Deposition of Robert Maxwell
- Reference: MS 809, fols 005r-012v
- County: Armagh
- Date: 22/8/1642
- Type: Dublin Original
- Nature of Deposition: Apostacy, Arson, Assault, Captivity, Killing, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Rape, Robbery, Signs and Wonders, Stripping, Succour, Words
- How to Cite
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Doctor Robert Maxwell Rector of Tinon in the County of Armagh sworne & examined deposeth and saith
And first And as touching the nature of the rebellion deposeth & this deponent further saith That (to begin [
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greate man out of Spaine was at that time with him but they would not name him, and about 3 yeares before that, one Preist mac Casie came from Roome with the popes bull for the parish of Tynon, and being kept out by Sir Phelemy, talked freely of a rebellion plotted and intended by him and others He went to Dublin to informe the lord deputy thereof, by whome being examined he either said nothing to the purpose or was not beleeved, or was taken off by Sir Phelemy And further saith that <5> Sir Phelemy ô Neale a little before the rebellion brought 2 hogsheads <b> of gunpowder from Dublin vnder Cullor of wyne by Patrick ô Daugherty vintner of Kynard. He bought a great part thereof by 10 or 12 pounds in the names of most of the gentlemen in the Country. This he bragged of to the deponent afterwards. And that <7> He likewise tould this deponent when the Lord macGuire and other rebells were taken in Dublin, his man James Warren and ffriar Paul ô Neale were apprehended amongst them, haveing sent them thither a little before to assist and attend the issue of the busines, but said that vpon examinacion at Counsell table they were both dismist, contrary to his expectacion, he said alsoe that some lord or other spake for them.
<B 8> This deponent further saith that he heard Sir Phelemy ô Neale (vpon his first returne from strabane) say that this plott was in his head 5 or 6 yeares before he could bring it to maturity: but said that after it was concluded by the parliament (meaneing the popish partie) he was one of the last men to whome it was communicated; He said likewise, that to bring about his owne ends he had formerly demeaned himselfe as a foole in all great mens Company, but that he hoped by that tyme the greatest of them saw that Sir Phelim ô Neale was no such foole as they <5> tooke him for..And further saith that he <9> This deponent heard Sir Phelemyes brother Tirlogh oge ô Neale say, that this busines (meaneing rebellion) was communicated by the Irish Committee (meaneing the popish Irish) vnto the papists in England who promised their assistance, and that by theire advise some things formerly resolved vpon were altered, saying it was a good Omen, and vndoubted signe of divine approbacion, that the parliament heere should send {
, and
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And when the deponent answered that the papists in all former parliaments (which either of them had seen) vsually and without excepcion consulted apart as often as they pleased He replied in great Choller But so never <C> did the protestants before. And this deponent further saith that in <10> december 19he 1641 the deponent heard Sir Phelemy in his owne howse, and in the hearing of Mr Joseph Traverse and others say, that if the lords & gentlem{
and
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and ffriars what cheifly moved them to take vpp armes. They said <M> why, may not wee aswell and better fight for religion which is the substance then the Scotts did for Ceremonies (which are but shaddows) and that my lord of Straffordes goverment was intollerable. The deponent answered that that goverment how insupportable soever was indifferent and lay noe heavier on them then the English deponent on him and the rest of the brittish protestants. They replied that the deponent and the rest of the brittish were no considerable parte of the Kingdome, and that over and aboue all this they were certainely informed, that the parliament of England had a plott to bring them all to Church, or to cutt off all the papists in the Kings dominions, In England by the English protestants (or as <ff> they calld them puritans) In Ireland by the Scotts And further deposeth that he asked (as seeming very carefull of theire safetye) what hope of aide they had and from whence, as alsoe what discreet and able men they had to imploy as agents to theire freinds beyond the sea They said if they held out this next winter they were sure and certaine in the Spring to receave aid from the pope ffrance and Spaine, And that the Clergie of Spaine had already contributed 5000 Armes and powder for a whole yeare, then in readines, They said theire best and only Agents were theire preists and ffriers, but <e> especially the forenamed Paul ô Neale Vpon whose comeing with advise from Spaine they presently opened the warr, And that since the warr began: in the very dead of winter he both went with letters and returned with instruccions from Spaine in one moneth. professing the good cause had suffered much preiudice if he had been hanged in Dublin And this deponent further saith that he demanded why sometimes they pretended a Commission from the king, at other times from the Queene, since all wise men knew that the King would not graunt a Commission against himselfe and the Queene could not <hand> They being Comanders and friers said that it was lawfull for them to pretend what they could in advancement of theire cause, that many of the garrison souldiers now theire prisoners whome they determined to imploy in the warr and to traine others would not serve them in regard of theire oath vnles they were made so to beleeve it That in all warrs rumors and lyes served many tymes to as good purpose as armes And that they would not disclaime any advantage. But they said for the Queene in reguard (as a Catholique, she had enemies enough) already) they would comand theire preists publiquely att Masse to discharge the people from speaking of her as a cause or an abettor of the present troubles And that the deponent alsoe asked Sir Phelemy ô Neale what his demands were without which his Lordship
