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Deposition of Henry Boyne

  • Reference:  MS 839, fols 010r-011v
  • County: Tyrone
  • Date: 16/2/1642
  • Type: Dublin Original
  • Nature of Deposition: Arson, Assault, Death, Killing, Military Action, Robbery, Stripping
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  • How to Cite
    • fol. 10r


    1356
    Henry Boyne of Mullaghtean in the Barony of Dungannon & Countie of Tirone Clerke sworne & examined deposeth
    That on or about the fower & twentyeth day of October Last past hee was [forcibly] at the house of Andrew Stewart distant from his owne house about two myles, at which time a Scottishman brought word that the Castle of Mountioy was taken by Tirlogh <a> Groome o Quin & Phelim Coggie o Neil & others, and withall related that hee himself was in the said Castle at the takeing thereof, & was demanded what Country man hee was to which hee replyed hee was a Scottishman, wherevpon they comanded him to depart from thence for they had nothing to say vnto doe with any Scottishman, but onely with the English, wherevpon this deponent presently departed towards his owne house where in the way hee say sawe one James Duffe mc Camwell of Mullamoyle of the County of Tirone & about forty or fifty other Irish men robbing & dispoiling all the English thereabouts, beating & abusing all that offered any way to resist. And when hee was come home to his house hee <symbol> found there an Irishwoman that was come (out of goodwill) from Donoghmore about 6 miles distant, to tell the Deponents wife that it were best for him too beebegone Least hee might bee killed, (for as the said woman related) the rebells had cutt of one Mr Madders head a Minister, & that their cheife malice was against Churchmen. & shee also said that about twenty of the o Quins were comeing toward the deponents house, to whome (as shee likewise said) shee replyed that his house was already rifeled, & that they answered they cared not, for it was himselfe they came for. And the day following the deponent repaired to the hill of Tullyoge about 3 myles from his house, where hee found about three hundred Scotts assembled together in Armes, with whome hee began to reason how that present outrage might bee suppressed, & did desire that the English & Scotts might draw togeather & putt themselues into hundreds & so fall vppon the rebells & rescue the goods which they had taken away but they denyed it Saying they had noe warrant for it, wherevpon the deponent replyed that hee had rather fall into the hands of a mercifull Prince, then into the hands of vnmercifull tyrants, yett they told him hee was but a fresh water souldier & that they were vpon a Parly with Sir Phelim roe ô Neil, & would not imbrace his this Deponents motion at all, and in the meane time there came a messenger from to one Mr Bradley an Englishman a minister certifying him that about fowerscore of his Cattle was then taken away by the Irish rebells neare vnto that place, & hee desired to have thirty or fortie of the scotts to helpe to rescue the said cattell, but it was denyed by the Scotts then present. And in the meane while the deponents wife & some other English had brough brought

    fol. 10v


    1357
    brought some of their goods into the Castle of Castlestewart, (for safeties sake) & towards the Evening the deponent repaired thither where there mett him Mr Robert Stewart brother to the Lord Castlestewart, who had beene all that day (as this Deponent was informed) drinkeing at Mountioy with the Rebells, but however hee had procured a warrant from two of the Rebell Captaines to apprehend any of the Irish that should bee found pilfring or stealing thereabouts By vertue of which warrant the said Mr Stewart had apprehended three rogues & brought them to lodge in the Castle that night, & about 9 of the Clocke that night Mr Stewart went out of the Castle & proffered to have locked all the English in the said Castle & to have carryed away the Keyes (to what purpose the deponent cannot coniecture) And on the morrow after at his returne hee came & swore & railed against the English threatning to throw all theire goods out of the Castle, saying that the Irish had vowed to pull it downe for harbouring the English in it, And therevppon the rebells increasing daily, & the English being now way assisted by the Scotts, And the deponent being credibly informed that the Rebells had vowed to have his head of before the next day in the morning, hee was forced to change his garment & fledd away disguised accompanied with his brother & a school Maister that taught his Children where they were forced to goe through many daingers, & were often besett with rebells, & about 5 miles from his owne house they were robbed of theire horses & money, & so were forced to fly destitute of meanes through Scotland vntill they came into Yorkes{hi}re to theire freinds.

    And hee further deposeth that hee was then forced to leave behinde him his estate to the value following vizt his possession of Two Townelands in ffee simple in the <400 li. 150 300>Barony & County aforesaid worth fower hundred pounds, of a Lease of two Townes called Mullaghtean & Vnicke in the Barony & County aforesaid worth an hundred & fifty pounds, a Lease of halfe a Towne called Mullaghglasse in the said Barony & County worth fiftie pounds Corne hay & Cattle worth three hundred pounds, in money & debts owing to him an hundred pounds or thereabouts, houshould goods, plate & husbandry worke tooles & such like things about his house, worth an hundred pounds, all his Bookes worth an hundred & fiftie pounds Timber & Barrell staves worth two hundred pounds amounting in all to ffowerteene hundred pounds a All which hee was forced to

    fol. 11r


    1358
    leave behinde him by reason of this rebellion, And verily beleiveth that all his said estate is seized vppon & possessed by the Rebells in those parts And further saith that hee cannot certainly heare what is become of his wife & Children, whome hee could not bring with him in regard hee was forced to fly such obscure & by wayes & to travaile in the night And hee also saith that in his iourney hee sawe many townes burning in the night time, & multitudes of English people stripped of their Cloathes robbed of their estates & banished by the Rebells, & many others perished with hunger & Cold by the meanes of the said Rebells whose names hee durst not stay to enquire after.
    Henry Boyne
    jurat 16to ffebr: 1641.
    Roger Puttocke.
    John Sterne.

    Henry



    John Sterne
    Roger Puttock



     

Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2