The Information of Mr.
James Carroll, Junior, of the City of
Dublin, in the Kingdom of
Ireland, Spanish Leather-dresser; and also a Freeman of the City of
London, an
English Protestant, born at
New Castle upon
Tyne, the first Discoverer of the Horrible and Bloody
Irish Plot against the Protestants of that Kingdom, upon the
12th day of
April, Anno 1672. Taken upon Oath before the Right Worshipful Sir
George Treby, Knight, Recorder of this Honourable City of
London, by His Majesties Order in Council.
THIS Informant saith, That he, together with
James Carroll, the elder, this Informants Father, having occasion to travel in the said Kingdom of
Ireland, to buy Wool, Skins, and other Commoditie relating to the Trade or Calling of this Informant, did on the said
12th day of
April, Anno Dom. 1672. arrive at
Portumna, in the County of
Gallway, a Town belonging to
William Burke, Earl of
Clanrickard, and took up their Lodgings at the house of one
Thomas Allen, an Inn-keeper, then living at the Sign of the Black-Spred Eagle, in the said Town of
Portumna, which said
Allen then was a Tenant or Steward unto the said Earl of
Clanrickard; and this Informant saith, that the said
Thomas Allen then and there falling into discourse with this Informant and his said Father, supposing them to be
Irish, this Informant's said Father speaking the
Irish Tongue, did enquire of them what News there was abroad: whereunto they answered, that they had been travelling up and down the Country, but heard no strange News: whereupon he said to this Informant and his said Father in
English, as followeth:
If (said he)
we have news, that the Dutch
are beaten, whom we are in great hopes utterly to destroy, for that's the l
[...]ght we must put out, we have so good assurance not only from France
but England
too; for there's one, we are sure, will stick by us; then my Lord Clanrickard
will presently sound a Trumpet, and I will go along with him, and three or four score more of this Town, well horsed and armed, and every man five pounds in his Pocket; and I hope I shall kill an hundred of the Protestants, Anabaptists, Independents, and such like Phanatick Rogues, before I am killed; for I expect a Quarter-Masters place in the Troop that is here to be raised, and I will have some of them upon the point of my Sword before the last of June:
and as for those that are here in this Country, we will soon cut them off, they shall have no
[Page 2] help to come from the other side of the Brook (meaning
England) for we have taken care to prevent that, by having an Embargo put on Shipping, that none can come from thence to help them; so that we shall be twelve to one, and leave them neither root nor branch, nor spare them as in their former Rising. Whereto this Informant and his said Father answered, and said, This is strange news indeed: whereupon the said
Allen askt this Informant's said Father (thus) Why did not you hear what was spoken at Mass yesterday, being
Easter-Munday? And the said
Thomas Allen still continued to declare to the effect aforesaid; furthermore cursing the
English in a most horrid manner, declaring their wicked and bloody designs against them. And this Informant saith, that upon his return from
Portumna to
Dublin, aforesaid, through his duty and allegiance to his Majesty, and natural affection to his Country-men, the Protestants of that Kingdom, resolving to reveal and, make known such the Treasonable and dangerous words of the said
Thomas Allen, did immediately repair to one Dr.
