he may neyther joyne with the Scots now overthrowne and that he is in such want of monies as hee hath beene forced to beg three thousand pounds from your Honours these later moneths to make up souldiers for from England there is no danger that any succours shall come unto him this Summer Give me leave right Hhonourable to speake freely to you this favour miracle of heaven requires from you some compensation or thankesgiving this can never better be payd by you than by laying aside all feare and by increasing your confidence in the divine ayde 18. He goeth on egregiously shewing there was no necessity on our part nor any power or authority on the Marquesle his part to make a peace that more prejudice would arise by such a peace than by warre as first the dishonour which thereby might redowne to the Nuncius Secondly the dishonour unto the whole Nation among Christian Princes abroad Thirdly the distaste of the See Apostolicke that the worst of all peaces should be preferred before his which was the best of all Fourthly that it was as good to make no peace at all for the Church as to trust Glamorgans peace being now recalled by his Majesty by Glamorgan himselfe abandoned and the condition no way performed Fiftyl the ruin of the Catholicke Faith by raysing unto the chiefe government a Protestant Lieutenant Sixtly the danger of resuming Armies when the enemy is put in the height of authority and power Seventhly the assurance of no reconciliation with the Pope if the peace were concluded Eightly the exile of the Nuncius Ninthly the just feare of loosing whatsoever the Confederate Catholickes have gayned 19. He fore warnes them of their dishonour among Catholicke Princes to whom he must publickely notifie his dissent from that peace and adviseth them by no meanes to goe forward in the peace if there were any difficulty that a Generall assembly should be called upon to determine the same the least mischiefe should fall on their owne heads alone and least they might be thought to have examined lightly and contemptibly the Popes reasons Thus farre the Apostolicke Legat where you are to observe that after this answer was made by the Lord Nuncius and before the peace was legally concluded Bunratty and Roscoman were gayned by the Catholick Confederats and Prestons Trophyes erected by purging all Connaght Sligo onely excepted of the Scots whereof more numb 32. §. 15. The Authors observations on the Councell and Committees Letter above mentioned §. 12. and their reasons to conclude this peace resuted 20. THe Author observes in the first place that the Councell and Committee acknowledge the receipt of the Nuncius and Clergies protestation against any peace to be made with the Marquesse of Ormond together with the Lord Nuncius his letter to the same effect In which the Nuncius declares the cause of his opposition to such a peace namely untill first the splendor of the Catholicke Religion be â—stablished and with the articles published For this cause chiefly the Catholicke Confederats tooke up armes as appeareth by their severall Declarations Remonstrances to his Majesty solemne Oath of Associaâ—ion Modell of government and severall acts established and published in both the Assemblies held in Midsummer 1645. and February 1645. The same is confessed by the Councell and Committee in this very answer sent by them to the Nuncius Templa aedes sacrae altaria aur haereticorum polluta insâ—rviebant vesaniae aut solo aequaeâ—a jacuerunt penes Protestantes c. pro aris focis Regis sui indubitato jure bel lum inerâ—es moverunt See as yet more amply in their owne Declaration and other evidences hereafter to be produced upon these grounds and upon the promise made by the same Councell under their owne hands and delivered to Master Spinola that they would never make any peace but what the Lord Nuncius would consent unto whereof mention is made in the Lord Nuncio his protestation above and hereafter shall be made more susely the Lord Nuncius and with him the clergy confidently avouched he would never consent unto any peace untill first the splendor of the Catholicke Religion were established and with the articles published With the Lord Nuncius and Clergy agree the soundest and all the disinteressed part of Councell and Committees whom those others who concluded this pacification or peace in expectancy terme the ill affected of the Councell c. and with these also conspire the whole kingdome in then severall protestations and acts published in the Assembly held in Midsommer 1645. namely 2. 4. 9. 11. 13. Iunij 1645. and 14. 18. 21. 28. of August and in the assembly held in February 1645. namely 5. 7. 9. 10. 12. 19. c. The two powerfull Armies such as never yet were seene in Ireland raysed and gathered together on a sudden even then when the late Councell had exhausted Pope Clergy and kingdome to defend the publicke cause doth confirme the generall dissent of the Confederat Catholickes from that illegall unsafe and unsecure peace which defence had proved the most fortunat to Religion King and Countrey that ever Ireland saw had not faction and sedition preverted the happy successe thereof But Expecta Dominum viriliter age confertetur cor tuum By all which it appeares how far they erred who in their foresaid answer to the Nuncius affirmed that the chiefe Cities Counties and Commanders were glad to embrace ANY PEACE c. Experience hath taught theÌ„ ere now the contrary notwithstanding the multitude of conspiracies wrought to seduce such Cities and Commanders 21. To prove the revocation of the Committees commission by the said protestation wee say that as the body politicke of this Kingdome is composed of two parts the spirituall and the temporall so ought not the temporall part alone aslume such authoritie to it selfe as to conclude a peace for the whole body even then when the spirituall part positively resisted That the temporall part should dispose of the lives livelyhood liberties and estates of the spirituall part at their owne pleasure without their consent was a sacrilege practised in the apostaticall dayes of Henry the eight yet did he still preserve the Catholique faith and established severall acts of Parliament for securing thereof onely hee erred in the point of Supremacy In our dayes the one and the other is taken from us a few secular men not only dispose of the lives livelyhood liberties and estates of the Church but also distroy Faith and Religion by giving the same over unto the Tutelship of the sworne Enemies of Faith and Religion and as if they were emulous of the prosperitie of holy Church have renounced those great graces which our Soveraigne conferred on us for the conservation and free exercise of our Religion and accepted of his subject whom they know to have at least indirectly vowed the ruin of Religion abject pernicious conditions destructive to Religion Nothing now is wanting but that they imitate
the monstrous Parliament in England who after taking away Church and Church-livings Faith and Religion have at length discarded the Prelats and chiefe Pastors of Faith and Religion but as that body is monstrous without a head so is it imperfect without the chiefe members thereof nam corpus non est unum membrum sed multa c quod si essent omnia unum membrum ubi corpus The eye cannot say to the hand I nee de not thy helpe nor the head to the feete yee are not necessary for me The error had been more grosse if the temporall or materiall part of either naturall or politicke body did say to the spirituall part I have no need of thee you are not necesary for me If the body did say unto the soule or the Lay man to his spirituall Pastor I have no need of thee Wee have had onely one Church man the right Reverend the Archbishop of Dublin among those 13. persons who were selected for the committee of Treatie but they made use of this Prelate in the Treaty as accomptants doe cyphers in numbers If the Clergie attempted to conclude a peace for temporall matters without consent of the seculars what thinke you would not the seculars be justly ossended with the Clergie and reject such a peace How much more reason hath the Clergie to be offended with those few seculars that attempted and that without commission to conclude a peace in matters of Faith and religion of Church and Church-livings of sacrifices and Sacraments without their consent The principall end of our warre being to repaire propagate the Catholique faith and to vindicate the injuries done unto the Professors of the same who ought rather to approve authorize or prosecute the same than the prime Prelates of faith and religion yee ought to know saith Pope Leo the fourth Supreme Pastor of holy Church that wee never permit our people to be oppressed by any but if any necessitie occurre we dâ—fend them without delay because we ought in all things to be defender of our flâ—cke and â—hiefe assistants for Bishops ought not onely to be keepers of Papers but also defenders of Churches Wherefore the same Pope wriâ—ing to the French army exhorts them having layd aside all feare to endeavour manfully to set upon the Enemies of holy faith and the adversaries of all Religions for the Omnipotent knowes if every one of you should happen to dye that ye dye for the 〈◊〉 of faith and saving of your Countrey and defence of Christians and therefore yee shall receive from him a â—elestiall reward 22. Much more might be alleaged aswell out of the said Pope as out of others whose steps have been traced by the late Pope Viban the eight and the now Pope Innocent the tenth in their severall Apostolicall Missives addressed unto the confederate Catholiques authorizing their holy warre and exhoâ—ting them to the prosecution thereof which because the same is elsewhere treated of I omit in the present Survey I will onely here summatily lay downe what in other Canons touching the Ecclesiasticall power to make warre are more amply to be found In the pâ—wer granted to Saint Peter and his successors there are two swords a spirituall and a temporall c. he that denyes the temporall sword to be in the pâ—wer of Peter understands not rightly the word of our Lord saying put up thy sword into thy sheath Matth. 26. Both then to wit the spirituall and materiall sword are in the power of the Church but this indeed to be imployed for the Church that by the Church That by the hand of the Priest this by the hands of Kings and Souldiers but at the command of the Priest But one sword must be under the other and the temporall authoritie must be subject to the spirituall power By the Popes Edict warre is made not onely against heretickes the enemies of faith other Rebells but also when his knowne subjects the Catholicks are oppressed Hee may lawfully proclaime warre not onely against Infidells but grant tithe also for so pious an act seeing that such a warre tendeth to the defence and ampliation of faith and to the recoverie of the lands whereof they have been robbed and wherein Christ was worshipped as also because by this warre the common profit aswell of the Clergie as of the laytie and Churches is procured 23. This much I have expressed for the information of out seculars to the end they may take notice that as a warre for the reparation and propagation of the Catholique faith is authorized by holy Church so a peace concerning the same faith ought to be established and concluded by the same Church and not by any private Lay men whereof some peradventure have possessed themselves of our Church-livings by the oppression of Henry the eight who therefore cannot but be partiall Iudges in their owne cause howbeit traepidaverunt timore ubi non erat timor the Clergie of Ireland preferring the publicke good before their own private interest are â—eady to renounce their interest to such Church-livings according the dispensation relaxation made or to be made by the See Apostolique and according the unanimous resolution of the kingdome assembled together The punishment inflicted by God on Vzias Ieroboam and other seculars for intermedling with spirituall affaires invitis Sacerdotibus may be a sufficient caveat for others to decline such negociation Neither ought they thinke it strange that Church-men should interpose themselves in martiall affaires especially when the same concernes Faith and Religion herein they have as paterns to imitate the Prince and high-Priest Mathathias and his posteritie the noble Machabeans Iudas Machabeus Ionathas Simon Iohn Onias c. who in defence of holy Church and their Countrey liberties defeated Apollonius Seron Lysias Ptoâ—omeus Nicanor and Gorgias chiefe commanders for King Antiochus his sonne More for the present I omit for indeed this matter deserves a speciall treatiâ—e Our conclusion upon this first observation is that the committee of Treaties commission if it were ought worth was sufficiently recalled before the conclusion of any peace by the chiefe members of the body politicke of this Kingdome to wit the clergie who are the spirituall members thereof and with all by the authoritie of the See Apostolique to whom it belongs to make peace or war in like case Especially when the secular Prince is not able to redresse the subjects grievance See n. 46. c. 24. In the second place I observe our late Councell and Committees have violated the publicke faith and promise made by them to the Nuncius Apostolique assuring him they would never conclude any peace but that whereunto he would condescend upon which conditions he came into Ireland and they accordingly accepted of him Hereof the Nuncius challenged them in the above protestation but their silence in not answering thereunto argues their tacit confession of breach of promise I doe not know what conscience men may frame
which being observed by Catholique Princes and Prelates abroad gave occasion unto them to subtract the aid and succours they resolved to give unto the Confederate Catholiques for the advance of Religion and conservation of Monarchie Our frequent missions to Dublin were knowne to have corrupted men of integritie increased division multiplied faction Conversi sunt in arcum pravum Besides the extraordinarie summes bestowed on the Lord Marques of Ormond our late Councell licenced him yea were active Instruments for him to receive all his rents and revenues out of the Confederate Catholiques Quarters and whereas the confederate Catholiques themselves contributed to the publicke the fourth part of their rents the Marques of Ormond had so great favour with our Councell as not only himselfe but many of his friends also contributed no more but the eight part of such rents as they had within the confederate Catholiques Quarters This was not all they licenced him also to take up in mortage lone and otherwise upwards of twentie thousand pounds worth great yearely rents were given by them unto those very persons who were knowne to have beene husband men for his Excellency in sowing division among the confederate Catholiques those that affected that partie were preferred to places of honour command and profit others that affected the publicke rejected pâ—mphelets made by the enemies against the justice of our war entertained and admitted books made even by advise and command of Councell and convocation suppressed so powerfull were Factionists among our councell and committees Were the rents due to the Marques of Ormond employed with fidelitie for the Catholique cause well nigh a thousand men might be maintained thereby every day in the yeare or if the same were charitably dispensed among those Catholique noble men and Gentlemen whom the Marques burned wasted and banished then had they been provided for with competencie to relieve themselves and not necessitated to fawne on the Marques for any desperate peace who otherwise would be glad to fawne on them and the rest of the confederate Catholiques being reduced to their necessitie if his meanes were substracted from him Our owne subsidies subministred unto the Marques have beene the chiefe occasion why his Excellency hitherto disobeyed his Majesties commands in not yeelding to such a peace as he commanded The sending of suspected Generals whose Treacherie is now discovered unto Vlster Mounster where they did little service and wasted upwards of threescore thousand pounds did concurre to this necessitie and weakenesse which was augmented by decrying the pâ—ice of Bullion procured by privat men for their particular interest contrary to the act of the first generall assembly whereby Marchants others doe now make it a trade to export Bullion out of the Kingdome who before made it a trade to import Bullion into the kingdome I passe by the lamentable division which if daily fomented among our selves and causeth many to be more tenacious of their moneys and lesse free in their contributions to the advance of the catholicke cause lesse service irdone and yet our necessity increased what we gayned by Gods powerfull hand wee are like to loose by our owne facall division In a word not out enemies forces but our selves have brought upon us all the necessity and weakenesse the late Councell and Committees have thus complayned of Sed tantum confidenter state videbitis auxilium Domini super vos 33. Our third answer is that our necessity or weakenesse is not so great for all that as they seeme to aggravate First