Examination of Thomas Morris

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The examinacion of Thomas Morris Gent aged 26 yeares or thereabouts taken the 5th day of June 1653
Who being sworne and examined sayth, that soone after Christmas next ensuing the breaking out of the Rebellion; this examinant with his brother John Morris being despoyled of their estates, and sheltring themselves with their respective fosterers, for their present preservacion & lively hood did (for the freeing of themselves of their bondage and feares) plott, to gett one Patricke McCawell a ffisherman; to carry them with some other freinds and kindred by boat to Antrym; and in order therevnto he this examinant and his brother pretended to the sayd Patrick McCawell that they knew where one had hid a great some of money and that if he the sayd Patricke would carry them by water to the place; he should haue a share thereof; wherevnto the sayd Patrick consenting brought his boat according to direccion from the examinant & his brother to Logh Neagh neere to a place where they had hid one Mr Hastings Mr Windsor Mr Morgan Patrick Humwell; with this examinants brothers wife & 2 of this examinants younger brothers where with the assistance of the sayd persons they seised on the sayd Patricke and compelled him to goe along with them in the boat; But the sayd Patrick pretending that his parents as alsoe his wife and childrren should be destroyed by the Irish partye did by Crying and much importunity prevayle who with the sayd Mr Hastings, to set him on shoare; And hauing first sworne vnto him that there was never an other boat nere those quarters; But some other the sayd Patrick came; with 6 or 7 men

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were with him in an other boate and overtooke this examinant and the rest of his company. and pillaged them of their loose cloaths and moneys; And deviding the spoyle some of them gaue a small peece of money towards their releife in their way to Lisnegarvy; and told this examinant that they would carry back the boate, and reporte at their retorne that they had killd or drowned this examinant and the rest of his sayd company, and therevpon before this examinant & the rest were at liberty; there came one Art McCawell McCategart, with another party which sayd Art in the <B> presence of this examinant seised on his brother John Morris by the haire of his head; and with his drawne sword was goeing to strike at his throat; wherevpon this examinant ran away and hid himself in a hollow Oake tree where (after the sayd Mr Windsor and Mr Morgan being slayne) and Mr Hastings drowned a)s this examinant conceiveth;) he this examinant was taken and caryed prisoner with his sayd 3 brothers; his brothers wife and the sayd Patrick Humwell; that night to Maghery greene and the next day this examinant with his 3 brothers and sister in lawe were caryed prisoners before Tirlagh Groome O Quyn at Montioy who committed them all to the Gaole in Dungannon except this examinants sister lawe. where this examinant & his elder brother remayned prisoners a good while in the dungeon with great Bolts of Iron on their leggs till that their fosterers (giving Cowes to the sayd Tirlogh Groome and becoming bound for their appearance) did procure their liberty., And this examinant being asked whether Tirlogh Groome did give orders to the Gaoler or any other person to set vp a Gallows to hang this examinant and his brethren, he sayth that there was a Gallowes set vp before the Gaole window (for that end,) (as he was told) but by whose order he knoweth not. and further sayth not

Tho: Morris

Taken by vs
Owen Wynn
John: Reding

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B (25.)
The examinacion of Cornett Tho: Morris
concerning Patrick McCawell Tirlogh Groome O Quyn &c.

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