remainder of English but by a Peace We find his Majesty being deluded by the first and believing the last to be conducing to the preservation of his Majesties Protestant Subjects is concluding of a Peace which will again admit those Irish Rebels to be Members of Parliament so that that Court which should afford relief for our Grievances will by their over-swaying Votes be our greatest Grievance Moreover we are too truly informed by divers of their own Party whose names if we should publish would be as great an ingratitude as folly the first in betraying those that obliged us the last in depriving our selves of all future Intelligence by them that they have vowed never to submit to an English or Protestant Government except they have liberty to exercise their Religion in Churches That the Forces of the Kingdom may be Train'd-Bands of their Men and that likewise those of their own Religion may be admitted to Places of Trust in the Common-wealth which they call modest and moderate demands though we hope they cannot seem so to any but themselves and their Clergy who we find do not think them enough being they may not have all their Church-Livings For we have certain intelligence that they have made a strong Faction as well among my Lord of Castlehaven's Soldiers as in all other parts of the Kingdom so that they are five parts of six who will fly out into a new action when they see a convenient time to execute their design which as yet they determine to forbear until they see a Peace concluded supposing that then the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will intermix Irish and English without distinction to oppose the Scots and that by that means there will be a sufficient number of their Party in our Garrisons to master them which when they find an opportunity for they will certainly seize into their own hands upon notice whereof the Faction abroad will with all expedition apprehend the English in all parts and having accomplished this part of their design they will manifest that they are weary of the King of England's Government and that they will trust none of his Protestant Subjects among them for we are certainly informed that they will invite a Forreign Prince to take them into his protection unto whom they will deliver possession of what he pleases and will become his Subjects And lest that Princes Treasure should be exhausted by Wars in other places the Clergy have with the Pope's assistance raised amongst those of their own Calling and divers of the Gentry in Italy one hundred thousand pounds in money and a quantity of Arms and Ammunition that are now ready to be sent hither and they have employed one Doctor Duyer to go forthwith thither for it as also to get his Holiness to settle a course for the raising of more Money to be employed for the advancement of that which they call the Catholick Cause Therefore out of a true sense of our injuries already suffered and un-redressed with a right apprehension of inevitable ruine not onely to our Lives and Estates but likewise to the English Nation and Protestant Religion we have re-assum'd our Arms according to our Duty to God our King and Countrey with inviolable resolution to die or frustrate this devillish design And since those that die acting for the Gospel are as perfect Martyrs as those that die suffering for it we cannot but with joy embrace any effect that proceeds from so glorious a Cause Neither can this act be esteemed a crime in us since his Majesty upon the Rebels first Insurrection his Treasure being exhausted gave his Royal assent for the passing of an Act of Parliament wherein he granted to all his Subjects that would adventure money towards reducing of the Rebels Lands proportionable to the sum adventured which would fall to the Crown when the Conquest should be finished And the better to secure the Adventurers his Majesty obliged himself to make no Peace with the Rebels but with the advice and approbation of the Parliament of England and by that Act communicated to the Parliament that Power which before was solely in himself So that they not condescending to this Peace our imploying of their Aids and re-assuming of those Arms put into our hands by King and Parliament joyntly cannot be esteemed contradictory to his Majesty in regard that their joynt Act is so absolutely binding that neither of them severally can annull it as is evident in the Laws of the Realm Therefore if this War were onely Offensive yet even slander it self must acknowledge us innocent having so just a Cause so pious an Intention and so lawful an Authority much more it being Defensive and the Law both of God and Nature allowing every one to defend himself from violence and wrong Moreover the King must never expect any obedience from the Irish but what proceeds either from their Interest or Fear Through the first of these neither his Majesty or we can hope for assurance for not granting them all their desires their Interest which is more powerful with them than their Loyalty will make them throw off their subjection and to become absolute not scruple to destroy us Then to expect any security by their fears were frivolous for though we have found their Hearts as ill as their Cause yet they cannot be apprehensive of 2 or 3000 ill armed and unprovided men having all things necessary and so numerous a People at their devotion And lest our Enemies should scandalize us with breach of Faith in violating the pretended Cessation or with Cruelty in expelling the Irish Papists from our Garrisons who hitherto seemed adhering to us Concerning the first we declare That although our necessities did induce us to submit supposing the Cessation would have produced other effects as is before mentioned yet we had no power without Authority from King and Parliament joyntly to treat or yield to it or if it had been in our powers yet by the Rebels daily breaches of it we are disengaged from it Concerning the second we declare That our Garrison cannot be secured whilst so powerful and perfidious Enemies are in our bosomes Powerful being four to one in number more than the English Perfidious in their constant designs to betray us some whereof we will instance to convince their own Consciences and satisfie the World of our just proceedings One Francis Matthews a Franciscan Frier being wonderfully discovered in an Enigmatical Letter and as justly executed before his death confessed that he had agreed to betray the City of Cork to the Lord of Muskery which must necessarily infer that the chiefest and greatest part of that City were engaged in this Conspiracy for otherwise he could not so much as hope the accomplishment And if this had taken effect it had consequently ruin'd all the Protestants in the Province of Munster that being our chief Magazine and greatest Garrison Besides upon this occasion other Friers being examin'd upon Oath confessed that in
