their Petition to him Asserted That the King by taking notice of a Bill while in Debate in the House of Lords had broken the Fundamental Priviledge of Parliament which he ought not to do concerning any Bill till it be presented to him in due course of Parliament and desired Reparation They then desired that an Army of Scots should be sent thither and that they should have the keeping of the Town and Castle of Carick-fergus but the King said that he doubted this might be to the Damage of England The Scots Commissioners replyed That they were sorry his Majesty being their Native King should repose less Trust in them than their Naighbouring Nation had freely done So that at length this was granted It was thought to be the most Feasible way for Reducing Ireland that proportions of Land there should be shared among English Adventurers proportional to those Sums of Money they should Subscribe that so whosoever in Person or Purse should assist in Conquering the Bloody Rebels might be Recompensed if the Work were done and Propositions were framed in Parliament to that purpose which the King confirmed Though at first he laught at them and was heard to say That they were like to him who Sold the Bears Skin before the Bear was killed At length an Act was passed for impowring the Parliament to carry on that War till Ireland should be declared wholy Subdued and that no Peace nor Cessation of Arms should ever be made with the Rebels without consent of both Houses of Parliament The King then offered to go in Person thither but the Parliament thought it not fit to hazard his Person in such an Expedition The Queen about February went to Holland carrying with her most of the Crown Jewels which she had pledged for Money and Arms for the King her Husband and for which she was afterwards voted a Traytor by the Parliament the King having taken leave of her at Dover went with the Prince and Duke of York to Theobalds and from thence to Newmarket where both Houses Presented him a Declaration sent by two Lords in which they Repeat the old Grievances the War of Scotland the Rebellion in Ireland his entring the House of Commons his causless fear of Residing near London to the perplexing of the Kingdom the hindring the Relief of Ireland and incouraging the ill affected Party in the Kingdom To which the King answered with great Indignation extenuating some things and excusing others accusing them for raising needless Fears and Jealousies After which the King passed farther North to York upon which the Parliament voted That the Kings Absence so far Remote from his Parliament is not only an Obstruction but may be a Destruction to the Affairs of Ireland That when the Lords and Commons in Parliament shall declare what the Law of the Land is to have this not only questioned and controverted but contradicted and a command that it should not be obeyed is an High Breach of the Priviledge of Parliament That they which advise the K. to absent himself from his Parliament are Enemies to the Peace of this Kingdom and justly to be suspected as Favourers of the Rebellion in Ireland From York the King sent a Message to the Parliament April 8. 1642. That he would go in Person over to Ireland against those Bloody Rebels and intended to raise a Guard for his Person in Cheshire to carry thither of 2000 Foot and 100 Horse whom he would Arm from his Magazine of Hull But the Parliament having Intimation that the K. designed to Seise that Magazine to Arm himself against them sent Sir John Hotham thither who refused to admit him Entrance upon which the K. Proclaimed him Traytor and complained to the Parliament of the Affront who endeavoured to appease him but justified Hothams Act and declared that the Proclaiming him Traytor without process of Law was against the Liberty of the Subject and Laws of the Land The King daily Summoned the Gentry of the Northern Counties to attend him all York as a Guard for his Person which he declared was in danger from the Parliament who thereupon declared That it appears that the King Seduced by wicked Counsel intends to make a War against the Parliament who in all their Consultations and Actions have proposed no other end to themselves but the Care of his Kingdoms and the performance of all Duty and Loyalty to his Person That whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a breach of the Trust Reposed in him by his People contrary to his Oath and tending to the Dissolution of the Government That whosoever shall Serve and Assist him in such Wars are Traytors by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged by two Acts of Parliament 11 Rich. II. and 1 Henry IV. and that such Persons ought to suffer as Traytors the King Justified himself in his Declarations and Proclamations against the Parliament which daily encountred each other So that all things tended to an absolute Rupture and presaged the Calamities of the Civil War which soon after followed For both sides flying to Arms and the Nation being divided into Parties several bloody Battels were fought and the whole Kingdom was in a Flame In 1643. The Parliament of England invited the Scots to come in to their Assistance with an Army of 21000. Horse and Foot ingaging to pay them an Hundred Thousand pound towards the Charge of Raising them On the other side the King to withdraw the Protestant Army out of Ireland for Aiding him against the Scots concluded a Cessation of Arms for a year with those Rebels and 3000 of the English Army were Imbarqued from thence to joyn with the King This Cessation was much complained of by the Parliament since it was not only for the benefit of the Irish Rebels who gave him 3000 l. for the Favour but also directly contrary to the Act which the King hath lately Signed That no Cessation should be made without the consent of both Houses Thus was Assistance brought to either side and that English Army which for almost a year had fought Valiantly and Victoriously against those Rebels was now brought over to fight against the Parliament of England The War still continued with much Vigor and great Slaughter was made throughout the Kingdom yet in the midst thereof some Glimmerings of Peace began to appear for in 1644. Conditions were proposed both by the King and Parliament and a Treaty began at Uxbridge between Commissioners from both Parties during which the care of the War was not neglected on either side the King endeavouring to bring over some Forces from the Duke of Lorrain and some Irish to his Assistance and by his Letters to the Lord Lieutenant to make a Peace with the Rebels or at least to continue the Cessation for a year and to promise and grant them the free Exercise of the Romish Religion assuring them that if by their Assistance he could but finish his War in
from declared Enemies I am none of King Henry's Deputy I am his Mortal Foe I have more mind to Conquer than to Govern to meet him in the Field than to serve him as an Officer if all the Hearts in England and Ireland who have cause fol to do would joyn in this quarrel as I hope they will they would soon make him repent his Tyranny and Cruelty for which the Ages to come may justly Register him amongst the most Barbarous Tyrants of Abominable and Hateful Memory The Lord Chancellor taking Lord Thomas by the hand requested him for the love of God to hear a few words and then made a most Passionate Oration accompanied with many Tears to disswade him from this rash Enterprize but all in vain for Lord Thomas thus proceeded It is very easie for the sound to give Counsel to the Sick if the Case were yours you would be as impatient it may be as I as you require me to Honour my Prince so Duty binds me to Reverence my Parents therefore he that Tyrannically designs to kill my innocent Father and threatens my Destruction I will never acknowledge to be my King if as you intimate I happen to miscarry I had rather dye valiantly and at Liberty than live under Henry in Slavery and Bondage With these words delivering up the Sword he flung away like a Madman and assembling all the Irish he could get together they committed several Outrages and Mischiefs and Scizing upon Alen Arch-Bishop of Dublin his Old Enemy his followers murdered him At length after many Skirmishes he was by the Lord Deputy Gray perswaded to submit himself to the King and going to England was committed to the Tower Orders being sent to Ireland for apprehending his five Uncles who were all Seized namely James Walter Oliver John and Richard Fitz Gerald though two of them always opposed their Nephews Proceedings but King Henry being incensed against them because he was informed that as long as any Geraldine breathed in the Countrey he could never Conquer it resolved to be rid of them all Thus were the Five Brethren Sailing to England some comforting themselves with the Kings Mercy and others with their own Innocency when Richard Fitz-Gerald who was more Bookish than the rest chanced to ask the Master what the Name of his Ship was who answering it was called the Cow nay then good Brethren quoth he I utterly despair of our return to Ireland for I remember I have heard an Old Prophecy that Five Brethren to an Earl should be carryed into England in the Belly of a Cow and never come back again At which words the rest began to howl and Lament in a grievous manner which seemed very strange to the Spectators that Five such Valiant Gentlemen should be so disturbed at an Old Prophecy However what he foretold proved true for they no sooner arrived but Thomas Fitz-Gerald was Executed at Tower-Hill and the Five Brethren Hanged and Quartered at Tyburn the Old Earl of Kildare died for grief in the Tower and Gerald the Younger Brother of Thomas flying out of Ireland Travelled many Forreign Countries and at length Died at Naples Soon after the Lord Deputy Gray was Beheaded on Tower-Hill being accused for holding Correspondence with the Fitz-Geralds though many thought him Innocent thereof In the Three and Thirtieth of King Henry the Eight the Title of King of Ireland was by a Parliament setled upon him and his Successors for ever whereas before they were only called Lords of Ireland During the short Reigns of King Edward the Sixth and Queen Mary our Chronicles relate little of any Transactions in Ireland In 1566. The Seventh of Queen Elizabeth for