Deposition of Thomas Browne

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Thomas Browne late of the Towne & parish of Cullen in the barony of C u onagh and within the the County of Lymerick gentleman (a brittish protestant) duely sworne & examined before vs by vertue &c deposeth and saith deposeth That on or aboute the 28th of October 1641 & diuers times since the begining of this presente rebellion in Ireland he lost was robbed and forceably dispoiled of his goods and Chattles to the seuerall values followeing vzt worth 765 li.
Of Cowes heiffers mares horses Coults & swine to the value of one hundred fiftie three pounds Of houshould stuffe to the value of forty fiftie two pounds Of hay & Corne in the haggard & house to value of three score pounds Of lynnen & weareing a pparell to the value of Of Corne in ground lost the last haruest by meanes of this rebellion to the value two hundred pounds The deponent saith that by meanes of this presente rebellion in Ireland he is dispossessed of the seuerall parcells of land parte of Cullen aforesaid wherin he hath a lease of thirteene yeeres to come woorth aboue the land lords rent yeerly to this deponent thirty pounds per annum, wheri{n} he is damnified (considering his great chardges in buylding & other necessary Improuements one hu { n } dred & fiftie pounds Part consisting Of debts amounting to one hundred and fiftie pounds due from Derby mc Conor of ffar{ }ossy in the County of Tipperary doctor of Phyissicke Derby Ryan of sollochodie in the said County Esquire Dermo{d} o hea of Dromore in the said County of lymerick gentleman Gamoliel Walters of Cullen aforesaid Esquire & diuers others whose names this deponent do{th} not remember because his bills & bonnds were taken awa{y} by rebells & although he accounted the same good debte b{e}fore this rebellion yeet in regard the said Walters is a {protestant}

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vtterly dissenabled by meanes of this rebellion & the rest out in open & actuall Rebellion therefore this deponent canot gett satisfaction from them The totall of his losses amounts to seaven hundred three score & fiue pounds The deponent saith that <B> aboute Christmas last Murtagh o Bryen of Cloghadallatoone in the said County of lymerick gentleman accompanyed with Twenty armed men or therabouts came at night vpon this deponents said land & violently in a rebellious maner tooke & caryed away ten heads of this deponnets Cowes price thirty pounds, he alsoe saith that Murtagh o Brien of Knockballyfookune in the said County gentleman aboute the first of december last came with like force & armes vpon this deponents land at Cullen aforesaid & there & then tooke & caryed away twelue cowes of this deponents said Cattle price six & thirty pounds The depon e nt likewise saith that [ ] about the begining of theis wars in Munster [ ] And aboute the Twentyeth of december lat this deponent among diuers other English & protestants men women & children to the number of two hundred & odd persons betooke themselues to the Castle of Cullen in the said County for the safeguard of their lifes where vpon William lord Baron of Castleconell, sarieant Ma<ior> Pierce Walsh of Abbyowny in the said County Esquire, William Borke the son of Theobald lord Baron of Brittas & nowe lieutenant Collonell to the said lord Castleconell Therlagh o Bryen alias mc Ibryen Ognouagh in the said County Esquire Murtagh o Hiffernan of lattin in the said County gentleman one of their reputed Capteines, Derby Ryan of Sollochode in the said County of Tipperary Esquire & Miles Magrath of Killenalliff in the said County gentleman & diuers others of the prime gentlemen in the said Country with collors flying in hostill & rebellious maner came to besiedge this deponent

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And the rest of the said Englishmen & protestants in the said Castle & continued siedge to the said Castle neere halfe a yeere together, nyne weeckes wherof they the besee ged were closely blocked vpp & through the extremity of the said long & tedious siedge the besiedged in the said Castle were driuen to eate horse flesh & seuerall likewise throug the cruelty of the enemy was such that such as those that dyed in the said Castle were not admitted to haue [ ] Christian Buryall but the besiedged driuen to bury them within the said Castle walls This deponent alsoe saith that vpon the first day of August last this deponent together with the number of foure score men women & children did venture to sally foorth out of the said Castle, to bring in for their prousion som beane cor{ne} out a field neere adioyneing to the said Castle & noe sooner they went to woorke but the said besiedgers forces lay ambushes for the said parties & full vpon them in a most bar{ba}rous & Inhumane maner murthering the number nyne {&} Twenty of them wherof were eleven men & the rest wom{en &} children namely Josias Broome of Cullen aforesaid smith, Joh{n} Chapman of the same yeoman, William Syms of Tipperary Tanner John Coach of the same shepheard, Baldwin Dun of Cullen aforesaid taylor, Edward Hurdley of the same miller Phillipp Moore of the same yeoman Ann Dun the said Baldwi{n} Duns wife, Ann Blake wife to William Blake of the same yeoman tanner Alls Browne of the same midwife & her daughter Margery & the rest their names he doth not remember whoe after bein{g} murthered stripped their dead corpes & then threwe the{m} <D> into the ditches He lastly saith that aboute the 15th of July this deponent & some of the besiedged with him comeing {to} parly with the said William Bourke & Derby Ryan among other {dis}courses he heard them both seuerally say that what they {did} was by directions from his Maiestie & that they could shew {his} Maiesties broade seale to iustifie the same or woords to that {effecte}

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<E> He further saith And that Therlagh Baker late of Vla in the said County of lymerick yeoman William Neyland late of Cloggin in the said County yeoman & Elizabeth his wife William Hain & Elizabeth his mother both of Buollynasally in the said County ofTipperary, Murtagh o Bryen of Knockbally fookane aforesaid gentleman were all formerly reputed protestants but since this rebellion turned papists & further he deposeth not
Thomas Browne
Jurat coram nobis
19o 9bris 1642
Phil: Bisse
Hen: Rugge

Limerick
The examination of
Thomas Browne
235

Reu