1641 Depositions

Information of Captain John Perkins

Reference: MS 839, fols 040r-044v
County: Tyrone
Date: 8/3/1644
Type: Information
Nature of Deposition: Apostacy, Arson, Captivity, Killing, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Robbery, Words

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fol. 40r

1405
The examinacion of Captaine John Perkins of Dungannon in the County of Tirone aged threescore and thirteene yeares taken the eighth daie of March 1643 before the his highnes Commissioners by vertue of his Ma i esties a Commission dated the vnder the greate Seale of Ireland
1 The examinant beinge dewly sworne and examined vpon the holly Evangelist saith that hee beinge in his Castle att dunganon the twoe and twentieth daie of October 1641, beinge fridaie about six of the clocke att night Patrick Modder O Donnelly with his brother <and a> Preist O Skeaghe and an one other in theire company of the donnellj came to the examinats howse and desired a warrant from the examinant to searche for some sheepe which they pretended to bee stollen from the saide Patrick Modder, wherevpon the examinant beinge a Justice of peace admitted them and beinge aboute to writte a warrant acordinge to their desire desire, one of the fower before named wente to the gate and lett mcRandell mcdonnell and eighteene more with him whoe rushinge violently into his halle with skeanes presented to his breste and arrested him by authoritie as theye saide from the Parliament and possessed themselves of all his Armes and all the goodes in his hows{e} vizt horses sheepe howsehoulde stuff money and plate to the value of fifteen hundred poundes ster, and afterwardes the saide Patrick Modder told the examinant that Sir Phelym O Neale woulde bee there before midnight, and that before the next daie att tenn of the Clocke all the Townes and fortes in Irelande woulde bee theirs and accordingly about midnight Sir Phelym O Neyle came to his <b> howse and Smileinge Saide, a yow old foxe haue I caught yow I am glader to haue yow then my Lo: Cawlfield, whome I haue left safe enough att Charelemount, wherevpon this Examinant demaunded of Sir Phelym what hee meante whoe answered feare not your life for this night all the Kingdome of Irelande is owre owne, and all the Towne, and fortes are owrs and wee Shall bee free from the thraldome wee haue soe longe endured, wherevnto this examinant replied wee shall haue a second O doghertie of yow, whoe loste his heade a yeare after the burninge of Derry and killinge the Govern{or} att which answer of this examinant S i r Phelym was angry and presently <B> Commaunded his men to goe to the examinants stable and sadle his horses whereon Sir Phelym & his company rode and went that night and surprized the Castle of Mountioy after which Sir Phelym retourne{d} to Dunganon and presently came to him many of his confederates <B> of the Neales viz Bryen mc Arte oge o Neale mcTirlagh Leynag{h} of Slewtrim gent, Arte oge mcArte mcRry O Neale of the Barony of the Omy Shane o Neale of the same with all the Sept of the Neales of the saide Barony of the Omy & Strabane whoe then murthered mr John Madder a minister in their waie to Donganon, and after their Cominge to Donganon they

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1406
2. they by directions from Sir Phelim pulled all the leade of the sessions howse and Gaole, and then some of them murthered mr Roger Blyth the minster there to whome Sir Phelim had given a particuler proteccion and many other of the inhabitants of that Towne, notwithstandinge that Sir Phelym had protected them formerly and promised to leave the Towne and the inhabitants thereof safe, to to this examinants care came vpon consideracion a 1000 li. shoulde bee cutt vppon the Lordship of Dunganon.
afterwards the saide Sir Phelim Committed John Allen Provost of Dungan{on} to Nicholas Combe, seneschall of the Mannor & this examinant close prisoner for a weeke duringe which tyme Sir Phelim and his compa= <C.> ny plundered and kild threescore families in the Towne & Lordship and after made one Bartholmew Baath Capt and Provost in the Towne, to govern the Towne, accordinge Sir Phelimes pleasur thereby abrogatinge his Maiesties power & breakinge the proteccion made to the examinate, in behalfe of the Towne, presently after Sir ffelim and his confederates leavinge the examinant with stronge guardes in his howse, they wente abroade and pillaged and killed all rounde aboute in the Countreys save some fewe to whome hee gave proteccions, which parties soe whome the protected were given <3.> were notwithstandinge afterwardes killed and plundered {an}d still pursueinge his outrage, burnt & spoyled the Countrey{side?} where the brittish inhabited, and styled himselfe Phelim Totan Tohan{ } which beinge interpreted, is burninge or smokinge Phelim, which hee hath hearde Sunge in severall rymes (duringe his imprisonment) and all which the saide hearers did much reioyce, about a moneth after Sir Phelim returned to Dunganon with Collonell Richard <c> Plunkett Colonell Con O Neale, Roger Moore, father Paule O Neale, ffather Tho: ffleminge the Lo: of Slanes brother, and <4> many other friers and Jesuites, and father Neale O Neale whoe went 13 tymes from Sir Phelim to Brussels in halfe a yeare, as hee confessed to this examanint which neale o Neale brought a bull or letter from the Pope, which this examinat sawe to Create Sir Phelim Prince of Vlster which title the saide Sir Phelym att the hill of Tulloghoige accepted accordinge to the Irish manner of the Creation of the greate O Neales and from thenc forward hee was called his excellencie and Lorde, and his <5> meate served with drummye and trumpet, After which Sir Phelim came to this examinat, and told him hee had authoritie from the supreame Councell of Irelande to make him Master of the ordnance of Irelande & that he next hee should haue the Commaunde of 1000 foote and 100 horse, and three pounde a daie but the examinant refused to accept that of him, and desired
John Per{kins}

