assuming to themselves the name of The Kingdom and People of Ireland as if there had been no other Party or People in the Kingdom or not considerable but themselves alone and as if then in Ireland there had been no Power or Government but theirs onely his Majesties Authority in the hands of his Deputy not regarded or consulted They also the Confederates in that giving up the Kingdom into the Power of a Stranger colouring their Treason with a flattering Clause and an empty and insignificant Title to their Natural Prince in Reversion and by Resignation when the new Protector commanding all should please to do it he being first satisfi'd of all Disbursments Charges and Claims whatsoever he himself being Auditor A Concern of that importance as we seldom find where others have been called in upon Assistance especially on such Encouragements that they have quitted their hold without effusion of much blood or an absolute dis-inherizon of the right Owner And therefore the Lord Deputies foresight of such an Evil doth commend him faithful to his Prince and just to his Nation Nor can it be doubted that the Attestation of this Peer one that hath run the hazard of his Countreys safety should be further credited than what the Bishop of Ferns or any obscure loose Frier how prodigal soever in their Calumnies should or can publish in the bitterness of their spirit a crime incident to their Faculty being ill affected to his Majesty worse to his Governours One of the principal Motives which induced the Marquis of Clanrickard to submit to that Charge and to undertake a Province which he knew would be very burthensome and grievous in several respects was the joynt promise That the City of Limerick and the Town of Galway would pay all imaginable duty to him The Clergy obliged themselves in that particular with all confidence and the Deputies of the Places promised all that could be desir'd But when the Lord Deputy found it necessary to settle that business they would neither receive a Garrison or Governour from him and when he offered himself to stay in Limerick when Ireton was drawing before it and to run his Fortune with them they refused it as peremptorily as they had done to the Lord Lieutenant It is true both Limerick and Galway were contented to receive Soldiers but they must be such onely as were of their own choosing not such either in number or quality as the Lord Deputy would have sent to them or as were necessary for their security They chose likewise their own Governour or rather kept the Government themselves and gave the Title to one whom they thought least like to contradict them and in a word behaved themselves like two Common-wealths and obey'd the Deputy no farther than they were inclined by their own convenience they who compounded with the Enemy in the Countrey corresponded with them in the Town and thereby gave the Enemy intelligence of all that passed Wonderful diligence was used to make it be thought that the Independents were not uncharitable unto Papists and that they wished not any compulsion should be used in matter of Religion and when the acts of cruelty and blood of putting their Priests and Prelates to an ignominious death of which there were new instances every day were mentioned It was answer'd Those proceedings were carried on by the power of the Presbyterians very much against the Nature and Principles of the other Party This license of Communication and the evil consequences that must attend it was enough understood by the Lord Deputy but could no more be prevented reformed or punished than he could infuse a new heart or spirit into the People one instance will serve the turn There was in the Town a Frier Anthony Geoghean who had always adhered to the Nuncio and opposed the King's Authority to the utmost of his power several Letters written by him into the Enemies Quarters were intercepted and brought to the Lord Deputy in which though there were many things in Cypher there appeared much of the present state and condition of the Town and in one of them dated the 4th of Febr. 1651. he thus writes If the service of God had been as deep in the hearts of our Nation as that Idol of Dagon a foolish Loyalty a better course for its honour and preservation had been taken in time The Lord Deputy believed the crime to be so apparent and of such a nature that what Complices soever he might have none would have the courage to appear in his behalf And that he might give the Clergy an opportunity to shew their zeal in a business that concern'd so much their common safety he referr'd the examination of the Frier unto the Bishops whereof there were three or four in Town and to some other of the principal of the Clergy and appointed them to require him to produce the Cypher which he had used and to examine him to whom the Letters were intended they being directed to counterfeit and suppositious names The Cypher was accordingly produced and thereby many expressions in the Letter appear'd to be full of neglect and reproach to the King and others of insolence and contumely toward the Lord Deputy they mention'd little hope was left of relief from the Duke of Lorrain and that they resolved to send one to treat with the Rebels and had found private means of conveying one to that purpose The Frier promised to use all his diligence to dispose the Catholicks to have a good opinion of the Independents and made some request concerning himself All that he alledged for his defence was That the Letters written by him were to one who was employ'd by the Court of Rome that he had no ill meaning against the King or Deputy and that he had himself a Trust from Rome and Instructions from the Secretary of the Congregation De propaganda Fide and the Bishops certifi'd that they had seen the Instructions and that they did not relate at all to the Temporal State And this was all the satisfaction and justice the Lord Deputy could procure though he writ several Letters of Expostulation to the Bishops thereupon Whether this be a part of the Priviledges and Immunities of the Catholick Roman Church and enjoy'd in any Catholick Countrey and whether it can be indulged to them in any other Countrey where the Authority of the Bishop of Rome is not submitted unto we must leave to the World to judge and determine In the interim If Protestant Kings and Princes are provident and severe for the prevention of such practices and for the establishing their own security this must not be imputed to an unreasonable jealousie of or a prejudice to the Roman Catholick Religion but to the confident presumption of those men under the vizard of universal obedience who have pretended Religion for their warrant or excuse for the most unlawful and unjustifiable actions This was the obedience and submission they paid to the Kings
Conspiracies hatch'd our ruine not discernable ere the Monster arriv'd at its Birth a Prodigy scarce credible in so vigilant a State Though when it 's consider'd how tenderly the great concerns of Religion the principal wheels of all Commotion in a State were handled the astonishment that things aspir'd to so much Villany may easily be unridl'd Towards the end of the Lord Falkland's Government there being great need of Money for support of the standing Army in Ireland and maintaining of 500 Horse and 5000 Foot much by extraordinary means having been otherwise disposed the Catholicks of Ireland glad of the occasion seem'd very forward to supply the State in hopes of a Connivance if not a Toleration of their Religion though therein they were onely to bear their share or rather offered their Mite with the Protestants which they improved to so great an insolence as the Lord Falkland with the Council was forced to take notice in a Proclamation dated the 1st of April 1629. That the late Intermission of Legal Proceedings against Popish pretended Titulary Arch-bishops Bishops Abbots Deans Vicars General Jesuits Friers and others of that sort that derive their pretended Authority and Orders from the See of Rome in contempt of his Majesties Royal Power and Authority had bred such an extraordinary insolence and presumption in them as he was necessitated to charge and command them in his Majesties name to for bear the exercise of their Popish Rites and Ceremonies Notwithstanding which their Insolencies afterwards so increased as that the power of the High Commission rais'd in respect of them being withdrawn they erected a new University at Dublin to confront his Majesties Colledge there continuing their Nunneries and Monasteries that thence many things were objected against the Lord Falkland's Government to clear which the Council of Ireland in his defence to the King the 28th of April 1629. declared That towards the insolencies of the Papists and the late outragious presumption of the unsetled Irish in some parts your Deputy and Council of late us'd particular Abstinence holding themselves somewhat limited concerning them by late Insinuations Letters and Directions from England And yet afterwards so mindful too were the Lords of the Council in England of what had been by the State of Ireland happily supprest that the 31 of January 1629. they return'd their acknowledgment and put the State of Ireland in mind How much it concern'd the good Government of Ireland to prevent in time the first growing of such evils for that where such People are permitted to swarm they will soon grow licentious and endure no Government but their own which cannot otherwise be restored than by a due and seasonable execution of the Law and of such Directions as from time to time have been sent from his Majesty and Council c. further encouraging them to carry a soft or harder hand according to their discretions Which I do not find but they prudently observ'd though all was too little to root out the Leven that had season'd the Batch during the Government of the then Lords Justices As Dr. Bedel the Reverend Bishop of Kilmore takes notice of at large with a deep and hearty resentment worthy his Piety Courage and Learning till the arrival of Thomas Lord Viscount Wentworth who by his singular Wisdom Courage and quick Intelligence so managed affairs there though some thought they were carried on too severely as doubtless the Nation in general was never more seemingly in obedience what ever afterwards was aggravated against that Noble Person whose behaviour was less pleasing to some men interess'd in the detection of their morose and sinister dealings than to the Nation which flourish'd under his Auspicious Government Reverence is that wherewith Princes are girt from God Yet then the contrivance of some Spirits was so restless as Anno 1634. being the 10th of King Charls the First they design'd to have engag'd the Nation in a War which one Ever Mac-Mahon an eminent Popish Priest privately discovered to some of the Privy Council at Dublin at whose feet he prostrated himself for mercy having with others been employ'd abroad to Foreign Princes viz. the Pope the Kings of France Spain and other Princes on that service as in the Relation writ by the Lord Macquire in the Tower is apparent the Design having been of as ancient a Date as the Isle of Rhee's Enterprise 1628. About which time the Earl of Tyrone and Cardinal Richlieu held an intimate correspondence though the King of France's Wars then in Italy frustrated for that time the Insurrection and Invasion Upon the discovery of which Ever Mac-Mahon seeming penitent had his Pardon So that the thing being onely treated of in general the prudence of the Governour giving the People no suspicion that he feared it and yet watched against it blasted their design The same Providence we may also believe this Noble Person had in the antecedent warnings which the Reverend Dean of Kilmore particularly mentions though he in reference to the Intregues of State mov'd not so visibly as to make every one capable of his foresight Prime Ministers are not to level their proceedings to the capacities of all who pretend vigilancy of the State yet thence during his Government all things in the Publick proceeded with a serene countenance so as the Lord Deputy Wentworth came for England and return'd into Ireland several times with his Majesties greatest Approbation and the Peace of the Nation Anno 1634. a Parliament was summon'd in Ireland by his motion 1. For that the Contribution from the Countrey towards the maintenance of the Army ended that December 2. For that the Revenues there fell short of his Majesties Charges 20000 l. yearly 3. That there was a Debt of 80000 l. upon the Crown 4. For that there had been no Subsidies but one since the beginning of King James's Reign and the People were now grown wealthy being continued in their Estates who ever had enjoy'd them twenty years By the Supply of which Parliament the Lord Deputy paid the 80000 l. Debt due from the Crown than which nothing was more to his Majesties Honour and his Servants Integrity in testimony of which his Majesty saith That they cannot but witness who know that Kingdom that during the Government there by Lieutenants of his choice that Kingdom enjoyed more Plenty and Peace than ever it had since it was under the subjection of the Crown of England Traffick by Sea and Trade by Land increas'd Values of Land improv'd Shipping multipli'd beyond belief never was the Protestant Religion more advanc'd nor the Protestants protected in greater security against the Papists Inasmuch as we must remember you the Parliament capitulating with him to nominate a Governour for Ireland that the present Rebellion was begun when there was no Lieutenant there and when the Power which had been formerly us'd in that Kingdom was question'd and disgrac'd when those in the Parliament there by whom that Rebellion was hatch'd
to offer his Assistance that if he had known any Person had been intrusted there with his Majesties Authority he would have addressed himself unto him and no other And that he finding his Lordship invested with that Power did what he knew his Master expected at his hands apply himself unto him with and by whose Direction he would alone steer himself through that Negotiation He told him the Duke had already disbursed 6000 Pistols for the supplying them with those things he heard they stood most in need of which were brought over by a Religious Parson who came with him and that he was ready to be informed of what they would desire from his Highness that might enable them to resist their Enemy and that he would consent to any thing that was reasonable for him to undertake Hereupon the Lord Deputy appointed a Committee of the Commissioners of Trust together with some Prelates to confer with the Ambassador to receive any Overtures from him and to present them with their Advice thereupon unto him They met accordingly and receiv'd the Propositions from the Ambassador but they were so disagreeable to the professions he had made of respect to the King and indeed so inconsistent with the Kings Honour and Interest as there was great reason to suspect that they proceeded rather from the Encouragement and Contrivance of the Irish then from his own temper and disposition and this was the more believ'd when instead of returning the Propositions to the Lord Deputy they kept the same in their own hands put out some of those who were appointed by him to be of the Committee and chose others in their Places and proceeded in the Treaty without giving the Deputy an Account of what was demanded by the Ambassador or what they thought fit to offer unto him Of all which the Deputy took notice and thereupon forbade them to proceed any further in that way and restrain'd them unto certain Articles which he sent them which contain'd what he thought fit to offer to the Ambassador and gave them Power onely to Treat Notwithstanding his positive Direction they proceeded in that Treaty with the Ambassador and sent an Advice to the Lord Deputy to consent unto the Articles propos'd by him since they said he would not recede from what he had proposed and that it was much better to submit to the same then that the Treaty should be broken off The Lord Deputy as positively declared that what was demanded was so derogatory to the Honour of the King his Master and destructive to his Interest as he would never agree to it and resolved presently to leave the Town And when the Ambassador sent to him to desire to see him and take his leave of him he absolutely refused and sent him word That he would never pay his Civility to or receive it from a Person who had so much swarv'd from the Propositions made by himself and who had presumed to make Propositions so dishonourable to the King his Master and he believ'd so contrary to the good Pleasure of the Duke of Lorraign And that he would send away an Express to the Duke to inform him of his Miscarriage and he presumed he would do Justice unto the King upon him When the Prelates saw that no obstinacy in the Ambassador nor Importunity from them could prevail with the Lord Deputy to shew what influence they had upon that Treaty they perswaded the Ambassador to consent to the same Propositions he had formerly no doubt by the same Advice rejected and thereupon to