Nature of Deposition
There are 16 main categories
Main Categories |
|
| Category | Action |
|---|---|
| Apostasy | Abandonment or renunciation of one’s religious faith, phrases commonly used ‘turned to mass’; turned Papist’; people are referred to as apostates Deposition of John Hibbetts, MS 833, 8v |
| Arson | Deliberate burning of property or goods Deposition of Edward Cooper, MS 833, fol. 123r |
| Assault | Physical assault on a person, not resulting in death. Deposition of Nehemiah Richardson, MS 836, fol. 67r |
| Captivity | Any form of imprisonment and also forced labour for captors Deposition of Edward Sanders, MS 837, fol. 173r |
| Death | Death by privation. Death due to the rebellion but not directly caused by the rebels for example refugees who flee to Dublin and died of starvation on the way Deposition of Philip Ward, MS 833, fol. 82r for death by starvation |
| Desecration | Destruction or damage of religious property or symbols such as churches, bibles etc. Also the digging up of bodies in graveyards For bible burning see Robert Browne, MS 834, fol 103r For digging up graves see Ambrose Beddell, MS 833, fol. 105v |
| Killing | Any form of killing Deposition of Elizabeth Birtch, MS 832, fol. 188r |
| Military Action | Battles, sieges, skirmishes, any form of military/army movement Deposition of Anthonie Atkinson, MS 834, fol. 147r |
| Multiple Killing | Massacres Portadown: Deposition of Elizabeth Price, MS 836, fols 101r-105v Island Magee: Deposition of Rich: Magee, MS 838, fols 156r-157v Belturbett: Deposition of Ambrose Bedell, MS 833 fols 105r-106v |
| Rape | The term rape is rarely used, search for other terms e.g. ravish. Deposition of George Burns, MS 839, fol. 39v |
| Robbery | All forms of robbery: plunder, spoil, despoil, stole Deposition of George Shaw, MS 837, fol. 65r |
| Stripping | Of Clothes |
| Signs and Wonders | Apparitions, miracles and other wondrous events including ghosts and natural phenomena such as fish dying in rivers after a massacre. Ghostly Apparitions: Deposition of Elizabeth Price, MS 836, fols 102v-103r Fish in the river at Belturbett: Deposition of Thomas Smith and Joane Killin, MS 833, fol 266r |
| Words | Anything reported as being said by the rebels. Common things include references to the king’s commission, that the rebels are the Queen’s soldiers, that they fight against the puritan parliament Deposition of Thomas Crant, MS 832, fol 212r-v |
| Supporting Statement | A deponent supports the deposition given by another deponent |
| Succour | When someone assists Protestant refugees Deposition of fferdoragh Magee, MS 838, fol. 35r |
Image taken from Samuel Clarke, A generall martyrologie: containing a collection of all the greatest persecutions which have befallen the church of Christ from the creation to our present times (London, 1660), produced by the courtesy of the Board of Trinity College, Dublin.
Other Common Categories |
|
| Category | Action |
|---|---|
| Cannibalism | Usually words like ‘eat’ and ‘flesh’ are used Deposition of Peter Hill, MS 837, fol. 36v |
| Confederacy | The person is involved in supporting the confederates through various means such as the payment of taxes. This category is common in Wexford |
| Lost in debt | Debts owed to or by the deponent, usually includes a list of names Deposition of Thomas Newman, MS 833, fol. 38r |
| Witchcraft | Witchcraft Deposition of Anne Dawson, MS 836, fol 228r |
| Logistic Support | Providing logistical support |
| Enforced Labour | Enforced Labour |
| Recognizance | When a deponent gives a bond or surety to appear in court. Recognizance of Robert Merryman, MS 837, fol. 79r |
| Index, Pass, Petition, Letter, List of depositions/names, Empty/Empty Pages, Cover page, Introduction, Title page, Prefatory statement, Points for examination, Supplement to original, Investigative, Memorandum | Most of these only appear once or twice and are self explanatory |
Image taken from Samuel Clarke, A generall martyrologie: containing a collection of all the greatest persecutions which have befallen the church of Christ from the creation to our present times (London, 1660), produced by the courtesy of the Board of Trinity College, Dublin.