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Deposition of Robert Waringe

  • Reference:  MS 839, fols 108r-111v
  • County: Derry
  • Date: 12/8/1642
  • Type: Dublin Original
  • Nature of Deposition: Arson, Assault, Death, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Stripping, Words, Lost in Debts
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    • fol. 108r


    1246
    Robert Waringe late of Maharefelt in the Countie of Londonderry gent sworne and examined deposeth and saith that on the xxiijth of October now last past 1641 late at night this deponent and the rest of his neithboures of the English haveinge notice that an Insurrecction and rebellion was begunn by the Irish papists at Dungannon in the Countie of Tirone and other places and that they hadd attempted taken and surprised the Townes of Dungannon Charleymount Cakes Towne and Monymore and were in open hostillitie Hee this deponent and the rest of his neighbours of the English gott in readines that strength and armes they hadd to make defence which Consisted of a very ffew muskettes fowleinge peeces and birdinge peeces not exceedinge xvj in all to this deponents knowledge whereof ffowre were this deponents, and this deponent him self and one John Hammand and none ells as he thinketh hadd some powder which hee this deponent distributed amongest the rest to make inable them to make resistance wherevppon the next day beeing Sunday the xxiiijth of the said month of Occtober about 200 horse and ffoote in sight or aboue came in Warlike and rebellious manner verie neare the said Towne of Maharefelt and then & there sent severall mesingers vnto the Townsmen to demaund the posession of the Towne and of all theire howses Landes and goods whervnto this deponent and the rest retorned them answere that they scorned either to deliver the Towne howses or goods and therevppon at length towards night the rebells retired and Marched to and towards the Towne of desertmartin which they assaulted surprised and ransacked that night and after they were marched away many both of the towne of Maharefelt, and of the Cuntrie (that the day before came to their assistance) ffledd or secrettly went away in the eveninge wherevppon this deponent and eleven others went downe that night to Vintners Towne to a strong Castle there of his Maiesties in the possession of Henry Conway Esquire then Knighte of that Shire for the Parliament and earnestly desired him who hadd good store of Armes and ammunition to afford them some aide wherevnto the said Mr Conway seemed att the ffirst to Consent but after hee hadd talked with his wiffe who shakeinge her handes said not a man of hers should goe, then the said Mr Conway denyed them aide offeringe them for excus es Exc use that hee could not spare them any men in regard hee knew not howe soone hee might bee assaulted him selfe and then this deponent and part of his Company departed and about six of them came to the house of Edward Breres gent this deponents Kinsman called Aighigaskin being about a myle short of Maharefelt aforesaid Att which place and in in deed before this deponent and the rest were informed that the rebells in their absence retorned to Maharefelt and hadd surprised ransacked and robbed the Towne and that theire number was exceedinge great, wherevppon this deponent and the rest in his Company stayed with the said Mr Breres in his house and the rebells came in greate numbers ffirst thither to assault the house but being admonished to retorne went away againe but att length a greater number and more desperate rebells came and fforceinge the dore of the house with greate stones this deponent shott one of them vppon whose ffaleinge downe dead the rest of his Company runn away and not longe after this deponent and the said Mr Breres and the rest went from thence to Vintnerstowne aforesaid, and staied there three or 4 dayes and then they and some more men which they hadd gathered together to the number of 50 or three score Martched vpp with some poore armes that they hadd from Vintnerstowne to Maharefelt aforesaid from whence such rebells as were left there presently ffledd away; but at this deponents Cominge thither hee and his Company found all the Towne to bee robbed and ransacked and the poore protestants & most of
    the women and children that stayed still there robbed and stripped of theire clothes and victualls insomuch that they were put to great wants and miserie And this deponent saith that he was by the rebells att Maharefelt aforesaid & forceibly expelled deprived and dispojled of his howses Mesuage Te{ } and ffarmes which hee held from

