Examination of Margarett Dunbarr

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The examinacion vpon oath of Margarett Dunbarr Widdow of the parish of Magheregall in the County of Antrim aged sixty yeares or thereabouts taken 8 May 1653
Who saith that vpon a Sonday in January 1641 Walter Kenedy being then vpon the wall of Clogh Castle parleying with the Enemy she went out towards them where she heard Mr <A> Kennedy say he would not deliuer a McDonnells house to any O Neale, wherevpon Coll: James McDonell aduanced neerer the wall & said Capten if yow will deliver the house to me yow shall be well vsed & Kennedy said I will deliver it to yow vpon termes wherevpon McDonell said giue me the house & I doe sweare by the Cross of my sword & the faith of a Gentleman yow nor none in the house shall suffer in body or Goods, but shall be conducted whither yow please, with safety, & afterward she heard Mr Kennedy tell his mother that the conditions were, with Bagg & Baggage they should be conducted safe to Carrickfergus or whether they pleased & that the said James McDonell & fiue more were onely to enter the house till condicions were performed, which now is broken (said he) for see, how they haue forced vp the gate vpon the opening of the wickett; after this discourse she went vp staires where her Children were & vpon the monday morning. Alexander Stare sonne in law to [ ] Alex: McNaghtan & Neale McNeale came <B> to her from the said Janne McDonnell desireing her to share with him what mony she had, she sent word she had none but if she had she knew life & all was in his power: towards night the sai d James soldiers burst open her chamber doore & stript all or most in the roome but her self, she sayth that James sent direccions by Neale McNeale (who vpon the monday morning locked her chamber door) to all the Gentlewoman to putt on their best [ ] cloathes & load themselues with

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what Luggadge they could for they should carry noe more with them & vpon the Tuesday morning they were turned out of the house into the stable before the gate where she did see James McDonnell standing at the foot of the <C> staires that goeth to the gate both as she went to the stable & as she came out & both tymes she did see the Souldiers thursting their Pikes at Mr Allen Dunlope Adam Speir & Hugh Aird & they crying to the said James McDonell to saue their Liues. And she further saith that Dauid Dunbar (her son) who stayed a Little after the examinant & the rest of the company to see what became of the said Dunlopes & the rest of told this examinant that he saw the Souldiers driueing one one of the said 3 persons from one to another some time with thrusts sometime with blowes till one of the Irish gaue one of them a thrust in the body with a Pike that made him roare exceedingly, wherevpon the said boy ran after this examinant his mother. And she also saith that by the report of the Country these three men & more were kild at that time tho she saw them not fall for that they were neuer heard of more by her or any that she euer spoke with, And she further saith vpon ther goeing she & such as were in her company were vnder the charge of Brian McHugh Oge O Neale who sent some men along with <D> them & staging a Little behind them he at Last brought Mr Kennedy & that they brought them all to Broagh Shane where Capten Alexander McDonell [ ] arrrested (by orders from James McDonnell as he pretended) Mr Kennedy & there he was left a prisoner in the keeping of the said Brian O Neale where the next morning keeping of being wensday her mother sister & their offspring with Tho: Barneshaw & Dauid Kennedy with Mrs Lawmouth that night deliuered of a Child mounted vpon a horse) with a few of Brian O Neilles Soldiers promiseing to conuey them to

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Stratt Bally Thomas they went on & in a very short time the Soldiers sent to conuoy them, discouered therof Mrs Lawnmouth where she died & fell to exchange Clothes with Barnshaw & Kennedy, who vpon that out ran them & soe left the woemen & Children who strayed vp & downe till they came to Glinanyc urry where they mett with seuerall companyes some stripping them others wounding them & one takeing Mrs Lawmouthes Child out of Mrs Hardies armes brained it against the stones & afterwards without meat drink fire or Clothes strayed vpon the mountaines till ffriday at night that they gott to the 6 mile water the said examinants mother haueing receiued nine wounds & her said daughter Hardy one, but knew not the parties that soe wounded them. And she further saith that the officers names that she knew then present at the takeing of the said Castle & when she & the rest were turned out were, James McDonell Coll: Art oge O Neale Capten Turlagh Oge O Chane Capten Henry McHenry Capten Brian Moder McHenry Capten John McDonell Capten Brian O Neale with others whose names she hath forgott
<ff> And she further saith that John Dunbar his wife & daughter were in the said Castle at the takeing thereof & she beleiues can giue euidence in these matters. <g> And further saith that the said Coll: James McDonnell was the man with whome the said conditions was made & had the sole comaund of the said Castle after it was readied to him, & Art oge O Neill & the rest of the party went away bef ore & he the said James & his men was left in the said house when this examinante came away & further saith not

Margaret Dunbar her marke [mark]

Taken before vs
Edw: Conway
Arthur Hill
Geo: Rawdon

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Mris Dunbarrs
Examinacion
versus Coll: McDonnell

Extracted