Deposition of John Gouldsmith
- Reference: MS 831, fols 192r-197v
- County: Mayo
- Date: 30/12/1643
- Type: Dublin Original
- Nature of Deposition: Apostacy, Assault, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Stripping, Succour, Words
- How to Cite
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John Gouldsmith parson of Brashowle in the county of Mayo sworne & examined sayth That betwixt three and fowre yeres before the present rebellion in Ireland began Francis Gouldsmith this deponents brother (whoe is a romish priest of good account Liveing at & being Capitian Maiore of the Castle of Antwerpe in Brabant fflanders writt and sent a letter to this deponent to Brashowle aforesaid within this kingdome of Ireland which was delivered to him the deponent by one father Riccard Barrett a Jesuite and spanish preacher and (as he hath heard) an great Agent for the rebell irish in those parts about the rebellion now in hand, By which letter he required this deponent to come away out of Ireland: vseing many earnest & actractive arguments to draw him, and taking away all impediments delayes and excuses for his not comeing: and in the conclusion of that his letter expressing himself in theis wordes vizt: I wounder Brother you will Liue in soe base a kingdome: youll say yow haue Wiffe & children: & cannot come; sell the Little goods you haue & come away with your wiffe & children: This letter (as this deponent hath heard, was first deliuered at Antwerpe aforesaid to Melone the arch Jesuite that dwelt in Dublin, whoe was put in charge to bring over this deponent, But being accidentally diverted towards Rome, Left the Letter with the said Barret, Whoe deliuered it as aforesaid And this deponent further saith that he is verely perswaded That the said Melone had formerly revealed the intended plott of rebellion to this Deponents said Brother which induced him soe earnestly to write for that deponent his wiffe and children to leave the Kingdome and soe to escape the danger thereof: Which the deponent did not suspect nor any way vnderstand vntill about the later end of July next before the present rebellion begun: When this deponent obserued that certeine irish Smiths had in a short space made a multitude of skeines: Whereby he conceived that some suddene mischeefe & insurrection would then ere Long ensue, and which as hee alsoe thought would amount to noe Lesse then such a Rebellion, which as he the n then verely begun to suspected had had beene before discouered to his said brother And then to prevent further mischeefe (if it were possible he this deponent accquainted one Mr Woodliff Sergeant at Armes for the Province of Connaght, how such skeins were made & that some danger was Like to ensue whoe giveing notice as he supposeth thereof to Sir <Edward> Arth onie Povey vicepresident of that province A proclamation was therevpon soone after as he heard made and sent To prohibite the makeing of skeines &
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And alsoe a Letter was sent to for Sir Henry Bingham knight to advise with him this deponent about the apprehending of the sayd Smithes To whome (vpon consultacion) he imparted his conceipt of an intended rebellion shortly to ensue & offered to the said Sir Henry Bingham That if he would send some of his trusty servants vnto his this deponents howse he would goe foote by foote with them vntill the smiths should bee apprehended, The said Sir Henry Bingham faithfully promissed him to send his men accordingly at a certeine tyme appointed but neuer sent anie: But whether his fault was cawsed through neglect per fidiousnes or feare the deponent knoweth not
Afterwards the deponent acquainted the Lord of Mayo therewith but all to noe effect
And this deponent further saith That about the first of November 1641 When the proclamation against the Rebellion came downe from Dublin, & that many of the Cleargy fled to Gallway the deponent desired the said Sir Henry Bingham to receive him into his castle of Castlebarr: there being as he conceived, noe other secure place of refuge within forty myles (And the deponent haveing beene formerly a Romish pa pis t preist, and conuerted to the protestant religion by the light of gods truth being therefore more hated by the papists then any other) The <A> said Sir Henry Bingham answered him That if he this deponent were in his Castle it would be the more eagarly assaulted for his sake and therefore he would not receive him: And thus haveing noe place of refuge within the said County of Mayo the deponent was exposed to the merciles rage of those his virulent enemyes the Rebells Whoe comeing to his howse at Midnight after the day of 1641 (all his men servants being fled from him) Presented their sharpe skeines to his throate robbed him then & other times of all his howsholdstuff books cattle horses corne provision and other of his goodes and chattells worth aboute CCCC li. five hundred pounds & forceibly expelled him from his Church liveing and Lands worth 100 li. per annum: Whereof hee hath since Lost 2 yeres proffitts. And hee is Like to be deprived of and Loose the future proffits of his said Churchlivings & Landes vntill a peace be established, And the deponent hauing heard [
