THE first of Novembar, 1641, newes was sent from Limrick to Robert Coppenger, Esq. being then at the faire of Clare, of the rebellion that was begun in the North, and how the Lord Mac Gire and his adherents atempted to tak the Castell of Dublen; aftar which time reportes came daily of the incresing of the rebellion, but noe evident signes of rising appered in Thomond tell about the latar end of Novembar, about which time there came certaine inforemation to the Earle of Thomond of the generall insurrection of the Irish in the next abordering counties, spetialy Ormond, Dougharra, and the rest of the county of Tipperarie, {1} which is adjacent to the said County of Clare, only the river of Shannan divides them, and how the English of those partes were pilleged and robed of all there goodes and cattell, which inforeced them to fly from there howses, and betake them selves for safety of lives to Castell, many being stript out of there cloathes and exposed naked to the extremety of the could, except thaye would revolt from the Protestant religion.

At this time there came certen news to the Earle of Thomond and othars that divars of the barony of Dougharra, and them partes of the countie of Tipperrarie, of which in cheefe one Mortagh O’Brien Fitz Daniell, of Annagh, had com ovar the rivar Shanin and made an invasion into his lordship’s county, and had robbed many of the English that lived in the frontieres of Thomond of the most part of there cattell, and threatned very shortly aftar to surpries the town of Killalow and Castell Banck, and to strip the Bishop of Killaloe, with the rest of the English in them partes; for feare of whose barbarous usage the said Bishop, with his English tenants, forsooke the towne of Killaloe, and fled to his Majesty’s castell at Limrick, where thaye remained tell the rebels tuck the said castell of Limrick, which was the 23rd of June, 1642.

Heereuppon the Earle of Thomond considering, sent precepts throoutt the hole county of Clare, of which hee was governar, requiring all the gentrey and freehouldars of the said county, both English and Irish, to give his lordship a meeting at Inish one the 24th day of Novembar, for raising of an armey to resist the invation of the rebells of other countyes, and lickwaies for keeping of the said goverment of Thomond quietly. To which purpos hee appointed and authorized divers gentelmen only Irish of the said
county, excepting his steward, Mr. Kerther, whome had marshall law in the said county; the rest that his lordship gave the powre of martiall law were these, Derman O’Bryen, Esq., John Burck, Esq., {2} Connor O’Brien, Esq., Danell O’Bryen, of Dough, Esq., and som othars.

At this time the said Earle of Thomond made Durman O’Brien, Esq., Connor O’Brien, Esq., John M ‘teig M’Namarow, and Donagh MTeig M’Namarow, and Terlough M’Mohone, of Clanagh, and othar Irish gentellmen, the captaines of his said foreces, and of with these and the rest that he had raised, hee went in person to Castellbanck and Killaloe to prevent the coming of the rebels out of Dougharra into his lordship’s cuntrey, where he remained for the space of five or six dayes, and from thenc hee sent Captaine Dermud O’Brien, with som othars, to Mortho O’Bren, cheefe of the rebels there, requiring hem to com speak with his lordship, and to make restitution of the cattell which hee and his assistants had taken out of Thomond, which he refused to doe; wherupon the said Earle sent part of his company, English and Irish, into Dougharra, and brought from thence ovar the river som cattell, which thaie supposed to have belonged to the English of Thomond that were robed by the said Irish of Dougharra; from thence the said Earle, with his forces, returnd to Bunraty, where his lordship receved information from John Burck and severall othars, that Terlagh O’Brien, of Tulloghmore, in the said county of Clare, had raised manie Irish in Thomond and of the county of Galewaie, and that hee had robed divars English of there cattell, which the Earle undarstanding, sent parte of his trope and foote companie to bring in the said Terlough, with his asociats. Whoe, when thaye were com where he was, although it appeared unto them plaine that John Burckes information was true, by the complaintes of the English, that the said Terlough had robed, yeet the said Terlogh pershwded them to the contrarie, and that it was only out of malles to hem that the said Burck had cast that espersion on hem, desiring to be excused at the present, in regarde of some urgent accation, and that within a short time hee would waight {3} uppon his lordship, and givue his lordship furthar satisfaction, and make it apeere that Burck was the man that robed the English; soe with the said anshwer and lettar from the foresaid Terlogh, the hors and foote returned, and uppon there returne, thay found certaine Irishmen of the common sorte steling English menes cowes, which thaye carried with them to the Earle, to Bunraty, whoe gave judgment that thaye should bee hanged forthwith; yeet, notwithstanding, som of the Irish comandars and gentry agreed and prevaild to give bands for the malefactors appearanc at the next assise to anshwer for there offences, which the Earle excepted of, only two that were strairigers, for want of security were at that present executed at Bunraty. From that time forward tell January, there were som brought for robing and stealing English menes goods and cattell, but the gentry and comandars prevaild that not any of them suffard, but escaped, giving bands to anshwer at the next sisses. Now the Earle of Thomond having raised these severall companyes following: Connor O’Brien, of Balemacodon, Esq. Donogh Mc Namarow, of Cratolagh, John Mc Teige Mc Namarow, Donagh Mc Namarow, his lordship’s captaine leftenant, and divars othars. Each company being raised, and there garesons apoynted, his lordship raised mony out of ech plowland for there maintenance, being of ech plowland, of which I paid ----. Now the cumpanies were billeted in there garesons uppon the howse keepars, and the mony fully collected and paid unto Robart Copengar, Esq., according to his lordship’s ordar, but how disposed of is not to me knowen; but paid it was, with a second collection of I2d. per plowland, to make pickes and othar armes.

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