Topham, a Master in
Chancery, before whom the Informant did upon his corporal Oath declare and make the same known: and saith, that presently after this Informant was sent for, and did accordingly appear before the Lord
Berkley, his Majesties then Lord Lieftenant, and the Council at
Dublin, and by them examined touching the Premises, which this Informant again confirmed upon three several Examinations before the said Lord Lieftenant and Council: and after that this Informant was sent for before. Sir
Robert Booth, Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas at
Dublin, and by him ingaged to prosecute the said
Thomas Allen for the said Treasonable and dangerous words. And this Informant saith, that soon after this Examination aforesaid, a certain
English man, who, as this Informant was informed, had been an old Souldier, or Officer, and lived in, or about the County of
Wicklow in
Ireland, whose name this Informant hath forgot, came also before the said Lord Lieftenant and Council, and there upon his corporal Oath declared, that there were some certain
Irish-men about the time of the said
Thomas Allen's Speeches, offered him a Commission to raise men, and also to impower him to give Commissions for that purpose to whom he should think fit; and advised him to get all the assistance he could, and told him, he should be supplied with money to carry on the business, and they should be in a readiness within twelve days, then next following; for that they expected about that time to rise, and be up in Arms against the Protestants in
Ireland: and saith, that about three Weeks or a Month after, all the said
English-mans Stock, Cattle, Goods and Substance were taken from him, whereby he was ruined and quite undone: And although the said
English-man Petitioned the Lord Lieftenant and Council for relief, in such his distressed condition, yet could he not obtain any relief, as the said
English-man declared, and told this Informant, who since that time could never see him, or hear any thing of him. And this Informant saith, that being, as aforefaid, engaged by the said Lord Chief Justice
Booth, to prosecute the said
Thomas Allen, a Pursevant was accordingly sent for the said
Thomas Allen, but he could not be found; and immediately after this Informant saw the said
Allen and the Earl of
Clanrickard together in the said Earls Coach, come into
Dublin, where the said Earl appeared with the said
Allen, as his assistant;
[Page 3] and the said
Allen, together with this Informant, presently appeared before the said Lord Lieftenant and Council, and by them was examined concerning the said Treasonable words and Speeches so by the said
Allen spoken, as aforesaid: all which the said
Allen denied; and also denied, that this Informant, or his said Father was, or were at the house of him the said
Thomas Allen, or in
Portumna, at the time aforesaid: whereupon this Informant being again examined, in the said
Thomas Allen's presence, did again confirm the truth of the Premises, and then also proved, that this Informant and his said Father, were the
12th of
April in the house of the said
Thomas Allen, in the Town of
Portumna. And this Informant the better remembers it to be on the day and year aforesaid, for that he had a Bond which was then and there sealed and delivered to this Informants use, where
Simon Allen a Brother to the said
Thomas Allen, had set his name as a witness. And upon this Informants then producing the said Bond, and shewing the same to the said
Thomas Allen, he could not deny the hand-writing of his said brother. Thereupon the said Lord Lieutenant and Council declaring they were very well satisfied of the truth of this Informants evidence, did press and importune the said
Thomas Allen to make an open and ingenuous confession of the whole truth of the matter; telling him if he did not confess, it would be worse for him. But the said
Thomas Allen notwithstanding obstinately persisting in his said denial, was by the Lord Lieutenant and Council ordered to stand committed close prisoner without Bail or Mainprise, and so commanded the Gaoler to take him away. Nevertheless the said
Thomas Allen was the very same day, by the prevalency, interest, means and procurement of the said Earl of
Clanrickard, or otherwise, set at liberty upon his giving his own security of One-hundred pounds penalty, personally to appear within ten days next after notice should be given for that purpose, to be left at the house of one
Thomas Lowe, scituate in St.
Thomas Street in
Dublin, before the Lord Lieutenant and Council, and not to depart without license.
