the policy of the King of Meth the only Irish Prince then in favour with the Tyrant These Northern Nations were the first that brought the Irish acquainted with Traffick and Commerce and with building of Castles and Fortresses only upon the Sea-coasts having hitherto known no other defence but Woods Boggs or Stoakes And last of all by the English in K. Henry 2ds reign An. 1172. After this the Roytelets or petty Princes enjoying their former Dominions till the year 1172. in which Dermot Mac Morogh King of Lynster having forced the Wife of Maurice O Rorke King of Meth was driven by him out of his Kingdome who applying himself to Henry the Second of England for succor received Aid under the leading of Richard de Clare Sir-named Strongbow Earle of Pembroke to be restored to his Kingdom by whose good success and the rest of the Adventurers upon the Arrival of Henry the Second in Ireland his very Presence without drawing his Sword prevailed so far as that all the petty Kings or great Lords within Lynster Connaght and Munster submitted themselves unto him promising to pay him Tribute and acknowledging him their chief and Soveraign Lord But as the Conquest was but slight and superficial so the Irish Submissions were but weak and fickle assurances to hold in Obedience so considerable a Kingdom for no sooner were the Kings of Englands backs turned but the Irish returned to their former Rebellions and the Kings of England had here no more power or profit than the great ones of the Country were pleased to give them for they governed their People by the Brehon Law they made their own Magistrates and Officers pardoned and punished all Malefactors within their several Countries made War and Peace one with the other without controulment and this they did not only during the Reign of King Henry the Second but also in the times succeeding even until the Reign of Queen Elizabeth which Conquest became thus imperfect by reason of two great Defects first in the faint prosecution of the War and next in the loosness of the Civil Government The Conquest of Ireland by the English imperfect till of late by reason of two defects viz. first faint Prosecution of the War the Causes of it As touching the carriage of Martial Affairs from the seventeenth year of King Henry the Second at what time the first overture was made for the Conquest of Ireland until the nine and thirtieth year of Queen Elizabeth when that Royal Army was sent over to suppress the the Rebellion of Tyrone which in the end made an universal and absolute Conquest of all the Irishry It is very evident that the English either raised here or sent hither from time to time out of England were alwaies too weak to Subdue and Master so many Warlike Nations or Septs of the Irish as did possess this Island and besides their weakness they were ill paid and worse Governed And if at any time there arrived out of England an Army of competent strength and power it did rather terrifie than break or subdue this People being ever broken and dissolved by some one accident and impediment or other before the perfection of the Conquest of it as namely Henry the Second by the Rebellion of his Sons King John Henry the Third and Edward the Second by the Barrons Wars Edward the First by his Wars in Wales and Scotland Edward the Third and Henry the Fift by the Wars of France Richard the Second Henry the Fourth Henry the Sixth and Edward the Fourth by Domestick contention for the Crown of England it self Richard the Third not worth mentioning as having never got the quiet possession of England but was cast out by Henry the Seventh within two years and an half after his Usurpation And Henry the Seventh himself though he made the happy Union of the two Houses of York and Lancaster yet for more than half the space of his Reign there were walking Spirits of the House of York which he could not conjure down without the expence of some Bloud and Treasure Henry the Eighth was diverted by his two Expeditions into France at the first and latter part of his Reign and in the middle thereof wholly taken up with the troubles created to him by the great alteration of Ecclesiastical Affairs And lastly the Infancy of King Edward and the Coverture of Queen Mary which were both not-abilities in Law did likewise in fact disable them to accomplish the Conquest of Ireland so that all the Kings of England coming thus far short as to the perfecting of the true Conquest of Ireland let us examine what other impediments were given thereunto in point of Martial Affairs by the Adventurers themselves that first undertook the Conquest of this Kingdom upon their own account That the first English Adventurers had good success in Ireland during the first forty years It doth appear that for the space of about forty years after the first landing of the English in Ireland till the seventeenth year of King John during all which time there was no Army transmitted out of England to finish the Conquest of Ireland that the Adventurers and Colonies already planted there proceeded with so much good success as they gained very large portions of ground in every Province As namely the Earl of Strongbow by his Marriage with the Daughter of Mac Morrogh in Lynster the Laâ—ies in Meth the Giraldines and other Adventurers in Munster the Andeleyes Gernons Clintons Russels and other Voluntaries of Sir John de Courcies retinue in Vlster and the Bourkes planted by William Fitz-Adelme in Connaght The English Colonies being thus dispersed through all the Provinces of Ireland were necessitated But being necessitated for a long time to maintain a bordering War against the Irish at the charge of the English Planters from the twelfth year of King John till the six and thirtieth year of King Edward the Third being about an hundred and fifty years to maintain a continual bordering War between them and the Irish without receiving during all that time any supply either of Men or Money out of England to manage the same So that all the chief Governours of the Realm and the English Lords who had gotten such great Possessions and Royalties as that they presumed to make War and Peace at their pleasure without the least advice or direction from the State being forced to levy all their Forces within the Land who being ill Paid and worse Governed it so came to pass the publick Revenues of Ireland being then inconsiderable to sustain such a charge that as well the Ordinary Forces which stood continually as the extraordinary which were levied by the chief Governour upon Journeys and general Hostings were for the most part laid upon the poor Subjects descended of English race which burden was in some measure tollerable during the Reign of King Henry the Third and Edward the First but afterwards became insupportable in the time of King
in abundance with all sorts of Fish sprinkled with many very sweet Islands and goodly Lakes like little Inland-Seas which will carry even Ships upon their waters adorned with goodly Woods even fit for building of Houses and Ships so commodiously as that if some Prince in the World had them they would soon hope to be Lords of all the Seas and ere long of all the World Also full of very good Forts and Havens opening upon England as inviting us to come unto them to see what excellent Commodities that Country can afford besides the Soil it self most fertile fit to yeild all kind of Fruit that shall be committed thereunto And lastly the Heavens most mild and temperate though somewhat more moist in the parts towards the West How far Ireland differs from England in Aire and Commodities Ireland differs not much from England for all manner of Commodities either for Feeding or Cloathing or for Pleasure or Profit but only in this that the Aire thereof though very wholsome and delectable is neither so clear nor subtil as ours of England by reason of the Sun being frequently overshadowed with clouds even almost as well in Summer as in Winter which is therefore nothing favourable for the ripening of Corn and Fruits but so grateful to the ground that it causeth grass to grow abundantly not only fresh and long but withal very sweet for all kind of Cattle and in Winter is more subject to Wind than Snow or Frost the Wool of this Country is said to be not of so fine a grain as that of England but the Sheep of as large a body and so all other kind of Cattle if bred there after the way of England Coal they have none but what is neer Kilkenny and that in no great quantity however plentifully supplied with Fuel by reason of their neighbouring Boggs though otherwise over-plentifully dispersed through all parts of the Kingdom Iron Ore they have none as I take it but what is brought out of England which occasions as I suppose so few Iron Mills in Ireland there being of late years but two that I have heard off viz. one at Mountrath in the Kings County and another at Corfew in the County of Wexford neer the Town of Wexford the fewness whereof I presume is no great loss to that Country the Woods there the over-plenty whereof was formerly complained of being now of late too much destroyed even to admiration Some Mines of Lead have been found there of late by the industry of the English the chief whereof was that called the Silver Mines in the County of Typperary not far from Limrick out of which was extracted some proportion of Silver which gave it the Denomination England and Ireland may be esteemed without doubt to be two of the most plentiful Kingdoms for Provisions for the extent of them of any in the whole World but that which causes the vast difference between the value of the Stock and Lands of the one and the other though both conveniently situated for Trade is that of Traffick and Commerce and till of late the sloathfulness of the people of Ireland in not disposing themselves to Manufactury a great rectification whereof may be well hoped will fall out even in this our Age whereunto there is already given a very fair beginning by the British Planters Money The Irish till of late times did for the most part mannage their Trade and Commerce amongst themselves by exchange of Wares Trade driven formerly in Ireland hy Commutation of Commodities and commutation of Commodities having little or no coyn stirring even amongst their greatest Lords and Noblemen And no great marvel it should be so in Ireland since that of old the most usual material of money amongst the Roman Provinces was seldome Gold or Silver but Brass sometimes Leather Corium forma publica percussum as Seneca hath it This last kind of Money was by Frederick the Second made current when he besieged Millaine The like is said to have been used here in England in the time of the Barons Wars and why not since no longer ago than in the year 1574 the Hollanders then being in their Extremities made money of Past-board But this happened only in case of necessity The Metals of Gold and Silver having for many hundred years though not in such abundance been the principal instrument of Exchange and Barter and so questionless will continue to the end of the World English Moneys prohibited to be transported out of England into Ireland In the three and fortieth year of Queen Elizabeths Reign being Anno 1601. It was commanded by Proclamation as also King Henry the Seventh had provided by Act of Parliament that no man should carry over English money into Ireland for as much as the Rebels drew unto themselves a great part thereof to buy Ammunition and Provision for the Wars and from thence the Merchants carried it into forraign Countries to the great detriment of England There was therefore a serious deliberation then had about changing the Irish Coyâ— by mingling some Brass with it foâ— that the Irish War drew yearly oâ—â— of England 160000 l. Sterling Here upon some were of opinion that thâ— Charges of the War might be abâ—ted that all the good Money migâ—â— by Exchange be drawn out of Ireland into England that so the Râ—bels when the good Money faileâ— would be excluded from all Coâ—merce with Forreigners and of necessity weakned Others argued 〈◊〉 the contrary that this change woulâ— redound to the dishonor of the Queen and the dammage of the Subject that the good Money of Ireland could not be drawn thence without a great charge to the Queen that the gain gotten thereby if new Money were Coyned in England would not when the Accounts were cast up countervail the Charges of carrying over A Mint not profitable to be set vp in Ireland and much less if it were Coyned in Ireland where a Mint must needs be set up at great Charges and Minters must be hired for great wages Neither could the Commerce of the Rebels with Forreigners be impeached whilst there was Silver in the new Coyn which the Merchant knew well enough how to seperate unto whom it is all one whether he receive one piece of Money or three of the same value and that it was to be feared least the Souldiers would mutiny for thereby their pay would be diminished But Buckhurst Lord Treasusurer a man very skilful in Money matters with much ado extorted from the Queen out of necessity for that is the Law of Time which he urged that the Money should be changed for a time to be called back again afterwards to the highest value for she many times said that this would depress her Fame and be grievous to the Army Yet did the Army continue without tumult and commotion through the Queens rare happiness which retained her Authority with her People joyned with love To the Army certainly it proved a
THE PRESENT STATE OF Ireland TOGETHER With some Remarques Upon the Antient State thereof Likewise a Description of the Chief Towns With a MAP of the Kingdome LONDON Printed by M. D. for Chr. Wilkinson at the Black-Boy in Fleet-Street and T. Burrell at the Golden-Ball under St. Dunstans Church 1673. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER MVch cannot be expected upon a Subject of this Nature from a private Person and one who was seconded with few other helps to accomplish his desires herein than to consult his own thoughts and a mall number of Books that lay by him However the Reader may be well assured there is nothing offered here to his consideration in relation to the Present or Antient State of Ireland as far as the Subject would possibly admit of the same but what is back'd with good Authority and faithfully related by the Author according to the best information he could obtain As for other matters here Essayed by way of conjecture the Author well hopes this mean attempt will shortly administer a fit occasion for a more knowing Person and abler Pen to render the World more ample satisfction touching the Publick Affairs and State of that Kingdome wherein it may seem strange how that this our Age affords many Treatises entituled The present State of Enngland France Italy Holland Venice Muscovy c. yet not any thing of that Nature since his Majesties happy Restauration hath been hitherto presented to publick view in relation to the State of Ireland though it be one of the chiefest Members of the British Empire as if either there were no such thing in Nature Or at least that the Affairs thereof afforded not any thing worthy of Note whereas indeed the continued infelicity of that unhappy Kingdome till of late might alone besides many other remarkes made mention of in this ensuing Treatise justly breed some curiosity in any knowing person to take into his consideration what were the true causes why that Realm whereof our Kings of England have born the Title of Sovereign Lords for the space of four hundred and odd years a period of time wherein divers great Monarchies have risen from Barbarism to Civility and fallen again to Ruine was not in all that space of time throughly subdued reduced to the obedience of the Crown of England although there hath been almost a continual War between the English and the Irish and why the manners of the meer Irish were so little altered till King James his Reign since the days of King Henry the Second as appeareth by the description made by Giraldus Cambrensis who lived and wrote in that time although there hath been since that time so many English Colonies planted in Ireland as that if the people had been numbred by the Poll such as were descended of English race would have been found more in number than the antient Natives To give therefore a brief account of the true causes of those disorders as also of the exquisite remedies applyed by the late Settlement of Ireland in order to a perfect Reformation of the same is one of the chief ends and design of this discourse wherein if it gives the Reader any competent satisfaction the Author will deem himself thereby well rewarded for his pains THE CONTENTS OF THE First Part. THat Ireland is supposed to be first Inhabited by the Britains page 1. That it was first Invaded by the Saxon Monarchs p. 3. Next by the Northern Nations about the year 830. of Danes Swedes and Normans all passing under the Names of Norwegians p. ib. And last of all by the English in K. Henry the