be grounded we cannot find we have sworn to act according to the Principles you now declare For in some things if we admit of your Representation we shall be necessitated to act against what we have sworn unto in the Covenant For The first Article wherein we are bound to a preservation of the present Discipline in Scotland we are in the same Article obliged to a Reformation of the same in England and Ireland according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches which no doubt the Parliament will in due time establish In the interim we are un-satisfied with any Power that acts in this Case without their Direction For what you speak in relation to the King's Person we have yet no certainty out of England concerning that Matter and it is an action of so transcendent degree that till we receive some positive Resolution concerning it from England we ought not to proceed in giving our Sence of it In the 5th Article of the Covenant we are sworn to endeavour the continuing the Kingdoms in Union in which we desire your selves to be Judges if the publishing of your Representations be a probable way to observe the Oath In the 6th Article we are sworn to defend those joyn'd with us in this Covenant and not to suffer our selves directly or indirectly to combine against them Now till we receive a full Declaration of their falling from those Principles of this Covenant how can we with safety to our own Consciences declare a War against them without breaking the Covenant in this Particular In the next place We find some things in your Representations wherein as we conceive you are not rightly informed First In that you say The Parliament hath broken the Covenant in opposing the Presbyterial Government which can no ways appear since the same Government by their appointment is observ'd throughout England and that the Covenant obligeth them to establish the Government no further than is agreeable to God's Word Secondly You say That you have deeply sworn in the first Article to maintain the church-Church-Government as it is in the Church of Scotland which they have not sworn the part of the Oath for preservation of the Government relating only to the Kingdom of Scotland and the Reformation of Religion to the Kingdoms of England and Ireland Thirdly 'T is affirmed That the Power now governing in England doth labour to establish by Law an universal toleration of all Religions which yet was never done by them Lastly The sad Consequences which will un-avoidably follow if we pursue the Intention of the Representations are these First By declaring such an open War against the Parliament we should deprive our selves of all Succours and Supplies out of England which have been hitherto a great part of our subsistence Secondly The pursuing of such a War will un-avoidably sow such Divisions amongst us who in these Parts are of such different Principles and Practices that we shall soon become instruments of our own ruine Thirdly It will compel us for our own preservation to joyn with the Rebels or desert this Kingdom And lastly It will without any lawful Call engage us in a War against an Army who have under God been the instruments of redeeming England out of thraldom and was not long since acknowledged to have been so instrumental in setling Scotland in the Peace and Quietness it now enjoyeth and this at the Charge of England as the Declaration of the Kingdom of Scotland doth thankfully witness These things therefore being duely weighed we desire you in the fear of God seriously to take this our Answer into your Considerations and to remember on whom the guilt of innocent blood will fall if you inforce a War and to set before your eyes the punishment from Heaven which hath still attended the Endeavours of all who have deserted the Quarrel in this Kingdom to engage against the Parliament of England From visible Judgements we are resolv'd by God's assistance to take so good warning as we will not be guilty of destroying the Cause we have so long labour'd into countenance for your Representations till we be better satisfied in our Consciences though we will not directly or indirectly countenance any Sectaries or Schismaticks who-ever is truely so called contrary to our Solemn League and Covenant but we will to the utmost of our Endeavours continue faithful in the prosecution of the Rebels in this Kingdom and their Abettors wherein we shall not doubt of the Blessing and Protection of the Almighty upon our lawful and just Endeavours And for furtherance hereof we desire in the last place that we should all declare against the Peace last made by the Lord Marquess of Ormond as that which will if not protested against ruine and destroy your Service of this Kingdom against the Rebels Here it 's evident that Sir Charles Coot could by no ways be brought on yet the Peace being settled his Excellency endeavour'd to work over Lieutenant General Jones to his Party to which end his Excellency vouchsafed to write to him many Letters from Thurles the 27. of March 1649. all answer'd without the least compliance on Jones's side He by his Reply the 31. of March 1649. charging the fatal and inhumane Act perpetrated on his Majesty to his Excellency's arrival in Ireland during the Treaty at Carisbrook whereby the sincerity of that Treaty was question'd occasionally writes he producing what thereupon followed so as in conclusion he professed That were there neither King or Parliament he should yet stand firm to his Principles to preserve the English Interest in Ireland that being a Cause alien from what was acted in England Foraign to his Work and Trust which if he should not perform would not easily be expiated by a slender or lean Manifest upon which no more Letters pass'd betwixt them though the Lord Inchequin in June from the Camp at Finglass 1649. renewed the Attempt and was answer'd with the like Resolution and some Reflections on his Lordship About which time Ireland came again to be seriously thought of by the Parliament though hitherto it was in some respects made a Stale for several Designs then on foot Jones was much confided in but it was thought requisite the weight of that Business should lye on other shoulders not his Cromwel therefore about the 28 of March was voted General of Ireland Skippon under the Title of Martial General having refused the Command and these ensuing Votes passed thereupon 1. That such Regiments as should be alloted for the Irish Service should have their Arrears audited stated and Debentors given for their respective Services 2. That visible Security should be given so that any Friend or other being intrusted with a Debentor might receive it at a time prescrib'd by the Parliament 3. That those who go for Ireland should be first satisfied for their Arrears since 1645. 4. That out of the 120000 l. per mensem for England and Ireland
Angliae tuerentur Jura Regia in Hiberniam Quique interdixerent nè sibi proprium Regem Eligerent Profecto circa initia Rebellionis immensum quantum obstitit in coeptis molitionibus Rebellium Illustrissimus Parens tuus destinatus ad id à potentissimo Rege Cui nota erat virtus fortissimi viri pacis belli artibus clari Cujus prudentia par erat animi Robori qui hacce virtute res nutantes ad ruinam properantes incompositasque firmavit adversus Consiliarios Magna negotia administrantes majori cum Studio privatae quam publicae Utilitatis quo in Conatu per virtutem vitamque piè innocenter actam muneri magis suo consuluit quam facultatibus parandis Cujus Vestigiis insistens Johannes ejus filius eques auratus frater tuus clarissimus ob res fortiter gestas Droghedam Rossam nec pro meritis pensatas non debuit à te praeteriri Quanquam nulla privata ratione sed solo Elatere veritatis proferendae commovearis ad imputandum publicò Historiam tuam Quae tua est Modestia Idus Novembris 1678. Vale. To this as a Resepect I must ever acknowledge I cannot but annex the following Letter lately receiv'd from the Honourable and Eminent Lord Bishop of Meath a constant Assertor of the English Interest and the Protestants Sufferings minding me from whom I had several Passages in the ensuing History A History which must want much of its due Method and more Eloquence not