Deposition of John Ward
[http://1641.tcd.ie/deposition.php?depID?=829080r056] accessed Monday 25th of September 2017 11:49 AM
Dublin Core
Zotero
1641 Deposition Item Type Metadata
fol. 80r
{614}
John Ward late of Trom{roe in the parish of Kilm}urry {barony} of Ibrackane and within the County of Clare du{ely sworne} and examined before vs vpon oath (for and in the behalfe of P{eeter} Ward of Tromroe aforesaid gentleman lately deceased this deponents father) by vertue of a Comission vnder the broade seale of this kingdome beareing date &c concerneing the losses robberies and spoiles since this rebellion comitted vpon the brittish and protestants within the Province of Munster &c deposeth and saith deposeth That on or aboute the 12th of January Anno domini 1641 and divers times since the begining of this presente rebellion in Ireland the said Peeter lost was robbed and forceably dispoiled of his goods and Chattles to the seuerall values followeing vzt value of eight hundred three score & Eleven pounds & xiij s. Of cowes mares horses and swine to the value of Three hundred pounds Of houshould stuff, lynen, weareing apparell, plate and ringes woorth Tw{o} hundred and fiftie pounds Of houshould prouision & corne threshed in the house to the value of seven and thirtie pounds fourteene shillings He further saith that he was expelled & driuen away from his farme of Tromroe aforesaid where he lost of corne in Ground to the value of foure and thirtie pounds The deponent likewise deposeth That by meanes of this present rebellion in Ireland the said Peeter Ward was dispossessed of the Towne and lands of Tromroe aforesaid & of the lan{d} of Keilty in the said Countie , wherin he had a lease of three liues the{n} vnexpired both woorth Coibus ann i s aboue the land lords rent Twen{ty} pounds per annum, which lease (considering Improuements) was woorth {to} be bought and sould one hundred pounds, besides a fine of one hundred and fiftie pounds payed for the same a litle before this rebe{llion} which fine is vtterly lost. The totall of the said Peeter Wards losses amounts to eight hundred three score and eleven pounds foureteene shi{llinges} He being further examined deposeth and saith That aboute the tim{e} aboue mencioned the said Peeter Wards Cattle and Corne aforesaid at seuerall times were forceably taken & carryed away by the hands & meanes of the vndernamed persons namely Donnell Merigagh mac Gillereagh of Pollyvallen in the said County gen & his sons James and Teige mc Gillereagh of the same gentlemen, Donnell mc Gorman of Cahir moroghon in the said Countie gen, Mohowne mc Gorman of the sa{me} gentleman, Sir Donnell ô Bryen of Carrigycoulty in the said Countie knight Donogh o Brien of Newtowne in the said Countie Esquire, Mohowne Encarrigne of Cloghane Inchy in the said Countie yeom, Donnogh ma{c}
fol. 80v
615
Encarrigg of ffenore more in the said Countie yeoman, Hugh o Hogane of Ballyheghane in the said Countie Esquire Edmond oge o Hogane of Meathill in the said Countie gentleman, Dermod mc Gorman neere Knockenalbon in the Countie gentleman, Therlagh mc Dermod of Tromroe aforesaid gentleman, Gillebridy mc Brody in Knockervalbon aforesaid gentleman, Loghlin mc Cahane of Doonebegg in the said Countie yeoman
The deponent likewise saith That on or aboute the 17th day of Aprill Anno domini 1642 the said Peeter Ward Alson Ward (his <C> wife) and George Ward of the same gentlemen (son to the said Peeter) in a most cruell and rebellious manner were murthered and stripped by the hands and meanes of the [ undernamed ] Edmond ô fflahertie Esquire and others of his confederats in maner followeing that is to say The said Edmond aboute the day and yeere aboue menconed came by sea from Igher conaght in the County of Galway accompanyed with fiue other boates well manned with ar{med} men, & landing his men at or neere Tromroe aforesaid, the said Edmond then and there in a rebellious & hostill maner with collors displayed, assaulted the Castle of Tromroe aforesaid, late at night (where this deponent the said Peeter, George, Alson & others fled for refuge) but being then resisted by the said Peeter & the rest in their owne defence, the said fflahertie with the rest of his forces & the Country besides, continued siedge to the said Castle for three dayes and three nights, dureing which time & especially the second day of his said siedge being the 18th day of Aprill aforesaid or therabouts among diuers other acts of hostility don & perpetrated <D> by the said fflahertie & the rest of his associats he then & there murthered or caused or consented to murther the said Alson and George haueing shot or caused to shoote with a bullet the said Alson vnder the right side, wherof sh dyed imediatly; and likewise gaue the said George eighteene wounds wherof he likewise instantly dyed, vpon the Twenteth day of Aprill aforesaid or therabouts wednesday in the morneing (being the last day of their said siedge) the said Edmond ô fflahertie caused the said Castle