Seconds time p. 4. That the Conquest of Ireland by the English ever since Henry the Seconds time till now of late was imperfect by reason of two great Defects the first whereof consisted in faint prosecution of the War and the next in in the loosness of the Civil Government p. 6. Of the faint prosecution of the War and the causes of it p. ib. That notwithstanding many obstructions yet the first English Adventurers during the first forty years gained many large proportions of Land in the Provinces of Leinster Munster Connaght and Ulster p. 8. That the English being for a long time necessitated to maintain a bordering War with the Irish wholy at the charge of the English Planters the English Plantations in Ireland began thereupon to decay p. 9 10 11. That Morrice Fitz-Thomas Earl of Desmond was the first began that wicked Extortion of Coine Livery and Pay in K. Edward the Seconds time which soon after proved the utter ruine of all the English Colonies in Ireland except those few within the Pale which Interest of the English could never be put in a way of recovery again till about the beginning of Queen Eâ—izabeths Reign p. 12 13. That by reason of the said Earl of Desmond and divers other Grandees of the first English Conquerors getting vast Estates from the English Colonies in Ireland by those horrible oppressioins of Coin and Livery c. many of the English fled into England and the rest in a small tract of time so much degenerated into Irish manners as that they hated the very name of the English and took upon them Irish Nick-names p. 14 15. That those great English Lords the better to maintain their said unlawful Acquisitions became thereupon Arch Enemies both to the Government and the Laws of England refusing to appear at Parliaments and no way observing the Dictates and Command of the Chief Governors of that Realm p. 16 17. That by these means and by reason of the English Nobility and Gentry passing afterwards out of Ireland into England to be engaged in the Civil-Wars between York and Lancaster wherein most of them perished the Irish became victorious over all the English except those within the Pale without bloud or sweat p. 17 18. That it was a great hindrance to the full Conquest of Ireland that the first English Conquerors did not equally communicate the English Laws to the Irish as well as to English Planters ib. That by means thereof the English Conquerors maintained perpetual Enmity and War with the Irish for their own private ends and advantages to the distruction of the Country p. 19. That this was contrary to the practice of the Roman State who never refused to communicate their Laws to the rude and barbarous people they conquered p. 20. And to the practice of William the Conqueror who Governed both Normands and the English under one Law p. 21. And against the prudent course Edward the First observed in the reducing of Wales p. ib. That the next Error in the Civil pollicy was the over great proportions of Land with great Royalties and Liberties granted to the first English Adventurers in Ireland which occasioned many notorious inconveniencies p. 22. The reason why such vast proportions of Land were given to the first Adventurers in Ireland p. 30. The manner how Ireland was divided among the English Conquerors in
the chief causes that obstructed the Conquest of Ireland till about the latter end of Queen Elizabeths reign as to Martial Affairs And secondly loosness in the Civil Government of Ireland for not communicating the Laws of England to the Irish I shall now endeavour in the next place to give some satisfaction touching those defects that were observed to be in the Civil Policy and Government of this Kingdome which gave no less impediment to the full Conquest thereof which doth first consist in this That the Crown of England did not from the beginning give Laws to the Irishry though the Irish did often desire to be admitted to the benefit of it and protection of the English Laws but could not obtain it For although King Henry the Second before his return out of Ireland held a Counfel or Parliament at Lismore where the Laws of England were willingly accepted off by all the Irishry and that confirm'd by their Oaths And though King John in the twelfth year of his Reign did establish the English Laws and Customes here and the Courts of Judicature at Dublin and placed Sheriffs and other Ministers to rule and govern the people according to the Laws of England yet it is evident by all the Records of this Kingdome that onely the English Colonies and some few Septs of the Irishry as O Neal of Vlster O Malaghlin of Meath O Connagher of Connaght O Brien of Thomond and Mac Muorrogh of Lynster who were enfranchised by special Charters were admitted to the benefit and protection of the Laws of England for in them onely the English Laws were published and put in execution and in them onely did the Itinerant Judges make their Circuits and Visitations of Justice as namely in the Counties of Dublin Kildare Meth Vriel Catherlogh Kilkenny Wexford Waterford Cork Limrick Kerry and Typperary and not in the Countries possessed by the Irishry which contained at least two third parts of the Kingdome and even in these Counties the said Laws stretcht no farther then the Lands of the English Colonies did extend so that the Irish were not only disabled to bring any actions but they were so far out of the protection of the Law as it was often adjudged no Fellony to kill a meer Irish man in time of Peace from whence it came to pass that in all the Parliament Rolls which are extant from the 40th year of Edward the Third when the Statutes of Kilkenny were enacted till the Reign of King Henry the Eighth we find the degenerate and disobedient English called Rebels but the Irish which were not in the Kings Peace are called Enemies Whereby it it is manifest that such as had the Government of Ireland under the Crown of England did intend to maintain a perpetual Separation and Enmity between the English and the Irish pretending that the English should in the end be able to root out the Irish which the English not being able to effect caused a perpetual War between both Nations which continued four hundred and odd years and might have continued to the worlds end if in the end of Queen Elizabeths Reign the Irishry had not been broken and Conquered by the Sword and since the beginning of King James his Reign had not been protected and governed by the Law Contrary to the practice of the Romans and others c. who communicated their Laws to the Conquered This was contrary to the practice of the Roman State which Conquered so many barbarous and civil Nations and therefore knowing by experience the best and readiest way of making a perfect and absolute Conquest refused not to communicate their Laws to the rude and barbarous people whom they had conquered neither did they ever put them out of their Protection after they had once submitted themselves but rather the better to assure their conquest by all the means imaginable they could allured them to Civility and Learning whereof the antient Britains were a famous instance This was also against the practise William the Conqueror used who governed both the Normans and the English under one Law And against the prudent course that hath been observed in the reducing of Wales partly perform'd by King Edward the First and altogether finished by King Henry the Eighth by dividing the whole Countrey into Shires and Circuits and establishing a Common-wealth amongst them according to the English Government by means whereof that entire Countrey was in a short time so securely setled in Peace and Obedience and hath attained to that civility of manners and plenty of all things as now we find it not inferiour to the best parts of England That the over great proportions of Land granted to the first Conquerors of Ireland occasioned great inconveniencies The next Error in the Civil Policy which hindered the perfection of the Conquest of Ireland did consist in the distribution of the Lands and Possessions which were won and conquered from the Irish For the Scopes of Land which were granted to the first Adventurers were too large and the Liberties and Royalties which they obtained therein were too great for Subjects though it stood with reason that they should be liberally rewarded out of the fruits of their own labours since they managed the War upon their own account and received no pay from the Crown of England whereupon ensued divers inconveniencies that gave great impediment to the Conquest for first Earl Strongbow was entituled to the whole Kingdom of Lynster partly by Invasion and partly by Marriage albeit he surrendered the same entirely to King Henry the Second his Soveraign The manner how Ireland was divided amongst the first Engâ—ish Conquerors for that with his License he came over and with the aid of his Subjects he had gained that great Inheritance yet did the King regrant back again to him and his Heiâ—s all that Province reserving only the City of Dublin and the Cantreds next adjoyning with the Maritine Towns and principal Forts and Castles Next the same King granted to Robert Fitz-Stephen and Miles Cogan the whole Kingdom of Corke from Lismore to the Sea To Philip le Bruce he gave the whole Kingdome of Lymrick with the Donation of Bishopricks and Abbies except the City and one Cantred of Land adjoyning To Sir Hugh de Lacy all Meath To Sir John de Courcy all Vlster To William Bourke Fitz-Adelin the greatest part of Connaght In like manner Sir Thomas de Clare obtained a grant of all Thomond and Otho de Grandison of all Tipperary and Robert le Poor of the Territory of Waterford the City it self and the Cantred of the Oastmen only excepted And thus was alâ— Ireland Cantonized among ten Persons of the English Nation And though they had not gained the Possession of one third part of the whole Kingdom yet in Title they were owners and Lords of all so as nothing was left to be granted to the Natives whose petty Kings and Great ones our great English Lords could not endure
they should Reign in Ireland nay they were come that height by these great Possessions that they could not brook that the Crown of England it self should have any Jurisdiction or Power over them For many of these Lords to whom our Kings had granted these petty Kingdoms did by Vertue and Colour of these Grants claim and exercise Jura Regalia within their Territories in so much as there were no less than eight Counties Palatines in Ireland at one time The first English Conquerors exercise Regal Power These absolute Palatines made Barons and Knights did exercise high Justice in all points within their Territories erected Courts for Criminal and Civil Causes and for their own Revenues in the same form as the Kings Courts were established at Dublin made their own Judges Seneschalls Sheriffs Coroners and Escheators so as the Kings Writ did not run in those Counties which took up more then two parts of the English Colonies but onely in Church Lands lying within the same which were called the Cross wherein the King made a Sheriff And so in each of these Counties Palatines there were two Sheriffs one of the Liberty and another of the Cross whereby it is manifest how much the Kings Jurisdictions was restrained and the power of these Lords enlarged by these high Priviledges Again these great undertakers were not tied to any form of Plantation but all was left to their discretion and pleasure And although they builded Castles and made Freeholders yet were there no tenures or services reserved to the Crown but the Lords drew all the respect and dependancy of the common people unto themselves Now let us see what inconveniences did arise by these large and ample Grants of Lands and Liberties to the first Adventurers in the Conquest The great inconveniences that ensued the Grant of whole Provinces and petit Kingdoms to the first English Conquerors of Ireland Without doubt by these Grants of whole Provinces and petty Kingdoms these few English Lords pretended to be Proprietors of all the Land so as their was no possibility left of settling the Natives in their Possessions and by consequence the Conquest became impossible without the utter extirpation of all the Irish which these English Lords were not able to perform nor perhaps willing if they had ability Notwithstanding because they did still hope to become Lords of those Lands which were possessed by the Irish whereunto they pretended Title by their large Grants And because they did fear that if the Irish were received into the Kings protection and made Liege-men and Free Subjects the State of England would establish them in their possessions by Grants from the Crown reduce their Countries into Counties ennoble some of them and enfranchise all and make them amensurable to the Law which would have abridged and cut off a great part of that greatness which they had promised unto themselves They therefore perswaded the King of England that it was unfit to communicate the Laws of England unto them and that it was the best policy to hold them as Aliens and Enemies and to prosecute them with a continual War whereby they obtained another Royal Prerogative and Power Which was to make War and Peace at their Pleasure in every part of the Kingdom which gave them an absolute command over the Bodies Lands and Goods of the English Subjects there And besides the Irish inhabiting the Lands fully Conquered and reduced being in the condition of Slaves and Villains did render a greater Profit and Revenue than if they had been the Kings Free Subjects and therefore for these two causes last expressed they were not willing to root out all the Irishry Again Those large Scopes of Land and great Liberties with absolute Power to make War and Peace did raise the English Lords to that height of Pride and Ambition as they could not endure one another but grew to a mortal War and Dissention amongst themselves insomuch that whole Towns and Countries have often times been destroyed by their Contentions which brought forth divers mischiefs that did not onely disable the English to finish the Conquest of all Ireland but did endanger the loss of what was already gained And of Conquerors made themselves Slaves to that Nation which they did intend to Conquer For whensoever one English Lord had vanquished another the Irish waited and took the opportunity and fell upon that Country which had received the blow and so daily recovered some part of the Lands which were possessed by the English Colonies Besides The English Lords to strengthen their Parties did Ally themselves with the Irish and drew them in to dwell amongst them and gave their Children to be fostered by them and having no other means to pay or reward them suffered them to take Coyn and Livery upon the English Free-holder which oppression was so intollerable as that the better sort were enforced to quit their Free-holds and fly into England and never returned though many Laws were made in both Realms to remand them back again and the rest which remained became degenerate and meer Irish as is before declared And the English Lords finding the Irish Exactions to be more profitable then the English Rents and Services and loving the Irish tyranny which was tyed to no Rules of Law or Honor better than a just and lawful Seigniory did reject and cast off the English Law and Government received the Irish Laws and Customes took as aforesaid Irish Sir-names refused to come to the Parliaments which were summoned by the King of Englands Authority and scorned to obey the English Knights which were sent to command and govern this Kingdome Why the Kings of England Granted such large Proportions of Land to the first Conquerors of Ireland But this ought withal to be taken into consideration that as these Grants of little Kingdomes and great Royalties to a few private persons did produce the mischiefs spoken of before So the true cause of making those Grants did proceed from this That the Kings of England being otherwise imployed and diverted did not make the Conquest of Ireland their own work and undertook it not royally at their own charge but as it was first begun by particular Adventurers so they left the prosecution thereof to them and other Adventurers who came to seek their Fortunes in Ireland wherein if they could prevail they thought it in Reason and Honor they could do no less than make them Proprietors of such Scopes of Land as they could Conquer People and Plant at their own charge reserving only the Sovereign Lordship to the Crown of England But if the Lyon had gone to hunt himself the shares of the inferiour Beasts had not been so great If the Invasion had been made by an Army transmitted furnished and supplyed onely at the Kings charges and wholly paid with the Kings Treasure as the Armies of Queen Elizabeth and King James were as the Conquest had been sooner atchieved so the Servitors had been contented
