Pembroke coming into England surrendered Dublin and all the Castles and Forts on the Sea coasts to King Henry and thereby removed his Jealousie and was again received into favour In 1172 King Henry the Second landed with a considerable Army whom Roderick in behalf of himself and all the other petty Princes of that Kingdom acknowledged for his Soveraign Lord and the supream Prince of all that Island so that none refused obedience to Henry but only the Province of Ulster the Christmas after the King Royally feasted all those Princes who were become his Subjects at Dublin and then taught the Irish first to eat Cranes flesh which was before abhorred by them He then called a Synod where divers abuses were reformed and new Canons made for the future Government of the Church and among others That since it had pleased God to bring them under the English Dominion they should for the future observe all the Rites and Ceremonies of the English Church Soon after King Henry returned to England being summoned by the Pope to answer for the death of Thomas Becket which occasioned much Trouble In 1185. Henry made over all his Right and Title to Ireland to his youngest Son John after King of England who Landing at Waterford accompanyed with a few Dissolute Companions whose advice he only regarded caused great Commotions whereupon he went back again the same year After the Death of his Brother Richard the first John succeeded and came again into Ireland setling the Country and Banishing the Lacies for some Misdemeanors but upon submission gave them pardon though not without paying him great Fines In 1300. Edward the first sent for Aid out of Ireland to Assist him in his Wars against Scotland and after his Death the Scots invaded Ireland being Assisted by the Wild Irish whereby the Country was miserably ruined four Princes of Connaught joyning with them but by the valour of the English eleven Thousand were slain in one Fight among whom were the King of Connaught Okelley a great Lord and divers others The Death of Okelly is somewhat Remarkable The Lord Bremingham Commander of the English Army sent one John Hussey his Esquire into the Field to view the dead Bodies and search whether his old mortal Enemy Okelley were slain among the rest Hussey goes only with one man to turn up the Bodies and was presently espied by Okelley that lay lurking behind a bush who knowing Hussey to be a stout man came towards him and said Hussey thou seest I am Armed at all points as well as my Esquire thou art naked with thy Page only so that had I not a great kindness for thee for thine own sake I would slay thee for the sake of thy Master but if thou wilt come and serve me as I desire I promise upon St. Patricks Staff to make thee a Lord of a greater Estate in Connanght than thy Master hath in Ireland These words not prevailing upon Hussey a lusty fellow belonging to Okelly began to reproach him for refusing so fair an offer so that Hussey had now three to deal with he therefore dispatcht this fellow first and then struck Okelleys Esquire such a blow under the Ear that he laid him for dead Lastly he fell upon Okelley himself and instantly slew him and then perceiving the Esquire who was only astonished with the stroke to revive again he caused him to carry his Lords Head upon a Truncheon and presented it to Bremingham who for this notable Service Knighted Hussey and gave him large possessions the Successors of whose Family were after Lords of Galtrim In King Edward the Seconds Reign the Lord Roger Mortimer was sent over Justice into Ireland at which time Edward Bruce Brother to Robert Bruce King of Scotland who had taken several places and caused himself to be Crowned King of Ireland was slain in a great Battle wherein the Scots were vanquished one Mawpas an Englishman who rushed into the midst of the fight to encounter Bruce hand to hand was in the search found dead fallen upon the Body of Bruce This year 1320. An University was erected in Dublin about which time the Lady Alice Kettell with her two Companions Petronelle and Basell were charged with Inchantment and that they had conference every Night with a Spirit called Robin Artisson to whom they Sacrificed in the Highway 9 red Cocks and 11 Peacocks eyes and that this Lady swept the Streets of Kilkenny in the Twilight bringing all the filth to the Door of her Son William Outlaw muttering these words 'To the House of William my Son ' Go all the Wealth of Kilkenny Town The Lady made her escape but in searching her Closet saith my Author they found a Wafer of Sacramental Bread having the Devils Name stamped thereon instead of Jesus Christ and an Ointment wherewith she greazed a staff upon which she galloped through thick and thin as she pleased Petronelle was burnt at Kilkenny upon this account In the Reign of King Edward the Third 1329. The Irish in Meath and Leinster Rebelled and Vanquisht the Earl of Ormond burning fourscore English in a Church and committing woful outrages at length the Citizens of Wexford falling upon them slew 400 the rest being drowned in the Water of Slane At this time Sir Robert Savage a wealthy Knight dwelt in Ulster who to secure himself from the incursions of the Irish began to fortifie his Mannor Houses with Castles and Ditches exhorting his Son and Heir to do the same for the benefit of himself and Posterity Father says young Savage I remember the Proverb better a Castle of Bones than of Stones where I have the strength and courage of Men by the Grace of God I will never incumber my self with dead Walls my Fort shall be the youthful Blood of my Friends and where I have room to fight The Father in a fume left building but the neglect of this Counsel was the Ruin of that and many other English Families in Ulster This Savage having raised Forces against the Irish gave to every man before the fight a stout Cup of Aquavitae Wine or strong Ale and provided Plenty of Beef Venison and Fowls for their return which his Captains disliking considering the uncertainty of War since the Enemy might happen to feast upon the same they being so few against a multitude of Irish he smiling Gentlemen said he You are too full of Envy this World is but an Inn wherein we have no certain Interest but are only Tenants at the will of the Lord. If it please him to command us hence as from our Lodging and set other good fellows in our Room what hurt can it be for us to leave them meat for their Suppers Let them stoutly win it and eat it If they should come to our Houses we could not but welcom them with what the Countrey affords and therefore much good may it do them with all my Heart however I have such confidence in your Courage and Gallantry that I doubt
not but we shall return home safe at Night and Banquet merrily upon our own Provisions Which happened accordingly for falling upon them they in a short time cut off three thousand Irish-men and returned triumphantly home In 1394. King Richard the Second being much grieved for the Death of his beloved Queen Ann not able to endure his Chambers of State without Tears passed over into Ireland to divert himself where divers Princes renewed their Homage to him In 1398. the Irish Rebelling Roger Mortimer Earl of March the Kings Lieutenant was slain with divers other Persons of Quality to Revenge which King Richard again sailed to Ireland and had several successful Skirmishes against them killing at one time two hundred of the Rebels and many more afterward and then going to Dublin he continued there some time divers Lords and Princes submitting themselves and were received very courteously by him During his stay here he had intelligence that Henry Duke of Lancaster his Uncle whom he had lately Banished was returned into England designing to deprive him of his Crown whereupon he committed the Dukes Son and the Duke of Glocesters Son both then in Ireland Prisoners to the Castle of Trim and then imbarquing arrived in Wales where he found such weak assistance that at length he fell into his Adversaries Hands and was Deposed by Authority of Parliament the Duke of Lancaster being admitted to Reign in his stead by the Name of Henry the Fourth In whose Second year Sir Stephen Scroop was made Lieutenant who was much exclaimed against by the People for his former Violences and Extortions under King Richard upon which his Lady assured him she would no longer continue with him there unless he took a Solemn Oath upon a Bible not knowingly or willingly to wrong any Christian Creature in that Kingâ—om and to repair all the wrongs he had done she hâ—â—ing made such a Vow to Christ that unless this were performed she could not live with him without peril of her Soul Her Husband consented hereto and became afterwards as Famous for Justice as he had been before Infamous for Oppression In the Reign of King Henry 5. 1420. James Butler Earl of Ormond being Lieutenant some of the Irish Lords making Insurrections the Earl fought with them in the red Moor of Athy where saith my Author the Sun being almost down miraculously stood still for three hours till the Irish who were commanded by Omore and his Terrible Army were utterly vanquished with the loss of a very few English neither did the bog or quagmire indamage either Horse or Man of Ormonds party till the feat was accomplished but continued firm like other ground In King Henry the Sixths Reign Richard Duke of York Father to Edward the fourth was Lieutenant his second Son George after Duke of Clarence being born in the Castle of Dublin The Earl of Desmond was Deputy in Edward the fourths time who speaking Disgracefully of the Kings marrying the Lady Elizabeth Gray she carried his Government in Ireland to be examined and for misdemeanours therein he was Condemned and Beheaded at Tredagh Girald Earl of Kildare was Deputy in Henry the Sevenths time to whom Richard Symonds a subtle Priest applyed himself bringing to him a young lad his Scholar named Lambert whom he affirmed to be the Son of George Earl of Clarence lately escaped out of the Tower of London the Youth had been so well Tutored and acted the part of a Prince so Gracefully that the Earl of Kildare and many others of the Nobility espoused his quarrel and Crowned him King in Dablin with much Joy and Triumph and then raising Forces they Imbarqued for England and Landed in Lancashire but were Defeated by King Henry's Army and Lambert taken but pardoned for Life In 1460. The Dutchess of Burgundy raised another Spirit or Illusion one Perkin Warbeck whom she sent into Ireland assuring the Lords that he was the youngest Son of King Edward the Fourth named Richard who had been strangely preserved from the Cruelty of his Uncle Crook-back but he being taken Prisoner confessed the whole Imposture In King Henry the 8ths time the Earl of Kildare was continued Deputy a plain open-hearted man very passionate and soon appeased Being once in a great Rage with his Servants one of his Esquires offered Mr. Boyce a Gentleman retainer an Irish Hobby upon Condition he would just then pluck an hair from the Earls Beard Mr. Boice took him at his word and knowing the Earls good Nature stept to him and acquainted him with the business Well said the Earl I am content but if thou pluck above one Hair I shall reach thee a sound Box on the Ear. Being accused before Henry the Seventh for burning the Cathedral of Cashels and many Witnesses appearing to justifie it he suddenly confest the Fact to the Wonder and Detestation of those present who admiring how he would come off By Jesus says he I would never have done it had I not been told that the Arch-bishop was within it Now he being there present and principal Accuser the King Laughed at the plainness of the man that he should alledge that for an Excuse which was the greatest Aggravation of his offence Lastly they sum'd up all in this Article Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl No quoth the King then in good Faith he shall Rule all Ireland and thereupon constituted him Deputy In 1521. Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey after Duke of Norfolk was made Lord Lieutenant and the Earl of Kildare was by the Contrivance of his Enemies summoned over into England to answer several Accusations against him and being brought before the Council the proud Cardinal Wolsey then Lord Chancellor charged him with several Misdemeanours as holding Correspondence with the Irish Rebels especially the Earl of Desmond his Kinsman who had been Treating with the French and Emperor about invading the Island and not seizing him when in his power with divers other Crimes using these Expressions to Kildare among others Surely this jugling and false play becomes neither a man of Honesty nor Honour had you but lost a Horse or a Cow two hundred of your Retainers had come at your whistle to rescue the Prey even from the uttermost parts of Ulster all the Irish in the Country must have fled before you but in pursuing so great an Enemy as Desmond merciful God! How nice how fearful how backward have you been One while he is from home another time he keeps close home sometimes he is fled sometimes on the Borders where you dare not venture I find my Lord there are dreadful Bugbears on the Borders which affright the Earl of Kidare Earl nay King of Kildare for when you please you can command like an Emperour where you are malicious the most Loyal Subjects are accounted Irish Enemies and where you plead an Irish Rebel shall pass for a dutiful Subject Hearts and Hands Lives and Fortunes lye all at your pleasure and those that do not fawn upon you
