1641 Depositions

Examination of Michaell Harrison

Reference: MS 836, fols 127r-138v
County: Tyrone
Date: 11/2/1653
Type: Commonwealth
Nature of Deposition: Arson, Captivity, Killing, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Words

Print
How to Cite

fol. 127r

2408
<Quere for the former Examinacion>
The further examinacion of Michaell Harrson of Lisnegarvy in the County of Antrym Esquire aged forty fouer yeares or thereabouts taken before vs the xjth of ffebr 1652
Who beeing duely sworne and examjned deposeth and saith, That when the rebellion began in this land in the month of October 1641 the examjnant then liued at Currin in the County of Tyrone within fowre miles of Kinard the dwelling house of Kinard That Sir Phelym ô Neale, That the examjnant on fryday Satturday the xxiijth of october 1641 comeing then out of the Prouince Conaght to towards his dwelling house aforesaid, hee in Company with Mr John Parry of Devernagh in the County of Armagh brother in law to the examj nant, They were apprehended at in the towne of Monoghan <A> and taken as prisoners by some of the mcMahons and carried to the house of the Lord Blaney in Mon a ghan and that Neale McKena and Brian Mantagh mc Mahowne were beeing then in the said Lord Blaney{s} house, and carryed this examjnant and the said Mr Parry to a wynetauerne neere the said house and the said mc Kena tould this examjnant they they looked not for the examjnant & Mr Parry but for Mr Aldrich, the sheriffe of the County of Monoghan, hee saith that the said mc Kena haueing beene some tyme schoole fellow with the examjnant in Dublin hee asked the said mc Kena what was the cause of the present stirrs and riseing to which the said mc Kena made answeare that it
{1)}

fol. 127v

2409
 It was to seise on and take all the ffortes and {the} Castles in the North by direccion of the Parliament <1> at Dublin) and about an houre after news was brought by one Patricke Dougherty that Charlemont and Dongan a n and Dongan <2> was w ere taken the night before by the said Sir Phelim ô Neale and then the said mc Kena and mc Mahowne directed the examjnant and the said Mr Parry to goe to the examjnants house aforesaid, and a pp whither they came that night, and in the and the said Dougherty was appointed to bee theire Convoy, Hee saith that in theire way they mett with a very many of the Inhabitants of the County of Monoghan then beseigeing the Castle of Glaslogh wherein Deane Barclay then liued, that some of the persons that soe beseiged the said Castle (heareing that the examjnant came out of Conaght) asked him what newes thence and whither or noe there were any riseing of the people there to which the examjnant made answeare there was not and then some of them speakeing in Irish (which the examjnant understood) said they wondred there was not for that there was to bee a riseing th in all Ireland that day; Hee further saith that in his way to Currin aforesaid a little beyond Kinard hee mett Mr Joseph Trauers and his wife who said they were goeing to Kynard aforesaid expecting to bee there sheltred from the violence of the Country people for that he had beene that morning plundred at his dwell{ing} house of all his good e s by then beeing within a M{ile of}

fol. 128r

2410
<C> of Currin and tould the examjnant allsoe that the examjnants wife and children and had left his house at Currin and gone to the Castle of Benburb a mile further, hee saith hee came to his said house that night and there finding only one of his seruants hee went immediately to after his wife and children <3> to Benburb aforesaid, Hee saith (that obserueing the Country to bee generally plundred), hee went on Munday the xxvth of october 1641 to Sir Phelym ô Neale then at Charlemount three miles distant <D> from Benburb aforesaid, who gaue the examjnant a protection to liue at his owne house at Dublin Currin, Hee saith that the said Sir Phelym tould this examjnant that the next day he should heare of the takeing of Dublin, and that all Ireland meaneing the Irish weare vpp as hee was, Hee saith that the examjnant therevppon went to his owne house with his wife and children where they liued together with the said Mr Parry and his wife and Lieutenant Gore, where they the said Mr Parry & his wife & Lieutenant Gor e continued vntill May following, H ee s aith that betweene the said xxv th of o ctober and the fifth of D ecember Hee saith that soone after hee heard that the towne of Armagh was taken by the said Sir Phelym ô Neale and his brother Tirlagh ô Neale and < E> that the Inhabitants there they had quarter giuen them whereof noe parte was w w as not obserued as Mr Chappell and Mr Southwicke who were Inhabitants there tould the examjnant, but broken by the said Sir Phelym ô Neale and those that gaue <5.> the quarter, That soone after the said Sir Phelym with divers others went to beseige the Castle of Agher in the County of Tyrone then possessed
3)