having his Doctor I Understood by Letters from London and after by Two from your self of your forwardness in the History of the Irish Rebellion Anno 1641. that being I find now in the Press How far you have therein proceeded or what is your way in that I know not that not having been to me by any communicated To that therefore I can say no more than that its passing your hands assures me of what may satisfie What may satisfie I mean not those who shut their eyes against light and even Rebel against it There are who contrary to all evidence confidently averr write and openly proclaim to the World that there was then no such Rebellion of the Irish neither such Massacres of the British and Protestants in Ireland but that they themselves the Irish and Papists of Ireland were then the Sufferers and that by the Protestants they say the first aggressors This bold assertion in the face of the Sun and in that very age when things were acted there having been many also then and some yet living who can speak to the truth in that This I say might gain on Strangers to the Kingdom and hath already on some even at home especially at this time about 40 years after But the contrary appear'd by those Collections which you had from me to which herein as in other particulars I refer And what do they in this but what was before and is by them done ordinarily Have they not with like confidence disclaimed that black and hellish Powder-Plot Nov. 5. 1605. from being Popish do they not give that out for false and as a forg'd Calumny cast on that Party of whom none of theirs they say was therein concern'd whereas it is well known that Hammond Baldwin Gerard and Tesmond Jesuits with their Provincial Garnet were all in that Conspiracy Thomson also a Jesuit boasted after at Rome that his shirt was often wet with digging under the Parliament-House in London besides others in that Conspiracy who were all Papists and many of them Suffering for their so practicing the publick proceedings on those Tryals remaining extant on Record And do They not now even now cry down what our eyes behold of their horrid and bloody Design and hellish Treason against the Royal Person of our Gracious Sovereign King Charles II. and against his Protestant Subjects and for total extirpation of the Protestant Religion out of the Three Kingdoms The truth of which is every day even as by miracle more and more evidenc'd to the Glory of Gods watchful Providence over this his Church and People Among which I find our selves threatned with a yet other like demonstration of zeal for the promoting of the Catholick Religion and Interest in Ireland Dr. Oates Nar. § 50. so they term those Massacres and Blood for rooting out the Protestant Religion and casting off the English Government in Ireland which their other demonstration of Zeal as they term it shews the former actings in that kind to have bin theirs and how such their Actings are by them esteemed a demonstration of Zeal for promoting the Catholick Religion But He that sits in Heaven laughs them to scorn and hath them in derision speaking to them in his wrath and vexing them in his sore displeasure saying yet or notwithstanding all such their Designs have I set up my King preserving our Gracious Soveraign the breath of our Nostrils by the care and vigilance of those our worthy Patriots whom God hath raised up happy instruments in it As to Ireland To evidence the restless Spirits of such there for mischief I shall mind here in brief what in the mentioned Collections had bin given you more at large so to lay all open at one view thereby not to wonder at Rebellions here than which comparing times nothing will appear so ordinary In which passing what occurs of that kind in elder ages and fixing only on such as had Religion for a pretence and was by Rome influenc'd and by its Emissaries fomented Therefore I begin with the Reign of that Queen of famous memory Queen Eliz. of whose Troubles in England from that Party I speak not as not of present consideration but recounting what work they found Her in this her Kingdom of Ireland only I. Anno 1567. There was a Rebellion in the Province of Ulster of Shane O-Neal who for the suppressing of the Title of O-Neal had bin by King Hen. 8. created Earl of Tyrone His Forces were broken by Sir Henry Sidney then Lord Deputy and he himself fleeing for succour to Alexander Mac Donnel then in the Clandeboyes with 600. Highlander-Scots He was by them there slain in revenge of one of theirs by him formerly killed his Head was June 20. 1567. sent to the Deputy by Captain William Piers then eminent for Service and Command at Carrickfergus and thereabout that Arch-rebels head was pitch't on the Castle of Dublin II. Since after Anno 1569. followed in the Province of Munster the Rebellion of James Fitz Mauris Fitz Gerald and John Fitz Gerald brothers to Gerald Earl of Desmond in which the Earl himself after declared Anno 1578. His Parties were considerable in Leimster to whom joyned the Viscount Baltinglas with the Pools Birns and Cavenaughs having also Foraign assistance the design being pretended for Religion the Pope and his giving therefore Aid and Countenance but Desmond being defeated he was after by his own murthered III. About 6. years after Anno 1595. brake out in Ulster also
of the Lords seated in the House of Commons in an extraordinary manner undertook the charge and management thereof ordering at that time 500 l. in present for Owen O-Conally and 200 l. per annum till Lands of greater value could be order'd for him designing for the present Supplies of Ireland the sum of 50000 l. and had taken order for all Provisions necessary thereunto as by the Order of Parliament it appears An Order of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament in England concerning Ireland THE Lords and Commons in this present Parliament being advertis'd of the dangerous Conspiracy and Rebellion in Ireland by the treacherous and wicked Instigations of Romish Priests and Jesuits for the bloody massacre and destruction of all Protestants living there and other his Majesty's loyal Subjects of English blood though of the Romish Religion being ancient Inhabitants within several Counties and Parts of that Realm who have always in former Rebellions given testimony of their fidelity to this Crown And for the utter depriving of his Royal Majesty and the Crown of England from the Government of that Kingdom under pretence of setting up the Popish Religion have thereupon taken into their serious Considerations how those mischievous Attempts might be most speedily and effectually prevented wherein the Honour Safety and Interest of this Kingdom are most nearly and fully concern'd Wherefore they do hereby declare That they do intend to serve his Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes for the suppressing of this wicked Rebellion in such way as shall be thought most effectual by the Wisdom and Authority of the Parliament And thereupon have order'd and provided for a present Supply of Money and raising the number of 6000 Foot and 2000 Horse to be sent from England being the full proportion desired by the Lords Justices and his Majesty's Council resident in that Kingdom with a resolution to add such further Succours as the necessity of those Affairs shall require They have also resolv'd for providing Arms and Ammunition not only for those Men but likewise for his Majesty's faithful Subjects of that Kingdom with store of Victuals and other Necessaries as there shall be occasion And that these Provisions may more