Deposition of William Johnstone

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The examinacion & deposicion of Leivtenant William Johnstone of Crow in the County of downe aged about 35: yeares or thereabouts taken before vs the 18o March 1652
Who saith That about two yeares agoe in the begining of March this Examinate being in the Towne of Arglass in Lecayle he accidentally mett with Mr Brian O Neale then called Sir Brian O Neile about three or fower daies before his apprehension who desired this Examinat{e} to goe with him into his Chamber, And there being in private said he had some thing to tell this Examinate And therevpon declared vnto this <A> Examinate that their was great differences between him & the Commissioners of Applottment of Lecayle And that he vsed meanes to draw Colonell Venables Comander in Cheife into the Island of Lecale to deside those Controversies And that he intended vpon his comeing thither to surprise the said Colonell Venables with fower score Irish horsemen that he had in readyness in the Woods at an howers warneing And to send him prisoner to the Isle of Mann And this Examinate being vnwilling to here such discourses offerred to goe out of the Roome otherwise he beleives that the said Mr Brian would haue Reveiled to him the whole plott, but he perceiveing the Examinats Couldness therein stept betweene him & the doore & refused to Let him goe till he made a promise of Secresy which with the Consideracion that he was but one single Wittness was the Cause he did not Reveile this sooner to any other then to One Mr Andrew Graham vnto whom shortly after this Examinate did relate the effect of the said Bryans discourse And further he saith not

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3976 [ ]

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3978
18 March 1652
The examinacion of Leivtenant
William Johnston
against
Brian O Neile