fol. 81r
{616}
Castle {to be fired & entering the same, that day the said Peeter} <E> Ward was then and there trayterously murthered by the {said ffla}hertie & his company haueing receaued diuers mortall woun{ds} in his body, whoe together with the said Alson and George was stripped & they three buried in or neere the said Castle walls from whence by directions from Donnell o Brien of Dowgh in the said Countie Esquire they were remoued & buryed enterred {in} the parish church if Kilmurry aforesaid, yeet notwithstanding Donell mc Scanlane mc Gorman of Dunsallagh in the said Coun{ty} mass priest, caused their corps to be digged vpp againe, an{d} buryed without in the Church yard, for noe other causes (as farr as the deponent could learne) but that they said, noe vnsanctified or hereticall corps of protestants (as they Tearme them) must remaine within their churches
<f> This deponent likewise saith That the said Edmond ô fflaharty was abetted counselled and assisted in the said rebellious & Trayterous designe by the vndernamed persons namely by Donnogh o Brien of Newtowne in the said County Esquire, Mohowne mc Dermod of Tromroe aforesaid gen, Therlagh mc Dermod & Connor {mc} Dermod of the same gentlemen, Richard fitz Patricke (senescha{ll of} Ibrackane aforesaid & then & nowe receauer to the Earle of T{homond} within the said barony), Hugh mc Crutten of in the said {County} gen, Donnell mc Scanlane mc Gorman aforesaid, Teige fitz P{a}tricke of ffintraghtbegg in the said County gen, Teige Roe ô Brien son to Sir Donnell o Brien knight aforesaid Mohowne mc Encarrigg {of} Cloghane Inchy in the said County yeoman, Donogh mc Encar{rigg} of fflenoremore in the said County yeoman & diuers others whose {names} this deponent doth not remember; This deponents cause of {know}ledge is (concerneing the said parties their aydinge counselling {and} <G> assisting the said fflaharty) is, that first Donogh o Brien abou{e mencioned} aboute the eight day of Aprill aforeaid did entertaine {with meate} drinke and lodging the said fflahertie at Newtowne aforesaid w{herby}
fol. 81v
{617}
{this deponent beleeueth that he was} priuy to the said rebellious enterprise alsoe that the said Donogh o Brien possessed himselfe himselfe of woorth a hundred pounds of the said Peeters Cattle which he detaineth to this day; He alsoe saith that hee sawe and obserued the rest of the said parties in armes at the siedge of the said Castle & diuers time consulting & aduiseing howe to surprise the same; He alsoe sawe and obserued that then & there the same Teige Roe o Brien gaue out that if the said Castle were not then taken by the said fflahertie, he himselfe would suddenly come and besett the same with his forces, He alsoe obserued that dureing the said siedge the said Hugh mc Crutten did vse to take a note in writeing of as many of the besiedgers as were either hurte or killed against the said Castle openly extolling them for their valour & good seruice in assaulting the said Castle, to noe other purpose (as this deponent then vnderstood) but to giue intimation thereof to the rest of The Country & to encouradge them to like rebellious actions, these were the motiues that induceth this deponent to beleeue that the said parties were ayding consellinge & assisting the said fflahartie He further informeth that he heard it credibly affirmed by seuerall persons in the said siedge that they meaneing the Irish had his Maiesties Comission to take the said Castle among other Castles in this kingdome
He being further examined saith That this deponent about <I> the begining of January 1641, at a place called Curragh Catline in the said Countie, meeting with the said Teige Roe o Brien he then and there in the presence of this deponent, one Cormac ô Hicky in or neere Bunratty in the said County surgeon, and diuers others, vttered or the spoke woords ensueing, or others like them in effecte, for (quoth he) the Irish are reviled by all other nations, because of their remissnes in not ayding one another, but nowe because it is a generall cause (quoth he) god confound & the deuill take him, that will not assist them to his dyeing day, addinge further that in England the kinge was against the English as much as they heere and that there was neuer any hopes
