Deposition of John Turner
- Reference: MS 830, fols 146r-147v
- County: Galway
- Date: 23/3/1644
- Type: Dublin Original
- Nature of Deposition: Assault, Captivity, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Words
- How to Cite
fol. 146v
90 58
after this Examinant together with the said Robert Clarke went from the fort to the towne of Galway: vpon whose comeing there was a Court of assembly called where were present the Maior Adermen and burgesses of the towne or the <A> greater part of them, and likewise Mr Patrick Darcy & Mr Martin Lawyeres Before whom this Examinant and the said Robert Clark were called And this Examinant shewing the said warrant before the said assembly, the said Mr Darcy and Mr Martin being present, They the said Mr Darcy & Mr Martin Did there publickly declare that it was treason in this Examinant and the said Clark to hinder & deteine the said Armes from them by virtue of the said warrant (they then pretending themselues to be his Maiesties subjects) And therevpon comitted both of them to the towne gaole of Galway where they remained for the space of 10 or 12 dayes following vntil they were released by the Erle of Clanrickard, And this Examinant further saith That the said Erle of Clanrickard did make an end of the said differences betweene the merchant of the said shipp & the said Robert Clarke, and did assure the said Clarke that all things shold be fairly carried But the said Erle Leaving the said towne of Galway <B> the said Dominick Keghran factor to the said Tho: Linch with divers others, (by the direction of the said Mr Darcy and Mr Martin (as this examinant verely beleeveth went aboard the said shipp & carrjed with them seuerall boats, vpon pretence to vnlade the salt, And vpon their comeing to the said shipp (the said Clark being at the fort, and some of his men to out of the ship to fetche Ballast) entered the said ship and killd the Masters Mate and twoe or 3 more of the men aboard the said shipp and wounded seuerall others there, & soe possessed themselues wholly of the said shipp, being of the burden of three hundred tun or thereabouts, And likewise tooke out of the said shipp, about tenn peece of ordinance, which were landed presently, and planted against his Maiesties fort And further this Examinant saith That in the begining of the Rebellion, vntill such tyme as the said Mr Darcie and Mr Martin came to the towne of Galway, they within the said fort were furnished of such necessaries as they wanted for their moneys But after the comeing of the said Mr Darcy and Mr Martin to the said towne, the townsmen admitted the Irish people of Err Connaght, to come into the said towne, whoe robbed this examinant and the English Inhabitants within the said towne and Killd & murthered seuerall of them: Amongst which they cut off the heads of one John Fox &
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fol. 147r
91 59
& his wiffe, and murthered one Mris Collins as she was kneeling at her prayers, And as this examinant hath heard, after the said murders were comitted the Irish tumbled the heads of the heads of the said ffox & his wiffe about the streets, And further saith That at althoughe the said people of Err Connaght had robbed and murthered the English as aforesaid: yet neither the Maior or Aldermen of Galway aforesaid or the said Darcy <A> or Martin did any way punish the offenders, but rather abetted and manteined them in their barbarous cruelties And this Examinant further saith That after, by direction & helpe of the towne of Galway the said fort was s beseiged, And the townsmen of Galway hyred the Cuntry to doe the same Soe that the fort was inforced to yeild about the xxvth of June 1643: Wherevpon this Examinant went into the towne of Galway to demand some of his goods according to the quarter given them, And in the meane time the shipping being in the harbour went away & left this examinant behynd Soe as he was inforced to get a Convoy to Bonrattee to the Erle of Thomond, And being there one Dunn servant of Sir Roger ô Shafnusy, related to the Erle of Thomond and him this Examinant, that he sawe the said Richard <B> Martin whoe was then Major of Galway, vpon a Sunday morning with a pick ax in his hand setting people on work to domolish & pull downe the fort of Galway
John Turner
Jurat. 23. Martij. 1643.
Hen: Jones
Edw Pigott
59
fol. 147v
92 60
Mr John Turner
Galway
Jurat. Mart. 23.
1643.
Galway
John Turner Jur
23o Marcij 1643
Intw
hand
13
60
Edward Piggott
Henry Jones