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Examination of Ralph Fenton

  • Reference:  MS 812, fols 296r-297v
  • County: Unknown
  • Date: 15/3/1653
  • Type: Commonwealth
  • Nature of Deposition: Assault, Captivity, Military Action, Multiple Killing
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  • How to Cite
    • fol. 296r



    665
    The Examinacion of Ralph ffenton of ffishamble street in Dublyn Tayler taken the 15th of March 1652
    The sayd Examinant being duly sworne and Examined saith that in March the first yeare of the Rebelljon hee this deponent was forced to fly into the Castle of CastleComber to saue himself from the Rebells who had taken the towne after att which tyme aboue a hundred English protestants also fled [ ] into the sayd Castle which English were then comanded by Captain fferrer (since dead) and after eighteen weakes seige were constrayned to surrender the Castle vnto the Rebells, who <A> were about three Companyes, comanded by three Captaines vizt Captayne Bryan of whitewall Captain Edward Brennan and Captain Pursell. hee also saith that Articles were agreed vpon & signed by both partyes by which Articles they the sayd English wer to haue fayre quarter & to be safely convoyed from Castle Comber part of the way to Ballylynan. The English that then marcht out were Twenty & fiue in Nomber with their armes. after they had gone about three miles the Irish Convoy having Notyce that Captain Grymes Governor of Ballylynan was coming towards CastleComber to receaue the English into his charge, the Rebells made a halt & forced Captain fferrar to sweare that if they should be assaulted by our freinds that came with Captain Grymes the English there should take their parts against Captain Grymes & his party & that they would do the like, if the party that was approaching towards them should be Irishmen & should offer to do the English any Injury but vpon Grymes his coming vp & doing no violence the Irish retorned to CastleComber & the English with Captain Grymes were receaued into Captain Grymes Company hee also saith that Captain Grymes suddenly resolud to march on & to fight with the said Rebells who were neuly parted but the Rebells

    fol. 296v



    666
    discovering him to hasten toward after them betooke them selues to flight & so Escaped them, vntill night at which tyme having intelligence that our party were dispersed by diuiding them selues the better to prey the Countrey the Rebells & returning with the spoyle, the Rebells pursued our men & kild & hurt as many of them as fell into their hands. he further saith that fouer of the sayd English party (two English & two Irish) not thincking that the Enemy was so neere tooke vp their quarter in a house near Kilfeakill about which house the Rebells came and finding the dores shutt cald to the sayd English party to yeild vp the sayd house to come out which & that they should haue fayre quarter vpon which which was then promist them by Captain Edward Brennan <B> one of the Captaines then comanding the Rebells there and therevpon the sayd 4 English & Irish men came out three yeilded vp their armes the fourth was let passe by a mistake taking him for an Irish man & one of their party because he had an Irish Cap on his head. the other three were Notwithstanding that quarter promist presently bound with matches and sent away to Kilkeny by order the comand of some of those Comanders & the which sayd persons were put in prison & soone after Richard Phillips (one of those men) was hangd. & also John Showell being two of those which had receaued quarter the other being an Irishman & had having a wife & son amongst them was saued. The Cause of this deponents knowledge is that hee was one of the Company that marcht out with the 25 aforesaid and hee was told by John Dickenson of the quarter that was promist by Captain Edw Brennan & the other Captaynes which John Dickenson was one of the 4 that had the Articles quarter giuen & escaped as abousaid by having an Irish Capp on his head & so was sett out as one of ther the

    fol. 297r



    667
    Rebells Centinells, by which mistake he escaped & gott safe to Ballylynan, where this deponent spoke with him & receaued from his owne mouth this information. John Dickenson was dround after endeauring to escape from the Rebells being their prisoner and his cause of knowledge that the other two were hanged by the afore mentioned is for that hee hath after heard it so reported & by diuers both English & Irish that came from Kilkenny about a weeke or ten dayes after the Execution and further saith not
    marke
    Ralph [mark] Frntons
    taken before vs
    Tho Herbert
    Thomas Danser

    fol. 297v



    668
    Ralph Fentons Examinacion
    against Edw. Brennan



    Thomas Dancer
    Thomas Herbert



     

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