Affairs of that Kingdome expecting direction from hence the delays whereof were oftentimes through other greater affairs most irksome the oportunities there in the mean time past away and greater danger did often grow which by such timely prevention might easily have been stopped And this is worthily observed by Machiavel in his discourses upon Livie where he commendeth the manner of the Romans Government in giving absolute Power to all their Councellors and Governors which if they abused they afterwards should dearly answer And the contrary thereof he reprehendeth in the States of Venice of Florence and many other Principalities of Italy who use to limit their chief Officers so strictly as that thereby they have oftentimes lost such happy occasions as they could never come unto again The like whereof who so hath been conversant in the Government of Ireland especially during Queen Elizabeths Reign hath too often seen to their great hindrance and hurt That besides the want of Power there were eminent defects observed in the managemet of the publick Affairs of Ireland Besides this want of Power which did hinder the good Reformation of Ireland there were eminent defects noted in the mangement of the publick Affairs of that Kingdom by some of the chief Governors thereof who seeing the end of their Government to draw nigh and some mischiefs and practices growing up which afterwards might work trouble to the next succeeding Governor would not attempt the redress or cutting off thereof either for fear they should leave the Realm unquiet at the end of their Government or that the next that came should receive the same too quiet and so happily win more praise thereof than they before And therefore they would not seek at all to repress that evil but would either by granting protection for a time or holding some emparlance with the Rebel or by treaty of Comissioners or by other like devices only smother and keep down the flame of the mischief so it might not break out in their time of Government what came afterwards they cared not or rather wish'd the worst To this may be added The savoring of the Irish and depressing of the English an ill practice by some of the Lord Deputies of Ireland that when the Irish have been broken by the Sword of one Governour and thereby consequently made fit and capable for subjection another succeeding as it were into his harvest and finding an open way made for what course he pleased bent not to that point which the former intended but rather quite contrary and as it were in scorn of the former and in vain vaunt of his own Councels would tread down and disgrace all the English and set up and countenance the Irish all that he he could thereby to make them more tractable and buxome to his Government wherein he thought much amiss for surely his Government could not be sound and wholsome for that Realm it being so contrary to the former For it was even as two Physicians should take one sick body in hand at two sundry times of which the former would minister al things meet to purge and keep under the body the other to pamper and strengthen it suddenly again whereof what is to be looked for but a most dangerous relapse Therefore by all means it ought to be fore-seen and assured that after once entering into this course of Reformation there be afterwards no remorse nor drawing back for the sight of any such rueful objects as must thereupon follow nor for compassion of their Calamities seeing that by no other means it is possible to cure them and that these are not of will but of very urgent necessâ—ty The Lord Lieutenant The Lord Deputies of Ireland assâ—sted by a Privy Councel or Lord Deputy of Ireland hath for his assistance a Privy Councel attending on him though resident for the most part at Dublin and in emergencies or cases of more difficult nature proceedeth many times in an arbitrary way without formalities of Law Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy of Ireland in Queen Elizabeths time The Lords Presidents of Connaght and Mounster instituted in Queen Elizabeths time to enure and acquaint the People of Mounster and Connaght with the English Government again which had not been in use among them for the space of two hundred years before he instituted two Presidency Courts in those two Provinces placing Sir Edward Fitton in Connaght and John Perrot in Mounster The Lord President of Mounster hath one Assistant twelve learned Lawyers and a Secretary CHAP. IV. Of the Title changed from Lord to King of Ireland in the time of Henry the Eighth Of the Titles of the Crown to every part of Ireland and to the whole diverse ways And several claims to the Land of Ireland Of the Revenue and Strength Title altered from Lord to King SIR Anthony Saint-Leger Lord Deputy of Ireland in a Parliament which he held the 33. of Henry 8. caused an Act to pass which gave unto King Henry the Eighth his Heirs and Successors the Name Stile and Title of King of Ireland Whereas before that time the Kings of England were stiled but Lords of Ireland Although indeed they were absolute Monarchs thereof and had in right all Royal and Imperial Jurisdiction and Power there as they had in the Realm of England And yet because in the vulgar conceit the name of King is higher than the name of Lord assuredly the assuming of this Title hath not a little raised the Sovereignity of the Kings of England in the minds of this people And because it hath been doubted by some whether we might Lawfully fight against the Irish I shall for farther satisfaction here insert the Right and Title the Crown of England hath to the Kingdom of Ireland as to every part of it and to the whole divers ways I will begin with the Pedigree of William Earl Marshal Title to Leinster for thereupon depend many Records in Ireland and the King of Englands Right to Leinster Walter Fitz Richard who came from Normandy with William the Conqueror died Lord Strongbow of Strigule alias Chepstow without Issue to whom succeeded his Sisters Son who was created the first Earl of Pembroke and had Issue Richard the inheritor of Leinster by a Covenant and Marriage of Eva the Sole Daughter of Mac Murrough King of Leinster This Richard conveyed to Henry the Second all his Title and held of him the Lordship of Leinster in four Counties Wexford Catherlagh Ossory and Kildare Richard left Issue a Daughter Issabel married to William Earl Marshal of England now Earl of Pembroke Lord Strongbow and Lord of Leinster William had Issue five Sons who died without Issue when every of them except the youngest had successively possessed their Fathers Lands and five Daughters Maud Jone Issabel Sibil and Eve among whom the Patrimony was parted Anno 31. H. 3. Of these Daughters bestowed in Marriage are descended many Noble Houses as the Mortimers Bruises Clares
truth though the Lordships of Connaght and Meath which were then parcel of the Inheritance of the Earl of Vlster be added to the Accompt the Revenue of that Earldome came not to the third part of that he writeth For the Accompt of the Profits of Vlster yet remaining in Breminghams Tower made by William Fitz-Warren Seneschall and Farmer of the Lands in Vlster seized into the Kings hands after the death of Walter de Burgo Earl of Vlster from the fifth year of Edward the Third until the eighth year do amount but to nine hundred and odd pounds at what time the Irishry had not made so great an invasion upon Earldome of Vlster as they had done in the time of King Richard the Second As vain a thing it is that hath been seen written in an ancient Manuscript touching the Customes of Ireland in the time of King Edward the Third that those duties in those days should yearly amount to ten thousand Marks which to search and view of the Records there can justly be controlled For upon the late reducing about the beginning of King James his Reign of this ancient Inheritance of the Crown which had been deteined in most of the Port Towns of that Realm The Customs of Ireland of little value till King James his Reign being but 1000 l. per An. for the space of one hundred years and upwards some pains being taken to visit all the Pipe Rolls wherein the Accompts of Customs are conteined those duties were found to be answered in every Port for two hundred and fifty years together but could not find that at any time they did exceed a thousand Pounds per Annum and no marvel for the Subsidy Poundage was not then known and the greatest profit did arise by the Cocquet of Hides for Wooll and Wooll-fells were ever of little value in that Kingdome till of late The Profit of the Custome-house in Ireland in the last year of King James his Reign did amount to thirty thousand Pounds per Annum The Customes of Ireland advanced to 30000 l. per An. in the last year of K. James his Reign And what great improvements were made thereof by the Earl of Strafford in the time of his Government I cannot find because they fell together with him But what that branch of the Revenue now comes to together with the rest paid yearly to his Majesties Exchequer in Ireland I shall here render a particular account of which at first view considering that Countrey is not yet half Planted with People may be much wondred at But when I call to mind Sir Audley Mervyns expressions Speaker of the House of Commons in Ireland delivered in a Speech of his to his Grace the Duke of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdome Feb. 13. 1662. being these viz. That they did understand the usual proceedings of Parliaments to begin at Grievances and to conclude with Supplies But that they had inverted that Order by applying themselves in the first place to the settling a constant Revenue for his Majesty and granting other Temporary Aides far above their Abilities though far less than what his Majesties goodness might challenge from them then the wonder ceases for as I have already observ'd while the Popish Irish party bore sway in the Publick Assemblies of that Realm they appeared averse not only to contribute towards the Publick Charge unless upon their own Terms though the occasions were never so urgent and they in a condition more able to discharge the same than now of late But repented themselves of those good Acts they had once consented to in this kind in order to his Majesties Service which they evidently expressed by their forward accepting the abatement of the fore-mentioned Subsidies in the Earl of Straffords time from forty thousand Pounds each Subsidy to twelve thousand pounds a piece An Act far different from the behaviour of those Loyal English hearts in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth who contributed so freely to supply her Majesties necessities in the Publick Concern as that sometimes she refused their kindnesses accounting the Money in the purses of her good Subjects to be as ready for her Service when occasion required as if they had been lock'd up in her own Coffers The particulars of his Majesties present Revenue in Ireland The particulars of his Majesties present Revenue in Ireland amounting to 219500 l. according the Demise made by King Charles the Second to John Forth and his Partners by Indenture bearing date July 12. 1669. are as followeth viz. His Revenue arising by Hearth-Money Licenses to Retail Wine and Strong-Waters the New Quit-Rents given to his Majesty by the Acts of Setlement and Explanation the Chief Rents Fee Farm Rents Rent-Service Rent-Charge Rents See Rents reserved upon Leases exceeding one and twenty years Copy hold and all other antient Crown Rents set for seven years commencing at Christmas 1668. rendring yearly for the same ninety one thousand and five hundred Pounds And his Majesties Revenue arising by Customes and imported Excise set for six years commencing at Christmas An. 1669. rendering yearly seventy five thousand Pounds And his Majesties Revenue arising by Inland Excise and by Licenses to retaile Ale and Beer set for four years and three quarters from March 25. 1671. rendering yearly fifty three thousand Pounds for the first four years and thirty nine thousand seven hundred and fifty three thousand Pounds during the last three quarters amounting in the whole yearly to two hundred nineteen thousand five hundred Pounds The Grant made to the Lord Ranelagh of all the Revenue of Ireland continues to Decemb. 26. 1675. So that by this we may see in part what hopeful advantages are like in time to accrew to the Crown of England by having Ireland for the most part inhabited by Protestant British Planters whose Loyalty and Industry will I make no doubt cause that Kingdome to become in a short time a most flourishing Countrey A Table for Reducing Plantation Acres into English and Ascertaining the Kings Rent in the several Provinces of IRELAND according to the Explanatory Act viz. For every English Statute Acre in the Province of Leinster 3 d. Munster 2 d. ob Connaght 1 d. q. Vlster 2 d Irish English Acres Leinster Munster Vlster Connaght Ir. A. En. A. R. P. Pts. l. s. d. q. l. s. d. q. l. s. d. q. l. s. d. q. 1 1 2 9 21 0 4 3 0 3 3 0 3 1 0 2 2 2 3 0 38 42 0 9 3 0 7 1 0 6 2 0 4 3 3 4 3 17 63 1 2 2 0 11 0 0 0 3 0 7 1 4 0 1 36 84 1 7 2 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 9 3 5 8 0 15 105 0 2 1 1 6 1 1 4 1 1 0 0 6 9 2 35 5 2 5 1 1 9 3 1 7 2 1 2 2 7 11 1 14 26 2 10 0 2 1 2 1 10 3 1 5 0 8 12 3 33 44 3 2 3 2 5 1 2 2 0 1 7
did put the last hand to who having rooted out these two Rebellious Septs planted English Colonies in their rooms which in all the tumultuous times ever since kept their Habitations their Loyalty and Religion unless destroyed by the last Rebellion An. 1641. 2. 2. By the Rebellion of too Earl of Desmond An. 1583. In the five and twentieth year of Queen Elizabeths Reign Anno 1583 that infamous Rebel and Traytor to his Countrey Girald fitz Girald or Giraldides the eleventh Earl of Desmond of his Family when his men were consumed with Famin and Sword which had barbarously vowed to forswear God before they would forsake him and when he had escaped the hands of the Victorious English almost two years by lurking in uncertain corners was now by a common Soldier found in a little Cottage and unknown till having his Arm almost cut off he discovered himself and was slain being run through the body in many places his head being sent over into England was fixed upon a pole on London Bridge such end had this most powerful man in Ireland who derived his Pedigree from Maurice fitz Giralde of Winsor an Englishman most renowned amongst the first Conquerors of Ireland in the year 1170. He had goodly Lands and Possessions yea whole Provinces with Kerry a County-Palatine and very many Castles and a number of Tenements and Adherents and of his own Stock and Sir-name he had about five hundred Gentlemen at his Devotion Of all which and of his life also he was dispoyled within three years very few of the Family being left after he had broken his Allegiance to his Prince through the perswasion of certain Priests amongst whom the chiefest of all was Nicholas Sanders an Englishman who almost at the same instant was most miserably famished to death who being forsaken of all company and troubled in mind for the adverse success of the Rebellion he wandered up and down through Woods Forrests and Hills and found no comfort In his Pouch were found certain Orations and Epistles written to confirm the Rebels stuffed with large promises from the Bishop of Rome and the Spaniard By the downfal of this great Earl and his Adherents there fell such a great proportion of Land to the Crown in the Counties of Cork Kerrey and and Limrick as gave occasion to a brave English Plantation to be setled in those Southern parts of Ireland in the Reigns of King James and King Charles the first 3. 3. By the Rebellion of Edm. Burgh of Castle-Barry An. 1585. In the twenty seventh year of Queen Elizabeths Reign Anno 1585. Edmund Burgh of Castle Barry with his Sons and Adherents namely the Clan-Gibbons Clandonells and Joyes all of the Province of Connaght after they had drawn the Scots to their assistance and done the Countrey a great deal of mischief by their Rebellion were taken and condemned for Treason by means whereof there was a good portion of Land got to renew an English Colony in the Province of Connaght 4. By the Rebellion of Hugh Roe-Mac Mahone a great Lord in Ulster An. 1590. 