the great Fame of her Wisdom Donald Mac Carti More a great Potentate of Ireland came and delivered up into her hands all his ample Territories which she restored to him again and in requital created him Earl of Glencare giving him many Presents and paying the expence of his Voyage In 1570 O Brian Earl of Thomond not brooking the severe Government of Edward Fitton President of Connaught entered into a Conspiracy which being ready to break forth was strangely discovered For the day before they meant to take up Arms Fitton knowing nothing of it sent word to the Earl in a friendly manner that the next day he and some of his Friends would come and dine with him the Earl having a guilty Conscience thought his designs were revealed and that Fitton would rather come as an Enemy than a Guest Whereupon he presently fled to France where he confessed the whole to Queen Elizabeths Ambassador by whose Intercession he was afterwards pardoned and restored Four years after Sir Henry Sydney Lord Deputy going into Ulster several Irish Grandees submitted themselves and were received into favour In 1583 the famous Rebel Gerald Fitz-Gerald the eleventh Earl of Desmond of this Family having a long time escaped the English in his lurking places was now discovered by a Common Souldier in a poor Cottage and there slain his Head was sent into England and set upon London-bridge This end had this great Lord who possessed whole Countreys and had at least five hundred Gentlemen of his own Name and Race all whom and his own Life also he lost within three years very few of his Family being left alive And this disaster he fell into by being Trayterous to his Prince at the instigation of certain Popish Priests of whom the chief was one Nicholas Sanders an Englishman who at the same time died miserably of Famine for running mad upon his ill success he wandred up and down the Mountains finding nothing to sustain him In 1558 the Bourks raised a Rebellion the Irish declaring they would have one of that Family rule over them or some other Lord out of Spain neither could they be quieted till the President of Connaughts Brother following them into the Woods drove away five thousand head of their Cattel so that after forty days half starved they came forth and submitted themselves But the President understanding that about this time two thousand Scotch Islanders were landed and joined with the Irish and ready to break into Connaught he musters up his Men to give them Battel but they flying to Bogs and Woods he retires back as though in fear thereby to draw them to the firm ground and then set upon them with his whose force slaying three thousand which was all their number except fourscore by which notable Victory the insolent attempts of the Scotch Islanders were wholly crushed In 1590. Hugh Cavelock so called because he had been so long kept in Fetters the Son of Chan O Neal accused Hugh Earl of Tyrone for holding correspondence with the Spaniards in 88. who to prevent the accusation took a Cord and with his own hands strangled Hugh For which being sent for over he was pardoned upon Condition of future obedience and reducing the Countrey to Civility After this Mac-Mahon a potentate of Ireland compelled those under him to
afforded none at all for a long time though the Fryars in their white Habits went in Solemn Procession and threw Holy Water therein It would be almost endless to give a particular account of all the Detestable Cruelties and Murders acted by these incarnate Devils upon the Innocent English of whom they destroyed near three Hundred Thousand in a few Months being chiefly Animated thereto by their Villainous Priests upon the account of their Religion and therefore they often declared their Despight to the Bible as being directly contrary to their Cursed Principles and Practices In one place they burnt two English Bibles saying It was Hell Fire they burnt They laid another in a puddle of Water and then stamping on it said a Plague on it This Bible hath bred all the quarrel A Rebel perswaded a Man and his Wife to joyn with them in the Massacre who protested that rather than they would forsake their Religion they would dye upon the Sword 's point he would then have had the Woman burn her Bible but she refused saying she would rather dye than do it Whereupon they were both cruelly Murthered they Murthered Mr. Bingham a Famous Minister and cutting off his Head put a Gag in his Mouth and laying the leaf of a Bible before him bid him Preach saying his Mouth was open and wide enough During these horrid Barbarities there were several Indications of Divine Displeasure apparent in divers places the truth of which was sworn to and affirmed by Witnesses of Credit and Reputation As in the Province of Munster near the Silver Works where while the Rebels were Massacring a great number of Protestant Men Women and Children on the Lords Day Afternoon a most Loud and Dreadful Noise and Storm of Thunder Lightning Wind Hailstones and Rain happened though it was fair all the Day before which much affrighted the Murtherers themselves who confess it to be a sign of Gods Anger against them for their Bloody Cruelty At Portnedown Bridge where so many thousand Protestants were drowned the remaining Inhabitants were so Terrified with the noise of Spirits and Visions for Revenge that they durst not continue thereabout and some of the Rebels themselves said to others that the Blood of some of those that were knockt on the Head and afterward drowned in this River remained on the Bridge and could not be washt away There appeared sometimes Men sometimes Women Breast high in the River with Hands lifted up crying out with fearful Schreicks and Voices Revenge Revenge Revenge and it was not long ere Divine Justice overtook them Many thousands of the most Notorious Murtherers who perished by the Sword and Plague that followed it so that it was computed that in a few years scarce any of these Miscreants remained alive but were sent to their own place to give an account of their Tremendous Brutalities The King having made a Truce with the Scots who were entred with an Army into England to demand the Redress of their Grievances and the Forces on both sides being Disbanded he made a Journey into Scotland in the beginning of August 1641. and continued there till the latter end of October when this Horrid Rebellion happened Owen O Covally the first Discoverer of the Plot brought the first Letters to London and received as a Reward 500 l. in Money and an Annuity of 200 l. a year and presently the Parliament provided for the Relief of Ireland and the Lords of the Council and the Lords Justices there had with the Arms that were in Dublin Armed many well-affected Gentlemen and several Active Commanders were sent out of the City to defend the adjoyning Places from the Approach of the Rebels at which time the Parliament sent over Twenty Thousand Pounds for a present supply but could not relieve them with any Forces till December following when Sir Simon Harcourt Arrived with Seasonable Supplies of men and money and Raised the Seige of Drogheda which had been much straitned by Sir Phelim O Neal and the Rebels and the English recovered Dundalk Neury and several other Towns and Castles out of their Hands But though the Rebellion brake out in October 23. Yet the King who was now returned from Scotland did not proclaim them Rebels till Jan. 1. following and then gave strict Command that only 40 Proclamations should be printed and that none of them should be Published without the Kings Express Order which the Parliament among other things afterwards Taxed him with Who Replyed thereto That he was unwilling to make the Irish Desperate and utterly undoe his Protestant Subjects who were then too weak to withstand so Potent a Rebellion and that the Lords Justices of Ireland required only 20 as many of themselves well knew Yet this proceeding unhappily increased the Jealousies that began to arise between the King and his English Parliament because it was publickly discourst that it had not been done at all but that some Worthy Protestant Lords had earnestly advised him to proclaim them speedily that a better course might be taken against them and to wash off that foul Stain from himself by prosecuting severely those wicked Villains who reported every where That they had Authority from the King to Seise upon the Holds of the English Protestants that they were the Queens Souldiers and rise to maintain the Kings Prerogative against the Puritan Parliament of England That they told the poor Protestants it was for no purpose to fly for safety into England for that Kingdom would be as much distrest as theirs and that the King intended to forsake his Parliament in England and make War against them and that then they would come over having done their their Work in Ireland and help the King against his English Parliament The Lords therefore advised him by all means to purge himself of these Accusations than which there could not be greater on Earth Soon after the Earl of Leicester was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the Earl of Strafford being Beheaded some time before at Tower Hill But the Relief of that Bleeding Kingdom was much obstructed by the wide Breaches which daily happened between the King and the Parliament particularly upon his going Jan. 4. Attended with 300 Armed Gentlemen into the H. of Commons and Demanding 5 Members to be delivered him which the Parliament declared to be An High Breach of their Priviledges a great Scandal to the King and his Government a Seditious Act manifestly tending to the Subversion of the Peace and an Injury and Dishonour to the said Members there being no Legal charge or accusation against them and that there could be no Vindication of those Priviledges unless his Majesty would discover the Names of those who advised him to such unlawful Courses After this the Parliament considered of a Bill for Pressing Souldiers to be sent out of Scotland to Ireland as being near but the King excepted against it while it lay in the House of Lords as a Diminution to his Prerogative Whereupon the Parliament in