fol. 41

1407
Sir Phelim either to enlarge him or cutt of his heade for he woulde neuer draw his sworde against the king wherevpon Sir Phelim told this this examinant he hadd a Comission from his Maiestie ffor what they did with power to Conferre the place on him, to which the examinant Answeared when he saw that Comission he would then giue an Ansuer to which Sir Phelim Answered it should not be long before he saw it After which Sir Phelim o Neyle with the rest before named of his adherents went and burnt strabane and all the Londoners plantacons and murdered burnt and spoyled all in their way which when they had done they returned to Dungannon about Christmas after wher the examinant was prisoner & brought with them their, the Lady of strabane (the Earle of Antrim then possteing by Dungannon The Sayde Sir <C +> Phelim leaving the Lady at Dungannon followed the Erle of Antrim <D> & had conferrence with him, After which conference Sir Phelim came <6.> to Dungannon to the sayd Lady and carried her and this examinant to his house at Kinard where this examinant informed himselfe of the Murther and killing of the Thoby Lo: Cawfeild with [ ] at Sir phelim o Neyles house at Kinard aforesaide the sayd Lord Cawfeild being in the Custodie of Neyle McKenna cheiffe of that name and one Captaine Neyle Moder o Neyle, whoe brought him the sayd Lo: Caufeild from Charlemount to be Conveyed whether this examinant knoweth not And sayeth that the Lo: Cawfeild was shotte in att the backe by one of the Hughes servant and fosterer to the sayd Sir Phelim o Neyle, and this examinant haueing stayd 2 or 3 dayes at Kinard by Sir Phelim he sent a convey with the Lady to Sir Geo: Hamilton and the examinant sayth that during his being at Kinard he was perswaded by some Jesuits friers and Preists to renounce his religion but vppon Conferrence the Jesuits and the rest, findinge they cold not perswaded him he was destined designed to be hanged which was not done: they considering better of it presently After Sir Phelim hearing of Owen Roe ô Neyle was landed at Castledoe in Tireconell he sent the examinant backe to prison to Dungannon where he remayned many dayes And After Sir Phelim intending the taking of the towne of Drogheda in ffebruary 1641 the said towne being then beseiged by the power of the McMahons the Relys and Roger Roger Moore and their confederates in the pale and the Counties of Lowth and Meath this examinant was with a trope of horse was carried to Armagh where he remayned 2 or 3 dayes In
John Perkins