conveniently be transported thither they have appointed three several Ports of this Kingdom that is to say Bristol West-Chester and another in Cumberland where the Magazines and Store-houses shall be kept for the supply of the several Parts of Ireland They have likewise resolv'd to be humble Mediators to his most Excellent Majesty for the encouragement of the English or Irish who shall upon their own charges raise any number of Horse or Foot for his Service against the Rebels that they shall be honourably rewarded with Lands of Inheritance in Ireland according to their merit And for the better inducing of the Rebels to repent of their wicked Attempts they do hereby commend it to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or in his absence to the Deputy or Lords Justices there according to the power of the Commission granted to them in that behalf to bestow his Majesty's gracious Pardon to all such as within a convenient time to be declar'd by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or in his absence by the Lord Deputy or Lords Justices there according to the power of the Commission shall return to their due obedience the greatest part whereof they conceive to have been seduced on false grounds by the cunning and subtil practices of some of the most malignant Rebels enemies to this State and to the Reformed Religion and likewise to bestow such rewards as shall be thought fit and publisht by the said Lord Lieutenant Lord Deputy or Lords Justices and Council there upon all those who shall arrest the Persons or bring in the heads of such Traitors as shall be personally nam'd in any Proclamation publisht by the State there And they do hereby exhort and require all his Majesty's loving Subjects both in this and in that Kingdom to remember their duty and conscience to God and his Religion and the great and eminent danger which will befal this whole Kingdom in general and themselves in particular if this abominable Treason be not timely supprest and therefore with all readiness bounty and chearfulness to confer their assistance in their Persons or Estates to this so important and necessary Service for the common Good of all Jo. Browne Cleric Parliament And that the Army might be led by an honourable and promising Person the Lord Lieutenant being not permitted to come over speedily himself made the Earl of Ormond Lieutenant-General of the Army approved of afterwards by the King as one who by his Relation Integrity and Quality was pitch'd on as the fittest Person for that imployment of whose affection to the Protestant Religion and his Majesty's Service his Majesty had great cause to be assured Soon after his settlement in that Place he had notice from Sir Hen. Tichborn that the Rebels with 1300 Foot had sate down before Mellifont the 24th of November intending to surprize it but the Lord Moor whose House it was having plac'd 24 Musketeers and 15 Horsemen therein defended it with much resolution as long as their Powder lasted and at last the Foot yielded on Quarter the same day never observ'd by the Rebels but the Horse charged vigorously through the Enemy and came safe to Tredath This Siege of Mellifont somewhat retarded the Rebels unanimous approach to Tredath upon which the Lords Justices forthwith design'd 600 Foot and a Troop of Horse for the further strengthning of that Garrison They march'd from Dublin the 27th of November but under such a Conduct being newly rais'd and unexperienc'd that most unfortunately the Lord Gormanston's Groom giving intelligence of their approach to the Rebels not without his Lord's privity they were defeated the 29th of November near Julians-Towns at Gellingston-Bridge not above an hundred of the Men besides the Major that led them and two Foot-Captains escaping to Tredath This unhappy Defeat put such a disheartning on the State as it begat sad Suspicions who being surrounded with Rebels Sir Charles Coote the same day was commanded into Wickloe with such Forces as the State could then raise to relieve the Castle of Wickloe then besieged by the Rebels who some days before had with miserable slaughter and cruelty surpriz'd his Majesty's Forts of Cairis Fort Arkloe Fort Chichester Fort and all the Houses of the English in that County the Lord Esmond's House and the adjacent Parts of Wexford threatning to assault Dublin approaching within two miles thereof in actual Hostility Upon which Service Sir Charles Coote vigorously advanced and fought with the Rebels under the Command of Luke Toole conceiv'd to be a thousand strong himself not being many hundreds yet defeated them so shamefully as the terrour thereof rais'd a fear in the Rebels ever after of Sir Charles Coote who thenceforwards so well attended his Commands as to the Government of the City and
of their Interest and security Each Party arrived at Oxford near the midst of April the Confederate Agents got thither soonest having less Remora's in their dispatch The Confederates as men who thought themselves possessed of the whole strength and Power of the Kingdom and the Kings condition in England so weak as he would buy their assistance at any rates demanded upon the Matter the total alteration of Government both in Church and State the very form of making and enacting Laws which is the foundation of Government and which had been practis'd ever since the Reign of King H. 7. must be abolished and instead of Liberty or Toleration for the exercise of the Romish Religion they insisted on such Priviledges Immunities and Power as would have amounted at best but to a Toleration of the Protestant Religion and that no longer then they should think fit to consent to it On the other hand the Committee of Parliament as men who too much felt the smart and anguish of their late sufferings undervalued and condemned the Irish as inferior to them in Courage and Conduct and as possessed of much greater Power by the Cessation then they could retain in War very earnestly prest the execution of the Laws in force Reparation for the dammages they had sustain'd disarming the Irish in such manner and to such a degree as it might not be hereafter in their Power to do more mischief and such other Conditions as People who are able to contend are not usually perswaded to submit unto which the Committee at Oxford for Irish Affairs insisted on with powerful Reasons and Arguments In these so different and distant Applications they who were sent as moderate Men from the Council knew not how to behave themselves but enough discovered that they had not the confidence in the Irish as to be willing that they should be so far trusted that the performance of their Duty should depend onely on their Affection and Allegiance But that there should be a greater Restraint upon them then they were inclin'd to submit to otherwise that the Protestant Religion and English Interest would be sooner rooted out by the Peace they proposed then it could be by the War It is very true that the Irish Agents demean'd themselves to his Majesty with great shew of Modesty and Duty they were Men that lack'd neither Art nor Behaviour and confessed that they believ'd that the Demands they were enjoyn'd to insist upon were such as his Majesty could not consent unto and that the present condition of his Affairs was not so well understood by them or by those who sent them before their coming out of Ireland as it now was which if it had been they were confident they should have had such Instructions as would better have complied with their own Desires and his Majesty's Occasions and therefore