fol. 128v

1411
possessed by Mr Enskin, but the said Sir Phelym was beaten off with the losse of fforty men, in revenge whereof in his returne to Charlemount <ff> all the English and Brittish hee & his party mett in his theire way hee w ere killed, Hee saith that two or three dayes after Sir Phelym ô Neales returne as aforesaid the examjnant heard that Mrs Babington and her daughter and one Higgs were drowned at Blackewater=bridge within a Mile of Benburb but by whose direccion hee knoweth not, but that none had com and in C there but that Sir Phelim ô Neale that had cheife co mand there hee saith that in about the 25 th of November following Mr Rob Roger Blyth Minister of Donganon and seuerall others were murthered at Donganon by Tirlagh boy ô <G> Mullcreine, an obscure person, then of Sir Phelyms partie but by t whose order hee knoweth not, Hee further saith that about the fifth of December following Terl a gh oge Tirlagh oge ô Neale brother to the said Sir Phelym wrote a lettre from Donganon (where Sir Phelym then was) to this examjnant intimateing to come to them to Donganon which the examjnant did, and beeing come the {said} Sir Tirlagh (in the presence of Sir Phelym) tould the examjnant that hee had beene long enough protected and should not bee longer protected vnlesse hee would doe them seruice the examjnant answeared hee was noe soldier and asked what seruice he should doe wherevppon they answeared that hee should writt for them <H> lettres and answeares peticion which the examjnant beeing then in the enemies power and feareing fo{r}
4)

fol. 129r

2412
(for preseruacion of himselfe his wife and children and other his freinds) did accept of and accordingly stayd with the said Sir Phelym, Hee saith that about the xiiijth of dec 1641 the said Sir Phelym went to Strabane with whom this examjnant allsoe went, where the said Sir Ph elym acted as the examjnant in his former examj nacon th is day giuen in <7. d.> hee ha th declared , H ee Beeing demanded what Comissions or aucthority the said Sir Phelym had Hee saith that hee was present at Mayden towne & Bewly neere Drogheda in January 1641 when The Lords of Gormanston L Lowth, Nettervill, Trimlettstowne, and seuerall others whose names hee remembreth not, concluded that declared Sir Phelym ô Neale should b ee generall of all the fforces of Leinster a nd V ster V lster vntill Drogheda (beeing then beseiged) should bee reduced, and accordingly a Comission was then drawen vpp in writeing by one belonging to the Lady Strabane whose name hee remembreth not and signed by the Lords and others before named, and then deliuered to the said Sir Phelym and afterwards the said <8. e.> Sir Phelym was called Lord Generall, Hee further saith that the said Sir Phelym seuerall tymes tould the examjnant [ ] that hee had a Comission from the King for doeing what hee did, but the examjnant neuer saw the said Commission though hee often demaunded the sight thereof, which Commissio{n} from the king was before the other Commission given by the Lords to the said Sir Phelym, and the said Sir Phelym tould him once that the said Commission was in the hands of Hugh Phillipp mc Hugh ô Rely and another tyme in the hands of
5)