because we received from catholicke Princes and Prelates abroad in money and money-worth well nigh an hundred thousand pounds Secondly we had the assistance of the Excise Thirdly of Customes Fourthly of the Kings Rents Fiftly of the tenths of prizes gotten at sea Sixtly the estats of the fugitive Parliamentary Rebels Seventhly two thirds of the Church livings Eightly the fourth part of our owne catholicke Confederats rents Ninthly severall grand applotments which amounted to large summes of money Tenthly other great summes borrowed by way of Ione c. Certes these subsidies are farre greater than those which our enemies in all the Provinces of Ireland have had and being well managed had maintayned yearely in the field a greater army than ever hath beene maintayned by the late councell committee but when great pensions are given to many who doe but little service to the cause or who may well serve for nothing being other wise rich enough what mervayle is it that the meanes appointed to relieve the souldiers are thus eaten up Yet are many of those men who thus heavily complaine of necessity so farre from being really necessitâ—ted as among them they have made purchases of twenty thousand pounds worth and many of them who had not where withall to subsist are now furnished with many thousand Trepidaverunt timore ubi non erat timor VVhen we contributed large summes of money to the enemy wee never complayned of necessity but when we are to contribute to the maintenance of the catholicke cause then are our complaynts multiplyed To maintayne heresie against God and treason against our Soveraigne the London heretickes contributed in one morning welnigh a Million of money and since that time have contributed many Millions more and yet never complayned of necessity shall Catholickes to maintayne Religion towards God and loyaltie towards their Soveraigne be inferiour to such miscreants Were our necessityes relieved or our warre diminished and the Catholicke faith in some sort secured by the late rejected peace some colourable excuse these men might have for their complaint of necessity But when by such a peace our necessities are rather augmented our warre increased and which is worse of all our religion extinguished what just cause of complaint may they pretend You will say having peace with Ormond we have lesse enemies to oppose the warre is by so much diminished I answer the catholicke Confederats gaine not somuch tranquility by that peace as they gayne woe and misery infamy among Christian Princes on earth and the indignation of God and his Angels in heaven Seeing they are tyed to maintayne all the heretickes of the kingdome and all the armies garisons belonging to their enemies wheras before they had onely the Catholickes and the armies and garisons in their owne quarters to be maintained and besides that by that peace they loose all the subsidies above mentioned which hitherto they had to maintayne such armies and garisons so as they are like to be reduced to the most miserable condition that ever any Nation hath been reduced unto Adde hereunto that in very deed when we suppose by this peace that wee have peace yet wee have no true peace but the Marquesle is at his owne liberty to breake off when he finds his best opportunity seing the peace is invalid and grounded on no Commission Et curabant contriâ—iâ—nem fâ—liae pâ—puli mei cum ignominia dicentes pax pax non erat
government but also entertaine him as their Lord and Master This I speake not God be my Iudge for disrespect to so noble a personage who if hee followed the steps of his noble Catholique progenitors and were disingaged from wicked Councell might well deserve such honour but to discharge my conscience in a matter of such importance as concerneth the securitie of Religion King and Countrey 7. As this letter was dated so was it delivered and communicated to the Lord Marques long before the 29. of Iuly when and not before the Peace was concluded wherein I call as witnesses the conscience of those very noble persons who concluded and joyned in concluding this peace Nay the same hath beene confessed unto me even by some of them that subscribed unto the peace But the accompt which Mr. Browne gave unto the late Supreme Councell at Limericke after his returne from Dublin in the month of Iune and his publicke narration or declaration of the answer received from the Lord Marques in Dublin puts the question out of all doubt wherein he declared that the Lord Marques his Commission was confessed by himselfe to have beene recalled and that therefore he could conclude no peace with us His returne then without effecting any thing and the very originall letter above mentioned shewne to Mr. Browne and others by the Lord Marques doth confirme it 8. It may be answered that the Lord Digby brought over some new Commission from France authorizing the Lord Marques to proceede in the peace But this is as easily denyed as it is affirmed without apparance of truth it being most certaine and so signified by letters from Paris to the Councell and Congregation that the Lord Digby never saw the king nor received letters from the king from the time he left Ireland untill he returned backe how then could the Lord Marques his Commission be renewed some letters are said to have been brought over by the Lord Digby in Cyphers the interpretation whereof must be received from the Lord Digby onely But this may carry asmuch truth as the former and though it were true yet have the Confederate Catholiques no reason to give credit in a matter of such high concernment to such Interpreters but supposing all were true it would never be able to render the peace concluded the 29. of Iuly valid forasmuch as the same peace is grounded on the Commission given unto the Lord Marques 24. Iunij 1644. and the 20. yeare of His Majesties Raigne which as you have heard was recalled before the foresaid 29. of Iuly and not on the new imaginarie Commission brought over by the Lord Digby wherefore if they would render the peace ought worth or of any validitie in law they ought to ground the same on this new Commission and not on the old or if this new Commission were a Continuation or a reintegration of the old both should be inserted in the Articles of peace if they intended to conclude any valid or solid peace Shall I speake the truth in simplicitate cordis mei as that peace alone was concluded which pleased the Marques of Ormond and all other peaces that pleased God and man king and Countrey were rejected so then was the peace concluded when it pleased Ormond namely when her and his pretended Protestants could no longer subsist their brethren the Scots and other Parliamentarie Rebells being reduced to nothing in Vlster and Connaught while these monsters could craule the conclusion of any peace was protracted while Bunratty was in dispaire Roscoman and other places in Connaught in defiance against the Confederate Catholiques then the Marques his Commission was recalled but when the Catholique Confederates recovered all these places and gained two glorious victories against the Enemie then this demortued Commission was suddenly revived and a peace was concluded upon maugre all the resistance of the Lord Nuncius and Clergie or the soundest part of the Councell and Committee of severall acts and protestations made by the whole kingdome in the assemblies held in August and February 1645. But qui habitat in coelis irridebit eos Eijce ancillam Heresie hath already too long tyranniz'd in Ireland more in the following paragraph and paragraph 3. numb 13. where the king by his Declaration or at least by that Declaration which was set forth under his name is content to leave the managing of the businesse of Ireland wholly to the two houses of England which if the Reader please to compare with the vote of the Commons above mentioned numb 6. Hee will finde that the Catholique Confederats are like to loose to their king and themselves all Ireland if they part with the government of such Cities Forts or Garrisons as are in their Quarters or with the Command of their armies c. to any that is not a sworâ—â— Confederate Catholique §. 2. That neither obligation of law or honour utilitie to His Maiestie or necessitie of the kingdom did induce our Councell to conclude this Peace 9. THat no obligation of law did enforce our Committee to conclude this peace is evident by what even now we expressed in the foregoing paragraph for if the articles though signed and sealed on the 28. day of March yet remained still as a scrole untill the 29. of Iuly following at which time and not before they were delivered and begunne to oblige then is it certaine that during that intervall our Committee were free and at their owne libertie to perfect or not perfect conclude or not conclude the said Articles yea they could not with integritie of conscience and discharge of the trust imposed on them proceede to the deliverie or conclusion of the said Articles being enformed that His Majestie had now recalled the Marques his Commission authorizing him to conclude a peace it being a Maxime generally received aswell in the lawes of England as in the Cesarean or Common law extingui mandatum per revocationem mandantis that a Commission given to any is extinguished by the revocation thereof and out of the extinction of the Commission foloweth the extinction also of all obligation to pursue the contract nay wee shall shew hereafter that the Commission given to our Committee to conclude this rejected peace was not onely invalid but also sufficiently recalled before any such peace was concluded Wherefore wee may without difficultie conclude that no obligation of law did enforce our Partie to conclude this peace As then the Lord Lieutenant did recoyle from those articles which he himselfe signed and sealed esteeming himselfe not to be obliged by any such signing and sealing to deliver the same so hereafter in case wee were brought to that fooles Paradise to accept the peace and hee once possesse our Armies and garisons hee will likewise recoyle and tell us when wee looke for performance of the Articles Sirs my Commission was recalled when I concluded this peace with you what I have done therein was grounded upon no authoritie and therefore invalid
wherefore I am not obliged neither will I stand to thâ— articles therein concluded 10. The obligation of law being thus extinguished undoubtedly the obligation of honour which is grounded thereupon was also extinguished This I adde because I have heard some of our Committee of Instructions ingeniously confesse that they had never consented to proceede unto the conclusion of that peace if they had thought they were not obliged thereunto by Law and honour of which ignorance I marvailo they were not freed by those among them who were skilfull in the lawes they themselves might observe in the Marques of Ormonds recoyling from the Contract that hee held himselfe not bound either in Law or honour to conclude the same why then should they thinke themselves more bound than he if there was any obligation it was also mutuall so as the Marques could not be free unlesse ouÌ„r partie were also free If our Councell and Committees would needs insist so much upon honour they should rather in honour desist from the conclusion of any peace with his Excellencie seeing they were so fool'd by him as having received their moneyes to the value of three thousand pounds as is said to supply his present necessitie hee without any respect to such favour done him or to the precedent obligation of signing and sealing the peace rejected them and denyed to conclude any peace with them Wherefore in very deed the conclusion of that peace did redound rather to their dishonour than honour and the giving of so much money to the Marques was to disgrace and prey the Countrey Questionlesse no good Catholique would ever contribute any money to purchase such a peace I wish this dishonour were confined within the bounds of Ireland onely 11. That utilitie to our Soveraigne could be no motive to our Committee of the treatie to conclude such a peace is also evident in asmuch as the Carholiques at home observing the iniquitie thereof tending directly to the maintenance of their sworne Enemies and their owne destruction had beene thereby wholly disheartned and deterred from giving any aid to His Majestie either in their persons or meanes and the Catholique Princes and Prelats abroad had likewise wholly substracted their succours deeming it against Conscience to concurre to the preservation of heresie And what can more dishearten the Catholiques of Ireland than to see their service their Contributions their prowesse and fidelitie so vilipended as they may not be permitted to enjoy those priviledges onely and immunities either in spirituall or temporall which are due unto them by their birthright and which by the ancient fundamentall lawes of the kingdome they ought quietly and peaceably to enjoy much more might be here said particularly touching the danger whereunto our Soveraigne had been exposed if the possession of his Forts and Command of his Armyes had been given to any but to such as are Catholiques Whereof else where That the necessitie of the kingdome should induce the Committee of the Treatie to make this peace it may not be seeing the kingdome was never in a better posture to defend it selfe or in greater hopes to chase away and destroy the Enemie than it was when our Committee concluded this fatall peace as you have and shall hereafter heare more amply Certainly if the hinderance of the prosecution of our victories against the Enemie be a disprofit and detriment to His Majestie as sure it is the concluding of this peace where such hinderance followed must be necessarily a disprofit and detriment to His Majestie Wherefore we may rightly conclude that neither necessitie on our part nor utilitie on the Kings part nor obligation of law or honour did induce our Committee to the conclusion of this peace Had our Councell and Committees shewd the same resolution and used the same endeavours to procure the acceptance of the Earle of Glamorgans honourable and just peace in the Enemies Quarters by force and armes as they used to procure the acceptance of the Marques his dishonourable and unjust peace in the Consederate Catholiques Quarters then had the puritie of their intentions been revealed and their endeavours applauded St autem â—culus tuns fuerit nequam totum corpus tuum tenebrosum erit The Marques of Ormond his Protestant partie had more zeale licet sine scientia to secure their new sect than our Councell or Committee had to seenre the Catholique Religion The Protestants would rather loose their eyes and life to than joyne with them in setling Glamorgans peace within their quarters because they held it destructive to their sect yet they must joyne with the Proterestants to settle within the Catholique Confederates Quarters Ormonds peace though they could not be ignorant how it was destructive to the Catholique faith Eighteen blacke Coates belonging to Ministers were found among the rest of the luggage which were left in the Castle of Kilkenny after the Marques his retraite to Dublin Factum est hoc ad insidias sanctificationi in diabolum malum in Israel 1. Machab. 1. 38. §. 3. The Marques of Ormonds his Commission tacitly recalled in Ianuary 1645. The obiection made that the revocation of the Marques his Commission was enforced is resolved 12. IN the declaration made by His Majestie the 29. of Ianuary 1645. recalling the Earle of Glamorgans peace His Majestie promiseth to make nd peace with the Irish without the consont of the Parliament this declaration coming to the knowledge of the Marques of Ormond and of our Councell and Committees before the 28. of March was at least a tacit revocation of the Marques his Commission even before the very signing and sealing of this Peace wherefore neither of both â—â—ties ought after notice thereof proceede to the signing and sealing of the same peace Our Committee was inhibited by the assembly to conclude any thing in the businesse untill May the Marques receives the Kings declaration that hee will proceede no further in any peace with the Irish without consent of the Parliament notwithstanding all this both parties proceede in the peace Yet as soone as ever the same revocation appeared our Councell and Committee forthwith desisted in the prosecution of Glamorgans Peace though it was knowne to have beene not onely invalid as coming after the mandate was executed but also to have been surreptitious and framed by Glamorgans Adversaries and the Adversaries of the Catholique Confederates nothing though ever so valid was powerfull enough to stop or stay our Councell and Committees from concluding Ormonds unjust peace any thing though ever so invalid was powerfull enough to stop them from prosecuting Glamorgans just and honourable peace If our people did preferre the advancement of the Catholique faith before their owne private interest and inordinate affection to private persons they should set upon them that opposed Glamorgans peace with as much vigour as ever they set upon the Scot or other Parliamentaries especially when such persons were enformed by speciall letters from his Majestie that