frankly offer'd to return and use their utmost Endeavours to incline the Confederate Council whose Deputies they were and who then exercised the supream Power over the Confederate Catholicks of that Kingdom to more Moderation and to return their full submission and obedience to his Majesty upon such Conditions as his Goodness would consent unto for their security But how little of this was perform'd you shall find in the sequel of the Story however the King sent his Command the 16th of Feb. 164. to the Marquess of Ormond to continue and renew their Cessation for another year and likewise a Commission under the Great Seal of England to make a full Peace with his Catholick Subjects upon such Conditions he found agreeable to the publick Good and Welfare and might produce such a Peace and Union in that Kingdom as might vindicate his Regal Power and Authority and suppress the Rebels in England and Scotland And so his Majesty dismissed the Catholick Agents with demonstration of much Grace and Confidence with this good Council which he most pathetically poured out to them at their departure That they should not forget the preservation of the Nation and Religion which they professed and were so zealous for in Ireland depended upon the preservation of his just Rights and Authority in England That they saw his Subjects of Scotland contrary to all Obligations had invaded England and joyned with those Rebels against him who without that assistance would have been speedily reduced to their obedience And therefore if his Catholick Subjects of Ireland made haste upon such Conditions as he might then grant without prejudice to himself and which should be amply sufficient for the security of their Fortunes Lives and Exercise of their Religion to assist him whereby he might be enabled by God's Blessing to suppress that Rebellion they might confidently believe he would never forget to whose Merit he owed his Preservation and Restauration and it would then be in his absolute Power to vouchsafe Graces to them to compleat their happiness and which he gave them his Royal Word he would then dispence in such manner as should not leave them disappointed of any of their just and full Expectations But if by insisting on such Particulars as he could not in Conscience consent to and their Consciences obliged them not to ask or on such as though he could himself be content to yield to yet in that Juncture of Time would bring such great damage to him that all the Supplies they could give or send to him could not countervail and might be as beneficially granted to them hereafter when he might better do it they should delay their joyning with him and so look on till the Rebel's Power prevail'd against him in England and Scotland and suppress'd his Party in those Kingdoms it would then be too late for them to give him help and they would quickly find their Strength in Ireland but an imaginary Support for his or their own Interest and that they who with much difficulty had destroyed him would without any considerable Opposition ruine their Interest and root out their Religion with their Nation from all the Dominions which should be subject to their exorbitant Jurisdiction How much of this prov'd a Prophesie their sad Experience knows and the World cannot but take notice of Soon after the Confederate's Agents were dismissed the Protestant's Committee of Parliament who had managed their Scene with much Courage and Integrity drew off with the King's Favour and Promise to do the utmost he could for them In the managing of which Affairs if they had not been very resolute arm'd with much Truth they would certainly have fall'n under many Inconveniencies For besides what they met with at Oxford they had still Correspondence and accordingly acted as they were animated by a Party of the Protestant Committee of the Parliament of Ireland then resident in Dublin who that they might decline the height of what those at Oxford proposed were tempted by an Order of the Council-Board to certifie Whether the 24 Propositions of his Majesty's Protestant Agents of Ireland presented to
Ireland in confusion And when he had with less success than formerly issued his Excommunication the 27th of May 1648. against all those who complied with the Cessation with the Lord Inchiquin he was compelled in the end after so much mischief done to the Religion he was obliged to protect in an obscure manner to fly out of the Kingdom and coming to Rome had an ill Reception of the Pope Temerariè te gessisti said he with which and the Fate of Fermo in his absence he soon after died Nor indeed had any of those Apostolick Nuncios in Ireland much better Fate Nicholas Sanders an English-man An. 1579. was sent Nuncio by Gregory the 13th who wander'd in the Mountains of Kerry and was there starv'd under a Tree Owen Mac Egan alias Eugenius O Hegan of Irish Birth Vicarius Apostolicus under Clement the 8th was slain leading a Troop of 100 Horse against the Loyalists An. 1602 3. And because the impudent Injustice and Imprudence of the Nuncio and the lame Subjection of the People to his immoderate Pride and Haughtiness was in truth the real Cause or rather Fountain from whence this torrent of Calamities flowed which hath since over-whelmed that miserable Nation and because that exorbitant Power of his was resolutely opposed by the Catholicks of the most eminent Parts and Interests and in the end though too late expelled by them it will be but Justice to the Memories of those noble Persons briefly to collect the sum of that unhappy Person 's Carriage and Behaviour from the time that he was first design'd to that Imployment And in doing hereof no other Language shall be used than what was part of a Memorial delivered by an honourable and zealous Catholick who was intrusted to complain of the in-sufferable Behaviour of the Nuncio to the Pope himself which runs in these very words speaking of the Nuncio He declar'd before he left Rome That he would not admit either in his Company or Family any Person of the English Nation In his Voyage before he arrived at Paris he writ to his Friends in Rome with great joy the News though it prov'd after false that the Irish Confederates had treacherously surprized the City of Dublin while they were in truce with the Royal Party and treating about an Accommodation and Peace Arriving at Paris where he shut himself up for many months he never vouchsafed I will not say to participate with the Queen of England any thing touching Nunciature or in the least degree to reverence or visit her Majesty save only one time upon the score of Courtesie as if he had been sent to her Enemies not Subjects Being arrived in Ireland he imployed all his Power to dissolve the Treaty of Peace with the King which was then almost brought to perfection and his diligence succeeded of which he valued himself rejoyced and insulted beyond measure In his Letters he writ to Paris which were after shewed to the Queen and he may truely say that in that Kingdom he hath rather managed the Royal Scepter than the Pastoral Staff and that he aim'd more to be held the Minister of the supream Prince of Ireland in Temporalibus than a Nuncio from the Pope in Spiritualibus making himself President of the Council he hath managed the Affairs of the supream Council of State he hath by his own Arbitrement excluded from it those who did not second him though by Nobleness of Birth Allegiance Prudence and Zeal to Religion they were the most honourable of these he caused many to be imprisoned with great scandal and danger of