fol. 82r
{618}
hopes {of agreement there & that it was their intent meaning the Irish to roote out} the English nation affirmeing that it was his Mai{esties expresse} will and pleasure soe to doe, which Teige Roe o Bryen {after}wards raised forces & by slights and stratagems diuers times <k> assaulted and killed sundry of the lord fforbush his forces in or neere the riuer of lymerick The deponent further informeth that since that time the said Teige went in person to the Province of Leinster there to oppose (among others) the marquis of Ormond & his army where (as this deponent is credibly informed hee was either killed or desperatly wounded:
<hand> Aboute the 24th day of Aprill aforesaid this examinat haueing escaped the fury of the said rebells, repayred to Bunratty (the Earle of Thomonds house) where then and diuers times afterwards he sawe <L> and obserued these passadges followeing vzt That aboute the three and Twentieth day of May last Sir Henry Stradling comeing into the riuer of lymerick Imediatly repaired to the said Earle of Thomond in whose presence this deponent accused before his lordshipp for high Treason, one Richard fitz Patrick aboue mencioned for councellinge and assisting to the bringinge in of Edmond o fflahertie afore{said} as alsoe for releeueing the said fflahartie withall manner of necessaryes instantly vpon his landing, notwithstanding that by order from his lordshipp the said Richard was comander of three {score} and Ten men & powerfull Inough to withstand the said {enemy} which the said Richard refused to doe, but trayterously ioyn{ed and } adhered to the said fflaharty, wherefore this examinat p{rayed} his honnor before the said Sir Henry Stradling, in as much {as} this examinat conceaued the said Richard to be a Trayto{r &} rebell, his honnor would be pleased to see him duely puni{shed} according the due course of lawe & the demeritt of soe notor{ious} a rebell, wherevpon his honnor gaue order for the presente {that} the said Richard should be comitted for forme sakes, But And noe sooner did the said Sir Henry Stradling returne to his Pinnace but <M> within two dayes afterwards his lordshipp caused the said Richard to be enlardged, takeing some slight bounds for his appearance before his honnor vpon ten dayes warneing, which but this examinat presuming to acquaint his lordshipp there with alleadging that the bayleing of the
fol. 82v
{619}
{said Richard would be a greate discouragement to this examinat &} other {English protestants} and a contenanceing of the said Richard and generally the whole dissaffected partie of the said County, his <M> honnor in a rage & fury offered to strike this deponent & presently said he would doe it & noe thankes to this examinat & soe suffered him to goe at libertie makeing the said Richard euer since his receauer and cheefe servant within the said barony of Ibrackane
<symbol> This deponent further saith informeth That aboute the 23th of <n> June last after the Castle of lymerick was surrendred many able men haueing receaued quarter in the said Castle & afterwards repaireing to Bunratty aforesaid there to take shipping for Corke, the said parties to the number of three hundred able men freely offered them selues to the said Earle, withall declareing vnto his honnor receaueing armes, that by their assistance & the seuerall wards in diuerse castles in the said Countie, his honnor might salfly keepe himselfe guarded in his Castle till further ayde came, which his honnor denyed, makeing answeare he wanted meanes to maintaine them, the parties replyed, they could not want while they had hands to fight or woords to that effecte, which proffer of theirs his lordshipp neglected denyed for noe other cause (as this examinat verily beleeueth) but to protecte and saue the contry people nowe and then in actual rebellion from any seruice or execution that may be don vpon them as may partely appere by some circumstances ensueing namely