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and the rest would not lay downe armes. At first he tould this deponent that they required only liberty of Conscience, but afterwards as his power so his demands were multiplied. They must haue noe lord deputy. Greate Officers of State privy Counsellors Judges or Justices of peace but of the Irish nation. Noe standing Army in the Kingdome. All tythes payable by papists to be paid to popish preists. Church lands to be restored to theire bishopps. All plantacions since Primo Jacobi to be disannulled none made hereafter. Noe payments of debts due to the brittish or restitucion of any thing taken in the warr. All fortificacions and Strengthes to be in the hands of the Irish with power to erect and build more if they thought fitt. All strangers (meaneing brittish) to be restrayned from comeing over. All Acts of parliament against popery and papists togeather with poynyngs Act to bee repealed, and the Irish parliament to be made independent, but saith that others tould him that although all theise demands were graunted yet Sir Phelemy for his owne part was not resolved to lay downe Armes vnles his Maiestie would confirme vnto him the Earledome of Tirone with all the antient patrymonie and priviledges belonging to the o Neales <f> And further saith that in March 1641 Alexander Hovenden (by Sir Phelemies direccions) sent from the Campe before Drogheda A Prophesie said to be found in the Abby of Kells importing tha{
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(whose name he also doth not remember) in the begining of the rebellion and that being found in Dublin the Alderman aforesaid became bound at Counsell board in one thousand pound for his forth comeing, but afterward seing how busines sorted he came vnto this young man and said boy gett you gone and shifte for your self. Alas sai{
denyed
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<h> denyed lodging (as was reported) by Mrs Hovenden Sir Phelemies mother which gave much occasion of discourse in that Country And that he heard doctor dally say, that Sir Phelemy would never have vndertaken the province of Vlster, if he had not been perswaded that the said Earle would have taken vpp armes as soone as himselfe, and he himselfe hath heard others say that his approbacion of the busines was as much as theires, but that when it came to action he durst not shew his face in the feild for feare of discomposing his cloaths, and that Hugh Owen mc Clymon at his parting from the Earle in March last (as himselfe reported to divers in the Country) tould him that the common cause suffered by his non concurrence. but he replied, the busines was already spoyled, especially in Vlster, by bloodshedd and robbery, and that he would not declare himselfe either one way or other vntill after May day following. And the deponent hath heard many of the rebells call Sir Phelemy a confident foole for letting him goe, when he was taken prisoner by the Captaine of Charlemont, saying that he deserved to loose his head for some words he spake going through Ardmagh about the last of Aprill, or first of May last vizt that he saw nothing amongst them but desolacion and execrable crueltie for which gods wrath and the Kinge iust revenge hung over theire heads and would very speedily overtake them. As he rode through the parish of Derenoose he would very gladly (although the deponent is a stranger vnto him) have seene him the said deponent but could not procure the ffriars his guides to send a messeage for him. They were afraide (as some of them tould him afterwards) tha{
without
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without which they could not possibly subsist this winter. And saith moreouer that Sir Phelemy ô Neale and his deputted liuetenants and governors in all theire Commissions Passes and warrants leave out theise words (in his Maiesties name) yet if any be tendred by the Brittish in the old Stile they seldome except against them, eo nomine and as seldome signe them. And the deponent also saith that the last who were devoured were Apostates through feare and revolters to popery who though but a very handfull yet such was their insa= <A> tiable thirst of blood, they could not speare them: And further saith that t h e rebells it was credibly tould him, that the rebells least they should hereafter be charged with more murthers then they had comitted Commanded theire Preists to bring in a true Accompt of them, and that the persons so slaughtered (whither in Vlster only or the whole <154000> kingdome the deponent durst not enquire) in March last amounted vnto <symbol> one hundred ffitie foure thousand) And that Sir Phelemy ô Neale asked the deponent very scornefully once in Ardmagh and in the hearing of many, why the Scotts in so many weeks came not to releive or revenge the death of theire Countrymen, The deponent durst not reply in this so dangerous a question, but one that stood by said, that they did wisely to stey vntill his Lordshipp made them more elbow roome. This Riddle was soone after interpreted vpon the March of the Scottish Army from the Newry back to Carrickfergus by the blooddy massacre of above 5000 of the brittish in 3 daies. About 200 persons within 7 weeks after that were releived by the lord Conwaies Army sent for the same purpose, So that the deponent doth confidently say that now of all the Royall plantacion in Vlster there doth not remayne alive 200 more amongst the Rebells And further saith that a Nephew of Art Oge ô Neals, brother to Henry <B> ô Neale lord of the ffues tould him this deponent that his Vnckle the said Art had but one scotchman vpon his land, and that about two daies foregoing he gave direccions to have him murthered, thereby to give to Sir Phelemy a prooffe of his Zeall in the Common Cause, from which there was a suspicion he meant to revolt. And further saith, that there went a common report amongst the Irish in Ardmagh, that the bishopp of Derry had vndertaken to <k> betray the towne of Derry vnto Sir Phelemy ô Neale, which he remembring or being put in mynd thereof at Strabane (as he tould the deponent vpon his returne) he resolved from thence to have written vnto him a letter promising to be with him such a night, and desiring admittance att the gate appoynted. This letter said he I intended to send by a prisoner, with whome vpon serch, finding this letter, the Scotts without more examinacion would haue cutt the Bishopp into Collops. but he said somewhat put this proiect out of his head. He may in time doe as much for others as then he intended to doe for the Bishopp wherefore the deponent thought this passage not vnworthy the inserting. And the deponent further saith that Turlogh oge ô Neale then Governor of Ardmagh caused an English Ditcher to be killed vpon prooff made that he should say, he was a better preacher then James Vsher Primat of Ardmagh This he did (as he said) to suppresse Brownisme in his Goverment.