sedition and in short he assumed a distributive Power both in Civil and Military Affairs giving out Orders Commissions and Powers under his own Name subscribed by his own Hand and made Authentick with his Seal for the government of the Armies and of the State and Commissions for Reprizals at Sea He stroke in presently after his Arrival in Ireland with that Party of the Natives who are esteemed irreconcilable not only to the English but to the greatest and best part of the Irish Nobility and of the same People to the most civil and most considerable of that Island And the better to support that Party and Faction he hath procured the Church to be furnished with a Clergy and Bishops of the same temper excluding those Persons who are recommended by the Queen who for Doctrine and Vertue were above all exceptions all which is contrary to what your Holiness was pleas'd to promise The Queen was not yet discouraged but so labour'd to renew the Treaty of Peace already once broke and disorder'd by Monsieur Rinuccini that by means of her Majesty it was not only re-assumed but in the end after great disputes and oppositions on his part the Peace was concluded between the Royal Party and the Confederate Catholicks and warranted not only by the King's Word but also by the retention of Arms Castles and Forts and of the Civil Magistrates with the possession of Churches and of Ecclesiastical Benefices and with the free exercise of the Catholick Religion And all this would have been exhibited by a publick Decree and authentick Laws made by the three Estates assembled in a free Parliament By this Peace and Confederacy they would have rescued themselves from the damages of a ruinous War have purchased security to their Consciences and of their temporal Estates honoured the Royal Party and the Catholicks in England with a certain restitution and liberty of the King whereon depended absolutely the welfare of the Catholicks in all his Kingdoms the Catholick Chair had quitted it self of all Engagements and Expence with Honour and Glory This Treaty of Peace on all sides so desirable Monsieur Rinuccini broke with such violence that he forced the Marquess of Ormond the Vice-Roy of Ireland to precipitate himself contrary to his inclination and affection into the arms of the Parliament of England to the unspeakable damage of the King and of the Catholicks not only of Ireland but also of England He incensed the greatest and best part of the Catholick Nobility and rendred the venerable Name of the holy Apostolick Chair odious to the Hereticks with small satisfaction to the Catholick Princes themselves of Europe as though it sought not the spiritual good of Souls but a temporal Interest by making it self Lord over Ireland And when the Lord Digby and the Lord Byron endeavour'd on the Marquess of Ormond's part to incline him to a new Treaty of Peace he did not only disdain to admit them or to accept the Overture but understanding that the Lord Byron with great danger and fatigue came to Town in the County of Westmeath where he was to speak with him he forced the Earl that was the Lord of it to send him away contrary to all Laws of Courtesie and Humanity in the night-time exposed to extraordinary inconveniencies and dangers amongst those distractions protesting that otherwise he himself would immediately depart the Town By
shall be used and then and there abide orderly and soberly during the time of the said Prayers Preaching or other Service of God there to be used and ministred And because all and every Person may be put in mind of his Duty and be then the better prepared to the said holy Service Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that every Minister shall give warning to his Parishioners publickly in the Church at Morning Prayer the Lords day next before every such three and twentieth day of October for the due observation of the said day and that after Morning Prayer or Preaching upon every such three and twentieth day of October they read publickly distinctly and plainly this present Act. And besides our private Thankfulness that we may know what the Church is enjoyned by his Majesties Command given at Whitehall the 15th of August in the 18th year of his Reign 1666. I must refer you to the Office of the Church Here one might well have thought this bloody Scene should have been fully closed the event of so horrid a Conspiracy having by God and Man been severely chastized But as if Heaven were still to be dared and Majesty affronted no sooner was this State setled in so wonderful a manner as it drew the whole world to look on it as a miracle but the grand Incendiaries of the late Rebellion Archbishops Bishops and others of that Union openly owning their Profession appear'd in publick in as much as the Parliament of England was enforced to take notice of their Insolency as an encouragement to Popery beseeching his Majesty that Plunket the Titular Archbishop of Ardmagh and Talbot Archbishop of Dublin should be apprehended to answer what might be objected against them And as an Evidence of their Parties Activeness and Insinuation the Lord of Ossory Lord Deputy and the Council by a Proclamation dated at the Council Chamber in Dublin the 11th of July 1664. shew Whereas information hath been given unto us by divers Gentlemen and others of the Popish Religion that several pretended Chapters have been and are to be soon called in several Parts of this Kingdom and Meetings appointed by Persons dis-affected to his Majesties Government and to the publick Peace and Quiet who take opportunities from those Assemblies to diffuse and spread abroad amongst the People of that Religion Seditious Doctrines to the great dissatisfaction of all those who are peaceably and loyally inclined c. They therefore to the avoiding the Contagion that by such Delusions might be ingendered and those Dangers which by the continuance and seducement of the said Persons and other turbulent Spirits are endeavour'd caution'd and forewarn'd That none should presume to assist abett or countenance them and that those who were engaged therein should upon their Duty of Allegiance to his Majesty forbear any further Proceedings c. All which were afterwards blank'd over as indeed they had the fortune to be strangely palliated together with what the Bishop of Ferns had discovered to the Earl of Sandwich passing through Galacia to Madrid of Edmond Reylie Archbishop of Ardmagh's purpose to raise the Irish again into Rebellion though some to delude the Age made a Loyal Formulary or Remonstrance of their Obedience whilst being admitted at Dublin into a National Synod of their own 1666. an Indulgence not yet fathom'd they there split themselves into Parties and the 15th day of their meeting broke up without the least satisfaction to the End they were connived at so as from their Principles its natural to conclude That whatever a Prince must expect from such men it must be in subordination to the Popes Approbation A Reflection on the like made King H. 8. say that he found the Clergy of this Realm were but his half Subjects or scarce so much every Bishop or Abbot at the entering upon his Dignity taking an Oath to the Pope derogatory to that of their Fidelity to the King which contradiction he desired his Parliament to take away and it occasion'd writes my Lord Herbert Fol. 335 the final renouncing of the Popes Authority about two years after The Clergies Oath is given at large in Walshe's Epistle to his Loyal Formulary Fol. 19. which draws me into a further consideration of the late War A War in which were interessed on several Principles some of the greatest Princes and States of Europe the Pope Emperor France Spain Lorraign and others who professedly or under-hand contributed Money Arms Council or Countenance A War many years in contriving and what makes it the more stupendious so secretly and unexpectedly carried on villany hates the light that considering how far the Conspiracy was spread and who were engaged in it it is scarce credible that no apprehension of its event should in the least be discovered more then what Ever Mac Mahon imparted 1631. The apprehension of which soon passed over as did also some other petty suspicions rais'd I know not from what improbable and confused Rumors amusing rather then convincing the Judgment of such as were most concern'd in the notice of them so as till the 22. of Octob. 