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cutt out the deponents tongue; for which purpose he came thither as the deponent was informed: At length with much difficultly the deponent escaped to the Lord of Mayos howse, and was the seacond man that was robbed in the County of Mayo as he supposeth
The first man that was robd by the Rebells in that County was one Mr Percivall as he suposseth Wherevpon the Lord of Mayo and a certeine number of his men as this de p onent was informed pursued those Rebells that had taken the said Mr Percivalls cattle, And comeing to passe through a foard at Ballehownes, the Rebells had there fortifyed a mylle against them with musketeers, The Army of the Rebells being not farr off prepared for battaile: But after some entercourse betwixt the Lord of Mayo & those Rebells by messingers goeing betwixt them: the Lord of Mayo gave them a protection And then after much shouting and Joy on both sydes both parties being intermingled they lodged that night at the Abbey of Ballehownes amongst a company of friers the Lord of Mayo being there present amongst them Att which Abbey they haveing then received instructions from those friers as was informe d or from the Devi ll or both they then brake forth into all inhumane practics and barbarous crueltyes & open Rebellion as this deponent hath beene credibly informed & partly knoweth
And this deponent further saith That hee in his distresse comeing with his wiffe and family to the Lord of Mayo His lordship then having in his howse one Mr Gilberte (a distressed mynister and his wiffe & family & 3 other distressed gentlemen protestants all which he entertained at his table, The said Lord of Mayo then made his complaint vnto him this deponent in what despicable case the State had left him without helpe or succour, hee having sent vnto them for releefe
About that tyme newes came from the Rebells that they would have the Lord of Mayo goe forth with them into open action & hostility against the protestants: Quickly after there came a report that vpon a certeine night his castle should be beleaguered: Wherefore about Midnight his Lordship went forth with his men for the encounter but the Rebells came not
The deponent was told by some of the howse howe miserably his Lordship had bin perplexed in the nights with anxious thoughts But not long after he propounded a question to the deponent and Mr Bringhurst Whether he in this great extreamity haveing noe releefe from the state; might not take those men that went forth into Rebellion into protection & make vse of them as he thought fit for his Maiesties service
Mr
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Mr Bringhurst told the deponent That his Lordship intended to subdew those of Costulagh by the men of Gallen And those of Gallen by those Rebells that Lived in the Carragh The deponent vnderstood not the meaneing of the proiect but gave his lordship this Answere It is dangerous to have any comerce with such men And when Man tempts God he iustly redoubles this temptacion vpon him: The deponent asked him what he would doe in matter of religion: He answered he would tell them he would haue time to consider of it, The deponent then sayd your Lordship must infinitely dissemble with theis men He answered I confesse I must dissemble
When this deponent vrged the matter against his Lordship as vtterly distasting it) for howbeit the matter were Lawfull in it selfe as it was propounded vnto him) yet he feared the event, But Mr Bringhurst answered, that there was an absolute necessitie, and it could not be avoided, And then the deponent vrged the matter noe furtherThen the Lord of Mayo sent vnto the said Sir Henry Bingham and desired a consultacion with him and others of his Councill in Castlebar about the matter propounded to the deponent But the said Sir Henry (fearing some interruption in the way) durst not giue him a meeting: In the end my lord propounded the matter vnto him in writing in the same manner and to theffect as he formerly had propounded it to the deponent. Desireing Sir Henry That if hee & the rest of his Councill should approve of it, they would putt their handes vnto it: Sir Henry approved it and set his hand vnto it with the rest of his Councill Mr Barnard Mr Bohanan & Deane Vargess ffarg {