    fol. 108v


    1247
    His Maiesty for divers yeares to come and yett in beeinge scytuate lyeing beeing in and neare Maharefelt aforesaid which if this rebellion hadd not happened would haue beene as when the rebellion began (with the proffitts of his stock) they beeinge were worth vnto him the somme of ffowerscore poundes per Annum aboue the rents that hee paide for the same one yeares value [ rent ] beinge lost alreadie And was alsoe forceibly deprived robbed and dispoyled by those persons that now are or lately weare in rebellion of his this deponents beastes and cattle worth one hundereth and elven poundes iij s. iiij d. horses Mares geldings and coults worth 50 li. swyne worth 9 li.-6 s.-8 d. Corne worth xxty poundes hay and straw worth xxti poundes househould goods provision implements of husbandry Vtensills and other goods worth 110 li.-10 s.-8 d. his charges of Improvements of his Landes gardens and orchardes 53 li.-6 s.-8 d. debts duly oweing vnto him by divers persons some of them beeinge rebells and the rest soe robbed and disabled by meanes of this rebellion that they are not able as hee verily thinketh to give him satisfacction amountinge in all to the some of Threescore poundes sterlinge Three swords one ffowleinge peece two birdinge peeces one pistoll worth ffowre poundes ster Apparell worth better then twentie poundes And this deponent before hee went last out of the Towne of Maharefelt hadd by the rebells the greatest parte of his Messuages Tennements and other howses burned and Consumed by the rebells and verily thinketh that they haue since burned all the rest of his houses whereby hee is dampnified one hundereth and Twenty poundes more att the least soe that the present Losses of him this deponent (over and aboue his future doe amount vnto the some of Six hundereth ffiftie eight pounds 7 s. 4 d. ster: as hee is verily persuaded And ffurther saith that the parties heareafter mencioned are or weare in acctuall rebellion and in the begininge of the rebellion went into hostilitie and tooke vpp armes against the protestants and did and Committed divers robberies outrages and Cruellties and that were they or some of them that robbd this deponent of his said goodes and chattles and that by and amongest them and others whom hee cannot name all his neighbours and the Cuntrie thereabouts that consisted of protestants were alsoe robbed and dispoyled of theire goodes. And hee this deponent and his wiffe and viijt children and the other protestants and theire families were extirpated and inforced to depart the Cuntrie for safetie of theire lives The names of which rebbels and Robbers and Rebells or of soe many as hee can remember to nominate are theise that follow vizt:
    Euery =

    fol. 109r


    1248
    <a> Every O Neill mcCull of Drummina in the C o Barrony of Loughuisholin and in the County if Londerry gent
    Phillomy groome O Neill in the parish of Ballinderry gent
    Steeven Bath and Captaine ffrancis Bath his sonne de eadem gent
    Tirlough Crone mc Muckian de eadem yeoman
    Colonell Cormucke O Hagan Captaine Donell O Hagan Captaine Owen Moder o Haggan brothers neare monymore in the foresaid Countie
    Cormucke O Haggan Shane O Haggan Owen O Haggan Henry O Haggan and Donell O Haggan all brothers gent of the parish of Ballinescreene and in the foresaid Countie gent
    Teoge O Haggan neare Mahara
    <b> Walter Downinge an English protestant in the aforesaid Countie gent who turn turned rebell and his twoo sonnes Patricke and Robert and the said Walter is now a provost Martiall vnder Commaund of Sir Phillomy O Neill
    Abraham Huxton in the parish of Mahara
    <c> Donell O Coshley<f> Patrick mc vaugh
    Patrick O Coshley Shane mc Vaugh Chrurgions
    Dermott O Coshley Donoughie O Hagan and
    Tirlough buy O Coshley his sonne Shane gent de parochia Artra
    Owen O Dalley
    Neill O Donnelly<g> Patrick O Donnelly gent
    Patrick O Donnelly Phillomy O [ ]
    Nicholas BurneCormack mc James O Mulhollan
    Manus Mc Nevale Patrick O Kergan
    Devitt O Kelly Phillomy Mc Knougherde parochia Tirmonai{ }
    Patrick O Kelly Peirs Roe O Neill
    Shane O Kelly Hugh O Had
    Neill O Kelly Patricke O Neill of Mahara gentleman
    Donell O Kelly Neill Roe O Neill
    <d> Cormack O Mulhollan Owen mc Guire of the parish of Ballinskullia
    Donell O Mulhollan
    Bryan mc Knocker Neill Oge O Quin de Lisson gentleman
    Owen O Quin <h> Tirlough groome O Quin de eadem
    William O Kergin Captaine William Taffe de eadem in the County of Tirone
    Owen mc Googan
    Galaspick mc Googan Art Oge O Neill mc Hugh neare Toome
    Neill mc googan in the Countie of Antrim Esquire
    Tirlough mc Gee
    William mc GeeRoger mc Erlin in eadem Comit gentleman
    Shane mc Bri e n<i> Jenkin O Donell of Ballimonghans Com lo: derry
    Donell mc Brinn
    Patrick mc BrinPerce O Dowell in the parish of desertmartin
    Patrick mc HughRory O Dowell in the parish of Maharefelt
    Henry mc HughRory Tirlough mc Gilcattan of Ballimonghans
    Phillomy O Neill
    Shane buy O LorginShane O Giluige
    Patrick O Giluige
    Donoughie O Gilluige of Killafadie husbandmen
    Philomie { } Patrick mc Mackan
    {Who} all lived in the parish of Maharefelt
    { } the Countie of Londonderry aforesaid