make the sum formerly disbursed by the Duke at his coming out of Flanders full 20000 l. and the Lord Deputy sent a couple of Gentlemen into Flanders to Treat further with the Duke of Lorraign according to such Commissions and Instructions as he gave them The Bishop of Ferns about the same time left Ireland and came likewise to Bruxels and having without the Privity of the Lord Deputy receiv'd some secret Trust and Delegation from the Prelates of Ireland and Credit from them to the Duke of Lorraign he quickly interessed himself in that Treaty and took upon him the greatest part in it and that which he said was the sence of the Nation He reproach'd the Persons imployed and trusted by the Lord Deputy with all the Proceedings which had been in Ireland by the consent of the Confederate Catholicks inveighed against their opposing the Nuncio and appealing against the Excommunication issued out by him he told them and all this by a Letter under his hand that he was clearly of opinion That the Excommunication was just and lawful and that the greatest Statesmen Souldiers Citizens and People disobeying and now obstinate are and were delivered to Satan and therefore forsaken of God and unworthy of Victory and of his Holy Blessing And thereupon he said he did with all sincerity and charity offer his own humble opinion what was to be done by them which was to the end the Agreement they were making with his Highness the Duke of Lorraign might become profitable to the Nation and acceptable in the eyes of God that they would immediately with humble hearts make a Submission unto his Holiness in the name of the Nation and beg the Apostolical Benediction that the light of Wisdom the Spirit of Fortitude Vertue Grace Success and the Blessing of God might return again to them He told them the necessity of doing this was the greater for that the Person from whom they came with Authority the Marquess of Clanrickard the Lord Deputy was for several causes Excommunicated a jure Homine and that he was at Rome reputed the great Contemner of the Authority and Dignity of Churchmen and a Persecutor of the Lord Nuncio and some Bishops and other Churchmen And after many rude and bitter reproaches against the Deputy he used these words Do you think God will prosper a Contract grounded upon the Authority of such a man and shortly after he said that if the Duke of Lorraign were rightly informed of the Business he would never enter upon a Bargain to preserve or rather restore Holy-Religion in the Kingdom with Agents bringing their Authority from a withered cursed Hand And then concluded for my part upon the denial to hear my humble Prayers which I hope will not happen I will withdraw my self as a man dispairing of any fruit to come from an unfound Trunk where there is no Sap of Grace And am resolved to communicate no more with you in that Affair but rather to let the Prince know he was building his Resolutions of doing good upon an unhallowed foundation and that God therefore unless himself will undertake to obtain an Absolution for the Nation will not give him the Grace to lay down the Lapis Angularis of his own house again in that Kingdom This Letter bare date at Bruxels the 20th of July 1651. the Persons to whom it was directed being then in the same Town What
force and the Commands and Constitutions of our lawful Convocation of the Bishops and Clergy still live and speak unto us in the Canons made in the year 1634. whereof the third thus expresly That Form of Liturgie or divine Service and no other shall be used in any Church of this Realm but that which is established by Law and comprized in the Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments VVhich Canon with all the rest is confirmed and published by His Majesties Authority under the great Seal of Ireland VI It may be added that the Reformed Church of Ireland under the Government of our dread Soveraign the King is and ever was reputed a free National Church and not subordinate unto or depending upon the convocation of any other Church And hence it was that till the Convocation held at Dublin Anno 1634. the Articles of the Church of England were not held or reputed the Articles of the Church of Ireland and when they were received they were not received in any acknowledged subordination to the Church of England but for manifestation of our agreement with that Church in the confession of the same Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments as is expressed in the first Canon Hence it is besides that our Canons were not imposed by the Church of England nay when somewhat highly the Clergy was invited to submit to the Book of English Canons the Convocation utterly refused the same and framed a new Book of Canons for the Church of Ireland Should we therefore receive or admit of any other form without the Authority of this Church we should be held and esteemed before God and the World guilty of unconscionably betraying of the Liberty of the free National Church of Ireland VII The Book of Common-Prayer hath been in use in this Church from the beginning of the Reformation we have preached for it and recommended it to the people as a form of God's publick Worship and Service the people of God in this City for the most part generally do love it have been edified by it are loath to part from it and earnestly desire the continuance of it Now should we consent to the taking it away and receive or use any other form not established by Law we should not avoid the guilt of Sin it being all one to destroy that which is well built as to build that which a man once destroyed which in the Apostles judgement Gal. 2. 8. renders a man a transgressor And withall we should as matters stand give great offence and scandal to the Consciences of our Brethren and so sin against them who deserve better at our hand and for whom Christ dyed VIII Lastly that reason given by the University of Oxford in this point is not to be forgotten that by our leaving of the Book of Common-Prayer and receiving any other Form we should condemn the Church and State for the penalties and censures against Recusants and justifie them in their accusations and imputations of injustice and tyranny wherewith they boldly charge both our Churches of England and Ireland The premisses considered as we hope your Honours discern hereby that we have not lightly or obstinately or out of faction or any spirit of opposition forborn the exercise of our Ministry since your Honours injunction so we do now with all humility present these our fervent Petitions to your Honours 1. That you would be pleased in pity and compassion to the Protestants of this City and to us the Ministers who else by your Injunction aforesaid are indangered to be exposed to banishment loss of estate and of present subsistance with our wives and families to restore us to our Churches Ministry and exercise thereof by permitting of us to use the Book of Common-Prayer in our several Cathedral and Parish Churches as formerly we used the same before your Injunction aforesaid and to grant us your Protection therein till such time as further order be taken by a Convocation of the Clergy and an Act of Parliament in this Kingdom and in the mean time we shall endeavour to demean our selves in the whole course of our Ministry with such Christian faithfulness and moderation as that we shall by the help of God give no just occasion of offence 2. That in case your Honours shall be pleased to grant this Petition which we hope you will if after our stay and residence here we or any of us shall be by the imposal of any thing against our Consciences be forced hereafter to depart the Kingdom we may then respectively have free passes and convenient time to remove our persons families and goods 3. That during the time of our residence here we may enjoy the profits benefits and meanes of our several Church-livings for our subsistance which are due or allotted to us by the Law of the Land and Acts of State 4. That whereas the monthly fast observed hitherto by command of authority on a Friday was grounded upon the horrid Rebellion of the Irish Papists begun and the danger we were all in as on that day wherein the Rebells came to this City to surprise it and the evening of that day was the time wherein that bloody treachery and conspiracy was discovered that we may be permitted still to keep the monthly Fast on that day being a day of preparation for the monthly Communion according to our custom these five years past And we shall ever pray c. Delivered the 9th day of July 1647. Subscribed as followeth Ed. Laonensis Jac. Margetson Since Armachanus Ben. Culme Ambr. Anngier Ja. Sybold Godf. Rhodes Hen. Hall Since Ep. Academ Jos. War Jo. Brookbank Gilbert Deane Dud. Boswel Rob. Parry Joan. Creighton Can. Edw. Syng Since Arfeitensis Rob. Dickson Rand. Ince Henry Byrch Rich. Powel Fol. 190. l. 36. the Loyallists An. 160 3 After that the Nuncio was driven to Galoway He the 2d of August took an occasion to expostulate with the Marquess of Clanrickard about one of the Provincial Fathers of the Franciscans being by the Presidents Souldiers clap'd up in Clare-Castle wondring so pious and true a Catholick should permit a Subject of the Apostolick See to which the Clergy are only accountable to be so used by Laicks unto which the 8th of of August the Marquess excellently replied That unknown to him the Father was at the Command of the supream Council taken and by their order was to be brought to Kilkenny He reverenced the Clergy but could not recede from the Order of that Council for that the Holy Church gives not Protection to Criminals or the God of Peace Impunity to the Seditious enlarging well on that Subject concluding that if under pretext or title of the Immunities of the Church any should escape unpunished There would be soon an end of the State and Temporal jurisdiction And having been thus entertained by the Nuncio the Marquess freely proposes to Him these Questions That He might understand the difference
it by any publick Writing that the Design seem'd a Birth acceptable to the Catholick Community And the Pope by his Nuncio afterwards to whom the general part of the Clergy and Natives adhear'd in effect maintain'd what Mahony had deliver'd for wholesome Doctrine accounting the Popes Bulls and Interdictions and Absolutions how long soever since publish'd still in the same force and vigour as they were the first day of their publication And it is very few years since writes this Honourable Person that upon the meeting of the Secular and Regular Clergy of Ireland before-mention'd to frame an Address to the King in testimony of their obedience disclaiming any Temporal Authority in the Popes the Court of Rome was so alarm'd by it that Cardinal Barbarin writ to them to desist from any such Declaration putting them in mind that the Kingdom of England was still under Excommunication And Walsh acquaints us at large of Mac-Mahon the Irish Jesuits printed Book of the lawfulness of killing not onely all the Protestants but even all such of the Roman Catholick Irish who should stand for the Crown of England and the Rights of the King to Ireland A Tenent agreeable to Salamanca's approbation of Oneal's Rebellion 1602. instigated by Pope Clement the 8th whereby it 's declared That all Catholicks who followed the English Standard against Prince Oneal mortally sinned And Osulevan the Priest in King James's Reign said It was a Doctrine fetch'd from Hell that Catholicks in Ireland should joyn with the Queens Forces which were Protestants against the Rebels Catholicks in Ireland and that such English ought to be no less set upon than the Turks So that whatsoever delusive Tenents have been broach'd of late as to perswade us the Adder is without sting the contrary hath been written in letters of blood not in his Majesty's Kingdoms only but wheresome-ever the Papal Power was exalted That persons professing the Reformed Religion are but Tenants at Will for their Lives and Fortunes and through Centuries of Ages it appears that as their Fleeces grow they are shorn till a time of slaughter be appointed That hence we may see at what we should have arriv'd had the Irish been fortunate in their attempt for though the loyal Formulary or Remonstrance highly magnified by some may seem a Bond of Iron it may easily by the Pope become weaker than a Rope of Straw During the Summer Sessions of Parliament already spoke of wherein the Heads of the Rebellion were closely complotting some under a suspicion that the Earl of Strafford's Servants in revenge of their Lord's death intended a Mischief to the Parliament mov'd the House and accordingly had Orders that the Lords Justices would let his Majesty's Stores for Powder and Arms be search'd which by a Committee they so curiously perform'd as they turn'd over several improbable Chests to find it out and when they had seen that there was none according to what the Officers of the Ordnance had before assur'd them yet they seem'd unsatisfied and repair'd on a new Order to the Lords Justices to be admitted to see the Stores of Powder and Arms plac'd in other Parts in and about the Castle To whom the Lord Justice Borlase Master of the Ordnance principally interess'd in securing his Majesties Stores answer'd That those were the King 's precious Jewels not to be without special Gause shewed assuring them further that they needed not to be afraid for that upon his Honour there was no Powder underneath either of the Houses of Parliament as at the Trial of the Lord Mac Quire at the King's Bench in Westminster was openly in Court testified by the Lord Blaney a great sufferer a worthy and gallant Person the said Lord Justice Borlase having at that time such a motion in his blood upon the importunity of that enquiry as he would afterwards often mention that action of theirs as aiming how slightly soever then looked on by others at some further mark than was thâ—n discernable So that at that instant he denied them whereat they seem'd discontented as being left in uncertainty in what state his Majesty's Stores stood which they desired particularly to know the late new Army being disbanded then and their Arms brought in that if the Powder and Arms were not there they might find them elsewhere or if there then by the intended surprize to be sure of them and to know where on the sudden to find them In which search the Lord Mac Quire was a chief actor and very inquisitive Thus in order to their Design they made ready for the Business passing that Session of Parliament began the xi of May 1641. for the most part away in Protestations Declarations Votes upon the Queries the stay of Souldiers from going over Seas and private Petitions little to the good of the Common-wealth or advancement of his Majesty's Service whereof the Lords Justices and Councel having notice finding withal that the Popish Party in both Houses grew to so great a height as was scarce compatible to the present Government they imparted by a Message to both Houses the 14th of July following their intention to give a recess for some months the harvest coming on and both Houses growing thin Which intimation of a recess both Houses readily assented to so that the 7th of August the Lords Justices adjourn'd the Houses to the 9th of November following which afterwards the Members of Parliament aggravated as a great unkindness the Committee of Parliament being expected from England and arriv'd at Dublin near the end of August Whereas when the Parliament was adjourn'd and before there was no certainty of their Committee's return the Earl of Roscommon who few days before coming from England expressing in plain terms that the Bills desired were not likely in any short time to be dispatch'd as the Letters from the Irish Committee at London which this Lord brought over inform'd too and That they were daily about their dispatch but could not guess when they might have it Yet as I have took notice in August beyond expectation the Committee return'd upon whose arrival the Lords Justices and Councel desirous to give them all satisfaction imaginable sate daily composing of Acts to be passed the next Sessions of Parliament for the benefit of his Majesty and the good of his Subjects on which the Members of Parliament then at Dublin and their Committee newly arriv'd seem'd with great contentment to retire into the Countrey the Lords Justices forthwith sending Briefs to all the Ports in the Kingdom of the Graces concerning Customs commanding the Officers punctually to obey those his Majesty's Directions particularly what-ever concern'd Wool Tobacco as all other things of that nature wherein his Majesty had been pleas'd to gratifie the Committee They gave Order also for drawing a Bill for repeal of the Preamble of the Act of Subsidies They also desired Sir William Cole and Sir James Montgomery two of the Committee if they could ever take the Assizes in the County
