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Examination of John McConnell Ferrall

  • Reference:  MS 817, fols 275r-276v
  • County: Longford
  • Date: 14/2/1653
  • Type: Commonwealth
  • Nature of Deposition: Assault, Captivity, Death, Killing, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Stripping
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  • How to Cite
    • fol. 275r


    2153
    The Examinacion of John mcConnell fferrall of Tyrlechan in the County of Longford gent aged fifty fiue yeares or there abouts taken before Coll Tho. Herbert & Edward Richardson Esquire Members of the high Court of Justice sitting at Dublyn &c.
    The said Examinant being duly sworne and examined saith that about the latter end of October in the yeare of our lord 1641 hee was in dublyn when Sir James Dillon then eldest son to the Earle of Roscommen receaued Armes & Amunicion from the lords Justices & a Comission to leavy & arme men for the suppressing the Rebels <A> then confederated in the County aforesaid, & to raise the seige at that tyme afore the towne of Longford. And that hee this deponent went with the sayd Sir James from dublyn at that tyme, not vntill hee came within 2 miles of the seidge: there being then diuers horse & foot in Company. He also saith that hee this deponent & Richard ffarrall of Bawne Bawne were then sent by the sayd dillon to treat with the Rebells & to signify to the [ ] said Rebells (the Comanders in cheife being Cormac mc <g> Ross fferrall and Rory mcGerald ffarrall) that if they would disband and submitt themselues, hee had authority to pardon & [ ] protect them. being admitted & having deliuered their message, forthwith {by order} of the Rebells Commanders { } <B> the sayd John mcConnell & Richard fferrall were disarmed, their horses tak{ } them, & the sayd John receaued many blowes at that tyme, which Cormac { } <q. of what place> & James mcGerratt of Corbeagh & ffaghney mcJames of Lyney both dead then gaue him. after which { } Richard ffarrall were for three dayes by the said Rebells made close prisners. during which tyme { } aforesaid (leaving some free to block vp the Castle of Longford) rose, and p{ } Sir James Dillon vnto Callo; where, not daring to trust his small force { } past over the Shannon & gott safe to Athlone. The deponent & his Rich{ } (who were committed to the custody of some ffryers) in the meane tyme { } The Rebells imediatly reternd to beseige Longford. which after about { } <C> seige was renderd vnto them by Thomas Allen; mr Tho. Trafford, Rog{ } Griffyn, Francis Martin & other English men, who (as the deponent hear{ } diuers) had quarter giuen them therevpon. But, as this deponent { } bin told, were vpon their marching out of the sayd Castle, carryed to [ ] { } of one Robert Petit an Inhabitant. of the towne of Longford, where they were { } first stript & then Murderd by the Rebells aforesaid. onely Thomas Allen wa{ } made prisoner two or three dayes & then hanged in the sayd Towne by one Com { } <D> Cham, who had orders to do so from the cheife Comanders aforenamed.

    fol. 275v


    2154
    <E> Being demanded what was become of the sayd Cormac mcRoss & Rory mc Garrald fferrall. Hee this Examinant saith that Cormac mac Ross was kild at Roeconnell in the County of westmeath (a yeare or 2 after the said Murther) by some of Sir Charles Cootes forces then marching out of Connaght vnto Dublyn. and that Rory mcGerrald fferrall & his brother Lisagh mcGerrald fferrall (who was one of the principalls in the seige) are living. but in what place now liv residing, knoweth not. And being demanded who were then at the sayd leaguer afore Langford & at the deliuery of the sayd Castle to the Rebells hee this deponent saith that when Sir James Dillon sent him to treat as aforesaid hee saw there Cormac mcRoss. Rory mcGerrald aforesaid. Lisagh mcGarrald brother to the sayd Rory. James mcGerrald (since dead) ffaghny mc James fferrall. Murrogh mcEdmond Reagh now living. ffaghny mc ffergus now living. Richard mc Connell, brother to Lisagh mc Connell both aliue Roger <hand> Nangle (since kild in the North by Sir Charles Cootes men.) Hugh mc Richard fferrall. Levallen Nugent & many others whose Names hee remembreth not all which hee hath heard were at the taking of the Castle. He also saith that John Reynolds was of the County of Letrim was there; who (he heard) is dead since. which Reynolds with his owne hands (as he this deponent hath been told by many) stabd mr Trafford the minister who also was wounded at that tyme by diuers other of the sayd Rebells.
    Being demanded who murderd George ffoster and his wife & children. hee this deponent saith that hee was not at plough a litle aboue a musquet shott from the place where the sayd Geo. ffoster, and his wife and children were murderd. and that that vpon hearing the cry & firing a musquet. hee this deponent made hast home, where hee found them murdred a pistoll shott from Terlicken where this deponent then lived. & for 2 moneths before had giuen the sayd ffoster and his wife and children house roome & dyett. and being demanded who killed them he this deponent saith the Murderers were fower or fiue of Sir James Dillons men, being all Irish men; one of which hee this deponent knew, & that his name is John Sallagh whom this deponent accused the same day vnto Sir James Dillon, who presently disarmed the sayd Sallough; & causd him & the rest of the Murderers to be committed by the Major of the Regiment. but knoweth not what became of them afterwards: Howbeit hee is assured they were never condemd nor executed for that murther Notwithstanding that this deponent. & one mrs debora Hollington did sundry tymes desired the sayd Sir James Dillon to do Justice therein.

    fol. 276r


    2155
    Being demanded how hee came by an Examinacion (taken by Oliuer fzGerald of fforthinuyre Esquire then a Justice of the peace in the County of longford) of diuers persons accessoryes in the murther of longford, Hee this deponent saith that before the sayd Oliuer <G> FzGerald went to Spaigne hee the sayd Oliuer (being the deponents wiues neare kinsman) entertayning the deponent at his house in fortinvre aforesaid & shewing the deponent many other papers, hee the deponent desired that Examinacion from him fearing that thereafter that horrid Murder might afterwards come in question & the {Examinant be} charged with Itt. which Oliuer condiscended to & thervpon gaue Itt this Deponent. & being demanded if the sayd fitzGerald did acknowledge Itt to be taken before him He this deponent saith hee did. & also knowes that Itt is writt by the sayd Oliuer fitzGerrald. both hee & others in dublyn knowing his hand. but the cause of his knowledge is, for that the sayd Oliuer told him that hee writt it himselfe, & that hee tooke the more paynes in It, being desiring to haue the Murther fully discouered & punished. and further saith not.
    John fferrall
    this Examinacion was deposed
    before vs the 14 of ffeb 1652.

    <hand> This Examinant being further questioned if levallen Nugent & Hugh { } ffarrall were beseigers of the Castle of longford Hee this depon{ent } that as in his Examinacion aforesaid hee did see the sayd Levallen N{ugent } Hugh mc Richard fferrall there 2 months before the deliuery of the { } being there when the Castle was surrendred hee cannot positively say { } owne knowledge, but hath heard from diuers persons of credit, that they both were there when the Castle was yeilded vp & the sayd murthers Committed. & further saith not.
    John fferrall
    this further Examinacion & the former
    was deposed likewise the 14 ffeb
    1652. before vs.
    Tho Herbert
    Tho: Richardson

    fol. 276v


    2156

    15.
    Examinacion of John mc Connell
    fferrall of Terlicken touching the Murther
    of Longford taken 14 ffeb
    1652

    2 Ex

    x



    Thomas Herbert
    Thomas Richardson



     

Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2