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Examination of Neile oge ô Quin

  • Reference:  MS 838, fols 038r-039v
  • County: Derry
  • Date: 17/3/1653
  • Type: Commonwealth
  • Nature of Deposition: Captivity, Military Action, Multiple Killing, Words
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  • How to Cite
    • fol. 38r


    [4261]

    The examinacion of Neile oge ô Quin late of the parish of Lissan in the County of Londonderry Gent: taken before vs at Colerane the 17 day of March 1652
    Who being duely examined saith That vpon Thursday or Friday the 21th & 22th of October in the yeare 1641 Cormacke ô Haggan since killed by the <A> Brittish at the battell of Clownush sent a letter vnto this Examinant vnto his house about three Miles distant from Moneymore desireing his Company there, for that his sonn Shane O Haggan with his Company of ffoote which he had raised by the Kings Authority & had license to transport for Spaine were ready & would on the said ffriday randevous at Moneymore That vpon the said lettre he went vnto Moneymore with two boyes to wait on him vpon Saturday the 23th of October in the afternoone & the

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    the first man he mett with in the Towne was one James Younge a Scotchman who dwelt then in Moneymore & now or about two yeeres since lived in Antrim, which James Young with his sword drawne & his pistoll in his hand being standing in the Street this <B> Examinant asked him what was the matter & he told this Examinant that the said Companey which Shane ô Haggan had raised to carry for Spaine were quarrelling with the English & Scotch in Moneymore Vpon which this Examinante tooke his pistoll from him there being a great Companey of Irish in the Street least he should hurt any of them & he & the Examinant went to the same James Youngs house & locked the doore least he the said James Younge should goe out or the Irish come in to doe him hurt And being demaunded why the Irish & Brittish at that tyme quarrelled he saith he did not much enquire but heard that it was by [ ] reason the Irish would not pay for their drinke And this Examinante further saith that he delivered the said James Youngs pistoll vnto his wife & after a little stay in his the said Youngs house he this Examinante went out to Cormack ô Haggan whom he mett with in the streete (the whole Towne being full of Irish as if it had been a markett day) which Cormack o Haggan shewed this Examinante an order from Sir Phelomy roe ô Neile whereby this Examinant was requered to take & guard Sir Thomas Staples house at Lissan & to keepe Sir Thomas Staples his family & Tennants safe from pillageing & when he gave this Examinant the said order he the said Cormacke told this Examinante that there was further business in hand then he this Examinant knew of, & that if all the Irish did not <C> presently rise in Armes for the King they would be kill’d & vndone That at that very instant the said Cormacke ô Haggan with about twenty men entred & surprised the Castle of Moneymore for the Kings vse this Examinant being at the Gate with him & his men but not goe in with him But this Examinant according vnto the said Order from Sir Phelomy roe ô Neile that Saturday in the night came vnto Sir Thomas Staples house & Towne at Lissan

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    Lissan & before he came thither Patricke ô Mallan since hanged at Dublin & Phelomy Modder ô Haggan killed at Glanmaquin fight with about twenty Irish men had surprised Sir Thomas Staples house. Wherevpon this Examinants men & those he raised in the Towne <D> being about forty men broke in vpon them (they being vnarmed) & put them out of the house. That Sir Thomas Staples was no{t} then at home but his lady & Children were in the house & he saith that vpon Munday morneing the 25th of October 1641 h{e} sent the Lady Staples vnto her husband Sir Thomas wh{o was} at Cookestowne two miles of with the foremencioned or{der to} see if he would come home vnto his house & she cam{e}{} & told this Examinant he would not come wherevpon he {this} Examinant & his men kept the house & Towne at Lis{san}suffering none to kill or pillage the Inhabitants go{} That about one Moneth after this Examinant & his m{en} had staid at Lissan Mr Michaell Harrison (now dwelling a{t}{} heares at or neere Lisnegarvey) who was then Sir Phelomy roe o Neiles secretary came vnto Lissan by order from Sir Phelomy & tooke an Inventory of all Sir Thomas Staples houshold stuffe Iron & other goods being displeased that the said Sir Thomas did not come in vnto this Examinante vpon his order sent vnto him as aforesaid by the hands of his said lady. That after the said Inventary taken & returned vnto the said Sir Phelomy by the said Michaell Harrison he this Examinante sent the said Sir Thomas Staples Iron & other goods as he required them <E> And this Examinant further saith that he imployed the fforgemen in makeing of Iron at Sir Thomas Staples Ironworkes & the Brittish Carpenters & Smiths who dwelt at Lissan & in the Countrey about in makeing pickes & pikeheads And this Examinant being demaunded if he was at the fight at Garvagh where Mr Rowley Mr Canning & about 200 Brittish were killed he saith he was a volunteer there & that the Irish Army was then commanded by one Manus roe ô Cahan & the said Cormacke ô Haggan, but he saith he kill’d none, but saw some kill’d by whom he doth not know That after that victory over

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    over the Brittish he returned unto his Command at Lissan And all the Brittish Inhabitants of Lissan remained safe & vntouched in <f> body or goods by this Examinante or any of his men & none of them were kill’d vntill the Redshankes or Highlanders vnder the Command of Allester McColl came over the Bann in May 1642 And being demaunded if some of the Youngs who were Inhabitants of Lissan were not murdred there he saith that Andrew Young was about Christmas 1641 murdred in his owne house in Lissan (this Examinant being then absent) by James mcIveagh his fellow prisoner & one Henry O Haggan since kill’d as the common report went, & alsoe he saith that he heard one James Young & John Armstrong were kill’d by some of the Irish goeing from Lissan towards Moneymore But this Examiannt saith that he or his followes did not kill or were present when any were kill’d about Lissan but saith that he afterwards arrested the said James McIveagh & Henry ô Haggan at Dungannon & caused a Councell of Warr to be called vpon them before Sir Phelomy roe where they came of but he doth not know how And further he saith not

    Tho: Coote
    Rich: Brasier Maior



    Richard Brasier
    Thomas Coote



     

Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2