cannot be far from 〈◊〉 where Vice is Patroniz'd and Antrim a Rebel upon Record and so lately and clearly proved one should have no other Colour for his Actions but the King 's own Letter which takes off all Imputations from Antrim and lays them totally upon his own Father Sir I shall by the next if possible send you over one of our Briefs against my Lord by some Friend It 's too large for a Pacquet it being no less in Bulk than a Book of Martyrs Well might the Irish decline their Tryals by indifferent Juries and Appeal to this Court of Claims which the Lord Chief Justice Santry declared was like the Usurpers High Court of Justice Arbitrary and Unlimited and the English complained that the Natives by this Illegal Court were made Innocent though they were known to be deeply concerned in the Rebellion for that it was beyond all peradventure that not 10 of the Irish Papists were free from Rebellion and Murther and most of them stood Indicted and Outlawed for Treason and therefore dispaired upon their Tryal at the Bar to make any considerable defence Upon this a New Act was prepared to explain the former But Talbot after Tyrconnel being made a Principal Agent for the Irish and they insinuating themselves into the favour of Rainsford afterward made a Judge in England for his good Services in Ireland and the Commissioners of the Court of Claims it so fell out that though it was believed upon the Kings Restoration there could not have been the twentieth part of Ireland gained from the English Yet by Recommendatory Letters and other Stratagems of the Court in England there was almost an half of the Kingdom in value lost and at the same time the most Innocent Irish lost their Estates and the greatest Rebels got twice more than they had before the Rebellion began to such a height was Popery already grown which so far incouraged the Irish that they often told the English that in a short time the Protestants must be all of their Religion In 1669. The Lord Roberts was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland but soon recalled and John Lord Berkley was sent in his Room In 1670. The Papists set up a pretence that the King when in Exile had ingaged to the French King to restore the Irish to their Religion and Estates which not being done might occasion a Breach with that Crown Whereupon Commissions were sent to Irish Papists to make them Justices of Peace in which Office they soon discovered themselves to be so partial and insolent that their proceedings were abhor'd not only by the Protestants but the most thinking Irish After this there was a design for Regulating the Corporations of Ireland and the Popish Party began with Dublin where without any Legal proceeding or pretence 7 of the Aldermen and Sir William Davis the Recorder who were opposite to the Romish Party were turned out in a Tumultuous Irregular manner and 7 of the Rabble put in their places and Sir Ellis Leaton the Lord Lieutenants Secretary was made Recorder and Papists were daily brought into the Common Council to the great Terror of the Citizens who plainly perceived that the design was apparently level'd at the Foundation of the Protestant Interest and Religion and for introducing Popery and Arbitrary Power In which Opinion they were confirmed by some Passages that happened about the same time Particularly that Talbot the Popish Archbishop of Dublin in 1672. Desiring of the Lord Lieutenant to borrow the Hangings of the Castle Silver Candlesticks and other Plate to the use at High-â—â—â—ss they were sent by Sir Ellis Leaton with this Complement that he hoped to have High Mass by Christmas at Christ-Church To effect which soon after an horrid Plot was discovered whereby all the Protestants were to have been barbarously Murthered and the Signal appointed to Distinguish the Irish from the Hereticks was a Cross of Straw which the Priests earnestly enjoyned every one to fix over their Doors telling them the omission thereof might be their Ruine for where the Cross were not found they would be destroyed as Hereticks But this Horrid Conspiracy being happily Discovered upon Search small Crosses of Straw not easily perceived were found on the Houses of most of the Irish in the Province of Munster But the Government of Ireland was at that time so Popishly inclined that they would not incourage the further Discovery thereof and those that appeared earnest in laying it open had their Cattel stole and were threatned to have their Houses burnt so that the whole Villainy was husht up in silence In 3673. The Earl of Essex was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the proceedings in the former year being thought by Courts of England too bare-faced This worthy and prudent Governor managed Affairs with so much skill and integrity that the Papists could hope for no Advantage whilst he held the Sword therefore one Sheredon and Edward Coleman were thought fit Instruments to imbarrass Affairs and manage the Catholick Interest but by the unparallel'd Conduct of this prudent Earl he so far outvy'd the Romish Politicks as to Cajole that Party into an approbation of those Proceedings which proved fatally Destructive to their designs of which at length the D. of York was so sensible that he became his inveterate enemy and set up private designs against him and at length prevailed to have him recalled and in 1677. the Duke of Ormond was again sent Lord Lieutenant thither This year the Papists set up another Project which was that the French should make some new Demands for the Irish upon pretence of the Articles made by King Charles 〈◊〉 in their favour and the King of England was to admit the French to Land Men The Earl of Tyrone the Lord Brâ—â—as and others were also to raise Men in Ireland in order to make a diversion to the putting the Popish Plot in force in England and an Insurrection was designed at the same time in Ireland the King was unacquainted with the chief part of the contrivance the Duke of York having undertaken to qualifie him if he should hear of the Irish Intreague but this was divulged by some of the Irish and the King was hardly prevailed with not to believe it at length the King and Council fearing some danger from Ireland the Duke of Ormond was sent thither and the Duke of York did not think it seasonable to oppose it but yet prevailed so powerfully with the King that he sent Orders for raising Men in Ireland upon pretence of Forreign Service they were all Papists except some Officers who were ready to be so but the Lord Lieutenant would not deliver them Arms so they were exercised with Sticks The next year 1678 the Popish Plot was discovered in England and soon after that in Ireland which was detected by those of their own Party and Religion not one Protestant appearing as evidence against them Upon which Orders came from England for Disarming all Papists but their Friends at
Though we like your preaching yet we are not willing to lose our liberty you tell us many strange stories persuading us to forsake our pleasures and delights on Earth for which you promise us a reward in an unknown place in the other World You likewise threaten us with a dismal Dungeon appointed for Offenders which if we could believe to be true would more effectually prevail with us to leave our Delights than any other Motive St. Patrick perceiving that the fear of Torment had more influence upon them than the blessedness of Heaven prayed earnestly that God would give them some resemblance of the future misery of sinful Souls whereupon he was directed to this place wherein if any Person would enter he was to prepare himself by prayer and fasting 15 days during which time the Friers represented to him the horrors of the place and how the evil Spirits would torture them so that as soon as they were in what for want of Food and Sleep their fancies have been much disturbed and they have dreamed of those terrible things that have been told them which indeed was the whole Mystery of all these illusions as divers affirmed who tryed the Experiment in those Superstitious times however the Priests made good use of it by gaining Credit and Money from the poor deluded People Neither is that Excellent Blessing procured to this Island by the Prayers of their Patron St. Patrick to be forgot namely their Freedom from Serpents and all other venemous Creatures to confirm which one of their Authors confidently Relates the following story A young Man in the North of England lying asleep in the Fields with his Mouth open an Adder crept into it and so down into his Belly and tormented him with such violent pains that he desired his Friends to kill him it never ceasing to tear and rend his Bowels but while he was eating Medicines nor Pilgrimages to Saints would do no good at length being advised to go to Ireland he no sooner arrived there and had eat and drank upon the Island but the Serpent was immediately killed within him and voiding it downward was instantly cured and returned in good health to England So that it was a a Proverb formerly there was nothing venemous in Ireland but the Men and Women which was intended of the Savage and Brutish manners of the Wild Irish Neither was the inhabiting of this Countrey less miraculous than the place especially as to the Antiquity thereof for it is recorded in the Irish Chronicles that when the Patriarch Noah threatned the people of the Old World that vengeance would follow their wickedness and thereupon built an Ark to convince them that the whole Earth would be overflown in a few years the generality disregarded his Admonitions only Cesarea Noahs Niece believing her Uncles Prophecy got a Ship and accompanyed with three Men and fifty Women resolved to find out some Country never yet Inhabited but unspotted with Vice and thereby free from the Sentence of Gods wrath After long Sailing and many Dangers they at length arrived in Ireland but within forty days after their Landing the Universal Deluge came and swept away all these new Inhabitants at once This they say happened in the year after the Creation of the World 1556. Which was very wonderful being long before the Art of Navigation was invented But to let this pass with as little credit as the Reader pleases it will be a sufficient Honour to the Antiquity of the Irish to allow that their Countrey was first peopled by some of Noahs Kindred even as soon as any Island in the