And this Informant further saith, That some short time after this Informant and his said Father having further occasion to travel in the said County of
Galway, they came to the River
Shannan, where the wind being very high, it was late before the Ferry-boat could pass them over to the said Town of
Portumna, where they arrived on a
Saturday in the evening; but finding the inhabitants there to gaze upon them, and draw tumultuously together, conceived it altogether unsafe to lodge there; and therefore altho' they were both very wet and weary, did rather chuse to travel four miles further, to a lone house on the road to
Loughreak, and six miles short of
Loughrea, whither they intended that night to have gone, had they not been prevented by the delay of the Ferry-boat, as aforesaid; and the next morning, being
Sunday, about eleven a clock in the morning, they came to
Loughrea, wherethey rested that day and night; and yet at or by the instigation of the said Earl of
Clanrickard, and
Thomas Allen, or others his Accomplices, the Constable of
Loughrea and several other persons with him, came very
[Page 4] early the next morning, being
Monday, to the house where this Informant and his said Father lodged that night in
Loughrea aforesaid, and there very rudely throwing open the Chamber-dore, frightned them out of their sleep, and there by virtue of a Warrant from one
Iames Donnallan, then a Steward also to the said Earl of
Clanrickard, a Papist, but yet a Justice of the Peace living near
Loughrea, seized this Informant and his said Father upon a pretence that they travelled on the Sabbath or Lords day, whereas several of the Inhabitants there travelled and came all that Sabbath-day into
Loughrea, with their Carts and Horses Loaden from
Athlone Faire, Twenty Miles distant from
Loughrea, and yet none of these inhabitants were any ways troubled or molested for their so travelling on the same Sabbath day. And the said Constable and those persons with him, then also seized and took away a Case of Pistols, and two Swords belonging to this Informant and his said Father, then lying on the Table in their Chambers, and said this Informant and his Father intended to kill some body with the Pistols and Swords, whenas in truth they only carried the same about with them for their own defence. And this Informant nor his said Father could never get their said Pistols or Swords restored again to them. And the said Constable, and those other persons then with him, as aforesaid, having seized and forced this Informant and his said Father out of their bed, did also then force them to travel six miles to one Dean
Peirse, a Justice of the Peace, and Minister, living at that distance from
Loughrea; and the said Justice of the Peace, or Minister, reproving this Informant and his said Father for such their travelling on the said Sabbath-day, told them withall, That he had heard they had given in evidence against the said Earl of
Clanrickard, and thereupon committed this Informant and his said Father to the Gaol at
Loughrea aforesaid, whither he commanded the Constable to carry them, and gave him private directions, as this Informant knows, because he overheard him, that
no bail should be taken for them, or either of them, altho' he the said Justice or Minister just before pretended to this Informant and his said Father, that they might
give bail. And this Informant further saith, That he and his said Father being accordingly carried by the said Constable and those with him, into the said Gaol in
Loughrea, were by the instigation, prevalency, and directions as aforesaid, there kept close prisoners for about five or six days, and by the Keepers of the said Gaol denied and not suffered to have any bed to lye on, but only the ground in the said Gaol wherein they were so kept; nor any clothes to cover them, save only their own wearing clothes on their backs: and altho' they earnestly requested to have some sheepskins-brought to cover them from the cold, yet could they not obtain leave to have the same done: neither would the said Keeper, having receiv'd such directions as aforesaid, suffer any Friend to come into or near the said Gaol or Prison, to speak with, or do any thing for this Informant or his said Father, or to bring them any relief, or suffer them to have any victuals or drink; neither had they any whilst they continued there, but what they could privately get of the poor prisoners in the same prison. And altho' this Informant just as he and his said Father were so brought to, and going into the said Gaol, did employ an
[Page 5]
English man, a person living in
Loughrea, and gave him money, and lent him this Informants Horse, to convey or carry a Letter from this Informant and his said Father to
Galloway, but Fourteen Miles from
Loughrea; yet within an hour or two after, fearing the Earl of
Clanrickard's displeasure, being (as this Informant hath great cause to believe) charged by some or other of the Earls Agents or Tenants there, at his Perril, as he told me, not to convey or carry the said Letter, did return this Informant his money again, and said, that the said Constable,
Christopher Poor by name, and a Popish Constable in
Loughrea, told him, the said person, that if he should carry the said Letter, or any other ways appear to do any thing for this Informant or his said Father, that the said
Earl of Clanrickard
