Deposition of Robert Osborne

fol. 17r

(118)

Robert Osborne Cleark Rector of Clonkeene in the Countie of Lowth sworne & examined deposeth and sayth That since the begining of the present Rebellion and by meanes thereof he this deponent hath beene and still is expelled deprived robbed or otherwise dispoyled of the possession Rents & proffitts of his Rectorie & other meanes and Landes of Inheritance farmes, which when the Rebellion began were worth 280 li. per annum, & that hee is Like to be deprived of and loose the future profitts thereof vntill a peace be setled, & of Cattle and horses worth 44 li. of howsholdgoods plate ready mony Corne and hay worth xxv li. Debts due by or by the meanes of such as are in absolute Rebellion amounting in all <658 li. presente Losse of which 280 li. per annum> to the CCCix li. sterlinge vizt by ffrancis Wise of Newtowne in the Countie of Waterford Esquire 40 li. by William More of Barnmeath in the Countie of Lowth & Owen McBrian McMaghon ofin the Countie of Monoghan Ccxxv li. And by <A> John Taafe of Braganstowne in the County of Meath Lowte Esquire iiij li. viij s. & Patrick Taaffe of Storminstowne in the County of Lowth gentleman and Lawrence his sonne 40 li. All which persons are or lately were actuall and knowne Rebells and carry armes against his Maiestie and his Loyall subiects And further saith that the parties Rebells that soe deprived & dispoyled him this deponent of his goods & meanes are or of some part thereof are theis that followe vizt Robert Taafe of <B> Cowkstowne in the Countie of Lowth gent Esquire Lawrence Taafe his brother James Taafe of Atherdee in the same county ge their kinsman: & about 60 more their Complicees souldjers or partakers whose names he cannot expresse and as he has been credibly and by John ffitzgerrald of ffarnhan in the County of Waterford gent & as the hath beene alsoe informed & James ffennell a Capten of Rebells in the said C same County gent as this deponent is credibly informed, And further saith that about 6 or 7 weekes before the Rebellion There were 100 souldiers of irish or thereabouts that came to Atherdee in the Countie of Lowth: but what the Captains name is he ca that brought them thither he cannott tell But it was reported they were to goe for Spaine: But afterwards one Mr Mathew pentheny of the same towne told this deponent that he thought they were for some other purpose. And not to that one Garrett Cooley then portriff <C> or gouernor of that towne billetted: those souldiers in that towne in divers howses in such sort as is vsuall for the kings souldiers and carried some of the officers to his owne [ ] howse & gave them entertainment

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119

And this deponent being in Company with the said Garrett Cooley & one of his son in laws, not long before the said souldiers came to Ard Atherdee, They all discoursed about some moneys they owned this deponent for tythes, And the said Garrett Cooley <D> after some expressions of greef made that any moneys shold be paid for tythes expressed himself in an Irish Ryme to this purpose That seuerall persons should come, and amongst them Owen Roe ô Neile, whoe would thrust out the black divells & then the tythes should be their owne, And then the said son in law to the said Garrett desired this deponent to giue tyme for payment of the money which the said Gar he owed to this deponent vntill Christmas But the said Garrett then turned back <E> & laughed vpon his son in Lawe saying That if he could gett time vntill all hallantyde it was sufficient or to that effect which Alhollantyde was about the begining of the Rebellion & this deponent is verely perswaded the said Garrett when he spoke those words had notice when the Rebellion would begin

Robert Osburne
Jur 13o december 1642
John Watson
Will: Aldrich
Edward Pigott

Lowth

Mr Robert Osborne Clark
Jur 13o dec 1642
Intw Cert fact
Hand w

124