England he would Abrogate those Laws made against the Papists there He gave thanks likewise to Muskeny Plumket and others of that party promising a Pardon for all that was past But they were much troubled at the Treaty of Peace with the Parliament being sensible that one necessary condition thereof must be the Vigorous Prosecution of the War in Ireland The King to remove this fear writ to the Lord Lieutenant that he could not refuse to make a Peace with his Parliament only upon the account of those Irish it being a point not Popular Yet from that consideration the Lieutenant might raise an Advantage to hasten a Peace with them it letting them know their own Danger by being Excluded from all Hope of Pardon from the Parliament For saith he if we agree upon all other conditions it will not be convenient for me to disagree only concerning those Irish Therefore let them take what I offer while time is and hasten the Peace and when once my Faith is passed no Human force shall make me break it The Queen also being then in France writing to her Husband seemed to grieve much that at Uxbridge they were to Treat of Religion in the first place assuring him That if any thing severe against the Catholicks should be concluded and yet a â—eace not be made the King could not hope for any Assistance from the Catholick Princes or from the Irish who must needs think that after they had done their best they should at last be forsaken And often intreats the King that he would never forsake the Catholicks who had faithfully served him in the Wars c. The Commissioners met at Uxbridge but nothing at all was concluded at that Treaty so that the War must decide it in pursuance whereof both Parties strengthen themselves with fresh Forces and the Kings Army was very formidable but not content with so great a power of English Souldiers he seemed more earnest than before to get over the Irish he had committed the Business to Ormond to make an Absolute Peace but perceiving their Demands were too High so that nothing was effected he now imployed the Earl of Clamorgan Son to the Marquess of Worcester a zealous Papist and therefore more acceptable with the Rebels giving him full power to make a Peace and indulge to the Irish whatever might seem needful and this was Transacted so secretly that both the Lord Lieutenant Ormond and the Lord Digby Secretary of Ireland were ignorant thereof till it was afterward Discovered and made publick But the King finding it difficult to make such a Peace as would bring him certain Assistance otherwise that he might throw all that Envy upon Glamorgan impowred him unknown to the rest For so the Rebels sweetned with large promises unknown to Ormond might the better admit of Conditions just in shew and openly excusable and the King might draw from Ireland such Souldiers as would more firmly adhere to his side and whom he might trust as being the greatest haters of the English Protestants and dispairing of Pardon against the Parliament of England He therefore gave Letters of Authority to Glamorgan in these words Charles by the Grace of God King of England c. Defender of the Faith to our Trusty and well beloved Cosen Edward Earl of Glamorgan Greeting Being confident of your Wisdom and Fidelity We do by these Letters as if under our Great Seal grant unto you full power and authority to Treat with the Confederate Roman Catholicks in Ireland and to indulge them all those things which necessity shall require and which we cannot so Comodiously do by our Lieutenant nor our self publickly own at present Therefore We Command that you do this Businese with as much Secrecy as can be Whatsoever you shall think fit to be promised in my Name that I do attest upon the word of a King and a Christian to grant to those Confederate Catholicks who by their Assistance have abundantly shewed their zeal to us and our Cause Given at Oxford under our Royal Seal March 12. and 20 year of our Reign In pursuance of these Powers the Earl of Glamorgan assured the King He would Land 6000 Irish Papists in May following in Wales and with the Transport Ships block up Melford Haven having already to advance the same thirty thousand pound in Money 1000 Musquets 2000 Case of Pistols 800. Barrels of Powder besides his own Artillery and a certainty of 30000 l. more The K. likewise obliged the Earl of Antrim to joyn with the Marquess of Montross then in Arms in Scotland who ingaged to send 10000 Irish thither from Ireland where the passage was shortestito assist him but was very deficient therein being scarce able to send 1200 thither In 1644. the Parliament ordered the Arraignment of the Lord Macguire and Collonel Mahon who were Seised at Dublin the Night before the Discovery of the Rebellion there and had been in the Town ever since They were now brought to their Tryal at the Kings Bench Bar at Westminster where Macguire insisted much upon his Peerage but was over ruled and both found Guilty of High Treason by a Jury of Middlesex Gentlemen and executed at Tyburn In 1646. the Lord Lieutenant endeavoured to make the Cessation with the Irish a kind of a Peace which they condescended to upon the following Propositions 1. That the Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion should be in Dublin and Drogheda and in the Kingdom of Ireland as free as in Paris and Brussels 2. That the Privy Council of Ireland consist of Members True and Faithful to his Majesty and who have been Enemies to the Parliament 3. That Dublin Drogheda Trim Newry Cathirly Carlingford and all Protestant Garrisons be Manned by the Confederate Catholicks to keep the same for the use of the King and Defence of the Kingdom 4. That the said Councellors Generals Commanders and Souldiers do Swear and Ingage to fight against the Parliament of England and all the Kings Enemies and that they will never come to any Agreement with them to the prejudice of His Majesties Rights and and the Kingdoms 5. That both Parties according to their Oath of Association shall to the best of their power and cunning defend the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom the Kings Rights and Liberties of the Subject This Peace was kept by some of the moderate Papists but was ill Resented both by the Parliament of England and the Popes Nuncio who infiuenced the most Serious Papists To put a stop to which the Parliament sent 2000 Men from Chester under Colonel George Monk with 3 Commissioners to the Lord Lieutenant at Dublin who refused to Deliver the City to them without the Kings Command So that after having Treated the Commissioners the English Forces were again Imbarqued and Landed at Belfast in Ireland whereby they did very good Service against O Neal and his Fellow Rebels who had of late been too Successful against the Protestants On the other side the Nuncio's Party
were so Elevated with the Hopes of shaking off the English Yoak neither of the two Kingdoms being now in a Capacity to Relieve Ireland that the Romish Clergy thundered out Excommunication against any that should Acquiesce in the said Peace and Agreement and with an Army of 17000 Horse and Hoot resolved to Besiege Dublin which so startled the Protestants that the Lord Lieutenant was obliged to Resume the former Treaty with the Parliaments Commissioners and the King finding that all his Secret Transactions with the Earl of Glamorgan were Discovered by the Letters taken at Nasâ—by Fight to the great Disgust of the People in general and that all the Assurance he had from the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Digby were Disappointed by the Falsness and Treachery of the Rebels He though with much Reluctancy consented that all manner of Treaty with the Enemy should cease the Earl of Glamorgan being for a pretence Imprisoned the Lord Lieutenant being prest with the Danger of a Seige from the Roman Catholick Confederates in 1647. Delivered up Dublin to the Parliaments Commissioners he having Articled for his passing freely to the King on whom he waited while the Army carryed him about and afterwards put him to Death and from thence passed to France from whence about September 16â—8 The Cathedral Confederates dreading a Storm from England by Letters to the King had importuned him to send for the said Marquess of Ormond late Lord Lieutenant and ordered him to return again into Ireland upon their Ingagement and Protestation of Plenary Submission to his Majesties Authority and to him as his Lieutenant as being the only proper Person for that Imployment The Marquess accordingly undertook it and making an agreement with the Lord Inchequeen and his Forces and likewise with those of the Marquess of Clan-riccard and the Earl of Castlehaven and the Confederate Catholicks who had proclaimed the Nuncio's Party Rebels and Traytors being all joyned under his Command they designed to Reduce Dublin then possest by the Parliaments Forces but differences soon arose about the Exercise of the Popish Religion and upon points of Command whereby Owen O Neal that had a considerable Party of Irish was Disobliged who thereupon makes an agreement with Collonel Monk in the Name of the Parliament though they afterwards disclaimed it but acknowledged his Faithfulness and Well-meaning therein by a Vote of Parliament considering how odious it would be to have Assistance from Irish Rebels However he Aided them all he could and releived London-Derry then Besieged by the Confederate Forces At length the Marquess of Ormond comes before Dublin with his Army and obliges Collonel Jones the Governor who had drawn out some of the Garrison to interrupt them to retire into the City which was indifferently Fortified and plentifully Mann'd both with Horse and Foot and therefore he durst not venture his Army upon a Desparate Assault since the Garrisons of Drogheda and Trim lay so convenient to Attempt upon them Commanded by Collâ—nel Monk and O Neal So that the Marquess wanting Money and Provisions and the English and Irish Forces Murmuring against each other he was almost resolved to have Marched away but O Neals Party being soon after Defeated and a Convoy of Arms and Ammunition which were sent him by Collonel Monk being taken by the Lord Inchequeen Drogheda was Surrendred together with Dundalk the Garrison Compelling Collonel Monk to deliver it and the Souldiers took up Arms for the King the Garrison of Trim was soon after taken from the Parliament after which the Lord Inchequeen brings up his Forces now much increased to Assist the Marquess at the Siege of Dublin who Designed to shut up the Garrison within their works and hinder them from getting Forrage or to graze their Cattel without the Line which was drawn round the Town The Besieged perceiving the Danger of being thus closely confined whereby they would have been prevented of all Succour both from Land and Sea and knowing the Marquesss want of Horse to Guard the New Forts resolved by a desperate Sally to disturb them which they made accordingly Aug. 2. 