World for their Histories relate that about two hundred years after the Flood upon the confusion of Tongues at Babel Japhet and his Posterity imboldned by Noans Ark built a Ship wherein they adventured to make new Discoveries in the unknown parts of the World among them was one Bastolenus who incouraged by the example of Nimrod then Monarch of Assyria resolved to settle a Kingdom in these Western Islands where he might Rule without Controul and at length Fortune brought him and his People to the Coast of Ireland where he setled and left three Sons behind him Among his Followers were some of the Posterity of Cham that were Giants who by the example of Ninus Rebelled against their King and set up another who contended together with dubious Success at length the Giants were utterly subdued their Enemies spâ—ring neither Man Woman nor Child and to satisfie their Revenge to the full they would not vouchsafe to bury them but let them lye like dead Dogs the stench whereof caused such a mortal Pestilence that few of the Victors escaped with Life but those who fled away by Sea to avoid the Infection And here our Irish Author tells us that one of the Giants named Ruanus who was preserved lived above Two Thousand years after twice the Age of Methusalem by whom St. Patrick was throughly informed of the state of this Country and being Baptized by him dyed in the year of our Lord 430. Some few of these Giants hid themselves in Gaves and Dens after the last Battle till Famine forced them to seek for Relief when creeping out and finding no Resistance they grew Bolder and having notice how matters had happened setled themselves in the best part of the Countrey Then Magog one of the Sons of Japhet Inhabiting in Scythia in process of time several of his Posterity desirous to seek adventures landed in Ireland but were chased thence by the Giants after Wars had continued between them 216. Years Next the five Sons of Dela from Greece came hither and utterly routed the Giants being before weakened by their own Dissension and then Divided the Country into five provinces as they are at this Day fixing a Stone in the midst of the Country to make the Division more equal but at length ambition prevailing one of these Sons named Slanius subdued his other Brethren and Reigned alone but was interrupted in his new Dominion by an Army of Scythians who invaded the Land and after them the Brittains and then the Scots under Gathelus as is afore-mentioned came from Spain and fixed here Reigning agreat while in peace till the Picts came thither out of Scythia under Roderick being accidentally cast a shore upon those Coasts who were brought before the King of Ireland to whom Roderick thus spake It is not because we degenerate from the courage of our Ancestors but by the Frowns of Fortune that we are now become humble Supplicants to Ireland who never yet submitted to any other Nation Behold Sir King and regard us well and then believe that it is no small occasion which makes our lusty Bodies thus to stoop Scythians we are even Picts of Scythia from which two Names there redounds to us much Glory we will not whine and complain that Civil Wars at home forced us from our own Country thereby to move pity in you towards Strangers let our Servants and Children
to rouse them out to weed them not to rake them over not to tread them down but utterly to root them up this lesson the Tyrant himself taught me for demanding once of him by way of Parable how Land might be freed from certain ravenous Fowls that annoyed it he advised us to watch where they bred and fire their Nests about their Ears let us go then and fall upon these Cormorants which shrowd themselves in our possessions and let us destroy them that neither nest nor root neither seed nor stalk neither branch nor stump remain of this cursed and ungracious Generation He had scarce ended his Oration when the People with shouts of Joy extolled him as the Defender of their Lives and Liberties assuring him of their utmost assistance and so joining their Forces they with a running Camp in a very short time cleared every corner of the 〈◊〉 of the Norwegians razing their Castles to 〈…〉 killing all that resisted and banishing 〈…〉 whereby every Prince again recovered his own Government The Histories of Denmark relate that some time before this Fridlenus King of the Danes arriving in Ireland besieged Dublin but perceiving it hard to take by reason of the strength of the Walls he contrived to catch a number of Swallows who had their Nests in the Houses within the City and tying Wildfire to their feet they flying home set the Houses on Fire which whilst the Citizens endeavoured to quench they entred the City after which Gonno the third King of Denmark though a Pagan Married Thyra Daughter to the Christian King Etheldred of Brittain by whom he had two Sons Canute and Harold who first invaded England and then Ireland where at the Siege of Dublin Canute was slain who for his Valour was so extreamly beloved by his Father that he vowed to kill him with his own hands who should bring him Tydings of his Death Gonno was now very old and blind pleasing himself in nothing more than hearing of the Victories of his Sons when therefore Q. Thyra had notice of her Sons Death which neither she nor any other durst discover to him she contrived to clothe her Husband all in Mourning and prepared all other things usual at a Funeral and then used many lamentable expressions of grief for the loss of some Friend which Gonno perceiving wo is me said he you then fignifie the Death of my Son Canute whereunto she answered that he himself and not she had now discovered the Truth whereupon for grief thereof he instantly gave up the Ghost We find little material in the Irish Chronicles from this time till the Conquest thereof by King Henry the Second which how it was occasioned I shall now relate In the year 1167. Dermot Macmur King of Leinster possessed all the East parts of the Isle along the Seacoasts using great cruelty toward the Lords and Gentry it happened that Morrice King of Meath going far into the Country Dermot in the mean time stole away his Queen by her consent which Morrice upon his return resolving to revenge represented it to Roderick O Conor King of Connaught and Monarch of all Ireland beseeching his assistance against the vile Adulterer the People of Leinster detesting both Dermot and his quarrel for his former Tyrannies universally forlook him so that he was forced to fly to King Henry the Second for succour who was then imployed in his Wars in France Henry had before cast an eye upon Ireland because they always assisted the French with men and Adrian an Englishman being now Pope he obtained his consent for the Conquest thereof upon condition of reducing the Inhabitants to Christianity who were almost turn'd barbarous at this very time Dermot offered him his service of which he was very joyful but having Wars with France he had not opportunity to go with him and therefore taking an Oath of Fidelity and Obedience from him he took him into his Protection and for his more speedy assistance sent him into England honourably attended with Letters Patents to this effect ' Henry King of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitain and Earl of Anjou to all our Faithful Subjects Englishmen Normans Welchmen and Scots and to all other Nations whatsoever subject to our Dominion fendeth Greeting When these Letters shall come to your hands know ye that we have received Dermot Prince of Leinster into the bosom of our Grace and Benevolence wherefore whosoever of our loving Subjects within our Dominions will aid assist and restore him as our Leige-man and Faithful Subject be you assured that you have not only our license but shall receive our favour and thanks for the same with these Letters he arrived at Bristow where he agreed with Richard Strongbow Earl of Pembroke to give him his only Daughter in Marriage for which the Earl was the next Spring to settle him in his Kingdom which was to descend to him in right of his Wife after Dermots decease in the mean time Robert Fitz Stephens and Maurice Fitz-Gerald his Brother Gentlemen of Wales promised Dermot that if he would assure them an Estate in the Town of Wexford for ever they would assist him to begin the recovery of his Country while the Earl of Pembroke was providing stronger Forces and accordingly Dermot going over privately before they with Thirty Knights Sixty Esquires and Three Hundred Archers landed in Ireland being the first Englishmen that ever came thither and marching toward Wexford Dormet met with them with five Hundred Men and joining their Forces they soon took the Town of Wexford which was freely given to Fitz Stephens according to their Covenant and their Army daily increasing they prevailed so much that Roderick the Monarch assembled all the Petty Kings to defend their Country at length an Agreement was made whereby Dermot was restored to his former Estate and more Forces arriving from England Dermot incouraged thereby resolved to be revenged of those of Dublin who had been great Enemies to him and his Father and marching thither they soon submitted themselves to him Now arrived the Earl of Pembroke with a considerable aid wherewith he made such notable Conquests that King Henry growing jealous of his greatness sent an Edict to recal all the English out of Ireland but the troubles raised by Thomas Becket Arch-bishop of Canterbury hindred the Prosecution thereof Pembroke was then in Dublin where he was closely besieged by the Irish under Roderick Dermot dying some time before and was at last reduced to such extremity that they resolved to Sally forth and dye like men rather than starve and so issuing out with not above two or three hundred men they valiantly assaulted their Enemies Camp consisting of near Thirty Thousand with so much resolution that with great slaughter of them they obtained a Glorious Victory chasing their Enemies till night came on and then returning Triumphantly with abundance of Provisions and Rich Spoil into the City Roderick himself hardly escaping with his Life after which the Earl of
afforded none at all for a long time though the Fryars in their white Habits went in Solemn Procession and threw Holy Water therein It would be almost endless to give a particular account of all the Detestable Cruelties and Murders acted by these incarnate Devils upon the Innocent English of whom they destroyed near three Hundred Thousand in a few Months being chiefly Animated thereto by their Villainous Priests upon the account of their Religion and therefore they often declared their Despight to the Bible as being directly contrary to their Cursed Principles and Practices In one place they burnt two English Bibles saying It was Hell Fire they burnt They laid another in a puddle of Water and then stamping on it said a Plague on it This Bible hath bred all the quarrel A Rebel perswaded a Man and his Wife to joyn with them in the Massacre who protested that rather than they would forsake their Religion they would dye upon the Sword 's point he would then have had the Woman burn her Bible but she refused saying she would rather dye than do it Whereupon they were both cruelly Murthered they Murthered Mr. Bingham a Famous Minister and cutting off his Head put a Gag in his Mouth and laying the leaf of a Bible before him bid him Preach saying his Mouth was open and wide enough During these horrid Barbarities there were several Indications of Divine Displeasure apparent in divers places the truth of which was sworn to and affirmed by Witnesses of Credit and Reputation As in the Province of Munster near the Silver Works where while the Rebels were Massacring a great number of Protestant Men Women and Children on the Lords Day Afternoon a most Loud and Dreadful Noise and Storm of Thunder Lightning Wind Hailstones and Rain happened though it was fair all the Day before which much affrighted the Murtherers