Deposition of Urias Reade
- Reference: MS 829, fols 028r-029v
- County: Clare
- Date: 12/5/1643
- Type: Bisse
- Nature of Deposition: Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Stripping, Words, Lost by debts
- How to Cite
fol. 28r
703
Vrias Reade late of Knockonone in the parish of Dowry barony of Bunratty & within the Com of Clare mazon duely examined & sworne before vs, by vertue of his Maiestys Comission to vs or any two or more of vs directed (beareing date &c) concerneing the losses robberies & spoiles since this rebellion comitted vpon the brittish & protestants within the province of Munster &c deposeth & saith that vpon the 18th of December 1641 or thereabouts & diuers tymes since he lost was robbed & forceably dispoiled of his goods and Chattles to the seuerall values followinge vzt
Of Cowes, one steere, heiffers mares horses & sheepe to the value of two hundred pounds Of houshould stuffe to the value of one hundred pounds Of hay in stacke & corne in the haggard & in the house to the value of one hundred pounds He was Expelled & driven away from his house & farme where he lost <A> of corne in ground to the value of two & thirty pounds, Of debts amounting to the thirteene pounds due from Sir Vallintine Blake of Galway knight now in open & actuall rebellion, therefore this deponent cannott gett satisfaction from him The deponent further saith that by meanes of this present rebellion in Ireland he was disposessed of two seuerall farmes in the said com namely The Plowland of Killinkally wherein he had six yeeres lease to come & vnexpired worth coibus annis aboue the Landlords rent ten pounds per annum, he saith that he is damnified by looseing the benefitt of the same thirtie pounds, Of the Lands of Knockenone aforesaid wherein he had likewise a lease of Nyneteene yeeres yeet to come, worth yeerely fiue pounds per annum declaro, his enterest in this lease before this rebellion, was woorth to be bought & sould, thirty pounds The totall of his losses amounts to fiue hundred & fiue pounds The deponent being further examined deposeth that aboute the time aboue menconed, the deponents said Cattle & houshould goods were forceably taken away in <B> the day time, by Redmond Noalane of Ballynoahill in the said Com gentleman, who with force & armes accompanied with his brothers Walter & Oliuer Noalane of the same gentlemen, assaul{
fol. 28v
704
The deponent being further examined deposeth that vpon the 21th of Nouember 1641 or thereabouts, the said Dermod O Bryen accompanied with diuers armed men, came to this deponents house & there seized vpon this examinants armes, vzt one Callyver & one fowling peece, besides <B> diuers pikes & pitchforkes & the deponent demanding the reason why the said Dermod disarmed him, he answeared it was by vertue of a warrant from the Earle of Thomond to disarme all the English in those parts affirmeing with an oath by my soule Vrias (quoth he) I would not doe it, had I not beene commanded by his Lordshipp: he also informeth that from that time forward almost euery Cow boy did at his will robb, & pilladge the English there being then exposed for want of theire armes to their rapine & spoiles; He further deposeth that aboute the 23th of December 1641 aforesaid this Examinant among diuers other familyes of English persons, one hundred & fiftye men woemen & Children or thereabouts fled to Ballyally Castle in the said com, who soone after & especially aboute the 4th of ffebruary then following with collours flyeing in a hostill & rebellious manner were closely beseidged by the vnder named persons & theire forces, Namely Dermod O Bryen of Buneale aforesaid Esquire Torlagh O Bryen of Tullancre in the said com Esquire Torlagh O Bryen & Mortagh O Bryan both of Dromore in the said com gentlemen, Connor O Bryen of Lemyneth in the said com gent Teige mc Donnell Reagh mc Nemara of Garrnragh in the said com gentleman Donnogh mc Namara of Cratalagh in the said com gent Donnell O Bryen of Carhaduffe in the said com Esquire Owny oge O Loghlin of Pallynome in the said com gent Rorye mc Namara of Cahiroynagh in the said com gent Teige mc Namara of Druerknoragh in the said com gent Oliuer Delahide of Tirredagh in the said com Esquire Hugh o Hogane of Ballyheghane in the said com Esquire Ogane O Hogane of Shally in the said com gent James O Hogane of Erynagh in the said com gent, Henry O Grady of Knockany in the said com of Limericke gent Gilleduffe O Shaghnesy of Disert in the said com gentleman Redmond O Nollane of of Ballincohill aforesaid gentleman, John fitz James Grady of Ballyleamore in the said com gentleman Henry O Grady of Clonskrine in the said com gent Mannagh og o Grady of Balleelinbegg in the said com gentleman, Boetus Clancy of Creg{
