Mr. Hay undertook the task of endeavouring to forward this proposal with the greatest alacrity, and conducted Captain M'Manus to consult with Lord Kingsborough, who accordingly wrote a letter in the name of all the prisoners, among whom were many officers, and principal gentlemen of the county, which proposal was dispatched by an officer, to be forwarded to the next commanding officer of his majesty's forces, but who would not be allowed to proceed farther than the rebel camp at Enniscorthy, and was obliged to return to Wexford, at which disappointment we considered our situation more critical than ever, and experienced in a greater degree the consoling visits of Mr. Hay, who truly sympathized in our feelings, and felt this disappointment as much as any of us. Deponent never saw Mr. Hay appear with arms, or with any kind of green ornament, then usually worn by all descriptions of persons; and from what he has seen, and every information he could learn, believes that, during the rebellion, Mr. Hay was solely actuated by principles of philanthropy, in any interference of his during that period.

Sworn before me, this 28th day of August, 1799, EBEN. JACOB.

THOS. TAYLOR.

DEAR SIR,

In compliance with your request, and having received a summons to attend your trial, I shall relate the circumstances I recollect of your conduct during the rebellion, which I send you immediately, as you mention you want to have your instructions made out for your lawyers, previous to the assizes. I was taken prisoner along with Lord Kingsborough and captain O'Hea, on the second day of June, 1798, we were confined together in a house in Wexford, with a strong guard over us; from the great fury of the people against Lord Kingsborough, we expected every moment to be put to death; Mr. Edward Hay visited us frequently, and we clearly perceived his disposition to afford us every consolation in his power, as he took every opportunity he could of softening our captivity, and has frequently conducted my family to see me, at a time it was extremely dangerous to seem or appear friendly to us. Whenever we experienced any kind of distress, we always sent for Mr. Hay, who readily came to us, and never left us, without being convinced that he would do his utmost to be of service to us. I have every reason to believe, that he saved our lives' on several occasions, when the mob were for bringing us out, and putting us to death. One day, in particular, I perfectly recollect his standing with his back to the door of the house in

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which we were confined, where he remained until the tumultuous crowd had dispersed, who sought our instant destruction. I always heard Mr. Hay express his horror at the barbarous proceedings of the rebels, and his earnest wish that peace and good order might be restored. Various reports being industriously circulated that tended to rouze and irritate the passions of the people to revenge, that the army had committed the greatest excesses which alarmed us, and all the rest of the prisoners in Wexford, for our situation, we as usual consulted Mr. Hay, on this peculiar cause of distress, and found him particularly anxious to forward a negociation of prisoners, proposed by lord Kingsborough, as the best mode of re-establishing peace and good order; during this dilemma, letters had been forwarded through the rebel camps, from Dublin, to lord Kingsborough; in answer to which, was considered a favourable opportunity of forwarding this measure, which Mr. Hay readily undertook, and accordingly conducted captain M'Manus to consult with us, and in consequence, a letter was written by Lord Kingsborough, in the name of all the prisoners, among whom were thirteen officers, and great numbers of yeomanry officers, and principal gentlemen of the county, intimating that they were well treated, and in every respect prisoners of war; hoping therefore that the prisoners taken by the

army might meet with the like good treatment that they did, otherwise, they feared reprisals might be made, and their destruction inevitable; which proposal was confided to my charge, and with which I was to proceed to the next commanding officers of the army, and to return with the answer with all convenient speed. I accordingly set off from Wexford on the 14th day of June, 1798, and proceeded as far as Enniscorthy, where I was stopped by the people, and not allowed to proceed any further, and obliged to return to Wexford the next day; on which disappointment we felt our situation more alarming than ever, and experienced, in a greater degree, the consoling visits of Mr. Hay, who was truly concerned at this disappointment. Among the

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many attentions paid to us by Mr. Hay, he brought us letters that were directed to us, and had fallen into the hands of the rebels, which, if made public to them, would have proved our instant destruction,, for which piece of service Mr. Hay narrowly escaped with his life, as captain Keugh, who then commanded in Wexford, was very angry on hearing it from Lord Kingsborough, who inadvertantly mentioned Mr. Hay having done so; and Mr. Hay was afterwards constantly prevented from visiting us, by order of captain Keugh. I never saw or heard of Mr. Hay having any command amongst the rebels, or did ever see him appear in arms, or

wear any mark of distinction or uniform, which I had daily an opportunity of witnessing, had it been so, as the house in which we were confined was situated in the Bullring, and commanded a full view of the most frequented streets in Wex< ford, through which all the armed men in the town passed and repassed twice a day. On the 20th day of June, 1798, the day of the massacre on the bridge, considering our situation more critical than ever, we wished to see Mr. Hay; Lord Kingsborough sent for him, and he immediately attended, but was denied admittance to us, but we spoke to him out of the window, and he declared to us, that as long as he was alive, we might depend on every exertion of his. We had at last the consolation of Mr. Hay being admitted up-stairs to us at eight o'clock in the evening. We found him beyond expression affected at the cruelties that had been committed; that he had in vain done every thing in his power to prevent them, and anxious to undertake any thing for safety of the prisoners. After a variety of consultation, Lord Kingsborough and Mr. Hay agreed to go out to meet the army, that was approaching Wexford, in order to save the town from destruction. The Wexford men that had gone out that day, returned from the battle of Fook's Mill, when Mr. Hay was still with us; he then proposed to go and consult the principal inhabitants, who he had not the