Deposition of Walter Burke

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<Beleeke> Examinacion taken before two of the Commissioners of Reuennue vizt Captain Charles Holecroft, and Mr John Eyre on the 25o of November 1652
<A> Collonel Walter Burke being deposed sayeth saith that after seuerall the plunders were ended in the begining of this rebellion in the County many of t of the English after they had beene so plundered repaired hither to the <Castle of Beleeck> vnder the protection of Sir Richard Rutleadge an English Man, & a Romane Catholick by profession who was tennant to the Lord of Corke, where the said English were besiedged by seuerall Companies raised by some Irish Gent: vizt John Burke of Castle Lackin, Edmond Burke of Roppagh, Charles Burke of Raroe Edm: fitz Tibbott ffarragh Mc <B> Donnell, Thibbott Reagh Burke vncle to the Lord of Maio, Henry Mc Jordan of Galing Bar: Walter oge Burke of Castlereagh, Henry Barrett Tho: Roe Burke of Ennescoe who ioynely treated with the Deponent for the surendering of the british mens goods, and the safe convayeing of
<The Examinacion of Colonel Walter Burke>

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<symbol> of theire persons to Sligoe, but the Britis{h} would trust no other to convaye them but this deponent the which the said Deponent vndertooke <to his power> And accordingly vndertooke And in the way passing to Castle Conner the said British were mett with by Captain Patrick Dowds <C> Company which said Dowd made opposicion to the said English, and would not suffer the said English men to pass, who they being with armed in theire way, to the number of 60 Men or thereabouts wherevppon this deponent sent Charles Duff Dowd a fryer [ ] Brother Edward Burke of Roppagh to the said Dowd to know what was meant by theire standing in theire passage, vnto whom they made answeare that, it was contrary they would to theire vndertakeing to lett any English pass without killing of them, but at lenght by the perswading of this deponent & others they made way for the said English; This Deponent to the best of his remembrance [saith] that theyre answeare to the messenger who was sent vnto them to the said Dowd was that they would not lett them pass befor withou{t} slayeing of them, it being theire purpose after which when the said British were entering into the Castle Connor gate parte <D> of the said Dowds Company fell in with the said English, and stript some of them, and in particular Mr Mongomery his cloake was taken away of from his back

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And on the next day after the said English & scotch in theire way top Enescrone were mett with by the said Company who kept in sight of the said British vntill they came to Enescrone, And some of the said Company falling in with the said British pulled a Ministers wife from of her horse, but being rescued by this deponent they could not stripp her, and one of the aforesaid Company offering to take a mantle that lay vppon a horseback whereon were children in basquetts wher e vpon the said said too children were throwen came to the ground, And comeing to the Bridg of Roslye they were stopped by William Dowds sonns namely William & Chistopher, vntill <f> by theire Mothers procurement & by this deponents perswasion they gaue way to theire passage, And Marching forward they came that night to Duneale where the said English & scotch lay vntill at one Gullduffes o Hartes house who after supper whisperinged this deponent in his eare told him that if the said the said English and scotch did not remooue forthwith into the Castle both the said deponent and british would should [ ] be exe all putt to the sword, wherevppon the deponent with the said English & scotch went into the said Castle, where they had no sooner beene but presently a greate number of the Irish came into the said Gullduffes house and satt kept there vntil the next Morning at which time they thretened to beleagure the said British in the

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<G> said Castle vnles they would surrender theire persons, but the names of the men this deponent knoweth not only one Rorie Mc swine whom this deponent saw there, And the deponent further saith that haueing come out of the Castle on the Morrow to parly with the said Irish on behalf of the besiedged at his returne he found three ministers [ ] that were of the English and scotch in the said Castle in the Irish mens hands without the gates, who as the deponent was informed were deliuered vp by the rest of the English and scotch in his absence to be slayn or otherwise disposed of condicionally to saue themselues, And the said Ministers being taken apart from each other, haueing lost some of their cloaths, were saued from being slayne therough the importunity of this said deponent they said Irish telling him that they would rather forbeare sheding the knau{es?} blood that than vex him & in respect of that they in Ti rawly had taken ther goodes they might take theire liues too And the said English & scotch haueing marched from thence & loadged the first night at Rory Mc swini es & came on the 2d day to Ardnaglass where they receaued some opposicion at theire coming into Town from Alexander oge swine Thorlogh o Bolone & many others, an{d} passing on from thence the said English & scotch were seised vppon by Bryn Mc swyne, & kept them in his <Custody vntill [ ] Conn o Rourke had beene released by Sir ffrederick Hammolton, but was perswaded by Sir Robert Hanna, this Deponent and Edmond Burke to suffer them to goe to Sligoe vntill they had vnderstood further of the said Sir ffrederick Hammoltons resolucion {w } whome they could not preuaile for the said exchange, And from Sligoe they were carryed to Drumahere where this deponent lef them
W: Burke
before John Eyre>