would ruin him and his Family: And the better to colour the said malicious and injurious prosecutions against this Informant and his said Father, several persons by such instigations and prevalencies as aforesaid, were procured to report, that this Informant's said Father had a design to
burn the said Town of Loughrea; and that besides the said Information against this Informant and his said Father for such their travelling, as aforesaid, on the Sabbath-day, there would be
seven or
eight other Indictments preferred and prosecuted against them, at the then
Galloway Assizes: and in such Condition this Informant and his said Father lay in the said Goal or Prison in
Loughrea, aforesaid, for some considerable time, and perhaps might there have layn (if not destroy'd or famish't before by their cruel usages) had not this Informant, through a Window of the said Prison, accidentally seeing a stranger riding by, conveyed to him a Letter, directed to some friends of theirs, then living in
Galloway, where, by such means, the said Letter was received, and understanding thereby such the sad Condition of this Informant and his said Father, their said friends did presently make application to the Judges of the Assizes, then sitting there at
Galloway, and of them obtained an Order for the removal of this Informant and his said Father thither. And they being by the said Keepers of the said Goal thereupon brought to
Galloway at night late, were put in the vilest Prison in that Town, amongst the condemned Malefactors, and without any accommodation at all; and the next morning they were brought before the said Judges, Baron
Heu and Judg
Cusack in the Court of Assizes, they then sitting, where an Indictment was then preferred and read against this Informant and his said Father, for such their travelling, as aforesaid, on the Sabbath-day; and another malicious Indictment was then also preferred there, and read against this Informant's said Father, whereby it was charged, That he as before (which was most falsly and maliciously reported) had a design to
burn Loughrea. And to the first of the said Indictments this Informant and his said Father upon the Courts demand submitted; and to the last, this Informants said Father put in his Traverse; and altho' no prosecutors or witnesses then appeared against either of them; yet were they ordered to give
One thousand pounds Security not to depart the said Town of
Galloway without leave of the said Court: and some time
[Page 6] after, on the last day of the said Assizes, they were ordered by the said Court to give, and accordingly did give
new Security to appear there again at the next Assizes, and to keep the peace, and be of
good behaviour in the mean time; and having given security, and the said Assizes being ended, they then repaired to
Dublin, which is about
one hundred miles from
Galloway; and from thence were forced to repair back again at the next Assizes accordingly to
Galloway, to their great trouble and charge; and when they came there, none appeared to maintain the aforesaid Indictment. But as if all these malicious and most vexatious proceedings had been nothing, this Informant was again arrested the fourth of
November following, in an Action of
Ten thousand pounds in the name of
William Earl of
Clanrickard, and thereupon being hurried to prison, within four days procuring Bail, he was again detained on another Action in the said Earls name, of
Twenty thousand pounds, bearing date the eighth
ditto; and being ready to come forth again, was a
third time detained at the said Earls suit in an Action of
Thirty thousand pounds, in all amounting to
Sixty thousand pounds, laid upon him on purpose to ruine him utterly. And further saith, That within fourteen days, or thereabouts, after, the Informant procured a
Habeas Corpus to be brought to the
Common-Pleas Bar, where tendering Bail to all the said Actions, the said Earls Council moved for time to consider of the sufficiency of the said Bail; which was granted them till the next day, when and where this Informant was again brought; and then the said Earls standing Council told the Judges, That they had no directions or instructions to prosecute this Informant from the said Earl; and that they conceived some persons had prosecuted him out of malice only to curryfavour with the said Earl; and therefore desired he might be discharged of the foresaid Actions, and accordingly he was discharged paying his Fees; but then left without all
remedy to recover his charges and damages; the said Earl being at the said Bar, declared to be
no prosecutor, tho' the said Actions were in his name, and carried on by secret order (as this Deponent has all the reason in the world to think, and does most assuredly believe). But all these vexations sufficed not, but being fully resolved on the destruction of this Informant, and a discouragement to others; For his innocence, though zealous in performance of his duty in revealing the said Treasonable words, he was again shortly after arrested by a Writ of Two thousand pounds out of the Kings Bench, at the suit of the said Earl of
Clanrickard; to which he gave bail; and again in some short time was arrested at the suit of the said Earl, in another Action of Two thousand pounds out of the said Court, to which he also gave bail: and being bound, as aforesaid to appear at
Galloway Assizes, this Informant and his said Father did accordingly attend, and were there cleared, as appears by the the following Discharge.
At a General Goal-Delivery, held at St. FRANCIS ABBY, near GALLOWAY,
March the 4th, 1672.
