1641 Depositions

Deposition of Brian Mc Guire

Reference: MS 835, fols 252r-254v
County: Fermanagh
Date: 13/6/1643
Type: Dublin Original
Nature of Deposition: Arson, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Stripping, Succour, Words

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The Examination of Brian mc Guire taken the xiii th day of June 1643 before us Sir Gerrald Lowther knight Cheife Justice of his Maiesties Cheife Place & Sir Robert Meredith knight Chancellor of his Maiesties Court of Exchequer & two of his Maiesties Justices of the Peace for the Countie of Dublin
Who beeing sworne & Examined saith that about the tenth of October 1641 hee this Examinant vnderstood by a ffryer called ffarrall oge mc awarde that there was a Gennerall purpose & resolution amongst the Papistes & Inhabitantes of this Kingdome to take vpp Armes within a fortnight after & then to seise on all the strong holdes throughout the Kingdome which they purposed to reteyne vntill they might procure for themselves libertie of Conscience & free exercise of the Romish Religion vnto which Report hee this Examinant gave them more credit in regard hee had observed the vnvsuall & frequent meeting betweene the Lord mc Guire Sir Phelim Roe ô Neale Knight Tirlagh oge mc Hugh Oge o Hosie & others of the Cheife of the Countrie & theire followers Wherevpon hee this Examinant made knowne the said discoverie unto Sir William Cole knight And this Examinant further saith that soone after

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the Lord mc Guire going vnto Dublin there to performe his part of the worke Rorie mc Guire Brother vnto the said Lord went from the Castle of Crevenish in the Countie of ffermanagh ouer Logh Herne and there hee moued & stirred vpp unto Rebellion the Hosies the fflanagans & othere Septes of the Irish inhabiting that side of the Logh of whom hee tooke & oath that they should rise in Rebellion with him & directed the saide Septes to begin to fall vpon the spoile & pillagge of the Brittish as soone as they saw the Towne of Lisnarney on fire which accordinglie beeing set on fire on the xxiiith of October 1641 by the said Rorie mc Guire The saide Septes pillaged the Brittish, & in particuler the Lord Hastinges house called Lisgold And this Examinant saith that vpon the same day Richard Nugent who married the Ladie Dowager of Inishkillin Patrick mc Caffry & Phelim mc Cafferie by the appointment of the said Rorie tooke possession of Mr Hugh Dare his house & Towne in the said Countie of ffermanagh called Archdalestowne & pillaged the said house & Towne & afterwardes placed a Ward therein And this Examinant further saith that amongst other the cruelties & Murthers committed by the said Rorie mc Guire & the Septes of the Irish in the said Countie of ffermanagh about Christmas 1641 the

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said Rorie haueing giuen Quarter vnto many of the Brittish who held the Castle of Tully belonging unto Sir George Hume after the Quarter soe given hee the said Rorie & his followers first stripped & then murthered man woman & children of them that came out of the Castle upon assurance of Quarter And this Examinant further saith that about this tyme twelve month hee received a Letter from one ô Relie Tituler Archbishopp of Armagh whereby hee this Examinat was directed to repaire vnto the said Archbishopp there to take an oath of confederation sent from the Gennerall Assemblie or Councell of the Rebells att Kilkenny But this Examinant not appeareing according those directions Soone after the said Rorie mc Guire came vnto him this Examinant and acquainted him that hee himselfe had brought the said oath from Kilkenny & that the whole Kingdome was to ioyne therein And in case any should refuse to take the same the partie soe refuseing was to be despoiled of his Estate & suffer death And that for the Execution thereof there was a running Army appointed and raised But this Examinant beeing not satisfyed with the Contentes of the said oath desired tyme for three or ffoure dayes to resolve himselfe the better In which tyme hee this Examinant quitt his

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owne habitation & went vnto Sir William Cole with whom hee hath since remayned And this Examinant further saith that a true Coppie of the said oath to the best of his knowledge memorie is conteyned in a Paper now attested vnder his this Examinantes hand & delivered by him vnto Sir Gerrald Lowther and Sir Robert Meredith knightes, & now annexed vnto this his Examination And lastly this Examinant saith that dureing the present Rebellion hee received seuerall Letters from Owen Roe o neale Sir Phelim Roe ô Neale knight Phillip oge o Relie and hugh o Connor [?ing] him this Examinant to ioyne in confederacie and Rebellion with them, which hee euer refused to doe and would neuer answeare any of theire Letters but vpon the receipt thereof delivered the same vnto Sir William Cole knight in whose possession they now remaine.

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