Examination of Robert ffuthy

fol. 59r

[1529]

The Examinacion of Robert ffuthy of Ballymoney parish in the County of Antrim Gentleman taken before vs the said second day of March 1652
<29> Who being duely sworne & examined saith That at the begining of the Rebellion he was leiuetennant vnto Capten Robert Stewart <C> one of the Regiment vnder the Command of Archibald Stewart Esquire & that the same Regiment being by Order from the then Commanders at Carrickfergus called into the Braid to suppress any Insurreccion of the Irish there which was at that time likely to have beene In the absence of the same Regiment in their quarters Brian ô Haggan & all the other ô Haggans of the Parish of Magheresharkin vpon the Bannside together with one William ô Sheile of Ballymoney parish went over the said river of Bann vnto

(28)

fol. 59v

1530 [ ]

vnto the Irish rebells who were Masters of the feild on that side <D> the River And this Examinante further saith that after the said Regiments returne to their quarters at Portnaw to keepe the Bann side against the Enemy a part of the said Regiment all consisting of Brittish (the Irish & Highlanders refuseing) went to Convoy & secure Mr Canning & his men (who all or most consisted of English) over the bann That whilst that, part of the Regiment was bringing over Mr Canning & his men Tirlagh oge ô Cahans Company of Irish consisting of about 40: men & Randell McDonnells highland soldiers by the perswasion & setting on of James McColl McDonnell & Allester McColl McDonnell did fall vpon that part of the Brittish, their fellow soldiers who were left at Portnaw vpon the second day of ffebr January about two houres before day & murdred above threescore of the Brittish soldiers That this Examinante & about eighty of the Company whereof he was leiuetennant fled & escaped vnto Ballymoney & that some of the Brittish soldiers that night had their lives saved by James McColl McDonnell & Donnell gorme McDonnell as John McJennett who then escaped told this Examinante & alsoe as James McConnell reported to diverse who also told this Examinante And further he saith that the morneing the Murder was done at Portnaw diverse of the Irish came over the Bann with one John Mortimer & some Irish Officers & alsoe that the said <d> Brian ô Haggan & other the Haggans & the said William ô Sheile who formerly had gone over the Bann in the said Regiments absence in the Braid, came back (as he hath credibly heard) with Mortimer & the said Irish forces & ioyned with the said James McColl McDonnell & the rest of the Irish Murderers at Portnaw And that they fyred severall houses in the Countrey & marched vnto the Towne of Ballymoney & burnt it And this Examinante further saith That Patrick Collier & his wife & about forty persons more went to Toole McAllesters house at Carrickirin in Derrikighan parish the next night after the Murder after the Murder at Portnaw being the third day of January 1641 as he hath credibly heard And that alsoe he credibly heard that Patricke Colliers wife run vnto Toole McAllesters house

fol. 60r

1531

<E> house at Carrikirrin & gave him six pounds & a bottle of Aquavite to save her & her Companies lives After which the said Patricke Collier & his wife with about forty more of the Brittish were close by the said house murdred by the said Toole McAllester Coll McAllester his sonn Donnell ô Cahan his sonn in law & their tennants & freinds there assembled as one Loggan wife to John Campbell now liveing with Capten McPheadress at Loughgeill who was then wounded & left there for dead (but afterwards recovered & escaped) did report, & alsoe as John Hunter who had his father & mother then & there murdred & himselfe desperately stabbed & wounded being left for dead (but afterwardes recovered soe much strength as to Escape vnto Colerane) where he told this Examinante of the said Murders by the persons aforesaid he himselfe being then at Colerane vnder Cure with William Sterlin of the wounds received by the said McAllesters & their men at Carrickirrin aforesaid of which wounds he dyed in Colerane as this Examinante beleives. And this Examinante further saith That after Generall Lasley in or about August 1642 had received into proteccion Toole Mc Allester Coll McAllester Donnell ô Cahan Hugh ô Heale & other of <f> their followers he this Examinante mett with the said Hugh ô Heale & Coll McAllester at the Cross in Ballymoney parish And this Examinante questioned the said Hugh O Heale why he would be soe vnkind as suffer Patricke Colliers wife whom he called ffoster Mother to be killed at his fathers house who answered this Examinante that it was Coll McAllester then present, & the wicked Crew with his father & brothers that killed her & the rest at Carrikirin & that he the said Coll & the rest might yet be questioned for it, wherevpon the said Coll McAllester went away & Hugh ô Heale & he parted in Anger And this Examinante further saith that the said Hugh ô Heale further told this Examinante that he went to Carrickirrin aforesaid heareing the said Patricke Collier & his wife & other the Brittish were fled thither on purpose to save them but that they were murdred either the same day or day before he came there by the said Toole McAllester his said sonnes Coll McAllester Donnell ô Cahan & his ffollowers & friends And further he saith not

Tho: Coote
Rich: Brasier Major

(30)