Deposition of Valentin Payne

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The examynation of Captayne Valentin Pyne of Strangford taken before Sir Robert Meredith Knight one of his maiesties honorable pryvie Councell the ixth of August 1642
whoe being duly sworne one the holly evangelist saith that hee being Chosen att a generall meeting att Ballie by the Chefest gentlemen of the sayd Barrony to gather the strength of the said Barrony to withstand the Rebells att which tyme the Gentry did allow pay for two hundred men, which with the Lord Cromwells troope and the ffoote Company then lying in the towne of downe together with the Valenteres of the said Barrony this deponent then thought to be an able number to defend the towne of downe and this deponent in Nouember last being in the fyld and trayning his men and mustering of them hee found himselfe to bee a boue six hundred men strongne and Reasonable well armed: the Lord viccount Clan boy sent Lyftenant Collonell Hamelton with other experienced soldiers to Vew the said musters, whoe very well approued of the disiplyn and mad a fare Relation thereof and as this deponent was leading forth on the fyld the said Sir James Montgomery knight mett with this deponent and desyred to haue a Vew of the said muster and prayed this deponent to draw his men in fyld agayn which this deponent yelded Vnto and after this deponent had discharged his said Companyes for that present tyme the said Sir James delt with Captayne Vaghen, Captayne Bingley and Captayne Wardlaw three Captaynes whoe had Comands of fyfties and in the Cuntrys pay without the provition of knowledge of this deponent to be of his Regiment and they entertayned Captayne Richard west to be a Captayne and to Rayse that Company out of the aforesaid number: and did promys the aforesaid Captaynes as it was Reported to this deponent [ ] Neuer to leaue the towne of downe but to defend it with all his myght but and promissted to bring the Rest of his Regyment there, but the said Sir James did not bring with him aboue seven score men but Raysed his Regyment in Lecale and gote both meale and oats out of most of the townes in Lecale for his provision, and after som eight or nyne weekes stay in the towne of downe the said Sir James Montgomery without geving more then one dayes warning deserted the towne of downe Carrying with him much prouission and most of all the able men of the towne of downe and barrony of Lecale

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and tooke the Carrs & horses from the townesmen of downe and wold not permitt them to Carry a way their goods as many of the sayd townesmen grieuestly Complyned to this deponent and this deponent hearing that the said Sir James was to leaue the said towne he prayed the Lord Viccount Claneboy to send som of his Regyment to defend the said towne: which his Lordshipp did endeuer to doe but the Rebells haveing Intelligence of the said Sir James his deserting and lying nearer then his Lordshipp{s} forces gote into the towne of downe beefore his Lordshipps soldiers Coold be drawen thither yet his Lordshipps Lyftenant Collonell gote in to the howse of the Lord Cromwells and did defend it a Longne tyme [ ] & att last yelded it vp one honorable Condic{ions} and this deponent doth afyrme that the said Sir James during his abode in downe protected dyuers Rebells and many that are gon into Rebellion Since and are now in Rebellion: and whereas Captayne Nicholson with others vnder the Command of this deponent attached one Patrick Russell and two of Richard Welshes sons whoe in the Company of others were going to the Rebells to Joyne with them in Rebellion the said Nicholson not being able to take all of them the rest fled but those three being armed with two fowling peces and a pettrinell and one of them had fortie bullets in a bag and moles to Cast more, when they were spent brought them to strangford and the said Sir James sent for them: but att first this deponent thought it not fitt to delyuer them vntill hee acquaynted the said Sir James of the manner of ther apprehending but the said Sir James sending a meneacing letter urging his Commission and my Contempt and hee having Received them sett them att Large and two of them viz the two Welshis are now in actuall Rebellion: and now since the Rebells deserted the Barrony the said Sir James drew back his forces seizied one the Corne of the said Barrony transporting a parte and brought after his Regyment aboue fyue hundred [keggers] wyne turned themselues plunderers and haue spoyled and wasted more Corne then woold haue mayntayned two thowsand of his maiesties soldiers for a Longne season: and haue by way or vnder the name of plunder taken away many honest mens heiffers which ware kept from the Rebells yet since taken a way by the said James his soldiers and this deponent lykewyse afyrmeth that of late the said Sir James hath protected one George Russell of Rathmullen his wife his son and Children, whoe was a Cruell murtherer and one of the Cheefe druers forth of the Inhabitants of Lecale into Rebellion
Rob Meredith

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Captayne Payne