themselves who confess it to be a sign of Gods Anger against them for their Bloody Cruelty At Portnedown Bridge where so many thousand Protestants were drowned the remaining Inhabitants were so Terrified with the noise of Spirits and Visions for Revenge that they durst not continue thereabout and some of the Rebels themselves said to others that the Blood of some of those that were knockt on the Head and afterward drowned in this River remained on the Bridge and could not be washt away There appeared sometimes Men sometimes Women Breast high in the River with Hands lifted up crying out with fearful Schreicks and Voices Revenge Revenge Revenge and it was not long ere Divine Justice overtook them Many thousands of the most Notorious Murtherers who perished by the Sword and Plague that followed it so that it was computed that in a few years scarce any of these Miscreants remained alive but were sent to their own place to give an account of their Tremendous Brutalities The King having made a Truce with the Scots who were entred with an Army into England to demand the Redress of their Grievances and the Forces on both sides being Disbanded he made a Journey into Scotland in the beginning of August 1641. and continued there till the latter end of October when this Horrid Rebellion happened Owen O Covally the first Discoverer of the Plot brought the first Letters to London and received as a Reward 500 l. in Money and an Annuity of 200 l. a year and presently the Parliament provided for the Relief of Ireland and the Lords of the Council and the Lords Justices there had with the Arms that were in Dublin Armed many well-affected Gentlemen and several Active Commanders were sent out of the City to defend the adjoyning Places from the Approach of the Rebels at which time the Parliament sent over Twenty Thousand Pounds for a present supply but could not relieve them with any Forces till December following when Sir Simon Harcourt Arrived with Seasonable Supplies of men and money and Raised the Seige of Drogheda which had been much straitned by Sir Phelim O Neal and the Rebels and the English recovered Dundalk Neury and several other Towns and Castles out of their Hands But though the Rebellion brake out in October 23. Yet the King who was now returned from Scotland did not proclaim them Rebels till Jan. 1. following and then gave strict Command that only 40 Proclamations should be printed and that none of them should be Published without the Kings Express Order which the Parliament among other things afterwards Taxed him with Who Replyed thereto That he was unwilling to make the Irish Desperate and utterly undoe his Protestant Subjects who were then too weak to withstand so Potent a Rebellion and that the Lords Justices of Ireland required only 20 as many of themselves well knew Yet this proceeding unhappily increased the Jealousies that began to arise between the King and his English Parliament because it was publickly discourst that it had not been done at all but that some Worthy Protestant Lords had earnestly advised him to proclaim them speedily that a better course might be taken against them and to wash off that foul Stain from himself by prosecuting severely those wicked Villains who reported every where That they had Authority from the King to Seise upon the Holds of the English Protestants that they were the Queens Souldiers and rise to maintain the Kings Prerogative against the Puritan Parliament of England That they told the poor Protestants it was for no purpose to fly for safety into England for that Kingdom would be as much distrest as theirs and that the King intended to forsake his Parliament in England and make War against them and that then they would come over having done their their Work in Ireland and help the King against his English Parliament The Lords therefore advised him by all means to purge himself of these Accusations than which there could not be greater on Earth Soon after the Earl of Leicester was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the Earl of Strafford being Beheaded some time before at Tower Hill But the Relief of that Bleeding Kingdom was much obstructed by the wide Breaches which daily happened between the King and the Parliament particularly upon his going Jan. 4. Attended with 300 Armed Gentlemen into the H. of Commons and Demanding 5 Members to be delivered him which the Parliament declared to be An High Breach of their Priviledges a great Scandal to the King and his Government a Seditious Act manifestly tending to the Subversion of the Peace and an Injury and Dishonour to the said Members there being no Legal charge or accusation against them and that there could be no Vindication of those Priviledges unless his Majesty would discover the Names of those who advised him to such unlawful Courses After this the Parliament considered of a Bill for Pressing Souldiers to be sent out of Scotland to Ireland as being near but the King excepted against it while it lay in the House of Lords as a Diminution to his Prerogative Whereupon the Parliament in
England he would Abrogate those Laws made against the Papists there He gave thanks likewise to Muskeny Plumket and others of that party promising a Pardon for all that was past But they were much troubled at the Treaty of Peace with the Parliament being sensible that one necessary condition thereof must be the Vigorous Prosecution of the War in Ireland The King to remove this fear writ to the Lord Lieutenant that he could not refuse to make a Peace with his Parliament only upon the account of those Irish it being a point not Popular Yet from that consideration the Lieutenant might raise an Advantage to hasten a Peace with them it letting them know their own Danger by being Excluded from all Hope of Pardon from the Parliament For saith he if we agree upon all other conditions it will not be convenient for me to disagree only concerning those Irish Therefore let them take what I offer while time is and hasten the Peace and when once my Faith is passed no Human force shall make me break it The Queen also being then in France writing to her Husband seemed to grieve much that at Uxbridge they were to Treat of Religion in the first place assuring him That if any thing severe against the Catholicks should be concluded and yet a â—eace not be made the King could not hope for any Assistance from the Catholick Princes or from the Irish who must needs think that after they had done their best they should at last be forsaken And often intreats the King that he would never forsake the Catholicks who had faithfully served him in the Wars c. The Commissioners met at Uxbridge but nothing at all was concluded at that Treaty so that the War must decide it in pursuance whereof both Parties strengthen themselves with fresh Forces and the Kings Army was very formidable but not content with so great a power of English Souldiers he seemed more earnest than before to get over the Irish he had committed the Business to Ormond to make an Absolute Peace but perceiving their Demands were too High so that nothing was effected he now imployed the Earl of Clamorgan Son to the Marquess of Worcester a zealous Papist and therefore more acceptable with the Rebels giving him full power to make a Peace and indulge to the Irish whatever might seem needful and this was Transacted so secretly that both the Lord Lieutenant Ormond and the Lord Digby Secretary of Ireland were ignorant thereof till it was afterward Discovered and made publick But the King finding it difficult to make such a Peace as would bring him certain Assistance otherwise that he might throw all that Envy upon Glamorgan impowred him unknown to the rest For so the Rebels sweetned with large promises unknown to Ormond might the better admit of Conditions just in shew and openly excusable and the King might draw from Ireland such Souldiers as would more firmly adhere to his side and whom he might trust as being the greatest haters of the English Protestants and dispairing of Pardon against the Parliament of England He therefore gave Letters of Authority to Glamorgan in these words Charles by the Grace of God King of England c. Defender of the Faith to our Trusty and well beloved Cosen Edward Earl of Glamorgan Greeting Being confident of your Wisdom and Fidelity We do by these Letters as if under our Great Seal grant unto you full power and authority to Treat with the Confederate Roman Catholicks in Ireland and to indulge them all those things which necessity shall require and which we cannot so Comodiously do by our Lieutenant nor our self publickly own at present Therefore We Command that you do this Businese with as much Secrecy as can be Whatsoever you shall think fit to be promised in my Name that I do attest upon the word of a King and a Christian to grant to those Confederate Catholicks who by their Assistance have abundantly shewed their zeal to us and our Cause Given at Oxford under our Royal Seal March 12. and 20 year of our Reign In pursuance of these Powers the Earl of Glamorgan assured the King He would Land 6000 Irish Papists in May following in Wales and with the Transport Ships block up Melford Haven having already to advance the same thirty thousand pound in Money 1000 Musquets 2000 Case of Pistols 800. Barrels of Powder besides his own Artillery and a certainty of 30000 l. more The K. likewise obliged the Earl of Antrim to joyn with the Marquess of Montross then in Arms in Scotland who ingaged to send 10000 Irish thither from Ireland where the passage was shortestito assist him but was very deficient therein being scarce able to send 1200 thither In 1644. the Parliament ordered the Arraignment of the Lord Macguire and Collonel Mahon who were Seised at Dublin the Night before the Discovery of the Rebellion there and had been in the Town ever since They were now brought to their Tryal at the Kings Bench Bar at Westminster where Macguire insisted much upon his Peerage but was over ruled and both found Guilty of High Treason by a Jury of Middlesex Gentlemen and executed at Tyburn In 1646. the Lord Lieutenant endeavoured to make the Cessation with the Irish a kind of a Peace which they condescended to upon the following Propositions 1. That the Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion should be in Dublin and Drogheda and in the Kingdom of Ireland as free as in Paris and Brussels 2. That the Privy Council of Ireland consist of Members True and Faithful to his Majesty and who have been Enemies to the Parliament 3. That Dublin Drogheda Trim Newry Cathirly Carlingford and all Protestant Garrisons be Manned by the Confederate Catholicks to keep the same for the use of the King and Defence of the Kingdom 4. That the said Councellors Generals Commanders and Souldiers do Swear and Ingage to fight against the Parliament of England and all the Kings Enemies and that they will never come to any Agreement with them to the prejudice of His Majesties Rights and and the Kingdoms 5. That both Parties according to their Oath of Association shall to the best of their power and cunning defend the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom the Kings Rights and Liberties of the Subject This Peace was kept by some of the moderate Papists but was ill Resented both by the Parliament of England and the Popes Nuncio who infiuenced the most Serious Papists To put a stop to which the Parliament sent 2000 Men from Chester under Colonel George Monk with 3 Commissioners to the Lord Lieutenant at Dublin who refused to Deliver the City to them without the Kings Command So that after having Treated the Commissioners the English Forces were again Imbarqued and Landed at Belfast in Ireland whereby they did very good Service against O Neal and his Fellow Rebels who had of late been too Successful against the Protestants On the other side the Nuncio's Party
