Examination of Thomas Hayward

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The examinacion of Thomas Hayward of Carickfergus Merchant aged thirty eight yeares or thereabouts taken before Thomas Richardson of Dublin Esquire by vertue of a Commission dated the 27th day of November 1652.
<1> The said Thomas Haward being duely sworne and examined to giue what informacion hee can of any murthers or <A> massacres to haue bin comitted in the first yeare of the Rebellion of the Irish, b or since, by Sir Phelim roe ô Neile, knight, or any of his party, sayth that on the 23th of October 1641 hee was present in the then dwelling house of Arthur Champion Esquire at Shanocke in the County of ffermanagh, when and where one don Carragh mc Gwire, Redmond mc Guire, and Patricke oge mc Rosse mc Guire, with thirty or 40ty more, whereof the most parte were mc Gwires, and many of them the said mr Champions Tennants, came all to the Castle gate with a couple of prisoners (as they pretended) bound with withes, pretending they were apprehended for stealing of Cowes, and that they brought them to the said mr Champion to be examined, who being come downe to his owne dore and to take their examinacions, many of the said rude company presently threw off their mantles and with their skeines which they had under their mantles

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fell to worke and in a short tyme murthered the said Arthur Champion himselfe, Thomas Iremonger, Christopher Linagh, and foure English men more then in the said house, And the examinant being demanded whether if hee knew whether any of the said Murtherersrs be <B> yett living, and where, sayth that the most of them (if not all) are since killed, or hanged, or otherwise deceased, as hee hath hath heard and verily beleiveth, except it be two sonnes of Redmon Carragh mc Gwire of Shanocke aforesaid, (or neere thereabouts) who were very active in the said Murther, and are yett out as this Examinant hath heard, And this Examinant further sayth that hee himselfe and mrs Champion the wife or relict of the said Arthur Champion were kept prisoners a by the said Rebels at the house of one widow Arnett neere Shanocke aforesaid, for the space of fyve monethes; <2> during which tyme of his imprisonment hee heard by the common report of the Countrye that <C> Sir P the said Sir Phelim roe ô Neile had commanded seavenscore English protestants (men women and children) to be drowned at the bridge of Portadowne, about 4 miles

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<D> from the Lurgan), and alsoe that hee gaue the <3> command for the hanging of one Brownelowe Tailor, late of Armagh, And that both the said murthers were executed accordingly, meerely by the said Sir Phelims command or order, And further sayth that hee this Examinant hath now at his owne house at Carickfergus or, at least had at his comming thence (three weeks since on monday last) a woman servant who was at the Brig Bridge of Portadowne to haue bin drowned with the rest, being then but a child, but by the helpe of one Irishman escaped into an old house and soe was saved, and hath alsoe an apprentice or manservant who was brother to the said B ro n e l Brownelowe Tailor, but sayth hee alsoe was then a child, and furthe what farther evidence they can giue touching the said murthers or any other hee knoweth not, And the Examinant being further demanded if hee knew of any other murthers to haue bin committed by the said Sir Phelim ô Neile or knew any of the prisoners now come to Dublin with him, sayth that hee knoweth none of them nor any thing else materiall in this behalfe more then hee hath already herein declared And further hee sayth not.
Tho: Haward
Sworne the 16th of ffebr:
1652 before mee
Tho: Richardson
59

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The Examinacion of
mr Thomas Heyward
Merchant touching
Murthers committed in
the North by Sir Phelim
ô Neile & others
Z Z
4