Deposition of George Creighton
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George Creighton viccar of the Parrish Church of Lurgan in the County of Cavan sworne & examined deposeth and saith That since the present Rebellion began vizt vpon the xxiijth of October 1641 being Saturday after that this deponent was gone to bed in his howse in Virginia in the said County, and fallen into a deepe sleepe, twoe of his neighbors vizt Thomas Bagnell and William Grimshaw called at the doore with the sadd newes of the Rebellion of the north of Ireland, of which they had received notice by some of Doctor Teats and Mr Aldrichs Company whoe were comen to Virginia before their Maisters
The deponent being much moved with this report called all his family and went to prayer: After this deponent had some Conference with the said Doctor Tate and Mr Aldrich: whoe assured mee: That the whole north was risen, and that of all men the ministers were like to be in greatest danger After mr Doctor and mr Aldrich were gone from Virginia there was some noise heard (as they passed through the wood on the east side of the towne; this deponent sent twoe men to see if there were any stirring about that place: Within a little while one of the twoe came back with all speed being sent by the other to tell us there was one Mr ô Rely with an army whoe would presently come and cutt all our throats, And therefore wished us all to flie to the Parta wood which wood is about a myle on the east side of Uirginia Some of this deponents people went forth not knowing which way to goe; The night was very dark, & the deponent could not see where there was any place of Saffty, nor would he goe without his wiffe and Little Children: with whome he sate downe, and with all the good wordes he could, prepared himself and them for the worst: After some time one Knocked at the doore which this deponent stepping to open expecting to meete with a sworne or a skeane to be thrurst into his belly Asked whoe is there O said the other servant, (whome he had sent forth, there is good newes: Bee not yow affraid the irish will doe noe hurt to you, nor to any of your Cuntrimen <a> Captain Turlogh mc Shane mc Phillip ô Rely hath sent to warne yow least yow should be fryghted, and hee prays yow to come & speake with him: wherevpon the deponent went forth to him
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him & found him neere the woode aforemencioned and about 20 r 24 men with him: whoe all bidd mee hartily welcome and prayed mee to feare noe evill: There was a generall Insurreccion throughe the Kingdome wholly, The castle of Dublin was taken, And all the Castles and Citties of Ireland They had direccions from his Maiesty to doe all theis thinges to curb the Parliament of England for All the Catholicks in England shold have beene compelled to goe to Church, or els then they should all be hanged before theire owne dores on Tewsday next, And asked this deponent if hee were not privy to such a plott, He answered he never heard of any such matter, nor did beleeve that there was any such thing thought vpon by the English: & then asked them what was becomen of Mr Doctor Teate and his Company. They said they had only taken some thinges from them and they were gone away saffe: And now (said the Deponent) what will yow doe with vs at this towne They said Soe soone as it shalbe light we will not leave any man worth twoe pence, And if any man shold oppose the takeing away of his goodes they had direccons to kill him, and they would not spare his liffe: And yet they would not meddle with the deponent Only they would take away all the weapons that were in his howse: I pray yow (said the Deponent) consider, what a heavy matter this is that poore men should now loose in an howre the goodes for which they have laboured many yeres: wherevpon the said Torlogh Ryley therev made a deepe protestacion that he was hartily sorry to have such an imployment layd vpon him: but he could not avoid it: wherevnto the deponent said I pray yow gentleman hearken to my Counsell: Here is a great matter now in hand amongst yow: & yow doe not know what end this matter may have: whatever yow doe in takeing away goodes forbeare the shedding of bloud: And I will promisse yow that both God. & the king wilbe the better pleased with yow in what you doe: If they oppose us, we will kill them (said they) I pray yow (said the Deponent) give mee leave to goe to them before yow sett vpon them and I will labour to perswade them to patience: And haveing received a promisse from them, That neither they nor any other that they could hinder should kill any within that parrish the deponent returned to Uirginia: But while the deponent was with the Rebells, he easily perceived both by the men, their number and armes (those being all that could
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could be spared from the stronger parts of the County to take Uirginia) <I> That they at first had spared the Scotts, becawse they were not able to deale with both them & the English: And whereas Religion was the pretended occasion of the mischeef: why should they spare the Scotts when they <d> were about to distroy the English: This deponent went to his neighbors gave them all the Comfort he could: perswaded them to part with all that they had: & not to care for anything but to save their Lives: And whereas the Rebells had promissed to spare the deponent & his goodes: he looked for little good at their handes: But soe Long as he had any thing his protestant neigbour should not wante nothing that he had: Soe soone as it was daylight the irish came in a troupe to Uirginia gott the towne drumm entering into every one of the howses deviding the towne amongst them:
And there wee might see the fruits of their Religion which is soe deare vnto them: That they began with prophaneing the sabbath: makeing choise of that holy time) for their holy warr (as they said) Robbing & pillageing their jnnocent neighbors; There was then great store of meat & drinck provided at virginia against a faire <d> which the Rebells fell vpon like bruite beasts: My neighbours (being thrust out of their owne howses came into my this deponents: where nyne familyes made shift to lodge: The Preist came to virginia and called them to heare masse in one Thomas Locks stable, There haveing beene never any masse said at Virginia since it was a towne before this tyme: Whylest they were at Masse the parishioners of the next adioyneing parrishes of Lawai & Mullaghe came & drive away most of the Cowes and horses of Virginia (amongst which were some of the Deponents: Some of the people of Meath with John <b> Dowdall whoe had begun with the Mapes & Betaghes to pillage about Kells, came to Uirginia And vpon Monday after at night there came a boy from Dublin & tould the deponent that Mr Doctor Tate and all that were with him were in all likelyhood gone saffe to Dublin: ffor he had seene & spoken with Doctor Teate vpon the way: And the same boy tould the deponent and the rest That the Castle of Dublin was by god providence preserved from the Rebells: vpon which good newes the deponent perswaded himself that he did see the irish working their owne distruction: And that although Gods people did suffer in the begining yet his great wrath that was to bee powred out vpon Idolators would ere long fall vpon them <c> Upon Thursday Colonel Rich: Plunckett & Capt Newgent came to Virginia & lodged that night at Tho: Locks howse which was Lately an Inn of good Condition, but now brought to ruin. The next night hee came to lodg at the deponents howse & would needs have him beleeve, that all the Citties & castles in Ireland were taken by the Papists: the City & Castle of Dublin only excepted) Yea Geneua was alsoe taken: & <I> there were assuredly great warrs raised in England: He said he had