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1408
In which tyme the examinant goeing only to vizit Nicholas Sympson Esq one of the knights of the shire of the county of Monnoghan he was like to be hanged for so doing, from Armagh this examinant was caryed by Sir Phelim to Drogheda, ther Sir Phelim setled himselfe at Bewly and ioyned with other forces that were at the leager before, where the examinant was promised to see his Maiesties Comission and receiue his comaund as before he hath declared, The examinant <X> further sayth that he being at Beuly still demaunded the sight of the kings Commission he was Answered by Sir Phelym and his company that the Lordship of the Pale woulde meete on the other side of the water, whither not longe after this examinant in Sir Phelyms company went in a boate ouer the water where they mett the viscount <d> Gormanstowne the Lord viscount Nettervill the Lord Baron of Trimlestowne the Lo: of Lowth ffather Tho. fflemming Mr Plunkett of Bewly Dowdall of Killally and his brother Jo: Stomely of Marlestowne Esq, Corronell Richard Plunkett, [William ? ] Barnewell of Rahasker And many other gent Jesuits and ffryers, where Sir Phelim and they had a Commision Comu ni cation for the taking of the towne and it was there averred that the ffryars within would make a passage to lett them in by a breach in the wall, at which Conferrence Sir Phelim o Neyle and the foresaid Lords and gent of the Pale wished this examinant to take the Chardge of the ordinance and to surprice the towne the examinant Answere was he was promised to see the Kings Comission, but they would not nor could not shew him any, but after they Conveyed him to Bewly with a garde of men, shott & pikes & forced him to plant their ordinance, but before the forsinge, Sir Phelim willed the examinant to goe to Masse, for that his Majestie went to Masse, p saying that no townes in Ireland stoode against them but Drogheda and Dublin & that all Ireland would be theirs the examinant replied to him his Majestie might Commaunde his body but not his soule, Presently After this
John Perkins

fol. 42r

1409
this examinant was Commaunded to advance with the ordinance soldiers and guners at Drogheda being on Satturday night with this examinant (not dareing to doe otherwise) came neere to the walls of Drogheda, where Sir Phelim and those of his adherents advanced with their scaling ladders, and Ponthouses to the sayd walls but by {the} defendants within beinge beaten of and failing of thier purp{o}ses, were compelled to fall downe to the water againe to stopp the shipping that was then comming in, for releife {of} Drogheda, yet notwithstanding the Gunnsrs that this examinant was Constrayned to bring thither, did the shipping litle or noe harme, but that (god be thanked) they releiued the towne & this examinant for that he did not vse meanes to destroy the said shippinge as he might haue done as they sayd S{ir} Phelime and his adherents alleadged, was like to haue been{e} hanged by them, The examinant sayth also that Sir Phelim ô Neyle next day goeing to Tulloghollan within 2 miles of Drogheda to there order with his army for the further anoying the tow{ne} of Drogheda he intended was by the honorable defendants of Droghed{a} assaulted, beaten, and driven away vpon which Sir Phelim se{nt} directions that this examinant should be conveyed away with the g{uard?} he was formerly guarded with & the ordinance to Dund{alk} which was performed and this examinant coming in company w{ith} the ordinance to Dundalke Sir Phelim and such broken c{om}pany as he had lefte to the number of 2 or 3000 ca{me} thither also and in his company the Lo: of Lowth and {the} gentrey of the County of Lowth whilest Sir Phelim & {his} company [ ] were in Dundalke the Gover{nor} and Commaunders of Drogheda pursuinge them came to Ardee, and there tooke the towne and defeated the forc{es} there, and further the said gouernors & Comaunders m{ar}ched forward to Dundalke at whose approach the said Phelim & the rest, sent this examinant to a Castle, and to take notice where the ordinance was to be placed, for t{he} defence of the towne, wherevppon this examinant gave relacion to them that he conceiued them to be 2000 foote bes{ides} horse, when as to his owne knowledge they were not 800 this examinant, directed the ordinance to be planted so that the{y}
{John Perkins}

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1410
they could noe wayes assayle the defendants nor doe any harme to the assailants And the Lo: of Lowth at that tyme demaunded of this examinant what he thought, whither the Gouernor and his company were able to take the towne, the examinant towlde him and some others by, they could not be resisted, & that out of doubt the towne would be taken, so that presently the Gentry of the County of Lowth together with the lord of Lowth and many of the inhabitants of the towne rann away & left the towne to Sir Phelim and his forces with whose flight some fower houres after this examinant acquainted Sir Phelim, whoe beinge amazed thereat, and in great feare commaunded his horses to be made ready and took this examinant with him & fledde and left his ordinance neuer discharging the same & the towne well victualled, ffrom <7.> thence flying he fled to Armagh wher After shortly <C> he began his bloudy Massacres by commaundinge Manus Ã” Cane to gather all the protestants that were left thereabouts together to conduct them to Colrane but before they were scar c e the y a dayes Journey from him, they were all Murthered to the Number of at least 300. Tirlagh o Neyle brother to the sayd Sir Phelim o Neyle, beinge a principall actor in the Murthers & especially cawse d one Bartholomew Taylor an Inglish manns sonne that was god sonne to this examinant to be hanged be= <8> fore his face nott suffering him to speake to this examinant And also put to death Liuet. Cowells sonne, [ ] Liuet James Maxwell & Hugh <Ecklin> Cohlin Esquire and his sonne, these were soe put to death by speciall directions from Sir Phelim and Tirlogh his brother notwithstanding they were formerly protected by the sayd Sir Phelim and his brother Tirlagh, which Tirlagh was made a Governour by them of the towne and County of Armagh which gouernor, gathered together the Cheifest of the aged people in Armagh as namely Mr Starkly the schoolmaster <9> of Armagh aged 80 yeares and more, two of his daughters Mr Griffin the Curate and many more, & pretended to send
John Perkins