fol. 29r
705
<D> In the said com Esquire, Donogh mc Conmae Reagh mc Nemara of Ballykelly in the said com gentleman & diuers others whose names he doth not remember all which parties mentained seidge to the said Castle for seven weecks or therabouts, dureing which time & especially aboute the twenteth of ffebruary aforesaid the said parties (among diuers other assaults & acts of hostility before & after don by them against the said Castle & the English within the same) he sawe & obserued twoe sowes and a Letherne gun brought by the said parties to the said Castle walls to surprize the same, but being seasonably preuented by the beseidged with them they did noe execution, they built a fort & diuers trenches against the said Castle
He further informeth that the said beseidgers forsooke the said Castle to lay at least any close siedge to it, till aboute the 28th day of June last, aboute which time his Maiestys Castle of Limericke was yeelded vpp from whence the said parties or some of them procured an iron demy culvering & brought the same to Ballyally aforesaid, out of which they dischardged nyne seuerall shotts against the said Castle & haueing don noe execution they continued a second seidge to the said Castle, which endured for twelue weecks, he saith that all the while he sawe & observed the vndernamed persons in armes ayding & asisting the rest of the said parties namely Sir Donnell O Bryen of Carrigco<[
fol. 29v
706
<f> mc Nemara of Clonbrick in the said com gentleman Teige mc Syda mc Nemara of Monogoynagh in the said com gentleman fflan O Nollane of Roslevan in the said com gent Rory mc Donogh mc Nemara of Bunnoneo in the said com gentleman Donnell mc Teige mc Nemara of Gallrish gentleman, John mc ffynnie mc Nemara of Killmurry in the said com gentleman, Patrick Chockson of Ardsk with in the said com gentleman Donnell oge O Hoinane of Ennish in the said com gentleman Bartholomewe Stritch of Ennish in the said com gentleman merchant Andrew Bourk of Clonraide in the said com merchant Donnell mc Teige of Liffor in the said com gentleman (& his sonns Teige & James) & Rowland Bourke of Ennish in the said com merchant, & diuers others of the gentlemen & freehoulders of the said com, This examinant saith that the said beseidgers dureing the said seidge & especially aboute the 6th of August last cruelly murthered the vndernamed persons warders of the said Castle named Abraham Baker late of Ballymc Cahell in the said com yeoman, Ambrose Webster late of Ennish in the said com miller, John Walker late of Liffor in the said com yeoman, Thomas White late of Knockderry in the said com Mazon, John Twisdon late of Ballyvanny in the said com yeoman John Smith late of Ballymally aforesaid yeoman John Burges of Enish aforesaid yeoman Robert Hart of the same yeoman, fiue whereof being murthered & striped by the hands & meanes of the said parties were neuer suffered to be buryed vntill the doggs & crowes did pick & eate vpp their carcasses
This examinant likewise declareth that the cruelty of the said beseidgers was such that dureing the saide seidge the English & protestants within the said Castle were driuen to eate horse flesh & rawe hides & the poore sort to this examinants owne knowledge were constrayned to eate ratts and doggs & for a longe tyme were kept from water, but what raine they could recouer with sheetes & other Linyen cloathes vppon the topp of the said Castle, He also deposeth <g> that he heard the said Christopher Bryen once comminge to parly with the beseidged credibly affirme that they (meaneing the Irish) had his Maiestys Comission for what
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