MEmorandum, That at the said Assizes,
James Carrol Seignior, and
James Carrol Junior, appeared upon their Recognizances, being bound over from the last Assizes; and nothing now appearing against them, were discharged by Proclamation.
Dated ut supra,
Per Jo. Caroll, D. Car. Cor.
The first of the last mentioned Actions being laid for two thousand Pounds damages, was dismiss'd for
Non-Prosecution: On the second Action of two thousand Pounds was declared, that this Informant had scandalized the said Earl to the damage of the foresaid Action; and though the said Actions were taken out of the Kings Bench,
Dublin, and the Declaration fyled there; yet the said Earls Council moved the Court, that the
Venire might be laid in
Galloway, and the Action tryed there: Whereupon this Informant petitioned the Court that the
Venire might abide at
Dublin, and be tryed there; setting forth, that
Dublin was the place where he had made discovery of the Treasonable Words spoken by
Allen, on which the said
William Earl of
Clanrickard's Action was pretendedly grounded; and that his Witnesses to prove the said
Allen had spoke those words, were in
Dublin: That
Galloway was a place where the said Earl was very
Potent, and above an hundred miles distant from this Informants and his Witnesses Habitations, which Journey would be to their great costs and charges, besides the imminent danger of their Lives in going thither, or coming from thence, by those rude and exasperated persons that live on the way: That what he had done was in discharge of his duty to his Majesty, and preservation of the Protestants, and wherein he had done the said Earl no wrong. But if the said Earl were
slandered, or was any wise scandalized, it was by the said
Thomas Allen his Tenant or Steward, against whom in Right and Justice he ought to have taken his Remedy (if he had thought it safe so to do) and not against this Informant: Yet (notwithstanding) several Petitions, and some Affidavits taken in Court, and also pleaded by this Informants Council, Sir
Richard Reynolds, and Counsellor
Whitfield, to have the Tryal kept at
[Page 8] the
Kings Bench Bar, Dublin, they were still put off and denied by Justice
Oliver Jones, an Irish Man, a reputed Papist; and there being no other Judg on the Bench, He in a great passion adjourned the said Court from Ten of the Clock till the next day, and continued the Adjournments for two or three days together, merely upon the motions of this Informants Council, to have the said Tryal held at the Bar, being the proper place; but the said Judg still denying it, answered, he
had resolved to the contrary; and thereupon this Informants said Council told him, they had lost the Judges favour for that Term, for being so much concerned for the Informant, and likewise assured this Informant it was contrary to Law and Justice, and common practice, for the Judg so to do. Then this Informant was forced with his said Father his Witness, to Travel to
Galloway to attend the said Tryal there; where though he was there three days before the day of Tryal, yet could he not get any
Council for money to plead his cause. Then at the appointed time, Petitioning the Judges to assign him Council, and allow one day to advise with them; Justice
Jones would allow no time. The Earls Council urged there were three Councils unretained by the said Earl, whom this Informant did retain, giving them their fee, eighteen Shillings each man, with the Breviates of his Cause, which were drawn by Counsellor
Whitfield, the Informant being forced to be content with the said Council, who were all Irish Papists. The only matter and issue for this Informant was, to prove that the said
Thomas Allen had spoken the said Treasonable Words, which was so well proved by his said Father his Witness, that one of his Council told the Court the Evidence was sufficient, but was over-ruled by the said Justice
Jones, saying, That that was not the case now; and beckoning with his hand to this Informants Council when he spoke the words; so that none of the Informants Council spoke a word more on his behalf at that time. But Judg
Povey declared to the Court, that it was sufficiently proved that
Thomas Allen had spoke those words; however the Jury being some of them outlaw'd, and most of them Papists, and some of them Tenants, others Bayliffs, and all of them some way or other related to the said Earl, who was then present at the said Tryal, brought in a Verdict against this Informant for two thousand pounds Damages, and six pence cost; upon which the said Earl hath since in
Dublin obtained a Judgment against this Informant for the same to his utter Ruine, the said Earl being a dangerous Papist, of great power in
Ireland, and as this Informant is credibly informed, he then was and still is Admiral of the Irish Seas belonging to
Galloway under the Duke of
York, and it was then reported he was to be Governor of
Galloway, in the Year 1672.