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<10> Send them to Colrane but at Charlemount he gave directions to Murther them which was done accordingly and presently after his brother & he with his adharents malitiously sett on fier the goodly Cathedrall Church of Armagh the whole towne of Armagh, & murthered and drowned them to the number of 500 persons younge and olde, vppon Intelligence his Maiestie forces were advanced to the Newrye & not onely that towne was by them burnt but the whole country rounde aboute notwithstanding Sir Phelim had vnder his hand covenanted with the towne of Armagh that noe hurt should haue beene done to them either in liues goods or estates; And further this <E> examinant saith that in the parish of Killaman neer adjoyninge to Charelemount there were Cruelly murthered by Shane ô Neyle Captain of the Castle of Charlemount vnder Sir Phelim o Neyle, to the Number of 48 families haveing beene protected by Sir Phelim three quarters of a yeare & more, And the examinant further sayeth as he hath heard from the Irish themselues that in the parish, & in the Countie in the Countie of Ardmagh there were murthered most parte of the brittish inhabitants and protestants to a number, not to be related. Whereupon this examinate benige Comitted close prisoner sawe out the wyndowe of his Chamber the English Armye Commaunded by the Lord Conwaye, and Mountgomerye sett downe before Charlemont, where had they remayned but twoe dayes longer they had taken it they beinge destitute of municion, within, and within a matter of six wee{kes} <g> after, Owen mcArtt mc a Barrane O Neill Came thither and his forces which came out of fflanders with Donell Ã³ Cavin whoe was himselfe made generall of Vlster & the saide
John Perkins

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Donnell O Caen his Livtenant Generall which saide Donnell within a while after was slaine by some of Sir Robert Stewart his forces with many more, and afterwards the saide Owen mc Artt, stoped the murtheringe of many women and Children and Caused Charlemont to bee fortified where hee with Sir Phelymy O <h> Neile placed one Tirlagh mc Bryan mc Henry oge O Neill Governor of the same which saide Tirlaugh caused many to bee putt putt to death vnhumanly, and with the Consent of father Gregorie, and one Captain Henry O Hughe Commaunded this Examt to bee murthered in his bedd, but one Capt Neall Modder O Neale prevented the same but advisinge them to putt him to death out of Charlemounte, which within a weeke after they toke this examinant out of the Castle of Charlemount where there war in presence Mrs Elizabeth Clothworthy a widow then prisoner with her twoe daughters and soonne, whoe gave vnto this examinat a wyndinge sheete vnder his arme, which hee carryed to the place of execucion, p but by Gods providence the Generall Owen mc Artt beinge newly lighted Caused this Examinat to bee staied, and soe sente him to prison again where hee remained vntill hee was released by vertue of the Cessacion the 25th of October then followinge duringe which
{John Perkins}

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tyme the Earle of Antrym his brother Called Allexander came thither, the Lo: of Evaugh Munke Civly, Russell of Learell, Michaell Dune Hachy O Neile, Artt oge O Neill, Captaine Tirlogh O Neile, Tirlagh Grome O Quine Patrick Modder O Donnell, Neile mc Kenna of the Troughe, Artt mc Con mc Shane O Neile, Rory mc Gwire with many of the Chief of the O Hanlons the O Relys and mc Mahons with many ffryars and Jesuites, whoe had many meetings to settle and plante theyre lawes, and to make Sherives, Marshalls and Justices which was all done by directione from the Supreame Councell from Killkenny as they saide.
And further deposeth not.
John Perkins
Jurat. 8. Martij 1643
Hen: Jones
Hen: Brereton

14

fol. 44v

1414

Tirone
Capt John Perkins
Jur 8 marcij 1643

Tirone
Captaine John Perkins
Jur viijo Marcij 1643
Intw Ex

Henry Brereton
Henry Jones

Trinity College Dublin