    fol. 109v


    1249
    <k> Owen O Cannan de Maharefelt
    Rory O Haggan and Shane O Haggan of the same
    Rosse mc Cannan gent Bryan mc Closkin of Ballineskreene
    Patrick mc Quigan of Tiraiycasie
    Donell mc Quigan of the same
    Loughlan O Kellie of Tawnadeish
    Edmund O Neill in the parish of Maharefelt
    And further sayth that whereas this deponent found his goods to bee gone and his houses and the rest of the Towne to bee consumed and spoyled as aforesaid This deponent with ffower other who hadd each one a gunn and with 40 more of old or weak v narmed men weomen, and children more went from Maharefelt aforesaid towards Vintners Towne where within one myle they were strongely besett with at least 200 Rogueish rebells wherevppon this deponent haveing a ffowleinge peece charged with powder and five bulletts & shooteinge at the thronge of the rebells shott 2 men and one woman of the rebells who presently ffell downe to the ground and one Jackson one of this deponents Company then alsoe dischargeinge his gunn shott and discharged att the rebells as and as he to uld tould this deponent hitt one of them And then the rebbells flyinge from them partly out of distance of theire shott & gunnes with great shouts pursued this deponent and the rest in a Circle like a halfe moone behynd them with swordes skeanes halfe pickes and other weapons in theire handes; and ever as they could espye any advantage did throw abundance of stones at this deponent and and the rest still eagerly pursuinge them and att length one Neill Roe O Neill late of the parish of Balliskullin brandishinge his sword about his head shouted and called out in a loude manner to this deponent sayinge well waringe thou hast past free thus ffarr, but before thou passe Myola Bridge I will cut thy throate and wee will cut the Throats of all the rest of the men weomen and children in thy Company or to that effect And quickly after <l.> the said Neill Roe O Neill one Cormucke mc James O Mullhollann a Common Knaue Bayliffe to the Sherriffe and Art O Mullan his neighbour and 2 of the sonnes of Walter Downinge aforesaid and divers others of the Mulhollans and the Kergins some on horsse back and some on ffoote suddanly came rushinge vppon this deponent and his company and then this deponent shooteinge of his ffowling peece hitt and brake the arme of the said Rebell Neill Roe O Neill and after the deponent deliveringe his peece to a yonge man in the Company hee and some other in the Company with swords and other weapons made further resistance and after they had wounded (yf not slaine) some more of the rebells the rest fledd ffrom them some distance; yet pursued them with theire Continewed Cryes to and over Myola Bridge aforesaid showtinge and Hallowinge to att least 50 more of the rebells which they espyed a good way of them to ffale vppon the deponent and his Company But they and those rebells faylinge in Couragge and this deponent and his Company beinge att length comne neare vintnerstowne the rebells theire pursuers aforesaid left them, And they were noe sooner comne to Vintnerstowne but Sir Phillomy Roe O Neill knight Cap: Netterfeild Cap: Taffe Cormucke <m> O Haggan a Colonell and severall of the O Haggans Quinnes and O Neiles to the number of 16 hundereth persons or there abouts ffollowed this deponent and the rest to Vintnerstowne; to the vppon th{eire} neare approch {to th}e said Towne of those which rebells this deponent & his com{pany}