is that holds up armes against you for what power hath one man that is in the power of others And if our State will not giue order for the same what may we not conclude there of must the lives and estates of men be sacrificed to the wilfulnesse of any But our State performing their parts we shall apparantly see where it rests for how can the King hinder what they please to doe Do not these that are celled the French and Spanish States what them please put or their King must put their names thereto to culour it that the State may not bee seene in it but it may passe as if their Kings act not theirs Can any be so simple to think their Kings may or can rule a State which is as much as the wisest State can doe In short it is the States doe all and so doe the Scot and so ought our State and not let the weale safety happinesse prosperitie and being of a Kingdome or kingdomes and millions of lives therein lye at the will or the VVilfulnesse folly or madnesse of one man whom they call their king though the Parliament of England in their late letter to him when hee was at Oxford doetell him plainly that he is guilty of all the innocent blood which hath beene now shedin all the three kingdomes Oh therefore let not the world ieerus that our prisoner can use his keepers as his prisoners c. VVho hath stood it out in open Hostility as long as possible he could against his Earthly Soveraigne Lord king and Creator the state Vniversall VVhose legall and formal representative the Parliament he hath vnnaturally wickedly uniustly and irrationally proclaimed Traytors and Rebels for doing their duty in endeauouring the preservation of those that trusted them from the ruine and distruction endeavoured and intended to them by him their rebellious servant How can it be properly said that the Engish Creator the State of England can commit Treason agasnst it's own meere creature the king If it be treason to assist the king with men monies armes and horses in this his unnaturall VVarre and Rebellion against the Parliament and people of England as the Parliament hath often declared then is it not the height of Treason for any of the Parliaments Armies privately to treat with him and to receive him into their Army and there protect him from those who requite him and have right to him and to disposc of him yea and afford him elbow room and libertie to send Messages and Embassages to Denmark Holland France Spain and Ireland or whether he pleaseth that so he may lay new designes for the utter subversion and destruction of thâ— State and kingdome Oh the height of c. no longer to be put up borne or suffered by trustees that desire to approve themselves faithfull to their trusters London August 16 46. 19. Reade all histories â—acted and prophane reuolve all Chronicles domesticke and forren and tell us if yow haue or can finde any treason soe abominable any rebellion soe odious to God and man any Apostacie soe detestable to heaven and earth as is this damnable treason rebellion and apostacie of the titular Parliament of England It is not enough to be perfidious to theire king bur they must be also blasphemons against God by making themselues Creators Here monarchie is ablegated anarchie introduced the Lords anointed made slaues to theire subiects and theire subjects raised to noe lesse dignitie than to earthly soueraignes Lords Kings Creators the stato vniuersall Theire fellow subjects the Scots are theire merce naries and servants not theire Brethren and the Irish are unto them opprobrium hominum et abiectio Plebis But pride and confusion disobedience to Princes and treason against them and theire monarchie is a propertie inseparable from moderne heretickes wherfore we must not admire that D. Garrier sometime a Protestant and Chaplaine to k. Iames burst forth into these words I can not be persuaded that they ever will or can joyne togeather to advance your Majesty or your children further then they may make a present gayne by you They are not agreed of their own Religion nor of the principles of universall and Eternall truth how can they be constant in tho Rules of particular and transitory honor Where there is nullum Principium Ordinis there can be nullum principium Honoris such is their Case There is a voyce of confusion among them as well in matters of State as of religioÌ„ Their power is great but not to edification but to destruction They ioyne to geather onely a gaynst good Order which they call the Common Enemy and if they can destroy that they will in all likelihood turne their fury agaynst themselves andlike Diuells torment like Serpents deuoure one another In the meane time if they can make their Burgers Princes and turne old Kingdomes into new States it is lyke inough they will doe it but that they will ever agree together to make any one Prince King or Emperour ouer them all yield due obedience unto him further then eyther their gayne shall allure them or his sword shall compell them that I can not persude my selfe to belieue And therfore I can not hope that your Majesty or your Posterity can expect the like honour or security from them which you might do from Catholike Princes if you were ioyned firmely to them in the vnity of Religion § 5. The Marques of Ormonds Commission enlarged by his Majestie but his Command not executed 20. When the Marques of Ormond dispachd Agents unto the Parliament demanding succours from them against the con federat Catholikes of Ireland It is said S argeant Eustace to cloake that treason publickelie declared in the dismembred Parliament of Dublin that as it was lawfull for euery man euen by the law of nature to defend himselfe against the violence of uniust Assailants soe was it lawfull for the kings Lieutenant and the kings priuie Councell in Dublin for theire owne defence to looke for succour from the kings Enemies the Parliament against the kings subjects the Irish who were in a violent and hostile manner to assault them letting this passe for an hyperbole the Catholike Confederats doe brieflie affirme that they were noe assailants but defendents of theire lives religion liberties and estates against theire fellow subjects and particularlie against the chiefe Ministers of justice who following the steps of their Predecessours tirannically gouerning made use of all the projects that michieuous policie could invent to depriue them of theire lives religion liberties and estates wherin they have beene soe exorbitant as neither the authoritie of the ancient fundamentall lawes of the kingdome nor the kings owne Commands could preuaile with them Here we must descend vnto particulars and especiallie to the kings Commands sent vnto the Marques of Ormond enlarging his power for the speedie conclusion of a happie peace 21. The impossibilitie saith his Majestie writing to the Marques of Olmond of
they knew in theire owne soules the king will neuer be able whilst he remaine in his present wofull Condition to grant vs what alreadie he hath commanded to grant vs let nothing be referred to vncertainties but obtaine an actuall execution of these Commands and graces which the king hath alreadie granted vs and which is due vnto vs by our birth right saith the kingdome and that is not don how seuerly the ancient Iurists or Canonists haue censured such kind of Commissioners who vel ex culpa leuissima doe thus neglect or sleight the execution of the Commands giuen and what punishment are to be inflicted on them are expressed in the Canons and schoolemen wherunto we referre the learned Readers 26. Obserue I beseech yow the motiues that induced his Majestie to command the repeale of the penall lawes and suspension of Poynings act the preseruing of his protestant subiects and the kingdome of Ireland from the Scots to encourage his Irish subiects to assist him against the English and Scotish Rebels to represse the rebellion in England and to aduance the kings seruice in Scotland by our friends there The kings Commissioner and ours haue gon the cleere contrarie way to worke and as by Preposterous accelarating this peace they haue giuen a maine impediment to the prosecution of our victories in Vlster and Connaught soe haue they by theire compliance with one an other hindred the succours which the kingdome commanded to be sent for his Majestie by Antrim into Scotland and by Glamorgan into England Note I pray yow the words of the letter of the 27. of februarie for theire the Irish satisfaction I doe therfore command yow to conclude a peace with the Irish what euer it cost A generall command yow see this is which hath noé other modification or restriction than soe as my protestant subiects there may be seoured and my regall authoritie preserued the later part the Irish haue sworne to doe in theire oath of association oath of fidelitie and in theire seuerall protestations and declarations wherunto the doctrine of the Catholike religion which in opposition to all sects maintaineth monarchie and regall authoritie addeth a further obligation The former to witt the securitie of his Maiesties Protestant subiects the Catholike Consederats haue assured in theire seuerall declarations and are readie to giue such further assurance as the law of God and charitie can oblige them to giue in that case adding further that they shal be more secure and safe among the Consederat Catholikes than among the Parliamentarie Rownd-heads who haue spilt most vnnaturallie and barbarously more Protestants blood in England and that causleslie than ouer the Catholikes since these warres haue in theire owne defence spilt in Ireland The Protestants themselues may reade carefullie the Treatie or conference latelie past in Dublin betweene his Excellencie the Marques of Ormond and the fiue Commissioners of the Parliament and glasse theire owne miserie By Protestants we vnderstand such as professe the protestant doctrine established in England an 1562. and comprized in the 39. articles and not any new Parliamentarie Protestants who as they haue demolished the ecclesiasticall hierarchie maintained in the said articles soe haue they as much as in them lay monarchicall gouernment such a brood of vipers which deuoureth both Church and state king and Prelat may not be licenced to cohabit with the Confederat Catholikes Qui enim dicit illis ave Communicat operibus eorum malignis 27. Obserue further that according the forsaid letter the authoritie to coÌ„clude a peace is entirely in the Marques yet hath hiâ— Excellencie euermore assumed to his assistance and ioynd in a manner in the same authoritie with him those of the priuie Councell in Dublin who for the most part of them are knowne to haue either adheared to the Parliament or to haue beene impeached of high-treason by the kingdome they fearing theire heads would neuer suffer or aduise the Marques to condescend vnto a good peace And if my author who liued in Dublin and was an eye-witnes of what he related vnto me may be belieued those very porsons who were knowne to adhere to the Parliament euen those foure who for that cause were once commiâ—ted to the Castle by the Marques haue had in the Ins there priuat Conuenticles together with the lord Chancellour lord lowther and Maurice Eustace who I meane the three last after theire priuat consultation there would repaire to the priuie Councell in the Castle where theire aduise as learned in the lawes was followed in promoueing this Peace and theire aduise was instilled according the infusions receiued in the Parliamentarie priuat Conuenticles soe this inference may seeme more than probable whatsoeuer was don in promouing and concluding this peace was not done according the direction and Commands of his Majestie but according the advise and and Councell of Parliamentarie Rebels The effects proue the veritie of this inference 28. To conclude the king holds it not a hard bargaine to grant vs the repeale of the penall lawes and the suspension of Poynings act soe we freely and vigorouslie engage our selues to his assistance noe other condition of secureing his protestant subiects or preseruing his regall authoritie doth herequire of vs for conferring on vs those two graces which I wish those Gentlemen did take notice of who when they were questioned by the Congregation wherfore they laboured not to obtaine the benefitt of the graces by this letter conferred on vs and to cause the fame to be inserted in the articles of peace excused the Marques of Ormond or rather themselues saying that there were other conditions added in the letter which yow see is not consonant to truth for soe much as concernes these parricular graces other more ample graces might be also granted by the Marques vnto vs if we secured the Protestants and preserued regall authoritie for on those more ample conditions the king commanded him to make a peace with the Irish whateuer it cost and aggrauateth the matter more earnestlie in the conclusion of his letter affirming that to gaine our assistance against the Rebels of England and Stolland no conditions can be hard not being against conscience and honour wherein euermore he supposeth the repeale of the penall lawes and suspension of Poynings act to be neither against conscience or honour or against the securitie of his Protestant subiects nay we shall els where demonstrat it that our kings of England are tyed by the ligatures of promise royall past by thire royall progenitors and solemne oath taken at theire Coronation at least indirectlie to repeale the said penall lawes in asmuch as they haue beene surreptitiously enacted in these later dayes of defection against that Catholike faith which our king by the said promise and oath haue beene obliged to defend and maintaine I must not here passe by that the king commaÌ„ds the repeale or present taking away of the penall lawes without any lymitation or exception the Marques of
solid authoritie from the Kingdome my admiration was augmented by the answer I received from one affected to them to wit that the Councell made no doubt to conclude all things as they pleased by force 37. The last Supreme Councell was established the second of March 1645. Their Commission to the Committee of Treaty was given the sixt of March following After diligent search I found among the assembly acts of that second day of March this act It is ordered that the Supreme Councell and the Committee of Instructions as by former order in that behalfe appointed shall sit this afternoone and PREPARE all affaires conceaning the Treaty of peace and with all possible speed dispatch the Commissioners to Dublin But neither this order nor any other former order I could light on doth give power or authoritie to this new Supreme Councell to give any commission to the committee of Treatie either to treate or conclude a peace at all much lesse to conclude such a peace as the committee of Treaty in their Iudgement should thinke fit which is the commission the first Supreme Councell gave the committee of Treaty for which I am perswaded they never yet had authoritie from the Assembly It is one thing to sit and PREPARE all affaires concerning the treaty which alone this order imparts another thing to be authorized by the Assembly to give commission in the name of the Kingdome to the committee of Treaâ—y to conclude what peace they listed which is the point here questioned But here occurres unto the what I have beene often told even by members of some assemblyes past that such I will not say Factionists as precipiâ—aâ—ed into this abortive peace had their private cabinet Councels where they moulded what Orders they thought convenientâ— for their purpose which they ordinarlly presented about the perclose of the Assemblyes and when they saw such as they thought would oppose them absent and prepared such as they knew would adhere to them and set forth the matter with a specious glosse to be present and so caused such orders to passe surreptitiously without any deliberation or mature consideration by the house of such orders or of the ends the Moulders of them intended I suspect this order though it make little to the present purpose to be one of those surreptitious orders the cause of my suspition is that in the selfe same Assembly 19. February the whole Kingdome unanimously agreed and promised unto the Lord Nuncius that they would conclude nothing with the Marques of Ormond touching the peace untill the first of May following what appearance is there then that the same Kingdome in the same assembly should order that with all possible speed the Commissioners should be dispatched to Dublin and thereupon to signe and seale a peace the same moneth never expecting the first day of May as they promised and by that meanes so to entangle the businesse as whether the Popes peace came or no by the first day of May the Kingdome was obliged to embrace Ormonds peace though ever so unjust and indeed so some of the very Committee of Instructions were perswaded but the unfolding of this mysterie wee leave unto the assembly which I pray the God of truth to illuminate and preserve from faction and division §. 9. Other defects proving the insufficiency and invalidity of the said Commission 38. IN the Commission given by the first and last Supreme Councell they authorize the committee of Treaty nor onely to treate and agree but also to conclude a peace with the Marques of Orâ—nâ—nd their authotitie herein they father on the act of Assembly past 20. Iuly 1644. which kinde of act I could never finde among all the acts of Assembly nay the contrary is evident as well by both the Acts of assembly above specified numb 34. 