The Lord of Mayo haveing received this Mr Bringhurst putt his hand to it with Archdeacon Gilbert, The deponent being the Last durst not refuse to put his hand vnto it Haveing soe faire an apparance Howbeit he distrusted the event
Imediatly vpon this this deponent perceived motions towards popery in my Lord of Mayos howse, the English perswading each other to goe to Masse, And a popish booke of controuersy was sent (as he conceaved) vnto my Lord, which comeing to the handes of the said Mr Bringhurst hee desired the deponent to answere the same, The which he began to doe in the exercise of his ministry on the sabboth day But fearing my Lords revolting I he told him That howbeit I he the deponent was resolved to die for his religion, yet he would goe to Masse if he could not answere that booke: His lordship replied It is one thing to answere, Another thing to give a satisfactory answere: By this I considered that which By th is he considered that which not Long
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<A> Long after fell out: ffor the titulary Archbishop of Tuam by name Laughlin Kellie, comeing vnto him, he the said Lord of Mayo (as the deponent was credibly told, was then reconcyled to Masse the Romish Church
About that tyme Sir Henry Bingham sent vnto my Lord of Mayo a letter to this effect as he was told I vnderstand your Lordship is gone to Masse: I am your Lordships servant in what way soever your Lordship shall walk The deponent heard of this letter in the howse about the tyme that my Lord and Sir Henry went to Masse: All or most of the English in the Cuntry then followed them Insoemuch as in the whole County of Mayo there remained not one Cleargie or Layman to preserve the memory of our religion eight tenn persons only excepted vizt The Vicecountess Mayo the Lady Bourk Mris Burley Mris Tarback Mris Hanmer Owin the Butler Alice the Cooke maide, the deponents wiffe & Grace her chylds nurse & the deponen t himself And is verely perswaded that those of the Layety that turned to Masse as he supposeth did amount to about one thowsand in number in the County of Mayo aforesaid: All the mynisters (saving the deponent) some being fled some murthered and the rest turned to Masse: Amongst the rest one Mr Johnson a minister and the viccar of Vrras turnd to Masse: But this deponent by the lord of Mayos permission contynued his ministrie still in the said Lords howse and disputed with such the preist as that came to seduce the ladies, & publickly answered such popish books of controuersy as were given by the preists vnto the Ladies Insoe much that (as this deponent hath heard from my lord & seuerall others, that his lordship hath bin much maligned and persecuted about him
Both the ladyes were contynually assaulted and laboured to goe to Masse by the preists and amongst others had one booke of controuersy deliuered them Wherein it was vndertaken that the protestants should bee confuted in their owne bibles: The said Mr Bringhurst seemeing to affect that booke told the deponent it was a shrewd booke, The deponent sayd he would answere the same, which partly he did presently in words. Then Mr Bringhurst desired him to answer it in writing but he being deprived of his books told him he would neuertheles answere it in his mynistry: and accordingly tooke a text for it on purposse & answered the particulars in the presence of those that seemed to be thereby satisfied
Severall other bookes were sent to the ladyes (the viscount & Mr Bringhurst being both turned to Masse) The ladies & women the Butler aforenamed still contynueing protestants, the deponent answered those bookes from time to tyme
<B> Att length Sir Rich Blake knight bringing to the Ladies a most eminent Preist surnamed Browne, Whoe hearing the deponents name was Gouldsmith sayd he would try whether he were gould or tinn: Wherevpon a disputacion (being vrged by the ladyes) was there had betwixt them publickly & many both protest{
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discouraged or rather overcomen with faire arguments illustrateing the truth of Gods iust cawse defended by this deponent: That when the said Browne the preiste was desired to renew his disputacion and arguments hee refused but gave the vice countesse another booke of Controuersy: which booke at the same Ladyes request the deponent answered publiquely Wherefore the said tytulary Archbishop soone afterwards reproved the Lord of Mayo for suffering that disputacion & keeping this deponent to exercise his ministry & th mainteyning twoe religions in his howse: Saying his Lordships must deliuer vp him (meaneing this deponent) to them: what will yow doe with