That aboute the 11th of August last the whole Country finding noe forces to resist them became insolent & soe made way to the Cittie of lymericke to get one of the big brasse peeces of ordinance out of the Castle there which they obteined, the examinat saith that this gunn was conveyed to the Castle of Clare in <O> the said Earles owne boate, by meanes whereof the said Castle was yeelded, and this examinat further declareth that soone after the surrender of the said Castle his lordshipp receaued his boate backe againe He being further examined deposeth That the said earle of Thomond well knewe, that when the said gunn passed by his doore The
fol. 83r
{620}
<P> The rebells themselues gaue out they would besie{dge} the Castles of Clare & Ballyally in the said Countie (where many hundreds of men women & children English and protestants fled for refuge) & that his lordshipp then credibly heard that the lord fforboyse was Two dayes before the gunn came vp from lymerick in the mouth of the riuer, & that his lordshipp well knewe that the castles of Clare & Ballyally being then to be besiedged when the siedge was once made Intelligence of presente relief could passe from his lordshipp to the said Castles by meanes wherof the warders being depriued of any hopes of releefe, they must needes yeeld the said Castle which t hey accordingly did This examinat further informeth that his lordshipp might haue easily sent notice to this deponents owne knowledge (being then at Bunratty ) to the said Castles afore the gun came vpp from lymerick and might informe them of the present supplies of the lord fforbyse, which being performed the said Castles had beene duely releeued, the greate gun likly to be taken and the enemy discouradged, all which his Lordshipp neglected to doe.heard hard by Bunratty, which departed from thence some two dayes before the said gun came from lymerick, fraighte{d} with rape and bound for London, being a shipp [ ] of eight or ten peeces of ordinance this shi{pp} his lordshipp might haue stayed (to this examinats owne knowledge) heereing and being well assured before that within one weecke the said lord fforboyse would be in the <Q> Riuer and as long as the said shipp had remained ouer against Bunratty there was noe feare that the said gun could passe to Clare; But his honnor notwithstanding all this Intelligence suffered the said shipp to passe away
fol. 83v
621
And within Two dayes afterwards the said gun was carryed, in the open noone day & before his lordshipps face in his owne boate, to the Castle of Clare
This examinat likewise deposeth and saith, That within one <R> weecke after the surrender of the said Castles of Clare and Ballyally being the day of last or therabouts The said lord fforboyse came to the said Earle of Thomond informeing his lordshipp, as well of his strenght, as the occation of his comeing then & there this examinat heard, some of the said lord fforboyse his comanders & diuers souldiers say, that the said lord fforboyse could then comand a thousand fighting men, & the deponent informeth that at that time the said Earle of Thomond likewise could make vpp Two hundred able fighting men, besides one hundred seruiceable horses notwithstanding [ ] [ ] yet the said Earle of Thomond hath beene the onely instrument and meanes to hinder any seruice or execution to be don vpon the rebells in those partes, notwithstanding the dayly and lamentable murthers strippinges & other depredations and spoiles comitted vpon the protestants and brittish nation in that Country, The motiues that induceth the deponent to beleeueth the same to be true are these, ffor the same night that fforboyse came in to Bunratty, the rebells in that Countie (as some of themselues viva voce afterwards confessed to this examinat) sent privtae Intelligence to the said Earle, that if his honnor did but offer to stirr they would not leaue him a beast in his parke, or else where & presentely vpon that his lordshipp was obserued by this examinat & others to be rather forward to drawe a truce betwixt the said fforboyse & the contry people, then any way to helpe to curb their insolencies, besides this deponent doth informed depose that diuers of the rebells in & neere Bunratty aforesaid seuerall times afterwards confessed to this examinat that if his lordshipp & the lord fforboyses forces had then Joined
fol. 84r
622