And this Informant further saith, That at
Galloway the same day after the Tryal was over, he was endeavoured withal to be perswaded to submit himself to the said Earl, and to declare what he had done
was at the instigation of some others, as being his only way to be safe; and that the Earl would then pay him his Charges, and discharge him of the said Verdict, which he only obtained for his credit: And it was
[Page 9] then also added, by
John Carrol Clerk of the Crown, that otherwise, Let this Informant return to
Dublin which way he would, there were those Related to the said Earl would wait
to do his Business for him. Whereunto this Informant replyed. That he never was put on by any one; That what he had declared was no more than what the said
Thomas Allen had said; and that if it was to do again, he would do it; looking upon it a duty incumbent upon every good Subject, and that he would take the best care of himself he could in returning home, trusting in God to preserve him from such as sought unjustly to do him hurt: And to that purpose finding himself
often threatened, and many times abused in
Galloway, he was forced, together with his said Father, to get thence
by Night, and forsake the common Road, and to go all the
by-ways they could to secure their lives; they having since been credibly informed, that they were pursued by
seven Persons near sixty miles, to have done them mischief; and lately this Informant was credibly informed, that there was a Life-Guard man hired to kill him upon the Earl of
Clanrickard's account at,
Dublin.
Furthermore, In
November, 1678. the said Earl of
Clanrickard understanding that this Informant and his said Father had made a Relation of their great sufferings by the said Earls unjust Prosecutions, and the great charges and damages they had thereby sustained; he the said Earl on the thirtieth of
November, took out Writs of
one thousand pounds out of the Kings Bench against this Informant and his said Father, and by virtue of the same Arrested his said
Ancient Father, and there most inhumanely abused him, and laid him in Prison from the Thirtieth of
November till the expiration of two Terms, before an appearance could be allowed of in the Kings Bench; and also another Writ out of the Common Pleas of
one thousand pounds laid upon this Informant's said Father, which occasioned his Imprisonment until the twelfth of
May following, to the great charge of this Informant.
And this Informant further saith, That one
Burke, a Steward or Agent unto the said Earl of
Clanrickard, declared to his face, that he would be
the death of this Informant if he could conveniently light on him; and to accomplish in part his bloody Resolution, did so severely strike this Informants Wife, who was the Daughter of Captain
Thomas Ellis, Merchant of the City of
Bristol, that from that time she lay in a languishing Condition until she dyed, being the Second of
November, 1680. it being in the house of this Informant that he committed the said Assault, he the said
Burke bringing Bayliffs and sub Sheriffs Officers, eight in number, to assist him; and this Informant by great Providence escaped from them, and since for several months they have been seen to watch for him, insomuch that he durst not appear or converse with any, fearing his Life or perpetual Imprisonment by the said Earl or his Confederates, until he made his escape for
England to make known his grievances.
Two years since also this Informant was set upon by several
Papists near the City of
Dublin, and received
Wounds, but narrowly escaped his life by Gods Providence; and the said Earl for further vexation,
[Page 10] hath lately fyled a large Declaration in the Common-Pleas, stuft with many false suggestions, containing near three Skins of Parchment, it being an Action of Slander, grounded upon the Statute made at
Gloucester, in the second year of
Richard the Second, and laid to this Informants said Fathers charge, damages to the value of One thousand pounds, to which the Defendant pleaded the General Plea
Not Guilty, and then there was no further prosecution, as by the Records may plainly appear.