1641. late at night on the very point of the Plot being acted nothing seem'd certain or infallible that if God had not been very merciful all had been surprized before any one had been suspected A War not confined to some Province or parts of Provinces in Ireland as Tyrones Desmonds and the rest had been but as if the Design were the joynt Act of the whole Kingdom all seem'd to have one head few excepted whose Honour is the greater A War not arising from small beginnings as some of the former which from private Interest at last espoused greater But this in its first appearance drove all before it like some Infections speedily diffusing its Venome through the whole Body A War for which the most diligent enquiry could not have found within the Nation a Head in Popularity or Parts for such an undertaking The occasion doubtless of security in most and whereby the State Politicks of that time were deluded they having their eyes open onely on what might have been from abroad suspected not much less fear'd at home the loud alarms of a Massinello a Person of none or of broken Fortunes of little Power or of less Brain but any thing even what is under foot and next at hand may easily be taken up and made by Divine Justice a sufficient Scourge for a provoking People such was that Sir Phelim O Neal esteem'd till then generally a very Buffoon in Converse but after own'd and Honour'd as a Principal in that undertaking Yet being therein rather the hand then the head proving however the Fire-brand of his Countrey that being the English of Phelim an Totan or smoaking Phelimy a Name on this occasion given him in way of Honour by his Irish Rhimers and wherein he himself after gloried Finally a War dismal to the English and Protestants of Ireland in its beginning so dismal as no example
them 6. Pro. That the late Officers taken or found upon feigned or old Titles since the year 1634 to intitle Your Majestie to several Counties in Connaght Thornond the County of Typperary Limrick and Kelkenny and Wicklowe be vacated and taken off the File and the possessors thereof setled and secure in their ancient Estates by act of Parliament and that the like Act of limitation of Your Majesties Titles for the security of the Estates of your Subjects in that Kingdom be passed in that Parliament as was Enacted in the 21. year of his late Majesties Raign in this Kingdom Answ. VVe know not of any Offices found or feigned Titles nor what the Confederates may demand in respect of any graces promised by your Majesty which we intend not nor have any occasion to dispute but do humbly conceive that all those who have committed Treason in the late Rebellion subsequent to your Majesties promise of those Graces have thereby forfeited the benefit thereof together with the Lands to which the said Graces might else have related and so their whole Estates are now justly fallen to your Majesty by their Rebellion which we conceive is of great importance for your Majesties service to be taken into consideration as First with regard of the Statutes made in the present Parliament of England Secondly That necessary increase of your Majesties Revenue decayed by the present Rebellion Thirdly The abolishing the evil Customs of the Irish and preservation of Religion Laws and Government there Fourthly The satisfaction of the Protestant Subjects losses in some measure Fifthly The Arrears of your Majesties Army and other debts contracted for the War and for preservation of that Kingdom to your Majesty Sixthly The bringing in of more Brittish on the Plantation Seventhly The building of some walled-Towns in remote and desolate places for the security of that Kingdom and your Maiesties good Subjects there Eightly The taking of the Natives from their former dependency on their Chieftains who usurped an absolute Power over them to the dimunition of all Regal Power and to the oppression of the inferiors 7. Pro. That all marks of incapacity imposed upon the Natives of that Kingdom to purchase or acquire Lands Leases Offices or Hereditaments be taken away by Act of Parliament and the same to extend to the securing of Purchases Leases or Grants already made and that for the Education of Youth an Act be passed in the next Parliament for the erecting of one or more Inns of Court Universities Free and Common-Schools Answ. This we conceive concerneth some of the late Plantations and no other part of that Kingdom and that the restriction herein mentioned is found to be of great use especially for the indifferency of Tryals strength of the Government and for Trade and Traffick and we humbly conceive that if other Plantations shall not proceed for the setling and securing of the Kingdom and that if no restraint be made of Popish purchasing or buying of the Protestants out of their former Plantations where they were prudently settled though now cast out of their Estates by the late Rebellion and unable to Plant the same again for want of means and therefore probably upon easy terms will part from their Estates to the Confederates that those Plantations will be destroyed to the great prejudice of your Majesties Service and endangering of the safety of that Kingdom Touching bearing of Offices we humbly conceive that their now conformity to the Laws and Statutes of that Realm is the only mark of incapacity imposed upon them we humbly conceive that they ought not to expect to be more capable there then the English Natives are here in England in like case for Schools in Ireland there are divers setled in that Kingdom already by the Laws and Statutes of that Realm if any person well affected shall erect and endow any more Schools there at their own charges so that the School-master and Scholars may be governed according to Laws Customs and Orders of England and the rest of Free-Schools here we cannot apprehend any just exception thereunto but touching Universities and Inns of Court we humbly conceive that this part of the proposition savoureth of some desire to become Independant upon England or to make aspersion on the Religion and Laws of the Kingdom which can never be truely happy but in the good unity of both in the true Protestant Religion and in the Laws of England for as for matter of charge such of the Natives that are desirous to breed their Sons for Learning in Divinity can be well content to send them to the Universities of Lovane Doway and other Popish places in forreign Kingdoms and for Civil Law or Physick to Padua and other places which draws great Treasure yearly out of your Majesties Dominions but will send few or none of them to Oxford or Cambrige where they might as cheaply be bred up and become as Learned which course we conceive is holden out of their Pride and