were so Elevated with the Hopes of shaking off the English Yoak neither of the two Kingdoms being now in a Capacity to Relieve Ireland that the Romish Clergy thundered out Excommunication against any that should Acquiesce in the said Peace and Agreement and with an Army of 17000 Horse and Hoot resolved to Besiege Dublin which so startled the Protestants that the Lord Lieutenant was obliged to Resume the former Treaty with the Parliaments Commissioners and the King finding that all his Secret Transactions with the Earl of Glamorgan were Discovered by the Letters taken at Nasâ—by Fight to the great Disgust of the People in general and that all the Assurance he had from the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Digby were Disappointed by the Falsness and Treachery of the Rebels He though with much Reluctancy consented that all manner of Treaty with the Enemy should cease the Earl of Glamorgan being for a pretence Imprisoned the Lord Lieutenant being prest with the Danger of a Seige from the Roman Catholick Confederates in 1647. Delivered up Dublin to the Parliaments Commissioners he having Articled for his passing freely to the King on whom he waited while the Army carryed him about and afterwards put him to Death and from thence passed to France from whence about September 16â—8 The Cathedral Confederates dreading a Storm from England by Letters to the King had importuned him to send for the said Marquess of Ormond late Lord Lieutenant and ordered him to return again into Ireland upon their Ingagement and Protestation of Plenary Submission to his Majesties Authority and to him as his Lieutenant as being the only proper Person for that Imployment The Marquess accordingly undertook it and making an agreement with the Lord Inchequeen and his Forces and likewise with those of the Marquess of Clan-riccard and the Earl of Castlehaven and the Confederate Catholicks who had proclaimed the Nuncio's Party Rebels and Traytors being all joyned under his Command they designed to Reduce Dublin then possest by the Parliaments Forces but differences soon arose about the Exercise of the Popish Religion and upon points of Command whereby Owen O Neal that had a considerable Party of Irish was Disobliged who thereupon makes an agreement with Collonel Monk in the Name of the Parliament though they afterwards disclaimed it but acknowledged his Faithfulness and Well-meaning therein by a Vote of Parliament considering how odious it would be to have Assistance from Irish Rebels However he Aided them all he could and releived London-Derry then Besieged by the Confederate Forces At length the Marquess of Ormond comes before Dublin with his Army and obliges Collonel Jones the Governor who had drawn out some of the Garrison to interrupt them to retire into the City which was indifferently Fortified and plentifully Mann'd both with Horse and Foot and therefore he durst not venture his Army upon a Desparate Assault since the Garrisons of Drogheda and Trim lay so convenient to Attempt upon them Commanded by Collâ—nel Monk and O Neal So that the Marquess wanting Money and Provisions and the English and Irish Forces Murmuring against each other he was almost resolved to have Marched away but O Neals Party being soon after Defeated and a Convoy of Arms and Ammunition which were sent him by Collonel Monk being taken by the Lord Inchequeen Drogheda was Surrendred together with Dundalk the Garrison Compelling Collonel Monk to deliver it and the Souldiers took up Arms for the King the Garrison of Trim was soon after taken from the Parliament after which the Lord Inchequeen brings up his Forces now much increased to Assist the Marquess at the Siege of Dublin who Designed to shut up the Garrison within their works and hinder them from getting Forrage or to graze their Cattel without the Line which was drawn round the Town The Besieged perceiving the Danger of being thus closely confined whereby they would have been prevented of all Succour both from Land and Sea and knowing the Marquesss want of Horse to Guard the New Forts resolved by a desperate Sally to disturb them which they made accordingly Aug. 2. 1649. about 8 in the Morning with 1200 Foot and 4000 Horse and finding the New Fortification slight and the Resistance weak they soon were Masters of it from whence seeing the Irish fly in great Disorder they contrary to the first intentions pursued the Besiegers even to the Avenues of their Camp and being Animated by Collonel Jones their Governor who had newly received a Supply of 3000 Men from England they fell with such fury upon the whole Army at Rachmines consisting of 19000 Men that in a short time they put them to the Rout killing 4000 on the place and making 2517 Prisoners many of them Persons of quality taking all their Cannon and a Rich Camp to reward the Souldiers Most of the Lord Inchequeens Foot that at first made some Resistance seeing the Day lost changed sides and joyned with the Parliaments Forces All this was done in so short a space and with so little noise that the Lord Dillon and the rest of the Marquess's Forces on the other side the River Liffy knew nothing of it till some run-aways brought the News the Irish making such hast home in so pannick a fear that the Lord Lieutenant could not possibly rally them and therefore fled with a considerable Perty to Kilkenny and there endeavoured to draw together as many of his Dispersed Troops as possible with which he speeds away to Trim and Drogheda where he had notice that Oliver Cromwell the Parliaments General was Landed with considerable Forces upon on which he put a Garrison of 300 Horse and 2500 Foot into Drogheda which was thought sufficient and having furnisht it with what Provisions he was able and made Sir Arthur Aston Governor went from thence to Trim and Terrogan About this time London-Derry possest by the Parliament and Besieged by Ormonds Forces was relieved and the Siege Raised and not long after a Ship from Spain brought the Plague into Galloway whereof a great number of the Irish dyed Cromwell having refresht his Men at Dublin Marches to Besiege Drogheda and made himself Master of it in a little time after a stout Resistance from the Garrison putting most of the Officers and every Tenth Souldier to the Sword to terrifie others from making Opposition against his Victorious Arms Sir Arthur Afton and several other principal Officers and Gentlemen with near 3000 Souldiers being Slain after this Cromwell Besieges the Town of Wexford and soon reduced it even before the Lord Lieutenants Eyes with the loss of 2000 of the Irish upon this the Marquess makes an Agreement with Owen O Neal whereby the Ulster Army were to joyn with his under the Command of Luke Taaf who was made Governor of Ross but soon forced to surrender it to General Cromwell after which the Garrisons of Bandon-Bridge Yough-Hall Cork Kingsale and all the English Towns in Munster declared for the Parliament and Cromwell marched to
Voted the Restoration of K. Charles II. and upon notice thereof the like was done in Ireland and several of the most Eminent of that Nation were upon the Kings Arrival at White Hall sent by the Convention to wait upon him in the Name of that Kingdom with a tender of their Allegiance and a Present of 4000 l. to the Duke of York and soon after the King was proclaimed and universally acknowledged throughout the Kingdom But it was not long ere the great Inclinations to the Popish Partie in Ireland were made apparent in the Court of England and several Disputes arose about the Settlement of that Kingdom which were Debated before the King and Council where the Lord Chief Justice Santry in an Excellent Speech Represented to the Board the Horrid Rebellion of 1641. with the Barbarous and Inhuman Massacres which he had been eye witness of In Opposition to which Sir Nich. Plunchel one of the Popes Knights endeavoured to defend the Irish but so weakly having a bad Cause to Manage that the Lord Santry clearly carryed the point in the Judgment of the Auditors he desiring that they might be Tryed by the Common Law where they would meet with a fair and indifferent Tryal by Juties of their Neighbours and thereby could have no wrong done them But the King having Dissolved the Convention and called a Parliament in Ireland he prevailed so much upon them that an Act of Settlement was pressed and a Court of Claims thereby erected who were to Determine all Differences between the English and Irish Proprietars of the Lands there and to declare who were Nocent and who Innocent Papists These Commissioners being Nominated by the King he had so great an influence over them that they commonly gave their Opinions according to his Direction which was oftentimes very favourable to the Irish Rebels particularly in the Case of the Earl of Antrim one of the chief of them as by the following Letter to 〈◊〉 of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant and the Privy Council there doth appear CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and well beloved Cousins and Counsellors c. We greet you well How far we have been from interposing on the behalf of any of our Irish Subjects who by their miscarriages in the late Rebellion in that Kingdom of Ireland had made themselves unworthy of our Grace and Protection is notorious to all Men and we were so jealous in that particular that shortly after our return into this our Kingdom when the Marquess of Antrim came hither to present his Duty to us upon the Information we received from those Persons who then attended us by a Deputation from our Kingdom of Ireland or from those who at that time owned our Authority there that the Marquess of Antrim had so misbehaved himself towards us and our late Royal Father of Blessed Memory that he was in no degree worthy of the least Countenance from us and that they had manifest and unquestionable Evidence of such his Guilt Whereupon we refuse to admit the said Marquess so much as into our Presence but on the contrary committed him Prisoner to our Tower of London where after he had continued several Months under a strict restraint upon the continued Information of the said Persons we sent him into Ireland without interposing the least on his behalf but left him to undergo such a Trial and Punishment as by the Justice of that our Kingdom should be found due to his Crime expecting still that some heinous Matter would be objected and proved against him to make him uncapable and to deprive him of that Favour and Protection from us which we know his former Actions and Services had Meritest After many Months attendance there and wâ—presume after such Examinations as were requisite he was at last dismissed without any Censure and without any transmission of Charge against him to us and with a Licence to Transport himself into this Kingdom We concluded that it was then time to give him some instance of our Favour and to remember the many Services he had done and the Sufferings he had undergone for his Affections and Fidelity to our Royal Father and our Self and that it was time to redeem him from those Calamities which yet do lye as heavy upon him fince as before our happy Return And thereupon we recommended him to you our Lieutenant that you should move our Council there for preparing a Bill to be Transmitted to us for the Re-investing him the said Marquess in the possession of his Estate in that our Kingdom as had been done in some other Cases To which Letter you our said Lieutenant returned us answer That you had informed our Council of that our Letter and that you were upon consideration thereof unanimously of Opinion that such a Bill ought not to be transmitted to us the Reason whereof would forthwith be presented to us from our Council After which time we received the inclosed Petition from the said Marquess which we referred to the Considerations and Examinations of the Lords of our Privy Council whose Names are mentioned in that our Reference which is annexed to the said Petition who thereupon met together and after having heard the Marquess of Antrim did not think to make any Report to us till they might see and understand the Reasons which induced you not to transmit the Bill we had proposed which Letter was not then come to our Hands After which time we have received your Letter of the 18th of March together with several Petitions which had been presented to you as well from the Old Soldiers and Adventurers as from the Lady Marchioness of Antrim all which we likewise transmitted to the Lords Referees Upon a second Petition presented to us by Lord Marquess which is here likewise enclosed commanding our said Referees to take the same into their serious consideration and to hear what the Petitioner had to offer in his own Vindication and to report the whole matter to us upon a third Petition herein likewise inclosed we required them to expedite with what speed they could By which deliberate Proceedings of ours you cannot but observe that no Importunity how just soever could prevail with us to bring our self to a Judgment in this Affair without very ample Information Our said Referees after several Meetings and perusal of what had been offered to them by the said Marquess have reported unto us That they have seen several Letters all of them the Hand-writing of our Royal Father to the said Marquess and several Instructions concerning his Treating and Joining with the Irish in order to the King's Service by reducing to their Obedience and by drawing some Forces from them for the Service of Scotland That besides the Letters and Orders under his Majesty's Hand they have received sufficient Evidence and Testimony of several private Messages and Directions sent from our Royal Father and from our Royal Mother with the Privity and with the Directions of the King our Father by which they