1649. about 8 in the Morning with 1200 Foot and 4000 Horse and finding the New Fortification slight and the Resistance weak they soon were Masters of it from whence seeing the Irish fly in great Disorder they contrary to the first intentions pursued the Besiegers even to the Avenues of their Camp and being Animated by Collonel Jones their Governor who had newly received a Supply of 3000 Men from England they fell with such fury upon the whole Army at Rachmines consisting of 19000 Men that in a short time they put them to the Rout killing 4000 on the place and making 2517 Prisoners many of them Persons of quality taking all their Cannon and a Rich Camp to reward the Souldiers Most of the Lord Inchequeens Foot that at first made some Resistance seeing the Day lost changed sides and joyned with the Parliaments Forces All this was done in so short a space and with so little noise that the Lord Dillon and the rest of the Marquess's Forces on the other side the River Liffy knew nothing of it till some run-aways brought the News the Irish making such hast home in so pannick a fear that the Lord Lieutenant could not possibly rally them and therefore fled with a considerable Perty to Kilkenny and there endeavoured to draw together as many of his Dispersed Troops as possible with which he speeds away to Trim and Drogheda where he had notice that Oliver Cromwell the Parliaments General was Landed with considerable Forces upon on which he put a Garrison of 300 Horse and 2500 Foot into Drogheda which was thought sufficient and having furnisht it with what Provisions he was able and made Sir Arthur Aston Governor went from thence to Trim and Terrogan About this time London-Derry possest by the Parliament and Besieged by Ormonds Forces was relieved and the Siege Raised and not long after a Ship from Spain brought the Plague into Galloway whereof a great number of the Irish dyed Cromwell having refresht his Men at Dublin Marches to Besiege Drogheda and made himself Master of it in a little time after a stout Resistance from the Garrison putting most of the Officers and every Tenth Souldier to the Sword to terrifie others from making Opposition against his Victorious Arms Sir Arthur Afton and several other principal Officers and Gentlemen with near 3000 Souldiers being Slain after this Cromwell Besieges the Town of Wexford and soon reduced it even before the Lord Lieutenants Eyes with the loss of 2000 of the Irish upon this the Marquess makes an Agreement with Owen O Neal whereby the Ulster Army were to joyn with his under the Command of Luke Taaf who was made Governor of Ross but soon forced to surrender it to General Cromwell after which the Garrisons of Bandon-Bridge Yough-Hall Cork Kingsale and all the English Towns in Munster declared for the Parliament and Cromwell marched to
Court had given them timely notice to conceal them so that not above 150 Arms were found among all the Papists in Ireland they hiding them in Boggs and other secret places without any Damage the Lord Brittas and others escaped into France the Earl of Tyrone was committed to the Gate-House Talbot since Tyrconnel with his Brother the Popish Archbishop were imprisoned in Dublin Castle where the last dyed The Duke of York was sent to Flanders and all things appeareâ—â— so discouraging that an Irish Lord swore a greaâ—â— Oath that he believed Jesus Christ was a Protestant for that nothing they could do did prosper The Parliament of England were very busie in searching into the bottom of the Popish Conspiracy and found many Great Persons concerned therein several Papists were executed for the same but still the Court endeavoured by all manner of Arts to obstruct any further Discoveries the Duke of Yorks Interest still prevailing who was come from Flanders but upon the sitting of the Parliament was obliged to go to Scotland from whence he sent private Encouragements to the Irish Papists not to despair of retrieving all again But the English there were very secure as judging themselves happy under the peaceable Government of the D. of Ormond and their Interest in Ireland seemed more firm than ever because they were of Opinion that this late Conspiracy of the Irish would prevent the Kings shewing them any kindness for the future the Lord Lieutenant likewise procured a Grant for calling a Parliament there the News whereof so alarm'd the Duke of York that he came with all speed from Scotland to prevent it which he likewise effected and the Irish afterward boldly affirmed That there would be no Parliament till the Duke came to the Crown which they seemed to believe would be very shortly and accordingly the Death of King Charles the II. happened in February 1684. following which still remains a Mystery though the Papists in Ireland for some time before could fix upon the utmost period of his Life And now the long looken for day was come which so Transported them after all the Dangers and Difficulties they had met with that they could hardly contain their joys within any bounds So soon as King Charles II. was Dead the Duke of Ormond was removed from the Government of Ireland and upon his Arrival in England found King James inclined to such violent Courses as it is thought broke his Heart he dying soon after Before his going he called his Officers of his Army together and taking a glass of Wine in his Hand Look here Gentlemen says he they say at Court I am now become an old Doting Fool you see my Hand doth not shake nor does my Heart fail nor doubt I but I shall make some of them see their mistake The Lord Primate and the Lord Granard were now made Lords Justices of Ireland but the dayly reported insolencies of their Irish Nobility and Gentry as well as the Commonalty soon made them weary of their Government For they repaired in great Numbers to Dublin and in all places reproached and abused the English with the most impious Calumnies and Reflections and those that refused to drink Confusion to all Protestants and their Religion were seised with Warrants and threatned to be Murthered The Defeat of the Duke of Monmouth in 1685. heightned their Rage more and made them Contrive Hellish Plots against the Lives and Estates of the Protestants under the pretence that they designed to Massacre the Irish though they themselves knew too well that such an Horrid Attempt was as impossible as Ridiculous if any should have been so Villainous to have contrived it since in the most parts of the Kingdom the Irish were vastly more numerous than the English nay in some Countries an 100 Families for one After this Tyrconnel began to Model the Army and Disarm the Protestants upon pretence that Monmoths Rebellion had infected many aad might delude more in that Kingdom and the Irish declared that if any Arms were found in the Protestants Hands they would be judged Persons Disaffected to the King and his Government which so affrighted many that they brought in their own Arms and delivered them up to the Papists After which Tyrconnel went to England accompanyed with one Neagle a cunning Irish Lawyer who published an account of the injustice of the Act of Settlement reflecting with all manner of Invectives against King Charles II. But matters being not ripe enough in England King James did not think it convenient to propose Tyrconnel for Lord Lieutenant at present and therefore it was contrived by the Popish Cabal that the Earl of Clarendon should go over Lord Lieutenant and Tyrconnel Lieutenant General of the Army When the Earl arrived there the English were much Discouraged because of his Relation to the King but their Hopes were extreamly revived when they found him acting with inviolable Integrity to the Protestant The Irish Grandees were very little concern'd at it proceeding still with all violence in ruining the Protestants Interest and animating their vassals with hopes that he would soon be removed the Irish Composing Barbarous Songs in praise of Tyrconnel and that his Heroick Hand should Destroy the English Church They declared publickly That they liked no Government but that of France and that they would make King James as Absolute as King Lewis that they would shortly have the English Churches and Houses and if they suffered them to live would make them Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water That Ireland must be a Catholick Country and that they would make the English as poor Devils as when they came first thither And of this they were so confident that the most Serious amongst them privately advised their Protestant Friends to change their Religion For said they you will be forced to do it in a while and if you delay a little time it may be too late and perhaps you may not be accepted for no Protestant must expect to enjoy any thing in this Kingdom and we resolve to reduce all things to the State they were in before Poinings Act in King Henry 7 time Yea King James himself and his followers use to say That the Irish must be restored to their former Power Estates and Religion in that Kingdom and when the English Objected that their proceedings were Arbitrary and against Law they called them Traytors Crying Damn your Laws it is the Kings Pleasure it should be so and you are all a company of Rebels because you are not of the Kings Religion and will not own his Will and Pleasure to be above all Laws But the English Roman Catholicks were not so confident of their Game so that a general meeting of the chief of them at the Savoy before Father Peters they seemed very doubtful of the Kings Capacity or willingness to expose himself to the hazard of securing the Catholick Religion in his Reign considering his Age and the almost insurmountable difficulties