fol. 129v

2413
<k> Shane ô Cahan then called afterwards called Major Generall and that hee heard it comonly reported that there was such a Comission, Hee saith that hee heard of the Popes bull brought in to Sir Phelym ô Neale but by whom hee did h not heare, Hee saith as hee heard the contents thereof was that all of the Irish partie that should bee killed in that action (which hee supposeth to bee the rebellion) should bee forgiuen all theire sinnes and immediatly goe <9 I. se. p. 10. m.> to heauen, Hee saith that about May 1642 when parte of the English Army came downe to taken in the Newry seuerall English and Brittish Protestants to the number of about one hundred and ffifty were by direccion of the said Sir Phelym <L> ô Neale sent out of the County of Armagh into the County of Tyrone to bee quartered as was pretended on the seuerall Irish Creats there the cause of there remoueall was for feare they should ioyne with the English then at Lisnegarvy Hee saith that the same night that they were so remoued the said Protestants were all murthered except one Thomas Naul a Musican who this examjnant kept in his house and was not <10. g.> sent with the rest, Hee saith that hee heard that Tirlagh mc Brian ô Neale Cosen=German to Sir Phelym <M> ô Neale and seuerall other of the Hues who were ffosterers to the said Sir Phelym and liueing on his lands of kynard did hang Lieutenant James Maxwell Henry Cowell and one Mr Acklyn and his son, at and
6)

fol. 130r

1414
And did allsoe drowne the wife of the said James Maxwell shee beeing then in labour Hee saith that hee heard that the said Sir Phelym did borrow about two hundred pounds of the saide James Maxwell about the rebellion a month before the rebellion in of Ireland and that hee beleiues that the said persons were hanged and drowned by the direccion of the said Sir Phelym as hee beleiues all the others murthers were done hee haueing the sam who le only C heife comand in the Country, as he belei u es <11. h.> Hee further saith that Sir Phelym ô Neales Cheife Councellors nere Tirlagh Grome ô Quin Patricke <N> Modder ô Donelly, Cormucke ô Hagan, Shane ô Neale Gouernor of Charlemount, and that hee the examjnant was present and saw them take an oath the tenor whereof was to bee true to him and to his son Henry and to receaue and obey his comands and to giue him theire best advicses on all occasions, which oath was tendred by to them by Patricke ô Cosh Sir Phelym ô Neales Preist Hee allsoe saw Michaell Dunn of Knockearne, often with Sir Phelym ô Neale and priuately whispering with him but doth not know whither or noe hee were one of his sworne Councellors, Hee saith that in the month of december 1641 the examjnant beeing at Mr Graues house in Armagh, there were present Sir Phelim ô Neale, Tirlagh oge ô Neale his brother, Paule Neale Guardian to the ffryars of at the Bentree, and discourseing about the Pales riseing and ioyneing with the said Sir Phelym, the said Sir Phelym said they (meaneing the Pale} should not draw
7)

fol. 130v

2414
<O> draw theire heades out of the Collar for that they were as deepely ingaged as hee was, which hee would make appeare and after the returne of the said Sir Phelym from Bewly where hee receaued his Comission, from Bewl, as aforesaid Paule Neale metting with with the said Sir Phelym asked him what hee had done with the Pale to which the said Sir Phelym made answeare that hee had made [the Pa ] the vgly ill fauored English Churles of the Pale [ go t ] come out, lett them <K.> gett in as well as they could, after which the < [ ] > said Sir Phelym at the hill of Tulloghoge summoned (the Country beeing summoned and hee made there Earle of Tyrone that beeing the place for creating the ô Neales) mett the a great number of the Country, to the number of about ffifteene thousand, and parte whereof marched with the said Sir Phelym to the seige of Drogheda and the other parte marched to Antrym vnder the comand of Tirlagh ô Neale, brother to the said Sir Phelym ô Neale And as to the mannor of the said Sir Phelyms beeing created Earle of Tyrone hee saith that on the said Hill aforesaid the said Sir Phelym standing under a sally or A sh tree, Capten Tirlagh ô Neale came to the said Sir Phelym and told him that they wanted a Gouernor to comand them in that busines they had vndertaken and that hee was made cheife of, if hee would please to accept thereof, to which the said Sir Phelym at first seemingly denied, but afterwards
8)

