Examination of Nicholas Combe

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The Informacion of Nicholas Combe sometimes of Dungannon in the County of Tyrone gent given in vpon oath the 4th of June 1653 before Coll Tho: Herbert James Standish John Jay & Thomas Danncer Esquirs Members of the high Court of Justice sitting at Dublyn
Informeth and vpon his Corporall oath deposeth that being surprized by Sir Phelim O Neyle vpon saturday early in the morneing being the 23th of October Anno 1641 and kept in restraint within the Castle of Dungannon vpon the munday or twesday following <A> after the riseing of that horrid rebellion (but which of the two dayes this informant cannott now well remember) as he was walking in the Court of the said Castle he saw one Patricke Modder O Donnelly of Ballinward in the County of Tyrone, sometime servant to William Lo: Caulfield deceased and afterwards to the La: Caulfeild marching in the head of a foot company in a warlike posture, which he led vp right before the Castle and there presented them vnto the said Sir Phelim O Neyle, which was the first Company that appeard in Armes for his ayde and assistance, and he further deposeth, that the said Patricke Modder O Donnelly and Randolph Mcffardorragh McDonell were the men that vpon friday night the 22th of october 1641 surprized the person of Captain John Perkins and tooke the Castle of Dungannon and he likewise further <B> informeth that about five weekes after the riseing, at which time this Informant was a prisoner in the towne of Dungannon aforsaid (but not in the Castle) there came orders from Sir Phelim O Neyle to put all the English out of Dungannon, with a pretence to Convoy them from Garrisson to Garrisson vntill they should be brought to some English Garrisson, howbeit one Randolph mcDonnell being Gouernor of the said towne and one Gillegroome McDonnell his sonne comaunding as Captain vnder his father tooke Mr Roger Blyth Minister of Dungannon with his family Mr Jo: Bullingbrooke and his family Clement Cleve{r} ffrauncis Sparkes and diuers others of the English, and sent them away with a Convoy of theire souldiers, which Convoy within lesse then halfe a mile of the said towne, murthered the said Mr Blyth with the rest that were in his company and stript all the woemen, vpon the rumor whereof most of the English that were amongst them, endeavored to make what possible meane{s} they could to avoyd theire bloudy fury for preservacion of theire owne Liues of which number this Informant was one who notwithstanding he was taken and stript yett he was preserved

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and that night he was brought to Castle Caulfeild Mill, neere where dwelt one Thomas an English man neere adioyneing to the Castle of Castle Caulfield in which Castle the said Patricke Modder O Donnelly then resided and kept a garrisson there, at the Comeing into which Mill this Informant then found (with the said Thomas and his family) one Mr Hugh Allen late of Donnaghmore with his wife and child who all <C> the time of that Tumult and stirr had sheltred themselues (after they were plunderd) in the said Mill, but the next morneing there grew a very hot contest amongst the Donellyes, whether this Informant & Mr Allen with theire wives should be put out of the garrison or be protected and at Last it was concluded that the said Informant with his wife should be protected and that the said Mr Allen and his wife should be put forth of the Garrison, wherevpon they were presently sent away with some of the said Pat: Modders souldiers soud towards Donnaghmore, but within Lesse then a mile of Castle Caulfield the said Mr Allen was murtherd by one Pat Modder O Logheran one of the Convoy aforesaid who ever after by the rest of the souldiers was caled Mr Allen, but that the said Pattricke Modder O Donelly intentionally sent them out of purpose to haue them destroyed this informant is not able to depose, for that he hath often heard the said Pat Modder O Donelly with greatte regrett bewayle the death of the said Mr Allen, neither yett did this informant ever heare that the said Patricke Modder O Donelly had his hands in any other murther yett what became of old Jo: Bellwood and <that whether Tho Samford Lieftenant to Pat. Modder O Donnelly be liueing, & yf so he had then to be examined vpon this particular point:> Gregory & Stephen Bellwood his sonnes, and of Walter Jones who was Coachman to the Lo: Caulfield, whoe he the said Pat Modder protected for more than six moneths to doe him service, but were never after seene alive he the said Patr: Modder best knowes, but this Informant to that purpose can depose nothing And further he Informeth not.
Nich: Combe
Sworne the 4th day of June 1653
at dublyn before vs
Tho Herbert
James: Standish
Jo: Gay Thomas Dancer

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The Informacion of Nich:
Combe concerneing Patricke
Modder O Donnelly

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The Informacion of
Mr Nicholas Combe
concerning Patrick Moder
o Donnelly & others.

MS 839,

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The Informacion of Mr. Nicholas Combe concerning to Patrick Modder O Donnelly & others