Deposition of Calcott Chambre
- Reference: MS 811, fols 174r-175v
- County: Wicklow
- Date: 24/5/1643
- Type: Dublin Original
- Nature of Deposition: Arson, Captivity, Death, Desecration, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Signs and Wonders, Succour, Words
- How to Cite
fol. 174r
1089
Calcott Chambre late of Carnow in the Countie of Wickloe Esquire sworne and examined deposeth and sayth That since the begining of the present Rebellion vizt about the xth day of November 1641 this deponentes father & his mother & tenn children (whereof this deponent is eldest) then liveing at Minmore in the County of Wickloe aforesaid: & distrusting the strength of that howse as not able to hould out against the Rebells then vpp in arms Did for more saffety fly & to doe the kings Maiesty & his loyall subiectes the more service fly to the Castle of Carnowe whither the deponentes father was formerly writt vnto to come to be governour thereof against the Rebells: shortly After whose comeing thither One <A> Hugh Boy Birne & divers of his Rebellious confederates came & by force and armes seised on the said howse of Minmore aforesaid & of all the howshold goodes cattle horses Corne hay sheepe a Tannhowse well stockt & other goodes worth above one hundr at the least one thowsand powndes ster: & conuerted them as they still doe, to their owne vses & then they expelled the deponentes father from the Rentes and proffitts of his Anuitie Landes and farmes then worth 160 li. per annum: whereof 2 yeres proffitt is already lost And this deponent (his father being dead) is like to be deprived of and loose the future proffits of the same vntill a peace be established and this deponent & his brothers & sisters by meanes of the Rebellion are in danger too loose aboue seven hundreth powndes And in debtes & legacies due by those that are robbed and disabled to make satisfacion And further sayth That after this deponentes father & himself and the rest of their family hadd setled themselues in the Castle of Carnowe aforesaid whither alsoe were gathered about Eightscore more of protestantes men women and children) they there all there staid for 22 weekes or thereaboutes together as people restrained of liberty being presently <B> beseiged by Edward Sinnott of Tomben in the County of Wexford a Captain of Rebells & a great number more of the septe or name of the Birns & Cavenaghes & others amounting to 1000 persons or thereabouts: which Rebells being from time to tyme repulced Did neuertheles renew their numbers and assaults with loss of many of their lives & by all the strategems & engins they hadd attempted the takeing and surprizing of the castle by great shott of a feild peece vndermyneing, & with an s a w Engin called a saw brought nere the wall & other waies Insoemuch that the assayled parties were exposed to great paines watching
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fol. 174v
1090
and want both of meat drinck phissick for the sick & all other fitting necessaries soe farr that this deponentes father through extreame want there died & soe did many others: And those that survived were inforced to feed vpon beastes hydes some of which had long layn in the Lime pitts: vnto which want they being inforced to stoope were at length inforced constrained to yeild & surrender the said Castle to the said <A> Edward Sinnott & the rest of the Rebells vpon quarter to depart with halfe of their goodes which they had left and that was in the Castle and their cloths: & 5 swordes & to be shipt at wexford & soe convayed to along the coast to of Dublin: Howbeit about a day or twoe after that quarter agreed on, there came thither Colonell Luke Birne: whoe vpon request made vnto him by Mr George Grymes Mathew Northall and divers others of the Castle That they might be convoyed the next way to Dublin he granted their request, And sent a Convoy along with them: But when as they had gone about 17 or 18 myles towardes Dublin They mett with the Arch Rebell Hugh Birne then called Generall or <B> Lieutenant generall of some of the irish forces: whoe reading their Articles of quarter forced them to returne & be caried to Wexford: saying that they should goe whither their articles of quarter appointed: B u which was done (as the deponent conceiveth purpossly to disable them to goe to Dublin: ffor in deed uery few of them were able to travell to Wexford: But st a their weaknes constrained them to tarry amongst the Rebells vnder the protection of the said Luke Birne: whoe releeved them & afterwardes some of them were by his meanes sent into England But this deponent & his mother & 9 more of this deponentes yong brothers & sisters were by the leave of the said Luke Birne carried to the howse of one Garrold Birne of Knockloe: where this deponent falling sick contynued in that sicknes for 16 weekes together And then the deponentes mother & one of h er d the deponentes his sisters with her & some other women hadd a passe to goe as they did to Cloggrenan: an English garrison nere Carlow: where Captain Harman offered to release 2 Irish prisoners for the deponent but his keepers refused it, And soone after the deponent relapsed into sicknes: & yet by godes mercy recouering fownd a way at length, by which he happily escaped from them: but left behynd him with the said G 7 of his said brothers and sisters whereof 2 are escaped or comen by consent away & the rest are still kept by the said Garrald Birne & others But many of the other parties that came out of the Castle of Carnow dyed: some were hanged amongst the Rebells & some are still deteined amongst them to doe them service: as namely George <C> Grymes from whom they have inforced greate service in makeing & amending them guns & pistolls & such like thinges: And further saith that about the day after that this deponents father and [
fol. 175r
1091
should bee fownd in any part of the Cuntrie thereabouts after twentie fowre howres then next after the publishing of such the same proclamacion should bee hanged to death wheresoever they shold bee fownd: And further saith That the other Rebells that made and manteined the seige aforesaid against Carnow were theis that follow vizt Bran Byrne Donogh Birne <A> of Newstowne in the County of Catherlaghe gent Edward Maist Maisterson of the Burrowes in the County of Wexford gent Tho: Maisterson now of the Tumduffe Esquire Donnell Kavenagh of Bullengatt in the County of Wickloe gent Brian Birne of Moonny in the same County gent Being all Comanders of Rebells and their seuerall Companies And saith that the Rebells aforenamed or some of their souldjers burned with fyre at Carnow aforesaid divers outhowses as barns stables & other buildinges & the Cattle Corne & hay at Carnow aforesaid in or nere the howses aforesaid: which had (as this deponent is verely perswaded) smoothered him & the rest of the English in the Castle: If god almightie hadd not ( as he most mercifully did) divert and turne the wynd soe as it blew the smoake cleane from the said Castle: And the Rebells pulled downed downe the pulpitt burnd the seats & extreamely defaced & demolished the Church of Carnow aforesaid & kept their souldjers in the same
Calcott Chambres
Jur 24 Maij 1643
Randall Adams
Hen: Brereton
fol. 175v
1092
Henry Brereton
Randall Adams