1641 Depositions

Examination of James Peirce

Reference: MS 819, fols 111r-115v
County: Wexford
Date: 24/1/1654
Type: Commonwealth
Nature of Deposition: Military Action, Robbery, Confederacy

Print
How to Cite

fol. 111r

vide 114-
[Continues from fols 114r-115v]
The deponent James Peirce was frequently in Compa{ny} with the said John at his Owne howse after the said fight & did heare from the said John Stafford that he was at the said fight in Armes against the <f> english & receiued that wound, being trodd vnder foote by horse which brused him the said John in that manner that he lay languishing thereof about two yeares after that till he dyed and further Cannot depose &c
James Pres
Sworne before vs the
24th of January 1643
T Dancer
Am Andrewes

371

fol. 114r

The examinacion of James Peirce of Ballell gent aged about fortie yeares taken vpon oath on the behalfe of the Comonwealth Concerning John Stafford of Balliconnor in the County of wexford gent deceased vpon the Interrogatories annexed to the Comission of enquiry
<To the 1st inter> The examinant deposeth & saith that he well knew the said John Stafford & that the said John dwelte at Balliconnor in the said Countie in the Irish quarters the first yeare of the rebellion, & thence forward till he died & that the said John did not from thence <u> remooue into the english quarters As he might haue done as well as Edmond Burdeaux walter Stafford & other protestants dwelling neere him the said John & in the parish with him: the deponents cause of knowledge is for that the deponent dwelte nigh the said John Stafford.
<To the 2d inter> Hee Cannot depose
<To the 3d inter> The deponent saith that the said John did in the first year{e} of the rebellion cut downe seauerall of his owne trees & caused pikes to be made thereof to the Number of about twelue which he the said John dispersed among <w> & furnished with seauerall men which he the said John had raysed in the parish of Kilscowran & K Kil r ain{e} the deponents cause of knowledge is for that the deponent dwelt ne neere to the said John, did see the trees cut downe & converted into pikes & giuen vnto and vsed by the said inhabitants of Kilscowran & Kilrane as aforesaid
<To the 4th inter> The deponent saith that the said John did abet the said warre for that the deponent did see the said John in Armes & diuers of the said parish raysed and <x> Armed by him, some of which men the deponent hath seen with the said John & in his Companie in Armes against the castle of Tinterne when the same was sumoned & demanded out of the possession of the english guarrissoned therein
368

fol. 114v

& likewise the deponent did see the said John Stafford in Armes, at & against the said castle of Tinterne when the same was surrendered to the Irish which was in the first yeare of the rebellyon in or about the moneth of Nouember 1641: his cause of knowledge appeares
<To the 5th inter> The deponent saith that the deponent did see the said John at seauerall of the publicque meetings of the Irish in Armes as well at Tinterne aforesaid as at the forte of Duncannon & crosse of <y> Killinicke in the first yeare of the warre & to the deponents sure & perfect remembrance the said John was at & of a Councell of officers held at the crosse of Killinicke whereof was president Eyther Collonell Dauid Synnot of or Captain Tho: Rosceter of Rathmackee (but whether the examinant Cannot at present call to minde) the deponents cause of knowledge is for that he the deponent was at the crosse of Killinicke at that time which (to the best of his remembrance was the first yeare of the warre) & did see the said John Stafford then called Major & the seauerall other officers then and there present.
<To the 6th inter> The deponent saith that about Candlemas in the yeare 1641: there was a generall meeting of the whole barrony of forte at the crosse of Killinicke <z> in order to the electing men thereout for the regulating the affayres thereof for defence of the said barrony, at which meeting the said John was not one{ly} present, but was voted & chosen to be one of the{m} to ad order the affayres of the said barrony: the deponents cause of knowledge is for that the Examinant was present at & tooke notice of the passages of at the
368

fol. 115r

the said meeting
<To the 7th inter> The said examinant saith that he beleiues the said John did take the oath of associacion being a generall thing
<To the 8th inter> The deponent saith that the said John did buy in wexford about candlemas or a little after in the first <a> yeare of the rebellion 1641: a quantity of powther match and bullets which the said John dispersed & distributed amongst the men raysed by him as aforesaid The deponents cause of knowledge is for that the deponent was desired by the said John to carry the said powther, match & bullets to Balliconnor which the examinant accordinglie did & that afterwardes the deponent did see the same vsed [ ] by the said John & the men vnder his Comand
<To the 9th inter> The deponent saith that the said John had the name and title of a Major of the forces in the said County & which name the said John retayned to his death, & that the said John was and acted as a member of the <b> County Councell in the said first yeare the deponents cause of knowledge is for that the deponent did see warrants subscribed by the said John Stafford & others of that Councell for the raysing mony{e} towardes maintenance of the Irish forces
<To the 10th inter> The deponent saith that Haman Stafford elder brother to the said John being a fryer & hauing his residence in Wexford, frequently repayred to & had correspondency <z> with the said John to this deponents personall knowledge & further saith that the said John did allow his brother Haman Stafford (the fryer) the yearely maintenance of ten poundes or thereabouts during his life, which the deponent hath heard by relacio{n} of the said John And saith that the said Haman
369

fol. 115v

was in the towne of Wexford at the & was killed by the english at the storming thereof: which the deponent heard as well by the discourse of the said Hamans kindred as others resident in the Countrey.
<To the 11th inter> The deponent saith that Edmond Burdeaux & walter Stafford protestant ministers dwelling neere <d> the said Johns habitacion fled into the english quarters in the beginning of the rebellion.
<To the 12th inter> The deponent saith that about Christmas 1641: Imediately after the said Burdeaux his departure, the said John with others in his Company went to the said <e> Edmonds howse at Blackehall & there thither brought his seruants & threshed the said Edmonds corne which consisted of three or foure small stakes of corne parte wheat other parte barley, oates & other graine & the same soe threshed was carryed to the said John Staffordes howse to Balliconnor, what the Number of barrells were the deponent doth not remember, His cause of Knowledge is for that the deponent was with Robert whittey & Walter Deuereux intrusted & Imployed by the said John Stafford to oversee the threshing and bringing home the said corne, which this deponent accordinglie performed: And further saith that parte of the timber of Adam Wallers howse pulled downe by the Irish was brought to the said John Staffords howse & vsed therein to the deponents personall knowledge: the deponent further saith that the said howse of Adam wallers was pulled down by order of the said John & others of the Countie Councell & other parte of the timber was brought & imployed to the repayring of the Church of Kilrane, this deponent hauing seen the said timber & the repayre done there with on the said Church
<To the 13th inter> Hee saith that the said John was in actuall Armes among the Irish at the fight of Ballibegg neere Rosse where many of the english were killed, at which fight hee the said John receiued a wound on his side, of which wound he Complained till he dyed the cause of this deponents knowledge is for that
370