorough the Countie of Cavan, givinge every one leave to take their clothes vppon theire back, who accordingly who accordingly sent ten of his gward along the first day all passinge reasonable well, but the second day betwixt Cavan and Youghall and {in Youg}hall, I was wholy stript to the very skin and six of my children to there very smockes & shirts and so beinge forced to walke naked but for a pore coverlet sent me to Virginia And my Children but for sume shredds of o{ld} brackins without smale sustenance part att Virginia & some litle att kells bare, & naked cold, & comfortles till wee came after six days travell to Arbrakin, where being almost lamed we remained 4 daies sendinge for clothes amd horses to bringe vs to Dublin and beinge there of meane But wh il e they were att Arbrackin during that time they [we] were very well refreshed by the Captaine & Cornot of Sir John Burlacys troppe with meate and drinke gratis for we had no money nor meanes to purchase anythinge. The misery and Callamitie was great we endured but god in his mercy preserved vs from the savadge & barbarous cruelty of those perfidious damned and cursed Crue of traiterous and Rebellious persons and brought vs to this Citty where god he knowes we beinge 7 in number havinge smale meanes knows not what wilbecome of vs if sume course be not taken to help vs
Jurat: coram nobis 30mo die 10br: 1641
Roger Puttocke
Hen: Jones

Richard Lewis of Belturbett in the County of Cavan gent in addition to his former examinacion vpon oath further saith That hee this deponent did as see

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was banished & [come ing towards] [dublin] See a myle beyond Virginia a man child o f 1 yeare old { } pittifully languishinge even to his Last breath through faintnes and coldnes as I conceive and no cristian with him
Geordge Davis, Clarke of Belturbut & William Clyffe a butcher there perished & died, att the hill of Tara in their comeing towarde Dublin
The wife of William Gant in the iourney towards Dublin perished and died att Arbrackin
Besyds divers others Slaine famished and staved to death in those parts of the Country about Turbot & Newtowne
{ } by credible relaction very many of them died since they came vpp to this Citty, and most of them that ar here livinge troobled with very grevious diseases

Com: Cavan
Mr R. Lewis his report of his Losses given vpon oath
Deposed dec [ ] 30 1641
Intw
Barony of Loughte
Parish Anny
Hand

Are by the Crueltie of the said Irish; numbers perished some by the sword and some others starved with cold and famine
1 Abraham James by certaine relacion slaine }
2 Tho: Lane & his wife by certaine relacion slaine} of Newtowne
2 John Maynes [Crowne r] and his man Isack Grump slaine of Manner Seudbrooke
2 Christopher Coales & his sonn Slaine of Donah
2 Geordge Dickinson & his sonn in Law Stephen Rixon slaine of parish New{towne}
2 Thomas Serieant & Thomas Chetam slaine of parish Clownes
2 Thomas Emerson of Clown e s parish & Thomas Bulman slaine of Newton parish
2 Robert Lunn & Edward Parther slaine of Newton parish
2 Richard Butler & William Marshall slaine of Newtone parish
2 Thomas Presley slaine, John Browne sore wounded came to Virginia & there died}of Drumuly or N{ewtowne}
2 Maximillian Tibbs & Thomas Hancock slaine of Drummuly or New{tone} par{ish}
2 Henry Wilkinson, and Francis Wilkinson slaine of Newton parish
2 Christopher Bowser and Francis Wilkinson slaine of Newton parish
1 [Eleatha rus ] Sebastian Cottingham slaine of Clownish parish
4{Mr: Champion, his brother, Mr: Iremonger & Mr: Humphrey Littleberry slaine
[sworne on]

<Jur 30 December 1641 vt supra>

[Copy at MS 832, fols 46r-47r and

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]

Deponent Fullname: Richard Lewys

Deponent Gender: Male

Deponent Occupation: Gentleman

Deponent County of Residence: Cavan

Mentioned Non-Deponent Fullnames: Stephen Butler, Phillip mc Hugh , Mulmore , Phillip Mulmore , * , Mr: Ash, * mc Quires, John Burlacys, Geordge Davis, William Clyffe, William Gant, Abraham James, Tho: Lane, John Maynes, Isack Grump, Christopher Coales, Geordge Dickinson, Stephen Rixon, Thomas Serieant, Thomas Chetam, Thomas Emerson, Thomas Bulman, Robert Lunn, Edward Parther, Richard Butler, William Marshall, Thomas Presley, John Browne, Maximillian Tibbs, Thomas Hancock, Henry Wilkinson, Francis Wilkinson, Christopher Bowser, Francis Wilkinson, Sebastian Cottingham, Mr: Champion, Mr: Iremonger, Humphrey Littleberry

Mentioned Non-Deponent Roles: Mentioned, Rebel, Rebel, Rebel, Rebel, Mentioned, Rebel, Mentioned, Victim, Victim, Mentioned, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim, Victim