37. as by other acts which hereafter I shall expresse that they had power onely to treate of the peace and to prepare matters conceruing the same but not to conclude iâ— I have indeed heard that our committee of Treatie laboured in severall Assemblyes to have absolute power given them not onely to treate of but also to conclude a peace but as yet I have not seene any such power granted neither ought any such power at any hand be granted to any particular men who by faction corruption or affection might be able to destroy Religion King and Countrey These men 〈◊〉 desired this absolute power are knowne to be either of allians with the Marques of Ormond or to depend of him or to have beene deluded by him with vaine hopes of promotion wherefore it is not secure for the Kingdome to give absolute power to such persons how honourable and faithfull soever they may be esteemed to be neither ought they if they would avoid the just suspicion of the people demand it We must not put the cause of God to compromise to Achitophel If then it appeares cleerely our committee of Treatie had no power to conclude but to treate of a peace onely who may doubt but their proceeding to a conclusion without commission is altogether in valid peradventure they may produce some act of assembly for an act of the Councell or committee of Instructions will not serve their turne to pâ—ove they had not onely power to treate but also to conclude such a peace as they thought fit but hetherto I have not seene any such and if any such shall be produced It rust the Kingdome will be so carefull of its owne honour and wellfare as to disqusse the validitie thereof and the wayes and meanes which were used in getting forth such an act It can hardly be exemplified that foure or five persons in a Kingdome had ever such absolute power given them as to conclude a peace within the same Kingdome for and concerning the most important affaires that ever could be agitated in a Kingdome even then when they might call upon an assembly of the whole Kingdome to try and examine the justice or injustice validitie or invaliditie of the said peace and that the power should be so unlimitted as their Commission had no expresse relation to any Instructions by which they ought to be regulated That five secular men should be made Supreme Iudges in a Catholique Kingdome of Prelate and Priest of Regular and secular of Religion Church and Church-livings of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction administration of Sacraments celebration of divine service and office c. à seculo non est auditum no not in Henry the eights owne dayes Numquid omnes Crumvelli numquid omnes vicarij in spiritualibus temporalibus numquid omnes Braini And this is the third argument whereby wee prove the invaliditie of the said peace 39. The fourth argument may be deduced out of the number selected by the kingdome to be of the Committee of Treaty which was thirteene as you may observe out of the act of Assembly numb 34. by which act there was no power given the Councell
Marques was resolved not to conclude a peace untill we complyed in sending over 10000. men wherein the Marques might have spared his labour the contract for sending over 10000. men being made by us with Glamorgan and not with him whose peace was not in it selfe worthy the acceptance onely much lesse worthy the reward of sending over 10000. men for getting it To be briefe thus stands the question how dared the Committee of Treatie to signe and seale a peace before the first of May contrary to the Assemblyes resolution and how dared the new supreme Councell without consent of the assembly to grant them a commission to that effects By the relation of Mr. Browne and Mr. VValsh you see our committees were not engaged by all the Treaties past to conclude a peace with the Marques they might without difficultie comply with the Popes Holynes and the Kings speciall commissioners request And this request was made by them even then when Glamorgans articles were in full power because they held it not altogether so secure and profitable when they afterward understood that his Majestie protested against Glamorgans articles doe you thinke that either they or the assembly would ever yeeld to accept of Ormonds fordid articles apart either the May following or for ever he had more need to beg a peace of us than we of him Had not the countrey beene betrayed by licencing him to receive his rents he had beene glad to come off with better conditions according his Majesties commands and provided better for His Majestie and himselfe The Clergies subscription to the Nuncius his Protestation 4. Wee also the underwritten Prelates and Clergie of Ireland doe adhere unto the opinion of the most illustrious Lord Nuncius confirming what are above expressed And we doe resolve unanimously to insist upon the same protestation Dated at Kilkenney the foresaid sixt day of February 1645. stylo veteri Hugo Ardmachanus Fr. Thomas Dubliniensis Thomas Casseliensis David Ossoriensis Gulielmus Corâ—agiens Duan Io. Clonfertens Emerus Clogherens Io. Laonens Fr. Patrie VVaterford Lismor Fr. Edmund Laghliniens Nicholaus Fernensis Richardus Ardsertensis Accadensis Edmund Calamens Episcopus Coaedjutor Linericens Fr. Albertus O Brien Provincial Ordin Praedicatorum Robertus Nugentius Societatis Iesu Superior VValterus Linchaeus Vicar General Tuamens Iacobus Fallonus Vicar Apostolic Accadens Fr. Oliverus de Burgo Vicar Duaceus Donaldus O Gripha Vicar Apostolic Finiburensis Iacobus Dempsy Vicar General Kildar Cornelius Gafnus Ardaghader Vicar Oliver Deise vicarius Procurator Reverendissimi Medensis Episcopi Carolus Coghlaâ— Vicar General Cluanensis §. 11. An abridgement in English of the Lord Nuncius his Latin letter dated the 5. of May 1646. sent unto the Supreme Councell and committee in the prosecution of the said Protestation 5. In this letter the Lord Nuncius doth elegantly distinguish in the Marques of Ormond a double qualitie the one of a Lieutenant for his Majestie the other of a chiefe Peere of the realme In the qualitie of Lieutenant hee proves no firme and solide peace can be made with him forasmuch as his authoritie depends of the King and by how much the more or the lesse the securitie and power of his Majestie increaseth or decreaseth it necessariiy followeth that the authoritie also of the Lieutenant increaseth and decreaseth and that the safetie and authoritie of the King being uncertaine the authoritie also of Lieutenant becometh void and uncertaine c. and if this be true in those articles which belong to the politicke state of the Kingdome how much more in the Ecclesiasticall state and things belonging to the Catholique Faith against which he being a Protestant hath an aversion of minde besides the want of authoritie VVherefore the Confederate Catholiques ought not by any meanes choose any other way than by laying aside in the interim any treatie of peace c. untill the Kings most excellent Majestie be restored to that state and condition as he may confirme by Parliament the Articles which His Holynes agreed upon with Digby in Rome which thing seemes not onely profitable and necessarie for the affaires of Ireland in the present state but also honourable to the King himselfe seeing all things are reserved to his authoritie untill that time when he shall be in the full libertie of dominion and the loyaltie of the Irish shall be able to merit somewhat with his Majestie c. which shall be augmented by the Catholiques publique protestation that whatsoever they possesse or acquire shall be with all loyaltie and fidelitie preserved for his Majestie who otherwise may be wash'd out of all if Parliamentarie Harpies once fix their Tallons in them 6. Hee proceedeth further shewing how glorious it shall be unto the Confederate Catholiques that the advance of the Catholique cause the splendour libertie lawes rites and publike exercise of Religion proceeded rather from themselves and from the innate love they beare to true Religion than from any treaty with the Marques whose authoritie lyes a bleeding c. All Christian Princes and chiefely the Pope would be offended that any peace and that of abject conditions should be here treated of while the peace containing honourable and good conditions concluded upon in Rome doth expect only our Kings approbation as if particular men and those Procestants to could better provide for Ireland and the Catholique Church than His Holynes can doe 7. If the Marques be considered as a Peere of the Realme in that respect he may have all things common to the rest of the Irish and therefore I hold he may be a defender of his countrey against the common enemies And if he will as an Irish man and a Servant to his Majestie gather all his forces against the Scots and Parliamentaries he ought to be received yea and to be assisted by money and other subsidies so as the Catholique Religion by such kinde of conjunction receive no detriment for effecting whereof he layeth downe among other these conditions if it shall ever happen that the forces of the Marquis be joyned with the Catholique forces that then he may by no meanes establish any other Religion than the Catholique Religion in all places which shall happen to be gained by the same armies ioynt together otherwise the Popes aides aswell present as future may by no meanes be employed for the advance of Protestanisme which were impious That the Consederates so treate with the Marques at our hopes of having or obtayning a Catholique Vice-Roy after the expiration of his time be not frustrated which the securitie of Religion doth chiefly require and His Holynesse doth vehemently desire Therefore to this end we must be warie least in the interim while the affaires of England doe waver wee doe any thing which may compell the Nuncius Apostolicus in the behalfe of His Holynesse to protest against it as by his private letters he hath protested a few dayes past Hee addeth further that Dublin be delivered to the possession of
the Confederates to be preserved for the Kings most excellent Maiestie that all hopes may be cut off from the Puâ—itans who perpetually thirst after the possession thereof c. I trow this should be a forewarning prevalent enough with our Councell and Committees not to conclude a peace with the Marques upon such base conditions as they have done §. 12. The Councell and Committee of Instructions Latine answer 1. Iunij 1646. to the foresaid letter and protestation abriged into English 8. IN the first place they acknowledge the receit of the letter and protestation doe observe the resolution of the Lord Nuncius and Clergie to be such as he will have no peace at any hand concluded with the Kings Commissarie unlesse first the splendor of the Catholique Roligion be established and with the articles published In the second place they admire that the protestation came not sooner unto their hand and at length they answer that the weakenesse and necessitie of the Confederate Catholiques enforceth them to a peace that by publique declaration printed 1642. and by their Agents they sent to the Pope and other Christian Princes to demand aide that for the space of five yeares warre they received not so much succour as would defray the charge of warre for two moneths time that they looked onely for as much meanes as would maintaine 15000 foote and 2000. horse for six moneths times and they would undergoe all hazards and endure all discommodities to increase the splendour of the Catholique Religion through all parts of this Kingdome which they obtained not The consideration of these things say they and the obedience due to his Majestie enforceth them to make ANY PEACE to prevent the fatall miseries of VVarre and the sudden ruin of Religion and Nation 9. Yet they tell the Lord Nuncius that they resolve to ratifie marke the phrase I pray you ratas habere Glamorgans concessions granted by the Kings authority and to endevour by the authority of the See Apostolicke and the mediation of other Catholicke Princes to obtayne more plentifull graces for the establishing of the Catholicke Religion that in the Treaty of peace there was place left for further priviledges of the Catholicke Religion They further affirme that in the last treaty at Dublin nothing was done without consulting the Nuncius and that according his desire the Conclusion marke that hitherto the peace was not concluded therefore they were as yet at liberty to conclude the peace or not conclude it and publication of the peace was deferred untill the Calends of May least any impediment should be given to the coÌ„ditions which were expected by that time to come but are not yet come They pray his Grace to take notice if it shall happen the peace shortly to be concluded and published without the promulgation of Glamorgans concessions that same is pro re and to the greater good of the Religion 10. They proceede further aggravating the present state of the kingdome in the temporality Mounster exhausted with warre cherisheth many enemies in her bosome who daily increase by the patronage of the Parliament of England and revolt of Thomond In Connaght all is wasted besides Galway and Mayo Roscoman Boyle and other Forts revolting c. Generall O Neyle hath so wasted Leynster before he went to Vlster that three or foure counties thereof are unprofitable for the plow and in themselves miserable c. They adde the feare of the Lieutenants conjunction with the Scots c. insomuch as force feare and danger beget in all men a desire to embrace any peace Besides feare of the Scots conjunction with the Parliament the King being now in their power a peace timely made may alone hinder this which being concluded the catholickes may serve God and their King and free themselves from all those evils This Letter was signed thus Illustrissimae ac Reverendissimae Dominationis vestrae addictissimi Muskry De mandato Concisij Comitiorum Thomas Tyrell 11. Why the Viscount Muskry alone subscribed hereunto and none else I doe not know unlesse it be because the ill affected of the Councell for so they call in the Manuscript outside of the Articles the soundest part of the Councell those that were not of the faction did not condescend thereunto 13. The Lord Nuncius his Letter 10. Iunij 1646. sent to the same Councell and Committee 12. Least I might saith he in this most waighty circumstance of things seeme to have sent unto your honours two severall protestations without any ground of reason I pray you would reade the same reasons which moved me so to diswade the peacc in these times which is now propounded esteeming me to have beene compelled to write these things out of zeâ—le onely towards Religion and the honour of the Catholicks of this kingdome c. And having repeated the substance of his foresaid Letter touching the double quality of the Marquesse of Ormond he saith that though there could be a peace made yet it ought not to be made for the following reasons For seeing nothing is therein established concerning the Catholicke religion c. by what meanes I beseech you may the Catholicke Confederats defend themselves if among others even the Nuncius Apostolicke is to become witnesse among all Christian Princes that the Catholicks might have better conditions from her Majesty the Queene in France the last yeare and as yet better from the Lord of Glamorgan in these later Moneths and as yet the most plentifull of all concluded by his Holynesse in Rome and yet that the Confederate Catholickes all these peaces being contemned after so many moneths cessations in the very point of new difficulties in England and after that a full halte yeare of the time to make warre is past over yea when the enemies are all almost beaten backe should accept of a worse peace than the other three Let every conscience beare witnesse whether by such a resolution the Oath of Association taken with such glory and constancy be not violated 13. It is therefore manifest unlesse first the Catholickes be assured that the Kings Majesty would ratify the Earles authority and that the Queenes Majesty hath cleerely understood whether the Popes conditions shall have place or no whatsoever shal be done shall tend to the evident destruction of this kingdome and to the extirpation of Religion which is the head of all and to the notable injury of the Princes who hetherto have laboured for the safety and security of the Catholicke Confederats which is so much the more true seeing no reasonable motive can be assigned by the adverse party for concluding this peace Then answering to the objection of the danger of the Scots he saith there is no danger of more Scots to come over this season being busily imployed elsewhere and as for those that are in Vlster and Connaght they are sufliciently provided against by two Armies mayntained by the Popes moneys There remaynes therefore