fol. 131r

2415
afterwards Tirlagh Grome ô Quin Cormacke ô Hagan, <Q> Patricke Modder ô Donelly and one of the Cahans (whose name hee remembreth not) came againe to the said Sir Phelim and tould him if hee would not accept of that Gouern e ment title they would finde another, to whereuppon hee accepted thereof with the a generall acclamacion and shout of the people, and the same night the said Sir Phelym did send letters to Major George Rawden and Captain Hartnell, to which lett r e s hee subscribed himselfe Tyrone which lettres were <13> written by the examjnant, Hee further saith that the said Tirlagh Grome ô Quin was a Capten vnder the Comand of the said Sir Phelym and that hee S on the xxijth of october 1641 at night the said Tirlagh Grome and with many of his followers surprized the Castle of Mountioy and killed (as the examjnant heard) six persons whereby Corporall Pue beeing of the age of about <14.> fowrescore yeares was one as hee was tould an d as it w as comonly reported at Charlemou { n t } Hee further saith that in December 1641 hee was tould (by a person whose name hee now remembreth not) that hee was present in the towne of Charlemount when a soldier under the comand of Sir Phelym ô Neale <S> haueing killed an Englishman and a Protestant (whose name hee remembreth not) was apprehended by a ffryar called ffather G ynory who was guardian of the Dominican ffryars neere Colerane, and brought by the said ffryar with his sword bloody to the said Sir Phelym and the
9

fol. 131v

2416
the ffryar tould the said Sir Phelym that hee if hee would not punish his soldiers for killing such as hee had protected God Allmighty would not prosper his undertakeings, to which <T> the said Sir Phelym made answeare and said goe about your busines it doth not concerne you, and soe lett the soldier goe vnpunished <15.> for ought the examjnant euer heard, Hee saith that hee heard it comonly reported that Henry Cowell formerly menconed in this examjnation was murthered because hee would not consen{t} to marry [Sir] the halfe sister of the said Sir Phelym <16 in. se. p. 6. f.> And beeing demaunded his cause of knowledge wherefore the seuerall English mencioned in this examjnacion were remoued out the of the County of Armagh into the County of Tyrone, h e e saith that the same day they were soe remoued hee saw a note signed by the said Phelym directed to the Constables of Clanfeickle Parrish, the tenor whereof was as followeth You are to remoue the seuerall Brittish Inhabitants of the towne of Armagh out of the said towne <V> and quarter then by two and three in thee a towne land in the said Par lower parts of the said Parish next the Brentree woods, and to secure them and haue them forthcomeing vntill the said Sir Phelym should call for them or words much to that effect and that they hee saw them in the [hands] custody of said C onstables when the Constable shewed th{e} <said warrant to the examjnant and that they> were quartered in the towne lands accordingly and after they were soe deuided in the said towne lands they were all murthered that night as hee was credibly informed, the cause of his knowledge is that hee liued
10)

fol. 132r

2417
liued in the vpper side of the said Parish where they were quartered as aforesaid, and that the next morning hee the examjnant sent to visitt some of his neighbours, who were remoued into the said <A> Parish as aforesaid, and that the messenger brought him word that the sa his said Neighbors were killed and that hee thought all the rest were killed for that hee mett none of them in the said Parish, and that it was comonly reported that they were all killed, Hee saith that Mr Phillipp Parker and Mr Robinson of Killmore <17. n.> were then murthered in the said Parish, He farther saith that he heard it commonly reported that Sir Phelim o Neile did send a warrant to Mc Mahon (then resident at the Lo: Blaneys house in Monaghan) for putting to death Richard Blaney Esquire which <18. o.> was donne accordingly. And saith that Sir Phelim ô Neile was commonly Phelimy Totan which signifieth burning or smoakeing Phelimy alluding to the burnings & wastings of the Country by him & that in theire songs they would say that Phelimy Tot an [ Tolan ] brought in Christmas before its time, intending the greate numbers of Cattell slaughtered then in the Country & the Countrys joy & rejoicing then.
11)