the rest of that Nation were always reckoned Aliens and absolute Enemies so that from Hen. II. to Hen. VIII none were admitted to be Subjects or received any benefit by the English Laws but such as purchased Charters of Denization and it was no Capital Offence to kill any of them since the Laws did neither protect their lives nor Revenge their Deaths so that living in the Bogs and Woods on the Mountains they upon all occasions declared their Malice and Hatred against the English Colonies planted near them However the English were still Owners and Possessors of the Kingdom and kept themselves almost Entire for the first Hundred years after their Arrival not suffering the Irish to live promiscuously among them but by an High Hand Kept them in due Obedience and Subjection to the Crown of England and when they afterwards grew more careless and intermingled among them whereby the english learnt their beastly Manners and Customs there were very severe Laws made against them so that in the Reign of King Edward III. It was declared High Treason to Marry with the Irish or to let them Nurse their Children and to use the Irish Language Names or Apparel was made a Premunire that is to lose their Estates and be perpetually imprisoned And though in after Ages the English endeavoured to Civilize the People and introduce the English Laws Language Habit and Customs among them thereby to reduce them to Civility yet such was their Rough Rebellious Disposition and their implacable Malice to the English that nothing could Attemper or Reduce them to any Tolerable patience or perswade them to live peaceably among them So that in all times as well when they were admitted into the Condition of Subjects as while they were Esteemed and Treated as Enemies they took all Advantages most perfidiously to rise up and imbrue their Hands in the Blood of their English Neighbours and Ireland hath long continued a true Aceldama or Field of Blood and a dismal Sepulchre for the English Nation for after their intermixing with the Irish they Barbarouslâ— Degenerated into their Manners and Customs inso much that-by their intestine Broils and the Mischievous Attempts of the Irish upon them the English from their first Access to Ireland till the Reign of Queen Elizabeth being above 380 years had no setled Peace nor Comfortable Subsistance amongst them but were in such perpetual Troubles and so over-worn with misery that they could scarce Survive the Universal Calamity that over-spread the face of the whole Kingdom Whereupon that excellent Queen in the beginning of her Reign out of her Pious Intentions and Affections to her People took care to Redress these Disorders and sending over Prudent and Religious Governors made a great Reformation by many good Laws Enacted against the Barbarous Customs of the Irish and for the Execution of Justice throughout the Countrey which were reduced into Shires and Sheriffs and others Ministers of Justice placed in them and the High Powers Usurpations and Extortions of the Irish were Restramed and several Destructive Customs Repressâ—d The two Presidential Courts of Munster and Connaught were then Instituted and special Order taken for Free Schools to be Erected for Educating Youth throughout the Kingdom But these and other Courses for the Advancement of True Religion and Civility were Highly Disagreeable to the loose Humours of the Natives who pretended the English Government was Insupportable and began Desperately to struggle for their Liberty several Plots were laid some by those who were of the Old English by Extraction and divers Rebellions and petty Revolts happened during that Queens Reign which she timely Supprest either by Force and Favour often Renewing her kindness to them upon their continued provocations Restoring some Rebellious Lords to their Forfeited Estates and Commands and Bestowing New Titles of Honour upon others But all was in vain the Malignant impressions of Irreligion and Barbarism Transmitted from their Ancestors either by Infusion or Natural Generation had so irrefragably Stiffened their Necks and hardened their Hearts that they still retained all their wicked Customs and Inclinations without change in their Affections or Manners having their Eyes inflamed and their minds inraged with Rancor and Revenge against the English Nation breathing forth nothing but their Ruine Destruction and â—tter Extirpation and resolving at once to Disburthen the whole Kingdom and their Posterity of them and deliver themselves from their Subjection to the Crown of England a desperate Rebellion was raised by the Earl of Tyrone who had received Titles of Honour from the Queen a Command of Horse and Foot great proportions of Land and other Favours which he now ingratefully Cancell'd ingaging most of the Irish and some English Degenerate Families in his Treacherous Designs and likewise calling in some Foreign Forces to his Assistance The Queen perceiving that no Obligations would secure the Irish Loyalty Resolved to Reduce them by Force which was done in a short time and Tyrone brought upon his Knees though not without the Expence of much English Blood above a Million of Money the Country miserably wasted and a general Desolation and Famine over-spreading the Land King James at his first coming to the Crown conceiving that the powerful Conjunction of England and Scotland would overcome the Irish and contain them in their due Obedience resolved not to take any Advantage of these Forfeitures and great Confiscations which he was most justly Intituled to by Tyrones Rebellion but restored all the Natives to the entire possession of their own Lands After which for six years the Countrey was indifferent quiet when Tyrone made a second Insurrection and drew in the whole Province of Ulster who were absolutely at his Devotion to joyn with him but his Plot failed him for not finding himself in a Capacity to Resist the English Forces he fled into Spain promising speedily to return with Forreign Succors but by the care of the Government this Designed Rebellion was quell'd in the beginning and Tyrone never came back After which King James being justly provoked by the High Ingratitude of these Traytors caused their Persons to be Attainted and their Lands to be Seized and Distributed them among Brittish Undertakers many of whom came over and Setled in the Province of Ulster with their Families and Built several good Towns and Castles in divers parts of the Country whereby much Civility was introduced and the whole Kingdom began to Flourish in Costly Buildings and all manner of Improvements and the very Irish seemed to be much satisfied with the Peace and Tranquillity they enjoyed King Charles the I. was no less Indulgent to them for in 1640. upon the Complaint and Remonstrance sent him from both Houses of Parliament then Sitting at Dublin Representing the Heavy Pressures they had suffered under the Government of the E. of Strafford he made present Provision for their Redress Constituting Sir William Parsons and Sir John Burlace Lords Justices of that Kingdom who declared against the late proceedings
Voted the Restoration of K. Charles II. and upon notice thereof the like was done in Ireland and several of the most Eminent of that Nation were upon the Kings Arrival at White Hall sent by the Convention to wait upon him in the Name of that Kingdom with a tender of their Allegiance and a Present of 4000 l. to the Duke of York and soon after the King was proclaimed and universally acknowledged throughout the Kingdom But it was not long ere the great Inclinations to the Popish Partie in Ireland were made apparent in the Court of England and several Disputes arose about the Settlement of that Kingdom which were Debated before the King and Council where the Lord Chief Justice Santry in an Excellent Speech Represented to the Board the Horrid Rebellion of 1641. with the Barbarous and Inhuman Massacres which he had been eye witness of In Opposition to which Sir Nich. Plunchel one of the Popes Knights endeavoured to defend the Irish but so weakly having a bad Cause to Manage that the Lord Santry clearly carryed the point in the Judgment of the Auditors he desiring that they might be Tryed by the Common Law where they would meet with a fair and indifferent Tryal by Juties of their Neighbours and thereby could have no wrong done them But the King having Dissolved the Convention and called a Parliament in Ireland he prevailed so much upon them that an Act of Settlement was pressed and a Court of Claims thereby erected who were to Determine all Differences between the English and Irish Proprietars of the Lands there and to declare who were Nocent and who Innocent Papists These Commissioners being Nominated by the King he had so great an influence over them that they commonly gave their Opinions according to his Direction which was oftentimes very favourable to the Irish Rebels particularly in the Case of the Earl of Antrim one of the chief of them as by the following Letter to 〈◊〉 of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant and the Privy Council there doth appear CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and well beloved Cousins and Counsellors c. We greet you well How far we have been from interposing on the behalf of any of our Irish Subjects who by their miscarriages in the late Rebellion in that Kingdom of Ireland had made themselves unworthy of our Grace and Protection is notorious to all Men and we were so jealous in that particular that shortly after our return into this our Kingdom when the Marquess of Antrim came hither to present his Duty to us upon the Information we received from those Persons who then attended us by a Deputation from our Kingdom of Ireland or from those who at that time owned our Authority there that the Marquess of Antrim had so misbehaved himself towards us and our late Royal Father of Blessed Memory that he was in no degree worthy of the least Countenance from us and that they had manifest and unquestionable Evidence of such his Guilt Whereupon we refuse to admit the said Marquess so much as into our Presence but on the contrary committed him Prisoner to our Tower of London where after he had continued several Months under a strict restraint upon the continued Information of the said Persons we sent him into Ireland without interposing the least on his behalf but left him to undergo such a Trial and Punishment as by the Justice of