him said the Lord of Mayo: we will said the titularly Bishop send him to his frendes: yow will said my Lord send him to Shrewle to be slaine as yow did others: But whenas his Lordship sayd if you will give mee 6 of your preists to be bound body for body for his saffe convoying to his frends I will deliuer him to yow, the titulary Bishop reiected that motion yet he soe farr prevailed with the Lord of Mayo as he supposeth that his Lordship as farr as he could sylenced and confyned the deponent to a private part of the howse: soe as from thenceforth of a long tyme he durst not publiquely exercise his mynistrie nor publiquely shew himself in the howse for feare off being murthered by bloudy people which lived in or frequented the howse: Nevertheles the deponent did not vtterly desist his ministry and preaching but still on sabboth dayes exercised the same privately somtyme in the presence of and to one and noe more, other tymes to 2 and seldome to more at once, At length whenas the ould lady perceived that her servants heard divine service privately & not shee herself: ye t shee grew to such earnest impatience & bouldnes That she plainly told her lord as he heard that she would not be an Athist but would againe enioy the ministry wherein she prevailed soe farr, that thenceforth the deponent more publiquely exercised his function to those few remaineing protestants vntill he came from thence
And this deponent further saith that whilest he this sai d deponent stayed in the danger aforesaid at the said Lord of Mayos howse, the said Sir Henry Binghams Castle of called Castlebarr was beleaguered by the Rebell Edmund<A> Bourke ofin the owles in the County of Mayo gentleman And then he the said Sir Henry desired the Lord of Mayo to take that Castle from him and to keepe it for his vse for that he himself could hould it noe Longer: Wherevpon the Lord of Mayo came thither with his forcs, but the rest in the Castle being of a contrary opinion and not assenting to part with the Castle his Lordship and his forces returned home
<A> About this tyme the Lord Bishop of Killalla (haveing formerlie Lost and been deprived of his Castle and goods) contracted with one Bourke of Castleaken as he was informed to give him a saffe convoy: but the same Bourk dealing most perfidiously with him brought him into the hands of the said Edmund Burk as he was beleaguering Castlebar aforesaide whoe
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whoe purpossed to haue forced and put the said Bishop vpon the engine or sowe as he hath heard from the Rebells themselues which he and the rest had prepared for vndermyneing & breaking downe the castle: Purpossly that if any from the Castle should shoote against the sowe they might hitt the Bishopp their frend: Whereof the Lord of Mayo haveing notice he writt a Letter vnto the sayde Bourck the Convoy blameing him for his perfidiousnes and signifying plainly vnto him That if he did not deale with the Bishop according to his promisse he would deale with him as an enemy wheresoever he mett him: Wherevpon the said Bourk brought the said Bishop within sight of my Lord of Mayos howse and there Left him
His Lordship then went forth to meete the Bishop and tooke him and his family home where he Kyndly entertained them & gaue him the Band to put about his neck, and a shirt which he wanted as he hard kept him and his wife & three children and family eight o r ten dayes together with 5 or 6 of his ministers
At that tyme Sir Henry Bingham sent to my Lord of Mayo againe desireing him to take his Castle: for he could hould out noe Longer And where the rest that were in his Castle dyffered in opinion from him as it was confidently reported The said Sir Henry privately and vnknowne to them contracted and agreed with the Lord of Mayo to deliuer him vp the same Castle vpon a private toaken vizt vpon putting forth of a flagg, And the said Sir Henry not long before (as this deponent was tould by some that were then in the howse brake forth into theis passionate speeches against the people in the Castle, I will make a gaole deliuery of you all, Then the Lord of Mayo came thither with an army, drove away the said Edm: Bourk and entered and possessed the Castle: But what Quarter the said Sir Henry procured for those in his castle this deponent knew not But it hath been most confidently and generally reported vnto him this deponent, by Sir Henrys people then in the castle, That all they all went forth without their weapons
