Examination of Turlough Groome O Quin

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<A> The Examination of of Mr Turlough Grome O Quin of Monygore in the County of Tiyrume adged 55 yeares or thereabouts taken before vs the 2d day of June 1653
Who sayth, that being from home, and at his returne that ffriday before the breakeing out of the Rebellion, hee was tould by his wife, and some of his seruants, that Sir Phellemy O Neile, had sent for him two or three times in his absence; to come vnto him, about earnest occassions; and that the next morning betimes the said Sir Phellemy came to this Examinetts house; with others in his Company; who hearing of his being at the doore, Rose vpp suddenly out of his bed, and went to the said Sir Phellemy; and desired him to come in, which he refused, and wished this Examinent to make himself ready to goo along with him about about some earnest occassion; wherevpon this Examinent tooke horse and went along with him, to a place distant from his house some three miles; called Crinagh; and being come nere that place, where this Examinent obseruing a great nomber of horse and foote, the said Phellemy made a sudden stop, and began to tell this Examinent, that the cause of that meeteing, was in order to the Kings seruice; And Sir said hee, I know you are not ignorant how that the Scotts and puritants keepe a vapering, and threaten the destruction of the Romeish Catholicks; and how they bragged that not a man of those Catholicks should bee aliue by Christmas day next; And Sir said hee, were it not two tedious <B> I would shewe you that it is intended to bee acted by the ninth of Nouember next by the Consultation of the puritants at Chichester house in Dublin; as here after you shall see; And presently after this discourse, Sir Phellemy with this Examinent rid vp to the party, where this Examinent obserued diuers there, on the Lords Caulfeilds horses, with his owne Pistolls, and other Armes belonging to that house and familly: Wherevpon this Examinant being somewhat amazed, soe that hee was almost in a sound by reason of his affeccion to that familly; Where v ppon Sir Phellemy sayd to this Examinent, What Sir I tell you, that all Ireland is taken by this time and doe you not think you are now pleading the Law with Judg Donnellan, for wee are in hast, and I must goe speadily on with the Kings service, now in hand, in order to which you are to goe to Montioy fort, and to take an Inuentry of the Cattle and goods there that they may be preserued for the use of Captain Georg Blunt
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Who I doubt not in a short time will bee of our partye, in persuance whereof this Examinent with one Phellemy Reigh O Neile, and sundry others of the Oneales and of this Examinentts Kindered and frends (who were before generally sent vnto by the said Sir Phellemy to bee at the <C> same place) went to Montioy, where findeing the Castle doore open, and one man onely cleaueing of Wood some of the said party (whilst this Examinent was drinking in a house in towne) rushed into the said Castle, which done, they sent for this Examinent, who came into the said Castle, where being about a quarter of an hower, veiwing of the goods, Armes, And Amunition, intending to take an Inuentery of them, and of other goods about the Castle, Directions came to him from Sir Phellemy to come presently to him; wherevpon this Examinent deliuered his pen and Ink with a sheete of paper to the said Phellemy Reigh O Neile wishing him to take the said Inuentery, And to take care of the said place and goods according to the said Sir Phellemys directions; And hee this Examinent tooke horse and went to Sir Phellemy to Dunganan where hee found Sir Phellemy standing at a doore with a sword in his hand, hindering the multitude of people there, from plundering the Inhabitants of that Towne; And the said Sir Phellemy demaunding of this Examinents what hee should doe with those Churles; And desireing this Examinent to draw his sword, and kill some of them to make them exemplary to the rest; this Examinent replied that hee would kill no body; wherevpon some ffryers standing by, aduised Sir Phellemy to send for some men to Kill some of those Churles, which notwithstanding was not done; from whence this Examinent saith that seeing Sir Phellemy much discontented and wishing that hee had neuer meddled in the business, hee departed to his owne house, being four miles of, where hee continued 2 dayes after and that Sir Phellemy sent for this Examinent againe to come to him to Dungannon where hee receiued orders from him to goe forth with a party toCastle that were taken from the County <D> people, and this Examinent being asked whether hee was at Mountioy that friday night before the rebellion broke out Hee sayth hee was not there nor at Charliamount, neither knew hee any thing of the designe till the next day, that Sir Phellemy Conferred with him, and acquainted him with the same as before related, And saith that there was none Killed that saterday that hee was sent to Mountioy, whilst hee was there, and is Confident that there was not within a Month afterward any one that was killed there, but saith that hee heard that a soldier and housekeeper called Hugh Williams formerly of that Garrison, haueing had a silver