Whereupon this Informant and his said Father presented several Petitions unto the Lord Lieutenant and Council at
Dublin about
September last, representing and setting forth their damages, and the vexatious Suits brought against them for many years passed, and prayed that the before mentioned
Thomas Allen might be sent for, and the Earl of
Clanrickard living in
Dublin, and that we might be ordered to appear and prove these Treasonable Words which the said
Allen spoke, and have satisfaction; and thereupon we might be dismissed from those unjust Prosecutions from the said Earl of
Clanrickard; but nothing would be done, save leaving them to the
Common Law; whereas this Informant and his Father being so ruinated as aforesaid, are not now in a capacity to prosecute or desend themselves against the said Earl of
Clanrickard, he being a near Relation to the Duke of
Ormond.
About the twelfth day of
May, 1680. one Mr.
Robert Downing came to this Informants House, and shewed him a Paper written, which was as he said by the Earls Order
(viz.) That if this Informant and his said Father would give under their Hands and Seals, that they do verily believe in their Consciences, that the said Earl of
Clanrickard was not any ways guilty of the Things spoken of him in the Affidavit against the said
Thomas Allen, that then the said Earl would forbear all further proceedings, and discharge them from all things past, by sealing mutual Releases to each other: But this Informant refusing so to do, declared he had good grounds to believe to the contrary, and did hope in time to have satisfaction for the great damages he sustained by the said Earl of
Clanrickard.
One
Robert Potts sworn before two Justices of the Peace, the fourteenth of
April, 1679. and declared he heard one
John Venge, a Gunsmith of
Portumna, say, That he had fixed up for the said Earl
five hundred Fire-Arms about five or six years since, and that he had a great many more to fix up for the said Earl; and that the said Gunsmith and his men with Forge and Tools did work in the Castle of
Portumna, belonging to the said Earl. This Informant Petitioned the Lord Lieutenant and Council for a Copy of
Potts Affidavit, and some other Copies he thought necessary, but the Clerk of the Council said my Lord
would not grant them.
And this Informant further saith, that in the Year 1678. there were Proclamations to
disarm Papists in
Ireland, and banish Popish Priests, Jesuits, and Fryars,
&c. And this Informant hath been credibly informed, that several Papists,
&c. having not obeyed the said Proclamations have been seized on, but producing Licenses from the
[Page 11] Lord Lieutenant have been discharged and set at liberty; insomuch, that the said City and Country
swarms with them, and that there are several
Irish and
French Officers lately come into
Ireland, Papists, and by the names of Collonels, Majors, Captains,
&c. Nor were any Officers permitted to search the said Earls Castle, or seize any Arms to him belonging, being prohibited so to do, as follows.
By the Lord Lieutenant-General; and General Governour of
Ireland.
FOR Reason
[...] best known to us, We think fit hereby expresly to w
[...] and require all his Majesties Officers and Souldiers whatsoever, whom it may concern, to forbear searching for, or seizing upon any of the Arms belonging to our very good Lord,
William Earl of
Clanrickard.
Given under our hand
this
26th of
Novemb. 1678.
William Ellis.
And this Informant further saith, That by the unjust Prosecutions which followed his honest discovery, he is damnified above 1000.
l. ster. besides the loss of his Trade, and was forced to sell an
Estate of 100. l.
per annum in defending his innocency, and preserving his life and liberty, and paying his just Debts, contracted by the continual prosecutions of the said Earl or his Agents; whereby this Informant and his said Evidence are utterly ruined by the never to be forgotten unkindness, or rather apparent
injustice of the said Justice
Oliver Jones, in fuffering the said
Venire to be altered, as aforesaid; and that now this Informant is so much impoverished, being forced to leave his Trade and habitation, that he hath not wherewithal to
help himself, neither doth he know
any place of safety, but has incurred the displeasure of many; and being in great danger, fears he shall be destroyed, as others have been, for declaring the truth; all which, the before-mentioned premises, this Informant hath received, and endured by, and through the means of the said unjust and notorious prosecutions of the Earl of
Clanrickard, these Eight years past, which hath created great discouragements to many, and stifles
discoveries of Treasons, coming to their mind and knowledg since the yeer 1672.
Jurat,
7th die
February, Anno Dom. 1680.
Coram me,
Geo. Treby,
Recorder.