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hadd a Contract vnder the handes of all the Erles and Lords in Ireland that were Catholique to stand firme to this insurrection: what said the Deponent yow have made a Covenant amongst yow as the Scotts did, yea said hee The Scotts haue taught us our A.B.C. In the meane time hee soe trembled that he could scarce carry a cupp of drinck to his head. His serveing mann followed him and some other gentleman vizt one Captaine Simons, They were overheard to say they run away and left their cloakes & Coats for hast: vpon wednesday the people of Newtowne in ffarmanaghe came to Virginia very weary and faint Itt was late in the afternoone & rained And the deponent called the Colonell to come to the doore, and looke vpon the fruits of this warr: He wept and said Rory Maguire had vndone them all: Their plott was not to kill nor rob any man But to seize vpon the persons & estats of the Brittish & when they had all in their handes then to present their Peticion to the howse of Commons in England: If their peticion were granted, then to restore every man as he was: If their peticion were not granted, then to doe as seemed good vnto them: And this deponent made greate moane in behalf of those poore stript people whoe were goeing by his dore & prayd the Colonel to procure him leave to releeve them & that his neighbours of the irish might be perswaded to give way to it, which request the deponent obteined by his meanes: whoe pretending to know the secrets of the conspiracy (which they were ignorant of had some authority to perswade the irish to giue the deponent leave to doe all the good offices he could Wherevpon the people were called back & putt into the empty howses where they had store of hay to make them bedds and turfe to make them fyres The deponents people & his neighbours that were with him (as many as he could perswade to take any paines) were sett on work to make meate ready for them: which when it was brought amongst them being 450 persons, there was not a knife to cutt their meate, and the worse sort were ready to wrong the better, This made greate trouble in serveing them that night: And ever after (as people came to Virginia wee provided for them, and cutt their meate in peecs before wee sent it to them: The next great number that came to us were the people of Ballihaies: How many they were he remembreth not, But after them came the people of Belturbett they were reckoned to be above 4100: The last were the people about Cavan and the Inhabitants of Din Amongst the people that came from Clownis & Newtowne were many sore wounded: For whom, it pleased god we were well provided of Salue & all their woundes were dressed & the deponent doth not remember that any came (after the salue was spent) wounded, & the milk that came from the Dairie was boyled soe soone as it came in & stood ready for the sick & yong Children: Before the people of Newtowne came, wee were provideing to be gone from Uirginia: But soe soone as wee saw that all the plantacions on the north side of us would be thrust out (after thexamples of the people of Newtowne, & must all come through Uirginia: The Deponent did manifestly see the Providence of God in seating him there at virginia: He nevr had the like store of Provition to that which God had then given him: & becawse he was a Scotishman he was not pillaged wherefore he layd aside all thoughts of removeing soe long as there was any need of staying there: & made his wiffe and family to understand That
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That in this trouble God had called them to doe him that service, and praied them every one in the feare of god to sett themselues a work: And blessed be God (although with weaknes and many faileinges: wee did offer our Liues to serve god in this imployment: This deponent saying many times that their Liues were nothing soe much worth, as were the lives of those whoe should vndoubtedly perrish, if we shold fly. & seeke only to save our selves: That & withall saying to his wiffe. That he saw most cleerely That it was the will of god That I hee should stay still as yet at Virginia yea it seemed to him That he did heare God comand him soe to doe
The English that came from nortwards tould us, That the irish tould them they might be of good Comfort, that they were sent away with their Lives: But they had a sorer matter to putt in execution against the Scotts soe soone as the English were gone And this deponent hath heard some say That their purpose at first was to spare the Scotts and to make them all prisoners. And then if their Cuntrimen would relinquish. the quarrell of the English, and be content theire frendes in Ireland should be dispojled of their Landes & goodes, then they would spare their prisoners Lives otherwise they would putt all the Scotts to death: But the blessed providence of god. setting limitts to their proseedings and saveing the Castle of dublin, all theire purposes & resolucons were altered, & what they did but faignedly pretend before; Now they did desire that wee should beleeve they intended with all reality: for haveing before they were aware soe much provoaked the English This deponent sawe many reasons which perswaded him to beleeve, they would willingly haue made the Scotts their frends for they were wonderfully dismayd. when they heard they had failed in the greatest matter: Some came to the Deponent & asked his Counsell what they should doe with some English goods they hadd gotten into their handes: He answered them plainly It had been happy for them they had neuer medled with the goodes of their neighbors, & they should doe well to ridd their handes of such thinges And further saith That vpon Thurdsay after the begining <d> of theis trobles Captain Owen mc Shane mc Phillip returned from Dublin he came to Virginia & Colonell Pluncket went forth to meete him when he came nere the deponents dore: This Deponent saluted him But nevr felt any mans hand tremble as his did, as Lickwaies did the hand of one Mullmore that came with him
Theis 2 weere appointed to assist in takeing the Castle of Dublin & were once (as they said) taken themselves & made an escape This Owen is a prime man in the warr And if he had beene deteined in Dublin It had broken the harts of all the ô Relyes (All of them Lookeing
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Lookeing with heavy Countenance) Then this Deponent made moane to the said Capt Newgent for theis evill times: If (said hee) They which began this busines had it yet to begin. I beleeve, they wold nevr goe in hand with it: The irish would tell this deponent That the Scotts were their kinred and had not oppressed them in the government, And that if the Scotts would bee honest men and take their parts they would share the Kingdome among them: And they beleeved the Scotts would not forgett the great trouble, that the Englishe procured Lately vnto Scotland: Now it was theire Case with the English: They had therefore resolved never to have any English man to bee cheefe governour in Ireland But either an irish man, A Scotchman, or an ould Brittaine: And further saith That when Colonell Plunckett had seen how the people of ffermanaghe were sent out of their Cuntry: He called to the deponent for paper & inck & writt divers letters (as he beleeveth) to divers cheef Comanders of the Counties of Cavan and Leitrim how to carry themselues towards the English And he himselfe went shortly after to the Cavan And saith That soe soone as he this deponent understood, That all the good people that were on the north side of us were passed by then he prepared to <d> be gone: Howbeit one owen Boy o Rely whoe had beene bredd among the English & had served Sir Hughe Culme whom the neighbours had not made acquainted with their plott to rob the English: & soe he haveing gotten noe share of the spojle, sett himself to make a prey of this deponent & came & offered his service to guard mee, & keepe my howse from loose Rogues (as he said) Least they should breake in in the night tyme: This deponent (not ignorant but that he was as very a Rogue as any and his three sonns stout yong Knaves accepted his Kynd offer, and made great account of it, This man (soe farr as he could) was against this deponents giveing of his goodes to the stript people Before whome this deponent thought it expedient, to take all occasions to Commend him soe farr as he could, & speake what was agreeing with truth And thus in Conuerseing with this generation wee were putt to vse all our witts & best invention to fynd out words to sarve and not give them offence, and in the meane time not offend against God, and the good cawse for whiche we then did suffer. And This