with the Nuncio's and Clergies Party though most irreconcileable Enemies to the English Crown and Interest might have been allowed of by his said Majesty upon the Marquesses undertaking to imploy the Credit he should thereby gain amongst them to dispose them at least to forbear that violent opposition to all Overtures tending to the Reduction of the Irish Confederates to their Obedience and to the Assistance of his late Majesty It cannot be rationally supposed as we humbly conceive but that the Reason and End of the Marquess's Compliance would either by his late Majesty for the better Management of the affair or by the Marquess himself for his Security and Exeneration have been made known to me the Lord Lieutenant the Marquess having frequent opportunity to do it The conclusion of this point is that as the Marquess his constant opposition to all the Motions of Peace set on foot by virtue of authority derived from his late Majesty hath been made apparent to us by sufficient proofs So it is clearly manifested by his taking the Oath of Association a Copy whereof is here inclosed and that by the Administration of those who when they had by his Assistances prevailed in the Breach of the Peace and of the publick Faith of the Confederates assumed to themselves in the year 1646. the Government of that Party under the Name of a Supream Council as also by his becoming one of that Council and Signing severe Letters and Instruments whereof some were directed to me the Lieutenant and all this without any Correspondence with me or the least private intimation that his purpose in those his proceedings had any Authority from his Majesty or any respect to his Service And as to the third the two last mentioned particulars do seem to us to manifest that the Marquess's Case as it stands stated in these Letters is not the whole state of the Case seeing those Material things are omitted therein which wâ— have before expressed which indeed we should willingly have forborn if our silence could have consisted with the Duty which we owe to his Majesty and to the Settlement of this Kingdom and to that which we humbly conceive is expected from us by his Majesty For there is now and hath been for above a Month last past under our Consideration here the Draught of a New Act to supply those Defects in the present Act of Settlement which experience hath manifested to become absolutely necessary to be remedyed in order to the General Settlement of this Kingdom and it is most evident that if the said Marquess shall be declared Innocent and that in so extraordinary a way as it would be contrary to the Act of Settlement being the Publick and Fundamental Security of Mens Estates so it would have this further operation that the end of that intended Act for gaining of Reprizals for the Estates of justly Restorable Persons such as his Majesty by his Gracious Declaration was pleased to acknowledge himself obliged to provide for will become in an high Degree disappointed and what general Mischiefs and Inconveniences may hereupon follow to the Settlement of the Kingdom ingeneral is very apparent When we had thus far proceeded in Our Letter a Petition of the Adventurers and Souldiers and their Assigns concerning the Estate formerly belonging to the said Marquess was exhibited at this Board which being read before us we find it to contain such matters concerning the Marquess of Autrim as we humbly conceive are necessary upon this occasion to be made known to his Majesty and therefore do esteem it our Duty to exhibit it to his Majesties Review and Royal consideration all which we Humbly submit to his Majesties excellent Judgment and we desire you to move his Majesty for a Signification of his good pleasure herein to us his Servants as speedily as with convenience may be if his Majesty in his Wisdom shall so judge fit and so we remain from the Council Chamber at Dublin July 31. 1663. Your assured loving Friends Ormond Maurice Eustace Chancellor James Dublin Ossory Shannon Dungannon Hen. Midensis Mich. Cork William Lawfield Rich. Coot Hev Tickburn Rob. Forth James Ware George Wentworth Robert Merideth Theoph. Jones Thomas Clergiss To the Right Honourable Sir Hen. Bennet Knight his Majesties Principal Secretary of State But what effect this Letter had and what the Marquess of Antrims true Case was appears by the following Letter which fully states the same Dublin Aug. 22. 1663. EVer Honoured Sir Last Thursday we came to Tryal with my Lord Marquess of Autrim but according to my Fears which you always surmised to be in vain he was by the King 's Extraordinary and Peremptory Letter of Favour restored to his Estate as an Innocent Papist We proved eight Qualifications in the Act of Settlement against him the last of which made him uncapable of being restored as Innocent We proved 1. That he was to have a Hand in Surprizing the Castle of Dublin in the Year 1641. 2. That he was of the Rebels Party before the 15th of September 1643. Which we made appear by his hourly and frequent Intercourse with Renny O Moore and many others being himself the most notorious of the said Rebels 3. That he entred into the Roman Catholick Confederacy before the Peace in 1643. 4. That he constantly adhered to the Nuncio's Party in opposition to his Majesty's Authority 5. That he sate from time to time in the Supreme Council of Kilkenny 6 That he signed that execrable Oath of Association 7. That he was commissionated and acted as Lieutenant General from the said Assembly at Kilkenny 8. That he declared by several Letters of his own penning himself in conjunction with Owen Ro Oneal and a constant Opposer to the several Peaces made by the Lord Lieutenant with the Irish We were seven hours by the Clock in proving our Evidence against him but at last the King's Letter being opened and read in Court Rainsford one of the Commissioners said to us That the King's Letter on his behalf was Evidence without exception and thereupon declared him to be an Innocent Papist This Cause Sir hath tho' many Reflections have passed upon the 〈…〉 more startled the Judgments of all Men than all the Tryals since the beginning of their sitting and it is very strange and wonderful to all of the Long Robe that the King should give such a Letter having divested himself of that Authority and reposed the Trust in Commissioners for that purpose And likewise it is admired that the Commissioners having taken solemn Oaths to execute nothing but according to and in pursuance of the Act of Settlement should barely upon his Majesty's Letter declare the Marquess Innocent To be short â—â—ere never was so great a Rebel that had so much Favour from so good a King And it is very evident that the Consequence of these things will be very bad and if God of his extraordinary Mercy do not prevent it War and if possible greater Judgments
Court had given them timely notice to conceal them so that not above 150 Arms were found among all the Papists in Ireland they hiding them in Boggs and other secret places without any Damage the Lord Brittas and others escaped into France the Earl of Tyrone was committed to the Gate-House Talbot since Tyrconnel with his Brother the Popish Archbishop were imprisoned in Dublin Castle where the last dyed The Duke of York was sent to Flanders and all things appeareâ—â— so discouraging that an Irish Lord swore a greaâ—â— Oath that he believed Jesus Christ was a Protestant for that nothing they could do did prosper The Parliament of England were very busie in searching into the bottom of the Popish Conspiracy and found many Great Persons concerned therein several Papists were executed for the same but still the Court endeavoured by all manner of Arts to obstruct any further Discoveries the Duke of Yorks Interest still prevailing who was come from Flanders but upon the sitting of the Parliament was obliged to go to Scotland from whence he sent private Encouragements to the Irish Papists not to despair of retrieving all again But the English there were very secure as judging themselves happy under the peaceable Government of the D. of Ormond and their Interest in Ireland seemed more firm than ever because they were of Opinion that this late Conspiracy of the Irish would prevent the Kings shewing them any kindness for the future the Lord Lieutenant likewise procured a Grant for calling a Parliament there the News whereof so alarm'd the Duke of York that he came with all speed from Scotland to prevent it which he likewise effected and the Irish afterward boldly affirmed That there would be no Parliament till the Duke came to the Crown which they seemed to believe would be very shortly and accordingly the Death of King Charles the II. happened in February 1684. following which still remains a Mystery though the Papists in Ireland for some time before could fix upon the utmost period of his Life And now the long looken for day was come which so Transported them after all the Dangers and Difficulties they had met with that they could hardly contain their joys within any bounds So soon as King Charles II. was Dead the Duke of Ormond was removed from the Government of Ireland and upon his Arrival in England found King James inclined to such violent Courses as it is thought broke his Heart he dying soon after Before his going he called his Officers of his Army together and taking a glass of Wine in his Hand Look here Gentlemen says he they say at Court I am now become an old Doting Fool you see my Hand doth not shake nor does my Heart fail nor doubt I but I shall make some of them see their mistake The Lord Primate and the Lord Granard were now made Lords Justices of Ireland but the dayly reported insolencies of their Irish Nobility and Gentry as well as the Commonalty soon made them weary of their Government For they repaired in great Numbers to Dublin and in all places reproached and abused the English with the most impious Calumnies and Reflections and those that refused to drink Confusion to all Protestants and their Religion were seised with Warrants and threatned to be Murthered The Defeat of the Duke of Monmouth in 1685. heightned their Rage more and made them Contrive Hellish Plots against the Lives