of November after the Rebellion brake forth found there many of the inferiour Irish and some of the Gentry in Rebellion in the County of Rescommon and Sligo with whom he dealt mildly presuming his former intimate Friendship and some Alliance might work on them but nothing prevail'd they were otherwise harden'd nor had he Force sufficient which they well knew to compel them their Swarms were so numerous their Cruelties so outragious so that at the last they block'd him up in the Castle of Athlone by the help of the Conspirators of Wess-Meath notwithstanding the Commissions of Government the Lords Justices and Council that nothing still might be wanting on the States side to evidence the confidence and trust they were willing to repose in the Prime Natives entrusted the Earl of Clanrickard the Lord Mayo the Lord of Costiloe and others with in which condition he remain'd till the Earl of Ormond Lieutenant General of his Majesties Army carried down two thousand Foot and some Troops of Horse to his Relief the Spring following Notwithstanding the Commission the Lord Rannelaugh had from those whom his Majesty entrusted of the Parliament in England to raise five hundred Protestants nearest adjoyning for the defence of the said Province and to name the Officers his Son Arthur Jones Esq being at the same time made Constable of the Castle of Roscommon in the County of Roscommon and allowed thirty one Protestant Warders to guard the Town and Castle As Sir Robert King at the same time was appointed in the like Command for the Castle of Abbey-boyle Yet the Rebels in the interim burnt the Town of Roscommon and the Bishops Town of Elphin besides many other Englishmen's Habitations surprizing also several Castles of the Earl of Clanrickards in the County of Galloway However Sir Charles Coote Junior vigilant in all concerns so mann'd and guarded Castle-Coot as that being in January 1641. besieg'd by Con O-Rourk with 1200 men he so notably encountred him as within a week he rais'd the Siege as he did Hugh O Connor Son of O Connor Dun of Balintober Titular Prince of Connaght lineally as he would have it descended from Rodderick O-Connor King of Connaght and Monarch of Ireland never afterwards durst make any formal approach against that Castle in as much as Sir Charles Coote fetch'd in Corn and Cattle at liberty Yet the second of March following O-Rourk came with all his Forces to fetch away the Prey of Roscommon before day hurrying them almost to Molinterim before our Forces could come up to him endeavouring to make good a Pass against our men who soon break their stoutest Ranks and killing most of the Rebels recovered the Prey took many Prisoners and amongst the rest Con O-Rourk Thus each Province was in a flame and that it burst not forth all at once was partly out of the backwardness of some who would first in the proceedings of the others see how far and with what security they might put themselves on the Work A horrid Work that had no promising or good Aspect And then others in the Counties of Dublin Meath Lowth who by the aforesaid compact should have furnish'd themselves with Arms from the State under pretence of service against Ulster missing of their Design in full halted a time and many declared not themselves at first by reason the surprising of the Castle of Dublin was prevented Nor did the noble and solemn Resentment of the Parliament in England a little startle others though after that the Winter came close upon them and that the English were almost every where harrast And the succours from England came not so soon as they were expected the Irish every where gathered that heat as in all Places to express their virulency Some will have it that the Gentlemen at Westminster instead of suppressing the Irish speedily by Arms made an Ordinance wholly to extirpate them whereby the Irish extirpated most part of the Protestant Colonies killing Man Woman and Child with most horrible Barbarousness Whereas it is apparent that the greatest and most horrid Massacres were acted before the Parliament could possibly know there was a Rebellion for after that the Plot was detected the Rebels somewhat slackned their first Cruelties though then they proclaim'd That if any Irish should harbour or relieve any English suffer'd to escape them with their lives that it should be penal even to death to such Irish So that though they put not those English actually to the Sword yet by that Design they cut them off more cruelly It being a certain truth not subject to the evasion of the Sophister that in all the four Provinces the horrid cruelties used towards the British either in their bloody Massacres or merciless dispoiling stripping and extirpation of them were generally acted in most parts of the Kingdom before they could gather themselves together to make any considerable resistance against their fury and before the State had assembled their Forces or were enabled by the power of his Majesties Arms to make any inroads into the Countreys possessed by the Rebels A circumstance which totally destroyeth all those vain pretences and fond recriminations which they have since most falsly taken up to palliate this their most abominable Rebellion or actings thereupon Besides in the first Order of the Lords Commons in Parliament of England touching this Concern for the better inducing of the Rebels to repent of their wicked Attempts they did thereby commend it to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or in his absence to the Lord Deputy or Lords Justices there according to the power of the Commission granted them in that behalf To bestow his Majesties gracious Pardon to all such as within a convenient time to be declared by any of the said Magistrates should return to their due obedience Which rule the Lords Justices in all Commissions either to Officers or Marshals they had also before observed that if amongst them there had been any relenting they might have experienc'd the mercy of the State And thus much may be said even for the Parliament that after the expence of much blood and treasure for suppression of the horrid Rebellion in Ireland when they had brought that Affair to such an issue as that a total Reducement and settlement of the Nation was effected whereby they came to divide the Rebels Estates They manifested that it was not the Parliaments intentions to extirpate that whole Nation but they ordered Mercy and Pardon both as to Life and Estate should be extended to all Husband-Men Labourers Artificers yea to higher rank and Quality according to the respective Demerits and Considerations under which they fell and that all should enjoy the benefit of their Articles It is indeed Enacted in the Acts of subscriptions for Ireland that every Person who shall make enter into or take any Compact Bond Covenant Oath promise or agreement to introduce or bring into the said Realm of Ireland the authority of the See of Rome
to believe the People were glad to be again receiv'd into his Majesty's Protection A Protection his Majesty evidences to his Commissioners at Uxbridge That it was as inevitably necessary that they should not consent to hinder him therein as he had strong Reasons for the Cessation before unless they could shew how his Protestant Subjects in Ireland may probably at least defend themselves and that he should have no more need to defend his Conscience and Crown from the Injuries of this Rebellion At this Peace the Irish seem'd exceedingly enliven'd but the shew thereof quickly vanish'd and a cloud of Jealousie began again to cover the Land The Pope's Nuncio and the titular Bishops who depended on him envi'd that Nation the happiness and glory they foresaw it would be possess'd of by the execution of that Agreement and so without any colour of Authority either by the old establish'd Laws of that Kingdom or those Rules they had prescrib'd to themselves since the Rebellion they conven'd a Congregation of the Clergy at Waterford a Town most at their devotion where the Titular Bishop of Ferns was in the Chair and refided And therefore it will not be amiss to take a short view of their proceedings that the unhappy oppressed and miserable Ireland may clearly discern to whom it owes those Pressures and Grievances it is now overwhelm'd with and whether that Bishop be to be reckon'd in the number of those who suffer at present for his Zeal to Religion his Allegiance to the King and his Affection to his Countrey or whether his name be to be inserted in that Catalogue which must derive to Posterity the Authors and Fomentors of so odious and causless a Rebellion in which such a Sea of Blood hath been let out and the Betrayers of the Honour and Faith of that Countrey and Nation and who are no less guilty of extirpation of a Religion they so much glory of in that Kingdom than Ireton or Cromwel or that impious Power under which they have perpetrated all their Acts of Blood Cruelty and Desolation At that time the Parliament of England having accommodated the Spaniard with 2000 Men he in lieu thereof so temper'd the Irish ever devoted to that Nation that the Spaniard having then an Agent in Ireland he took them off from doing any thing effectual in our King's business And the Congregation of the Clergy was no sooner assembled then instead of prescribing Acts of Charity and Repentance to the People for the ill they had formerly done and then inflaming their hearts with new Zeal and infusing pious Courage into them to relieve and succour the King from those who oppressed him according to their particular Obligation by their late Agreement which had been the proper Office of Prelates and a Christian Clergy they began to inveigh against the Peace which themselves had so lately approv'd and so formally consented unto as if it had not carefully enough provided for the advancement of Religion and would not suffer it to be proclaim'd in Waterford and sent their Emissaries and their Orders to all considerable Towns and Cities to incense the People against it and against those who wished it should take effect insomuch that when the King at Arms was Proclaiming the Peace at Limerick with that solemnity and Ceremony as in such cases is used throughout the World with his Coat of Arms the Ensign of his Office and accompani'd with the Mayor and Aldermen and the most substantial of the Citizens in their Robes and with all the Ensigns of Magistracy and Authority one Molife a seditious Frier stirr'd up the multitude against him which being led on by one Fanning a person notorious for many outrages and acts of Blood and Inhumanity in the beginning of the Rebellion violently assaulted them and after many opprobrious speeches in contempt of the Peace and the Authority of the King and tearing off the Coat from the Herald beat and wounded him and many of the Magistrates of the City and some of them almost to death And least all this might be excused and charitably interpreted to be the effect of a Popular and Tumultuous Insurrection the Lawful Mayor and other principal Officers who assisted him in the discharge of his Duty were immediately displac'd and Fanning the impious Conductor of that Rabble was made Mayor in his place who by Letters from the Nuncio was thanked for what he had done and encouraged to proceed in the same way and had the Apostolical Benediction bestowed on him for committing such an outrage upon the Priviledged Person of an Herald who in the name of the King came to proclaim Peace As by the Law of Nations must have been adjudged barbarous and unpardonable in any part of the World where Civility is planted if he had come to have denounced War And yet all this while the design it self was carried with so great secresie that the Lord Lieutenant proceeding in his Progress for the setling and composing the humours of the People which he understood to have been in some disorder by the infusions of the ill-affected Clergy never heard of any Force of Arms to second and support those mutinous disorders till being near to the City of Cashell he was advertis'd by Letters from the Mayor that Neal's Army was marching that way and had sent terrible threats to that City if it presum'd to receive the Lord Lieutenant And shortly after he found that Owen O Neal used all possible expedition to get between him and Dublin that so he might have been able to have surprised and destroyed him whereupon the Marquis found it necessary to lose no time in returning thither yet resolved not onely to contain himself from any Acts of Hostility but even from those Trespasses which are hardly avoidable upon Marches and paid so precisely for whatsoever was taken from the Inhabitants throughout all the Catholick Quarters presuming that those Persons of Honour who had transacted the Treaty would have been able to have caused the Peace to be observed in despight of those clamorous undertakers But when the Unchristian Congregation of Waterford had made this Essay of their Power and Jurisdiction they made all possible hast to propagate their Authority and declared the Peace to be void and inhibited all Persons to submit thereunto or to pay any Taxes Imposition or Contribution which had been setled by the said Agreement and without which neither a standing Army which was to be applied to the Reduction of those Towns and Provinces which had put themselves under the Protection of the Parliament of England and never submitted to the former Cessation nor could be comprehended in the Peace could be supported or the 10000 Men rais'd to be transported into England for the succour of the King as had been so Religiously undertaken which inclination of theirs the People so readily obeyed and submitted unto That they committed and delegated the intire and absolute Power of Governing
Marquess well saw how tedious and inconvenient this course might prove and rather advance all the scandalous and seditious Designs then suppress them Yet he fore-saw as well that if it were declin'd by him he should be un-avoidably reproach'd with not being willing to be informed of the just Grievances of the People and consequently not to remedy them And therefore without giving countenance to any such irregular Convention by any formal summons of his own he gave way that the Commissioners should write their Letters to that purpose and accordingly the Agents did come thither from the several Countreys to communicate and present their Complaints and Desires together in January following And the Lord Lieutenant received them with good Countenance and wished them freely to consult together as soon as they could to present whatsomever they had to say to him to which they should be sure to receive a speedy Answer About which time Colonel Barry who through the whole Scene had been intrusted by the Supream Council to negotiate with the King and was not ill thought of by the Marquess of Ormond had then licence from Cromwel to visit his Wife and Family at Castlelions under the Parliaments obedience where he transacted through the Mediation of a noble Person many Concerns to the composing of Differencies with the greatest though what tended to an Agreement with Inchequin would never in the least be indulged and the rest then spoke of had a fate not seasonably to be composed In the mean time the Bishops and Clergy of themselves and without any Authority received or desired from the Lord Lieutenant Assembled at Cloanmacnoise upon the River Shannon upon whose Councils and Conclusions all mens eyes were more fixed then upon what the Agents should represent at Kilkenny it being very evident that many of the Catholick Noblity of the Kingdom and some principal Persons of Quality and Interest formally concurred with the Marquess And the Commissioners of Trust were for the most part as zealous for the execution and observation of the Articles of Peace and that the same might be rendred useful to the Nation Yet the Clergy and Religious Persons had found means to obstruct that Union which was necessary for the carrying on the Work and especially had that influence upon the Corporate Towns that no Garrisons would be admitted therein or such Submission paid to the Lord Lieutenant or the Commissioners Orders as were essential to their own defence and to the making War against the Enemy So that all men were in suspence what would be the issue of that Meeting And it cannot be denied but that those Bishops and that part of the Clergy which were best affected and knew the ways which were most conducing to the happiness of their Countrey prevail'd so far that the Conclusions which were made there seem'd full of respect for the Kings Service and wholsom Advice and Council to the People They declared how vain a thing it was to imagine that there would be any security for the exercise of their Religion for the enjoying of their Fortunes or for the preservation of their Lives by any Treaty with or Promise from the Parliament That they abhorred all factious Animosities and Divisions which raged amongst themselves to the hindrance of the Publick Service And therefore enjoyn'd all the Clergy of what Quality soever and Ecclesiastical Persons by Preaching and all other means to incline the People unto an union of Affection and to the laying aside of all jealousies of each other and unanimously to concur in opposing the Common Enemy And appointed the Bishops and other Persons to proceed with greater severity against those Religious and Spiritual Persons who should