Examination of Elizabeth Trafford
- Reference: MS 817, fols 302r-303v
- County: Longford
- Date: 5/5/1654
- Type: Commonwealth
- Nature of Deposition: Arson, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Stripping, Words
- How to Cite
fol. 302r
2147
The examinacion of Elizabeth Trafford widow the Relict of mr Thomas Trafford late of longford Minister deceased taken at dublin the fifth day of May 1654 before Thomas Richardson one of the Justices of the peace for the said Citty and County of dublin.
The said Examinant being duely sworne and examined sayth That before and vntill the late horrid rebellion of the Irish being in the yeare 1641 shee and her said late husband lived in longford aforesaid, where being informed that the Irish were all risen vppe in Armes, and that many of them were comming towards longford to rob and destroy the English, thereuppon the Examinants said husband with herselfe, mr John Kennedey and his wife, mr Martin, mr Butcher, mr Baker, mr Isaak King, mr Raph Griffin and his wife, and some other English persons whose names shee now remembreth not, gott all into the Castle at Longford, with such bedding and Trunks and provision of victuall, and such Cattle as they cold gett also into the Castle, on or about the seaven and twentyeth of October in the said yeare 1641 <A> And further sayth that about a fortnight after, the said Castle was beseiged by Conocke mc Rosse fferrall and divers vnder his command, but who shee remembreth not, which seig continued till about three weeks before Christmas followeing, and then the Castle was surrendred vppon Articles that all the English therein shold haue libertye to passe away to dublin with their wearing apparell onely, saving that such as had horses were to enioy their horses, to helpe to carry them away to dublin, And further
fol. 302v
2148
further sayth that shee doth not well remember whose hands were to the said Articles on the behalfe of the Irish Rebells saue onely the hand of the said Connocke mr Rosse, & Captaine <C> Roger Nangle, but on the behalfe of the English the said Articles were signed by this Examinants husband, mr Thomas Allein, mr Martin, mr Raph Griffin & some others whose names shee remembreth not, but sayth shee was present when they said Articles were signed, And that within halfe an hower after signeing the said Articles there was a guard of the Irish Soldiers made from the Castle gate downe to one mr Thomas Alleins house, neere the Castle where the English such as had horses were by agreement to take horse and the rest to mark march with them, and all to haue a guard for their defence to goe of as neere dublin as they durst for feare of the English Army, And the English vizt the said mr Allein, mr Martin, Mr Griffin, this Examinants said late <D> husband and her selfe with he others marched out accordingly, towards the said Alleins house, but assoone as they were all out of the Castle, all the Irish Officers went into the Castle, and shutt the gate (the names of any of which Officers shee doth not now remember) and imediatly therevppon the whole rabble of the Irish Soldier s Rebells there, fell a stripping & murthering of the English, where they stripped this Examinant to her skin, and her husband to his shirt, and mrt murthered her said husband before her face, and most of the rest of the English, And being demanded whether shee remembereth the names of any of these bloody murtherers shee do <symbol> sayth shee doth not remember any of them. And being further
fol. 303r
2149
<D> further demanded whether shee saw ffaghy ffaghny mcLisagh, called ffaghny beg fferrall, or Bartholomew Nangle in the tyme of the said seige or murther, and whether they were in Armes, shee sayth that shee did not see the said ffaghny fferrall in longford, but hath heard seuerall tymes (during her being in the Castle at longford) that the said ffaghny fferrall was often in the towne of longford during the seige, And that hee frequentlye sate in Councell with the Irish Officers there about the disposing of the English, and their estates, And that their debates were whether all the English, men woemen & children shold be slaine, or onely the men, and whether at the very Castle or at a brig the Bridge of Ballinelacke, seaven miles from longford, where they had a guard to kill all the English that passed that way, And further sayth that shee saw the <D> said Bartholomew Nangle seuerall tymes (during the begining of the seige) walking vp and downe the towne with his sword vnder his Arme, And hath bin since informed by a sonne of mr John Kennedeys of the Mullagh neere longford That vppon the same day the said massacre was committed, and after the perpetracion thereof, the said Bartholomew Nangle went about the towne of longford with his sword in his hand lifted vppe, and in a <f> ioyfull manner sayeing All was their owne, the day was their owne, and they had conquered all the English, And now they shold be themselues againe, or words to that effect And further Sayth
fol. 303v
2150
that shee beleiveth Connor Kenny, and Henry Soar living in longford And the wife of One Bryan ô <g> Carre then living also in longford can and will giue true evidence (if they be examined) of the names of all of or most of the persons who wer Actors or Abatters in the said seig and Massacre And further sayth that shee and the rest of the English in the Castle were informed that Bartholomew Nangle had given the said Rebells a Tarre or pitch barrell wherewith to sett fire to the Castle gate the same night, whereuppon they within the Castle gott water ready to the gate, by which meanes they prevented the firing of it, which was was attempted according to ther said Intelligence, And further shee sayth not saving that shee knoweth not who brought the said Intelligenc{
Elizabeth trafford
Deposed the day and yeare
first within written
before mee.
Tho: Richardson
Thomas Richardson