and Estates of the Protestants under the pretence that they designed to Massacre the Irish though they themselves knew too well that such an Horrid Attempt was as impossible as Ridiculous if any should have been so Villainous to have contrived it since in the most parts of the Kingdom the Irish were vastly more numerous than the English nay in some Countries an 100 Families for one After this Tyrconnel began to Model the Army and Disarm the Protestants upon pretence that Monmoths Rebellion had infected many aad might delude more in that Kingdom and the Irish declared that if any Arms were found in the Protestants Hands they would be judged Persons Disaffected to the King and his Government which so affrighted many that they brought in their own Arms and delivered them up to the Papists After which Tyrconnel went to England accompanyed with one Neagle a cunning Irish Lawyer who published an account of the injustice of the Act of Settlement reflecting with all manner of Invectives against King Charles II. But matters being not ripe enough in England King James did not think it convenient to propose Tyrconnel for Lord Lieutenant at present and therefore it was contrived by the Popish Cabal that the Earl of Clarendon should go over Lord Lieutenant and Tyrconnel Lieutenant General of the Army When the Earl arrived there the English were much Discouraged because of his Relation to the King but their Hopes were extreamly revived when they found him acting with inviolable Integrity to the Protestant The Irish Grandees were very little concern'd at it proceeding still with all violence in ruining the Protestants Interest and animating their vassals with hopes that he would soon be removed the Irish Composing Barbarous Songs in praise of Tyrconnel and that his Heroick Hand should Destroy the English Church They declared publickly That they liked no Government but that of France and that they would make King James as Absolute as King Lewis that they would shortly have the English Churches and Houses and if they suffered them to live would make them Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water That Ireland must be a Catholick Country and that they would make the English as poor Devils as when they came first thither And of this they were so confident that the most Serious amongst them privately advised their Protestant Friends to change their Religion For said they you will be forced to do it in a while and if you delay a little time it may be too late and perhaps you may not be accepted for no Protestant must expect to enjoy any thing in this Kingdom and we resolve to reduce all things to the State they were in before Poinings Act in King Henry 7 time Yea King James himself and his followers use to say That the Irish must be restored to their former Power Estates and Religion in that Kingdom and when the English Objected that their proceedings were Arbitrary and against Law they called them Traytors Crying Damn your Laws it is the Kings Pleasure it should be so and you are all a company of Rebels because you are not of the Kings Religion and will not own his Will and Pleasure to be above all Laws But the English Roman Catholicks were not so confident of their Game so that a general meeting of the chief of them at the Savoy before Father Peters they seemed very doubtful of the Kings Capacity or willingness to expose himself to the hazard of securing the Catholick Religion in his Reign considering his Age and the almost insurmountable difficulties
K. James to meet and confer with him at Chester carrying along with him Judge Rice for his Councellor and a Subtle Fellow who told the King so many fine Stories there being none to contradict him that he was dismist contrary to the hopes and expectations of many who thought he would never have returned again L. Deputy When he took leave of several Privy Counsellors and Officers at his going to wait on King James at Chester Aug. 1687. He said I have put the Sword in your Hands And then in his usual Stile prayed God to damn them all if ever they parted with it again During Tyrconnels stay here the New Judges went their Circuits wherein they discovered the most gross partiality imaginable for though they found the Jayls full of Tories and Irish Robbers committed for several Notorious Crimes yet with the Assistance of Irish Sheriffs and Juries they were most of them Discharged without punishment either being indicted by wrong Names or else by taking off the Prosecutors with Threats That if they proceeded their Cattel would be stoln their Houses burnt or their Throats Cut which often happened And this was done in pursuance of one of the Lord Deputies Instructions from Court to them that they should by all possible means weaken the Protestant Interest which they so effectually performed that no Englshman was secure of any thing he had by their Exorbitant proceedings against them So that had these Barbarous Injustices and publick Oppressions and Violences in the several Law-Courts even such as never were till then heard of among Christians continued but a few years longer these without other means might have wholy Reduced the Kingdom into Irish Hands it being observed that never one Cause came before them upon a Tryal for Land but the Judgment was constantly given in favour of the Irish As to the Army in Ireland of which I have mentioned something before I shall add that when K. James came to the Crown they consisted in about 7000 Men as cordial to his Interest as possible both Officers and Souldiers Respecting him as their Master and Father and shewed a great forwardness to have assisted him against Monmoth and Arguile Yet he was no sooner setled in the Throne but he began to turn the most zealous of them out of his Service because he could not expect they would be useful to him in destroving the Protestant Religion and Liberties of the Subjects which was the Service he expected from them and therefore took ther Troops away and gave them to persons of mean or broken Fortunes and some of them unqualified by Law and no consideration was had to Loyalty or Merit unless a Man were a Papist of which there were too many Notorious Instances And the manner of their being Discarded was with so much falshood and Barbarity from Tyrconnel as might have shaken the Obedience of any Army but this in the World and caused them to have dispatcht so false a Wretch for in the Morning he would take an Officer into his Closet and with his usual Oaths Curses and Damnations would profess the greatest kindness and friendship assuring them of the Continuance of their Commissions and in the Afternoon would Cashier them with all manner of Scorn and Contempt nay while he was Caressing them he had actually given away their Commands As for the Soldiers and Troops he Marched them to some place so far distant from their Quarters that they were not much known and there after great Hardships stript the Foot of their Cloaths which they had payed for and the Troopers of their Horses Boots and Furniture bought with their own Money and turned them off to walk Barefoot some 100 others 150 Miles to their Houses and Homes And though they were promised something for their Horses yet their Attendance cost them twice as much as they expected and most of them after all got nothing By this means 2 or 300 Protestant Gentlemen who had laid out great part of their Fortunes and Contracted Debts to obtain Commissions were not left worth any thing but were turned out without reason or any consideration and 5 or 6000 Soldiers sent a begging an Hardship perhaps never put upon an Army before for no other reason but because they were English-Men and Protestants and Irish men and Papists were by K. James put in their places clearly Demonstrating that he had no regard to the Laws or the Preservation of that Kingdom and that he absolutely designed to Ruin the Protestant and Advance the Popish Interest in Ireland And the same Fate attended all the Protestant Civil Officers several of them being outed though they had places by Patent for Life Sheriffs Justices of Peace Officers of the Revenue c. who were all changed for Roman Catholicks and this before the News of the Glorious Expedition of his now Majesty the Prince of Orange and without any provocation or the least pretence of Disloyalty Dec. 9. 1687. Being Sunday in the Morning happened such an Inundation of Water at Dublin as was never known before carrying away Stone Bridges overflowing Houses for 3 Days together so that a great part of the City was much indamaged thereby to their great Detriment and loss and was the more remarkable because no great Rain only a few small showres had fallen the â—ight before which seemed to presage the deluge of Troubles that were impending over the poor English in that distressed Kingdom The Earl of Castlemain being returned to England from his Embassy to the Pope and having received no Preferment complained to the Pope who writ to his Nuncio to Address the King in his behalf and being seconded by Father Peters it was resolved in the Cabinet Council Dec. 23. that Jefferies the Lord Chancellor for tampring in the business of Magdalen Colledge should be put out and 3 of the Lords of the Treasury be made Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal and that Castlemain should be Lord Treasurer Peters roundly telling the King that the most effectual means for accomplishing his Design of Establishing the Catholick Religion was to let his Prime Ministers and the World understand That no Service they had or could do should protect them or be reckoned of any account if they boggled in the least Tittle or Circumstance relating to the Catholick Cause But still the Furious Jesuits and their Accomplices were very much unsatisfied that notwithstanding they had a Catholick King upon the Throne yet the Popish Religion made but small progress and there was but a mean harvest of Converts to the Roman Faith Nay not in Ireland where all the power both Civil and Military was in their Hands hereupon a Project is contrived to destroy the Act of Settlement there in hopes the Protestants would Rebel and Forfeit their Estates whereby they should have an opportunity totally to extirpate them out of that Kingdom and so be in a capacity in a short time to subdue England and Scotland likewise In Order hereto the Lord