that our Kingdom should be found due to his Crime expecting still that some heinous Matter would be objected and proved against him to make him uncapable and to deprive him of that Favour and Protection from us which we know his former Actions and Services had Meritest After many Months attendance there and wâ—presume after such Examinations as were requisite he was at last dismissed without any Censure and without any transmission of Charge against him to us and with a Licence to Transport himself into this Kingdom We concluded that it was then time to give him some instance of our Favour and to remember the many Services he had done and the Sufferings he had undergone for his Affections and Fidelity to our Royal Father and our Self and that it was time to redeem him from those Calamities which yet do lye as heavy upon him fince as before our happy Return And thereupon we recommended him to you our Lieutenant that you should move our Council there for preparing a Bill to be Transmitted to us for the Re-investing him the said Marquess in the possession of his Estate in that our Kingdom as had been done in some other Cases To which Letter you our said Lieutenant returned us answer That you had informed our Council of that our Letter and that you were upon consideration thereof unanimously of Opinion that such a Bill ought not to be transmitted to us the Reason whereof would forthwith be presented to us from our Council After which time we received the inclosed Petition from the said Marquess which we referred to the Considerations and Examinations of the Lords of our Privy Council whose Names are mentioned in that our Reference which is annexed to the said Petition who thereupon met together and after having heard the Marquess of Antrim did not think to make any Report to us till they might see and understand the Reasons which induced you not to transmit the Bill we had proposed which Letter was not then come to our Hands After which time we have received your Letter of the 18th of March together with several Petitions which had been presented to you as well from the Old Soldiers and Adventurers as from the Lady Marchioness of Antrim all which we likewise transmitted to the Lords Referees Upon a second Petition presented to us by Lord Marquess which is here likewise enclosed commanding our said Referees to take the same into their serious consideration and to hear what the Petitioner had to offer in his own Vindication and to report the whole matter to us upon a third Petition herein likewise inclosed we required them to expedite with what speed they could By which deliberate Proceedings of ours you cannot but observe that no Importunity how just soever could prevail with us to bring our self to a Judgment in this Affair without very ample Information Our said Referees after several Meetings and perusal of what had been offered to them by the said Marquess have reported unto us That they have seen several Letters all of them the Hand-writing of our Royal Father to the said Marquess and several Instructions concerning his Treating and Joining with the Irish in order to the King's Service by reducing to their Obedience and by drawing some Forces from them for the Service of Scotland That besides the Letters and Orders under his Majesty's Hand they have received sufficient Evidence and Testimony of several private Messages and Directions sent from our Royal Father and from our Royal Mother with the Privity and with the Directions of the King our Father by which they
Case as it stands flated in those Letters is the true State of his his Case As to the first we find that the Lords of his Majesties Privy Council by their Letters of Dec. 19. 1660. directed to the Justices of this Kingdom signified that the Marquess of Antrim then Prisoner in the Tower of London Petitioned His Majesty to be heard as to his being Criminal in the Aspersing the Memory of the late King our Soveraign and their Lordships by these Letters required the Justices with all convenient speed to send their Lordships Authentick Copies of all Papers whatsoever under his own Hand or any other which may any way relate to the said Marquess his being guilty of so foul a Crime as the Defaming his late Majesty and that the Justices should cause all such Witnesses reside in this Kingdom who can alledge any thing to the proving thereof to be examined and the Examinations to be returned to their Lordships attested by us and the Justices appointed to take the same and in pursuance of those Letters the Justices caused a Commission to issue under his Majesties Great Seal to several Persons some of them Members of this Board and some of His Majesties Judges and some of his Learned Council to call before them and examine Witnesses upon Oath concerning the Lord of Antrims Aspersing the Memory of his late Majesty That those Commissioners having examined several Witnesses and returned their examinations to the Justices with their Letters of Feb. 20. 1660. directed to the Lords of his Majesties Privy Council Transmitted the same to their Lordships That March 29. 1661. it was ordered by his Majesty in Council that in order to a farther proceeding here against the Lord Antrim the Examinations and other Papers should be returned hither Thus far the matter proceeded before the Arrival of the Lord Lieutenant in this Kingdom Aug. 18. 1661. the Lord Chief Justice Santry made a report at this Board of the Examinations taken concerning the Marquess and upon his Petition it was ordered That the Chief Justice should Cancel the Recognizance acknowledged by the Marquess and his Sureties and as to his being Criminal in Aspersing and Defaming the Memory of his Majesties Royal Father we Humbly crave leave to send herewith the said Examinations and other Papers concerning the same which we Humbly Submit to his Majesty's Consideration and we confess we are not willing upon these Examinations and Papers to aggravate any thing against him and therefore it was that there was no censure nor any Transmission of charge against him to his Majesty and as to our Letters of March 18. we confess there is nothing contained therein against him nor indeed under favour did we conceive it proper in these Letters to object any thing of Crime to him Our work in those Letters being but to inform his Majesty only of the particulars then under consideration and what occurred upon occasion of two Petitions exhibited the one by the Lady Marchioness of Antrim the other in the Name of several Adventurers and Soldiers and their Assignes and Tenants for we did not imagine the Lord Marquess would have attempted to put His Majesty upon a difficulty of giving a Rule contrary to the Act of Settlement but would have abiden the Tryal in the proper way prescribed by the Act wherein it is provided that the said Marquess shall be restored to his Estate in such Manner and Form and according to such Order and Method and no other as the Lord Viscount Nettervile and the Lord Viscount Gilmoy ought by vertue of the Act to be restored and besides we had no notice from thence that the matters relating to the said Marquess were under Debate or Consideration there which might give us occasion humbly to Represent to his Majesty those things which now for his Majesties Service we are necessrated to do To the Second namely the report made that those of the Lords of the Council to whom his Majesty refer'd the Marquesses Petition we must acknowledge the justice of their Lordships proceedings upon what appeared to them But there are some which we do verily believe were not made known to them and which do appear to us here wherein we may not be silent without breach of Justice to his Majesty For I the Lord Lieutenant do well know that the Peaces made by me in 1646. and in 1648. in this Kingdom and both derived by Authority from his Majesties Royal Father was both opposed by the Lord Marquess of Antrim who continually served with the Popes Nuncio and his Adherents against his Majesties authority then intrusted with me the Lieutenant and appeared active in all Assemblies and Councels wherein he was present in open opposition to all Members of those Assemblies and Councils who endeavoured to incline the People to Submission to the Peace when I the Lord Lieuterant laboured earnestly by all Just and Honourable ways and means to Reduce his Majesties Subjects in this Kingdom to their due Obedience to his Majesty and to give him assistance whereof he stood in need in the greatest and most imaginable necessity and when the Marquess of Antrim and the Popes Nuncio and Clergies Party and their Adherents laboured industriously to withdraw them from their Obedience and Assistance to his Majesty and so far prevailed that when things were in a tendency towards sending Ten Thousand Men to his Majesties Assistance the Lord of Antrim declared openly in the Confederates great Assembly that not a Man should go out of the Province of Ulster and in the end both these Peaces were by that Disloyalty to his Majesty and by the Countenance and Continuance of the said Marquess Rendred Fruitless and what great and general Evils followed thereupon to his Majesty and all his Kingdoms we need not now repeat whence it was that in the Act of Settlement it is enacted that such as at any time adhered to the Nuncio's or Clergy's Party or papal power in opposition to the Kings Authority shall not be restored as Innocent Papists And this being the Marquess of Antrims Case how far it may be fit for his Majesty in the greatest Humility we mention it to direft contrary to the said Act of Parliament that the ommissioners upon these His Majesties Letters should proceed to find him Innocent for so the Letter seems to imply and that as we humbly conceive without giving any Latitude of power to the Commissioners to examine matter of Fact pursuant to the said Act of Parliament We humbly submit to His Majesties Great Wisdom and as we humbly conceive it is not to be imagined that his late Majesty a Prince of most Eminent Honour and Prudence would privately intrust the Marquess of Antrim to oppose the conclusion of those Peaces for the obtaining whereof his Majesty had given publick authority to the Lieutenant or that he ever gave any Subsequent approbation which tended to his said Majesties utter reine and if it should be supposed that the Marquess his compliance
