Examination of Alexander McKay

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The Examinacion of Alexander McKay of Ballytirrin in the Parish of Culfaghtrim in the County of Antrim Gent: taken before vs at Colerane the 16th day of March 1652
Who being duely Examined saith That he heard some who were his tennant after the Murder at Portnaw did ly in wait vpon the hills in the <A> mountaine of Cary & did stopp & plunder the Scotts (who (fled that way from the Irish for safety of their lives towards Redbay) of Garrons & goods which persons afterwards to Witt in August 1647 dyed at Coshendun of the pestilence And this Examinant further saith That some whose names he doth not now remember brought him word that some of Allester McColls men & some of this Examinant & the McAwleys tennants at Andrew Stewarts house at Coshendonn & were about to breake his kill where many of the Scotch who fled with their goods were locked in for feare the Irish should kill & plunder them. That vpon the newes this Examinant with some of his Tenannts went thither, and the said persons who were assembled there being ready at this Examinants comeing to breake the kill doore or sett the house or fire he saith vpon condicion made with those that they should shed noe blood he required the said Andrew Stewart to give this Examinant the key of the doore or open it That after this examinante & the rest were entred (contrary to his will) they plundered & tooke <B> from the Scotts two pieces of woollan cloth & a piece of Linnen cloth but he saith he see noe none of them stript or killed or any money taken from them And he this Examinante further saith that after the Murder at Portnaw he was three or fower times sent for vnto the Campe which lay against Colerane by James McColl McDonnell to stay with him in the Campe that accordingly he went & would stay there two or three daies & then returned home And being demmanded if he see any Brittish kill’d there or elswhere in the Countrey He saith he never see any killd or ly, dead in the way as he travelled, but he [ ] hath heard many Brittish were kill’d by the Brittish Irish in severall places but by whom he knowes not And further he saith that at such times

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times as he came vnto the Irish campe aforesaid he see there with the said James McColl McDonnell divers Irish Gent now dead, & Henry <A> McHenry Brian Modder McHenry William O Sheile his fellow prisoners yett alive And being demanded whether his tennants & servants came vnto the same Campe he saith he could not keepe them at home though he wold have given them, double wages And he saith that when the Scotch Army came into Ireland and marched into the Roote he went over the Bann because he heard there was noe pardon or proteccion for any {of}the Irish And further the Examinant saith not

Tho: Coote
Rich: Brasier