under-hand cherish and foment those Jealousies and Divisions In a word they said so much and so well that when the Lord Lieutenant was informed of it and when he saw the Extract of their Determinations he conceiv'd some hope that it might indeed make good Impression on the People and produce a very good effect The Particulars of which here follows The Copies of Acts and Declarations by the Ecclesiastical Congregation of the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates met at Clonmacnoise the fourth day of December 1649. And since Concluded By the Ecclesiastical Congregation of the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates WHereas heretofore many of the Clergy and Laity did in their actions and proceedings express much discontents and divisions of mind grounding the same on the late difference of Opinion happened amongst the Prelates and the Laity by which the Nation was not so well united as was necessary in this time of great danger wherein all as with one heart and hand ought to oppose the Common Enemy We the Archbishops Bishops and Prelates of this Kingdom met motu proprio at Clonmacknose 4. Decembris 1649. having removed all differences among us not entring into the merits of diversities of former Opinions thought good for removing of all jealousies from our own thoughts hearts and resolutions and from others who had relation or were adherent to the former diversity of Opinions to manifest hereby to all the World that the said Divisions and Jealousies grounded thereupon are now forgotten and forgiven among us on all sides as aforesaid And that all and every of us of the above Archbishops Bishops and Prelates are now by the blessing of God as one body united And that we will as becometh charity and our Pastoral charge stand all of us as one intire Body for the Interest and Immunities of the Church and of every the Prelates and Bishops thereof and for the Honour Dignity Estate Right and Possession of all and every the said Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates And we will as one intire and united Body forward by our Councils Actions and Devices the advancement of his Majesties Rights and the good of this Nation in general and in particular occasions to our Power and that none of us in any occasion whatsoever concerning the Catholick Religion or the good of this Kingdom of Ireland will in any respect single himself or be or seem opposite to the rest of us but will hold firm and intire in one sence as aforesaid hereby detesting the actions thoughts and discourses of any that shall renew the least memory of the differences past or give any ground of future difference among us And do in the Name of Jesus Christ exhort all our flock to the like brotherly affection and union and to the like detestation of all past differences or jealousies as aforesaid arising hitherto among them And we desire that this our Declaration be Printed and Published in each Parish by Command of the respective Ordinaries Ut videant opera vestra bona glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in Coelis est Datum apud Clonmacnose 13. Decem. 1649. Signed by Hugo Ardmachanus Fr. Thomas Dublin Thomas Casshel Joan. Archiep. Tuam Fr. Boetius Elphyn Fr. Edmundus Laghlinensis Procurator Waterfordiensis Emerus Clogher Robertus Corcagiensis
and General Governor of the Kingdom of Ireland Chancellor of the University of Dublin and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter To our Trusty and Well-beloved Bishop Ever Mac Mahon ORMOND WHereas upon the Treaty with General Owen O Neal deceased it was amongst other Particulars Concluded and Agreed upon that in case of death or removal of him such other General or Commander in Chief should be authorised by Commission from us to Command his Majesties Forces of the Province of Ulster Natives of the Kingdom as should be by general consent of the Gentry of that Province elected and made choice of for the same And whereas in a general Meeting lately held by the Gentry for that purpose it was agreed upon and so represented unto us that you should exercise that Command over the said Forces We therefore upon the Consideration thereof and of the Care Judgment Valour and Expedience in Martial Affairs as also of the readiness and good affections of you to do his Majesties Service have nominated and appointed and we do hereby nominate and appoint you the said Bishop Ever Mac Mahon to be General of all his Majesties said Forces of Horse and Foot of the Province of Ulster Natives of the Kingdom Giving thereby unto you the said Bishop Ever Mac Mahon full Power and Authority to take the said Charge and Employment upon you and the said Forces and every of them to Lead and Command according to the use and discipline of War and such further Order and Instructions as you shall from time to time receive from us or other his Majesties chief Governor or Governors of this Kingdom the time being in that behalf willing and hereby requiring all the Officers Troopers and Soldiers of the said Forces to obey you as their General and to be at and perform your Commands as they shall issue unto them upon all occasions of his Majesties Service as they will answer the contrary In witness whereof we have Signed this our Commission and caused our Seal of Arms to be thereunto affixed at Loghreogh the first day of April 1650. In execution of which the Bishop with great activity and courage proceeded in infesting the English Garrisons and Army in that Province as much as was in his Power And having an Army consisting of about 5000 Horse and Foot about the 20th of June 1650. when the Lord Lieutenant himself could not draw 1000 men together or keep them if together the space of 48 hours he encountred not far from London-derry with Sir Charles Coot who Commanded the Parliaments Forces in Chief in that Quarter and was then inferior in Foot to the Bishop though otherwise he had a great advantage of him by having near treble the number of Horse Notwithstanding which inequality the Irish for a while behaved themselves handsomly but in the end were totally defeated so that the Bishop was compelled after he saw the day was irrecoverably lost to quit the Field with a small party of Horse The next day in his flight he had the misfortune near Eniskelin to meet with the Governor Major King of that Town in the Head of a Party too strong for him against which however the Bishop defended himself with notable courage though after he had received many wounds he was taken Prisoner and soon after by the positive Order of Sir Charles Coot whom within less then a year he had reliev'd when in great extremity hang'd This was a most happy Victory for the Parliament in that 3000 of the Rebels were there slain all meer Irish out of an opinion they could not prosper as long as they had any English joyn'd with them and for that end had throughly purg'd their Army which being stiled by them the Confident Victorious Army of the North had a full return of Gods Vengeance they being the first Incendiaries and Actors in those barbarous Cruelties which ensued their Insurrection This was the unfortunate end of that unhappy Prelate of whom since he bore so great a Part in the Troubles of Ireland and was much superior in Parts to any man of that Party it will not be impertinent or uncharitable to mention some Passages of his Life that thereby his nature and disposition may be the better collected and indeed the spirit and temper of mind which those kind of men were possessed with who had the greatest abilities to do hurt Some few years before the Rebellion this Ever Mac Mahon being then an Arch Priest and residing for the most part in or near Dublin repair'd as you have heard to a Prime Instrument of State and discovered to him the Contrivances abroad in reference to bring Troubles upon that Kingdom who being thereupon Pardon'd still as any thing of that nature proceeded inform'd the State thereof And though according to the formality of Law he should have sued out his Pardon yet that he might still be confided in by the Confederates who knew not who the Discoverer was he meerly trusted to the Kings Mercy and Clemency and through the Government of the Earl of Strafford he prov'd faithful to the Crown From the beginning of this Rebellion his Power was very great with those that were opposite to any Reconciliation upon the first and 2 Conclusion of Peacy by the Confederate Catholicks continuing firm to that Party which followed Owen O Neal or rather Govern'd Owen O Neal who commanded that Party and over and above those demands which concern'd Religion to which they seem'd to adhere with more then ordinary zeal and thereby drew a dependency of that Clergy to them they insisted upon the Restitution of the great Estates in Ulster which was not in the Power of the Crown to make without violation of several Acts of Parliament and defeating many descents and purchases which had passed without any interruption or claim for the space of 150 years This impossible expectation kept both Owen O Neal and the Bishop of Clogher from concurring with the Confederate Catholicks in the Peace they made with his Majesty 1648. and the Animosity they contracted against the Confederates inclined them to relieve London-derry when as is remembred before it was even ready to be reduced by his Majesties Forces rather then to submit to the Peace made by them with the Lord Lieutenant To whose Divisions the State of England saith Rely Archbishop of Armagh ows their present Possession of Ireland and therefore infers that that Party of the Irish Natives ought to be not onely on that account Favour'd and Trusted but because also they never had affection for the King or his Family Yet after they had found it necessary to make that agreement with the Marquess in 1649. being neglected by the Parliament it must be acknowledged that the Bishop performed and observ'd it very justly as he was punctual in what he promised and applied himself with all dexterity and industry to the advancement of his Majesties Interest so that during his time he restrain'd the Clergy
they were advised to return to their Association and until a General Assembly of the Nation could be conveniently called unanimously to serve against the common Enemy since no Persons were named or appointed to conduct them it must be acknowledged that they were left without any direction at all to the rage and fury of those who intended nothing but their Reduction Together with their Excommunication they published in the head of the Army a Declaration entituled A Declaration of the Archibishops Bishops and other Prelates and Dignitaries of the Regular and Secular Clergy of the Kingdom of Ireland against the continuance of his Majesty's Authority in the Marquess of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for the mis-government of the Subjects and the ill conduct of his Majesty's Army and violation of the Articles of Peace If the Archbishops Bishops and Secular and Regular Clergy of Ireland will take upon them to declare against the King's Authority where his Majesty hath placed it and will make themselves Judges of his supream Minister for the government of the Subjects and the ill conduct of his Majesty's Army they assume an Authority to themselves that no other Christian Clergy ever pretended and sufficiently declare to the King how far they are from being Subjects or intending to pay him any Obedience longer than they are govern'd in such Manner and by such Persons as they think fit to be pleas'd with If the Marquess of Ormond had mis-govern'd the People and conducted his Majesty's Army amiss the Clergy are not competent Judges of the one or the other And for the violation of the Articles of Peace the Commissioners nominated and appointed to provide for the due execution of them were the only Persons who could determine and remedy such Violation and who well knew there was no cause for their complaint But on the other hand as hath been before mention'd these Men obstructed that concurrence and obedience in the People without which those Articles could not be observed or the security of the People provided for The Preface of that Declaration according to their usual method justified and magnified their Piety and Vertue in the beginning and carrying on the War extolled their Duty and Affection to their King in submitting to him and returning to their Allegiance when they said they could have better or as good Conditions from the Parliament of England intimated what a vast sum of Money they had provided near half a Million of English pounds besides several Magazines of Corn with a fair Train of Artillery great quantity of Powder Match Ammunition with other Materials for carrying on the War and many other Particulars of that nature the monstrous untruths whereof doth sufficiently appear in what hath been said before The Marquess having been forced to borrow those little sums of Money out of the Pockets of his Friends and to spend all that he raised upon the sail of a good quantity of his own Land for the support of his Wife and Children to enable the Army to march which was not then what-ever hath been since re-paid to him And the Magazines of Corn and Ammunition and other Materials for War being so absolutely un-furnished that it was not possible for him to reduce those small Forts of Maryburrough and Athy held by Neal's Party till he had by his own Power and Interest procured some Supplies before clearly mention'd so far were these Men from making that Provision they brag of What Conditions they might have had from the Parliament of England may be concluded by the usage they have since found nor if they were put to it would they be able to prove their Assertions divine vengeance having made that Party more merciless towards them whose forwardness obstinacy and treachery against the King's Authority contributed most to their Service than those who worthily opposed them and were most enemies to their Proceedings They endeavour'd by all imaginable Reproaches and Calumnies to lessen the Peoples Reverence towards the Lord Lieutenant laying such Aspersions on him in the said Declaration as might most alienate their Affections though themselves knew them to be un-true and without colour They complained that he had given Money Commissions for Colonels and other Commands unto Protestants and upon them consumed the substance of the Kingdom who most of them either betrayed or deserted the Service whereas they knew well that there was not one Protestant Officer to whom the Lord Lieutenant gave a Commission who betrayed any Place committed to him or otherwise treated in order to their support than all the other Officers of the same condition in the Army nor did they quit the Service until many of them had gallantly lost their Lives and that the Clergy had so far incensed the People against them only for being Protestants that the Marquess was compelled to give them leave to depart the Kingdom or otherwise to dispose of themselves and the Parliament Commanders gave Passes to such as would depart the Kingdom and gladly entertain'd such as went over to their Party They accused him of Improvidence in conducting the Army after the defeat at Rathmines of not relieving Tredath of permitting Play Drinking and Licentiousness in the Camp and as bold Aspersions as without Excommunication might gain credit with the People and reflect upon his Honour where he was not enough known Whereas the Action at Rathmines is before set down at large and the taking of Tredath by a Storm when it was scarce apprehended And it is notoriously known that in his Person he was so strict and vigilant that he gave not himself freedom and liberty to enjoy those Pleasures which might very well have consisted with the Office and Duty of the most severe General and that in above three months time which was from his first drawing the Forces to the Rendezvous till after the misfortune at Rathmines he never slept out of his Souldier's Habit. So that the malice and craft of those unreasonable and sensless Calumnies are easie enough to be discerned and can only make an impression upon vulgar minds not well informed of the Humour and Spirit of the Contrivers They magnified exceedingly the Merit of the Prelates the Declaration they had made at Cloanmacnoise their frequent expressions of their Sincerity and most blame the Marquess for not making use of their Power and Diligence toward the advancing the King's Interest but rather for suspecting and blaming them by his Letter to the Prelates at Jamestown before-mention'd and they said words were heard to fall from him dangerous as to the Persons of some of the Prelates To all which little need be said since there is before so just and full mention of their fair Declarations Professions and Actions which accompanied them And for the danger the Persons of some Prelates were in they will be ashamed to urge when it is known that their Bishop of Killalough was brought to him in custody even after he had sign'd this Declaration and Excommunication
Evidence enough there being many then in Dublin who own'd their Lives and whatever of their Fortunes was left purely to him so that he doubted not but that he would be worthy of their Protection Within few days after when the Marquess did not suspect the poor man to be in danger he heard that Sir Charles Coot who was Provost Martial General had taken him out of Prison and caused him to be put to death in the morning before or assoon as it was light of which Barbarity the Marquess complained to the Lords Justices but was so far from bringing the other to be question'd that he found himself to be upon some disadvantage for thinking the proceeding to be otherwise then it ought to have been This was the Case of Mr. Higgins and this the Marquess's part in it and the poor man was so far from complaining of his breach of Promise at his death how confidently soever it be aver'd that he exceedingly acknowledged the Favour he had receiv'd from his Lordship prayed for his Prosperity and lamented his want of Power to do that which the World saw his inclination prompted him to The proceeding against Mr. White was very different and in this manner The Marquess being upon his march with his Army he quarter'd one night at Clonin an house of the Earl of West-Meaths who was residing there with his Wife and Family when he was at Supper many of the Officers being at the Table the Lady of the House upon some whisper she receiv'd from a Servant expressed some trouble in her Countenance which the Marquess who sate next her perceiving asked her what the matter was she told him in his ear that she was in great apprehension of an honest man who was in her house and much fear'd the Souldiers confessing he was a Priest The Marquess replied that if he was in the house and kept himself there he was in no danger for as the Souldiers would attempt nothing while the Marquess stai'd there so he would leave a Guard at his departure that should secure it against Straglers or any Party that should stay behind which he did accordingly In the morning when he was ready to march he receiv'd information that the Rebels were possessed of a Pass by which he was to go whereupon he sent some Troops to get a Foard three miles from the way the Army was to march and by that means to come upon the Rear of the Rebels by the time the Army should come to the Pass which being done after a short Encounter in which many were killed the Rebels were put to flight and the Pass gain'd In this action Mr. White was taken on Horse-back with a Case of Pistols who desired to be brought to the Marquess which being done he told him he was the Person for whom the Countess of West-Meath had besought his favour the night before and that his Lordship had promised that he should be safe The Marquess told him if he were the same Person it was his own fault that he was not safe if he had staid in the house he was in this had not befaln him that it was now out of his Power to preserve him himself being bound to pursue those Orders which the Lords Justices had given him Nevertheless he did endeavour to have saved him at least till he might be brought to Dublin But the whole Army possessed with a bitter spirit against the Romish Clergy mutinied upon it and in the end compelled the Marquess to leave him unto that Justice which they were authoris'd to execute and so put him to death Who can now upon these two Instances and no other can or have been given reasonably and honestly say that the Marquess hath had his hands defiled with the blood of Priests And from the time that he had the chief Power committed to him there was not one Priest how Maliciously Rebelliously or Treacherously soever they behaved themselves against the Kings Service and the Person of the Lord Lieutenant who suffered death but also all other acts of Blood and Rage which are not necessary though hardly avoidable in the most just War were declined and discountenanced by him nay for his Respect to affairs of this nature that they might be evenly and without passion carried on did he not often undergo even with his own Party a suspicion of not being sufficiently faithful The Consequences of which had many Censures The truth is the Rebellion was odious to him yet his desire often to reclaim the Irish by Mercy palliated what otherwise might have finished some thought the War sooner then it had its Determination I shall pass over the many Tautologies and impertinent Calumnies in the said Declaration all which are sufficiently answer'd and clear'd by what is already contain'd in this Narrative and shall onely insert their conclusion in their own words as followeth For the prevention of these Evils and that the Kingdom may not be utterly lost to his Majesty and his Catholick Subjects this Congregation of Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates and Dignitaries of both Clergies of this Kingdom found our selves bound in Conscience after great deliberation to declare against the continuance of his Majesties Authority in the Person of the Lord Marquess of Ormond having by his Misgovernment ill Conduct of his Majesties Army and breach of Publick Faith with the People in several Particulars of the Articles of Peace rendred himself incapable of continuing that great Trust any longer being questionable before his Majesty for the aforesaid Injuries and ill Government to which effect we will joyn with other Members of this Kingdom in drawing a Charge against him And we hereby manifest to the People that they are no longer obliged to obey the Orders and Commands of the said Marquess of Ormond but are until a General Assembly of the Nation can be conveniently called together unanimously to serve against the common Enemy for the defence of the Catholick Religion his Majesties Interest their Liberties Lives and Fortunes in pursuance of the Oath of Association and to observe in the mean time the form of Government the said Congregation shall prescribe until otherwise ordered by an Assembly or until upon Application to his Majesty he settle the same otherwise And we do Fulminate the annexed Excommunication of one date with this Declaration against all opposers of the said Declaration Here we are arrived at one of the most fatal Conclusions of a desperate People any History ever mention'd yet as the case stood it was not possible for his Excellency to chastise their folly and madness such a reverence and esteem this unhappy Nation hath ever had of their Clergy that a seditious Frier and he happily none of their highest Order neither could take the Colours in the head of a Regiment and pronouncing damnation to those who should presume to march contrary to the General 's command caused the Soldiers to throw down their Arms and disband as fell out in an
of Trust issued his Orders viz. the 24th of October for the meeting of an Assembly at Loghreogh on the 15th of Novemb. and in the mean time on the 23d of Octob. for the better composing of the minds of men and preventing those distempers and jealousies which might be infused he writ from Enis to the Commissioners of Trust and took notice of that Declaration which was published in Scotland and told them That however the affronts put upon his Majesty had been many and were obstinately persisted in to that day and in such Places whereupon evidently depended the preservation or loss of the whole Kingdom whereof he had several times given notice to them and followed the ways advised by them for the reclaiming the said Places without success yet considering the Declaration gain'd from his Majesty was without hearing what could be said by the Nation in their own defence and such as involved it generally without exception â—n the guilt of Rebellion he thought it fit to let them know That since the Declaration was by undue means obtain'd from his Majesty he was resolved by all the means it should please God to offer unto him and through all hazards in the behalf of the Nation to insist upon and insert the lawfulness of the conclusion of the Peace by vertue of the aforesaid Authority and that the said Peace was still valid and of force and binding unto his Majesty and all his Subjects And herein he told them he was resolved by the help of God to persist until both himself and such as should in that behalf be intrusted and authorised by the Nation should have free and safe access to his Majesty and until upon mature and unrestrained consideration of what might on all sides be said his Majesty should have declared his Royal pleasure upon those Affronts that had been put upon his Authority Provided that in the mean time and immediately First That all the Acts Declarations and Excommunications issued by the Bishops met at James-town in August last against his Majesties Authority in him and the Peoples giving obedience thereunto should be by them revoked and such assurance given as should be agreed by him and the Commissioners of Trust that they nor any of them should attempt the like for the future and that they should contain themselves within the bounds prescribed by the Articles of Peace whereof they are Parties Secondly That it should be immediately declared by the Commissioners of Trust that the said Declaration Excommunication and other Proceedings of the said Bishops was an unwarrantable usurpation upon his Majesties just Authority and in them a violation of the Peace And that in case the Bishops should not give the assurance before expressed or having given it should not observe the same that they would endeavour to bring the offenders to condign punishment pursuant unto and as is prescribed by the Laws of the Kingdom as disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdom and obstructors of the means of preserving the same Thirdly That the like Declaration should be made by all that derive Authority from his Majesty Civil or Martial and by the respective Mayors Aldermen Common-Councils Burgesses and other Magistrates in all the Corporations of the Kingdom Fourthly That the Lord Lieutenant should be permitted to make his free and safe Residence in any Place he should choose within the Limits not possessed by the Parliament Fifthly That he should be immediately suffered to Garrison such Places and in such manner according to the Articles of Peace as he should find necessary for the defence of the Kingdom In the last place he wish'd them That some present course might be taken for his support in some proportion answerable to his Place yet with regard to the Kingdom which last he said he should not have proposed but that he was deprived of all his own Fortune whereupon he had wholely subsisted ever since his coming into the Kingdom The Commissioners of Trust received this Letter with all demonstrations of respect and satisfaction and the very next day return him an Answer in which after they had lamented the issuing out of that Proclamation in Scotland they said It greatly comforted them to understand that his Excellency was resolv'd through all hazards in behalf of the Nation to insist upon and assert the Peace and persist in so doing until he or such as should be intrusted and authorized by the Nation should have free and safe access unto his Majesty And as to those Proviso's which were expressed as necessary Conditions for the continuing amoâ—â—st them his Majesties Authority which notwithstanding the Declaration they said they did still reverence and embrace beside their general profession to act what lay within their power in the ways of his Majesties service for his Excellencies satisfaction they return'd these ensuing Answers As to the first concerning the revocation of those Acts Declarations and Excommunications issued by the Bishops and assurance demanded that nothing in that kind should be attempted for the future They said That his Excellency to whom they had often express'd their resentment of their proceedings might be confident they would labour as far as in them lay to see his Excellency satisfi'd in that particular and to that end they would all or some of them with his allowance and as he should think fit repair to Galway to treat with the Prelates on that Subject Unto the second they answered That albeit they knew by those Censures of the Bishops his Majesties Authority was invaded and an unwarranted Government set up contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom and that they were assured no Subject could be justly warranted by that Excommunication to deny Obedience to his Majesties Authority in his Excellency yet being of opinion that a publick Declaration of that kind in that conjuncture of Affairs ought properly and would with more countenance and Authority move from an Assembly than from them and that by such a publick Declaration than from themselves they should wholely obstruct the way to prevail with the Prelates to withdraw those Acts which was desired by the former Proposition and likewise endanger the Union that was necessary at present in opposing the common Enemy and prejudice the hopes of a more perfect Union for the future wherein the preservation of the Nation would principally consist They did therefore humbly beseech his Excellency to call an Assembly of the Nation from whom such a Declaration as might be effectual in that behalf and might settle those Distractions could onely proceed Tet if in the mean time and before the meeting of that Assembly those Censures then suspended should be revived they would endeavour to suppress their influence upon the People by such a Declaration as should become Loyal Subjects and men entrusted to see all due obedience unto his Majesties Government over the whole Kingdom To the third they answered That they would at all times and in such manner as his Excellency should think fit
to prescribe invite all his Majesties Roman Catholick Subjects to such a Declaration which yet until they should understand the Clergies sense upon the first Proviso they said they did humbly as fit for a time to forbear To the fourth they answered That whatsomever his Excellency should find to be within their power and would direct to be done concerning the Place of Residence for his Person they would readily obey his Lordships command therein To the fifth they answered That upon conference with his Excellency of the Places fit to be Garrison'd and the number of Men fit to be put in them they would according to the Articles of Peace use their utmost endeavours to have such Garrisons so agreed upon admitted And to the last they said They had at all times been ready and willing that his Excellencies Charge should be supported out of the Revenue of the Kingdom and that they were now ready to concur in assigning any of the Dues already accrued or such as should grow due hereafter or to impose any new Allotment upon the Subject towards his maintenance When the Lord Lieutenant perceived that the temper and desire of the Commissioners of Trust was so different from that of the Congregation and that in truth they were afflicted and scandalized at the exorbitancy of the other and that they thought they should be able to reduce them from the destructive Counsels they were engaged in He would not upon any experience or judgment of his own restrain them from attempting what was not impossible to compass and which many would have concluded would be compassed if attempted and which what other effect soever it had would make evident that there was not a concurrence in the Nation in those Acts which were likely to destroy the Kingdom And therefore he willingly consented that the Commissioners should go to Gallway where the Committee of the Congregation resided whereof the Bishop of Ferns was one to whom they shewed the Letter they received from the Lord Lieutenant and desired them to consider the state of the Kingdom and to know from them what they conceiv'd remain'd that might best tend to the preservation of the Nation without keeping the Kings Authority amongst them for that many of the most considerable would instantly make their conditions with the Enemy if the Kings Authority were taken away and that there was no hope of keeping or leaving that Authority but by revoking the Excommunication and Declaration For the Lord Lieutenant would not stay to keep it nor would he leave it nor the Marquis of Clanrickard undergo it but on these terms And hereupon they used all those Reasons and Arguments which cannot but occur to all men who are not blinded with Passion and Prejudice to induce them to such a Retraction as could onely advance the happiness or indeed the subsistence of the Nation But the Bishops were inexorable and instead of abating any of that fury they had formerly express'd that added new contumelies and reproaches to all the Authority of the King they said They observ'd by the Lord Lieutenants Letter that he had informed his Majesty of the Disobediences and Affronts that had been put upon his Authority and consequently that he had suggested matter unto his Majesty for making that Declaration against the Peace That they had perused the Declaration which had been published in Scotland disavowing the Peace And that they were of opinion for ought appeared to them That the King had withdrawn his Commission and Authority from the Lord Lieutenant That in the said Declaration the Irish Nation as bloody Rebels were cast from the protection of the Kings Laws and Regal Favours And therefore it might be presum'd that he would not have his Authority kept over such a Nation to govern them whereas they had been of opinion and all their endeavours had been employ'd to keep the Kings Authority over them But when his Majesty throws away the Nation as Rebels from his protection withdrawing his own Authority they could not understand the mystery of preserving the same with them or over them nor how it could be done That they believed the best remedy the Kings Authority being taken away by that Declaration of meeting the Inconveniency of the Peoples closing with the Parliament is the returning to the Confederacy as they said was intended by the Nation in case of the breach of Peace on his Majesties part that they said would keep an union amongst them if men would not be precipitately guilty of the breach of their Oath of Association which Oath by two solemn Orders of two several Assemblies was to continue binding if any breach of the Articles of Peace should happen on his Majesties part That the Kings Authority and the Lord Lieutenants Commission being recalled by that Declaration they were of opinion that the Lord Lieutenant had no Authority to delegate his Authority to any other And if they must expose their Lives and Fortunes to the hazard of fighting to the making good of that Peace seeing the danger was alike to defend that or get a better Peace why should they bind themselves within the limits of those Articles so disowned And so with several Tautologies urged the Declaration in Scotland as a ground and excuse for all their proceedings when what they had done as we have before took notice of was before the issuing forth of that Declaration In fine they concluded they could not consent with safety of Conscience to the revoking their Declaration and Excommunication demanded by the Lord Lieutenant nor to give assurance to him or the Commissioners of Trust for not attempting the like for the future And to manifest their inveterate malice against him being in Galway the Captain of the Guard of the Town commonly called The Captain of the Guard of the young men did make search for him in the said Town as after a criminal person or a fugitive thereby endeavouring to bring contempt and scorn upon him and his Majesties Authority placed in him And now you must know they would not make this Declaration in case of Conscience of so vast an extent and importance without forsooth setting down their Reasons under their hands which for the Doctrine sake I would not conceal from the world that it may better judge of those Spiritual Guides who made themselves guilty of that mass of mischief and ruine that flowed from thence Their first Reason was Because the Kings Authority was not in the Lord Lieutenant nor was then they said power in them to confer a new Authority on him which would be destructive to the Nation if it continued in him and preservative in another and that they said was their sense when they declared against the Kings Authority in his Person so that though they had presumption enough to take the Kings Authority out of his Lieutenants hands by their Declaration and Excommunication and to inhibit all men to submit unto it they had now modesty to
should happen which they wished God would avert they should pray and conjure the Romish Clergy of England that that of the Maccabees might be recorded of them to future Ages Erat pro uxoribus filiis pro fratribus cognatis minor solicitudo maximus vero primus pro sanctitate erat timor Templi And this was the Answer delivered to the Commissioners of Trust upon the 5th day of November 1650. at Galway by the Bishops of Killala Ferns Kilmacduogh Clonfert Kilfinara and Dromore after several and long Conferences with the Commissioners of Trust who were Authorised by the Nation unto the Proposals presented by the Commissioners to the Committee of the Congregation the 29th of Octob. 1650. Here we cannot avoid observing by the express words of the Conclusion upon their Reasons in their Conference with the Commissioners that though they seem'd to desire that the Marquis of Clanrickard whose zeal to the Romish Religion and Interest in the Nation was so notorious and confessed that they durst not publickly repine at his known affection and integrity to the King might govern the Nation with the consent of all Parties and that the Kings Authority in the Lord Lieutenant might be left in him yet they declared they meant it should onely be until an Assembly which they well knew by the express terms of the Articles of Peace could be onely lawfully conven'd by the Lord Lieutenant and then that Assembly should judge of the Peoples preservation and to decree and order what should be the best and safest for the defence of the Nation touching the Kings Authority to be kept over them the Peace to be asserted and made good or to renew the Association or any thing else they should find best and most expedient So that they intended no other Honour to the Marquis of Clanrickard than that by his countenance and reputation they might perswade the Lord Lieutenant to leave the Kings Authority behind him and that he should call an Assembly which they would otherwise do themselves which they were sure should be constituted for the most part of such Men as would follow their Dictates by which himself should be divested of that Power and the King deposed from any further Dominion over them when they perswade any foreign Prince to take them into his Protection which practice they quickly set on foot And for the further manifestation of their Affection and Loyalty to the King which they cannot endure should be called yet in question it is observable that these Men who had so often contradicted and controuled the express Acts of every Assembly that had been convened since the beginning of these Troubles and now commanded the People under pain of damnation not to yield any obedience to the King's Authority in his Lieutenant and declared that they could not with the safety of their Consciences consent to the Propositions which he had lately made for the uniting the Nation in defence of the Peace so advantagious to their Liberty and Religion which the Commissioners intrusted by and for the Nation thought so reasonable These Men I say made no scruple of professing and declaring that if an Assembly upon due consideration of their state and condition should find it the best way for their safety and preservation to make an Agreement with the Enemy they would not hinder the People from compounding with them for the safety of their Lives and States Which being seriously considered we cannot sufficiently wonder at the strange stupid resignation of their Understandings who believed or rather at the wonderful contempt of those Understandings which would be perswaded to believe that this Congregation had loyal Purposes toward the King or that they never intended to hinder the Assembly or give Law to the People when they cancell'd all fundamental Laws broke through all Acts of their own Assembly and forbad the People to pay any obedience to the King's Vicegerent who had only the lawful Power of Government over them The more extravagant and unreasonable these Proceedings were of the Congregation and Clergy the more confident many honest and wise Men were that the Assembly of the Nation would regulate and controul that il-limited Power and utterly dis-avow all that they had done and therefore they who were exceedingly offended and enraged against the Congregation were solicitous and importunate with the Lord Lieutenant to call an Assembly And though he had too much experience of the Nature and Temper of the People and of the transcendent Power the Clergy should still have over any Assembly or at least over the People when the Assembly had done what it could to hope for any good effect from it And though he saw he should thereby the more expose his own Honour and which he considered more the Dignity of his Master to new Insolencies yet since he resolved to leave the Kingdom himself and was only un-resolved whether he should leave the King's Authority behind him liable to the same Indignities and Affronts in the Person of the Marquess of Clanrickard which it had been subject to in his own and could have no kind of assurance that it should not but by the Professions and Protestations of an Assembly he did resolve to call one and issued out his Letters for their meeting upon the 15th of November 1650. at Loghreogh where they met accordingly And the Bishops for removing as they said of any Jealousies that any might apprehend of their Proceedings declared and protested That by their Excommunication and Declaration at James-town they had no other aim than the preservation of the Catholick Religion and the People and that they did not purpose to make any visible Usurpation on his Majesty's Authority nor on the Liberty of the People confessing that it did not belong to their Jurisdiction so to do With which Protestation so contrary to what they had done and which in truth they had so often made even at the time they did all things contrary to it the Assembly was satisfied and did not so much as make another Protestation that the Bishops had done what they ought not to do nor exact a Promise from them that they would not do the like in time to come So that the Lord Lieutenant was resolv'd to look no more for satisfaction from them nor expose the King's Authority any further by leaving any Deputy behind him but prepared for his departure When the Assembly understood his Resolution and saw plainly that he was even ready to depart his Goods and many of his Servants being on Ship-board they sent four Members the Lord Dillon Clanrickard c. of their House to him at Kilcogan with an Instrument in writing bearing date from Loghreogh the 7th of December in which they repeated concerning the Excommunication and Declaration what the Bishops had protested in that Assembly and of his Excellency's Letter dated the 16th of November last recommending to them as the chief End for which that Assembly was
Hereupon the Assembly unanimously professed all obedience to his Majesty's Authority as it was vested in him and petition'd him to assume it without which they said the Nation would be expos'd to utter ruine And the Bishop of Ferns hitherto averse to the Royal Authority more particularly importuned him in the Name of the Clergy not to decline a Charge which could only preserve the King's Power in that Kingdom and the Nation from destruction promising so entire a submission and co-operation from the whole Clergy that his Authority should not be disputed In further assurance of which the General Assembly issue forth this Declaration By the General Assembly of the Kingdom of Ireland ALthough this Assembly hath endeavour'd by their Declaration of the 7th of this month to give full testimony of their Obedience to his Majesty's Authority yet for further satisfaction and for removal of all Jealousies we do further declare That the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Gentry or People Clergy or Laity of this Kingdom shall not attempt labour endeavour or do any Act or Acts to set free or discharge the People from yielding due and perfect Obedience to his Majesty's Authority invested in the Lord Marquess of Clanrickard or any other Governour or Governours of this Kingdom And in case of any such Labour Act or Endeavour by which any mischief might ensue by seducing the People we declare That no person or persons shall or ought to be led thereby but by their disobedience on any such grounds are liable and subject to the heavy censures and penalties of the Laws of the Land in force and practis'd in the Reign of Henry the 7th and other Catholick Times Nevertheless it is further declared That it is not meant or intended by any thing herein contained that this Nation will not insist upon the performances of the Articles of Peace and by all just ways and means provide against the breach and violation of the same And inasmuch as his Majesty is at present as we are informed in the hands of a Presbyterian Party of the Scots who declared themselves Enemies to this Nation and vowed the extirpation of our Religion we declare That it is not hereby intended to oblige our selves to deceive obey or observe any Governours that shall come and duely nominated or procured from his Majesty by reason of or during his being in an un-free condition that may raise a disturbance in the present Government established by his Majesty's Authority or the violation of the Articles of Peace Loghreogh 23d of Decemb. 1650. Copia vera Joh. Comyn Dep. Cler. There was then in the possession of the Roman Catholicks the entire Province of Connaght in which they had the strong Castle of Athlone the strong and important Town and Harbour of Gallway Sligo and many other lesser Forts and Places of strength They had also a good part of the Province of Munster and in it the City of Limerick which by the strong situation of it and the advantages it might have from Sea could alone with the help of Gallway have maintain'd War against all the Parliaments Forces in Ireland They had many Parties of Horse and Foot in Leimster Munster and Ulster under Clanrickard Castlehaven Dillon Muskery the Earl of Westmeath Hugh O Neal Dungan Moor Preston and others which being drawn together would have constituted a greater Army than the Enemies were Masters of And the Marquess of Clanrickard had argument enough of hope if he could have been confident of the union of the Nation and that he might reasonably have promised himself if he could have been confident of the Affection and Integrity of the Clergy which at length they promised with that solemnity that if he had not confided therein the fault would have been imputed to him for they could do no more on their part to create a belief in him He was therefore content to take the Charge upon him and obliged them presently to consider of the way to keep all the Forces together when he should have drawn them together and to secure the two Towns of Gallway and Limerick with strong Garrisons which was the first Work concluded on all hands necessary to be performed Very few days had passed after the Lord Deputy had upon such their Importtunity and Professions taken the Government upon him when it was proposed in the Assembly before their Condition was impaired by any other progress or new success of the Enemy That they might send to the Enemy to treat with them upon surrendring of all that was left into their hands an Inclination the Nuncio was long before inclin'd to perswading the supream Council when there was but so much as a speech of Truce to joyn rather with the Parliamentary Scots than the Royalists and pray'd for the success thereof in hopes that thence much good might accrue to the Catholick Religion And when the same was opposed with indignation by the major part of the Assembly the Bishop of Ferns himself who had so lately importuned the Marquess of Clanrickard to assume the Charge of Lord Deputy and made such ample promises in the Name of the Clergy seem'd to concur with those who were against treating with the Enemy but instead of it very earnestly pressed That they might in order to their better defence return to their ancient Confederacy and so proceed in their Preservation without any respect to the King's Authority And this Motion found such concurrence in the Assembly from the Bishops Clergy and many others that many of the Officers of the Army and some of the principalest of the Nobility and Gentry found it necessary to express more than ordinary passion in their contradiction They told them They now manifested that it was not their Prejudice to the Marquess of Ormond nor their Zeal to Religion that had transported them but their dislike of the King's Authority and their resolution to withdraw themselves from it That they themselves would constantly submit to it and defend it with their utmost hazard as long as they should be able and when they should be reduced to Extremity that treating with the Enemy could no longer be deferred they would in that Treaty make no provision for them but be contented that they should be excluded from any benefit thereof who were so forward to exclude the King's Authority Upon these bold though necessary Menaces to which they had not been accustomed the Clergy and their Party seem'd to acquiesce and promised all concurrence inasmuch as from this very time all the Factions and Jealousies which had been before amongst them seem'd outwardly quieted though the Irish in all Quarters of which the Enemy were possessed not only submitted and compounded but very many of them enter'd into their Service and marched with them in their Armies and the Lord Deputy grew as much into their dis-favour as the Lord Lieutenant had been and his being a Friend to the Marquess of Ormond destroyed all that Confidence which his being