4. In the one and thirtieth year of her Reign Anno 1590. by the Rebellion of Hugh Roe-Mac Mahon a great Lord in the Territory of Monaghan in Vlster for that he had with Banners displayed and exacted of his people Contributions due according to the barbarous manner of the Countrey being condemn'd and hanged his most large Lands and Livings were divided betwixt the English and certain of the Mac Mahons to hold the same paying certain yearly Rent to the Queen according to the Laws of England and this to the end that they might weaken that Family strong and powerful of Tenants and Adherents and blot out the Tyranny of Mac Mahone together with Title For by this Title those of that Family waxed insolent which by right or wrong took upon them the denomination Hereupon Brion O-Rerke a great Lord in the neighbour Countrey of Brenn and one who marvellously favoured and affected the Spaniards fearing lest the same might befal him took Arms against the Queen but being hunted into Scotland was very willingly delivered by King James to Queen Elizabeth who was Arraigned Anno 1591. in Westminster Hall for that he had excited and harboured Alexander Mac Conell and others against the Queen had commanded the Queens Picture painted in a Table to be hung at a horses taile and hurried about in scorn and disgracefully cut in pieces had entertained into his house certain Spaniards which were Shipwracked contrary to the Lord Deputies Proclamation had burnt down to Ashes the Houses of the Queens faithful Subjects by his Incendiaries had slain many of them and had offered Ireland into the possession of the King of Scots Sentence of death being pronounced upon him after a few days he suffered a Traytors death at Tiburn with a most obstinate mind This Traytors Land did also farther contribute towards the resetling of an English Plantation in the North of Ireland 5. By the dâ—signed Rebellion and flight of the Earl of Tyrone and his Adherents An. 1609. 5. In the sixth year of King James his Reign being Anno 1609. The Earl of Tyrone and Tirconnel Sir John O Daugherty and other great men of the North possessed of large Territories and great Jurisdictions conteining in the whole six Counties who being both uncapable of Loyalty and impatient of seeing the Kings Judges Justices and other Ministers of State to hold their Sessions and execute their Commissions of Oyre and Terminer within the parts where they commanded out of a guilty conscience having laid the foundation of a Rebellion but not being able to bring the same to effect forsook the Countrey and went into Spain leaving their whole Estates to the Kings disposal By whose directions their Lands were seized upon and sould to several Purchasers the City of London enfeoffed in a great part of them a great Plantation made in Vlster of English Welch and Scots by the united name of British Plantation By means whereof the foundations of some good Towns whereof London was one soon after encompassed with Stone walls were presently laid several Castles and Houses of strength built in several parts of the Countrey and great numbers of British Inhabitants setled there to the great comfort and security of the Kingdom And the same course was taken likewise for the better assurance of the peace of the Countrey in the Plantation of several parts of Leinster where the Irish had made incursions and violently expelled the Old English out of their Possessions And though the King was by due course of Law justly entitled to all their whole Estates there yet he was gratiously pleased to take but one fourth part of their Lands which was delivered over likewise into the hands of the British undertakers who with great cost and much industry planted themselves so firmly as they became of great security to the Countrey and were a most special means to introduce civility in
England being Holy Head twelve hours Saile with a prosperous Gale of Wind and about twenty Leagues distance from this place The first affords it an excellent conveniency for all manner of businesses to be transacted to and from this City as well by Water as Land into all parts of the Kingdome with as little charge as possibly may be The other a rare advantage for the maintenance of Traffick and Commerce with England and all other parts of the World especially with the City of London from whence upon the least notice given Merchantable Goods of all kinds are soon dispatched hither or into any other parts of this Realm as occasion requires And that with far more speed than formerly by reason of the late erecting of Post-houses in all the principal Towns and Cities of this Kingdome which accommodates all persons with the conveniency of keeping good correspondency by way of Letters and that most commonly twice a week with any even the remotest part of Ireland at the charge of eight pence or twelve pence which could not formerly be brought to pass under ten or twenty shillings and that sometimes with so slow a dispatch as gave occasion many times of no small prejudice to the parties concern'd All these conveniencies and advantages have so far contributed to the present splendor and great increase of this City as that it now may be justly conceived to be grown within this fifty or sixty years twice as large and for handsomness of Building beyond all compare of what it might any way pretend unto in any former Age. Dublin thus wholy deriving her present lustre and happiness from the late prosperous Settlement of Ireland under the English Government being but a very mean and inconsiderable Metropolis for so Noble a Kingdom during the long continued misgovernment of that Realm bares in some particulars somewhat a like resemblance with that of the City of London Which first since quitting our selves from our expensive Relation and Correspondency with the Church of Rome The declining of our unprofitable Contests with France The Reducing of Ireland to an Orderly Common-wealth And last of all by the happy Union of the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland in the Person of King James of blessed memory thereby succesfully affording us a veny fit opportunity of turning the curreâ—t of all our vast former expences both of Blood and Treasure into the honorable and profitable undertaking of a gallant Trade with both the Indies and many other parts of the World But especially by planting of already very considerable Colonies in the West-Indies hath grown since the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign till this present being about an hundred and twelve years to be twice as large and much more beautiful then ever it was since the first foundation thereof being some two thousand five hundred years agoe It is therefore well observed That there is required to the Magnificence and Splendor of Cities First a Navigable River or some such easie passage by Sea which will bring thither a continual Concourse and Trade of Merchants as at Venice London Amsterdam Secondly some Staple-Manufactories and Commodities which will draw the like resort of Merchants though the conveniency of Sea or Rivers invite them not As at Newremberge in Germany a drie Town but mightily Traded Thirdly the Palace of the Prince for ubi Imperator ibi Roma where the Court is there will be a continual confluence of Nobles Gentry and Merchants and all sorts of Trades And by this means Madrid not long since a poor and beggerly Village is grown the most populous City in all Spain Fourthly the residence of the Nobility beautifieth a City with Stately and Magnificent Buildings which makes the Cities of Italy so much excel our in England their Nobles dwelling in the Cities and ours for the most part in their Country-Houses Fiftly the Seats or Tribunals of Justice on which both Advocates and Clients are to give attendance as in the Parliamentary Cities in France and in Spires in Germany Sixthly Universities and Schools of Learning to which the Youth from all parts are to make resort which hath been long the chief cause of the flourishing of Oxford Cambridge Bononia in Italy and other Cities of good Note beyond the Seas Seventhly Immunity from Tolls and Taxes most men being desirous to inhabite there where their Income will be greatest their Priviledges largest and their disbursments least So Naples Venice Florence having been dessolated by Plagues were again suddenly re-peopled by granting large Immunities to all comers in All which Requisites are as I conceive inherent and inseparable in and to the above mentioned two Cities to wit London and Dublin The City of Dublin in times past for the due Administration of Civil Government had a Provost for the Chief Magistrate But in the year of Mans Redemption 1409. King Henry the Fourth granted them liberty to Elect every year a Mayor and two Bayliffs and that the Mayor should have a guilt Sword carried before him for ever And Edward the Sixth to heap more honour upon this place changed the two Bayliffs afterwards into Sheriffs And of late our Gracious Sovereign King Charles the Second honored this City with a Lord Mayor So that there is nothing wanting here that may serve to make the State of a City most magnificent and flourishing FINIS Books Printed for Christopher Wilkinson and Thomas Burrell AErius Redivivus Or the History of the Presbyterians Containing the Beginnings Progress and Successes of that Active Sect. Their Oppositions to Monarchical and Episcopal Government Their Innovations in the Church and their Embroilments of the Kingdoms and States of Christendom in the persuit of their Designs from the year 1536. to the year 1647. By Peter Heylin D. D. in Folio Price bound 10 s. Regale Necessarium or the Legality Reason and Necessity of the Rites and Priviledges justly claimed by the Kings Servants and which ought to be allowed unto them By Fabian Philips Esq in Quarrto Price bound 5 s. God the King and the Church to wit Government both Civil and Sacred together Instituted Publick Solemnities in Consecrated places from the beginning Celebrated true Zeal in opposition to Luke-warmness consistent with moderation stated And throughout all the Church of England in the strictness of its Uniformity against both false accusers and false Brethren vindicated Being the Subject of Eight Sermons Preached in several places and now Published by George Seignior Fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and Domestick Chaplain to the Right Honorable the Earle of Burlington in Octavo Price bound 2 s. The Gentlemans Companion a Learned discourse Written Originally in French now faithfully Englished by a well-wisher to the English Gentry Octavo price bound 3 s. 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Therefore whereas there was as you heard but one Free-holder in a whole Country which was the Lord himself the rest holding in Villenage and being subject to the Lords immeasurable Taxations whereby they had no encouragement to Build or Plant Now the Lords Estate was divided into two parts that which he held in Domain to himself which was still left unto him and that which was in the hands of the Tenants who had Estates made in their possessions according to the Common Law of England paying instead of uncertain Irish Impositions certain English Rents whereby the people have since set their minds upon repairing their Houses and Manuring their Lands to the great increase of the Private and Publick Revenues These proceedings bred such comfort and security in the hearts of all men as thereupon ensued for the space of about forty years the calmest and most universal Peace that ever was seen in Ireland But the foundation of this so long for wished The Foundation of that settlement shaken Anno 1627. by the Irish refusing to contribute towards the pay of a standing Army in Ireland and most delectable Peace was not so deeply laid but but that it received a shake by the first storm that threatned England for being engaged in a War with France and Spain about the beginning of his Majesties Reign King Charles the First and having therefore occasion to send some additional Forces into Ireland for the better assuring the Peace thereof in such a doubtful time of trouble A proposition was made by the then Lord Deputy Falkland to the chief of the Irish Nation for the contributing of a competent sum of Money towards the maintenance of those Forces to be established by way of a stanâ—ing Army in Ireland To which they would not condescend without a Toleration of Religion first obtained and then they would willingly maintain five hundred horse and five thousand foot wherein the Protestants must have born a share also But the Protestants not approving thereof The Lord Archbishop Vsher then Lord Primate of Ireland was desired by the said Lord Deputy at a great Assembly both of Irish and English met at his Majesties Castle at Dublin the last of April Anno 1627 to press the Irish by very strong Arguments to a condescention of the said proposition where amongst many other most excellent ones then made use of by his Lordship to induce them thereunto He declared that the resolution of those Gentlemen in denying to contribute unto the supplying of the Army sent thither for their defence did put him in mind of the Philosophers Observation That such as have respect to a few things are easily misled the present pressure which they sustained by the imposition of Souldiers and the desire they had to be cas'd of that burthen did so wholly possess their minds that they had onely an eye to the freeing of themselves from that incumbrance without looking at all to the Desolations that were like to come upon them by a long and heavy War which the having of an Army in a readiness might be a means to have prevented The lamentable effects said he of our last Wars in this Kingdome doth yet freeshly stick in our memories Neither can we so soon forget the depopulation of our Land when besides the cumbustions of War the extremity of famine grew so great that the very Women in some places by the way side have surprized the men that rod by to feed themselves with the flesh of the Horse of the Rider and that now again said he here is a storm towards wheresoever it will light every wise man will easily foresee which if we be not careful to meet with in time our State may prove irrecoverable when it will be too late to think of had I wist Proceeding farther he recounted to them how that in the days of King Henry the Eighth the Earl of Desmond had made an offer of the Kingdom of Ireland to the French King Ireland offered to Sale to the French King in days of K. Henry the Eighth the Instrument whereof remains yet upon Record in the Court of Paris and that the Bishop of Rome afterwards transfer'd the Title of all our Kingdoms unto Charles the Fift which new Grants were confirmed unto his Son Philip in the time of Queen Elizabeth with a resolution to settle the Crown of Ireland upon the Spanish Infanta Which Donations of the Popes howsoever they were in themselves of no value yet would they serve for a fair colour to a Potent Pretender who is able to supply by the power of the Sword whatsoever therein may be thought defective Whereunto might be added that of late in Spain at the very same time when the Treaty of the Match was in hand there was a Book published with great approbation there by one of Irish Birth Philip O Sullevan wherein the Spaniard is taught that the ready way to establish his Monarchy for that is the only thing he mainly aimeth at and is plainly there confessed is first to set upon Ireland which being quickly obtained the Conquest of Scotland of England next then of the Low-Countries is foretold with great facility will follow after Neither have we more cause saith my Lord in this regard A distinction of the Irish. to be afraid of a forreign Invasion than to be jealous of a Domestick Rebellion Where least I be mistaken as your Lordships have been lately I must of necessity put a difference betwixt the Inhabitants of this Nation some of them are descended of the Race of the antient English or otherwise hold their Estates from the Crown and have Possessions of their own to stick to who easily may be trusted against a forreign Invader although they differ from the State in matter of Religion for proof of which fidelity in this kind he saith he need go no farther than the late Wars in the time of the Earl of Tyrone wherein they were assaulted with as powerful Temptations to move them from their Loyalty as possibly could be afterwards presented unto them for at that time not only the King of Spain did confederate himself with the Rebels and landed his Forces at Kingsale for their assistance but the Bishop of Rome also with his Breves and Bulls sollicited the Nobility and Gentry of Ireland to Revolt from their Obedience to the Queen declaring that the English did fight against the Catholick Religion and ought to be oppugned as much as the Turks importing the same favours to such as should set upon them as he doth unto such as fight against the Turks and finally promising unto them that the God of Peace would tread down their Enemies under their feet speedily And yet for all the Popes promises and threatnings which were also seconded by a Declatation of the Divines of Salamanca and Valledolid not only the Lords and Gentlemen did constantly continue their Allegiance to the Queen but were also encouraged so to do by the Priests of