And
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And further saith that amongst the rebells he hath seene some laugh and wonder at the English for keeping theire words or proteccions given to the Irish, and some said in mockery, that this was a secrett confession of the protestants that the papists were not heretiques <1> And for some instances of extreame crueltie vsed by the Irish <A> in Vlster The deponent saith that by speciall command from Sir Phelemy ô Neall they dragged the deponents brother Lievetenant James Maxwell out of his bedd in the rage and height of a burning feaver, and least one of his Acquaintance or freinds should bury him they carried him 2 miles from any Church, and there cruelly butchered him, when <2> he knew neither what he did or said And thus Sir Phelemy paid him 260 li. which he owed him. And that his wife Grisell Maxwell being in Childbirth, the Child halfe borne and halfe vnborne, they stript <3> starke naked, and drove her about an arrow flight to the blackwater <B> and drowned her. The like they did to another English woman in the same parish in the begining of the rebellion, which was little inferiore (if not more vnnaturall and barbarous) then the roasting of Mr Watson <a> alive after they had cutt a Collop out of either buttocke. That a scotch woman was found in the Glyn wood lying dead, her belly <5> ripped vpp, and a liveing child crawling in her wombe, Cutt out <C.> of the Cawll. That Mr Starkie Schoolmaster att Armagh a gent of good parentage and parts being vpwards of 100 yeares of age they stript naked, caused 2 of his daughters virgins, being likwis{
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widdow mother to Sir Phelemy ô Neale; she preserved 24 English & scotts in her owne howse and fedd them for 37 weekes out of her owne store and when her children tooke her away vpon the Approch of an Army she left both them and this deponent to theire libertie, and gave them free leave to escape. Many more she would haue saved but that while she lay sick 10 weekes of an Ague none of them were suffered to come neere her. She sounded twise (as was tould) when she heard that 56 were taken out of the deponents howse and murthered in one day. She vsed often to say, she had never offended the English Except in being mother to Sir Phelemy. And Captaine Alexander Hovenden sonne to Mrs Hovenden and halfe brother to Sir Phelemy He conducted 35 English out of Ardmagh to Drogheda (whereof some were of good quality) (when it was thought) he had secrett direccions to haue murthered them. 20 more he sent safe to the Newry and would trust noe other Convoy then himselfe. It is to bee <9> observed that all others perished vnder cullor of Convoyes (except only those whome he vndertooke) Att the deponents request he saved Ardmagh twise from burning, and would have saved it the third time but that he lay sicke of a ffeaver. When he beheld the Ruines thereof but especially of the Church (I t is sayd) he wept bitterly, saying who will ever trust the Irish againe, who have neither kept theire promisses to god nor proteccions to men. When he saw Sir Phelemies warrant for the last generall Massaker, after the taking of the Newry he solemly swore he would never draw his sword againe in Sir Phelemies quarrell or this Cause, cursing the (in his passion) the brittish if ever they spared Irish man woman or child. He was desirous to submitt himselfe to the Kings Mercy vpon the lord Mountgomery his proteccion, Offering to root that blooddy Sept of the Hughes with his owne followers, and Armes out of Ireland, but the motion was reiected (perhaps worse wilbe admitted) he never had his hand in blood either in or out of battayle ( that ( though <this deponent> knoweth he be noe Coward) He is not yet (which may pleade some favour) full 22 yeares of age and doth not pretend to one foote of Inheritance. Doctor Dally preached so vehemently against murthering that in the end he was forced to fly himselfe for safeguard of his life. Patricke Kelly and Gillduffe mcTynny would suffer nothing robb’d from the brittish to come within theire doores. And this <post Examination> deponent further saith that very many of the brittish protestants the rebells buried alive, and tooke greate pleasure to heare them speake vnto them, as they digged downe ould ditches vpon them Except those whome they thus buried, they the rebells buried none
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none of the protestants, neither would permitt any who survived to performe the dutie for them And further saith that the Rebells they would send theire children abroad in great troops especially neare vp{
as
