It may not be time misemployed to examine this deposition, which, I beg leave to say, is less exceptionable than many others of this precious collection. The deponent was, in the first place, "credibly informed," that these persons "were flung into the river," and this information he had from "some who were present there." He "vCrily believed that Mulmore O'Rely had a hand in commanding the murder:" and his "belief" rested on the very cogent and convincing reason, that he "saw him write two notes, which he sent to Turbert by Brien O'Rely, on whose coming these murders were committed." On this strong evidence, Mulmore O'Rely, in all likelihood, lost his life and estate, which estate was probably guilty of the murder. In Ireland, in former times, under the mild government of England, large estates were frequently guilty of enormous crimes, particularly high treason, and deservedly punished and the larger they were, the more prone to guilt, and the more certain of punish

ment.

But on casting my eye once more over the deposition, I find I overlooked the chief part of the evidence against Mulmore. The "thirty bodies". (seven remained behind) rose up by common consent, when this murderer made his appearance, and "came floating up to the very bridge," probably as public prosecutors of this horrid culprit. It is not said, unfortunately, whether they took their oaths to the murder: this is,

66

however, presumable; and it is to be supposed that it was owing to an oversight, that Temple was silent on the subject. A doubt has been started by a learned barrister, whether the appearance of these bodies, "floating up to the very bridge," at the critical minute, when the said O'Rely came to town," is to be considered as positive or circumstantial evidence. Much of this would depend on the property of Mulmore. If he were a very rich man, the appearance of แ "thirty bodies floating to the very bridge" ought to be regarded as positive evidence; but if a poor man, not worth hanging, it ought to be set down as circumstantial.

But to be serious:

Lives there a man who can peruse this deposition, find it introduced into a grave history; know it to have been a part of the evidence on which rests the credit of the tales of what Borlase's title-page states as "the execrable Irish Rebellion," and to have been, with other evidence, equally absurd, instrumental in confiscating the property and immolating the lives of the Irish Catholics; without a strong sentiment of mingled astonishment and indignation, without a thorough conviction, that all the histories, grounded on such documents, however supported by the imposing names of Clarendon, Hume, or Russell, must be radically false and corrupt, and worthy to be altogether rejected?

Another deposition, with equal gravity, narrates a story of a man who was wounded in several places, his belly ripped up, and his entrails taken out, without bleeding!!

ແ James Geare, of the county of Monaghan, deposeth, That the rebels at Clownes murdered one James Netterville, proctor to the minister there, who, although he was diversely wounded, his belly ripped up, and his entrails taken out, and laid above a yard from him, yet he bled not at all, until they lifted him up, and carried him away; at which this deponent being an eye-witness, much wondered; and thus barbarously they used him, after they had drawn him to go to mass with them.' 9910

Another states, that one of the rebels made three attempts to stab a woman with a drawn sword; but such was her trust in God, and such his miraculous protection extended to her on the moment, that she was absolutely invulnerable.

"Mr. George Creighton, minister of Virginia, in the county of Cavan, deposeth, among other particulars in his examination, That divers women brought into his house a young woman, almost naked, to whom a rogue came up on the way, these women being present, and required her to give him her money, or else he would kill her, and so drew his sword; her answer was, "You cannot kill me unless God give you leave, and his will be done:" whereupon the rogue thrust three times at her naked body, with his drawn sword, and yet never pierced her skin; whereat he being, as it seems, much confounded, went away and left her; and that he saw this woman, and heard this particular related by divers women, who were by, and saw what they reported."11

And this wonderful story, be it observed, is testified to by a reverend minister of God, who 11 Idem, 123.

10 Temple, 88.

was admirably qualified to authenticate it, às "he heard it related by divers women, who saw what they reported."

But the most extraordinary and extravagant circumstance is the appearance of the ghosts of murdered persons, which, according to those "manifest forgeries," received as "solid proofs,"12 stationed themselves in the middle of a river, breast-high, and remained there for three months, that is, from December 20th, 1641, till the following lent, seeking vengeance on the "bloody Papists," crying "Revenge, Revenge, Revenge.”

"Catharine, the relict of William Cooke, late of the county of Armagh, carpenter, sworn and examined, saith, That about the 20th of December, 1641, a great number of rebels, in that county, did most barbarously drown, at that time, one hundred and eighty Protestants, men, women and children, in the river, at the bridge of Portnedown; and that, about nine days afterwards, she saw a vision or spirit, in the shape of a man, as she apprehended, that appeared in that river, in the place of the drowning, bolt upright, breast-high, with hands lifted up, and stood in that posture there, until the latter end of lent next following: about which time, some of the English army marching in those parts, whereof her husband was one, (as he and they confidently told this deponent) saw that spirit or vision standing upright, and in the posture aforementioned; but after that time, the said spirit or vision vanished, and appeared no more, that she knoweth. And she heard, but saw not, that there were other visions and apparitions, and much shrieking and strange noise heard in that river, at times afterward. Jurat. February 24, 1643."13

"Elizabeth, the wife of captain Rice Price, of Armagh, deposeth and saith, That she, and other women, whose husbands were murdered, hearing of divers apparitions and vi

12 Leland, IV. 131.

13

Temple, 121.

sions, which were seen near Portnedown bridge, since the drowning of her children, and the rest of the Protestants there, went unto the bridge aforesaid, about twilight in the evening; then and there, upon a sudden, appeared unto them a vision or spirit, assuming the shape of a woman, waist-high, upright, in the water, often repeating the word, Revenge! Revenge! Revenge! whereat this deponent, and the rest, being put into an amazement and affright, walked from the place. Jurat. January 29, 1642."14

"James Shaw, of Market-Hill, in the county of Armagh, innkeeper, deposeth, That many Irish rebels, in the time of this deponent's restraint and staying among them, told him very often, and that it was a common report, that all those that lived about the bridge of Portnedown, were so affrighted with the cries and noise made there, of some spirits or visions, for revenge, as that they durst not stay, but fled away thence, (so as they protested,) affrighted to Market-Hill, saying, they durst not stay nor return thither, for fear of those cries and spirits, but took grounds and made creates in or near the parish of Mullabrack. Jurat. Aug. 14, 1642."15

"Joan, the relict of Gabriel Constable, late of Drumard, in the county of Armagh, gentleman, deposeth and saith, That she hath often heard the rebels, Owen O'Farren, Patrick O'Conellan, and divers others of the rebels at Drumard, earnestly say, protest, and tell each other, that the blood of some of those that were knocked in the heads, and afterwards drowned, at Portnedown bridge, still remained on the bridge, and would not be washed away; and that often there appeared visions or apparitions, sometimes of men, sometimes of women, breast-high above the water, at or near Portnedown, which did most extremely and fearfully screech and cry out for vengeance against the Irish that murdered their bodies there; and that their cries and shrieks did so terrify the Irish thereabouts, that none durst stay nor live longer there, but fled and removed further into the country; and this was a common report amongst the rebels there, and that it passed for a truth amongst them, for any thing she could ever observe to the contrary. Jurat. January 1, 1643."16

14 Temple, 122.

15 Idem, 121.

16 Ibidem.