several factions the Popish Irish party of the supream Counsel against the Popes Nuntio and his party afterwards some English and Irish for and others against my Lord of Ormonds Peace and at last some of the Protestant party and of the Irish for the King and some others of both parties for the Rump-Parliament but all in a confusion till the year 1649. The English find an opportunity to be throughly revenged en the Irish Anno 1649. c. At what time a considerable Army of English being transported into Ireland where after two Disputes the one at Dublin and the other at Tredagh the Royal party there finding no probability of effecting any thing advantageous to his Majesties Service joyning their forces with those newly landed out of England so bore down the Irish that in less space than three years there was scarce an Irish man through all Ireland that durst hold up his hand against them and by a necessary severity put in practice for the soon finishing of the War the whole Kingdome became upon a sudden so depopulated that considering what vast numbers of people were destroyed by the Sword Famine and Plague it is thought that in the conclusion of the said War there was not left living the eighth part of all the Irish Nation a just judgment of God inflicted on them for their notorious Barbarisme committed in their massacring the English The Irishry being thus broken the Irish Proprietors of Lands within the Provinces of Munster Leinster The Irish being broken are Transplanted into the Provinces of Connaght and County of Clare and Vlster were commanded by Proclamation by a certain day upon pain of Death to Transplant themselves into the Province of Connaght and County of Clare there to receive their proportions of Land according to their Qualifications the which very speedily and submissively they performed accordingly This Province of Connaght and County of Clare for their Natural and Artificial strength are worth the noting being altogether environed on the West and South-west part thereof by the vast Ocean and almost encompassed on the East and North-East part thereof in the whole length from North to South for the space of one hundred and forty miles or thereabouts with the great for the most part impassable River Shannon except by Boat or Bridge And on all sides and parts of the said Province of Connaght and County of Clare so beset with mighty strong Garrisons as namely Limrick Galloway Athlone James-Town the Forts of Slego and Belick in the County of Mayo with many other Garrisons of lesser moment and yet of no small strength that should the Irish at any time appear to stir in the least to oppose the Ruling power it were no less then wilfully to expose themselves to immediate slaughter and the mercy of the Sword This service being thus perform'd together with the turning out about the same time by degrees all the Popish Irish Proprietors out of all the strong Towns and Cities in Ireland Some part of the English Army disbanded after the Irish Transplantation and bringing in Protestant Planters as fast as they could to succed them in their habitations soon after followed the disbanding of certain Regiments of the Army who received their respective proportions of Land for their Arrears in the Provinces of Lynster Munster and Vlster according to their Lots upon every Acre whereof was imposed a certain Chiefry or Quit-Rent to be yearly paid after the expiration of five years towards the defraying of the Publick charge of the Kingdome The same method was soon after observed in satisfying the Arrears of the rest of the Army And about the same time the Commissioners sate at Athlone for determining the Qualifications of the Irish who having there received their doom immediately posted to Lougreah to get their respective proportions of Land to be assigned to them either in Connaght or the County of Clare according to the tenor of their said determined Qualifications from Commissioners siting at Lougreah for that purpose upon every Acre whereof a Quit-Rent was also imposed to be paid yearly after the expiration of five years as aforesaid towards the Publick charge All these things being effected The English and Irish setled upon their respective proportions of Lands within the compass of three years Whereupon followed a strange alteration in the general Face and State of Ireland and brought to this pass within the compass of three years or thereabouts this settlement having been first begun Anno 1653. there appeared within three or four years following such a strange alteration in the general Face and State of Ireland as might justly work much admiration in any sober man who having travelled over a considerable part of this Realm in the years 1652 and 1653. should on one side but consider what a dreadful wast Country he had beheld where for ten sometimes twenty or thirty Miles together nay indeed almost all the Kingdom over except about the English Garrisons one should not behold The lamentable condition all Ireland was reduced unto in the close of the War An. 1652 1653. Man Bird or Beast appear the very wild Fowls of the Aire and the wild Beasts of the Field being either dead or having departed out of those Desolations and thousands of Irish daily starving for want of Food did in this extremity ordinarily feed on the Souldiers Horses for which no satisfaction was in any times received but with the loss of their lives Nay the Famin grew generally at last to that height that the Irish did not only feed upon Horses but upon dead Corps taken out of the Graves the English Army and all those that followed them being in the mean time necessitated to be upon the matter wholy supplyed out of England with all manner of Provisions as well as Pay I say these things being seriously considered could not choose but pierce a heart of Stone with grief and sorrow Ireland reviving again from its ruinous coâ—dition But on the other side what true hearted English man or indeed any Christian but would have rejoyced to see a considerable number of all sorts of people repairing securely from all parts of the Country four times in the year to receive Justice in the four Courts of Judicature at Dublin according to the nature of their Complaints To see the Judges twice a year ride through all the Circuits in Ireland bravely attended and entertained by the Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and many other persons of good quality being all English accompanied also with many Irish both Gentry and Commons To see moreover both English and Irish together with the additional number of many thousands of English Welch and Scots with some Dutch that yearly Transported themselves hither to Plant diligently applying themselves all over Ireland to Tillage and breeding of of all sorts of Cattle with a competent proportion whereof the whole Country became in a few years indifferently well Planted
though not with a sufficient numbeâ— of people to inhabit the same which are still wanting and will be so yet for many years to come repairing as fast as they could ruined Houses and Towns and building of new ones forwarding Merchandize and Commerce and carefully promoting all other ways and means that tended to the repair of a ruined Common-wealth The Irish rejoycing though they had got but small Estates in lieu of great ones after so terrible a storm But most of the English rejoycing much more as having got far better Estates then ever they expected to inherit from their Ancestors The joy of the English in Ireland crowned by the happy restauration of his Majesty and the Irish dejected thereby But that which crowned the joy of all the English hearts in Ireland and as much dejected the Transplanted Irish who now expected no less then to be generally restored to their former Estates was the happy Restauration of his Majesty into England wherein Ireland received no other change or alteration but the Soldiers parting withal or purchasing one third of all the Lands assigned them for their Arrears which was cast into a common stock to satisfie Reprisals that so they might get the rest confirm'd to them by his Majestie And the deposing of all the Cities and Corporate Towns of Ireland with the four Counties formerly reserved for the Publick to the 49 men many whereof notwithstanding they had performed excellent service in the late Wars of Ireland yet received no satisfaction till of late for their Arrears being formerly neglected therein by reason of their noted loyalty to his Majesty And the restoring of some Noble men and others of the Irish Nation to their former Estates either by passing their Tryals at the Court of Claims at Dublin or by meriting the same by their good services to his Majesty Now that I may draw to an end of this Discourse and endeavour to prove what I formerly proposed That that Eternal Peace of Ireland That perpetual Peace is now established in Ireland by the late settlement thereof being the conclusion of this discourse which was so solidly discoursed of and stoutly fought for in Queen Elizabeths time And very far proceeded in by King James But is absolutely perfected as I said according to all humane appearance by the last settlement of Ireland confirmed by his gracious Majesty King Charles the Second I desire the Reader to take these things into his consideration As first to observe The good consequences by the late settlement of Ireland By dividing the great Irish Lords and Gentry from their numerous Train of Adherents and Tenants that by the Transplantation of the Irish Proprietors into the Province of Connaght and County of Clare those Irish so Transplanted were not onely provided of a livelihood to support them settled in such a place of security as that they are wholly dis-enabled thereby to work any prejudice to the English Government And separated for the most part from their numerous train of Tenants and Adherents who willingly staid behind them becoming Tenants to the no small Advantage of the English but to the great disadvantage of the Irish Lords and Great ones of that Nation who at all times chiefly relied upon these kind of people to promote their many Rebellions in Ireland all which matters though of very great importance were notwithstanding wholly neglected or omitted by the English in all their former Settlements of this Realm But also by this Transplantation of the said Irish Proprietors the English being invested by way of Propriety and Tenancy in above three parts of four of all the Lands in Ireland there will hereafter be no need to fear as formerly the English being now the greater Number in all their Publick Assemblies and Parliaments that there shall be any farther obstruction given by the Popish Irish party By increasing the Number of Protestant Justices of Peace and Parliament men c in Ireland either to the making of good Laws or putting the same in execution or to the imposing of Money towards the payment of the Army or any other publick charges Or that the English shall henceforth fear to be any way degenerated by reason of their marrying and fostering with the Irish having there people enough of their own Nation and Religion upon the place as well to supply their continual wants therein as also by those their dispersed and growing Numerous habitations in most parts of the Kingdome will prove a singular good means to civilize the Irish from their wonted Barbarism Secondly That by having now which was otherwise formerly all the strong Towns and Cities of Ireland By the English having the possession by way of habitation of all the strong Towns and Cities of Ireland for the most part inhabited by Protestants and being withall better fortified as not only environed with strong Walls about them but also mightily strengthened by well fortified Cittadels within them to present surprisals and bravely man'd with Men Arms and Amunition to defend them the whole Kingdome is thereby become better secured from future Rebellions and consequently the Brittish Planters from having any more their throats cut by the Irish It being observed formerly that there was nothing did more stay and strengthen this realm then the well fortified Corporate Towns as by proof hath manifestly appeared in many Rebellions till the last in which when all the Countries have swerved the Towns have stood fast and yielded good relief to the English Soldiers in all occasions of service The want of which supply by the Revolt of most of the Corporate Towns of this Kingdom Anno 1641 First occasioned the inhumane slaughter of the greatest part of the Brittish Planters there who in their extremity sought the protection of those Towns but could not obtain it Secondly the continuance of the War so long And last of all the universal desolation of the Country and almost a total extirpation of the whole Irish Nation out of Ireland Thirdly and lastly And by increasing of his Majesties Revenue in Ireland beyond all former examples that by the late increase of his Majesties standing Revenue in Ireland beyond all former Examples As namely by the Imposition of Quit-Rents upon all the Lands of the Adventurers Soldiers and Transplanted Irish Hearth Money Excise c. which wil be much more encreased beyond what it now is by the Industry of so great and universal a Brittish Plantation as will inhabite this Country when fully Planted It may therefore be very well hoped that Ireland will in a short time become so well improved thereby as to be sufficiently able not onely to maintain a good standing Army upon the account of its own proper Revenues to make the Irish desist from doing themselves and the English harm the want whereof proved the ruine of all former Settlements there since the first Conquest of it by the Engglish and discharge all other Publick Expences But will also
West Mounster Mean-Woun that is Middle Mounster and Vrwoun that is the Front of Mounster But at this day it is distinguished into these Counties Limrick Kery Corke Waterford and Tipperary And in these Shires are comprehended besides many safe Stations and Roads for Shipping twenty four Towns of Note and Trading sixty six Castles of Old Erection and including in the whole eight hundred and two Parishes This Province being counted the largest of all Ireland Ulster called by our Welch Britains Vltâ—â— in Irish Cui Guilly in Latin Vltonia and Vlidia in English Vlster On the North it is divided by a narrow Sea of three or four hours Sail from Scotland Southward it extends it self to Connaught and Leinster The East part lieth upon the Irish Sea And the West part is continually beaten with the boisterous rage of the main West Ocean This Province and farthest part of Ireland fronteth the Scottish Islands which are called the Hebrides and are scattered in the Seas between both Kingdoms whose Inhabitants at this day are the Irish-Scot and their Language is the same as the Irish The Form Form thereof is round reaching in length from Coldagh Haven in her North to Kilmore in her South neer an hundred miles and in breadth from Black-Abby in her East to Calebeg point in her West one hundred thirty and odd miles The whole in Circumference about four hundred and twenty Miles Aire This Country seldom feeleth any unseasonable extremities the quick and flexible Winds cooling the heat of Summer and soft and gentle Showers mollifying the hardness of the Winter Briefly the frozen nor torrid Zone have not here any usurpation the clouds in the Aire being very sweet and pleasant yea and when they are most impure are not unwholsom nor of long continuance the rough winds holding them in continual agitation Commodities This equal temperature causeth the ground to bring forth great store of several Trees both fit for Building bearing of Fruit plentiful of grass for feeding of Cattle and is abundantly furnished with Horses Sheep and Oxen The Rivers likewise pay double Tribute deep enough to carry Vessels either for pleasure or profit and Fish great store both for their own uses and commodity of others Salmons in some Rivers of this Country abound more in number than in any River of Europe To speak in general though in some places it be somwhat barren troubled with Loughs Lakes and thick Woods yet it is every where fresh and full of Cattle and Forrage ready at all times to answer the Husbandmans pains And now Nature being much beholden to the Art and Industry of the British Planters in this Province who cause all things to flourish there has wholly taken away the former complaints how that the various show upon Banks the shady Groves the green Meadows hanging Hills and the spacious Fields fit for Corn being left unmanured did seem to be angry with their Inhabitants for suffering all to grow wild and barbarous through their own negligence It is divided into the Counties of 1. Louth 2. Cavon 3. Fermanagh Division 4. Down 5. Monaghan 6. Armagh 7. Colrane 8. Tirconnel 9. Tir-Oen and 10. Antrim In which are comprehended two hundred and fourteen Parishes whereof fourteen are Towns of Note for Commerce and Traffick and thirty Castles for the defence of the Country and keeping under the wild Irish wilder and more untractable formerly in these Northern parts than the rest of Ireland But now by reason of the last general Rebellion the Irish being upon the matter wholy rooted out from hence there is