onely the Lord Marquesse his forces and those forces how great are they that they may not be repulsed And seeing we neede not feare the enemies this yeare why should not wee hope that even the souldiers that are in Mounster may after this present expedition be turned to the defence of Leinster and by what other wayes soever to preserve Leynster Wherefore right honourable it must be concluded that that peace must in no sort be made neyther must it be treated of before the things mentioned be notifyed unto you least by an imaginary utility of repose you leese your estimation with Christian Princes Be these spoken over and above what in my Protestations and in my letters to the Supreme Councell I have sufliciently declared praying that your Honours would ponder them with the same spirit I wrote them namely for the sole increase of the Catholicke Church and the true and solid felicity of Ireland which felicity God alone and the Catholicke faith is able to give all things else concluded whatsoever the world and the followers thereof can say Thus farre elegantly religiously the Lord Nuucius in Latin §. 14. An abridgement in English of a third Letter in Latin dated 25. Iumj 1646. and sent to the same Councell and Committee by the Nuncius in answer to their Letter 14 HAving acknowledged the receipt of the Councell and Committees letter above mentioned hee first shewes wherefore he did not sooner communicate the protestations to them Know therefore saith he that therfore the said protestation hath beene made by me when in the moneths past it was vehemently doubted and not without cause that the Supreme Councell and Committees would then by all meanes conclude a peace with the Lord Lieutenant and not expect the articles transacted between his Holynesse and her Majesty the Queene of England and by consequence that they would preferre any other peace before the Popes peace which contayned most honourable and most plentifull conditions for this kingdome And when I presented this my griefe unto the Prelats Clergy they without reluctancy of any subscribed to my opinion according to the reverence they ought and doe beare to his Holynesse But wherefore the protestation was suppressed I alone am the cause thereof being not willing to shew it untill I were compelled through great necessity and desiring for the love and observance I beare your honours that it could be perpetually suppressed but wherfore I have in this present state of things manifested it this was the cause that your honours might seriously consider that both Clergies are yet much more ready to subscribe unto it againe if any peace be concluded that may be any way scandalous or lesse honourable for Religion when as for the expectation of the articles of Rome they so readily subscribed thereunto 15. He denyeth that they communicated unto him the manner of their proceeding in the treaty saying though they still informed him of many missions of the Committee to Dublin yet it is also certayne that they never spoke unto him untill the moneth of March of the peace with the Marquesse now subscribed nay it was expresly denyed although I oftentimes shewed that I understood from many places of such a thing and when after the notable declination of the Kings Majesty and the wonderfull change of the state of things I wrote two letrers to your honours the one the 27. of April the other rhe 5. of May sent from Kilkenny wherein I endevoured to shew that no peace could be made with the Marquesse c. I vehemently grieved I could get no answer to them neyther were the letters publickly reade in the Committee nor the reasons pondered c. whereof there can be no other cause than that hidden conclusion of peace which could be no way dissembled if answer were given Whence I might easily suspect that which for many moneths hath beene bruited namely the magnificent proclayming of the communication of all matters with me and my consent therunto that by such reports the people might be drawne with more alacrity to consent unto this intended peace Which thing most illustrious Lords imposed a great necessity on me if an honourable peace were not concluded to admonish the kingdome and the chiefe Cities thereof that I never gave assent thereunto least I should seeme by my silence and presence to blemish the most holy intention of his Holynesse who urgeth nothing more than this free publike exercise of the Catholicke Religion c. 16. Vnto the necessities alleaged by the Supreme Councell and Committee he answers no necessities could be so pressing as to force the Confederats to make any peace or to accelerate politicall conclusions without an honourable addition of things Ecclesiasticall also c. and that the cause why such plentifull succours as they expected from Rome came short of their expectation was that at Rome it was held that the Supreme Councell Committees by their Cessations with the Lord Lieutenant did corrupt the good successe of the affaires and the progresse of their victories whereby they injur'd themselves and his Holynesse which opinion grew so strong in Court as the same was insinuated by the sacred Congregation unto the Nuneius himselfe when he was there among those of the wisest sort grew so violent as it can hardly be now blotted out He addeth further though the succour by himselfe brought being considered abstractively were indeed very little in respect of what his Holynesse and other Princes of Italy together with the cardinals resolved to send yet ought they to be esteemed much considering the povertie of the See Apostolicke which by the last warres was in a manner exhhausted and the charge of sending hither an Archbishop a Nuncius Apostolicke c. which was an undoubted pledge of further succours from time to time neyther ought they to be esteemed small succours without which the Armies could not be timely sent into the field this yeare and by which in Vlster two great victories have beene obtayned a whole province freed such a slaughter made of the enemy as was not heard of these foure hundred yeares which with the hopes of Prestons victories in Connaght are strong arguments that the monyes given by the See Apostolicke for the advance of the Catholicke Religion doe bring forth immense fruit even to miracle if with due confidence estimation they be received employed 17. He urgeth the affaires of Vlster to proceed so well as that Province was never in better condition that the proceeding of Connaght was not of lesse hope and that if Bunratty were besieged as it ought the Army that was in that Province might be sent to Mounster and so three Provinces recovered in the residue of this Summer VVherefore saith the zealous and incomparable Prelat seeing the Marquesse of Ormond alone remaynes who may oppose himselfe to the Confederats I pray you what reason have you why you should feare him if
of the word untill that she had a child after her death Vntill heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle shall not passe of the law It followes not that after heaven and earth passe that then the law shall passe He had beene an Helvidian hereticke who against our blessed Ladies perpetuall and unspotted virginity would inferre out of this passage of the Scripture Ioseph did not know our Lady untill she brought forth her first hegotten child Ergo he knew her after More you may reade in the Scriptures Faâ—hers and Schoolemen It is knowne what sinister practises the corrupt part of that councell and committees used in this matter when they pleased to say a peace was concluded with Ormond to hinder any other peace it was and must have been so when they pleased to say there was no peace concluded with Ormond for their owne advantage it was so and their faction grew so strong and their Art so industâ—ious as in our later assemblies they seemed to rule and governe faith and religion kingdome and people as they pleased That would I once see well discussed how and by what commission the committee of Treaty signed and sealed the rejected peace before the Kalends of May contrary to their owne promise and the promise made by the whole kingdome to the Nuncius By what commission or authority did the late councell and committees immediatly after the signing â—nd sealing of thâ—t rejected peace betray the country in sending over Dâ—gby into Frunce there to make a faction and by the power of the Armes of France to force that unsafe peace upon the confederate catholickes of Ireland upon sending him over to racke this kingdome by taking up by force 1200. or 1500. pounds in money from the catholickes to furnish a knowne adversaâ—y to Religion and country in that voyage and to disappoint the kingdome of the best Shipping they had by trusting the same unto him 27. It hath beene observed that the late Supreme councell and committee of Instructions have exhausted this distressed Nation in succouring relieving maintayning and supplying with monyes the two greatest adversaries to Religion and countreâ— that ever Ireland saw have evermore substracted all meanes sustenance from the two great Noble Catholicke subjects Antrim and Glamorgan who have been chiefly intrusted by King and countroy to bring these unhappy disorders to a happy attonment By publicke Assembly Antrim was allowed to carry into Scotland a certaine number of men for the Kings service to defray that charge a considerable summe was granted unto him by the catholicke confederats Our late councell by influences as is said from Dublin cross'd all that designe and had stop'd the Marquesse of Antrim himselfe had he not timely slip'd anker and got him away Can there nothing bee done for Religion King or countrey but by the adversaries of Religion King and countrey Ah let never any inordinat affection towards any privat subject diminish in any their zeale to Religion loyalty to soveraigne love to their owne native countrey Mr. Brent the Lawyer standing neere the crosse of Kilkenny seing proper Irish gentlemen walke in the streets was heard to pronounce these words or words to that effect were it not pitty that these proper gentlemen were forced to employ their armes against and kill one another which undoubtedly they will doe if they accept not of what peace the Marquesse of Ormond will prescribe unto them The very like words he was heard to iterate in Dublin Doctor Meara wrote from England to Dublin to a friend in Dublin words to this effect Here with the King all things concerning Ireland are squared according the rule prescribed by your great one there his will is that the dismembred Parliament there in Dublin continue and prayed the King to turne the Irish over unto him and be would draw them to what conditions he pleased Others say the same great one protested That he would spill the least drop of bloud that runne in his veines before he would suffer the least lustre of the Protestant Church to be diminished Whether he meant the Church which the Kings Majesty cals protestant Church or that Synagogue which the parliament in these later dayes hath baptized protestant Church I leave to the interpretation of his owne ghostly father in Dublin See the Marquesse his Treaty with the Parliament Commissioners pag. 21. 28. When the Councell and committee promised under their hand unto the Nuncius that they would conclude no peace but what would be to his liking they limitted no time untill May or Mid-somer neither did the Nuncius or Congregation in their severall protestations made against any peace to be so concluded with the Marques of Ormond limit any such time It is therefore certaine that neither Nuncius nor Clergie did ever consent that such a peace should be concluded after May. Yet if wee did suppose a falshood that they consented a peace should be concluded after May with the Marques it followeth not that they consented such a peace should be concluded which is knowne not to be the same with that which then in the moneth of February August was in agitation and publickely reade in the assembly as we have observed in the first part chiefely on the first article Nay if we may give credit unto some of integritie who were of the Committee of Instructions those very articles which were read among themselves privately were notably changed unawares of the said committee Matters were carried with such secrecie as they were not communicated unto any disinteressed person of Councell or Committee for qui male agit edit lucem Againe though we did suppose that not only the Nuncius and Clergie but also the whole kingdome should once consent yea authorize the committee of Treaty to goe forward in the peace with the Marques which once was read in Assembly being then assured of the full benefit of Glamorgans peace and in expectation of the Popes peace doth it therefore follow that when this assurance of Glamorgans peace was taken away and our expectation of the Popes peâ—ce frustrated the same consent of Nuncius Clergie and Kingdome together with the mandat given to the Committee of Treaty must still remaine especially when that very peace they concluded with Ormond put an obstacle not onely to the benefit of Glamorgans peace but also to all other peaces the law tells us that in this case the mandat or commission given is extinguished extinguitur euim mandatum mutatione status in deterius consensus autem conditionatus sublata conditione tollitur 29. Out of all which the Reader may resolve that objection which the Councell and Committees commonly object against the Clergie as if the Clergie themselves did agree and consent in all points unto this peace for say they the Archbishop of Tuam in open assembly admonished us not to trouble our selves about the affaires of Religion Church for saith the
Archbishop the Clergie are fully satisfied and doe rest content with what already is agreed upon concerning that particular Words to the same effect I reade in my diurnalls of the assembly 19. 20. 23. February 1645. wherein the Nuncius himselfe confirmed the above mentioned speech of Glamorgan and Glamorgan himselfe signified againe in publicke assembly that our peace then was to our owne hearts desire But all this being after changed as you heard and the King himselfe being reduced to that deplorable condition as neither his Majestie nor his Lord Lieutenant were able to make good any conditions to be agreed upon in the behalfe of the confederate Catholiques the committee of the Treaties commission if any they had was extinguished and they to discharge their owne conscience and the trust imposed in them and withall to avoid the suspicion which the Kingdome conceived of them should endeavour by the mediation of the Supreme Councell and committee of Instructions to have an assembly forthwith called as the Lord Nuncius earnestly desired in the behalfe of the Clergie and Kingdome And seing by the words of the Archbishop of Tuam the point of Religion and Church was otherwise concluded and agreed upon betweene the Clergie and the Kings speciall commissioner they had no commission to treate or conclude any thing to the prejudice thereof with any other Now if they will obstinately insist upon it that the Clergie or spirituall member of the body politicke of this Kingdome could not recall the power or commission granted unto them by the whole body surely they will not be so perversly obstinate as to deny they may recall the commission for so much of the matter to be treated of as belonged to themselves namely the affaires of Religion Church and Church-livings Iurisdiction c. Yet I am of opinion if one of three Marchants who are partners contractu Societatis or otherwise recall a procuration or letter of Atturney made by the three to one Factor to negotiate their affaires the revocation is valid and good More examples and authorities I leave to our Lawyers to be alleaged Lastly to come to a period in this particular you see by the diurnall of the acts of Assembly 19. February above mentioned the words goe not so that our councell or committees should expect untill May the conclusion of any peace and that the Nuncius desired no further time as they insinuate in their answer but that the conclusion of the peace betweene the Lord Nuncius Glamorgan and Committee could not receive full satisfaction untill May. By which words alone if all other reasons were wanting their objection is blasted Yet let us againe suppose a falshood that the Clergy did once consent that the Committee of Treatie should after May conclude a peace with the Maâ—ques of Ormond who may doubt but they might afterward absolutely recall any such consent and that the committee being certified of such revocation could not validly proceede See the decretalls lib. 1. de Rescriptis Tit. 3. cap. 33. and the glosse thereupon where a Rescript obtained by a Proctor or Atturney after revocation of his procuratorie is declared invalid by Pope Gregory the ninth which may very fitly be applied aswell to the Revocation of the Marques of Ormonds commission as to the revocation of our committies commission A fourth observation refuting the allegation of the Councell and Committee affirming that the necessitie and calamitie of the Kingdome enforced them to conclude this peace 30. To the objection made concerning the necessity of our countrey and want of meanes to prosecute the warre a threefold answer is returned First that by conjunction with the Marquesse of Ormond upon such sordid conditions such necessity is rather augmented than any way decreased as appeareth by what wee have observed above and in the first part of this survey in our observations on the 25. Article