Deposition of Elizabeth Pole

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Elizabeth Poke (the relict of Tho: Poke late of Belturbett in the County of Cavan Carrier slaine by the Rebells in the battaile nere Rosse) sworne & examined saith That since the begining of the present Rebellion vizt about the first of November 1641 shee this deponent and her said husband were deprived robbed or otherwise dispoyled of their meanes goodes & chattells vizt howsholdgoods ready mony horses Cattle Carrs & provition all worth ffortie powndes sterlinge: By and by the meanes of Knogher Roe <a> o Rely of Belturbett aforesaid Maltster a notorious Rebell and divers others whom she knoweth not, they being all strangers vnto her, And <A> further saith that her husband flying away towards Dublin to save his liffe was by other Rebells stript of all his clothes, & sent naked away: But this deponent, that stayd behynd at Belturbett was there kept as a prisoner for a yere after or thereabouts by the Rebell Phillip mc Hugh mc Shane <a> o Rely of Ballincargie in the parrish of Annah Colonell of Rebells: And saith that in the time of her restraint shee observed and welknew that A divers of the Rebells whose names she cannott remember did by the instigacion of Rose the wiffe of the said Phillip mc Hughe mc Shane o Rely Drowne at the least ffortie of English and Scottish protestants in the water at the bridge of Belturbett, and the same day hanged 2 protestants more on a gallows at the townes end of Belturbett aforesaid And this deponent was for all the time of her said restraint in contynuall feare and danger of her liffe, And was often taken out of the place where shee was & most [ ] miserablely halled, pulld, & tost vpp and downe amongst the Rebells: & somtymes threatened to be hanged somtymes to be drowned and at other times to be burned to death: yet by the Mercifull providence of god shee escaped from them with her liffe: And further saith that shee was credibly tould by one ffrances Bassett and John Poake both of Belturbett, That some of the Rebellious souldiers at Belturbett vnder the Comand of the said Colonell Rely: Did in most scornfull & malicious manner in the Church there thrust their pikes <a> into and through the Kinges armes: & then pulled them downe and trode them vnder their feete; Saying they would doe as much or the like to his Maiestie of England yf he were in that place: And the deponent heard one Suzan the wiffe of Turloghe Barnes of Belturbet aforesaid (in an angry proud & divellish manner) expresse & say theis words vizt I would to god that this skeane which I have in my hands: were in the harts of
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of all the Noblemen of England And further saith that whilest this deponent was soe in restraint as aforesaid shee oberved and saw divers of the Rebells Martch ther and and pass i n t o & through Belturbett aforesaid with their Complicees & Rebellious souldjers vizt The Erle of ffingall, Rory Maguire: Captain Hugh ô Rely: & divers others, especially a great number of the Rebells whoe were said to come out of the Pale, & in that tyme Towne they hadd their ordinary place of Rendezvous somtymes feasting & solaceing themselues there, And att other times, (& that most frequently) robbing & spojleing the Protestants Not one protestant escapeing either with goodes or Cloths, & few escapeing with their lives
<mr. w mr A. mr B.>
The mark [mark] of the said
Elizabeth Poke
Jur 26o Aprilis 1643
Hen: Brereton Randall: Adams:
Joh Watson
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Cavan hand w
Elizabeth Poke deposed
April the 26. 1643.
Intratur
Ex
3o

w

[Copy at MS 832, fols 126r-126v]