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And this deponent did suffer the said Owen Boy ô Rely and his sonns to carry all his this deponents goodes to an howse which he the said Owen had built vpon a farme: And this farme he alledged to be his inheritance, Thither this deponent sent his milch Cowes & Rydeing horses: His Parrishioners amongst whome he had lived nere 24 yeres since he first came to that parrish: pretending to love him, becawse (as they said) he had not beene greivous to them: (Noe man ever Lost a penny by him in the Bishops Court, and none haveing ever paid to him what he did owe) they promissed to putt him saffe into the County of Meath But when we came a myle from <f> Uirginia, One Turlogh oge o Rely came (with direccons as he said from the Cheefe of the o Relies to stay this deponent and his family within the County And by noe intreaty could this man be moved to lett either the deponent or his wiffe, or any that were neerly belonging to mee to goe any further: ffor (said he) what will your Cuntrimen at Croghan and Keilaghe, and other parts of this County of Cavan, say If yow should be sent away stripped and dispojled of your goodes as were the English, But that the irish would vse all the Scotts soe (yf they had them in their handes as they had yours And thus with great sorrow was this deponent and all his family brought back to Virginia to his house (now waisted & spojled of all thinges that were necessary: and little of his goodes could he gett out of his frend owens handes, & as little did he dare to aske Nor was it saffe for him to possesse any thing that was worthe y the takeing from him: And in the deponents Judgment it did appeare to him That God had layd a plague vpon all earthly wealth which noe protestant could then saffely possesse, & none could bee free from feare to be murthered, vntill they were brought to the Lowest step of poverty: Only this deponent had leave to send for some of his Cowes and muttons to Kill And althoughe some of the English that were gone past assured mee him that there was none remainening in the Cuntrie: yet after this deponent returne to Virginia there came many to him: All whom he had leave to refresh with meate even vntill the 600 English were ouerthrown at Gellingstowne nere Drogheda: And further saith that after the English were sent out of the County of Cavan, the irish stayd long (as our neighbors said) feasting themselues with the provision they found at Cavan: In the meane time the borders betweene Meath and Cavan had many musterings of their men and were in Contynuall feare of the English Att
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Att one of their meetings on the borders, they dranck soe much aquavitæ, That a gentleman vrging another to be one of his souldjers, drew out his skeane and pursued him and in the pursuite falling with his skeane cutt his owne throate, The day that this man was buried, there was a great cry from kells to Cavan, and some said That a troope of English horsmen had entered the Countie, <g> the next day one Captain James McKnogher o Rely came to the deponents howse and tould him, That the cawse of the Cry was, One Poe comeing from Dublin: where he had sold some Cattle, carried seven or eightscore pounds towards the north, at Kells he had agreed with one James ô Rely brother to that Barnaby Rely (whoe was after that hanged at Dublin: This James was for tenn Powndes to carry Po and his mony saffe throughe the County of Cavan: But within 4 myles of kells. he gave notice to the irish, that this Poe was an Englishman. And while they vpon the notice pursued Poe to spoile him, and raised the Cry after him o Rely run away with Poes mony: which Poe seing suffered himselfe to be taken and complained to this James mcKnogher of the abuse done him by his guide: Then was the cry & pursuite turned after the guide, whom they stayd & shared the mony amoungst them; This James mc Knogher suffered tooke twoe letters from the said Poe written by one Edmund Warren of Dublin: By which wee had particular notice of gods providence in saveing the Castle of Dublin And that the lord Maguire and many of the traitors were imprisoned in Dublin: Theis Lettres they could not read (as it seemed, and therefore brought them to mee to Read And when they heard the Contents they were sorry they had Lett the deponent know soe much of their ill fortune
Wee were now daily in expectacion of the cheefe of the Rebells to come to Uirginia: ffirst there came <h> Milmore mc Edmund ô Rely Then the other Comanders About 800 or nyne hundreth were at Virginia almost a weeke: Katherin oge mother to the Colonel Phillip mc Hugh mc Shane came to the deponents howse & brought with her Mris Heigate, Mris Allen, & some children
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This Deponent applie d himselfe to keepe Mris o Kelly the best company he could, was very carefull of every thing needfull for her Comodious lodging And in the end being in discourse with her the deponent was glad to bee her kinsman. by the howse of Arguile, of which howse it seemeth she was well pleased that she was discended: This kinred stood mee the deponent in great stead afterwards for his safftie: ffor althoughe it was farr of & ould, yet it bound the hands of the ruder sorte from shedding his bloud. And he must confesse that Phillip mc Hughe tooke care of him for it; And gave it in charge publiquely (as this deponent was informed) That he should not be hurt: Hee was very slow in bringing his men to Uirginia The rest that were comen stayd for him, complained of his backwardnes: & seemed to bee suspitious that he would forsake them: His mother said If hee failed them: Her opinion was they should send their souldjers and pillage his tenants
<i> There came to Uirginia one Patrick mc Laghlin mc Maghey (as he said) sent from Colla mc Brian to hasten the ô Relys ffor he said That Colla had twoe thowsand men. and Sir Phelim o Neile a great many more already to assault Drogheda; there came alsoe Thomas mc Kernan the guardian of Dundalk, before whom Mr Daniell Crean the minister of the next adioyneing parrish to that where the deponent dwelt did with great Confidence affirme the friers had preached in his parrish That the irishe should not leave with any English Protestant the worth of 2 d. of any goods
The said Mr Crean did likewise complaine before divers of the Irish: That to his knowledge the Preists and fryers had vndone ô Neile and o Donald: & now that they had raised vp that mischeeffe that would goe neere to vndoe the whole Kingdome: Theis words had very neere cost him his liffe: At this time he was a prisoner, & vpon some <k> angrie discourse betweene him and Edmund mc Mulmore ô Rely, The said Edmond layd hould on the said Mr Creans arme, and said he was arrested for his profession & pulld him to have him out of the deponents howse In the meane time the deponent laboured with all the good words he could to pacify the said Edmund. & prevaileing with him but little The Deponent went to Mris ô Rely: whome hee perswaded to take care of mr Crean with whome the said Edmond left him prisoner when he left Virginia: And thus it hath pleased almighty God to devide the Irish amongst themselues. That not one will approve what another doth: & soe the Liues of many have been saved: Edmund: & Milmore his sonn: denied to stay any Longer for the said Phillip mc Hughe, but would be gone: Doe you know (said Mris ô Rely) which way to goe before your Colonell come: I will said Milmore) make mine owne way: The same day they left Virginia Afterwards the said Phillip came to it, & with him Phillip mc Milmore whoe
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Whoe said to [ ] the deponent he was a Prisoner. & desired he might be present when he should take his oath before the Colonell to be a true prisoner and desired, that this deponent might be present when he shoulde take his oathe before: And soe (while this deponent was in speech with the Colonell) He pulling a little booke out of his Pockett swore he would contynue in his owne howse vntill he hadd directions from the said Colonell: But it seemed to mee noe man required any such oath of him: And then this Deponent made his moane to the Colonell and he gaue him many good words and withall his Protection to stay in safftie soe Long as he would, and his passe to goe when this deponent should fynd a Convenient tyme. Requireing all his neighbors to take care of his welfare: Mr Crean seeing that he was to be left a prisoner desired this deponent to make request for him to the Colonell that he might be left a Prisoner at this deponents howse: And this was granted: Soe with Mris Heigate and her Company & some of the deponents neighbours that staied still with him & his owne family: wee were a greate many for a long tyme, soe that sicknes came amongst us, and on the fist of december it pleased god this deponents wife died, All his family was visited (the deponent only excepted) About a fortnight before Christmas Mr Nicholas Willoughby came to Virginia Owen Boy this deponents false frend fearing he should stay to long with him: procured one Cahir <L> Mc Turloe o Rely (being then very drunck to come to my house & kill mr Willoughby: He came in, called for him, cocked his pistolls & offered to shoote mr Willoughby: wherevpon this deponent gott hold of his pistoll, turnd it away: And with much intreaty laboured the said Cair from killing him & got Cair goe forth: And then came some of Cairs followers and a sonn of Owen Boys, and called mr Willoughby and his wiffe into a Chamber, and there stripped them of all their Clothes. And by that time they had done came the said Owen and made much adooe, That where he was appointed to guard, such abuse was Committed, Cryed out of Cahir, and it pleased god we carried the matter soe: That Owen Boy putt of one of his Jerkins and gave it to mr Willoughby: This Cair was in Rebellion before theis troubles, and comeing in vpon a Protection, had intreated the deponent to write in his behalf to Sir Robert fforth knight which he did & the said Cair himself carried the Letter and heard it read: Did