for by that peace were it accepted we were tyed to maintayne not onely the Catholicke Confederats army and the Garisons in their Quarters but also all the armies and Garisons belonging to the pretended Protestants in the foure Provinces of Ireland wee should be at the charge to maintayne the Marquesse of Ormond his followers the Lord Digby and other pretended Protestants that throng hether which would be more burdensome to the kingdome than the maintenance of an Army in the field to speake nothing of the danger whereunto the Catholicke Religion would be driven by entertayning such guests whose imaginations and endevours are wholy employed in sowing sedition and division among the Confederate catholicks to the end they might ruine this poore Nation suppresse religion and rayse up heresie unto whom when the catholickes have done the most charitable offices they may they must expect no other reward than that which the ten Leopards gave unto the martyr saint Ignatius We may foresee our future calamitie by such conjunction in the present calamity wherin the distressed Catholicks in their Quarters are The pretended Protestant party have neither meate money amunition or other provision for warre How then doe they expect to be relieved but by the Confederate Catholickes There were but three hundred pounds in our Treasury at Kilkenny when the Marquesse of Ormond came thither which were commanded by the late councell to be forthwith given to that handfull of souldiers that wayted on his Excellency to Kilkenny from Dublin There are at least fourteene thousand pounds due on the Marquesse of Ormond for the maintenance of the protestant Army and Garisons in his Quarters as appeareth by the Treaty past betweene his Excellency and the commissioners sent unto him by the parliament Who doubts but that great summe would be racked from the confederate Catholickes if once they joyned with him upon the rejected peace I pâ—sse by the 1200. or 1500. pounds given to the Lord Digby c. adde hereunto upon conjunction upon a peace so disadvantagious to the catholicke faith the succours expected from catholicke Princes and Prelats abroad would be wholy subtracted from us without whose succours wee shall never be able to subsist on the other side the pâ—otestant party expect nor a groat from any their allyes at home or abroad 31. Our second answer is that the loud cry of the people and that confirmed by the Lord Nuncius his letters above is that our late Supreme councell themselves are the chiefe cause of such weakenesse and necessity aswell because they continued for the space of three yeares a tedious chargeable and needlesse cessation with the Marquesse of Ormond by which meanes the Parliamentary rebels in the North Conaght and Mounster who at first accepted the cessation had leasure enough to strengthen themselves who having sufficiently furnished themselves from England and other places rejected the cessation and put in practise their hidden treason as also because they consumed vast summes of mony on the Marques of Ormond and other known enemies of Religion without any necessitie
Church did positively recall all Commissions given to such Committees or Agents as the Clergy of Ireland hath done in this present peace How generall soever a Commission may be yet this exception is alwayes involved therein that nothing that is unlawfull may be done by vertue thereof mandatum si generale sit solum prohibet quae licita non sunt which the law exemplyfieth by this case if a Commission be given to elect any one in generall tearmes to any dignity office or benefice it is to be understood that a fit one be chosen Vnde mandatum de aliquo eligendo intelligitur de eligendo idâ—neo What could be done more unlawfull in the execution of any Commission than what hath beene done by our Committee of Treaty in the execuâ—ion of their commission they rejected the graces our Soveraigne granted unto us for gayning whereof they had a Commission and engaged the kingdome in matters of high concernment for which they had no commission Can that peace be a good peace wherein thereis no securitie for our Religion lives liberties or estates The limitation of our Committee of treaties Commission proved out of the Modell of government by which Magna Charta is to be maintayned and the Church livings granted to the Catholicke Clergy 39. In the very first Article of the Modell of Government I reade thus Inprimis That the Roman Catholicke Church in Ireland shall have and enioy its priviledges and immunities according tâ— the GREAT CHARTER enacted and declared within the Realme of England in the ninth yeare of the raigne of King Henry the second sometimes King of England and Lord of Ireland and ofterward enacted and confirmed in Ireland and that the common-law of England and all the statutes in force in this kingdome which are against the catholicke Roman Religion and liberties of the Natives Marke the resolution to procure the repeale of the penall lawes c and other subiects of this kingdow shal be observed c. That every branch of MAGNA CHARTA all other statutes confirming expounding or declaring the same shal be punctually observed Know yee saith the King in that Charter That we in the Honour of Almighty GOD the SALVATION of the SOVLES of our Progenitors and Successors Kings of England to the ADVANCEMENT of HOLY-CHVRCH and the amendment of our Realme of our meere and free-will have given and granted unto the Archbishps Abbots Pryors c. That the Churches of England shall be free and shall have all her whole rights and liberties inviolable Reserving to all Archbishops Abbots Pryors Templers Hospitlers Earles Barons and all persons aswell Spirituall as Temporall all their free liberties and free customes which they had-in times past and all these customes and liberties aforesaid which we have granted to be holden within this our Realme asmuch as pertayneth to us and our heires we shall observe And all men of this our Realme aswell Spirituall as Temporall asmuch as in them is shall observe the same against all persons in likewise This great Charter which contayneth the immunities of the Church and liberties of the Subject hath beene confirmed by thirty Parliaments in the succession of 18. Kings Edward the third in the 14. yeare of his raigne augmented the same by the addition of five speciall priviledges granted the Church and Clergy and in the 25. yeare of his raigne added a surplus of nine priviledges more And this is it which the Earle of Glamorgan hath in part granted unto us and which our Kings of England have sworne to maintayne unto us Henry the 8. indeed deprived us of the benefit thereof I wish our owne bosome friends at home had not too neerely imitated him In all the articles of peace there is not somuch as once mention made of this GREAT CHARTER though it be the first and prime article the kingdome resolved to insist upon 40. In the six and twentieth Article of the same Modell of Government It is ordered and established that the possessions of the Protestant Archbishops or Bishops Deanes Dignitaries and Pastors in the right of their respective Churches or their Tenants in the beginning of these troubles shall be deemed taken construed as the possessions of the Catholicke Archbishops Deanes Dignitaries Pastors and their Tenants respectively to all intents purposes and that those possessions are intended within the precedent order for setlement of possessions And this publicke order of the kingdome you see is conformable to MAGNA CHARTA for somuch and agreable to the publick Declarations of the kingdome and other acts of Assembly The like limitation of the same Commission is expressed in both our declarations made anno 1642. 41. In our Declaration printed in France 1642. we declared it to be a meanes to reduce Ireland to peace and quietnes among other things that by act of Parliament it be declared that the Parliament of Ireland hath no subordination to the Parliament of England that Poynings act the penall lawes be repealed That all Marks of nationall distrinction betweene English and Irish be taken away by act of Parliament That the Bishopricks Deaneries and all other spirituall promotions of this Kingdome and all Frieries and Nunneries may be restored to the Catholique owners and that Impropriations of tiâ—hes may be likewise restored and that the scity ambits and precincis of the Religious houses of the Moâ—ks may be restored to theÌ„ but as to the residue of their temporall possâ—ssions it is not desired to be taken from the present proprietareis but to be left to them untill that God shall otherwise encline their owne hearts That all Plantations made since a. 1610 may be avoyded by Parliament if the Parliament should hold this act â—ust and their possessions restored to those or their heires from whom the same was taken they neverthelesse answering to the Crowne the rents and services proportionably reserved upon the undertakers 42. In our Remonstrance delivered to His Majesties Commissioners at the towne of Trim 17. March 1642. among many other grievances we desired redresse against the penall lawes of 2. Eliz. imposing incapacities on the Catholiques in places of trust honour or profit both in Church and Commonwealth against false inquisitions taken upon feined titles of the Catholiques estates against many hundred yeares possession against the two impeached Iudges who illegally avoided 150. letters patents in one morning for securing the subjects lives liberties and estates for exempting the Parliament of Ireland from any dependency on the Parliamâ—nt of England and for the power and authoritie of the same Parliament of Ireland against the dismembred Parliament of Dublin against the Continuance of poynings ast the lawes and incapacitie to sit in the next Parliament While our Commissioners the Lord Viscount Gormanston Sir Luke Dillon Sir Robert Talbot and Iohn VValsh Esquire presented this Remonstrance to his Majesties commissioners at Trim 17. March 1642. with hopes of redresse for our grievances and a happy accommodation the Marques of
Ormond taking advantage of the time and occasion marched out of Dublin with his forces tooke in Timolin and attempted Rosse where he lost his shipping was frustrated of his expedition and his army so infeebled as he was not able to make any considerable Excursions in halfe a yeare after wherein God shewed his indignation against perfidie and remunerated the innocencie and integritie of the confederate Catholiques by giving into their possession thirty or fourty of the enemies garrisons within few monethes after in so much as the Marques of Ormond was glad to make a speedy cessation with them otherwise they had gone to the very gates of Dublin there being no considerable resistance against them 43. The limitation of their commission according to the 17. propositions propounded unto his Majestie in Aprill 1644. and the 14. additionall propositions thereunto annexed whereunto the 30. Articles of the late rejected peace are answerable is sufficiently explicated in the first part particularlarly § 14. Numb 26. whereunto we referre the Reader The limitation of the foresaid Commission by severall Acts of Assembly 44. Quarto Iunij 1645. It is ordered saith the kingdome then in publicke Assembly upon the question nemine contradicente that the Committee of Instructions shall draw an act that as to the Catholiques of Ireland whether Clergie or Laâ—y all penalties pressures incapacities prejudice and inconvenience laid on the professors of the Roman Catholique Religion by the statute of 2. Elizabeth or any other Act or Law in force in this Kingdome should be taken away and repealed This act was concluded and agreed upon after mature deliberation and serious debate had of this matter by the committees of Instructions whose opinion the Chaire-man reported unto the house at two severall sessions to wit the second and fourth of Iune 1645. It was likewise unanimously ordered by the said Assembly 9. Iunij 1645. That as to the demand made by the Lord Marques of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to the commissioners of the Treaty of peace for the restoring of the Churchesto the Protestant clergie the commissioners shall give an absolute denyall thâ— committee of Instructions are to prepare an Instruction to that effect 11. Iunij 1645. the article concerning Ecclesiasticall and spirituall Iurisdiction saith my diurnall received in publicke Assembly a long and learned debate concerning the severall statuts of premunire and provision and concerning excommunications fulminated by Protestant Prelats against Catholiques whereby they were perpetually forced to repaire to the Protestants Tribunall to obtaine absolutions from them or else to be imprisoned by a writ de Excommunicate capiendo also concerning the maine difference betweene our Religion and protestancie in dispensing with mariage within degrees c. much more appertaining to the Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction was then debated and at length generally referred that day unto the comissioners with instructions from the committee of Instructions The Marques of Ormond in his abridgement of concessions reade in assembly 14 Augusti propounded three manner of remedies for that gâ—ievance none pleased the assemby because the cure was worse than the discease tandem 28. Augusti 1645. it was unanimously agreed upon by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall in full Assembly nullo discrepante that the Catholique confederates of Ireland should never submit or be subordinate to the Protestant Clergie or to any their jurisdiction See also for this the councells letter numb 51. 45. What dispensation our committee of the Treatie had to conclude a peace without procuring a repeale of the penall lawes assurances for our Churches and exemption from the Protestant Clergies Iurisdiction we have not read or heard of So great were the pressures suffered by the Catholiques in Ireland by the Exorbitant power of the Protestant Prelates as many of our Cathliques breathed their last in miserable captivitie others were forced to keepe their owne dwelling houses as if they were in restraint to shun the greedy Parators and hapshares whereof some namely Alderman Doud and Alderman Goodwing Mr. Thomas Long Mr. Iames VValsh Mr. Robert Hacket and others continued in such restraint for the space of seaven yeares or thereabouts Alderman Francis Tayler was prisoner in the Castle of Dublin 18. whole yeares if my memorie faile me not and Alderman Patricke Bâ—owne after so many yeares also imprisonment in the Castle dyed in the prison But hereof much more might be said which I am forced to omit Shall we shall we wilfully fall againe into the same servitude and incurre the malediction of Chanaan to be servi servorum fratribus nostris The learned debate in the assembly and convocation house touching this question whether the confederate Catholiques be bound in conscience by vertue of the oath of Association or other tye to make an expresse article with the Protestant partie for keeping in our hands such Chuches Abbeyes c. now in our possession 46 For the negative part it was suggested that if any such article be made his Maiesty will breake off and consent to no peace betweene us and the above specified party to the great danger of the estates lives and liberties of all our party And it was further urged that in not demanding such an article as above his Maiesty will grant us toleration of Religion For the affirmative part it was likewise suggested that without an expresse article Gods patrimony was not secured that however men might be prodigall in the dispensation of their owne goods yet without danger of Gods indignation they ought not to be prodigall in the dispensation of Gods goods that this his Majesties Kingdome of Ireland had beene more securely preserved for him and his Royall issue by preserving the Churches in the Catholiques hands than in suffering the seeming Protestants to posâ—esse the same who indeed have as great an antipathy against the Protestant doctrine established in England as they have against the Catholique doctrine and therefore might be justly feared to so journe in such places where the Churches Church-livings are as Intelligentiers for the Parliament 47. For these reasons and many more the house of Convocation wholly inclined to the affirmative part The integrity of the whole Kingdome in this particular appeares by their act of assembly of the 9. of Iune one thousand six hundred fourty and five above mentioned They debated indeed learnedly for a long time how they might observe that Divine lecture of CHRIST IESUS Give unto Cesar what is due unto Cesar and unto God what is due unto God Some feared if the Catholicke Confederats had demanded an expresse article for their Churches they had not Given to Cesar what was due unto Cesar and therefore thought a negative act that is to say an act of our owne assembly denying to give unto the Lord Lieutenant our Churches might serve the turne others thought they had not given unto God what was due unto God If the kingdome had concluded a peace without an expresse article for conservation of their Churches God