My lord of Mayo being to convoy all those of Castlebarr to Galway vizt Sir Henry with all his company & the Bishopp of Killallae with all his company, with many of the neighbouring English being about three score in number, whereof there were some fifteene mynisters, Covennanted with one another Edmund Bourk for the saffe Convoy of the same parties vpon a certeine day And the said Lord of Mayo appointed them all to meete him at Belcarah Haveing first separated this deponent from them to attend his Lady in the work of the ministrie Att
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<quer de H:B>
At which day the said titulary Archbishop and the Lord of Mayo meeting with their whole number went on their Jorney to Shrewle at which place the Lord of Mayo left them in the custody of the said Last named Edmund Bourk But as the said Mr Bringhurst tould the deponent the Lord of Mayo was not gone farr from them <H> But the said Edmund Bourk drew out his sword directing the rest what they should doe, and began to massacre those protestants & accordingly some were shott to death some stabd with skeines some run through with pykes some cast into the water & drowned, And the woman that were stript naked Lying vpon their husbandes to save them were run through with Pykes: and very few of those English then and there escaped alive but the most part were murthered in the place: Amongst the rest the Bishop of Killalla escaped with his Liffe but was then and there wounded in his head And one Mr Crowd a minister was then and there soe beaten with Cudgells on his feete that he died there of shortly after thother ministers then and there being slaine <murders Considered [
<B> In Tirawly within the County ofabout thirty or fforty English (formerly turned papists, had their choice given them whether they would dye by the sword or drowne themselves They makeing choise of drowning were brought to the seasyde by the Rebells whoe had their skeines drawne in their hands and forced them to wade into the sea, The mothers with their children in their armes, (crying for drinck) haveing waded to the Chinn at Length cast or dived themselves & children into the Sea yeilding themselves to the mercy of the waves & soe perished
The torments the Rebells would vse to the protestants to make them confesse their moneys were theis vizt
Some they would take & wryth & straine wythes about their heades vntill the bloud sprang [
Others they would hang vntill they were half dead, then they would Lett them downe, and doe the same soe often over vntill they confessed their monyes
And
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<B> And this deponent further saith That a young yowth of about 15 yeres of a{
A Scotchman travelling in the high way with his wiffe & children nere were besett by the Rebells whoe wounded and stabbd him with their pykes: putt him alive vpon a Carr brought him to a ditch and buryed him alive as the poore wiffe a l s afterwards (with great greefe) told him this deponent
The viccar of vrras before mencioned turned papist and became drummer to Capten Bourk & was after murthered for his paines by the Rebells
Another Scotchman nere Ballehen was hanged by the Rebells
One Robert Kear{
<B> One Captain Barret of Vrris aforesaid a Rebell earnestly affirmed to the deponent That the Pope had collected fifteene thowsand Pownds or above for the manteinance of theis Warrs on the irish Catholicks part
Divers of the irish Rebells at Castlebar told him That there were great preparacions and many french and other engineers makeing vp strength and fortifiacions in Galway for the contynuing of the warrs <B> of the papists against the protestants notwithstanding the Cessation of Armes
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And this deponent further saith That although Mr Bringhurst aforenamed turned and went to Masse: yet of this deponents knowledg he had aftewrwards seuerall men about him consulting to fling him over the Walle at Castlebarr as the deponent hath heard And this deponent (becawse he still kepte vp and manteined the mynistry whilest he stayd in the said Countie) was therefore much maligned and hated soe as he was in contynuall danger of his Liffe, and the rather becawse his religion was persecuted and dispised by the papists on the one side and either contemped or at Least sleighted by all or the most of the English left within both the said Counties of Mayo and Sligoe And before the Rebellion began (becawse this deponent whoe had formerly beene a papist popish preist, too well knew in what blindnes & ignorance the poore children of the irish papists in his parrish and in other parts of this kingdome were brought vpp, and that not they alone but their parents (otherwise morally honest) were totally ignorant of the grounds and wholesome precepts and rudiments of gods true Religion; Therefore hee (as became one of his function) vsed all the faire gentle & prevalent perswasions & arguments he could to