they were to encounter with to effect it and therefore moved the King that their Estates might be secured by an Act of Parliament with Liberty of Exercising their Religion only privately but Peters opposed this as a consideration too Worldly adding that if they would persue his measures he doubted not to see the Holy Church Triumphant in England Other Papists desired the King they might have Liberty to sell their Estates and retire into France and by his Intercession might be provided for in that Kings Dominions To which he replyed that before their desires came to him he had often thought of them and had as he believed provided a sure Sanctuary for them in Ireland if all those endeavours should be blasted in England which he had made for their Security and of whose Success he had not reason to despair adding many zealous Expressions of his extream kindness for the Catholick Church As that he resolved rather to dye a Martyr than not to settle the Roman Religion and that he would choose to dye the next day that design being compassed rather than live 50 years without effecting it having already been almost a Martyr for the Catholick Cause which had been the occasion of all his Troubles In pursuance of these Resolutions the King gave himself wholly up to the Conduct and Counsels of the Furious Jesuits being entred into their Society and was become a Lay Brother of that Order and consequently judged it Meritorious to extirpate and destroy Heresie especially being told That it would be a most glorious Action and that no doubt he would be Canonized for a Saint if he could Reduce 3 Kingdoms to their Ancient Obedience to the Holy See from which they had been so long Apostates and had Nurst up so many Damned Hereticks to the Disturbance of Holy Church But the present Lord Lieutenant being an Obstacle to the Vigorous progress of Popery in Ireland land the Jesuits resolved to remove him of which design a Person of Honour acquainted the King who absolutely denyed there was any such intention or that he had any thoughts of it nor did believe he ever should whilst both lived remove him from that Government though the Papists in Ireland confidently affirmed That he had before given assurance to Father Peters that Tyrconnel should be Lord Deputy and accordingly in 1686. he obtained that Government against all opposition the News of which so surprized the Protestants in Ireland that almost all that were able Deserted the Kingdom and flockt in great numbers to the Isle of Man Scotland and other places so great was their Terror and Consternation at these dreadful tydings and the dismal effects which they expected from his Management of Affairs at length Tyrconnel arrived there after having been kept a considerable time at the Sea side by contrary winds which seemed a Signal Act of providence to give warning and opportunity to the People to fly from the judgments just ready to fall upon that distressed Kingdom The Lord Clarendon Surrendred the Sword to him with an Admirable Speech concluding that as he had kept an equal hand of Justice to the Roman Catholicks so he hoped his Lordship would do to the Protestants But Popery was the Scene which must be Acted and the Protestants Trembled at the Terrible Consequences thereof whilst the Irish Triumpht and insulted over their Dejection reproaching them both as Englishmen and Protestants and usually calling them Fanatick Dogs and Damned Hereticks Yea so Barbarous were their Affronts and Indignities that the English were daily afraid of a general Massacre to be inhumanly put in Execution against them Tyrconnel now places Popish Judges and Officers in all the Courts of Judicature and then proceeds against the Charters of all the Cities and Corporations of the Kingdom He endeavoured to perswade the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of Dublin to Surrender theirs to the King but meeting with much Opposition therein he in a Rage told them that this was the continuance of their former Rebellion having turn'd out all the Loyal Subjects in the last War of Ireland and would do so now if it were in their power whereupon they produced a Letter from King Charles I. Dated at Oxford containing great acknowledgments of their Signal Loyalty and Faithfulness to him with High Assurances of being Eminently rewarded if he were again Restored to his Crown But this availed nothing for the common saying of the Irish was that K. James would regard no Man for any Service formerly done to him his Father or Brother but only for future Service that he expected from them So that though the Citizens of Dublin sent a Gentleman on purpose to the K. with a Petition and Representation of their Case yet he would not regard him but upon first sight askt him if he had the Lord Deputies leave to come with this Petition and that he had those in Ireland that understood the Law better than himself and so turned from him and he was forced to go back again re infecta Yet the City of Dublin was resolved not to betray their Liberties but imploy'd the Council to defend their Charters but these Judges who had already broken through all inclosures of Law and Trampled upon the known Constitutions of the Kingdom that they were opposite to their Popish and Arbitrary Designs over ruled all their Pleadings and gave Judgment against them to the universal excessive Joy of the Irish and great Mortification of the Protestants Consonant to the Sentence against Dublin was Judgment given against all the Charters of the Kingdom except those who quietly Surrendred them The New Lord Deputy now chose him a Privy Council that all but three had scarce common Sense of which two of them would often complain saying that nothing could pass at the Council-Board of publick concern but their Country-men must first ask Teige ' if that would not spoil his Potato Garden but however they all agreed to inslaven and beggar their Country especially in matter of Trade as appeared by Tyrconnels first Proclamation with the Advice of his Council to break an Act of Parliament in taking off the Duty of Iron and this without asking the King leave but as soon as it was heard of in England a Proclamation came from thence forbidding this wise Act made by these Notable Statesmen and the Lord Bellasis swore in Council That Fool in Ireland was Fool and Mad-man enough to ruine 10 Kingdoms And Father Peters secretly Reprimanded him for his Political Blunder and writ to him if he acted not with greater Caution the King could not possibly preserve him in that Government This with the vast numbers of People that Deserted the Kingdom upon Tyrconnels coming Lord Deputy thither whereby the Towns and Cities were made almost Desolate and Traffick so ruined that the publick Revenue was sunk incredibly from the former value were so strongly pressed against him at the English Privy Council to his Disadvantage that he obtained the Favour of
Chief Justice Nugent Lord Chief Baron Rice and Neagle drew up the Form of an Act which in the nature of it gave the whole Lands of Ireland into the Hands of the King and though the Catholicks were to have but half their Estates yet the other part was under such qualifications as the King might dispose of them to those who were most Obedient and Useful to him This was brought over by these 3 who were called the Irish Ambassadors and at length approved of by Father Peters and presented to the King with strong Assurances that if he would but call a Parliament there they could have whom they pleased elected all Corporations being already put into Popish hands and all the Sheriffs of Counties Papists who would be sure to make returns as they thought fit King James who was become a Vassal to the French King durst not refuse their Proposals for fear of disobliging him and having as he constantly did debated it in the Cabinet Councel it was resolved to be brought into the Privy Council which the King did accordingly and being read the Lord Bellasis passionately inveighed against it saying That if such Designs as these were incouraged the Catholicks of England had best in time look out for another Country and not stay to be a mad Sacrifice for Irish Rebels others seconded it and none durst offer any thing in behalf of it afterwards the 3 Irish Ambassadors had Audience at the Council where Rice spoke in the behalf of the rest but the Lords Bellasis and Pours called him Fool and Knave even in the Kings presence Bellasis bidding them make hast to the Fool their Master and bid him next Message he sent to imploy Wiser Men and upon a more honest Errand and every one fell so violently upon them that they kissed the Kings Hand and departed he himself not speaking a word but instantly breaking up the Council And the noise of their Business being known abroad the Boys in the Streets run after the Coach where Rice and Nugent at any time were with Potatoes stuck in sticks crying out make way for the Irish Ambassadors In 1688. The Joyful News of the Birth of the supposed Prince of Wales arrived there about the same time with that of the Imprisoning the Bishopâ— in the Tower which filled them with such exaltations that they could hardly bear it Glorying They had now a Prince who would become a Patron to Holy Church and perpetuate the Catholick Religion to all Posterity by the utter extirpation of Heresie It is remarkable that as soon as ever it was publickly declared the Queen was with Child the Irish throughout the Nation were so confident that it would be a Son that they offered to lay 20 Guinies to one of it which the English were very sensible they would never have ventured had they not been acquainted with the Mystery of it And now they express their Rejoycing with Bonfires Bagpipes Drinking and Revelling for several Nights together forcing the English to come out of their Beds and to drink the King and Princes good Health with Confusion to their Enemies upon their Knees which they well understood were the Protestants and such as would not comply were called Fanatick Oliverian Dogs and they hardly refrain'd from Murthering them and the Officers of Christ-Church were committed to the Stocks because Tyrconnel fancyed that the Bells did not Ring merrily enough on that occasion But the