as hopeful a British Plantation going on in this Province as in any other in all Ireland Connaught This Province named by Giraldus Cambrensis Conaghtia and Conacia by the Irish Conaughty and the English men Connaught is bounded Eastward with part of the Province of Leinster Northward with part of Vlster Westward with the West main Ocean and on the South it is confined with a part of the Province of Mounster closed in with the River Shanon and butting against the Kingdom of Spain The Form Form thereof is long and towards the North and South ends thin and narrow but as it grows towards the middle from either part it waxeth still bigger and bigger extending in length from the Shannon in her South to Eins Kelling in her North one hundred twenty six Miles and the broadest part is from Tromer in her East to Barragh-Bay in her West containing about fourscore Miles The whole in Circuit and compass is above four hundred Miles The Aire Aire is not altogether so pure and clear as in the other Provinces of Ireland by reason of certain moist places covered over with grass which of their softness are usually termed Boghs both dangerous and full of vaporous and foggy mists This Country as it is divided into several portions Commodities so is every portion severally commended for the Soil according to the seasonable times of the year Thomond or the County of Clare is said to be a County so conveniently situated that either from the Sea or Soil there can be nothing wish'd for more than what it doth naturally afford of it self were but the industry of the Inhabitants answerable to the rest Galaway is a Land very thankful to the painful Husbandman and no less Commodious and profitable to the Shepheard Maio is replenished both with pleasure and fertility abundantly rich in Cattle Deer Hawks and plenty of Honey Slego coasting upon the Sea is a plentiful Country for feeding and raising of Cattle Letrim place rising up throughout with Hills is so full of rank grass and Forrage that as Solinus reporteth if Cattle were not kept sometims from grasing their fulness would endanger them And Roscomon is a Territory for the most part plain and fruitful feeding many Heards of Cattle and with mean Husbandry and Tillage yeilding plenty of Corn. As every particular is thus severally profitable by inbred Commodities so is it no less commended in the generality for the many accommodate and fit Bays Creeks and Navigable Rivers lying upon her Sea coasts that after a sort invite and provoke the Inhabitants to Navigation Division It is divided at present into these five Shires that is to say 1. Letrim 2. Roscommon 3. Maio 4. Slego 5. Galloway and 6. Thomond or the County of Clare In which are comprehended but eight Towns of any consequence for commerce and traffick an Argument of the imperfect plantation of it by the English Conquerors and about twenty four Castles for the defence of the Country of Old Erection besides such Fortresses as have been raised occasionally in our latter troubles But in the whole it contains three hundred and fix Parishes These four Provinces makes up a Kingdome which for the bigness is of a most beautiful and sweet Country as any under Heaven A Character of all Ireland being stored throughout with many goodly Rivers replenished
the Liberty of the Subjects of Ireland yet was it made at the Prayer of the Commons upon just and important cause For the Governors of that Realm especially such as were of that Country Birth Poynings Act made at the request of the Commons of Ireland had laid many opprssions upon the Commons And amongst the rest they had imposed Laws upon them not tending to the general good but to serve private turns and to strengthen their particular factions This moved them to refer all Laws that were to be past in Ireland to be considered corrected and allowed first by the State of England which had alwaies been tender and careful of the good of this people and had long since made them a Civil Rich and Happy Nation if their own Lords and Governors there had not sent bad intelligence into England Besides this he took special Order that the Summons of Parliament should go into all the Shires of Ireland and not to the four Shires onely within the English Pale for out of that little Precinct there were no Lords Knights or Burgesses Summoned to the Parliament neither did the Kings Writ run in any other part of the Kingdom and for that cause specially he caused all the Acts of Parliament lately before holden by the Viscount of Gormanston to be repealed and made void On these foundations they have raised many superstructures both of Law and Government enacted in their own Parliaments summoned by the Lord Deputy at the Kings appointment Amongst many inconveniences which have been observed in the Laws of England in relation to the Government of Ireland whereof a reformation was wisht this was a main one That when any of the Irish intended to go into Rebellion Entailing of Lands supported the Rebellions in Ireland they would convey away all their Lands and Lordships to Feoffees in trust whereby they reserved to themselves but a State for term of life which being determined by the sword or by the halter their Lands straight came to their heirs and the Crown of England defrauded of the intent of the Law which laid that grievous punishment upon Traytors to forfeit all their Lands to the Prince to the end that men might the rather be terrified from committing treasons for many which would little esteem of their own lives yet for remorse of their Wives and Children would be with-held from that heinous crime This appeared plainly in the late Earl of Desmond For before his breaking forth into open Rebellion he had conveyed secretly all his Lands to Feoffees of trust in hope to have cut off her Majesty from the Escheat of his Lands which inconvenience though well enough avoided at that time by an Act of Parliament obtained with much difficulty which by cutting off and frustrating all such conveyances as had at any time by the space of twelve years before his Rebellion been made within the compass whereof the fraudulent Feoffment and many the like of others his accomplices and fellow traytors were contained gave all his Lands to the Queen yet were it not an endless trouble supposing such Acts were easily brought to pass that no Traitor or Fellon should be attainted but a Parliament must be called for bringing of his Lands to the Crown which the Law giveth it Although since the time of St. Patrick Anno 430 Christianity was never extinct in Ireland Religion yet the Government being hailed into contrary factions the Nobility lawless the multitude wilful it came to pass that Religion waxed with the temporal common sort cold and feeble untill the Conquest by King Henry the Second did settle it The Honourable state of Marriage they much abused either in contracts unlawful meetings the Levitical and Canonical degrees of prohibition or in divorcements at pleasure or in omitting Sacramental solemnities or in retaining either Concubines or Harlots for Wives yea where the Clergy were faint they could be content to Marry for a year and a day of probation and at the years end to return her home upon any light quarrels if the Gentlewomans friends were weak and unable to avenge the injury Never was there heard of so many dispensations for Marriage as those men show I pray God grant they were all authentick and builded upon sufficient warrant The Disorders of the Church of Ireland about the latter end of Q. Elizabeths Reign and the causes of it About the latter end of Queen Elizabeths Reign the Church of Ireland was infested not onely with gross Symony greedy covetousness fleshly incontinency careless sloath and generally a disordered life in the common Clergy-men But besides all these had their particular enormities for all the Irish Priests which then enjoyed the Church-livings were in a manner meer Lay-men saving that they had taken holy Orders but otherwise they did go and live like Lay-men follow all kind of Husbandry and other worldly affairs as other Irish men did They neither read Scriptures nor preach to the People nor administer Communion but Baptism they did for they Christened then after the Popish fashion onely they took the Tithes and Offerings and gathered what fruit else they might of their Livings the which they converted as badly and some of them they said paid as due Tributes and Shares of their Livings to their Bishops I mean those which were Irish as they received them duly Which shameful abuses the English Governours could not redress because they knew not the parties so offending for the Irish Bishops had their Clergy in such aw and subjection under them that they durst not complain of them so as they might do to them what they pleased for they knowing their own unworthiness and incapacity and that they were still removeable at their Bishops will yielded to what pleased him and he took what he listed yea and some of them whose Diocesses were in remote parts somewhat out of the Worlds eye did not at all bestow the Benefices which were in their own donation upon any but kept them in their own hands and did set their own Servants and horse-boys to take up the Tithes and Fruits of them with the which some of them purchased great Lands and built fair Castles upon the same Of which abuse if any question were moved they had a very seemly colour and excuse that they had no worthy Ministers to bestow them upon but kept them so unbestowed for any such sufficient person as should be offered unto them To meet with this mischief there was a Statute enacted in Ireland which seems to have been grounded upon a good meaning That whatsoever English-man of good conversation and sufficiency should be brought to any of the Bishops and nominated unto any Living within their Diocess that were presently void that he should without any contradiction be admitted thereunto before any Irish which good Law though it had been well observed and that none of the Bishops had transgressed the same yet it wrought no Reformation thereof for many defects First there
any manner of Restraint had quietly settled themselves in all the chief Towns Villages Noblemen and private Gentlemens houses throughout the Kingdom So as the private exercise of all their Religious Rites and Ceremonies were freely enjoyed by them without any manner of disturbance and not any of the Laws put in execution whereby heavy penalties were to be inflicted upon transgressors in that kind Now seeing we have manifestly found by woful experience that all those Princely favours and tender proceedings of his late Majesty towards the Irish That no Princely favors can oblige the Popish-Irish part to be Loyal to the Crown of England proved altogether ineffectual to contain them within the due bounds of Loyalty and Obedience The world may easily believe that their designs by their last Rebellion tended to no other end than the utter subversion of the English Government in Ireland The utter subversion of the Enlish Government designed by the last Rebellion in Ireland An. 1641. and the establishing of the same in the hands of their own Natives for confirmation whereof we have the Testimony of a Franciscan Fryar who was one of their Councel who tells us that the last Session of Parliament held at Dublin being proroged in August 1641. and the time drawing nigh for putting their design in execution of surprising Dublin Castle and all other places of Strength in the possession of the English in Ireland there was a great meeting appointed of the heads of the Romish Clergy and other Lay-men of their faction to be at the Abby of Mullifarvan A Councel held at Mullifarvan Abby in Meath whether to Kill or Banish all the English out of Ireland An. 1641. in the County of West-Meath where amongst other matters there debated the question was what course should be taken with the English and all others that were found in the whole Kingdom to be Protestants The Councel was therein divided 1. The Council divided some for Banishing Some were for their Banishment without attempting on their Lives for this was given the Instance of the King of Spains expelling out of Granado and other parts of his Dominions the Moors to the number of many hundred of thousands all of them being dismissed with their Lives Wives and Children with some part of their Goods if not the most part that this his way of proceeding redounded much to the honor of Spain whereas the Slaughter of many Innocents would have laid an everlasting blemish of cruelty on that State that the like usage of the English their Neighbours to whom many there present owed if no more yet their Education would gain much to the Cause both in England and other parts That their Goods and Estates seized upon would be sufficient without medling with their Persons that if the contrary course were taken and their bloud spilt besides the Curse it might draw from Heaven upon their Cause it might withal increase and provoke the Neighbour Kingdome of England and that justly taking a more severe revenge on theâ— and theirs even to extirpation if 〈◊〉 had the upper hand Others for cutting off all the English 2. On the other side was urgeâ— a contrary preceeding to the utteâ— cutting off all the English Protestants where to the instance of the dismissed Moors it was answered thâ—â— that was the sole Act of the King anâ— Queen of Spain contrary to the aâ—vise of their Councel which howsoever it might gain that Prince a namâ— of mercy yet therein the event shewed him to be most unmerciful noâ— onely to his own but to all Christendome beside That this was evidenâ— in the great and excessive charge thaâ— Spain hath been since that time puâ— unto by those Moors and their posterity to this day All Christendom also hath and doth still groan undeâ— the miseries it doth suffer by the Pyracies of Algiers Sally and the like Dens of Thieves That all this mighâ— have been prevented in one hour by a general Massacre applying thaâ— it was no less dangerous to expel thâ— English That these Robbers anâ— banished men might again return with swords in their hands who by their hard usage in spoiling might be exasperated and by the hope of recovering their former Estates would be incensed far more than strangers that were sent against them Being neither in their persons injured nor grieved in their estate that therefore a general Massacre were the safest and readiest way for freeing the Kingdom of any such fears 3. In which diversity of opinions howsoever the first prevailed with some for which the Franciscans saith this Frier did stand yet others inclined to the second some again leading to a middle way neither to dismiss nor kill And according to this do we find the event and course of their proceedings But both was practised with that of imprisonment In some places they were generally put to the sword or to other miserable ends some restrain their persons in durance knowing it to be in their hands to dispatch them at their pleasures in the mean time they being reserved either for profit by their ransome or for exchange of Prisoners or gaining their own paâ—dons by the lives of their Prisoners if time would serve or by their death if the worst did happen to satisfie their fury The third sort at the first altogether dismissed theâ—â— prisoners but first having spoileâ— them of their goods and after of their raiment exposing the miserable wretches to cold and famine whereby many have perished by deaths worse then sword or halter Hitherto of their Counsels and the effect of them Now for their intentions all being reduced whicâ— God forbid into their power anâ— thereof did they as by some Law give such peremptory conclusions that it may well be wondered thâ— thoughts of men professing themselves wise should be so vain and herein I do still follow mine Informer What the Irish would have done if they had prevailed First Their Loyalty to his Majesty should be still reserved Thâ— said they of the modest sort Buâ— both his Revenues and Governmeâ—â— must be reduced to certain bounds His Rents none other then the aâ—cient reservations before the Plantation and Customs so ordered as to them should be thought fitting Secondly for the Government such as would be esteemed loyal would have it committed to the hands of two Lords Justices one of the ancient Irish Race the other of the ancient Brittish Inhabitants in the Kingdom Provided that they be of the Romish Profession Thirdly That a Parliament should be forthwith called consisting of whom they should think fit to be admitted wherein their own religious men should be assistants Fourthly Poynings Act should be repealed and Ireland declared to be a Kingdom independant on England and without any reference unto it in any case whatsoever Fifthly All Acts prejudicial to the Romish Religion should be abolished and it to be enacted That there should be none ohter profession in the Kingdom but the Romish