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then suddenly remember howe Kindely this deponent had written for him: & then (to crosse the said Owen Boy in his attempts to distroy the deponent) cast out many threatenings on the deponents behalfe which did himee much good: yet wee had a sore fitt of trouble about the said mr Willoughby: The said Mris Heigate fell sick vpon it & was never after able to stand vpon her leggs: we had made some meanes to Mris o Rely to have had Mris Heigate & her children sent to Castlecar to the Lady Dunsany: The day after Christmas was appointed for their goeing from Uiginia But the deponent perceiveing that if she had gone forth she would haue died on the way: shee was perswaded that her sonn William & her granchildren should goe to Castlecorr & she to stay at Virginia: Where shee within few dayes after ended her liffe: And further saith that he this deponent cannot sett forth all the dangers which <Q> daily compassed them about: ffor after the overthrow of the six hundreth at Gelinestowne it is incredible how the irish were lifted vpp: & howe all them that were somwhat frendly to us before. had now changed their Countenance They reported that in that overthrowe Colonell Birne was a Principall Actor, & that he had followed the English from Dublin; ffrom Ballenderry a groome of the Lord of Gormanstons was sent to call vpp the ô Relyes, whoe were in their bedds at Slane ffrom whence they run vntill they came to the place where they mett the English <m> there: Colonell Birne was the first man that discharged his pistoll, exorted to spare none but kill all, now was the time of their deliuerance; And that the friers that were among the souldjers with teares exhorted & sett on the souldjers to kill the English: whom god had soe wonderfully given into their handes, And the souldjers assured us at Virginia: that they had killd divers whome they would have spared but that then their Captains would haue killed them: And some of the cheefe of the irish said to the deponent, they admired the behaviour of the English being soe many and soe well armed, why they did not at least once discharge their musketts And if they had made but tenn shott the irish would & were all resolved to fly: But they concluded, That god had taken away the hearts & courage of the
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the English: & now the irish would destroy them all out <O> out of the Kingdome: He remembreth, the word they vsed was that they would devoure the seed of the English out of Ireland: And when they had rid them out of Ireland they would goe over into England, and not leave the memoriall of the English name vnder heaven: Some said they would have in England as long in possession as the English had possessed Ireland: The ô Rely s did much extoll themselves for being the distroyers of those 600 English ffor by their valour all the Pale & the rest of Ireland were brought to be Joined together in this warr, wee heard from divers, bitter words cast out against Dublin That they would burne & ruin it distroy all records & monuments of the English gouernment: And they spoke of lawes to be made that the English tongue should not be spoken But whether in the whole Kingdome or in Vlster only he doth not remember: & that all the names given to Lands or places should be abolished, & the ancient names <n> restored: The Earle of ffingall asked the deponent what was the ancient name of Virginia: He answered Aghanure (as he remembreth): The Earle then said that must be the name againe: This Deponent hadd Conference with divers of the Pale gentlemen concerning this bitternes of the irish against the English And they acknowledged it was Comon for them to heare the same and a great deale more: And said they were surely all bewitched to Joine or meddle with such bitter cursed people: from whom they were sure to fynd as bitter persecucon as from the English, And that Sir Phelim o Neile & many of the northren irish had tould them Long agoe, That they hoped they had now requited them for helping the English in former times against the irish whoe (sayd they) broke our harts heretofore Now we hope we have broken their your harts: yow brought Plantacions into our Landes Now we hope yow shall haue the plantacons <P> in the Counties of Meath & Dublin &c: It was made Known to us by divers of the irish That vpon the overthrow of the foremencioned six hundreth the 22th of November 1641 That the
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the ô Relies had concluded to kill all the protestants that were in the Countie of Cavan: However it pleased god to divert that their cruell resolution: & while the spared us wee were as dead men every howre seeing other liues, not soe much regarded as the life a dogg, The first of ffebr 1641. (after we had supped) one knocked at the doore this was Cair the sonn of Owen Boy whoe was Comanded by the cheefe of the County, to guard the deponents howse Soe soone as he came in he stepped to mr Crean: drew out his skeane: & tould him that he had long time gone in an evill way: notwithstanding this deponent said: Cair, I admonish yow to returne: Then he said Putt of all your clothes: & if yow doe not amend your way ere long I will take away your liffe, Thus he stripped the poore gent out of all his Clothes to his verie shooes and stockings: And thus was the saffegard of our howse vyolated, and our Lives exposed to Continuall danger. And vpon the xjth of the same month: some tenn or twelve assaulted our howse, They first assald to come in by stealth and fynding a backdore (which by god providence was shutt, They then knocked at the dore & called themselues by false names. And when at that vnseasonable time of the night, we refused to open the doore, They plainly professed, They would come in with violence, In the meane time a young man of the deponents company ( by name William Creichtowne gott out at a casement, & run into the towne: & called one Hugh mcJames o Rely: whom this deponent had made his frend against such a time of distresse: In the meane time this deponent had some words with theis Roagues downe out of a widowe where he stood, hee alledged his protection That he was a prisoner and that the Cheefe of the Cuntry had undertaken for his saffty: & desired they would respite the killing of them till morning: & then they would all of them willingly yeeld themselues & dye: But nothing would moue them But said they were comen to cutt of this deponents head. & his head they would have: Then this deponent said I will giue yow all the poore clothes we have out of this window & what els wee have to giue yow content: Give mee (said one of the Rogues) my deare Cozen Turlogh mcCabe, whoe the other day was killd at Croaghan: Att last Hugh mc James came; & with much a dooe putt them from the doore: The deponent heard the Rogues say to him They had direccion from the preists and friers to kill us, and he Answered they had a protection from the Colonell, & vntill a letter come from the Colonell noe man shall kill them: And thus it pleased god to to turne away death from us at that tyme when wee all thought it was very neere After this time the Rebells failing in their hopes to take Drogheda; as they returned home, were more myld in their behavior then before: began to pray for peace; & at last to curse them that begun this warr
And further saith That about the xxvth of March: There was a great meeteing of the Popish Clergie at Kells: As the popishe Bishop of Kilmore returned he alighted at an Alehowse in Virginia & sending for mee, tould mee the deponent The Counsell of their Common wealth hadd
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hadd made a lawe, That all that went not to Masse should be sent out of the Countie: & he had respited this Lawe concerning the deponent vntill he had spoken with him: whither will yow send mee (said the deponent: If yow send mee out of the county into some other Countie: Into some other County said hee To that the Deponent said I pray yow let mee die in this parrish: It may bee some of my neighbors will bury mee: Well said that Bishop I give it vnto your choise whether will yow goe to Masse or vnto the gaole of Cavan: Oh said one Phelim mc Shemon (sitting nere the deponent) Mr Creaton: They speake of carrying yow to gaole: but yow are to be killd before yow come there this he spake to thee deponent in his eare, as the Bishop was speakeing aloud in great pride: My Lord (said this deponent) I will choose to goe to the gaole of Cavan: yow wilbe obstinate (said he) I have converted three thowsand: If yow will goe to Masse yow shalbe accepted & wante nothing: I am not obstinate (said the deponent): when I see reason I will yeild vnto it: Yow are a Scoller, said hee, & have redd & knowe both religions: I protest here (before God) said the deponent: I knowe noe Christian religion but what I have alwaies professed and doe att this time professe: & god willing will euer profess. And I pray yow (said the Deponent) that I have will it doe mee noe good: That the gentlemen have staid, vnder a pretence to doe mee good; haue kept mee soe Long: and have given mee protections: where is your protection said hee lett me see it. That I will (said the deponent) I will but trouble yow now to stay till I looke for it, here be some that have seene it: This, Phelim Mc Sheamon said was true: well said the Bishop Phelim yow have the warrant to Carry Mr Creaton to the gaole of Cavan which now; Since I have spoken with him and heard his answere) I charge yow to putt in execution what yow are putt in trust with, And on Mondaie next see yow bring him and all his company to Cavan Or els I will Lay yow fast: As this Bishop was thus lording it ouer mee He had some gemtlemen with whome he was drincking & exceeding merry There came into the Company one Laughton ô Relly a friere: by whome I the deponent had written a letter to Drogheda for the exchange to have beene made betwixt his brother & mee the deponent Mr Relie said the deponent to the frier will the English in Drogheda, releas a prisoner for mee (if I goe to masse) Noe said hee yow shall not goe to Masse nor Change your religion: I will not said the deponent if it be but to p Release some prisoner: And in the meane time I pray yow perswade the Bishop that I be not vrged to goe to Masse, nor bee sent to Gaole: I will said hee, and yow shall heare noe more if it; The Bishop comanded the said Phelim mc Shemon to take charge of the deponent as his Prisoner, and to carry him away. After the Bishop was gott up on his horse and was rideing through Virginia a dogg came out of a howse and run feircely after his horse, and the Bishop haveing drunck very much had almost beene cast to the ground: doe yow see said the Bishop the very doggs
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the whyle this deponent was deteined amongst the Rebells: On Sunday morning the deponent went forth amonge the irish: Made heavy moane that all their kindnes was comen to this bad end to have him sent to the gaole like a malefactor: & prayd them that if they had found any thing amisse with him that he might be killed amongst them: Especially he applied himself to the said Hughe Boy mc Shane mc Phillip ô Rely & his brothers: with whome my his words & the remembrance of myhis kindnes shewed to them; and their father and mother wrought soe much, that they sent to the Erle & desired that the sending of himee to the gaole might be lett alone for some tyme: Haveing gotten this respite this deponent waited the occasion & fownd the Countesse of ffingall all alone & prayd her to heare him speake a few wordes: ffor he was then a distressed poore man & it might be she might commytt an error concerning concerning him for which afterwards she might be sorry: If ever should please God to restore her to peace And that there was noble lady that would ask an accompt of him at her hands what lady said she, the Countess of Ormond said hee, to whom in some respects he did belong: shee is my kinswoman said shee: But yow have putt the Erle of ffingall to greate Charges in your suite against him: I beleeve said he this deponent, hee and yow are soe honorable, as not to mingle your private quarrell with the publique Calamity: yow are accused said she for makeing a booke of all the English that were driven out of this Countie, and that yow sent it to the Justices. Hee answered he never heard of that before, neither had I he thought of doeing: nor was able to doe any such thing But he earnestly intreated that he might not bee removed from his howse: And after that there was noe more any such motion of sending him to the gaole: And within a while after this Deponent was required by the said Hughe Boy to write to Dublin for an exchange betweene himee & some of the Relys & Bradyes that were in prison there And then in a letter to Sir Pawle davis Knight I hee made request; that some Care might be had of him this deponent and his company And in a letter to the right honorable the Lord Marquesse of Ormond the deponent sett downe the names of all the brittish protestants that were with him at this tyme vpon the receipt of theis letters Sir Pawle Davis: was pleased (in his care of him the deponent to speake some sharpe words to ffreire Anthony Newgent: That if the deponent should miscarry: hee would revenge his death vpon all preists and friers. that should be fownd in & about Dublin: The like words were spoken in the deponents behalfe & to the same Fryre by Captain Will Cadogan: w as the friere hath since told the Deponent) & God was pleased to bring him from Dublin That he tolled soe much to the Erle of Fingall & laid a charge vpon him and all that were with him: That the deponent should be kyndly vsed, ffor said hee, all our liues depend vpon the Liffe of this man: Upon this the Deponent perceived the Erle & his Countesse, & the Lord of Gormanston & all of them to shew the Deponent better respect, and to vse him with greater Kindnes then before: And further saith That he had beene commanded by the Erle to write for an exchange: betweene himee the deponent and walter Hussie & George Barnwell & his brother: The ffrier procured some Letters from the Deponent for Enos: pretending he had direccion from the Erle soe
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soe to doe: when the exchang betwixt himee the deponent & Enos was approved att the Counsell board: & an order sent to Phillip mc Hugh mc Shane o Rely to that effect, He gaue his warrant to the fryer to conduct hime and those with him saffe to Dublin: vpon the xxth of August 1642 wee came all to Ballaghaneaghe & there the Erle tooke the deponent and his sonne Wallace from the rest of their frendes & Comanded them to stay vntill he heard what was becomen of his Cozen german Walter Hussy: & this deponent must write <v> according to the said Erle of Fingalls djrections, a most false excuse for our stay: That some of the English were robbed in their Lodgings at Virginia which had much offended the Erle to bee done on his Land. He had resolved to have an enquirie made and that all that was taken should be restored And that therefore he had deteined this deponent to bring to Dublin those goodes & monie that was taken from the English: of all which there was nothing intended by the Erle whoe after a fortnight hearing that his kinsman was to be released for Captain William Hamilton he was content wee should be carried to Athboy and soe to Trim: And further saith That he this deponent tooke care to bring with him one Thomas Lisson: whoe had beene a Prisoner amongst the irish and obteined of the Erle, that he came with us when we came to Athboy: There, was Colonell Birne, whoe came thither the night before our comeing to Athboy: And when he vnderstood wee were to be sent into Trim By noe meanes would hee bee perswaded, that wee should goe for a weeke or tenn daies fearing (as was most manifest) That by us the garrison of Trim should vnderstand how weake they were at Athboy Therefore back wee were sent to our former prison where we staid some tenn daies, and then in gods appointed time, & by god alone, the way was opened, and Richard Balfe: Patrick Kenedy Edmund Mc Shemon and Edmund ô Kelly: his sonn Wallace The deponent himself being sett vpon a garran and a Codow vnder him The 15th of September left the parrish of Lurgan & came to the Castle of Downamonghe And further saith that dureing the time of the deponents imprisonment, there befell him many things worthy to be remembred, at least by him: besides those before mencioned ffor many times at night wee knew not of any thing to eate the next day: And yet god was never wanting every day to giue vs somthing to susteine our Liues: Wee cannott remember that any day wee were without one meale and our little ons twoe: Wee never went to bed at night but in the feare of death: Nor did wee rise in the morning but had some cawse to feare before night: ffor there
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there was noe truth and Cruelty did abound every where, with every occasion to feare God renewed his Care: The Irish had a mynd to haue the very clothes wee had on and would cast out ou t speeches to moue us to giue them to them But noe man put forth his hand to touch him this Deponent or any of his familie to take any thing from them with vyolence: And further saith that he this deponent had requested the Preist of the Parrish (a prowd yong Rogue to putt the deponents neighbors in mynd of him to supply him with some victualls: And some of his said neighbors tould him That the said Preist, said vnto the people: Wee were not christians: & that wee were noe better then doggs That wee were altogether vnworthy They should giue us any thing: yet if they would giue they might: But for themselues to conuerse with the Deponent or come & visitt him Hee did utterly forbidd them: This Preist tould him That by Lawe he had right to take possession of all his the deponents goodes. And that he would haue pursued his right But that he was his good frend that had his goods: And of the little that was left with the deponent he hadd his share, before he left Uirginia Being prevented of the rest by Cahir mc Turlogh & Turlogh oge ô Murmoyd: The deponent never sawe such base Covetousnes as did shew it self in theis irish robbers: Such bitter envyings and emulation such opposition & division and evill speakeing behynd the backs of one another
<S> Somtime the jrish would make heavy meane for the great evills they perceived were comeing on their cuntrie and & kindred: And said they sawe vtter distruccion at hand for they had Covered soe great bitternes soe Long a tyme in their harts and & now soe suddenly broken out against them that had brought them vp: kept them in their howse Like children: made noe difference betwixt them and their English frends & kindred By all which the English had soe well deserved of them and they had requited them soe evill That the english would neuer trust them hereafter Soe that now it remained That they must either distroy thenglish or they English must distroy them: The deponent Laboured them to thinck better thoughts of the English: whoe would both forgive & forgett all those evills: That our Religion was not like theires ffor our Religion taught us to shew mercie & to forgive And although those that had been actors in this mischeef might perrish by the hands of the English yet they should doe well to provide that their poore wyves and innocent children might Live, if not in Ireland yet in some other Land: There was in America a nova Scotia ffrancia an Anglia & a Nova Scotia: Let there be likewise a nova Hibernia Theis wordes hee perceived were harkened unto by some gentlemen of the ô Relys, & it did appeare they hadd some conference about that advise
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Advise: But some others came to the deponent, and asked what cuntry that America was of which he made all the good report that he could & yet sayd nothing beyond that, which he conceived to be the truth
<w> After that the deponent perceived That the Erle of ffingall was pleased to shew the deponent somehing Countenance & to looke somwhat more Cheerfully vpon him then when he came to those parts: which the deponent did not neglect to make vse of: And when he came to Uirginia (which was very often) the deponent would waite vpon him: & somtymes he would call for the deponent: whoe once said vnto his honor My Lord Wee should haue hadd a markett at Uirginia which (for want of Inhabitants to buy the Comodities brought to the towne) wee could not enioy: Now wee are well stored with company I pray your Lordship proclaime the Markett & yow wilbe the better for it, It is good Counsell said hee: & I will take care of it: & presently called some & had the Markett proclaimed And every Thursday they hadd as great a Markett, and as he thincks greater then ever was at Navan
There came to Uirginia (the slow begg (as they called them <x> one Colonell ffinglass & his Company being about some fiftie or threescore proper yong men well horsed and reasonable well armed, one Symonds with crooked leggs was with them: Twoe of ô Lee Horises sonns of Balliboghill: Theis Lodged at Uirginia, And the said Finglasse with some of the cheefe in the Deponents howse some of them asked: What did they meane to keepe us aliue soe Longe a time Some cast out threatening wordes against the deponent: If they could get him out of the Chamber. To whom some of his parrishioners made answere: If any man did hurt him My parrishioners would cutt them in peecs before they should leaue the County of Cavan: There came at length a greivous plague amongst the Cowes of Meath and many djed by pissing bloud. The deponent thincking it better to saue them aliue then suffer them to be lost whosoever should be maisters of them: Hopeing ere Long thenglish army might looke for them; tould the Erle of ffingall That among his bookes there was a booke called Gowges husbandry: In which there was a remedy whereby they might saue their Cattell, They sent some of the gentlemen to looke on his bookes: But were not admitted to Looke on them: Then the Erle went himselfe: fownd the booke and sent it to the deponent to fynd the remedy which he did and it prooved soe effectuall that the disease stayd: Whereupon the Deponent sayd to some of the cheefe gentlemen: If yow had sent mee to Cavan yow had lost your Cattell: & they said It was true: And this deponent further saith That he spared not as often as occasion offered to dispute with theis people, and their Preists of Religion: The said Erle and hee had some discourse. And the deponent wilbe bould to affirme That many Children of seven yeres ould can say more for their
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hope of the Kingdome of God then could bee seen in him: Whoe was soe raw and ignorant that the deponent thought all Argueing would be Lost vpon him My Lord (sayd the deponent) I am not now in case to dispute But, here, this will say before your lordship: yow and I must both of us appeare before the Judgment seate of God, whome now I take to be a witnes That this is true which I doe affirme: yow are all out of the way that leadeth to eternall Liffe: And althoughe the blynd amongst yow lead the blynd: & yow are ready to fall into the ditch yet there is none of yow haue eys to see nor harts to consider of the mischeef will overtake yow: Itt was their Fryrs & Preists That (vpon fryer Anthony Newgents Informacion as is before mencioned) procured the deponents saffty & yet that generacon did he never spare to speake against And somtymes he was answered by some of Meath gent <y> (to his great Content) as by Colonell James Plunkett the Erle of Fingalls brother, and Mr Nicholas Stoakes of Ballharry That it was their preists and friers that had vndone them: They had noe want of wealth, nor good Land, nor Liberty of conscience: and yet they must procure they knew not what for their Clergy to make them great, And that had brought all this misery vpon them: Theis twoe cursed themselves if ever they would beleeve either preist or friere whom they had fownd to bee false cheating knaues and such: That to save a preist or a friere would not care If then the best gentlemen were hanged: And Stoakes swore that if the Barnwells were hanged. hee would kill all the Preists and friers he should meete withall & sure Newgent should die for it: To this Stoakes I the deponent gaue Bishop Carltons booke of thanckfull remembrances: And to James Pluncket he haveing bestowed his Coate on hime) I he gave Sands his observations of the Religion of the west: The lord of Gormanston was pleased one <z> day to fall into discourse with the deponent, and made great complaint of the misfortune of theis times: That he had adhered to the English in the begining: received armes out of the Kings store: And when he sawe there was danger to loose them sent them to Droghedagh: In the end hee spake many bitter wordes against the Justices: & by name of all the privy Counsellors that he said in theis days doe frequent the Counsell board And this was most manifest in almost all the pale gent (And greater eagernes did shew itself in the gentlewomen then in the men) That they were irreconcileable enemyes to the English nation: ffor such were their words. They were sorry they had lett any english passe saffe to Dublin and in theire discourse speaking: what numbers of English were killed in the seuerall Counties of the Kingdome: The men of ffingall did manteine they had Killd farr more then any other Countyes: which palle people charged the northeren jrish to be the men That had vndon the whole Kingdome: Saying to them it was your covetousnes that hath wronged us all: For if yow had deteined the English in their seuerall dwellings and manteined them on their owne goodes That then wee had we had pledges in our hands That we might haue stood us
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in stead: But yow for Covetousnes to enioy the goodes of the English sent them away naked and bare out of the Cuntry: you (sayd they the ô Relys) might haue Kept them or killd them then ffor wee sent them to yow. And thus theis twoe enemyes. were every day in one squabble or another, And (as the deponent beleeveth) hate one another as much as any twoe different nations in the world: And after they had had some controuersie amongst themselues They would many times a part make their complaints to the deponent: The palle people howe vnfortunate they were to be ioyned to such people <hand> that had euer beene theire enemies, or to haue need of such, in whom there was neither honesty nor worth: A people (they said) Prowd without any thing that was honorable: Covetous without jndustry & Bragging without valour: A company of theeues; And this they had reason to say For the northeren jrish stolle their English muttons, as being such as were taken from the English, and euery day some of the Palle horses were a seeking, and the ô Relys gott many a crowne to fynd them out for their owners, And within a while they were stollen againe: The northeren Irish would call the other Cowards, and say They hadd noe hart, nor durst the fight with the English: They would watch where there was a good sword or peece & by night, or somtymes by day would enter the howses of Fingall people, and take what they would, & raised continually taxes & Leavies and sessed souldjers on them. That if the Turkes had beene their Lords they would not haue done worse The deponent had much adoe to carry himself betweene theis twoe crosse enemyes: And although the society of the Palle, (as being more Civill) was more pleasant hee I would saye more tollerable: yet I he thought it good not to be wanting in the Comendacons of the Northeren jrish. least they should fynde any cawse to pick a quarrell against him. if they should heare what was spoken behynd their backs: The Preist of the parrish of Lurgan Owen ô Linsey did soe hate the palle people That he would not that anie of their preists or friers should say Masse in his parrish. And the Palle people did soe hate him that they would not come to heare him: And they needed not, For many a Preist they hadd of their owne A sort of prophane wretches. after they had [chopt?] vpp their Masse in the morning: They spent all their tyme in playing at Tennyse (The deponent hath obserued above 200 able men together
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together) and drincking, pipeing, and danceing: The ô Relys followed only drinck: which they would haue from the palle People had they mony, or not to pay for it, They would somtime Calle for the deponent to drinck with them, and becawse they knew that the deponent was euer an enemy to drunckards, and had neuer beene accustomed to such company as they were They would say They sent for the deponent to giue him some drinck becawse they knew he had noe mony to buy: when he hadd gotten one draught, and refused to drinck any more: Wee (say they) must drinck to comfort our harts as often as wee heare any thing that is not to our mynd And vnles our souldjers should gett some good drinck: They would bee out of all courage. And this wee might obserue as often as ever there was any newes of receiveing anie overthrow by the English, or any supply out of England Then the Aquavitæ paid for it And then they would bragg what great matter they would doe to the heavy heeld english with stones and Skeanes: if euer they could see them come within their County: & yet how would they run away from theire Comanders vpon a false alarum: And further <b> saith That one Mr Mapes sonn in law to Mr Nottingham (a notorious pillager,) haveing filled his howse with riche howsholdstuffe That he never paid penny for was gone to Masse and the fyre being left neere some strawe the henns cast the straw vpon the fyre and in a moment consumed bothe the howse and hagard, with all that he had, The sight of this fyer raised a greate fright in the county of Cavan: The people were at Masse at Virginia, And theye fearing they should bee ledd against the English that were comen soe neere as to burne Mapes howse: They run into every Corner, and their gentlemen and Captains run after them: gott them out beatt them and fowle stirr there was, In the end They were very well content for it was but the henns. that had burned (as some sayd) Mapes evill gotten goodes; whoe
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whoe that day might have truly affirmed he had not one penny worth of English goodes nor much of his owne ffor thus would many: Whome the deponent knew to bee noteable pillagers: sweare they hadd never any of the English goodes. And why might not they aswell ly in that as in euery thing els, it being soe Common a thing and soe well knowne that hee perceived none of those people, beleeved others what they sayde at Least the Palle people beleeved not the ô Relies and the ô Relys beleeved not the palle, The one abused or would abuse the other with Lyes from killebegs & Carlingford of forraine aid: And the other of forreine aid comeing in at Wexford at Kinsalle And when the deponent left the County of Cavan vizt the 15th of Sept 1642: hee had not perceived that any of the pale beleeved That Owen Roe ô Neile was comen into Ireland. And the Northren accompted Colonell Birne and his army & greate Victories to bee but meere fictions: In the meane tyme that they were telling lies one to another and seemed to giue themselues comfort in telling them: Some would come from Dublin and tell them some newes, that would chandge all their cheere Howe earnestly then would they pray for peace, And many a bitter curse would they wish to them That began this warr. And yet would the deponent, many tymes say: Those that began this warr are the men that continue it, and those are your leaders and yow still follow them: They would affirme that the Parliament of England was the cawse of all their harme: Why (sayd the deponent) what Lawes have they made to your preiudice: They were about to make <c> (said one Robert Bath whoe somtime belonged to the Court of Wardes: To prove this, he said That he was tould. by one Mr John Bedlow: which Bedlow he remem=
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remembreth to have seene at the Deponents howse whilest he was prisoner there, That Bedlowe being sent into England by the howse of Commons of Ireland to accuse the Erle of Strafford before the Commons of England. Soe <d> soone as Bedlow came to London. The Erle of Nidesdale sent for Bedlowe, enquired of the cawse of his comeing out of Ireland: I come said hee, to accuse the Erle of Strafford before the howse of Commons: O said the Erle of Nidsdalle by all meanes seeke to avojd That yow may not accuse him: ffor if he be taken away. our Catholique Religion cannott stand: ffor the case is soe with us nowe: That if hee live. wee hope to doe well: he If he miscarry wee are all vndone I cannott (said Bedlow) in any case depart from my djrections, with which I am putt in trust and soe went on according to that he was Comanded out of Ireland. The deponent answered Mr Bath That he beleeved there were some in England: That had a hand in theis stirrs of Ireland And that it was to bee beleeved the Papists had first begun to stirr And with the help of some prophane & irreligious protestants thought to gaine somthing to the advantage of the popish Religion: And god would soe overule all their purposes That in thend, they should bring a mischeefe vpon themselues: This Robert Bath would make great moane to the deponent in private: That he had soe hard fortune as to be partaker with the rest of Meath and Fingall And yet he many times discouered a Cankered hart against all Protestants: One day he gott the deponent to write a Letter to the minister of Gormanston to help his wiffe to her horse which the garrison had taken from her wither he hadd sent her to releeue him in the County of Cavan And thus between Drogheda and that Cuntrie and from Dublin, The people that Lived at Uirginia hadd ordinarily messages sent, & Comodities broughte all
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the while wee that this deponent & th e rest staied in the County of Cavan And further saith That all the Rebells had resolued, when hee was with them never to hould any Castle after they lost Siddan, and Nobber which was burnd, nor ever to meete the english in any pitcht feild, but on their owne greate advantage: But to avoid the English army by keepeing out of their way, and then getting behynd them: And when they could not stay in one part of the Kingdome Then to gett into another: They hadd greate hope to Liue somtyme in the Callagh in the further syde of the County of Longford And when that should faile then they would fynd some placs of refuge in Connaght. And thus they would discourse of their hopes and resolucions: with whome, althoughe the deponent was a prisoner, and almost without hope of deliuerance, But by the grace of God extraordinarily extended to him Yet he thought whylest theis men: (haveing then greate plentie) were thus in talk: he would not change his state for the best of theires