Joined themselues together & eit then Incounterd the rebells, they would haue easily ouercome them, & would haue taken Clare againe & the said greate gunn & proue a terrour to the neighbouring contryes of lymerick & Connaght or woords to that effect, likewise after the said fforboyse went this examinat was present at Bunratty aforesaid, besides diuers other English and protestants, where the said Earle entertain<S>ed a parly with seuerall of the rebells in that County, & then & there his honnor demanded of them the reason why he could not receaue his rents amongst them, some negatiue Answeare being made to his lordshipp, he replyed (bursting out with these woords) by the lord of heaven Coossen Dermod o Brien (being then present & one of the cheef e Rebells in that County) if I be not payed of my rents, in despight of your teeth I will take the Castle of Clare againe from you (notwithsatnding all your forces) & your greate gun too, for I know (quoth he) the lord fforboyse is able to doe it or woords to that effect He further declareth that in the presence of this examinat and diuers other English, the said Earle aboute Christmas last had conference with <T> one John mc Teige mc Nemara a capteine there his honnor complaineing vnto him that his contrymen did mightily slight him, by debarring him of his rents, his lordshipp openly said, why (saith he) by God were it not for me the lord fforboyse had spoiled & distroyed all the whole contry & I am nothinge the better for it nor nothinge the neerer to receaueing rents, His Lordshipp to this deponents knowledge at Bunratty aforesaid diu{ers} times entertained with meate drink and lodging, the most notorious rebells in all that Countie namely Sir Donnell o Brien of Carrigcoulty in the said County knight, Capteine John mc Teige mc Nemara, Edmond o Hogane of Methill in the said County gentleman, Morogh o Brien of Rossroe in the said County gentleman & all the rest that comes are freely welcome and soe continueth to this day, and rides foure or fiue miles roun{d}
fol. 84v
623
at his leasure, without the least offence to his person, or any that tends vpon him, these are the motiues induceing this examinat to beleeue that what he already declared is true.
This deponent being further examined saith That after <V> the Castles of Clare, Ballyally, Tomgreny & other Castles in that Countie held out some of them vpwards of three quarters of a yeere, some in a most miserable case for lacke of Prouision & fireing others perplexed with sicknes, & diseases at lenght all tyred out the men & forced to repaire to the said Earle of Thomond, his lordshipp neuer either then or dureing the time of their extreamity in the said Castles releeued them to any purpose This examinat declareth his cause of knowledge heerin & especially in one particular to wit That about Lamas last one Mathew Hickes (an English protestant) & one of the warders of Tomgreny Castle aforesaid, after a long and tedious siedge, being inforced to yeeld the said Castle vpon quarter into the hands of Teig mc Donnell Reagh mc Nemara [ ] of Tuothaghtie in the said County gentleman, & a convey promissed him to Bunrattie aforesaid, which convey perfidiously robbed him of most parte of his goods & had stripped him of his apparell and all that he had, weare it not that the English ward then at Kappagh a mile & a halfe from Bunratty did seasonably rescue him out of their hands, wherevpon the said Hickes repayred to the Earle of Thomond informeing his honnor of the breach of quarter & other villanous misdemeanours comitted by the rebells and earnestly begged his lordshipp a roome or some place el c e to lye in [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] till shipping were come to carry him away, his Lordshipp then in a hasty languadge made answeare that euery Shaggeragg (meaneing the distressed protestants) came to him to be releeued & howe did they thinke he was <W> able to helpe them This examinat further informeth that then and there the said Hickes in this examinats presence acquainting his lordshippp howe the rebells did aduise him the said Hickes to stay among them, to turn papist And
fol. 85r
624
<x> And doe as they did & then he should be welcome, his lordshipp then made answeare, that the said Hickes did very ill to refuse their proffer, and seemed to be very angry with him for denying of it, blameinge him to offer to come to his lordshipp, being soe fairely proffered by the enemy, rather (as this deponent then & nowe beleeueth) to encouradge the said Hickes to conspire and ad [ ] here to the rebells in their rebellious actions then any way to dehorte him from the same & further he deposeth not
Jo: warde
Jurat coram nobis
25o Aprilis 1643
Phil: Bisse
Hen: Rugge
fol. 85v
625
Clare
The examination of
John Warde
hand
note well
E Thomond
Rev: