and others to solicite with his Majesty in their behalf which it seems they did so effectually that they in his Majesties name encouraged the Rebels as may appear by a signal Deposition of Col. Iepson Who saw two Letters of theirs sent to Muskery intimating That though it did not stand with the conveniency of his Majesties affairs to give him publick countenance yet his Majesty was pleased with what he did and would in good time give him thanks for it This though discovered to the Lord Falkland then Secretary and though Colonel Iepson stayed a week after in Oxford was so coldly entertained that neither the Colonel was called to account nor the Lords lessened of their freedom and favour Nay the said Taaff was afterwards imployed with Roch and Brent two active Papists taking with them Colonel Barry one of the same fry to carry the Kings letters from Oxford to Dublin From whence they made away for Kilkeny where there was to be soon after a generall assembly of the Rebels which Errand when they had performed Barry was left Leaguer at Kilkenny Taaff returned to Dublin Taaff with divers of disaffected Privy-Councellours of Ireland meets at Ormonds house to debate the Irish Propositions and Brent returns to Oxford to give an account of the Negotiation By this we may the better conceive what the King meant by that delusory offer to go into Ireland Whether it were under this plausible pretence to get a Guard about him and by that degree a considerable force or when he was once there either to make a Cessation advantageous to himself or else to joyn with them however it was a pretence good enough to decline Signings and Confessions advantagious to his subjects in England and increase Jealousies at home and retard the businesse of the Parliament then in full heat and action whatever it were Certain it is that there lurkt within it somewhat of deep design and very exquisite mischief For even the very Rebels could without Prospective see it and without a Divel foretell it For Tirlogh ô Neal could as appears by Master Stewarts examination taken the eighth day of July 1643. tell that the King was to be soon in Ireland and Sir Phelim ô Neal could give out that the troubles of England would ere long call away Leisley to assist them Nor is it any wonder that these people were so perfect in the Kings designs and so fore-seeing of our troubles when they were part both of the interest and Plot that in deed if you will take their own words the Kings cause and theirs were fundamentally and really one though pollitically and spetiously devided How else should Tirlogh ô Neal and Roger ô Moore as is in Master Stewarts mentioned Deposition say That Religion the Lands escheated and the Kings Prerogative were the prime causes of their rising in Arms That they knew well the best in England would side with them That they had good warrant in black and white for what they did That when he objected the Power of England would he brought against them they replied That there was little feare of that for the troubles in England were but then in beginning and would not end in haste And how else could Rory Maguyre say That they the Parliament invaded the Kings Prerogative in which their greatest security reposed That this great undertaking was never an act of one or two giddy silly fellowes They had their party in England Scotland c. which should soon be as deep in bloud as themselves That the Plot had been of ancient date and many times discontinued and but lately revived and prosecuted from Candelmas last past Note the time of Gormanston and the rest procuring the five Counties before the Rebellion both in England and Scotland All is deposed by that Apostate Awdley Mervin whose sister Maguire married who heard it from many more as himself deposeth of considerable quality Nay Why did they of the Palle declare to joyn with the Irish to recover to his Majesty his Royall Prerogative wrung from him by the Puritan faction Why was the Design called the Queens pious intentions Decl. 9. March 1641. Why did Rossetti the Popes Nuncio enjoyn Fasting and Prayer amongst the Papists Why were the Protestants called Rebells to the Queen How came the Rebells to assume the Kings Authority Nay boldly aver they had his Commission Insomuch that the Major of Kinsale writes That they uttered things concerning the Court of England which he durst not put to Paper And now let any man lay his hand upon his heart and say whether or no he can acquit this man of these things Certainly ignorance in this case could not be pretended even to people that had but the bare use of common sence and to be passive in a businesse of this nature must needs be a sin not much lesse than violent action But to give encouragement and groth to such abominable Monsters as from what has been layd down must needs be clear to every dispassioned Judgment especially since such uncontrolable presumption may serve in the works of darknesse is such an offence that it must needs lead any sober and searching mind in a clear trace of the Divine vengeance upon it God indeed is secret marvelous in executing his wrath and many times openly punisheth unknown crimes and many times dissembles the seeing of crying offences But in this case both the one and the other were equally visible and we may without uncharitablenesse affirm That for these things was this man rooted out of the Land We have now viewed him on the Divels-side of the Meddal let us now behold him on the Saintside and find out one of the most illustrous dissimulations that ever attested Piety a dissimulation which a Heathen under the crepusculous daies of nature would have started back at and have immagined it either beyond punishment or els meriting Judgments and Torments severer than any he knew A dissimulation by a Protestant King in behalf of Traiterous Papists and that to lull and stupifie his own subjects and of his own Religion into bloud and destruction The minds of men were not yet so exquisitely debauched but they were open to the serious manifestation of their Representatives nor the Kings businesse in such a posture that he might declare and justifie his proceedings nor his Innocencie such as he might vindicate himself And therefore to these Remonstrative objections of the Parliament he had nothing to say but such whole peals of solemn and dire imprecations as if he thought Perjury lawfull and essentiall to his calling Or else Divinity to be a meer Mormo and staring Rodomontade Or else he had utterly forgot what he had designed some moneths before or were asleep to all his present actions or carriages or had been informed with a new soul when he had acted those things which he did afterwards For instances they throng upon us Reader prepare thy horror in his speech to the Committee at Newark
the Papists Whereupon though too many were there before yet great swarms of Priests Friers flew into the same three lands out of Spain Italy France Flanders and other places Who were so intent sollicitous close and subtile in their courses as men long bred versed therein That upon their secret and subtile surmises of danger there threatned by the Puritan party as they call them to the Protestant party to their the Romish Religion whose as they pretended subversion was their principall aim much dissention and differences arose and for a long time boiled and burned in the breasts of great numbers some naturally wicked others perhaps onely seduced and surprized ignorantly following the time and their acquaintances that on a sudden after several years spent in broaching and sowing of these jealousies and in preparing of the other provision while the harmelesse Protestant thought least onely hoped to be quiet there were sent out of Spain a strong fleet of ships fully manned with great numbers of Commanders Souldiers and Mariners and as well fraught and furnished with Artilery Arms Amunition Money and all other necessaries for Warre all which were designed for Ireland One half to be landed at Kinsale in the South-west the other half at Killabegges in the North. Howbeit a fierce and strong wind carrying them perforce past the Coast of Ireland into the Narrow Sea the Hollanders fell upon them and as it is well known sunk many took divers yet some escaped This plot thus farre by the great Providence prevented the Rebellion could not then begin in Ireland as indeed it should have done had the fleet as was intended landed there Whereupon afterwards it was further plotted and agreed amongst those Machivillian Factors of Spain and Rome and many other Lay-Papists of England Scotland and Ireland all sworn to secresie and still notwithstanding that their high disaster as much as they could keeping their former plot and resolution on foot That in all those three Lands See the deposition of M. Thomas Crant of the County of Cavan amongst others the Papists should generally rise up in arms upon one set day then to surprise the tower of London in England the Castle of Edenburgh in Scotland and the Castle of Dublin in Ireland with as many more Castles Forts Holds and places of strength as they could possibly feaze upon in all the three Lands And the better to enable themselves to surprise the Castle and City of Dublin it was concluded that twenty Popish Souldiers out of every County of the Land should the night before the time appointed for the taking of Dublin privately make their addresses to that City the Suburbs and other places there about to be in readinesse to assist the taking and spoyling of the same Castle and Citty and to do execution upon the Protestants which numbers of men and many more came thither at the time appointed a great part whereof crept into the City and Suburbs the night before the residue remained about the Ditches Hedges obscure places there as fully appeared on the Greens of that Citty the next morning to the great terror of the honest Citizens And also because they might not want full strength to perform and bear out their design they took occasion to make use of another force raised there upon pretence to be sent to forreign service some of which they practised should be brought up to take shipping at Dublin and thereabout lye in readinesse and the rest to lye in other parts near the Port towns of Ireland all to countenance and back the businesse They taking the advantage of certain Commissions all dated about May 1641 granted by the King to severall Commanders viz. One to Colonell Garret Barrie another to Colonel Tibbot Taaff now Lord Taaff another to Col. Iohn Barrie another to Sir Jeames Dillon all Irish Papists for raising levying for each of these Colonells 1000. menin Ireland out of those men formerly raised in that land by the Earl of Strafford and then lately disbanded The same Commissions purporting that they should be transported for the service of any Forreign Prince in Amitie with the King the rather to free Ireland of them These Commissions were in Iuly afterwards which was about three moneths before the breaking out of the Rebellion brought over and delivered by these Colonels to the Lord Justices and Councel of Ireland whereupon four thousand of the disbanded souldiers aforesaid were raised one Regiment whereof under the comand of the said Colonel Iohn Barrie was brought to the parts near Dublin the rest to other Ports of Ireland and there for a seeming defect of transportation and provision they hanckered and stayed for a good time yet seeming daily to prepare but the Irish Popish Knights and other Burgesses of the Parliament finding the Lord Justices and Councel forward to send them away moved extreamly in the Parliament House that they might not go out of the Land till the Kings pleasure should be further known The Lord Justices and Councel being thus extreamly importuned by the Parliament then grown strong in Irish were drawn to write into England signifying the Parliaments earnest desire therein yet gave no impediment to the going of those Regiments who in truth were sufficiently retarded by the vehement labour of Priests and Jesuites and some of the Parliament Papists amongst those Commanders so as they continued there for the most part till the Rebellion brake out And then perceiving their plot for surprizing of Dublin to be prevented Many Irish and other stangers hovered in England and London and the Suburbs the same time as I have been credibly informed they and all those before mentioned which came out of all the Counties as aforesaid unto and about Dublin dispersed and afterward became dexterous and ready actors in the insuing rebellion And although by divine providence this Plot were prevented in England and Scotland yet how it began and took effect in Ireland is too well known to those many eye witnesses who were inhumanly turned out of their estates and exposed to all the miseries of cold wet and hunger if not for increase of their miseries sharply wounded and maimed and was too well felt by others whose lives were torn and rent from them in this day of visitation appearing by the numerous examinations And before I make mention of the other things which you shall find in the ensuing tract give me leave to say somewhat of that delivered upon Oath by that Reverend and learned Preacher Henry Iones Doctor in Divinity as he heard it expressed and confessed unto him by two Friers Who relateth See the examination of Dr. Henry Iones Com. Dublin 337. dep that howsoever the first breaking out of the fire of this rebellion into a flame began but the 23 of October 1641. yet was it smoaking many years before God having given many glimpses for the discovery of it had they been duly considered or prosecuted to a discovery For
A Brief NARRATION OF THE Plotting Beginning Carrying on of that Execrable REBELLION and BUTCHERIE IN IRELAND With the unheard of Devilish-Cruelties and Massacres by the Irish-Rebels exercised upon the PROTESTANTS and English there Faithfully Collected out of Depositions taken by Commissioners under the Great Seal of IRELAND Hereunto are added OBSERVATIONS Discovering the Actions of the late KING and manifesting the Concernment of the PROTESTANT-Army now imployed in IRELAND Published by special Authority LONDON Printed by B. Alsop and T. Dunster And are to be delivered at Bernard Alsop's house in Grub-street MDCL The Preface THe execrable Butchery exercised by the Irish in eight years last past upon the English Protestants hath so filled all good hearts with sorrow and detestation that it is impossible to represent it with greater and more solemn Agravations than the bare recital Now as it was an action so fouly criminal in all both divine and humane considerations so hath there not any complied with the Instruments of it or afforded them the least favour that have not either found their ruine or may not if their eyes be open see they are a hasting towards it Whereas those I means the Parliament of England that ever declared their detestation of it and did ever effectually prosecute a Revenge even in the middest of their danger and cruel oppositions of the prevaricating English Court have found the hand of God so mightily and visibly assisting them that they have triumphed over their Opressors and seen all their own endeavours crowned with successe Now as the comfort they have reapt by their integrity is not small so no doubt will they find it enlarged when they have found that all men are satisfied both with the justnesse of their proceeding and amazed with the horror of such exquisite wickedness Which that it may be known not onely to this Age but to the Children that are yet to be born it is held fit that such discoveries as have been brought to them should clearly and freely be brought to light and laid open that all men might bear witness against those Savages against whom the bloud of so many innocents cries behind the Altar To this end there is publishing a large volume of Depositions though far short of what might have been produced a great part of that Island being ever since in the hands of the Rebels where the Reader may at large satisfie himself of all the circumstances which may stile the Massacre Horrid and Diabolical But because that volume is swoln to a great largeness and therefore cannot readily expect to pass the Press it hath been thought fit in the mean time to publish this small Tract as an Introduction or fore-runner or call it what you please of the other And seeing the other is meerly composed of particular Relations and brings not any thing to direct the recollection of the affairs of England there are added some Observations by which it may appear with what Sympathie the affairs of the English Court and Irish Rebels were carried on And with what impiety Great ones warp from their true and publick Interest to sacrifice to their private Ambition by unlawfull compliances and bloudy permissions This is that Reader which in Limine I was to tell you and I doubt not but this small piece will heighten thy expectation of the greater volume which with all diligence shall be hastened to thee THE HISTORY of the IRISH REBELLION THe Rebellion in Ireland which brake forth in the year 1641. was in its design so divellisn in its attempt so sudden and in its execution so Sanguinary That neither that evening which to this day infames Sicilly nor the vast profusion of bloud about a Centry of years since made at Paris do by many degrees come near the inhumanity and deaths by this one action which is therefore so necessary to be known as well to those who are not well versed in the Irish affairs as also those that are hurried away in the torrent of false asseverations or drawn aside by reason of the spetious pretences of the Irish Party and their Complices that wee can not think we discharge our duty if we let not all sober Christians understand by this extract taken from several depositions upon oath before the Commissioners in that behalf authorized by Commission under the great Seal of Ireland What a meek Religion it is how constant to that sweet simplicity and innocence taught and practised by Iesus Christ and followed in the primitive ages I say what a meek Religion it is that from its own principles can naturally and without force draw such fierce and bloudy conclusions and how fit they are to be Members of mankind much lesse to receive protectionall favor that implicitly resign themselves to the perpetration of that which the sowers of such wicked seed shall propose unto them Yet are we not to suppose that that fatall eruption was so sudden as it appeared or so unpremeditated as not to have been the obstinate and restlesse design of many yeares Nor yet that the Irish though a people changeable and susceptable of commotion had so much either courage discretion and industry as to have attempted this without strong influences serious debates and constant quickenings See all the depositions under the head for the antiquity of the Plot being the first head of all No it is now 25 or 26 years since Hell first breathed out by means of the Romish Clergy this cruel machination and inspired them with an expedient how to destroy Protestantism first within England Ireland and Scotland and afterwards in what ends of the world soever it That is to say the sincere word of Salvation should bee taught and professed But because in the three lands of England Scotland This was confessed by a Frier to one M. George Stocdale in the County of Dublin for which see M. Stoedales second examination in the book of Dublin he being the 165. depon and Ireland it was most generally and principally observed It was first projected and resolved amongst these of the Roman Party that with the least noise and suspition possible much Arms Ammunition Artillery Shipping and great sums of mony the very sinews of War with strong numbers of Commanders and Souldiers should be raised and had in readinesse in Spain and Italy for the assaulting and surprising of Ireland To the promoting whereof great sums of mony were levied at Rome and divers other parts both of Italy and Spain especially amongst their Convents Colledges and Religious houses And because that forreign power and provision might be the more prevalent See also the dep of M. Roger Holland Coun. Monoghan both taken about eight years since transported with the least opposition It was further projected and agreed amongst these confederates That all commotions sedition possible should be raised by the Priests Friers too numerous and powerfull at that time both in England Scotland and Ireland between the Protestants and
are but foul Symptomes of any care his Lordship took of the safety of the English there but for those I leave you to the examinations themselves I think these instances may satisfie any juditious and impartial man that this plot is not of any late conception or contrivance as the Irish Papists and some others of their faction would wrest it unto Which is That the beginning and occasion of it was but taken from a pretended knowledge or feigned information they had That this present Parliament of England had decreed to destroy all the Papists both of England Scotland and Ireland which was and is a pretence as vain as they shameless in broaching it But it is a custome amongst the Disciples of Sathan no lesse frequent than subtile never to act any thing of high concernment and specially to put nothing in execution without knowing first how to palliate and excuse it by some seeming and more than ordinary necessity And who so fit to contrive a second when the first plot and excuse would rather amaze and deterre the multitude with home they were to deal than engage their faith therein than that old wilie Serpent and lyar from the beginning and the Romish locusts his accomplished Artists who contrived a way and in shew a cause of necessity for a sudden insurrection of the Irish against the English and Protestants as it were for saving of their own throats from a present pretended conspiracy against them made by the English And therefore not to rely solely upon their own or the forreign strength they expected to resist it It was then further resolved and agreed on amongst them That howsoever the ground-work of this Rebellion was laid very many years since Dr. Henry Jones Com. Dublin as they had done the like in several former ages yet would they not have it so to seem But new occasion must be found as the sole cause of their breaking out The fittest means for this as they conceived was to cast Aspersions upon the Sate and present government which if longer tolerated would as they gave out prove extreamly dangerous not onely to their Religion but to their Lives and posterity For effecting where of reports were cast out that in the Parliament of England the cutting off of al the Papists in Ireland of what degree soever was concluded on and the execution of that resolution commited to the Councel of Ireland Who say they appointed a day for this work being the 23 of November then next following 1641. That for the better more sure and secret managing of this pretended plot such of the popish Nobility and gentry of both houses as appeared in Parliament at Dublin should be secured no such thing being so much as thought on by that State and for the drawing together the rest amongst other pretences This is alledged to be one that the Kings-Rents were purposely omitted and not called upon in Easter-Term with that earnestness as formerly And that such as made default should be summoned to appear in Michaelmas Term in Dublin and there surprised Whereby such of them as should then remain in the countries wanting their Heads might be as they said easily cut off They said this present plot was I know not how discovered unto them so that for the safety of their lives and professions they were enforced to stand upon their guard and to counter-work that day of the 23 of November by their declaring and rising themselves in Arms on the 23 of October a moneth before The time drawing near for putting their design in execution there was a great meeting appointed of the heads of the Romish Clergie and other Lay-men of their faction at the Abbey of Multifarnam in the County of Westmeath where was a Covent of Franciscan Friers This meeting happened accordingly not long before the time of the breaking out of their Rebelion where the business then in question was what course should be taken with the English and all others that were found in the whole Kingdom to be Protestants The Councel was therein devided some were for their banishment without attempting on their lives Others urged a necessity of cutting off them and theirs and that a generall Massacre were the safest and readiest way to free the Kingdom of all fears and dangers Others moved a mean way neither to dismisse nor kill yet those that most favoured them concluded that they should be all robbed and stripped and according to this do we find the event and course of their proceedings For in some places they were generally put to the sword some restrained their persons others after a time dismissed their prisoners first having spoyled them of their goods and exposed them to cold and famine they that way perished by the worst death of all And because no necessarie thing fit for so gracious a Common-wealth should be left unsetled These mighty Counsellors consisting for the most part of ancient English Papists discoursed to establish certain rules or laws for the Civil or Martial government of the Land concluding that from thenceforth no Protestant at all should either rule or have any being there They also concluded that when they should have setled the Land they would send thirty thousand men into England to joyn with the Spanish and other forces and then joyntly to fall upon Scotland for reducing both those Lands to the obedience of the Pope which being finished they had engaged themselves to the King of Spain for assisting him against the Hollanders and giving their Rebellion as they tearm it its due correction We find also that after these Priests and Friers had layd their first Plot they committed and communicated the secrets of it to some of the Nobility a good time after to some more of them last of all to the Popish gentry of best value upon oaths of secresy and to live and die with them in the quarrel and for a long time before the Rebellion as well the powerful ones who knew of the plot as the rest of the Papists by command and direction of their Popish Priests and Friers were observed in all parts of the Land to keep many strict Fasts and many of the meaner sort being asked why they fasted so very often their answers were they knew not but their holy Fathers told them there was a good and great work for the prosperity whereof they must use much fasting and prayer One day of their humiliation and praying being the more remarkable because generally performed by them in all places The publick prayer of all their Priests and Friers then being that God would give a blessing to the great design in hand drawing near and that he would vouchsafe ability unto them thorowly to effect the same This drew the Common people into a unanimous expectation strong resolution to prosecute the same when they should discover to what end their said Ghostly-Fathers had engaged their zeal And although the times of their humiliatiō prayer were
much observed by the English and Protestants yet they harboured not the due suspic on which the demeanors of the other party required because indeed the Protestants imagined the Papists thereby pointed at meant the endeavors of the Irish Comissioners then in England in pursuit of those graces great bounties they afterward obteined frō the King brought over with thē And noted it is that this so strict humilliation and praying was not onely in Ireland but frequently observed by many of the Papists in England The Popes Nuncio directed the like fast to be then in England as appears by the Declaration of the Parliament And yet to the vulgar sort of people therof was not discovered only their Ghostly-Fathers their Priests and Friers to increase and inflame their devotion gave them a hint that strict fasting and diligent fervent prayers must be performed by all Romish Catholiques as they call them for the prosperity of a great design they had in hand And here I cannot pass by but must tender to your consideratiō a Letter found at Preston in Lanca-shire written by a Papist to one Mr. Westhy a Doctor in Phisick of the same Religion Whereby he was not onely enjoined alone but also to stir up the zeal and affection of others Papists to observe a strict constant fast and praying for the prosperity of the Queens good intentions which by the opinions of the Judicious was meant nothing else than the Plot above mentioned But lest I should prove deficient in relating some part of the plot of these incarnate Divels above mentioned I shall desire you to take along with you this known truth See all the depositions under this Head That their design likewise was not to spare any of the English race that were Protestants as in the severall Rebellions before they had likewise resolved to do And that they would deprive of life all irrationall creatures of the English breed as horses cattell sheep swine even very cats and dogs They also designed to annull and destroy all the Laws Customes Civillity Manners and Apparell of the English to deface and spoil all their Churches and all Monuments Records Charters Writings any way relating thereto and either to seize or deface all Forts Castles Holds Houses Towns and all things whatsoever either erected by held or belonging unto the English other Protestants or otherwise tending to civility And lastly to abolish and abjure all English rule dominion Magistracy and government whatsoever But some may say I stay too long in relating their agreements and damned confederacy before I come to their actions 'T is true I do considering the worst of their actions are over otherwise if the execution could not have taken effect untill I had ended the relation of their plot I should choose to be writing thereof Vsque ad necem But the day limited for the beginning their bloudy Massacre viz. the 23 of October 1641. came and then upon a sudden when the innocent hears of the Protestant English seemed to assume to themselves full security These barbarous people like Lions or Tigars generally fell upon them all in all the Counties of the Province of Vlster and in some other Counties of that Land as in some parts of the Provinces of Lemster and Connaght and there committed the unheard of and savage cruelties mentioned in the same examinations some persons onely which indeed are so few that hardly one of forty by strange means or rare convoys See the dep under the Head cont cerning murthers crucltie c. escaped to Dublin or other Garrisons there to recount their miseries From which small number indeed we gathered the account we have of the miserable sufferings of themselves and the rest But howsoever many of the Protestants of the Province of Vlster and other parts were murthered or spoiled at the very first yet because the Lord Macquire Mr. Maghan and the rest of that bloudy crew had failed in the taking of Dublin City and Castle which indeed took them by occasion of that happy discovery at the very instant made by Mr. Owen Connelly unto whom many thousands of us next unto God stand engaged for no lesse than our lives Therefore the Lords Knights Gentlemen and others of the Papists of the Palle being old English and as deep in the confederacy as any of the meer Irish were astonished and for the present at a stand And although they had strong wills and affections according to their bloudy Covenant to second and join with the Northern Irish in their depredations spoiling and massacring of the English Protestants yet were they deterred to shew themselves in action with other confederates untill they had gained some further experience what the successe might be In the mean time because they would encroach and gain as much as possibly they could upon the Lords Justices and Privy-Councel of that land who then had not their Loyalties in suspition knowing them to be so well setled and enriched as they were They in a fawning manner apply themselves to that Counsel This is and wil be justified by all the then Privye Councel of Ireland and I knew it my self to be true seeming much to condole the begun Rebellion and bloudy acts committed by the Irish and withall protesting their harbouring of great fears that they themselves should be spoiled and perish by them unlesse the Councel would afford them some Arms and Ammunition Omitting none of the greatest vows that they were loyal and true to the State and would as formerly their Ancestors had done adventure their fortunes and lives with them and the English Protestants and with them either live or perish upon which carnest protestations the Councel being in that tickle time unwilling to stir jealousies in them furnished many of the chief of those Palle-men with some quantities of Arms and Ammunition for guarding of their houses after assigned them Arms for 300 men for the guarding and defending of the County of Dublin with the like proportion of Arms to raise men for the defending of Meath Lowth Kildare and West-Meath being the five shires of the Palle and all inhabited with old English intending therewith they should resist any further Northern incursion But on the contrary by their underhand bringing in the Irish they shortly after cut off some companies of newly banded English sent from Dublin toward the relief of Droghedah which was done in that ever accounted the most civill part of the Palle Then did the Papists of the Palle esteem it their time to break all faith and go into open rebellion wherein they joined with the meer barbarous bloud-suckers of the North turning the Arms and Ammunition against those from whom so fraudulently they obtained them D. Ro. Maxwel County Armagh And then who more barbarous and sierce than they for then they told that bloud-thirsty yet cowardly Rebell Sir Phelim ô Neal that there was neither room enough nor safety either for him or
far as their power extended were as active in cruelty as the men So that the malice strength and power of them all was dilated to the full in the destruction and deaths of the Protestant English so far that incredible numbers must needs be cut off For by the monethly bills brought in by their Priests as commanded by Sir Phelim ô Neal. It appeareth that betwixt the beginning of the present Rebellion and March then next ensuing there were murthered and missing within the very Province of Vlster one hundred fifty four thousand of the British Protestants which being but one of the four Provinces what might the numbers of those extend unto of those destroyed in the whole Land All which murthers and cruelties the just God will now visit as hath already in a great measure appeared the Lord be praised both by the great and wonderful victories heretofore gained by our small Armies at the severall battels first near Wicklo after at Swords Finglasse Kilsalghan Kikrush Lisnegarvy Rockonell Rosse Trim Clancurry Ballentobber Liscarrol Knocknenott Dunganhill Dublin and in severall skirmishes in many parts of the Land wherein the Parliaments Armies in respect of their numerous enemies were but as handfuls besides the taking in and regaining of severall strong Garrisons by small forces under the command of that eminent and noble Collonel Jones Many of which during the time of the unjust Treaty of peace betwixt the Marquesse of Ormond and the Irish Rebells were most wilfully if not purposely lost unto and surprized by the Irish And shall we not now look towards Heaven blesse and praise the Lord of Hosts for those and the late glorious victories which our noble and now brave army have obtained since under the command of that most honoured and heroick spirit the Lievtenant Generall of the Parliaments forces of England and now the fortunate Lord Governour of Ireland how prosperous how victorious how prevalent is he and all those both Commanders and Souldiers under his conduct Witnesse the winning of the strong Towers of Droghedah Dundalk Trim Arkloe Wexford Rosse Kinsale Cork Youghall Carickfergus c. Besides the taking in and regaining of very many strong Garrisons by the many skirmishes wherein the Parliaments parties have been still victorious against the enemies great multitudes In all which the wonderfull hand of God hath been remarkably seen in strengthning those his faithfull instruments to execute his just judgements against that bloudy and deceitfull generation in whose skirts are found much bloud of Innocents If Jesuitical or Diobolical polices could have prevented the English forces or retarded longer their going over with the now Lord Governour of Ireland without doubt it would have been done All things for that end being attempted that either meer man or the Divell could invent For when all other shifts evasions doubts projects and wicked inventions could not prevaile you may take notice what subtile and Sophisticall Queres they cast out to dererre the Souldiers from going thither Under which they have an inference of a supposed primary and most ancient right and interest of the meer Irish to the Land of Ireland Thereby as much as possible seeming to blemish the true and lawfull interest of the English to that Land which the most intelligent men know well enough originally to have belonged to the British and the Irish but a people that came to inhabite there by the permission of the British But for the better satisfaction of the ingenious reader in that behalf I refer him to the answer and resolution made to those Queres I cannot here passe by that Tradition or rather as many of the Irish tearm it a Prophecy which they have and for a long time have had amongst themselves See Mrs. Suzanna Stockdale Com. Dublin her second examination 146. deponent proved by Mrs. Susanna Stockdale in her deposition which is That in the year 1649 the Irish should weep over the English graves which they had slaughtered And that those Irish should all then be banished saving a few which should be kept in vassalage by the English How true this may prove I know not nor would I therein engage any mans faith But sure I am that in all probability their actions have merited both from God and man and put them into the high ways of absolute distruction and fiercest vengeance which they might the more take into fear did they but seriously receive into their thoughts what those hideous cries of revenge against their murthers and other fatal meteors signs See all the dep under the head concerning Gods judgement c. and wonders in the firmament the water earth and fire which have been seen and known to succeed their bloudy cruelties do portend and thereby be the more terrified to expect Gods heavy laying their iniquities on their own heads the rather in that they have seen those Articles of peace made at several times by the Marquesse of Ormond with these Cannibals See the two severall books of articles made by the Lord of Ormond so distructive to the Protestant sufferers and their religion and wherein such large pardons and concessions are given to the Rebels have been rendred fruitless being justly condemned with suitable Anathames One of which Articles was that all inquiries indictments outlaryes and other proceedings against these Rebels whereof those examinations were part should be vacated and extinguished which I am sure had been done accordingly to these examinations especially had they not secretly and on a sudden been convayed away hither which could not possibly have been done had not an honest and worthy English Marchant at my request closely and covertly passed them away as Marchandize amongst other of his Goods at that time so full of danger when neither such things nor so much as a man must passe over out upon pain of death without speciall licence Which all men might rest confident would not have been granted in that behalf by the then Lieutenant the Earl of Ormond But it pleased God they should be transported to be published to the world Whereby the justnesse of the War now undertaken may be mantained the deep sufferings of the English and the execrable designs plots and actions of the most inhuman and cruell Irish Rebels may be manifested and left to posterity and the Common wealth of England now on this so pregnant provocation and universall conspiracy resolve by Gods blessing to settle a firm assurance to all those English that shall hereafter adventure to improve the English interest in Ireland and at last put it into a case plentifully to retribute to England for their moneys deep expences of bloud and treasure Whereunto the better to iuduce them it may be taken into consideration That in all ages especially since about the middle of the reign of King Richard the second after the old English were degenerated when they could but obtain the least opportunity or advantage they have in every age raised severall Rebellions at no time
repressed without great trouble and damage to England and without any return of profit to England except what by the late habitation of the English hath been raised And which is most remarkable you shall find in all the stories of those times That when those unnaturall Rebels could no longer stand out then who more humble and full of submissive flatteries than they but once taken into mercy which from time to time they obtained from the indulgent English expecting their reducement They thereby onely gained breath and more concurrents to invent and act new wayes of supplanting spoiling and extirpating those that had the most pitty of them I speak not this that mercy should be denied to whom may be thought worthy of it yet sure it is that if for the multiplied and itterated Rebellions and inhuman acts of the Irish the long abused English make a great distruction of them which God seems to dictate in the many strange victories lately granted by him against them It will come short of Lex talionis yea it will be nothing so much as the Irish ever resolved to execute against the true undoubted ancient Proprietors of that Land the English which may be the more taken to heart in that it hath been and is evident that there can be no safety in cohabitation with them And there is none into whose hand God puts the sword of vengeance that can without extream contumacy and disobedience deny to execute his divine will And now lest this Proeme seem too long I shall lead the worthy Reader first to the particular Heads and Charges against these Monsters of men and to the Heads of other Occurrences interlaced with them and then to the Examinations themselves Which as is promised before with all possible speed must be Printed T. W. Observations To what hath been said in the precedent leaves as concerning matter of fact and true representation of that incomparable Murther so there is nothing to be added and it were but impertinencie and provocation to abuse the Reader with any further instances and not give him up to his own resentments and inductions To husband therefore this little room which remains I cannot fall upon a Method either more naturall or regular then to take a view of the causes concernments and circumstances of that odious Conjuration and from thence descend to some such observations as cannot without stupidity be passed or impiety neglected FIrst then whosoever will take the Irish at the right view will find them a root of such a profound sloth and lethargick Supinitie that they will say they are meerly a kind of Reptilia things creeping on their bellies and feeding on the dust of the earth overborn with their naturall frigidity and impossible to be excited into any heat unlesse it be that fevorish distemper which sometimes stirs up the most unworthy minds to violent executions Adde to this their Innate and Epidemick Lasinesse which for many ages hath been so inherent to them that they could never be stirred neither by their own necessities or discomdities of life to that requisite industry which even the most barbarous and the best seated people are forced to make use of Nor yet by the conversation and culture of the more polite English could be shap't into any adumbration of Civility and tersnesse but still remain a people so exquisitely savage so barbarously lothsom so monstrously enclyn'd that they were as uncapable of any impressions of virtue and honour as they have shewed themselves susceptible of the most bestial lewdnesse and consumate impiety With these qualifications they are a people we may suppose not so fit to bid defiance to a King entirely possessed with the strength of three kingdoms and without visible enemy although there cannot be denied them so much of a punick lightnesse and rash prevarication as to have staggared into more defections than any people ever yet heard of Yet were these defections but flashy transportations of weak abject minds which having once spent their first vigor immediately quit them into their former languor and left thus meerly in a condition of despair and deprecation Where as this last what by the strength of it's first impressions and heat of it 's after influences what by the want of resistance bloudily deteined from it hath rather appeared a formall regular War then a Spartacryot and in stead of a short and momentary continuance hath extended it self to the duration of many years besides the irremediable Cowardize of that people never durst break out into any open effort unlesse it were backt by some strong Forreign assurances or assistances or flattered by our divisions and diversions or promoted by their own misconceived oppressions and feigned burthens But in that posture of affairs at their Rebellion there was no such matter for from Spain which partly out of their own ambition partly out of that detestable zeale to the See of Rome was commonly wont to lend them fuel to every petulant insurrection was not now in a condition to do it For both the fleet under Oquendo which was more than conjecturally supposed to have been designed for Ireland was discipated in the Downs and Spain her self was at that time so beset and assaulted that it was visible to any eye that she could not afterwards drive any considerable assistance to the holy cause of Antichrist and innocent conventions of Cannibals And for other nations the Irish were too much disinteressed and disreputed and we too strong in friends and repute for them to expect thence any valuable advantage For the second we at home were not then onely of one piece but were as powerful as we had been for many ages before Nay and what was more we had a Parliament at that time sitting such a one as daily satisfied the expectations and needs of the people by pious reformations and just compliances so that it was not to be thought but that they who were effectively a whole people could not be as powerfull in their punishments as they were serious and earnest in their resentments of such an execrable attempt For the third they were certainly very peevish if they were discontented for they had not onely a Lord Lieuetennant according to their own hearts Strafford but the severity of the Laws against them as disarmed or at least a sleep they were equally capable of immunities and honours with the English And that superstitious and Antick garb of worship was so publick that not onely the severity of the late Lord Chancellour Loftus and the Earl of Cork in that matter was eluded But Paul Harris Sir Toby Mathews c. many Sticklers of the See of Room were in sight and favour nay some who have had the best reason and longest time to observe it have affirmed there have been three Mass Houses one at Naas a new built seat for Strafford open for one Protestant Church All this set together must necessarily yield us this result that there must be