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Cupp taken from him, by some of the Ireish soldiers endeauouring to regaine the same, was with a sword cut ouer the head by Shane Boy o Donnelly, And saith that this Examinent about ten dayes after the surprisall of the said Castle being called away to goe with Sir Phellemy towards hee was informed about a weeke after his returne to his <E> wife with John ap Hugh and another man were conueied thether out of towne by Bryan Moder O Quin and others and murdered in the feilds, whereof hee beleeues John ap Hughes daughter can giue further relation, for that this Examinent heard shee was present, when the murder was committed, vpon which Accident this Examinents wife, remoued from that Garrison into, her owne house, And saith that the said Bryan Moder presently after the committing of that fact forsooke the Garrison and went to his owne house And being demaunded whether hee was not of Counsell with Sir Phellemy in the manadgeing of the rebellion aswell before as after the breakeing out thereof, hee saith hee was not before at all, nor at any time afterwards of his Councell in his designes, or acting more then by receiuing of orders from him from time to time in prosecution of the Warr. And further sayth and Confesseth that hee sent Captain John Morris and three yonger bretheren to Dungannon with a Mittimus to the Jailer there James Welch to be secured till further order s [ But ] [ ] But denies that ever he gaue orders to the Gaol e{r} or any other to put vp a Gallows for the hanging of those four brothers within six dayes afterwards. And sayth that hee did not know Mr Hastings but that hee heard that some persons comeing with the said Moriss to the Lough side endeauouring to escape from those parts were met withall by Leutenant mcCawell and others and by Patterick McCawrell a fisherman which Leutenant brought the said Morris to Mountioy and would haue had them hanged but this Examinant tould him they had noe such power and therevpon sent them to Dungannon as aforesaid, but what became of the rest of those persons if there were any that <ff> Endeauoured to escape, this Examinent doth not knowe neither hath hee heard. And being demaunded whether hee knew or heard that Sir Phellemy O Neile was at Mountioy that saterday mornin early, hee sayth hee doth not knowe, but heard that hee was there, for that hee heard the seruant that was there, whose name was Butts say, that Sir Phellemy was there that Saterday morning early, and that hee called to thee said seruant at his house windowe in towne, Demaunding of him, whether Captain Blunt and his wife were come home, who answered they were not. And this Examinant being farther demaunded

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Whether hee and the rest with him that Saterday morning ear ly when they came to Mountioy, did not publish then that they came thether, to followe a truck of Cowes that were stolen from them, and desired to make search in that Garrison for them, Hee sayth that hee <G> heard some of that Company that came with him tell the Inhabitants there that they came thether for that purpose, And that therevpon they had free leaue to make what search as well in the Castle as in the towne, And sayth that when they had entered into and taken the Castle, where they found neither sargent nor other person, saue the woodcleauer beforemencioned some of the sayd party presently after went into the Towne and tooke Sargent Butts and Sargent Roe, with such soldiers of Captain Blunts, as they there found, and kept them close prisoners. And that soone after, haueing swore to bee true vnto them, they released them, and gaue them Pikes but noe musketts, nor were they admitted to do any duty in the said Castle, but tooke some of them along with them in their marches into the feild as oft as they thought fitt. And sayth that hee this Examinent & did <& Captain Phelim Coggy O Neile> for the space of aboue three months commanded thehe Garrison and Castle as Gouernours except when Sir Phellim sent for him or commanded him other wayes. But that any were either stript, Robd, or despoyled of their goods at the time of the takeing of the sayd Towne & Castle hee doth not knowe nor heard of any such thing more then the siluer Cupp before mencioned. And further sayth not.
Torlagh O Quine
This relacion and Confession
was acknowledged before vs
Owen Wynn
Roger Lyndon
John Reding