fol. 132v

2418

12

fol. 133r

2419
<19> This Examinat farther sayth that abowtt the 14th of December 1641 Sir Phelim O Neale with A Route of 1500 men <C> wente to the Towne of Strabane in the Count{y} of Tyrone to reduce that Towne as he alleaged into the obedience of the Kinge, & Parlament of Dublin to suppress a puritan faction then risinge in Vlster, and thatt att thatt tyme there was burninge spoyling, & [ruine] committed one the Brittish Inhabitants of those Quarters by the sayd party, and this Examinat further sayth thatt aboutt the xvjth of December newes [ ] was broughtt vnto the sayd Sir Phelim ô Neile thatt there was one hundred horse sallied out of Strabane to reduce the howse of Sir William Hamilton called Donnemanagh a great papist wherein was att that tyme commaunder one Hugh Murry o Devin, and thatt presently Sir Phelim o Neile (vpon the newse thereof with 500 horse, and foote of his sayd Route, wentt to relieue the sayd house; and did beate away the sayd Scotts; and vppon pursuitte of them did kill 5, or 6 of the sayd men whereof Capt. forbugh was one; his cause of Knowledge is, that this Examinat goeing alonge nextt Morninge to Strabane with the sayd Sir Phelim; saw the sayd [-] Cor p s deade there, and thatt he was informed Capt forbugh was one of the number
<20.> And this examinat further sayth, thatt he heard thatt one Mr Chappell of Armagh had three fatt oxen; and thatt he gaue two of them to Tirlogh oge o Neile, soe he mightt be
13

fol. 133v

2420
assured to keepe the 3 d. and thatt one Edmond boy o Hugh stole the sayd oxe from the sayd Mr Chappell; and being apprehended for the same was committed to the Gaole of Armagh; and by negligence of the keeper escaped; and three men thatt were appointed to watch the Gaole were Committed for the sayd Escape, an English man, A Scottch man, & an Irish man, the Englishman, and Scottchman were executed and the Irishman (one Hagan) saved by his frinds, wherevpon itt was Commonly reported thatt theis men were executed for sufferinge <D> the Murderer of the Lord Caulfeild to Escape vppon A Gallows erected before the Gaole doore <21.> And this Examinat further sayth thatt aboutt the begininge of febr: followinge, there were A greate Number of English Prissoners in the Towne of Dunganon; and thatt the sayd Prissoners; requested of the sayd Sir Phelim o Neill A safe conduct to Colrane; which was graunted them; & they Committed to the safegard of Collonell Manus Roe o Cahan to be conveyed as afforesaid; but before they had passed twelue Miles of their way, they were all Murdered whereof Mr [-] Beveridge the Minister of Killemara was one; and noe punishemente inflicted on the Murders; nor soe much as euer called to question for the same for ought this Examinat could euer heere.
14

fol. 134r

2421
<22.>And this Examinat further sayth, thatt in March or Aprill followinge one Bromlow Taylor the sonn of Thomas Taylor of Armagh; both vnder Sir Phelim o Neills Protectione, procured by this Examinat gooing to looke vppon some Chattell of his fathers within two Miles of Armagh vppon A farme called Castledillon was apprehended by some of the Irish, pretendinge he was flying to the Einglish Garison at Lisnegarvye; and was Caryed to Tirlogh oge <E> o Neill att Armagh; and from thence sentt to Sir Phelim o Neill att Charlemontt where this Examinat then was, and there lay committed thatt night in the same howse with this Examinat; nextt Morninge one Shane o Neill Capt of the sayd Castle, came to the sayd Bromlow Taylor, and wished him to prepare himself for death, for thatt Sir Phelim o Neill had given him Speciall orders to hange him presenttly; wherevpon this Examinat desirred the sayd Capt to respite executione for A whyle being informed, that one Henry o Neile of the fues would suddenly come, and saue his lyfe. butt the sayd Capt answered Againe, if he be nott hanged this Morninge by 8t of the Clock, I must hange for him; and therevpon the sayd Bromlow Taylor was hanged in Charlemountte Towne thatt very tyme
<23> And this Examinat further sayth, thatt aboutt the tyme the Einglish Army Marched outt of Belfaste into the Enemys Quarters, there were 60 brittish or thereaboutts, broughtt out <2> of the parish of Loghgall in the County of