draw them to learne & vnderstand the same, & to resort to the protestant Church deponents howse to gaine instruccion there, and Likewise to conuerse with him the same privately in matters of Religion tending to their salvation By which meanes and by divers good turnes & curtesies done vnto them by him (to his noe Little cost) hee drew divers to their Catach isin e beco me protestants : some of which (to his great greefe suffered since by the Rebells) And becawse this deponent would the rather invite and draw the poore children of his parrish to bee Catechised & instructed by them him As alsoe the children of the richer sort (though papists) hee did by all wayes and gentle meanes seeke by gentle meanes to draw them vnto him By which way he brought many to be Cathechised euery sabboth day & at other tymes: And often their parents (though papists) would be present and approve of his labours with their sonns, and say there is nothing amisse in this that yow teach them: wishing that their preist would doe as much And for the poorer sort this deponent in the Countie s of Westmeath and Mayo gave the parents of the children seuerall sumes of some money and Lent them divers Cowes freely somtymes by about 22 at once for [
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& paines of his (which here he expresseth not in the way of any vain glorious ostentacion or for populer applause: He conceiving himself bound in conscience to doe it, & more if he had bin able) His vngratefull and Rebellious neighbours and parishoners and other their Confederates hereafter named robbed and stripped him his wiffe children and family of all the meanes they had Soe as now they extreamely want that bread and meanes which formerly (with his willing heart) he daily gaue and distributed to his poore neighbours: And this deponent further saith that dureing the time of his being with the Lord of Mayo which inded was from the begining of the Rebellion vntill the Cessation This deponent (whoe knew the County of Mayo very well) neuer heard of any protestant that was not spojled of all his meanes goods and chattells And when any of the protestants became conformable to the popish Religion (as all but the forenamed small parties did) yet he neuer heard that any restitucion was made of any thing taken from them But they still remained in a most miserable beggary and slavish Condicion whereby he conceiveth the hatred they beare to the English nation not to be out of zeale in point of Religion but nationall and personall <A> for this deponent heard one Captaine Crane (tennant to the lord of Mayo and a Comander of Rebells, say theis words We must neuer be subiect againe to the English nation: And further saith that seuerall of the aforesaid murthers have beene Comitted & exercised vpon such English as went to Masse turned to Masse and therefore he conceiveth their mallice was personall: Only hee hath heard of 2 or 3 tradesmen to whome some small pittance hath bin restored which was but to fitt them for their trade, whereby they might (as this deponent conceiveth) be helpfull to the Rebells): for their personall hatred was such That albeit all the English within the castle of Castlebarr in number about fowrscore or one hundred went to Masse yet they haue bin soe violently assaulted by the Rebells That the lord of Mayo had much a doe to saue their Liues: yet the great ones have bin soe farr from disapproveing the murthers Committed in that County: That he neuer heard more then of twoe murtherers punished for their bloudy fact: thone whereof, escaped with whipping only and the other with a little restraint of Libertie and then in larged: yea the great ones in the said great County have bin soe
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far from Comiserateing thextreame pouerty misery and famine of the English or inforceing restitucion that (as this deponent conceived by that he heard in the Lord of Mayos howse) noe great number of the gentry of that Country can truly say I washed my handes in Innocence or could wyped their mowths & say I have eaten noe english beefe for the best gentlemen and howskeepers of the irish in the territory of the Owles where the deponent lived robbed the <A> deponent of his goodes and chattells by name Hugh oge mcCane of Castleaffe in the same County of Mayo gentleman Tibbott Kelly of Brashowle in the said County gent, Randall mcDonnell of the bridg of Ballyveaghan in the same County gentleman Edmund oge of Rosnevragh Rosnafrare in the same County gent Turlogh Reagh ofnere Brashowle [
<1 Nov + Dr J mr Brereton
4>
Jo: Goldsmith
Jur 30 Decembris 1643
Hen: Jones
Hen: Brereton
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Mayo Ex
Henry Brereton
Henry Jones