For what the deponent lost by the Rebellion hee never tooke any great Reckoning of what he had, yet of his goodes hee fownd this note which is in a little booke which he brought out of the County of Cavan under the hand of William Creichtowne whoe hadd the charge of all his Cattell. vizt Att Drumgowragh 32 Cowes Att Cargagh: yong and ould 12 Cowes At Ballybruise yong and ould 69 Cowes Att Uirginia 31 Cowes and 24 Calves Horses Mares & foales xviijn sheepe 40 swyne 10: His howse was accounted to bee well provided of bedding Lynnen brasse pewter woodden stuff And at the beginning of the present Rebellion & He had great store of Corne, butter cheese poultry and other necessaries: His bookes were his best best wealth: The like he could not buy for 50 li. Besides wearing clothes. plate and tooles for workmen: Hee could best see what he had as the jrish brought it forth giveing God
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God thancks whoe gave him a hart to looke on with patience, and with that content to be made poore, that he knew was the the worke of his grace, whoe hath preserved him. And then begun to make him see some part of his vengeance executed against those that spojled the jnnocent And this deponent further saith That whyle
fol. 239v
Cauan
Mr George Creichtoune
Jur: 15o Aprilis
1643
hand Intw
Let this bee examjned
fol. 240r
136
while I the deponent was a prisoner among the Rebells when those, that professed to be my his ffrends, came to se me him, and found hime despoiled of everie thing, that was worth the takeing from hime, manie a bitter curs did they wish to them, that so used me him, and for my his comfort they would tell me him, it is the will of God, and I pray yew, said I the deponent consider what hath bene the will of God in these Late yeares, not to speak of that which hath befallen forrain countries, yow see God first afflicted Scotland, and all of that nation suffered in a great measure: Now God is pleased to afflict the English in this Kingdome, among whom I beleve everie familie of England have some of their Kindred, and the sufferings of the English are worse, then the sufferings of the Scottes were and do yow think the Irish shall escape, and not have their parte of the afflictions have not the Irish their sinnes, whereby God is offended, as well as had the other two. I hee desired themselves to be witnesses for the English, and Scottes that Lived among them, although our their Relligion was different from the Relligion of the Irish, yet that our their Lives were more honest, and Christian lyke then were the Lives of the Irish. I Hee did manie tymes instance what was taken knowledge of by the papists themselves, and, reported to us them of the Parish of Kells being the next adjacent parish to mine his, in which parish of Kells in the year immediatlie goeing before the rebellion seavenscore weomen bare so manie children unlawfullie begotten, threescore of which dwelt in the Towne of Kells, this was acknowledged35 27
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to be true concerning kells, and manie other wickednesses that were frequent in Meath, the people of that Countie being exceedinglie prophane, and since they were afflicted they are the most miserable and the most faint hearted for the generall of all Ireland, and allthough they have their Lies and deceits to act their parte of this Lying Tragedie, yet the Ulster people are far more <A> subtile.In the conference which I the deponent lately had with Philip mc <d> Hugh mc Shane o Rellie at his first comming to virginia, he said he was much greeved, that he had not soe handled the matter as to have kept the English still in Belturbet, he blamed Rorie mc Guire for threatning to Kill, and burn them, and cursed those among the English that gave them counsell to leave their habitations, he professed he would be verie kinde to as manie as should stay in the Countie of Cavan and yet even while he was speaking these words, I the deponent did perceive it was for his owne ends, not their good, that he was sorrie they were gone, but it was the great work of God to deliver them out of the hands of a cruell deep dissembling enimie both to English and Scottes, as Likewayes it was Gods work to holde the hands of the Pale untill the English came through their countrie. when I the deponent requested Philips protection to stay in saffetie untill I he might convenientlie remove his familie, divers of them being then sick, whether will yow goe, said he, to dublin, said I the deponent and then into England, if yow goe to Dublin, said he, then the trouble will be before yow for we will not stay long in takeing Droghedagh, and
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in England wee are sure there is alreadie, or wilbe verie shortlie as great commotions as there be in Ireland. my business said I the deponent is in London, that said he indeed is Lyke to be saffe if anie thing in England wilbe saffe.
<f> This Philip, and Philip mc Milmore were at first as forward in the rebellion as anie of the o Rellies but some diretions came to them I as the deponent heard from the Earle of ffingall by James Gwinne who tolde us so much at Virginia as he went to Cavan, after which diretions Philip mc Milmore began to be sicklie, and altogether to forsake the Countrie, and this Philip begann to be verie favorable to the English, and thus er he was awar God tooke the English out of his snare, but if the Castle of Dublin had fallen into the Rebells hands, I the deponent beleveth he would have proved another man. After the overthrow at Gelinston neer Droghedagh, as the hearts of manie dissemblers throughout the Kingdome were made knowne, so we admired to see how our neighbours were changed, and become proud, <g> and cruell. one Turlogh o Rellie had a sore hand when he went to Droghedagh, at his return one of my the deponents people asked Turlogh how does your hands verie well now said he since I have bene Killing English men, divers the Lyke sayings we heard, but when it pleased God to dissapoint the Rebells of their expectation, and they failed in takeing droghedagh, then the o Rellies had a second change, and seemed to relent, and think they had bene too forward above other Counties for that they had killed those six hundred at Gellinston and I he ever conceived That all the favour that after their return37 29
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from Droghedagh which they shewed to English, or Scottes, was but a crafti kinde of covering to bring their crueltie at Gellinston out of remembrance, for they did acknowledge the English yeelded themselves, called to their frends, and acquaintance for help and they had no mercie nor spared anie
When I the deponent made mention of the passing by of the stripped people through Virginia I he thought to have remembred this particular but did forget, to wit, one day his wife called hime to hear, what was reported by divers weomen, who brought into my hous a yong woman almost naked, to whom a rogue came upon the way these weomen being present, give me your monie, said he, I have none, said she, give it me said he, or I will kill yow with this sword, and so drew his sword. yow cannot Kill me, said she, unlesse God give yow leave, and his will be done. the rogue thrust her three tymes at her naked bellie with his drawn sword, and yet never cutt her skin, and belyke being confounded to see that God would save her, went away, and left her this woman I That the deponent saw, and this report I he heard related by divers weomen, that were by, and saw whet they said and those that are acquainted with the Irish, know they carie no swords unlesse they be sharpe
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He alsoe
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He alsoe I heard it related by somme of the cheeff of the oRellies with great joy that there were letters abroad from the Lord of Gormanston and others as he I remembereth <b> by which letters the Irish had notice sent to them of somme assurance sent into Ireland from their ffriends in England that those courses were held in England to rays commotions there that for seaven yeares to comme, there should neither men nor anie other releeff be sent into Ireland to releeve the distressed Enlish here this was reported long before anie sword was drawne in England a copie of a letter to this effect was read to me vnto him the deponent
George Creightoun
Jur xvo Aprilis
1643
John Sterne
Will: Aldrich
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[Two pages are missing between 233r and 234v: for transcription, see copy, MS 832, fols 152r-153r]