    fol. 110r


    1250
    To the said Mr Conawayes Castle of Vintnerstowne a foresaid with resolution to give them all the assistance that they could against the rebells but the rebells that night burninge a ll the Towne (saveinge three houses and the Castle) And In the Morning after that the said Mr Conaway hadd receaved a letter from Sir Phillomy O Neill for surrendringe the Castle and after that the said Conway hadd writ an answere and received a replye privately the said Mr Conway haveing a gran papist to his elder brother there, with him did against the will of this deponent and many others that would have defended the Castle ) Suddenly surrendred the same and most trecherousely and basely suffered this deponent and the rest that were protestants to bee dispoyled of theire armes and ammunition and left all the ot h e r armes and ammunition which were in the Castle consistinge of Musketts ffowlinge peeces smaler gunnes pistolls peternells pykes gunn powder Shott armour & other ffurniture for warr to the rebells And at length the said Conaway with his wiffe brother and servants went away and left the castle clerely to the rebelles hee the said Conaway takeinge away with him the number of xiij trunkes or there abouts plate, mony apparell and househould stuffe of greate value. And then the said Conway and his ffamily and this deponent and the rest that were in the Castle with him went away and the said waring and his compan y being stript of theire gunes pouder shott swordes and such other armes as they brought to the Castle got away with theire lives from thence to Carrickfergus And this deponent further saith that (as hee was and hath beene credibly informed by one mr John Nettleton of Monymore gent) James Hartson and James Yonge of the same same gent that Certaine rebells at Maharefelt aforesaid sent thither by the <n> wicked Traitor Donell O Haggan first stripped Hugh Russell & his wiffe & Children George Higginson and his wiffe and children and one George Kendall and his Company all of that Towne of all theire mony and clothes and that done did cruelly wound slash and Cutt the said George Kendall and yet hee got from them soe hurt and <they> then and there after with theire swordes skeanes and pykes most barbarously Murthered both the said Higginson and Russell and when the said Russell was mortally wounded and was taken from the ground and carried away by his wiffe one of the said rebells run him through with a pyke as hee was carrid on his said wives said backe and when as they had Mortally wounded the said Higginson and yet hee crawleinge away from them with a chyld on his back and faintinge laide hould on a Maypoule which was there to hould him vpp from faleinge some of the rebells run him through alsoe in the posture wherein he was with an other pyke soe as hee dyed and was after buried in the streete neare the deponents house and that the said Russell was buried neare the house of one Thomas Hughes a glouer ffarr from the Church And further saith that about the xiijth of december last Captaine Edward Rowley Cap: William Caninge Captaine Ketts and Cap: Michell all protestant Captaines exercerciseinge theire companies or Souldiers vppon Revillins hill neare Garvaughie (theire then garison) within the County of Londonderry A greate number of Rebells amounting to 7000 or there abouts both ffoote and horse as this deponent hath beene credibly informed by one mr John ffreeman of Vintnerstowne Clerke and by one of the said mr Rowleyes Servants and divers others did suddanly assault and sett vppon the said protestant Captaines and theire souldiers beinge in all but { } and then and there

    fol. 110v


    1251
    Rowtinge and over coming turning e them by and with theire numbers advantage and power slew about 300 of them but the scottish Souldiers being about one hundereth persons ffledd away and soe escaped with theire lives, And this deponent ffurther saith that before the said Conway delivered upp his Castle or that the said Captaine Rowley and Captaine Canninge were slaine at the first <Second> tyme when this deponent went to Vintnerstowne aforesaid to seeke aide and armes for defence of the Cuntrie against the rebells the said Captaine Rowley and Cap: William Canninge and an other Captaine whose name hee doth not remember came with 200 ffoote and 100 horse or there abouts alsoe to the said Castle of Vintnerstowne in the possession of the said mr Conway and desired him the said Conway to Joyne with them in assistance to repell the Rebells But although the said Cap: Rowley and some other of the Commanders lodged att the Castle all night yet the said Conway did not nor would Joyne in assistance with them as they required nor would give entertainment to theire Companies and the rest of the Souldiers but sleighted them verie much And whereas the said Captaine Rowley when hee came to the Castle of the said Conway brought with him about 50 li. waight of pouder in one bagg the said Conway stole the said gunpouder from him and would not till after many Shamles denials [ ] of his and threats vsed vnto him confesse the takeinge thereof but after that, att length, hee confessed it, and brought it againe and then becawse the said Conway denyed to Joyne with them against the rebells or to give them ffitting entertainment or welcome the said Captaines and theire Companies Martched home againe whereas yf the said Conway hadd assisted them accordinge to his abillitie the said rebell Sir Phillomy O Neill and the other Commanders of the rebells who had but then weake fforces had beene represt and subdued and the greatest part of the north of Ireland saued as this deponent is verilly perswaded in his Conscience And ffurther Sayeth that the rebells aforesaid or some of them in or about the begining of this present rebellion did alsoe in rebellious and fforceible Manner expell deprive or otherwise dispoile the said Edward Breres of his possession and proffitts of his houses and ffarmes which hee held from his Maiestie and of his plate Jewells and househould stuffe horses Mares Coults beasts Cattle Sheepe Swyne and other provision And haue burned wasted and spoyled all his houseing and outhouseinge beinge all newly built and spoyled & alsoe his gardens and orchards wherby the said Edward Breres is dampnified and hath lost as this deponent is verily perswaded the value of seaven hundereth poundes ster besides his debts oweing vnto him and the ffuture losse of the proffitts of his ffarmes whereof this deponent can give noe estimate And ffurther saith that the rebells afforesaid about the same tyme when they robbed this deponent and the said Edward Breres they alsoe robbed one { }

    fol. 111r


    1252
    Robert Redfearne late of Maharefelt Tanner of Lether a horse and apparell worth Twentie poundes or there abouts whereby he mist the benefite of a good and likely ffortunate Marriage
    Robert Waringe
    Jur xijo Augustj 1642
    John Sterne:
    Will: Aldrich

    fol. 111v


    1253

    Londonderry
    Robert Waring
    Jur xijo Augustj 1642
    Intw
    Cert fact: 3
    Intw



    John Sterne
    William Aldrich



     

Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2