your Highness pious intentions for the preservation of the Catholick Religion your great and Princely care to recover his Majesties Rights and Interests from his Rebel Subjects of England and the high obligation you put upon this Nation by your tender regard of them and desire to redeem them from the great miseries and afflictions they have endured and the eminent dangers they are in And it shall be a principal part of my ambition to be an useful instrument to serve your Highness in so famous and glorious an enterprize And that I may be the more capable to contribute somewhat to so religious and just ends First in discharge of my conscience toward God my duty to the King my Master and to dis-abuse your Highness and give a clear and perfect information so far as comes to my knowledge I am obliged to represent unto your Highness that by the title of the Agreement and Articles therein contained made by those Commissioners I imployed to your Highness and but lately come into my hands They have violated the trust reposed in them by having cast off and declined the Commission and Instructions they had from me in the King my Masters behalf and all other Powers that could by any other means be derived from him and pretend to make an agreement with your Highness in the name of the Kingdom and People of Ireland for which they had not nor could have any warrantable Authority and have abused your Highness by a counterfeit shew of a private Instrument fraudulently procured and signed as I am informed by some inconsiderable and factious Persons ill-affected to his Majesties Authority without any knowledge or consent of the generality of the Nation or Persons of greatest Quality or Interest therein and who under a seeming zeal and pretence of service to your Highness labour more to satisfie their private ambitions then the advantage of Religion or the Nation or the prosperous success of your Highness generous undertakings And to manifest the clearness of mine own proceeding and make such deceitful Practices more apparent I send your Highness herewith an authentick Copy of my Instructions which accompanied their Commission when I imployed them to your Highness as a sufficient evidence to convince them And having thus fully manifested their breach of publick Trust I am obliged in the King my Masters name to protest against their unwarrantable proceedings and to declare all the Agreements and Acts whatsoever concluded by those Commissioners to be void and illegal being not derived from or consonant to his Majesties Authority being in duty bound thus far to vindicate the King my Masters Honour and Authority and to preserve his just and undoubted Rights from such deceitful and rebellious Practices as likewise with an humble and respective care to prevent those prejudices that might befal your Highness in being deluded by counterfeit shews in doing you greater Honour where it is apparent that any undertaking laid upon such false and ill-grounded Principles as have been smoothly digested and fixed upon that Nation as their desire and request must overthrow all those Heroick and Prince-like Acts your Highness hath proposed to your self for Gods glory and service the restauration of oppressed Majesty and the relief of his distressed Kingdom which would at length fall into intestine broils and divivisions if not forceably driven into desperation I shall now with a hopeful and chearful importunity upon a clear score free from those deceits propose to your Highness that for the advancement of all those great ends you aim at and in the King my Masters behalf and in the name of all the Loyal Catholick Subjects of this Nation and for the preservation of those important cautionary Places that are security for your Highness past and present disbursements you will be pleased to quicken and hasten those aids and assistances you intended for the relief of Ireland and I have with my whole power and through the greatest hazards striven to defend them for you and to preserve all other Ports that may be at all times of advantage and safeguard to your Fleets and Men of War having yet many good Harbours left but also engage in the King my Masters name that whatsoever may prove to your satisfaction that is any way consistent with his Honour and Authority and have made my humble applications to the Queens Majesty and my Lord Lieutenant the King being in Scotland further to agree confirm and secure whatsoever may be of advantage to your Highness and if the last Galliot had but brought 10000 l. for this instant time it would have contributed more to the recovery of this Kingdom then far greater sums delayed by enabling our Forces to meet together for the relief of Limerick which cannot but be in great distress after so long a Siege and which if lost although I shall endeavour to prevent it will cost much treasure to be regained And if your Highness will be pleased to go on chearfully freely and seasonably with this great work I make no question but God will give so great a blessing thereto as that my self and all the Loyal Subjects of this Kingdom may soon and justly proclaim and leave recorded to posterity that your Highness was the great and glorious restorer of our Religion Monarch and Nation and that your Highness may not be discouraged or diverted from this generous enterprize by the malice or invectives of any ill affected it is a necessary duty in me to represent unto your Highness that the Bishop of Ferns who as I am informed hath gained some interest in your favour is a Person that hath ever been violent against and malicious to his Majesty's Authority and Government and a fatal Instrument in contriving and fomenting all those divisions and differences that have rent asunder this Kingdom the introduction to our present miseries and weak condition And that your Highness may clearly know his disposition I send herewithal a Copy of part of a Letter written by him directed to the Lord Taaffe Sir Nicholas Plunket and Jeffery Brown and humbly submitted to your judgment whether those expressions be agreeable to the temper of the Apostolical Spirit and considering whose Person and Authority I represent what ought to be the reward of such a crime I must therefore desire your Highness in the King my Masters behalf that he may not be countenanc'd or intrusted in any Affairs that have relation to his Majesties Interest in this Kingdom where I have constantly endeavoured by all possible service to deserve your Highness good opinion and obtaining that favour to be a most faithful acknowledger of it in the capacity and under the title of Your Highness most humble and obliged Servant CLANRICKARD Athenree 20th Octob. 1651. Thus the Lord Deputy very faithfully discharged his duty and great cause there was to protest against such proceedings of the Confederates they putting his Majesties Kingdom of Ireland into the hands of a Foreign Prince and in that
Citizens or others it is intended they shall be freed from any Suit or Censure in the Civil Judicature for things done in relation to the War during the time limited Memorandum as to the fourth Article aforegoing it is intended That the Citizens not excepted against within a month may tarry without particular application and have four months after warning given to remove themselves and Families and six months to carry away their Goods Memorandum also That all Soldiers or other persons not excepted in the second Article who through sickness are disabled to remove themselves at present shall have liberty to march away when they shall recover and have equal benefit with others in their conditions respectively And that from twelve of the clock this day there shall be Cessation of all acts of Hostility on either part But the Persons besieged not to come without the Walls except into the Island and the way leading to it nor the Besiegers to come within the Walls or Island saving into St. John's Gate until the time limited for surrender without license from the other Party respectively And lastly it is agreed That no Person shall be understood to forfeit the benefit of any the Articles for another mans breach thereof unless he be found to be consenting thereto or privy to it without discovering or endeavouring to prevent it Provided this extend not to indempnifie the Hostages in case of fail or of surrender In testimony whereof the Parties first above-mentioned have interchangeably set their Hands and Seals to the day and year first above mentioned Bar. Stackpoll Don. O Brien Dom. White Pierce Lacy. Nich. Haly. John Baggot It cannot be believ'd that these unequal and severe Conditions would have been accepted from any Army not strong enough to have imposed upon a People unwilling to submit to them and in a season of the year that alone would have secured a Place less provided for resistance but that Colonel Fennel the same night these hard demands were sent into the Town received in St. Johns Gate Tower 200 men from Ireton and the other were removed into another Fort called Price's Mill where after they had continued two days and the People of the Town not yet agreeing what they would do a Drum was sent through the City commanding all manner of Soldiers in pay within the Town to repair to our Ladies Church and there to lay down their Arms which was presently obeyed and the Soldiers being bid forthwith to leave the Town Ireton the 29th of October marched in and receiving the Keys was without any contradiction quietly possessed thereof causing as many of the excepted Persons as could be found to be committed to Prison and made Sir Hardress Waller Governour of the City In this manner was Limerick defended by the Catholick Irish and this obedience did the Prelates and Clergy in their need receive from those over whom they had power enough to seduce from the Duty they owed to the King and from submitting to his Authority and now was the Harvest that they gathered the fruit of all their labours The Instances of severity and blood which Ireton gave upon his being possess'd of this Place were very remarkable Edmund O Duyr the Bishop of Limerick had the dexterity and good Fortune that either by marching out amongst the Common Soldiers or by concealing himself with some faithful Friend in the Town which is not so probable to escape their hands and afterwards died at Brussels pursued with the malice of the Nuncionist Zealots whilst Ireton manifested what his portion would have been by the treatment they gave to Terlagh O Brien the Bishop of Emly whom they took and without any formality of Justice and with all reproaches imaginable caused him to be publickly hanged This unhappy Prelate had from the beginning opposed with great passion the Kings Authority and most obstinately adhered to the Nuncio and to that Party still which was most averse from returning to their Allegiance and was thus miserably and ignominiously put to death even in that City whence he had been a principal Instrument to shut out his Majesties Authority It may be remembred in the former part of this Discourse that when the King at Arms proclaim'd the Peace at Limerick in 1646. one Dominick Fanning a Citizen of the Town rais'd a Mutiny which Rabble affronted the Herald and wounded the Mayor and was himself by the Nuncio for that good service made Mayor in the former's place This man continuing the same bitterness of spirit against the King's Authority always opposed the receiving of a Garrison from the Lord Lieutenant This Dominick Fanning being one of those 24 which Ireton had excepted found a way amongst the Common Soldiers to get out of the Town notwithstanding all the diligence that was used to discover him When he was free and in safety he returned to the Town to fetch some Money that he had privately hid and to make some provision for his subsistance which he had not time to do before But going to his own house his Wife refused to receive him or to assist him in any thing whereupon he departed and after he had walked up and down the streets some time the weather being extreme cold he went to the Main-guard where was a good Fire and being discovered to be a Stranger and asked who he was voluntarily confessed that he was Dominick Fanning for whom such strict search had been made he was thereupon apprehended and the next morning carried before the Governour and immediately hanged The same Fate had Frier Wolf and Alderman Thomas Strich who when the Lord Lieutenant would have entred that Town in 1650. for its preservation rais'd a Tumult and shut the Gates against him And this very Colonel Fennel who by possessing himself of the Port and turning the Cannon upon the Town betray'd it to the Enemy though he had for the present the benefit of the Articles was within few months after taken by them and without any consideration of his last merit hanged as the rest had been In a word All those who had been the first causers and raisers of the Rebellion or who with most malice and obstinacy opposed their return to the Kings obedience and had the misfortune to fall into the Enemies hands as the Bishop of Ross whose Fate we have before told you Jeffery Baron who kept Waterford from receiving the Lord Lieutenant taken afterwards at Limerick and there hanged and many others were made examples of the like nature About the same time that Limerick was surrendred Sir Charles Coot defeated a Party of the Fitz-Patricks and Duyr's Forces who had regain'd Meleke Island after the taking of it by Colonel Axtel undergoing a resolute defence thereof to the baffling of his Foot which were worsted two or three times together but the Gallantry of his Horse recovered the Honour making 300 resolute Irish accept of Quarter for their Lives some 300 being slain and drown'd This business of Limerick
shall be used and then and there abide orderly and soberly during the time of the said Prayers Preaching or other Service of God there to be used and ministred And because all and every Person may be put in mind of his Duty and be then the better prepared to the said holy Service Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that every Minister shall give warning to his Parishioners publickly in the Church at Morning Prayer the Lords day next before every such three and twentieth day of October for the due observation of the said day and that after Morning Prayer or Preaching upon every such three and twentieth day of October they read publickly distinctly and plainly this present Act. And besides our private Thankfulness that we may know what the Church is enjoyned by his Majesties Command given at Whitehall the 15th of August in the 18th year of his Reign 1666. I must refer you to the Office of the Church Here one might well have thought this bloody Scene should have been fully closed the event of so horrid a Conspiracy having by God and Man been severely chastized But as if Heaven were still to be dared and Majesty affronted no sooner was this State setled in so wonderful a manner as it drew the whole world to look on it as a miracle but the grand Incendiaries of the late Rebellion Archbishops Bishops and others of that Union openly owning their Profession appear'd in publick in as much as the Parliament of England was enforced to take notice of their Insolency as an encouragement to Popery beseeching his Majesty that Plunket the Titular Archbishop of Ardmagh and Talbot Archbishop of Dublin should be apprehended to answer what might be objected against them And as an Evidence of their Parties Activeness and Insinuation the Lord of Ossory Lord Deputy and the Council by a Proclamation dated at the Council Chamber in Dublin the 11th of July 1664. shew Whereas information hath been given unto us by divers Gentlemen and others of the Popish Religion that several pretended Chapters have been and are to be soon called in several Parts of this Kingdom and Meetings appointed by Persons dis-affected to his Majesties Government and to the publick Peace and Quiet who take opportunities from those Assemblies to diffuse and spread abroad amongst the People of that Religion Seditious Doctrines to the great dissatisfaction of all those who are peaceably and loyally inclined c. They therefore to the avoiding the Contagion that by such Delusions might be ingendered and those Dangers which by the continuance and seducement of the said Persons and other turbulent Spirits are endeavour'd caution'd and forewarn'd That none should presume to assist abett or countenance them and that those who were engaged therein should upon their Duty of Allegiance to his Majesty forbear any further Proceedings c. All which were afterwards blank'd over as indeed they had the fortune to be strangely palliated together with what the Bishop of Ferns had discovered to the Earl of Sandwich passing through Galacia to Madrid of Edmond Reylie Archbishop of Ardmagh's purpose to raise the Irish again into Rebellion though some to delude the Age made a Loyal Formulary or Remonstrance of their Obedience whilst being admitted at Dublin into a National Synod of their own 1666. an Indulgence not yet fathom'd they there split themselves into Parties and the 15th day of their meeting broke up without the least satisfaction to the End they were connived at so as from their Principles its natural to conclude That whatever a Prince must expect from such men it must be in subordination to the Popes Approbation A Reflection on the like made King H. 8. say that he found the Clergy of this Realm were but his half Subjects or scarce so much every Bishop or Abbot at the entering upon his Dignity taking an Oath to the Pope derogatory to that of their Fidelity to the King which contradiction he desired his Parliament to take away and it occasion'd writes my Lord Herbert Fol. 335 the final renouncing of the Popes Authority about two years after The Clergies Oath is given at large in Walshe's Epistle to his Loyal Formulary Fol. 19. which draws me into a further consideration of the late War A War in which were interessed on several Principles some of the greatest Princes and States of Europe the Pope Emperor France Spain Lorraign and others who professedly or under-hand contributed Money Arms Council or Countenance A War many years in contriving and what makes it the more stupendious so secretly and unexpectedly carried on villany hates the light that considering how far the Conspiracy was spread and who were engaged in it it is scarce credible that no apprehension of its event should in the least be discovered more then what Ever Mac Mahon imparted 1631. The apprehension of which soon passed over as did also some other petty suspicions rais'd I know not from what improbable and confused Rumors amusing rather then convincing the Judgment of such as were most concern'd in the notice of them so as till the 22. of Octob. 1641. late at night on the very point of the Plot being acted nothing seem'd certain or infallible that if God had not been very merciful all had been surprized before any one had been suspected A War not confined to some Province or parts of Provinces in Ireland as Tyrones Desmonds and the rest had been but as if the Design were the joynt Act of the whole Kingdom all seem'd to have one head few excepted whose Honour is the greater A War not arising from small beginnings as some of the former which from private Interest at last espoused greater But this in its first appearance drove all before it like some Infections speedily diffusing its Venome through the whole Body A War for which the most diligent enquiry could not have found within the Nation a Head in Popularity or Parts for such an undertaking The occasion doubtless of security in most and whereby the State Politicks of that time were deluded they having their eyes open onely on what might have been from abroad suspected not much less fear'd at home the loud alarms of a Massinello a Person of none or of broken Fortunes of little Power or of less Brain but any thing even what is under foot and next at hand may easily be taken up and made by Divine Justice a sufficient Scourge for a provoking People such was that Sir Phelim O Neal esteem'd till then generally a very Buffoon in Converse but after own'd and Honour'd as a Principal in that undertaking Yet being therein rather the hand then the head proving however the Fire-brand of his Countrey that being the English of Phelim an Totan or smoaking Phelimy a Name on this occasion given him in way of Honour by his Irish Rhimers and wherein he himself after gloried Finally a War dismal to the English and Protestants of Ireland in its beginning so dismal as no example
misapplied 24. Item It is ordered and agreed where any Arch-bishops Bishops or other Dignitary or any other person or persons whatsoever hath or enjoyeth any Lands Tenements or Hereditaments Tithes or other Church-Livings in one County or Province or doth or shall keep his or their Residence in another County or Province and hath his or their Creation or Nomination in any other County or Province where the said Lands Tenements Hereditaments Tithes or Church-Livings to the general use shall be employed within the said County or Province where the said Lands Tenements Tithes or Church-Livings do lie as by the several County-councils respectively shall be thought fit for the publick Cause 25. Item It is ordered and establish'd by the general Assembly that any Woman being a Roman Catholick and Wife of any Protestant or Catholicks that hath forsaken his Houses Estate and Wife and adhered unto the Enemy that every such VVife may enter into her Jointure if any be convey'd unto her or may recover her Thirds of her said Husband's Estate as if her said Husband were actually dead And that every such VVife shall be in such condition and capacity to sue and be impleaded as if her Husband had been exiled and banished the Realm by judgment of Law except the Provincial-council or Supream-Council in Particular Cases order the contrary 26. Item It is ordered and establish'd that the possession of Protestant Arch-bishops Bishops Deans Dignitaries and Parsons in right of their respective Churches or their Tenements in the beginning of these troubles shall be deem'd taken and construed as the then Possession of the Catholick Arch-bishops Bishops Deans Dignitaries Pastors and their Tenements respectively to all intents and purposes and that those Possessions are intended within the Precedent Order for settlement of Possessions 27. Item It is ordered and established that no man being Prisoner by Authority of any of the Councils aforesaid without order of the said Councils respectively shall be enlarged And that no Protection be given to servants and other men of the Enemies Party without the like Order or the Order of the chief Commander of the Army in the several Provinces or Counties 28. Item Whereas abuses have been committed in some parts of this Kingdom in taking of Arms Ammunition and other Merchandizes from Merchants arrived in the Creeks and Harbours far from their intended Port by reason of Tempest or the danger of Enemies to the great discouragement of Merchants It is therefore ordered and established that where any Ship or Ships or other Vessels shall come or arrive in any Harbour Bay or Creek within this Kingdom loaden with Arms Ammunition or other Merehandize that in such cases all those that are or shall be in Command in the adjacent Counties respectively shall protect and defend the said Merchants procure Carriage for the said Goods and safely convey the same to the said Merchants intended Port and not to suffer the same or any of the same under colour of paying for the same or otherwise to be disposed of or taken before the same come to the intended Port and be entred into the List of the Commissioners And any that shall Rob Steal or Violently take away any of the said Goods contrary to this Order shall be deemed and punished as Enemies to the publick good of this Kingdom and suffer death therefore 29. Item That certain Commissioners shall be appointed in every Port-Town of the Free-men and Residents therein by the Provincial or Supreme Council for the viewing of all the Arms and Ammunition that shall be hereafter imported into this Kingdom from beyond Seas and to certifie the same to the Supreme Council with all speed and to prevent abuses in the Sale for issuing or disposing of them 30. Item It is ordered and established that where Souldiers do run from their Garrisons or Commanders unto other Counties or or Provinces that the Commanders or chief Governours of the said County or Province upon complaint made thereof shall send back the Fugitive Souldiers to their Commanders to be dealt withal according to Justice 31. Item It is ordered and established that the Debts and other Duties owing to Creditors of this Union being Neuters and Enemies shall be paid out of the Goods Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of the said Neuters and Enemies respectively before any other publick charge be answered thereout 32. Item It is ordered and established that no Souldiers or other Persons without Command from the County-Council meddle with the Lands or Goods of Neuters or Enemies 33. Item it is ordered and established that to prevent the springing up of all National distinctions the Oath of Association or Union be taken solemnly after Confession and receiving the Sacrament in the Parish Churches throughout the Kingdom and the Names of all the Persons of Rank and Quality in every Parish that take the same to be enrolled in Parchment and to be Return'd Sign'd and Seal'd by the Parish Priest to the Ordinary of every Diocess who is to keep the same in his Treasury and to certifie a Copy thereof under Seal to the Metropolitan who is to keep that and to certifie a true Copy thereof under his Metropolitical Seal to the Rolls of the Kingdom where the same is to be enrolled APPENDIX IX Fol. 99. By the Lords Justices and Councel W. Parsons Jo. Borlase WHereas for special reasons of State moving Us thereunto We issued divers VVarrants forbidding his Majesties Army to burn certain Houses and Corn and to forbear pillaging spoiling and taking away Goods and Cattle of divers persons And whereas also not only We the Lords Justices or one of Us or our very good Lord the Earl of Ormond and Ossory Lieutenant General of the Army but also the late and present Commander or Commanders of his Majesties Forces in the City of Dublin or in Drogheda and other places within the Province of Lemster some of them having no authority or direction so to do and issued Warrants admitting sundry persons many of which persons by their present ill demerits in this General Rebellion might justly have been forthwith prosecuted with fire and sword with safety to bring or send to the Markets of Dublin Drogheda and other places Corn and other provisions to be there sold which was done in expectation that by that forbearance used towards them when they saw just vengeance taken on others for the same adhering to and relieving those who in this Rebellion publickly carry Arms and commit open Acts of Hostility they might be moved to depart from adhering to or relieving those notorious Actors in the Rebellion in gratitude to his Majesty and this State for so much clemency used towards them yet so ungrateful have many or most of those persons been found and so insensible of the duty and loyaltie of good Subjects to his Majesty as notwithstanding that clemency used towards them they have not returned the fruits of Loyaltie expected from them but on the contrary have run on in their
Protestant Religion and all the Brittish Professors thereof out of this Your Majesties Kingdom And to the end it may the better in some measure appear Your Suppliants have made choice of Captain William Ridgeway Sir Francis Hamilton Knight and Baronet Captain Michael Jones and Mr. Fenton Parsons whom they have employed and authorized as their Agents to manifest the truth thereof in such Particulars as for the present they are furnish'd withal referring the more ample manifestation thereof to the said Captain William Ridgeway Sir Francis Hamilton Captain Jones and Fenton Parsons or any three or more of them and such other Agents as shall with all convenient speed be sent as occasion shall require to attend Your Majesty from Your Protestant Subjects of the several Provinces of this Your Kingdom VVe therefore Your Majesties most humble loyal and obedient Protestant-Subjects casting down our selves at Your Royal feet and flying to You for succour and redress in these our great Calamities as our most gracious Soveraign Lord and King and next and immediately under Almighty God our Protector and Defence most humbly beseeching Your Sacred Majesty to admit into Your Royal Presence from time to time our said Agents and in Your great VVisdom to take into Your Princely Care and Consideration the distressed Estate and humble desires of Your said Subjects so that to the Glory of God Your Majesties Honour and the happiness of Your good Subjects the Protestant Religion may be restored throughout the whole Kingdom to its lustre that the losses of Your Protestant Subjects may be repaired in such manner and measure as Your Majesty in Your Princely VVisdom shall think fit and that this Your Kingdom may be setled as that Your said Protestant Subjects may hereafter live therein under the happy Government of Your Majesty and Your Royal Posterity with comfort and security whereby Your Majesty will render Your self through the whole VVorld a most just and Glorious Defender of the Protestant Religion and draw down a Blessing on all other Your Royal Undertakings for which Your Petitioners will ever pray c. Subscribed by the Earl of Kildare Lord Viscount Montgomery Lord Blany and many others To which they received this Answer by His Majesties Command At Our Court at Oxford the 25th of April 1644. His Majesty being very sensible of the Petitioners Losses and sufferings is ready to hear and relieve them as the Exigencie of his Affairs will permit and wisheth the Petitioners to propose what they think fit in particular for his Majesties Information and the Petitioners Remedy and future Security Edw. Nicholas Upon the reading of the Petition His Majesty was pleased to say That He knew the Contents of the Petition to be Truth APPENDIX XII Fol. 142. The Propositions of the Roman Catholicks of Ireland humbly presented to His Sacred Majesty in pursuance of their Remonstrance of Grievances and to be annexed to the said Remonstrance together with the humble Answer of the Agents for the Protestants of Ireland to the said Propositions made in pursuance of Your Majesties directions of the 9th of May 1644. requiring the same 1. Pro. THAT all Acts made against the Professors of the Roman Catholick faith whereby any restraint penalty Mulct or incapacity may be laid upon any Roman Catholicks within the Kingdom of Ireland may be repealed and the said Catholicks to be allowed the freedom of the Roman Catholick Religion Answ. To the first we say that this hath been the pretence of almost all those who have entred into Rebellion in the Kingdom of Ireland at any time since the Reformation of Religion there which was setled by Acts of Parliament above eighty years since and hath wrought good effects ever since for the peace and welfare both of the Church and Kingdom there and of the Church and Kingdom of England and Protestant party throughout all Christendom and so hath been found wholesom and necessary by long experience and the repealing of those Laws will set up Popery again both in Jurisdiction profession and practice as that was before the said Reformation and introduce among other inconveniencies the Supremacy of Rome and take away or much endanger Your Majesties Supream and just Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical Administration of honour and power not to be endured the said Acts extending as well to seditious Sectaries as to Popish Recusants so as by the repeal thereof any man may seem to be left to chuse his own Religion in that Kingdom which must needs beget great confusion and the abounding of the Roman Clergy hath been one of the greatest occasions of this late Rebellion besides it is humbly desired that Your Majesty will be pleased to take into Your gracious consideration a Clause in the Act of Parliament passed by Your Majesties Royal Assent in England in the 17th year of Your Raign touching punishments to be inflicted upon those that shall introduce the Authority of the See of Rome in any Cause whatsoever 2. Pro. That Your Majesty will be pleased to call a free Parliament in the said Kingdom to be held and continued as in the said Remonstrance is expressed and the Statute of the 10th year of King Hen. 7. called Poyning's Acts explaining or enlarging the same be suspended during that Parliament for the speedy settlement of the present Affairs and the repeal thereof be there further considered of Answ. VVhereas their desire to have a free Parliament called reflecteth by secret and cunning implication upon Your Majesties present Parliament in Ireland as if it were not a free Parliament we humbly beseech Your Majesty to present how dangerous it is to make such insinuation or intimation to your people of that Kingdom touching that Parliament wherein several Acts of Parliament have already past the validity whereof may be endangered if the Parliament should not be approved as a free Parliament and it is a point of high nature as we humbly conceive is not properly to be dismissed but in Parliament and Your Majesties said Parliament now sitting is a free Parliament in Law holden before a person of honour and fortune in the Kingdom composed of good loyal and well-affected Subjects to Your Majesty who doubtless will be ready to comply in all things that shall appear to be pious and just for the good of the True Protestant Religion and for Your Majesties service and the good of the Church and State that if this present Parliament should be dissolved it would be a great terrour and discontent to all Your Majesties Protestant Subjects of the Kingdom and may be also a means to force many of Your Majesties Subjects to quit that Kingdom or peradventure to adhere to some other party there in opposition of the Romish Irish Confederates rather than to be liable to their power which effects may prove of most dangerous consequence and we humbly offer to Your Majesties consideration Your own gracious Expression mentioned in the grounds and motives inducing Your Majesty to agree to a