Sixthly That onely the ancient Nobility of the Kingdome should stand and of them such as should refuse to conform to the Romish Religion to be removed and others put in their room howsoever the then present Earl of Kildare was to be excluded and another established in his place Seventhly All Plantation Lands to be recalled and the antient proprietors to be reinvested in their former estates with the limitations in their Covenant expressed That they had not formerly sold their interests on valuable considerations Eighthly That the respective Countries of the Kingdom should be sub-divided and certain Bounds or Barronies assigned to the chief Septs and others of the Nobility who were to be answerable for the Government thereof And that a standing Army might be still in being the respective Governors being to keep a certain number of men to be ready at all risings out as they term'd it They also being to build and maintain certain Fortresses in places most convenient within their Precincts And that these Governours should be of absolute power only responsible to the Parliament Lastly for maintaining a correspondency with other Nations and for securing the Coasts that also they might be rendered considerable unto others a Navy of a certain number of Ships was to be maintained That to this end five Houses were to be appointed one in each Province accounting Meath for one of them That to those houses should be allotted an annual pension of certain thousands of pounds to be made up of part of the Lands appropriate to Abbeys And a farther Contribution to be raised in the respective Provinces to that end That these Houses were to be assigned to a certain Order of Knights answerable to that of Malta who were to be Sea-men And to Maintain this Fleet that all Prizes were to be apportioned some part for a Common Bank the rest to be divided to which purpose the felling of Woods serviceable for this use was to be forbidden The house for this purpose to be assigned to the Province of Leinster was Kilmainham or rather Houth the Lord of Howith being otherwise to be accommodated provided he joyn with them that place being esteemed most convenient in respect of scituation which they had small grounds to hope for The Transplantation justified by reason of the late barbarous carriage of the Irish towards the English The serious consideration of this strange behaviour of the Irish towards the English hath given them just cause to place a wall of seperation between them and such dangerous Neighbours by whose barbarous carriage and inhumanity there were since the Rebellion first brake out unto the time of the cessation made Sept. 15. 1643. which was not full two years after three hundred thousand British and Protestants cruelly murthered in cold bloud destroyed some other way or expelled out of their habitations according to the strictest conjecture and computation of those who seemed best to understand the numbers of English planted in Ireland besides those few which perished in the heat of fight during the War The losses sustained by the British Planters in the space of 2. years from Oct. 23. 1641. amounted to 635375 l. And upon an enquiry made in Ireland An. 1641. of their losses sustained in their Estates Fortunes and Livelyhoods by Spoil and Robbery from the 23. of October 1641. till the 8. of March following by estimation they amounted to six hundred thirty five thousand three hundred seventy five pounds And if a right information could have been taken as I supposed would have amounted to neer five hundred times as much It hath been said of late by some Number of Inhabitants that the people of England are quadrubled within four hundred years as doubling every two hundred years How true this may be in relation to England I know not but I am perswaded that this observation may be more properly applyed to Ireland which has been within these four hundred years mightily improved by clearing of grounds from a Wilderness and thereby consequently giving way for the enlargment of peoples Habitations Ireland being reported to be generally overgrown with Woods in Giraldus Cambrensis his time Though Ireland was very populous before the last War and is computed to be half as big as England yet I dare not say that it contained half as many people as England did because above one fourth part of Ireland is taken up with unprofitable Boggs Lakes and barren Mountains and for that the Towns Cities of England are far greater and more numerous in proportion than those of Ireland in so much as that the City of London it self may be thought to contain more people than one half of the Kingdom of Ireland in the best of times But whether Ireland did in its prime contain two millions of people or what more I will not take upon me to determin but do submit the decision of so doubtful a matter to more knowing persons together with the enquiry whither in time to come when Ireland shall be fully inhabited it may be thought though mixedly the English may inhabit the proportion of about one Province and an half of it though most numerous in the Provinces of Mounster and Leinster The Irish the like proportion of one Province and an half more though most numerous in the Province of Connnaght And the Scots inhabiting the proportion of a fourth part of Ireland but more numerous in the Province of Vlster than in any other The Irish tongue is sharp and sententious Their Language offereth great occasion to quick Apothegms and proper allusions wherefore their common Jesters Bards and Rymers are said to delight passingly those that conceive the grace and propriety of the tongue But the true Irish indeed differeth so much from that they they commonly speak that scarce one amongst five score can either write read or understand it Therefore it is prescribed among certain their Poetes and other Students of Antiquity The Italian Spanish and French Tongues are compounded of the Latine The German high and low Country Saxon Scotland and English have great affinity North-Wales South-Wales Cornwall and Little Britain in France as Cambrensis and Sir John Price have learnedly discoursed but the Irish except the Redshanks and the Scottish of the High-lands have affinity with no Tongue as I can learn more then with the British Language Many reasons there are to induce one to be of this opinion first of all according to the first command the Celtick Tongue was of force in all these Northern parts Bodinus writeth that the British and Celtick Language was all one Pausanius the Greecian maketh mention how the Celts in their Language called a Horse Marc and three Horses Trimarc the which the Welchman useth to this day with a guttural alteration Margh and Treemargh Also Camden the learned Antiquary of this our Age is of this opinion remembring the Story of Gurguntius and the infinite number of British Words in use among the Irish the which
c. born Subjects to the Crown of England paying ever to the King his Duties reserved Title to Meth. Hugh de Lacy Conquerour of Meth had Issue Walter de Lacy who held the same of King John paying a Fine of four thousand Marks Sterling and hence began all the several Claims there with Alegiance sworn and done by their Ancestors Title to Mounster At the very first arrival of Henry the Second the Princes of Mounster came universally and did homage voluntarily and acknowledged to him and his Heirs Duties and pays for ever John de Courcy Conquerour and Earl of Vlster dyed without Issue Title to Ulster Connaght King John Lord of Ireland gave the Earldome to Hugh de Lacy who who had Issue Walter and Hugh who died without Issue and one Daughter married to Reymond Burke Conquerour and Lord of Connaght Connaght descended to divers Heirs owing service to the Prince but Vlster returned by devolution to the special Inheritance and the Revenues of the Crown of England in this manner The said de Burgo had Issue Richard who had Issue John who had Issue William who was slain without Issue and a Daughter Elizabeth entitled to thirty thousand Marks yearly by the Earldome of Vlster whom Edward the Third gave in marriage to Lionel his second Son Duke of Clarence who had Issue a Daughter Philippe married to Edward Mortimer who had Issue Edmund Anne Elianor Edmund and Elianor died without Issue Anne was married to Richard Earl of Cambridge Son to Edmund of Langley Duke of York fift Son to Edward the Third which said Richard had Issue Richard Plantaginet Father to Edward the Fourth Father to Elizabeth Wife to Henry the Seventh and Mother to Henry the Eighth Father to Mary Edward the Sixth and Elizabeth Several Claims to the Land of Ireland Several claims to the Land of Ireland 1. Mac Gil-murrow King of Ireland with all his Petty Princes Lords and Captains summoned to King Arthurs Court held in Carlion Anno 519. did accordingly their homage and attended all the while his great Feast and Assembly lasted 2. The Monarch of all Ireland and all other both Reges and Reguli for them and for theirs for ever betook themselves to Henry the Second An. Dom. 1172. namely those of the South whiles he lay at Waterford Dermot K. of Corke which is the Nation of the Mac Cartyes at Cashel Donald K. of Limrick which is the Nation of the Obrenes Donald K. of Ossory Mac Shaghlon King of Ophaly at Divelin did the like Okernel King of Vriel Ororick King of Meth Roderick King of all Ireland and of Connaght This did they with consents and shouts of their People and King Henry returned without any Battle given Only Vlster remained which John de Courcy soon after conquered and Oneale Captain of all the Irish there came to Dublin to Richard the Second An. 1399. and freely bound himself by Oath and great Sums of Money to be true to the Crown of England 3. The same time O Brien of Thomond Oconar of Connaght Arthur Mac Murrow of Leinster and all the Irish Lords which had been somewhat disordered renewed their Obedience 4. When Ireland first received the Christian Faith they gave themselves into the Jurisdiction both Spiritual and Temporal of the See of Rome The Temporal Lordship Pope Adrian conferred upon Henry the Second and he gave the same to John his younger Son afterwards King of England and so it returned home to the Crown 5. Alexander the Third confirmed the Gift of Adrian as in both their Charters is expressed at large 6. Vivian the Legate on the Popes behalf did Accurse and Excommunicate all those that fell from the Obeysance of the Kings of England 7. The Clergy twice Assembled once at Cashell secondly at Armagh plainly determined the Conquest to be Lawful and threatnad all people under pain of Gods and holy Churches indignation to accept of the English Kings for their Lords from time to time 8. It would ask a Volume to recite the Name of such Irish Princes who since the Conquest have continually upon Occasions Revolts or Petitions sworn Truth and Faith to the Kings of England and from time to time received Honors Wages Fees Pardons and made Petitions And thus I think no reasonable man will doubt of a Right so old so continued so ratified and so many ways confessed The Kings Revenue in Ireland was spent and wholy exhausted in the publick service and therefore The Kings Revenue in Ireland wholy spent on that Kingdome in all the ancient Pipe-Rolls in the times of King Henry the Third Edward the First Edward the Second and Edward the Third between the Receipts and Allowances there is this entrie In Thesauro nihil For the Officers of the State and the Army spent all so as there was no surplusage of Treasure And here I may well take occasion to shew the vanity of that which is reported in the Story of Walsingham touching the Revenue of the Crown in Ireland which he saith did amount to thirty thousand Pounds a year in the time of King Edward the Third The vain story of 30000 l. yearly Revenue in E 3ds time refuted If this Writer had known that the Kings Courts had been established in Ireland more than a hundred years before King Edward the Third was born or had seen either the Parliament Rolls in England or the Records of the Receits and Issues in Ireland he had not left this vain report to Posterity for both the Benches and Exchequer were erected in the twelfth year of King John And it is Recorded in the Parliament Rolls of 21. of Edward the Third remaining in the Tower that the Commons of England made Petition that it might be enquired why the King received no benefit of his Land in Ireland considering he possessed more there than any of his Ancestors had before him Now if the King at that time when there were no standing Forces maintained there had received thirty thousand pounds yearly at his Exchequer in Ireland he must needs have made profit by that Land considering that the whole charge of the Kingdome in the 47th year of Edward the Third when the King did pay an Army there did amount to no more than eleven thousand and two hundred pounds per Annum as appeareth by the Contract of William Winsore Besides it is manifest by the Pipe-Rolls of that time whereof many are yet preserved in Breminghams Tower and are of better credit than any Monks story that during the Reign of King Edward the Third the Revenue of the Crown of Ireland both certain and casual did not rise unto ten thousand pound per Annum though the medium be taken of the best seven years that are be found in that Kings time The like Fable hath Hollingshead touching the Revenue of the Earldome of Vlster which saith he in the time of King Richard the Second was thirty thousand Marks by the year Whereas in
those parts so as now the whole Kingdome began exceedingly to flourish in costly Buildings and all manner of improvements the people to multiply and increase and the very Irish seemed to be much satisfied with the benefits of that peaceable Government and general tranquility which they so happily enjoyed 6. By the purchase of great quantities of Land by the Eng. in Ireland during the last forty years peace 6. During the continuance of this happy peace which lasted about forty years divers English purchased great quantities of Land in Ireland to plant upon 7. And last of all by that universal and most bloudy Rebellion in the year 1441. the Irish propriety except a few of all the Lands and Towns in the Provinces of Munster 7. Last of all by that universal and most a body Rebellion An. 1641. Leinster and Vlster became forfeited and was as I said disposed of between the Soldiers Adventurers and forty nine men Large proportions of Land were also purchased about the same time by the English in the Province of Connaght from the transplanted Irish at Loughreagh and Athlone so that upon the whole matter according to this account the Irish have by their desperate bloudy endeavours of rooting the English wholy out of Ireland dispossessed themselves and their posterity out of above three parts of four of the whole propriety thereof and therefore afforded the English opportunity and advantage to establish for the future such a firm settlement therein That the English by their late vast acquisitions in Ireland will be the better enabled thereby to breed up able Protestant Lawyers Divines for the service of the Church State of Ireland to the great strengthning of the Civil Government as they could never expect or hope for unless by such an inhumane and uuparalleld provocation Besides those particular advantages the English have obtained by these their late vast acquisitions in Ireland whereof a hint before As namely by having already upon the matter a sufficient number of able Protestants to serve as Parliament men High Sheriffs Justices of the Peace Grand and Petty Juries in most Counties in Ireland This one benefit more will be of no small moment to them which is that by their enjoying such plentiful Estates in that Realm they will thereby the better enabled to breed up a sufficient number of Learned Protestant Lawyers and Divines to serve the Publick which will very much tend to the strengthning of the Civil Government of that Kingdom A considerable part of the Profits whereof while in the possession of the Irish being disposed of for the carrying on of the forreign Education they most pernitiously imployed to the ruine of their own Countrey That the Romish Clergy and the Popish Lawyers were great instruments in the first plotting carrying on the Rebellion An. 1641. For it was observed that there were two sorts of persons who did most eminently appear in laying those main Fundamentals whereupon the bloudy Superstructures of the last Rebellion were afterwards easily reared up And these were such of the Popish Lawyers as were Natives of the Kingdome and those of the Romish Clergy of several degrees and orders For the first they had in regard of their Knowledge in the Laws of the Land very great reputation and trust they now began to stand up like great Patriots for the vindication of the liberties of the Subject and redress of their pretended grievances The Irish Lawyers drew a great party in the house of Commons to adhere to them and having by their bold appearing