after another Ravished her and then ript up her Belly and exposed her with a dead Man upon her At Tipperary an English Gentleman seeing some Dragoons marching towards his House shut up his Doors it being late in the Evening as if they were gone to Bed but 16 of them coming thither and not being quickly admitted they forced open his Doors calling him Traytor for shutting them against the Kings Forces and having pillaged all things of value they then deflowred his Daughter and only Child before his Face all 16 lay with her and 3 of them as was affirmed by his Family after she was actually dead These were the beginnings of the Villainies which the Protestants suffered from these execrable Wretches While things were in this posture K. James was hourly expected by the Irish and almost every Post a false Alarm is given that he was Landed Bonfiâ—es being made and Guns Discharged in the several Garrisons and that so often that not only Protestants but also many Papists thought it to be but a sham of Tyrconnels to Discourage the Protestants and obtain better Terms from them But at length March 12. 1689. he Landed at Kingsale at which the Protestants and some Papists seemed not very well satisfied nay the first were so indifferent that for a Fortnight after he Arrived they would not believe it because they imagined he had no great kindness for them however they thought he would have made their condition more easie for the present and spoke them fair considering that the Irish depended upon many Friends which they boasted they had in Scotland and England But K. James soon let the World know he was not fond of such Dependencies for coming to Cork where he was received by the Mayor and Aldermen in their Formalities the Recorder in a long Speech magnified the Irish Loyalty and Valour saying That he now hoped His Majesty was convinced of their Fidelity and that they were better Subjects than the Church of England Men to this part of the Speech the K. Replyed That he acknowledged all the Recorder had said to be true and that he hoped by their Forces and the Assistance he should receive from his Brother of France to be restored to his Throne in spight of those Slaves of the Church of England at this very time the Judges held the Assizes there and one Brown a Gentleman of about 500 pound a year who had been in Arms against the Rapparees being there a Prisoner he put himself on his Tryal and Petitioned K. James thinking that he would begin with an Act of Mercy and give him his Life but on the contrary he left him to the Law whereby he was sure to be Condemned and accordingly was Hanged and Quartered from hence K. James took his Journey to Dublin where he was received with all Demonstrations of Joy imaginable by Tyrconnel and the Popish Party who lookt upon him as their only Support Champion and Deliverer He was no sooner Arrived but the Irish discovered what his future Designs were in their common talk at publick Houses declaring openly That the King would have such a Powerful Army of French Irish and Scots Roman-Catholicks as should force the English into Obedience That he did not think of returning into England by the means of any Protestant Friends but by a French power So that when he came to his Throne he might Rule as he thought fit that the Protestants of Ireland might feed themselves with what hopes they pleased but they should quickly find the K. would neither value nor regard them That the K. had a long time Caressed the Damn'd Church of England as they called it and that he could do no good with them but now he would do his Business without them and so find an opportunity of shaking them quite off that they did not doubt but to be in the midst of England by Midsummer and make that the Seat of War thereby preserving their own Country Estates and Tenants and living on the Churls as they called the English who they said were Rich and a giddy inconstant People not being satisfied with any kind of Government and would they doubted not be soon divided and broken among themselves so that they did not fear carrying their Point King James himself by his Discourses and Actions soon confirmed the same For he had but 2 Considerable Protestants in his Army Sir Thomas Newcomer and Collonel Russell these he immediately Disbanded without any other Objection but their Religion and declared to Collonel Sarsfield who desired Commissions for 2 of his Protestant Relations and offered to be bound for their Fidelity That he would Trust no Protestant and was heard to say as he came out of his Chappel upon occasion of some of his Courtiers Discoursing about Protestants That a Protestant Stunk in his Nostrils And as his words so his Deeds discovered his Abhorrence of them for he had not been long in Dublin when the Wife of one Maxwell who was Condemned for betaking himself with some others to a strong House in Queens County for the Security of their Lives presented a Petition to the King to pardon her Husband This poor Woman had by her piteous intreaties prevailed with the High Sheriff to reprieve him for 15 Days that she might use her interest to save him though against the command of the Bloody Lord Gilmoy who ordered him to be presently executed she accordingly went to Dublin hoping that the King might be perswaded to do one Act of Grace being just come to the City and the High Sheriff went with her and promised her Admittance to the Presence where she appeared in the most lamentable condition that was possible to excite Compassion having 4 or five small Children hanging about her all in Tears and delivered her Petition praying his Majesty to pardon or at least to Reprieve her poor Husband for some time which she delivered in such melting Terms as moved the very Irish Nobility then present to second her Request and might have Mollified the hardest Heart in the World but the Answer she had from King James was Woman your Husband shall dye and the High Sheriff was severely Reprimanded for not executing him according to his Warrant and Threatned that if the Prisoner escaped he should dye for him and was commanded to hang him immediately which was done accordingly There are several other instances of this kind and it may easily be imagined how great an Incouragement this kind of Behaviour in a Prince was to the rude Soldiers to Treat the poor Protestants not only in the Country but even in Dublin under the very eye of the Government in a Barbarous manner It was ordinary with them to take the meat that the poor people had provided for their Families without thanks or payment noâ— could a Protestant be abroad after Sunset without danger of his Life One Power Bred a Protestant but turned Papist in K. James time coming to his House one Evening was set upon
by two Soldiers demanding his Mony and calling him Heretick Dog he thought to have excused himself and made some Opposition but was shot through the Body with a Pistol and fell Dead as well as unpittyed at his own Door about the same time a Gentleman walking in a Bowling Green in Dublin was Stabbed by some Soldiers and a poor Tapster of an Ale-house standing one Day at the Door on the Wood-key was by some Dragoons thrown into the water and drowned and no notice taken of it but only as a Jest So that considering how the K. and Government did connive at things of this Nature and that all the Irish bear so implacable an Hatred to the English and are a people of much Cruelty and forwardness to shed Blood when they have an 〈◊〉 vantage and which to be sure was not lessened by their being managed by French Men I say considering all these Circumstances it may seem very wonderful that they did not attempt a General Massacre all the time before the English Forces Arrived there but it must be Attributed only to the Divine providence which restrains even the Devils that prevented these Blood-Hounds from Destroying the poor Protestants at whom they stood grinning and wanted only the word to cut their Throats as they and their Predecessors did in 1641. K. James before his Arrival in Ireland had Besolved immediately to call a Popish Parliament there to destroy the Act of Settlement and restore the Irish Rebels to their Estates which he was so impatient in that he issued out Writs for them to Sit May 7. 1689 at Dublin though it seem'd directly against his Interest at this time and many of his own Party redicul'd him and his Councils to call a Parliament to spend their time in wrangling about setling the Kingdom and disposing Estates before it was reduced to the Kings Obedience But hereby it pleased God to infatuate them for had they applyed themselves to the Seige of London-Derry it is to be feared that Town and others in the North had been taken before the Succors came and then all Ireland had been their own which might have been of very fatal Consequence For the Protestants upon the Orders that were issued through all parts of the Kingdom to take away their Arms and Serviceable Horses concluded that an English Army was either Landed in some part of the Kingdom or that the Government expected one which so incouraged the Protestants that in many places they betook themselves into Castles and strong Holds thinking that if they could defend themselves from flying Parties and the Rabble the Irish Army would be so imploy'd by the Forces of England that there could be no formal Seiges laid against them and they should secure themselves with their Horses and Arms till they might find an opportunity of joyning with the English Army But these poor Men soon after found their mistake and thereupon were forced to Surrender upon tolerable Conditions had they been observed but the Irish instead of performing them sent them to Jayl Tryed and Executed several for High Treason and kept others in miserable Captivity and Slavery This vile Treachery and Severe Usage incouraged the Protestants in the North who were possest of London Derry Inniskilling and some other places to defend themselves against the utmost Efforts of the Enemy For Tyrconnel as we have heard having Armed a Rabble of 40 or 50 Thousand Irish Papists to live upon the Country without pay from whence ensued miserable Depredations open and Noon-day Robberies and an inevitable and sudden Ruine of the Brittish and Protestant interest in Ireland The Protestants of the North though themselves no longer under obligation to be Active in their own Destruction but took up Arms in Defence of their Laws against those who Acted in Contradiction to all Laws and from whom they had reason to fear all kind of Cruelty and Barbarity It hapned that the L. Tyrconnell having Orders to Transport 3 or 4000 of his Irish Souldiers to England to Assist K. James he took a particular care to send away the whole Regiment quartered in and about London-Derry but soon saw his Error and endeavoured to repair it by Commanding the Earl of Antrim to quarter there with his Regiment who appeared before the Town without the Kings Livery or any Officers of Note or the least warning of their coming and having no other Arms but Skeans Clubs and such other Weapons as Reams and Tories uses and this happening about the very time that the Protestants were Alarm'd with the Letter sent to the Lord Mount Alexander concerning a designed Massacre the People of the Town were so Affrighted that they refused them Entrance into the City and consulted their own safety concluding to shut their Gates One of the Companies were already in view of the Town and two of the Officers in it but the younger sort got together and with their Swords drawn ran to the main Guards Seized the Key drew up the Bridge and lockt the Ferry-Gate though the Irish Soldiers were advanced within 60 yards of it from thence they went to secure the other 3 Gates and having placed Guards at each of them met in the Market So happily did these Resolute Youths Nick the very Minute of their Design and upon such a seemingly Rash and Desperate Action did the preservation of that important place and consequently in some measure the whole Kingdom out of the Hands of the Irish depend The Alarum of the Designed Massacre and Tyrconnels Arming such a Numerous Swarm of Irish Highlanders had the like effect upon the Protestants of Inniskilling and knowing this was the only place of Consequence upon Lough Earne which had held out with Remarkable Courage against the Irish Rebels in 1641. and which if they were now possest of would give them an open Passage from Connaught to Ulster they therefore resolve not to admit the 2 Companies of Irish Papists which were ordered thither to quarter in the Town but instantly dispatcht Letters to all the Protestant Gentlemen thereabout for their Advice and Assistance in that juncture not judging themselves able to keep out the 2 Foot Companies they being but 80 Dwellers in all and few or no Arms amongst them The Messengers returned with very little Incouragement most of the English disswading them from the Enterprize as dangerous the Irish being well provided of Arms Ammunition and Provisions whereas they had not 10 pound of pouder nor 20 well fixed Fire Arms in the Town But the Resolution of the People Surmounted all these Difficulties resolving to run all Hazards rather than expose their Lives to the Mercy of their Barbarous and Bloody principled Enemies The Irish Army approaching them within 18 Miles they made fresh Instances to their Neighbours to come to their Aid promising that whilst they staid with them they should have free quarter for Man and Horse whereupon several Protestants came into the Town with their best Horses and Arms promising to