fol. 134v

2422
<f> Tyrone, to be in the Parish of Killaman secured as was pretended, with a warrantt vnder the sayd Sir Phelims hande commaunding the sayd Inhabitantts to keepe them safely, which warrantt this Examinat saw; butt thatt nightt they were all murdered, as the Common reporte went; of which Number this Examinat Knew Mr Edward Chadwell, & his wyfe, yett none euer questioned for the same.
<24.> This Examinat further sayth thatt in December 1641, Sir Phelim o Neill goeinge to take in Castledirge from some few Einglish (in those partes) thatt had possessed themselues of itt, had one of the Neills killed by them of the sayd Castle, and another hurtte; and seeinge he was nott like to gaine the sayd Castle, he grew very Angry, and aboutt three of the clock in the Morninge he called for one Brian mc Artt oge o Neill, and <g> commaunded him to take with him 500 men, & to burne & prey all the Country called Ederaown and to kill man, woman, & child they should meete with; and thatt by daylight he would March, after him with the rest of the men which was Accordingly putt in executione, many women, & children being then killed; the men beinge before fledd to places of Strength This Examinats cause of knowledge is, thatt he heard the sayd orders given, and thatt next Morninge he saw A dozen of the Corps dead, and that Sir Phelim o Neill saw the sayd women A killinge, and neuer countermaunded itt, as this Examinat could euer heere.

fol. 135r

2423
<25> And this Examinat further sayth thatt aboutt the tyme the Brittish Army Marched firste to the Newry. This Examinat came from his owne house att Currin to Charlemontt and meetinge with one Lysagh that wayted on Sir Phelemy in his Chamber demaunded of him whatt newse, The sayd Lysagh answered thatt Tirlogh groome o Qwin, & Pattrick <k> moder o Donnelly were the nightt before with Sir Phelemy, assuringe him thatt the Brittish Army aboutt Belfaste were reddy to March And the sayd Lysagh further tould this Examinatt thatt the sayd Tirlogh groome o Qwin demanded of the sayd Sir Phelemy whatt should be down with the remainder of the Einglish that were att Armagh, for thatt as soone as euer the Brittish Army would approach, the sayd Brittish would with Clubbs, & Stones ioyne with the sayd Armye to cutt the Irish Throattes; but if the sayd Sir Phelim would giue them the sayd Tirlogh Groome, & Pattr: moder leaue to cary their Companyes to Armagh; they would secure the sayd Einglish soe well, as they should haue neuer cause to feare them againe, Sir Phelemy asked how; The sayd Tirlogh groome sayd by Killinge of them butt Pattr: moder denyed itt; and sayd he would neuer consentt to kill any that was vnder Protectione, And this Examinatt demaunded of the sayd Lysagh whatt the said Sir Phelim then sayd and he answered that Sir Phelim bidd Tirlogh groome doe his please{ure} for thatt the Einglish were allways running away
17

fol. 135v

2424
 and gaue the Enemy Intelligence, and thatt there was noe truste to be had in them: And this Examinat saw the sayd Tirlogh groome goe towards Armagh, and the nextt day the Church was fyered, and aboutt 60 persons Murthered in and aboutt the sayd Towne, as the generall reporte was; and within two days thereafter this Examinat heard Sir Phelim say, that he hoped he would be noe more troubled with the Einglish aboute him for thatt Tirlogh groome o Qwin had taken A good Course with them. And thatt aboutte A Moneth after this the Examinat & his wyfe being newly deliuered of A Child gott into the Einglish Army; the first thatt euer Marched into the Enemyes Quarters; And by the greatte Providence of the Lord, to be whome be all Glory, & Power for his Marveilous d eliuerances vnto his [ ] owt t of the hands of Cruell Tyranny
And this Examinat further sayth that within a forttnightt after the Massacre att Armagh vpon some discourse thatt hapned betweene the sayd Sir Phelim and others; hee sayd Tirlagh groome o Qwin did nothinge in the late bussiness att Armagh, meaning thatt Massacre butt whatt he had directions from him for