Scripture says The Joy of the Wicked is short and so theirs proved for a while after a Ship came from Amsterdam to Dublin with Letters from a Friend of Tyrconnels to acquaint him that he did imagine the Prince of Orange had a Design against England since none in Holland could guess what else the great and hasty preparations made there should mean Tyrconnel sent this Letter to the Secretary of State who shewed it the King but they made no other use of it than to Scorn and Redicule his Intelligence as the Secretary did in a Letter sent back to him But fresh Suspicions daily arose and the matter seemed still more probable whereupon the huffing Irish called the English Rebels saying they were sure they would joyn with the Prince and as certain that they would be beaten and be served the same sauce as Monmoth was and Bloodily and Maliciously exprest themselves against the Prince whose Head they threatned to stick on a Pole and carry it round the Kingdom and after K. James Proclamation came to them L. C. Justice Nugent that Confident Ignorant Irishman in his Charge to the Jury among other Vilifying Reproaches upon the P. of Orange Audaciously and Impudently added that now the States of Holland were weary of their Prince they had sent him over to be drest as Monmouth was but that was too good for him and that he doubted not before a Month passed to hear that they were hung up all over England in Bunches like Ropes of Onions At this time of his present Majesties Descent into England the Popish Army in Ireland were about 8000 whereof near half were sent into England to assist K. James and the other were dispersed up and down the Kingdom being but an handful in comparison of the Protestants who had Arms enough in Dublin alone to have Mastered them and it was proposed by some when they heard the King had sent Commissioners to Treat with his Highness the Prince of Orange to Seize the Castle of Dublin with the Stores and Ammunition which had been very Feasible by securing Tyrconnel who had only 600 Men to guard him and they by the continual Expresses from England of the wonderful Progress of the Princes Forces were so generally Discouraged that they declared themselves desirous to lay down their Arms proposing to themselves only to remain in the same condition they were in K. Charles II. time and Tyrconnel himself commanded the Protestants to signifie the same to their Friends in England that he was willing to part with the Sword upon those Terms with K. James his leave For though he received the first News of the Princes Landing with the greatest Disdain and Contempt Boasting that he was able to raise an Army of an Hundred Thousand Men on a Months notice and gave Commissions to every one that would accept of them yet the additional Accounts of his Highnesses daily Success raised such a Consternation in him that by all his Actions it did sufficiently appear he had no thoughts of standing out and all his Discourses expressed his Disordered and ill Apprehension of the present Tendency of Affairs which was much increased by the dreadful Alarm that the Protestants had from a Letter sent to the Earl of Mount Alexander giving him an account of an Horrible Massacre designed upon the Protestants on December 9. being Sunday the Letter came to Dublin the Friday before and the News thereof so Terrified the Protestants that the next Day above 3000 got away into the Ships that were in the Harbor at that time
stand by them in Defence of their Lives and the Protestant Religion which they did believe by the Preparations they heard were making by the Enemy would be very soon invaded and the News they heard from London Derry did much Fortifie their Courage So that upon the Approach of the Irish Companies the Inniskillin Horse and Foot Advanced toward them but came no sooner in View ere the 2 Companies with the whole Rabble that was with them turned their Backs and fled without halting in very great Fear and Disorder and their Officers being then at Dinner at a Gentlemans House not far from thence hearing the Inniskillin Men were come out left their Dinners before they had half done and ran away after them and all of them got the next Day 24 Miles off in great Terror of the Inniskilliners who afterward performed many admirable Actions against the Irish King James's pretended Parliament Sate in Dublin from May 7. 1689. to July 20. following and in that short time entirely destroyed the Settlement of Ireland and outed both the Protestant Clergy and Laity of their Free-Holds and Inheritances by Repealing the 2 Acts of Settlement Whereby 2 thirds of the Protestants of the Kingdom held their Estates And the Real Estates of all that dwelt or staid in any place in the 3 Kingdoms who did not own K. James's Power or correspended with any such as they Term'd Rebels or were any ways Aiding Abetting or Assisting to them from Aug. 1. 1688 are declared to be forefeited and vested in the King By which Clause almost every Protestant that could write in the Kingdom had forfeited his Estate for the Pacquets went constantly from London to Dublin and back again from August 1688. to March following and few had Friends in England or the North but Corresponded with them by Letters and every such Letter is made by this Clause a Forfeiture of Estate They likewise passed an Act of Attainder whereby above 3000 Protestants were Attainted and their Estates forfeited to the King some for being in Arms but the greatest part for absenting themselves and going out of the Kingdom These proceedings were thought very severe by the Protestants since those that Armed themselves did not Attempt any thing even against those whom the Lord Deputy against the Laws of the Kingdom and the Interest of the Nation had intrusted with Arms and Imployments except in their own Defence when Invaded and Assaulted by them Neither was there one Act of Hostility committed wherein the Protestants were not on the Defensive Their Crime then if any was only that they were unwilling to be Robb'd and Plundered as their Neighbours were without opposition but Disarmed some of those who under Colour of being King James's Soldiers destroyed the Country this was all the Reason Tyrconnel had to proclaim them Rebels for Killing and Murdering his Majesties Subjects and with pillaging the Country whereas it was Notorious they never kil'd any but whom they found actually Robbing for killing of whom the Laws of the Kingdom not only indemnified them but likewise assigned them a Reward and it is as plain that the Protestants preserved the Country from being pillaged and for this they now forfeited their Estates As for those that were absent it would have been unwisely done for the Protestants that were gone to England to have returned again to a Ruinous Kingdom the Actual Seat of War where all the goods they had left behind were Imbezeled by Robbers and their Estates given to those Sons of Rebellion in 1641. And when Men of the best Estates in Ireland wisht themselves away and many were content to leave all and venture their Lives in little Boats to the Mercy of the Seas in the death of Winter reckoning any thing safer and easier than to stay under a Government which had effectually destroy'd all the measures of Right and Wrong and Condenmed so many Gentlemen to the loss of all without allowing them the favour either of being Tryed or Heard And of those that starâ— many of them were kill'd by the Soldiers Murthered in their Houses Executed by Martial Law starved and famished in Jay is and destroyed by many other Violences the Papists declaring That they designed to starve one half of the Protestants and hang the other and that it would never be well till this was done So that all King James's proceedings in that Kingdom clearly manifested his design to be the absolute inslaving it to Arbitrary Power and Popery by his Invading the Liberties and Estates and exposing their Lives to his peremptory Will and Pleasure This the Protestants in the North as well as others were very sensible of and therefore the People of London-Derry resolved to hold out to the last Extremity Some time before the English Navy being out at Sea to prevent Supplies from France Admiral Herbert with his Squadron had notice by his Scent-Ships that part of the French Fleet were abroad and stood for the Irish Coast whereupon he Sail'd after them and found them in Bantry-Bay whereupon drawing his Ships up into a Line and lying upon the Stretch he battered them extreamly from 10 in the Morning till 5 in the Afternoon at what time the French Admiral went off and stood farther into the Bay On our side we lost Captain Aylmer of the Portland with a Lieutenant and about 300 Seamen killed and Wounded the Damage of the French was equal to ours though they had the Bay to shelter them the Wind and a double number of Ships So soon as the English were gone the French weighed Anchor for fear of a second Engagement King James now sets forward with his Army toward London Derry where the Garrison had already Proclaimed King William and Queen Mary and had received from England 480 Barrels of Powder and Arms for 2000 Men with a Commission to Collonel Lundy to be Governor and promise of further Supply King James's Army consisted in about 12000 Men and a very good Train of Artillery his Generals were Monsieur de Mornont General of the French Horse the Sieur Piscina General of the Foot Collonel Hamilton Lieutenant General of the Irish Foot all under the Standard of France and consisting of several Regiments commanded by the D of Berwick and Fitz-James his Brother the Lord Nettervile Abercorn Collonel Shelden and Collonel Randleigh The King had some assurance given him that the Town upon his Approach would undoubtedly Surrender and that the very sight of so formidable an Army would fright them into a Compliance and therefore April 18. he advances with his Army before the Walls with flying Colours Orders were given that none should fire till the Kings Demands were first known but the People of London-Derry wondring to see Lieutenant General Hamilton approaching the Walls contrary to his ingagement not to come within 4 Miles of the Town imagined they were betrayed and fired their Guns upon them which being unexpected by the Enemy some of them fled others hid themselves and a great