the Supreme moderator decided the pious controversie and gave sentence as it may seeme for the resolution of the Clergy when by the articles of the peace concluded upon betweene the Earle of Glamorgan and the Confederate Catholickes his Majesty was pleased to grant unto the Clergy what they demanded herein 48. How our late Councell and Committees may be excused at least of negligence in not providing for the conservation of our Churches when they saw Glamorgans peace revoked I doe well know By the fourth article of the rejected peace they provided carefully for securing secular mens lands by the vacating of all Indictments Attayndors Outlawries c. and all Processes and other proceedings thereupon and of all Latters patents Graents Leases Custodiums Inquisitions c. that were taken on secular mens Lands oâ—â—ing secured for the spiritualâ—y The Arke is exposed to the depredation of the Philistines Gods house to the profanation of heretickes Christs patrimony to the invâ—sion of vultures Nay in lieu of procuring any act to secure us our Chuâ—ches or church lâ—vings by the second branch of the first article and by the second article of the rejected peace they rejâ—cted all former graces granted unto us that might any way secure us of our Churches c. as you may reade in the first part and first article Whether it was a greater sacriledge in Henry the 8. to take away by force our Churches and church-livings or in us to give them back freely without compulsion to be polluted by heretickes we leave to the censure of the judicious reader This much we adde to aggravate the offence that wee seeme to concurre with the sacriledge hetherto committed by such as injustly possessed Christ paâ—rimony and doe approve their usurpation by making restitution the Title which hetherto in them was invalid we render valid Chrysostome Ambrose Stanislaus Liberius Hosius Athanasius Hilarius and other Orthod oxâ— Champions of holy Church denyed to yeeld even unto Cesars so much as the possession of one only consecrated church to be profaned by heretickes and shall posterity record that the renowned Confederate Catholickes of Ireland without cause oâ— necessity yeelded unto any hereticke subject what their Cesar granted them To secure the Protestants against the Parliamentaries Ormond was carefull to article with their Commissioners because he was sure the Parliamentaries would turne the protestants out of their possessions as soone as ever they concluded upon the treaty but with the Commissioners for the Confederate catholickes in concluding the rejected peace he scorned to article any thing for the Protestants security or possessions because he was sure of them seeing there was no act or article of the peace eyther to debarre them from entring into possession or to preserve us in our possessions §. 17. The Committee of Treaty exceeded their Commission by obliging the Kingdome upon the Marques his peace to send into England 10000. men 49. VPon what conditions the Consederate Catholiques offered at first to His Majestie ten thousand men to succour him in England in appeareth out of our Remonstrance presented to his Majestie in Aprill 1642. whereof numb 42. how afterward we actually resolved to send them over and upon what conditions it appeareth by Glamorgans articles But that ever the Kingdome agreed to send over 10000. men upon the bare conditions of Ormonds peace as I never heard or read it so doe not I meane ever to believe it It is written on the backside of the rough dranght of the Articles of peace delivereâ— by Mr. Plunket and Mr Darcy to the congregation that the ill affected of the Councell would never consent to the articles but that they saw the impossibility of performance by the day of our part by the time limiâ—ted 28. March 1646. Marke I beseech you how first without any Commission they engage the confederate Catholiques in a thing impossible v g. to send over 10000. men by the 28. day of March which was the very day they entred into the engagement or by the last day of March for so I understood from one of the Committee wherein I referre my selfe to the defeasance peâ—fected to that puâ—pose To performe such an obligation by either of those dayes is knowne to be impossible after to cancell this obligation or engagement they force their fellowes of the Councell and Committees to consent unto those unfortunate articles of peace So as to escape the unjust obligation to send over ten thousand men we contracted a more unjust obligation to assent to an unjust peace 50 But what if Glamorgan would set upon us and demand of us to send over the ten thousand men according the contract past with him and present us as good assurance for the performance of his contract with us as Ormond can doe for his what will Ormonds dispensation given us not to send them over a vayle us Sure I am the catholicke confederates were ready enough on their part and as I have beene informed the Marquesse his owne Commissioners from Dublin tooke aview of the muster of sixe thousand of them for so many were to be first sent over but the Marquesâ—e had not provided any shipping to carry them away Wee were tyed to bring them no further than to the Sea-ports and every man knowes the Marquesse provided not the least vessell to bring them away neither had he so much as a chiefe commander to conduct them over So as whereas our committee would needs purchase a dispensation at so deere a rate as the condescending to so unjust a peace they ought rather to stand upon their justification and to shew the confederate Catholiques performed their part but that his Excellency performed not his part in providing shipping But alas it is knowne these projects have beene invented to cast of Noble Glamorgan as heretofore they cast of Noble Antrim both whose powers if wee made use of as wee ought wee might have spared many frivolous and chargeable journeyes to Dublin §. 18. An abstract of the letter sent by the Supreme Councell in October 1645. upon Mr Spinola's arivall unto the Lord Nuncius then being in France wherein the state of the Kingdome is set forth and a promise made to conclude what peace the Nuncius should thinke fit 51. MOst illustrious and most Reverend Lord in the last generall Assembly of the confederate Catholiques aswell the Ecclesiasticks as the Seculars by unanimous consent did determinatly agree upon certaine postulations conditions and upon the meanes to obtaine them which if they may be obtained the honour utilitie and splendour of the Catholique Religion and of the Professors thereof in Ireland shall bee excellent well provided for c. and unlesse these postulations and conditions be obtained and the promisses thereupon made fulfilled and by a free act of Parliament confirmed c. necessarily the warre must be continued 52. The treatte of peace upon the foresaid postalations and condiâ—ions long since instituted is continued they dispute for the least thing in no
part thereof is it yet conâ—luded neither is iâ— knowne when any conclusion shal be Certes if peace were concluded nothing else thence followeth than repâ—se and as it were a certaine cessation untill it receive sull perfection and accomplishment by parliament and when this Parliament shal be yea whether it shall ever be seeing it de pendson very many accidents it s altogether uncertaine and when the Parliament shal be assembled we have recourse to armes if any dâ—ssention arise meane while the government of their owne Quarters as hetherto and of their Churches of their Emoluments and of the passessions of all their things doth remaine in the hands of the confederate Catholiques 53. Out of which and out of many more reasons which in the same Epistle the councell doth alleage they prove the necessirie of the Nuncius his pâ—esence in Ireland and to that end doe not onely invite but also uâ—ge and presse him as well by this and other letters as also by speciall messengers sent into France to come into Ireland asâ—â—ing him further that the Ecclesiasticall â—urisdiction in the conditions of peace deman ded and derived from His Holinesse is and shall be in the hands of the Catholiques independent of the Protestants to the promotion pro pagation and secure preservation whereof the presence of the Nuncius Apostolicke is necessarily required c. having promised unto him a place of Residence where the supreme government of the kingdome should be together with a guard to wait on his person they shew the constancie of the Catholiques of Ireland in their Religion their Christian fortitude in attempting this holy warre even without armes ammunition or other provision against he enemies of Religion King and Countrey and unto the difficulties propaunded by the most noble Spinola concerning the oath of â—upremacie the admission of Catholique Bishops to the next Parliament and the governement whither the same should remaine in the hands of the Protestant Vice Roy they answer that the Irish Nation by no meanes dangers or hazard of life and fortunes for these hundred yeares past could ever be induced to acknowledge the temporall Prince to be Sâ—pâ—eme head of the Church or to submit themselves to such an Oath much lesse doe they meane hereafter to submit themselves thereunto and that in the last assembly by universall voice and voâ—eâ—t was concluded that they would perpetually insist upoÌ„ the taking away of the same oath that they believed the pseudo Bishops would not dare appeare in the next Parliament that they had great hopes and grounds to exclude them from thence and though they were present yet may â—ot they prejudice our affaires sâ—eing it is extant in our conditions that they are to have no â—urisdiction in causes appertaining to the Catholique Religion and the professors thereof c. 54. Vnto the third difficultie concerning the government of the Kingdome by a Protâ—stant Vice Roy they answer that neither the whole govermnâ—nt nor the government of all the sorts or cities shall be in the hands of the Vice-Roy there shall be catholiques in the councell of state and they â—hall be governours of many cities the Ecclesiasticall hierarchâ—e shall be the catholique clergie out of all these there shall be a body politicke composed of catholiques c. the chiefe member of which body shall be the Nunoius of the See Apostolique who shall make choice of the most secure citie wherein he may keepe his residence and that body politicke of catholiques shall defend his dignitie and securitie with the hazard of life and fortunes so we in the name of all the confâ—derate catholiques ex nunc â—unc doe promise and therein oblige the publicke faith of the whole Kingdome And this meane and this remedy is sufficient c. to secure the Apostolicke Nuncius being in this Kingdome from any disgrace or danger Adde hereunto presently upon the arivall of the most illustrious and most Reverend Nuncius having considered the conveniences and inconveniences of our-state and affaire VVE VVILD DOE VVHATSOEVER HE SHALL THINKE expedient Observations on the foresaid Letter or obligation 55. The Reader is first prudently to observe that the postulations mentioned number 51. are the seaventeene propositions and the 14. additionall propositions whereof wee have made frequent mention in the first part those acts of assembly and other orders above mentioned VVhich Unlesse they were obtained and by Parliament confirmed the warre was still to be continued Our committee have concluded the rejected peace and the same councell that made this promise in the name of the Kingdome two onely excepted hath confirmed the same and yet the conditions or postulations above mentioned nor the tenth part of them have been by our committee of treaty obtained as the Reader may cleerely behold in our observations on the articles of peace part 1. 2. The councell numb 52. doe acknowledge they know not when the Parliament will be and doe informe the Nuncâ—us that untill tâ—e Paâ—liament be the government and jurildiction Churchâ—s possessions c. must still remaine in their owne hands aâ—d yet by the articles of the peace they are taken froÌ„ us before not the least appearance of securitie for our Churches or church-livings much lesse of exemption from the Iurisdiction of the Protestans clergie It is true that when this obligation was made Glamorgans peace was in force by which our Churches and Church-livings Iurisdiction and exemption from the power of the Protestant clergie was in some sort secured unto us but that peace being recall'd by his Majestie before Ormonds peace was concluded and the condition on our part upon which thaâ— peace was grounded being not performed it wâ—s a notabâ—e breach of publicke faith in our councell inexcusable ever to approve or condescend to â—he Marques of Ormonds peace and the matter is so much the more to be aggravated that the councell themselves did seeme to wave the bâ—nefit of Glamorgans peace upon the Protestation made against it by the Marques of Ormond 3. By our observations on the first article in our first part it appeareth that neither Ecclesiasticall â—or Secular is exempted from the Oath of Supremâ—cie so as in this particular also whereof numb 53 publicke faith is broken with the Nuncius Touching the Protestant Bishops sitting in Parliament and the continuation of a Protestant Vice-Roy see our observations on the 10. 12. and 14. article part 1. 4. Nothing that is promised numb 54. is performed or true and if the rejected peace were accepted the body politicke of the confederate Catholiques had beene dissolved the Nuncius forced with disgrace to fly the countrey and no confederate catholique secured of his Religion life libertie or estate 5. By the last particle our councell obliged the Kingdome upon the arrivall of the Lord Nuncius not to rely upon the Earle of Glamorgans owne peace if the Lord Nuncius thought any other peace more expedient which is the matter which
he so earnestly urgeth in his letters above mentioned And herein we charge the councell and committees with notable breach who contrarie to their promise and vow and contrarie to the severall protestations and inhibitions of the said Lord Nuncius concluded a peace which he thought not expedient and whereunto he would never yeeld consent See our observations on the 14. article numb 26. 27. §. 19. A publicke Contract made by the kingdome with the Lord Nuncius not to conclude any peace untill he and Glamorgan concluded on a peace for the Spiritualtie c. 56. Articles agreed upon betwixt the most Illustrious and most Reverend Lord Iohn Bâ—â—â—ist Lord â—rchbishop and Prince of â—â—rmo extraordinary â—postolicke Nuncâ—o to the Confederate Catholickes of Ireland and the Nobility imployed by the said Consederate Catholickes together with the Earle of Glamorgan to the said Illustrious Nuncius at Kilkenny the 19 of February 1645. Inprimis a Cessation shal be continued till the first of May by which time or sooner if the most â—llustrious Lord Nuncius doe not bring the Originall agreements under hand and Seale betwixt his Helynesse and the Queene of great Britaine the said most illustrious Lord Nuncius shall ratifie whatsoever shall seeme meete to him on the behalfe of his Holynesse and the Earle of Glamorgan in the behalfe of the King of England that an honourable and wished peace be not any longer deferred 57. Secondly In the meane time if the Confederate Catholickes doe send from hence to treate with the Vice-roy about politicall affaires and differences it is declared that no prejudice shall be inferred by that treaty to this Treaty that is to be betwixt the most illustrious and most Reverend Lord Nuncius and the Earle of Glamorgan that untill there be a conclusion and publication of it the other also may not be concluded or published And that there be no change in the inâ—erim of the Politicall or Civill government so that both may be at once and together concluded and published by the approbation of the generall assembly if it shall be seene necessary to the said Lord Nuncio and Earle of Glamorgan to call it Thomas Tyrell Emerus Clogherensis Nich. Plunket Gerald Fenell Richard Bellings Patricke Darcy Thomas Cashell Castle-haven Audly Net â—ervile Muskry Thomas Preston Daniell O Brien Lucas Dillon Terlagh O Neyle George Comin 58. Here we are to note First the circumstance of time to wit the 19. of February which was when the assembly of the kingdome was fully gathered together Within 12. dayes after namely the second of March an order was conceived by the same assembly to Treate with the Marquesse of Ormond and to prepare things for a peace with his Excellency but not one word authorizing the Committee to conclude a peace for that had been a manifest violation of this contract made with the Nuncius nay by this very act of assembly and solemne contract whereunto the whole kingdome condescended iâ— before then eyther Conncell or Committees had any power communicated unto them by any former act of assembly which I could never yet reade it was now sufficiently recalled Secondly we are to note the persons that subscribed to the contract in the behalfe of the Confederate Catholickes are the persons chiefly intrusted by the kingdome M Tyrell chayreman of the committee of Instructions the Lord Viscount Muskry and M. Darcy are two of thâ— five that subscribed to the peace contrary to their owne contract here agreed upon the rest were then of the Supreme Councell or Committee whereof most of them being of the following Supreme Councell or Committee of Instructions approved also the peace contrary to this their own contract wherein they engaged themselves and the kingdome never to conclude or publish any peace untill the peace to be agreed upon betweene the Nuncius and Clamorgan were concluded and published together with it Thâ—â—dâ—y this contract cleerely discovers how frivolous that part of the Councell and Committees answer to the Nuncius 1. of Iune was wherein they say they expected untill the first of May according the Nuncius his pleasure before they concluded any peace for they were indeed to expect VNTILL a conclusion or publication were made of the peace to be agreed upon between him and Glamorgan in the behalfe of his Holynesse and his Maiestie and if the Origâ—nals came not from Rome by May they were to expect untill the Nuncius did ratifie whatsoever should seeme meete unto him c. which was agreable to the publicke Faith of the kingdome past by them unto him before his coming unto the kingdome by the above mentioned Letter sent unto him in October 1645. wherein they promised to doe nothing but what should seeme expedient unto him So as if I had â—â—â—ely seene this contract I might well have spared the twelve answers I made above to this objection wherefore the Nuncius and the Clergy did justly protest against all their proceedings in the late rejected peace as being without ground or Commission and in violation of the publicke Faith given Fourthly no withstanding this contract they changed the government by concluding that peace and contrary to the same contract they would not dayne to call together a generall assembly as the Nuncius desired and as by this contract they were bound before they concluded the peace How herein they may be excusable I understand not §. 