fol. 136r

2425
<26.> The Examinat further sayth that in Noue: 1641 he comonly heard there were about sixty persons of the Brittish Natione, comminge from Monahan <K> and Glaslogh to Armagh, all drowned att the Brydge of Cortynan within A Mile of Kinard by some of the Hughs, Sir Phelemys followers and thatt none of them were euer questioned for the same to this Examinatts Knoledge
<27:> And further this Examinat sayth, thatt in <27> Novem: 1641 itt was generally reported, thatt there were 20: or 30 persons cruelly Murdered in Kinard by the sayd Hughs, whereof Mr Humphry Potter was one; and an Einglish woman Sir Phelim broughtt outt of Eingland for A nurs as this Examinat heard was another. And Sir Phelim o Neill Commaunder in Cheife of all neuer questioned the same, for ought this Examjnant could euer heare.
<28.> And this Examinat further sayth, thatt one Mr Starky Aged aboue 80 yeeres, with his two daghters flyinge from Ardmagh to Charlemountte for shelter in those horridd bloody tymes, were murdered, and drowned in A Turfepitt neere Charlemounte as the generall reporte was <L> And thatt the wyfe of Brian Kelly then of Charlemountt drowned A dozen persons in another Turfepitt in the Parish of LoghGall, withoutt being euer questioned for the same, and past by in sylence as all Murders were.
Thatt in Decem: 1641 one Hugh o Neill servantt {to} Sir Phelim, who is now vnder protectione nee{re} Lisnegarvy, was sentt to the Lord of Antrims to Stt. Katherins Sir Nicholas Whytes howse, his directions were nott knowne to this Examinatt
19

fol. 136v

2426
<29.> Thatt in December 1641 Sir Phelim o Neill with greate ostentatione in the Examinatts hearinge tould the Lady of Strabane being then A suter <M> vnto her, thatt he would neuer Leaue of the worke he hadd begunn, vntill Mass should be sunge or sayd in euery Church in Irelande, and thatt a Protestantt should not Liue in Ireland be he of whatt Natione he would.
<30.> And this Examinat further sayth, thatt att Braganstowne in the County of Lowth in febr: 1641 Sir Phelim o Neill wrytt A lettre vnto the Lord Taafe in Connaghtt, much to this purpose Thatt the Lord Taafe with the rest of the Roman Catholicks confederatts in that Province should vigourously prosecute the warr accordinge their first undertakings, vntill all the hereticks meaninge the Protestantts were all rooted out and thatt if they did nott vnanimously proceed in thatt bussines, he would as soone as he had reduced Droghedah March thither with his Army, to spoyle, and distroy all those that were refractory, for thatt all of them were as deepely ingaged in the bussines as he was, and thatt they should nott withdraw when they pleased. This lettre was wrytten by fryer Peter Taafe, signed by Sir Phelemy, deliuered to this Examinatt to be made vp; which he then pervsed, and then deliuered itt unto the sayd fryer to bee sentt away.

fol. 137r

2427
And this Examinat further sayth thatt moste of all the Murders sett foorth by this Examinantt were Comitted within A dozen Miles of Charlemountt, and thatt he verely beleeveth Sir Phelim o Neile was privy to, & Guilty of all the sayd Murders, in regard he was Comaunder in Cheife, & in whose breath was Lyfe, & death and neuer reprehended any of the sayd Murderers; and this Examinat verely beleeveth further, thatt the sayd Sir Phelemy was guilty of the sayd Murders in regard he gaue warrantts of safe Conductt to them that were to be sentt away, and they were as report wentt Cutt of by their Convoys; and warrantts of security to them thatt were to be quartered on the Townlands and they cutt of by the Inhabitantts and being tould of their foule murders by this Examminat, the sayd Sir Phelim answered he had nothinge to doe with itt. neyther did the sayd Sir Phelim euer Question any of the Convoys; or any of the sayd Inhabitantts for any of the sayd Murders.
Mich: Harryson
Taken before me
Hen: Jones

35

fol. 137v

{2428}

fol. 138r

2429

fol. 138v