therein made a great party in the House of Commons then sitting at Dublin some of them did there Magisterially obtrude as undoubted maxims of Law the pernicious speculations of their own brain which though plainly discerned to the full virulency and tending to Sedition yet so strangely were many of the Protestants and well meaning men in the House blinded with an apprehension of ease and redress and so stupified with their bold accusations of the Government as most thought not fit others durst not stand up to contradict their fond Assertions so as what they spake was received with great acclamation and much applause by most of the Protestant Members of the Hou e many of which under specious pretenses of publick Zeal to that that Countrey they had inveigled into their party And then it was that having impeached Sir Richard Bolton Lord Chancellor of Ireland of High Treason together with the prime Officers and Ministers of State that were of English birth some of those great Masters took upon them with much confidence to declare the Law to make new Expositions of their own upon the Text to frame their Queries challenges fitter to be taken to a long wilfully overgrown misgovernment than to be made against an an Authority that had for many years strugled against the beloved irregularities of a stubborne people and which had prevailed far beyond former times towards the allaying of the long continued distempers of the Kingdom They disdained the moderate quallifications of the Judges who gave them modest answers such as the Law and duty to their Sovereign would admit But those would not serve their turn they resolved upon an alteration in the Government and drawing of it wholly into the hands of the Natives which they knew they could not compass in a Parliamentary way and therefore only made preparatives there and delivered such desparate Maxims which being diffused abroad would fit and dispose the people to a change As they declared it to be Law that being killed in Rebellion though found by matter of Record would give the King no forfeiture of Estate that though many thousands stood up in Arms in a Kingdom The Irish Lawyers offer'd to maintain absurd positions in point of Law to promote the Rebellion An. 1641. working all manner of destruction yet if they professed not to rise against the King that it was no Rebellion That if a man were Outlaw'd for Treason and his land thereby vested in the Crown or given away by the King his Heir might come afterwards and be admitted to reverse the Outlawry and recover his Ancestors Estate And many other positions of perilous consequence tending to sedition and disturbance did they continue to publish during that Session and by the power and strength of their party so far did they prevail at last as they presumed to attempt a suspension of Poynings Act anâ— indeed intended the utter abrogation of that Statute which remains as one of the greatest tyes and best monuments the English have of their entire dominion over the Irish Nation and the annexion of that Kingdom to the Imperial Crown of England They farther assumed power of Judicature to the Parliament in Criminal and Capital Offences a Right which no former age hath left any president for neither would this admit the Example And thus carrying all things before them they continued the Session of Parliament begun in May
till about two months before the first breaking out of the last Rebellion it being very ill taken that then they were adjourned And this they have since aggravated as a high Crime against the Lords Justices and as one of the chief moving causes to the taking up of Arms generally throughout the Kingdome But to let these things pass how finely soever these proceedings were carried on and being covered over with pretences of Zeal and publick affection passed then currant without any manner of suspition yet now the eyes of all men are open and they are fully resolved that all these passages The fair but pernicious pretences of the Irish fully discovered by their Rebellion An. 1641. together with the other high contestations in Parliament not to have the newly raised Irish Army disbanded the importunate solicitation of their Agents in England to have the old Army in Ireland cashiered and the Kingdom left to be defended by the Trained Bands of their own Nation As likewise the Commissions procured by several of the most eminent Commanders afterwards in Rebellion for the raising men to carry into Spain were all parts of the Plot Prologues to the ensuing Tragedy Preparatives such as had been long laid to bring on the sodain execution of that most bloudy design all at one and the same time throughout the Kingdom Now for the Jesuits Priests The means used by the Priests and Jesuits to stir up the people to Rebel Fryars all the rest of their Viperous Fraternity belonging to their Holy Orders who as I said had a main part to Act and did not fail with great assiduity and diligence to discharge the same They lost no time but most dexterously applyed themselves in all parts of the Countrey to lay other such dangerous impressions in the minds as well of the meaner sort as of the chief Gentlemen as might make them ready to take fire upon the first occasion And when this Plot was so surely as they thought laid as it could not well faile and the day once perfixed for Execution they did in their publick Devotions long before recommend by their Prayers the good success of a great Design much tending to the prosperity of the Kingdome and the advancement of the Catholick Cause And for the facilitating of the work and stirring up of the people with greater animosity and cruelty to put it on at the time perfixed they loudly in all places declaimed against the Protestants telling the people that they were Hereticks and not to be suffered any longer to live among them that it was no more sin to kill an English-man than to kill a dog and that it was a most mortal and unpardonable sin to relieve or protect any of them Then also they represented with much acrimony the several courses taken by the Parliament in England for suppressing of the Romish Religion in all parts of of the Kingdom and utter extirpation of all Professors of it They told the people that in England they had caused the Queens Priest to be hanged before her own face and that they held her Majesty in her own person under a most severe discipline That the same cruel Laws against Popery were ordered to be put suddenly in execution in Ireland and a design secretly laid for bringing and seizing upon all the principal Noble-men and Gentlemen in Ireland upon November 23. next ensuing and so to make a general Massacre of all that would not desert their Religion and presently become Protestants And now also did they take occasion to revive their inveterate hatred and antient animosities against the English Nation The Irish revive their antient animosities against the English whom they represented to themselves as hard Masters under whose Government how pleasant comfortable and advantageous so ever it was they would have the world believe they had endured a most miserable Captivity and Envassalage They looked with much envy upon their prosperity considering all the Land they possessed though a great part bought at high rates of the Natives as their own proper Inheritance They grudged at the great multitudes of their fair English Cattel at their goodly Houses though built by their own industry at their own charges at the large improvements they made of their Estates by their own travels and careful endeavours They spake with much scorne and contempt of such as brought little with them into Ireland and having there planted themselves in a little time contracted great Fortunes They were much troubled especially in the Irish Countries to see the English live handsomly and to have every thing with much decency about them while they lay nastily buried as it were in mire and filthiness the ordinary sort of people commonly bringing their Cattle into their own stinking Creates or Cabins and there naturally delighting to lie amongst them These malignant considerations made them with an envious eye impatiently to look upon all the British lately gone over in that Kingdome Nothing less than a general extirpation would now serve their turn they must have restitution of all the Lands to the proper Natives whom they took to be the ancient Proprietors and only true owners most unjustly despoiled by the English whom they held to have made undue acquisitions of all the Land they possessed by gift from the Crown upon attainder of any of their Ancestors And so impetuous were the desires of the Natives to draw the whole Government of the Kingdom into their own hands The Ends proposed by the first plotters of the Rebellion to enjoy the publick profession of their Religion as well as disburthen the Countrey of all the British Inhabitants seated therein as they made the whole body of the State to be universally disliked represented the several Members as persons altogether corrupt and ill affected pretended the ill humours and distempers in the Kingdome to be grown into that height as required Cauteries deep incisions and indeed nothing able to work so great a cure but an universal Rebellion This was certainly the Disease as appears by all the Symptoms and the joynt concurrence in opinion of all the great Physicians that held themselves wise enough to propose remedies and prescribe fit applications to so desparate a Malady And thus we see those persons who by the advantage of their Education and duty of Profession should have been the great lights to direct the footsteps of the unwary and giddy-headed multitude to walk steddily in the right path of Obedience and Loyalty to their Prince and of Love and Charity towards their Neighbours by a notorious abuse of the same did wilfully mislead them to ruine and destruction The Establishment of the Army in Ireland An. 1669. Come we now to take a view of the standing Army in Ireland according to the Establishment made in the year 1669. which did then consist of thirty Troops of Horse including the Life-Guard and sixty Foot Companies besides the Regiments of Guards in which were twelve Companies
that the Parliament of England had with great alacrity and readiness undertaken the War and not only engaged themselves to his Majesty to send over powerful supplies both out of England and Scoâ—land but by their publick order of both Houses sent over to the Lords Justices and Printed at Dublin in the month of November fully declared their resolutions for the vigorous prosecution of the War of Ireland And that some Forces were arrived at Dublin out of England the Siege of Drogedah or Tredagh raised those bold perfidious Traitors beaten back into the North the Lords of the Pale banished by force of his Majesties Armies of their own Habitations which were all spoiled and laid waste yet I say Such was the strength of the Conspiracy and so deeply were they engaged in it as that Limrick and Gallaway did openly declare themselves for the Rebels The one by besieging the English who had betaken themselves for protection in the Castle of Limrick And the other those who had upon the like score possessed themselves of the Fort of Gallaway both being at last forced to yeild for want of timely relief by means whereof many thousands of the English were exposed to the slaughter of their barbarous Enemies in a great part of the Provinces of Connaght Leinster and Munster which otherwise might have been wholy preserved from ruine if these two Towns alone which are admirable for their strength and situation had but cheerfully opened their Gates to the destressed and firmly continued in their ancient Loyalty to the Crown of England But seeing they so wilfully acted this mad part by the powerful advice of their Popish Priests and Lawyers wherewith they did at that time mightily abound having then but a very inconsiderable number of Protestant Families to bear any sway amongst them I shall therefore conclude that next to a good Standing Army the most infallible way under God to secure both the Government and the British Planters in Ireland is to have the chief Towns and Fortresses thereof for the most part if not altogether Inhabited by Protestant Families A brief Character of the principal of which are here presented to your view and consideration in hopes that many more well worthy of notice will shortly be added to this number by such ingenious persons as are throughly acquainted with and well affected to that Country The Characters of the Chief Towns and Cities of IRELAND as they lie in each Province and first of those in the Province of Munster viz. MVNSTER WATERFORD Waterford on the River Shoure a well traded Port a Bishops See and the second City of the Kingdome of great fidelity till of late to the English since the Conquest of Ireland and for that cause endowed with many ample Priviledges First built by some Norwegian Pyrates who though they fixed it in one of the most barren parts and most foggy Aire of all the Country yet they made choice of such a safe and Commodious Site for the use of Shipping that of a Nest of Pyrates it was soon made a Receit for Merchants and suddenly grew up to great Wealth and Power And though it stands at a reasonable good distance from the main Sea yet Ships of the greatest burthen may safely saile to and ride at Anchor before the Key thereof which I presume is the handsomest of any in the Kings Dominions And for the conveniency of conveighing Commodities in smaller Vessels to several Towns in the adjacent Countries and namely Clonmell Carricke Rosse Kilkenny Carloe c. by two brave Navigable Rivers more neer Neighbours to this viz. the Noare and Barrow commonly called the three Sisters because a little below Waterford they all empty themselves in one channel into the Sea no place in Ireland can any way compare with it except Limrick This may be farther observed that this is the neerest Port and the readiest place in all Ireland to correspond with Bristol and all other Towns of Traffick upon the River Severn by a due Easterly wind from Bristol hither and so back from hence to Bristol by a due Westerly wind without any variation which necessity of various winds in the same Voyage occasions oftentimes passages at Sea to become both tedious and dangerous Kingsale Kingsale upon the Mouth of the River Bany a commodious Port opposite to the Coasts of Spain and fortified in Tirones Rebellion by a Spanish Garison under the command of Don John D' Aquila but soon recovered after the defeat of that Grand Rebel neer the Walls thereof by the valour and indefatigable industry of Charles Lord Montjoy the then Lord Deputy of this Kingdom This Town hath this peculiar property that it is the only safe and ready Port in all Ireland for our English Ships and others to victual at or refresh themselves bounding for or returning homewards from the West Indies and many other parts of the World Corke Corke by the Latines called Corcagia the principal of that County and a Bishops See well walled and fitted with a very commodious Haven consisting chiefly of one Street reaching out in length Inhabited by a civil wealthy and industrious people being now generally all English This may be farther said in praise of this place that it is like to be ere long as in good part already a very flourishing City being the Shire Town of the largest richest and best Inhabited County with English and Irish of any in Ireland And withal the only throughfare of all English Goods and Commodities as they tearm them namely rich Broad-Cloaths Stuffs and Linnen Fruits Spices c. sent most commonly this way out of England for those two remarkable Port-Towns of Limrick and Gallaway Yonghall Yonghall upon the Sea provided of a safe Road or convenient Haven it hath this peculiar that it is the most convenient place in all the South parts of Ireland from whence to transport Cattle Sheep c. to Mynhead or to any parts of the West of England Limrick Limrick the principal of that County and the fourth in estimation of all the Kingdome Situate in an Island compassed round about with the River Shannon by which means well fortified A well frequented Empory and a Bishops See Distant from the main Ocean about sixty miles but so accommodated by the River that Ships of burthen come up close to the very Walls The Castle and the Bridge pieces of great strength and beauty were of the foundation of King John exceedingly delighted with the situation This may be farther observed touching the happy situation of this place in relation to Traffick and Commerce that though by reason of some Cataracts or Rocky Falls in the River Shannon a little above Limrick the Merchants are necessitated for the space of about eight or nine miles to convey their Goods by Land as far as Killaloo but being brought thither they may be carried up along the said River by Boats of indifferent good Burthen into many parts of the