Examination of John Morris

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The Informacions of Capten John Morris of the County of Antrim, taken before mee the 27th day of May 1653
(1)
That About the twentieth of January: 41: beinge to the best of my Remembrance neere sum three months After the first of the Rebellyon <l> The said John beinge plundred of All hismy subsistance which was very plentifull, I Indeavoringe (if itt were possible) to Redeeme Mr Hastings with the Aforesaid parties, As Alsoe my bed fellow with my three Brothers And myselfe, forth of our Captiuitye to the towne of Antrim, to which town, summ of any neycghbors gott off from the Enemye A little before, I said to the Aforesaid Patricke McCawell, that if he would but helpe mee to A boate, I would helpe him to sum moneys, which (I was <A> Informed) was Hydd in Conny Iland, hee promised mee the boate, And Accordingly did meete mee in the place where he And I did Agree vppon, In which place I had Mr Hastings with All the res t of Aforesaid parties, where wee Imedyatly boated ourselues, And tooke the Aforesaid Patricke McCawell with vs; but hee most Earnestly Cryeing to Mr Hastings for Gods sake to put him Ashoare, least (said hee) that Thorlacgh Groome O Quine, who then was Governor of Mountioy Castle, should kill his father, wiff And freinds, Mr Hastings Inquiering of him the Aforesaid Patricke who whether there was Any other boats lefte In that parte of the loacgh or nott, the said Patricke protestinge with many Bitter oaths that there was noane, Mr Hastings tould him, that thoucgh the Irish would haue Murdred vs All (if God had giuen them leaue) yitt he would nott be Counted A murderer, & soe (nott withstandinge that wee Intreated him to the Contrary) he Causd vs to sett him Ashoare, who noe sooner Landed, procuers Another Boate, And himself & his Brother Henery with him summe six men more, with All speede persude vs, noane of vs nott beinge very Skilfull, our Rudder beinge Lost, wee were forst to sett Ashoare, where the Aforesaid Patricke McCawell with the Rest overtooke vs, stript vs of our loose garments & moneys, nott wounding (to the best of my Remembrance) Any one of vs; but Imedyattly Comes certaine other Cotts, full of souldyers As they said, sent from the Garyson by the Governor, Capten Thorlocgh Groome Oquin, one of them Instantly takes mee by the Hayer of the Head, & with his naked sword would haue murdered mee, had nott one of the partie which first tooke vs, Rescued mee, & withall tould him that none should Kill mee vntill I was brought before Thorlocgh Groome Mr Hastings seeing mee layd hould onn, leapt Into the water & swimming Alonge waye, they persued him with one of the boats, who seeinge them)

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(3)

This Deponent further sayth that he sawe Thorlacgh Groomes Porter bury An ould yorkshirwoman, In the sand neere <f> the Locghs=syd) Aliue, the womans name was so to the best of his Remembrance, Ann Jackson, the deponent beinge walking by the locghs syd, Att that very Instant, did here the ould woman saye to this fellow, ah Barne, will yow Bury Me Aliue, And further sayth nott

John: Morris

Sworne before mee
Roger Lyndon

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(2)

Them: Comeinge neere him, duckt, & there perished, they Causeinge Mr Winzore to strip himselfe naked, shott him, As Allsoe Kild Mr Morgan there, And Broucght Patricke O Hamull Backe three miles And there Murderd himself Alsoe, they broucght vs to Thorlocgh Groome, where Examined myself & my Brother Thomas, wee beinge the two Eldest <C> And Imedyattly Cald for A gard, deliueringe to one of them A mittimus Comaundinge him, to deliuer that to James Welch, who then was Taylor Att Dungannon, As Alsoe that he should haue A speciall Care of vs, for he did Intend to make hange vs four Brothers before six dayes were Ended, And to that End there should A gallows be put vpp for vs, wee Comminge to Dungannon, the Taylor Imedyattly Clapt vs Into the Common Dungeon, with two great paier of Boults vppon my Brother { } And my selfe the two others standinge there by vs, my Bedfellow they dischardge shee beinge bigg with Child, thus wee Continued in the Common pryson, and the Dungeon, And vpper Roome, for the space of twentie Dayes, our fosterers Giueinge A sertaine number of Cowes to Thorlocgh Groome to saue our liues, vntill Sir Phellemy Roe O Neale Came from the sidge of Drocgheda, where he then was, the Gallowes beinge sett vpp for vs; yitt Itt pleased proveydence to order Itt soe, that he graunted to our fasterers Request, then wee were broucght from the Common Ieale <D> to the Taylors house, where wee Contyned for the space of sum fourteen weeks, with Ierons onn vs two Elder Brothers, the two younger was sett Att Libertye; Att Sir Phelemys Returne, our fasterers gaue Another parcell of Cowes to the Aforesaid, Thorlocgh themselues beinge all bound for vs, soe wee were quitted;

John Morris

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This deponent further sayth, that vppon the 22th of October 1641 Thorlocgh Groome O Quin surprysed the Castle of Mountioy,which was then Ckapt by Capten George Blunts Company, of which Castle, the <E> Aforesaid Thorlocgh became Governor, In which tim of his Gouernment There was (Aboute his Garyson) severall bluddy Murders And Cruell Massecarrs Comitted, (As the generall Report went) by his Company, As the Cruell murderinge of John ap Hugh, Hugh Williams, & his wiffe, one Brounell And his wiff, this murder beinge Comitted by one Bryan Modder O quin, which bore Agreat swaye with the said Thorlocgh And Constantly with him In the Castle, And Company,

John: Morris

Sworne before mee
Roger Lyndon

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(12) B. 27th May 1653
Capten John Morris examinacion
versus
Torlagh Grome o Quin
Patricke McCawell &
Henry MacCawell
&c.

Liwt McWm [McRobert] } Stewart
Tho. James}Carroll in towne
Michael Butts William Howell}in towne
Shane ô Delan

To examine Tirlagh Groom o Quin on his actings in the Rebellion