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as long as any, and had better intelligence then most of the English <12> amongst them, had best reason to know the truth & saith, there were by theire owne report 190 drowned with Mr ffullerton. At another time they threw 140 over the said bridg, at another time 36 or 37, and so continued drowneing every day more or fewer for 7 or 8 weeks So that the fewest which can be supposed there to haue perished must needs be aboue a thousand, besides as many more drowned betwixt that bridg and the great Loghe of Mountioy, besides those who perished by the sword fire and famine in Clonbrasill, and the English plantacion adiacent which in regard there escaped not 300 out of all <13c> those quarters must needs amount to many thousands. Neere vnto <Corbridg> the deponents owne howse 36 persons were throwne from the Curr bridg at one time, at another time 18 or 19. at another time 56 men women and children (all of them being taken out of the deponents owne howse) and at seuerall other times seuerall other numbers, besides those who were drowned in the blackwater att Kynard. In which towne & parish of Tynon (wherof the deponent was Rector) there were drowned slaughtered and died of ffamine and for want of Clothes about 600 And saith he might add to theise many thousands more, but the diary which he the deponent wrote amongst the Rebells, being burned with his howse bookes and all his papers, he referreth himselfe to the numbers in grosse which the rebells themselves have vpon enquiry found out, and acknowledg <14> which notwithstanding will come short of all that haue been murthered <symbol> in Ireland (there being aboue 154000 now wanting of the brittish within the very precinct of Vlster. And the deponent further <A> saith that it was common table talke amongst the Rebells that the Ghosts of Mr William ffullerton Timothy Jephes, and the most of those who were throwne over Portadowne bridg were dayly and nightly seen to walke vpon the river. sometimes singing of psalmes sometimes brandishing of naked swords, and sometimes scritching in a most hidious and fearefull manner. The deponent did not beleeve the same at first, neither & yet is doubtfull [
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And the deponent further saith that the degenerated pale English were most cruell amongst the brittish protestants being beaten from theire owne lands, and were never satisfied with theire blood vntill they had in manner seene the last dropp thereof, affrighting Sir Phelemy ô Neale every day with theire numbers, and perswading him that while they (meaneing the protestants) lived there would neither be roome for them nor saffty for him. It was easie to spurr on the Cowardly & blooddy rebell, yet noe sooner were the protestants cutt off, but contrary to theire expectacion the meere Irish tooke present possessi{
<15> And further saith that he knew one boy neere vnto himselfe no{
the deponent further saith that the first three dayes and nighte{
had
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had a purpose to destroy the deponent and his familie but were alwaies hindred and interupted, but which way themselves could not tell. but the deponent (as is well knowne) made a farr contrary interpretacion thereof which shortly after fell out to be the truer of the two, for presageing thereby that blooddy massacre which insued. The deponent [
Rob: Maxwell
deposed 22 Aug. 1642
Joh Watson
Will: Aldrich
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<post Information 7o Julij 1643>
<1> And further this deponent saith that the rebells haueing exposed the murthered bodies of the brittish so long vnto the publique view & censure that they began to stinke and infest the ayre (which comonly being a thing very strong would not sometimes happen vntill 4 or 5 weekes after the murders committed) they vsually permitted some of theire bodies to be removed and cast into ditches, but so, as they must ever be layd with there faces downeward. The reason whereof this deponent not vnderstanding asked the rebells themselues what was meant thereby whoe readily answered that they soe placed them to the intent they might haue a prospect and sight of hell only And therefore when they killed any of vs they vsed alwaies theise words Animam Dewll which is thy soule to the Devill. And this deponent further saith that notwithstanding <M> all the moderation formerly pretended by the forenamed Alexander Hovenden, and the many reall favours done by him vnto many of the brittish and in particular to this deponent that yet notwithstanding he heard him both say and sweare, that he wished them all damned both body and soule who were against them in this Cause ffurther <o> this deponent saith that it was vsuall sport with oneMcMahowne Captaine of the Castle and towne of Monaghan (as the said mcMawhown{
Robert Maxwell
Jurat vt supra
Copia [
Will Aldrich
Joh Watson
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A notable
William
John Watson
William Aldrich