20. The Oath of Association which being compared to what we have delivered in this Survay proves the iustice of the Clergies Decree of periury c. 59. I A. B doe promise sweare protest before God his Saints his Angels that I will during my life beare true faith and allegeance to my Soveraigne Lord CHARLES by the grace of God King of great Brittaine France and Ireland and to his Heires and lawfull Successors and that I will to my power during my life defend uphold and maintayne all his and their just prerogatives estate rights the power and priviledge of the Parliament of this Realme the fundamentall Lawes of Ireland the free exercise of the Roman catholicke faith and Religion throughout this Land and the lives iust liberties possessions estates and rights of all those that have taken or shall take this Oath and performe the contents thereof and that I will obey and ratifye all the orders and decrees made and to bee made by the Supreme Councell of the Confederate Catholickes of this kingdome concernig the said publicke cause and that I will not seeke directly or indirectly any pardon or protection for any act don or to be don touching this Generall cause without the consent of the Major part of the said Councell and that I will not directly or indirectly doe any act or acts that shall preiudice the said cause but will to the hazzard of my life and estate assist prosecute and maintayne the same So helpe me God and his holy Gospel 60. This Oath was established for preservation of union among the Confederate Catholickes
by act of assembly 26. of Iuly 1644. Where it was declared full and binâ—â—ng without addition they declared perjured who affirme the said Oâ—th admits any equivocation or mentall reservation By observing each branch oâ— this Oath every indifferent man may discover wherein the contrivers of the late rejected peace have violated the same I may not here insist upon all branches take Reader these few notes onely upon some First they have not maintayned the power and priviledges of the Parliament of Ireland as well because they wilfully rejected the suspension of Poynings act and resolved nothing for the repeale thereof as also because they have not established any thing efficatiously to exempt it from any dependency on the Parliament of England Secondly they have not maintayned the fundamentall lawes of the kingdome chiefly MAGNA CHARTA and those other lawes which are ampliations and explications thereof and sseighted the prosecution of those who have been impeached by the whole kingdome for overthrowing the said fundamentall lawes Thirdly they have not defended upheld or maintayned the free exercise of the Roman Catholicke saith and Religion throughout this land forasmuch as they have concluded a peace without procuring a repeale of the penall lawes surrepâ—itiously established since the dayes of heresie against the free exercise of the same Religion Which repeale was graciously condescended unto by his Mâ—jâ—sty in his letters to his Lord Lieuteâ—aâ—â— of the 27. of February 1644. 61. This branch of the Oath was corroborated by act of assembly by our 17. propositions and by our frequent Declarations wherein we resolved never to make a peace without the repeale of these penall lawes Whether Glaâ—â—â—gaâ—s peace were to be deemed valid or invalid it was their part to presse the Kings Lieutenant to comply with his Majesties command for repealing the penall lawes The free exercise of religion intended by those that tooke that Oath was understood to be somewhat more than that which we had before these distempers Ergo by the free exercise of Religion they understood the free exercise thereof in Churches for before these distempers they had the free exercise in privat houses c. This interpretation is confirmed by the act of assembly wherein it was unanimously ordered never to restore any the Churches in our possession By this peace nothing is established to secure us of the free exercise of our Religion either in Churches or privat houses the governement of our Cities and Garisons together with the command of our Armies is given to the enemies so as whatsoever the Assembly hath enacted for keeping the churches would be infallibly fiâ—strated there being nothing to debarre the protestant Ministers to reinvest themselves in the same Churches Wherefore the Clergy proceeded prudently when they resolved that they ought to make a positive act for preservation of their Churches 62. Fourthly they have not according to their oath defended the possessions estates and rights of all those that tooke the oath of association particularly that of their fellow-members the Clergy as above you have heard As for the provision they have made for the seculars lands and possessions in the fourth article its certaine the same is in no sort valid untill it be confirmed by Parliament which when it shall be they doe not know See our observations on the fourth and fifteenth Article Fiftly that the said Councell and Committees have at least indirectly done severall acts to the prejudice of the cause of God is evident by what proofes wee have hetherto produced So as all things being well pondered it s no lesse evident that the severall decrees given by the clergie against such as contrived perfected and approved the said peace is most just and valid qui autem superbierit nolens obedire Sacerdotis imperio qui eo tempore ministrat Domino Deo tuo decreto Iudicis morietur homo ille auferes malum de Israel See above number 46. What may be pressed against the contrivers of this peace out of the first branch of this oath concerning the allegiance and loyaltie due to our Soveraigne and this commonwealth wee willingly omit hoping that God of his mercy will in his owne time produce a happy atâ—onement for the reliefe of this distressed Nation §. 21. That the Excommunications fulminated by the Lord Nuncius and Ecclesiasticall congregation against such as adhere to the late rejected peace is both just and valide 63. We are here to suppose that which faith teacheth us to wit that in Gods Church there is power to excommunicate and that the same power hath beene practised by the Apostles themselves and their successors men constituted in Apostolicall jurisdiction The cause of Excommunication according the received opinion of Schoole-men grounded on the Canons is deadly sinne yea veniall sinne is a sufficient cause Excommunicationis Minoris In consequence to the foresaid Decree of perjurie other decrees were made by the said congregation and particularly one dated the 17. Augusti 1646. imposing upon such cities and townes cessation from Masse and divine office that would admit the publication of the peace On the first day of September following a comminatorie excommunication was set forth against those that would adhere or by any meanes favour the said peace but the evill as yet increasing divisions and factions perpetually multiplying after severall admonitions another Excommunication was published the moneth following wherein I reade thus In pursuance of which decrees being forced to unsheath the spirituall sword wee to whom God hath given power to binde and loose on earth c. doe cum virtute Domini nostri Iesu deliver over such persons to Sathan that is to say we excommunicate execrat and anathematize all such as after publication of this our decree and notice either privately or publickely given them hereof shall defend adhere to or approve the justice of the said peace and chiesely those who shall beare armes or make or joyne in warre with for or in the behalfe of the Puritans or other heretickes of Dublin Corke Yoghell or of other places within this Kingdome or shall either by themselves or by their appointment bring send or give any aid succour or reliefe of victuals ammunition or other provision unto them or by advâ—se or otherwise advance the said peace or the warre made against us These and every of them by this present decree we doe declare and pronounce Excommunicated ipso facto c. 65. The cause of this Excommunication besides the sinne of perjurie above mentioned is contumacie against the decrees of holy Church concurrance to the advancement of heresie and suppression of Religion together with many other causes which may be collected out of what hetherto wee alleaged Sequestrari oportet graviter lapsum saith S. Ambrose ne modicum fermentum totam massam corrumpat Cum excommunicat Ecclesia saith S. Augustin in coelo ligatur Excommunicatus Hoc nunc agit in Ecclesia Excommunicatio quod agebat
tunc in lege veteri interfectio Which I wish those that glorie in their malice by maintaining still and adhering to the said peace did reflect on 66. Examples of such like Excommunications histories doe record Fulke Archbishop of Rhemes when he had manifested unto the world the turpitude of the peace made by Charles the French King with the Normans and the greatnes of the crime resolutly threatned him with Excommunication saying if you doe that thing namely make a peace with the Normans and give way to such Councells you shall never finde me faithfull I will draw backe from your fidelitie all that I may and with all my follow Bishops excommunicating you and all yours I will condemne you with an eternall Anathema Yet was not this peace which the French King intended to make with the Normans by many degrees so peâ—nicious to Religion as the late rejected peace was The like excommunication was actually fuâ—minated by Pope Iohn the eight against the Princes of Italy because they made a peace with the Saracens which peace was indirectly onely prejudiciall to the catholique faith in scelere impio manentibus misâ—rendum non est saith the Pope The like Excommunication was fulminated by the same Pope for the same cause against the people of Amalphitan unto whom he thus speaketh wee together with the consent of all the Apostolique See doe deprive you of all sacred Communion and separate you from the Society of Gods Church that you remaine in the same excommunication untill repenting you separat your selves from the wicked pâ—ey of the Pagans Geossâ—y Prince of Salernitan upon the like Excommunication being terrified bâ—oke off the peace hee had with the Saracens and afterward had the slaughter of many of them witnes Leo Ostiensis Our Chronicles of England have registred many examples of the like excommunications See Conc. Lateran sub Innocent 3. Decreto de haereticis vide etiam cap. exâ—om § credentes de haereticis cap noverit de sententia Excommunic Bullam coenae plurib locis Out of all which those eight Catholique Churchmen in Dublin may finde grounds enough to rectifie their opinion holding that the bare adhering to the late rejected peace was not a sufficient cause of Excommunication The resolution of an objection 67. Nothing was done saith the Authors of the late peace by us in the peace now published but what was exactly agreable to the unanimous sence and vote of the late generall assembly held at Kilkenny in March last whereof the catholicke Bishops were members and in whose hearing the substance of the peace as it stands now concluded was publickely read and transacted Whereunto wee answer First that information is made that some of those articles were changed in substance particularly the first article for manifesting whereof we cannot but referre our selveâ— to those that were then present in that assembly Certaine I am the Bishops consented not thereunto and it is as certaine that the soundest part of the Councell and Committee could never be induced to give their free assent therunto as above we have noted Secondly let us give it for granted that the assembly did assent therunto was not Glamorgans peace then in full force whereon the kingdome chiefly insisted Now this peace being revoked and by the Kings Leutenant rejected who may doubt but the whole kingdome would renounce the peace agreed upon with the Marquesse of Ormond and never trust to that alone This is evident seeing they renounced a better peace by his Excellency in August before offered unto them in his briefe of concessions Wherefore the Councell and Committee upon this alteration to discharge themselves should procure a new assembly to be called upon as the Lord Nuncius desired Thirdly by that assembly the committee of treaty had no power given them to conclude but to treate of a peace Fourthly that very generall assembly by publicke contract betweene them the Lord Nuncius and Glamorgan decreed the contrary never to conclude or publish any peace with the Lord Lieutenant untill the peace agitated between the Nuncius and Glamorgan were concluded and together with the other published which is an evident signe the kingdome never intended to accept of the one peace without the other Fiftly the principall part of the body politicke of the kingdome recalled your commission if any you had and protested against your proceedings See above § 10. n. r. Contrary to all this you concluded a peace Iurkingly and when you knew the kingdome would not accept thereof you endevoured to force the same upon them and to this day doe continue in the same resolution by making of factions and divisions You ought to know that the non acceptance thereof did render the same invalid Leges nulla ex alia causa nos tenere quam quod indicio populi receptae sunt A briefe appendix concerning the Earle of Glamorgans peace and his Excellency the Marques of Clanrickards Engagement 68. In both three things are chiefely to be considered first the concessions or graces granted unto the confederate Catholiques 2. The grounds whereon they are granted and the securitie for performance 3. The parties betweene whom the contract passed As concerning the first by the Earle of Glamorgans peace there is granted unto the consederate Catholiques for evermore hereafter free and publicke exercise of their Religion all the Churches other than such as are now actually enjoyed by his Majesties Protestant Subjects exemption from the Iurisdiction of the Proâ—estant Clergie a repeale of all the ponall lawes the taking away of all incapacities that the Catholique Clergie shall have their Church livings c. By the Marques of Clanrickards engagement wee are not granted but a promise is made by his Excellencie to procure a revocation of the lawes in force in this Kingdome not absolutly as the King himselfe by his letter of the 27. of Februasy 1644. and his Commissioner the Earle of Glamorgan granted but restrictively inasmuch as shall concerne any penaltie inhibition or restraint upon Catholicks for the free exercise of their Religion The inconveniences which may befall the Catholiques by this Restriction is amply discovered by the late councell and Congregation and in some sort by me in the first part of this Survey whereunto I remit the Reader And this is that kinde of repeale which the Marques of Ormond himselfe once granted unto the confederate Catholiques in his briefe of Concessions but afterward fell backe from his word and by this engagement of Clanrickard hee obligeth himselfe to nothing 69. Here before I goe further I must appeale to the confederate Catholiques conscience whether he had rather have the subjects promise to procure forsooth a kinde of repeale of the penall lawes or the Kings own word actually commanding a repeale of the said penall lawes absolutely as he hath done not onely by himselfe immediately but also by his speciall commissioner the Earle of Glamorgan Then the confederate Catholique is to make this