disaffection towards this Kingdom and the true Religion here professed and for the Laws of the Land which are for the Common Law agreeable to England and so for the greatest part of the Statutes the Inns of Court in England are sufficient and the Protestants come thither without grudging and that is a means to civilize them after the English customs to make them familiar and in love with the Language and Nation to preserve Law in the Purity when the Professors of it shall draw from one Original Fountain and see the manner of the Practice of that in the same great Channel where his Majesties Courts of Justice of England do flow most clearly whereas by separation of the Kingdoms in that place of their principal instruction where their foundations in Learning are to be laid a degenerate corruption in Religion and Justice may haply be introduced and spread with much more difficulty to be corrected and restrained afterwards by any Discipline to be used in Ireland or punishment there to be inflicted for departing from the true grounds of things which are best preserved in unity when they grow out of the same root then if such Universities and Inns of Court as are proposed should be granted all which we humbly submit to your Majesties most Pious and Prudent consideration and judgment 8. Pro. That the Offices and Places of Command Honour Profit and Trust within that Kngdom be conferred upon Roman Catholicks Natives in equality and indifferency with your Majesties other Subjects Answ. We humbly conceive that the Roman Catholicks Natives of Ireland may have the like Offices and Places as the Roman Catholicks Natives of England here have and not otherwise howbeit we conceive that in the generality they haye not deserved so much by their late Rebellion therefore we see not why they should be endowed with any new or farther capacities or priviledges then they have by the Laws and Statutes now in force in that Kingdom 9. Pro. That the insupportable Oppression
THE HISTORY Of the EXECRABLE Irish Rebellion Trac'd from many preceding ACTS TO THE Grand Eruption The 23. of October 1641. And thence pursued to the Act of Settlement MDCLXII Spartanos genus est audax Avidumque ferae nodo cautus Propiore liga Sen. Hippolytus LONDON Printed for Robert Clavel in St. Paul's Churchyard MDCLXXX TO THE READER Reader I Am not ignorant that he exposes himself as a publick mark to many inconveniencies who appears in Print Yet there hath been so long an expectation of the Proceedings of the whole War of Ireland as by an evil silence some interpretately question whether there was any such thing or no Whereby those Pamphlets the Roman Catholicks of Ireland have dispersed through Europe get Credit and Reputation That his Majesties Protestant Subjects first fell upon and murther'd them which being so openly and frequently asserted even on the very Place where those dire Tragedies were acted and that averr'd also in a time when many are yet living who have seen and felt those miseries in themselves and their Relations I could not but let that drop from me which might flow from others niceness in this Case being the next degree to unfaithfulness Yet I cannot say what I have persued here is not to be cavell'd at no! that were to presume my fate were happier than others but I may aver that nothing is imposed on the Reader but what I have either Records publick Evidences credible Relations or my own knowledge for its Ground searching the best Intelligence I could reach to though in clearing some doubts I have encountred Obstacles I could not rationally have expected which I impute to my own misfortune no ones Design None treated with being so little affected as not frequently to desire the digestion of a History the English Interest in Ireland was not less concern'd in then Humanity it self The horror and cruelty there committed bidding defiance to whatsoever before had been acted in the World Hinc Terras Cruor Inficit omnes fusus rubuit mare So that after all if there be any Deficiency in what I shall relate it may well be pardon'd where there hath been as much Artifice to parget Truths as Countenance could reach to though as to what may be objected in reference to my Relation I have been so cautious that in Disputes I have not let Interest biass me no! where I have found any Humanity though it may be conjectur'd to proceed from self-Interest that it may be return'd in gratitude I have not designedly let it o're-slip me but of this nature there hath been little indeed the whole Scene hath been so barbarous as I have scarce found any into whose wound the Traveller hath pour'd Oyl and yet willingly more then what a just account of the Business requires I would not fester the least Soar However I expect all will not think so 't is natural for the Wasp to be angry yet when it shall be weighed on what little reason the Irish more then the English equally if not beyond them concern'd in all Levies Oppressions and Grievances had to be enraged pretending to be held in with a ruder Bit I doubt not but the more Intelligent will allow them no common Sinners I am not ignorant what examples some say they had to encourage them to their Insurrection though that encouragement how confidently soever affirmed to be their Guide never commenc'd in Blood or march'd on in Murthers and Surprisals of an innocent naked and unarm'd People or at first seiz'd on those much less murther'd them who contrary to their Judgment lived peaceably amongst them However it is not my intention to mitigate the flame they light their Torches by all Rebellions being detestable But certainly the Copy exceeded the Original and what they would solely intitle to their Religion as interdicted by the Age more justly is to be imputed to their Detestation of the English Government and Nation which from the Conquest to this instant hath been the grounds for all Rebellions even when both Nations were drunk with the Wine of Romes Fornication So that though some to mitigate the Result of so horrid a Rebellion place the grounds of it on Religion which as my Lord Bacon observes Erects a Monarchy in the minds of Men by which they would enforce all to that yoke Yet it is evident they never had so free an exercise of their Religion under Pretexts of Civil Contracts and Politick Agreements as when the Troubles began not so much then as the least Violence being offer'd to their Diana nor afterwards till they made it one of their principal Demands so that if at any time since or before they found a check That must be attributed to the rude and boisterous behaviour as a Statist seasonably notes of some of them who disturb'd the happy Calm they all enjoy'd rather then to any willing severity in the State whose bounty and generosity towards them hath by their ill usage of the Indulgence been interpreted a Product of the Kings Affection to their Religion not his charity and compassion towards their Persons That thence some have proceeded to Acts which have alienated the affections of those who desired they should not have been disquieted Till Recusancy began over-boldly to look Government in the Face in as much as thence some have suspected whether Hannibal were not at the Gates Else could any vaunt at home as others write to their Friends abroad that they hope all will be well and doubt not to prevail and win ground upon us in as much as meerly from this encouragement a Romanist well observ'd by the Silver-Mouth Trumpet not long since congratulated in Print That the Face of our Church began to alter and the Language of our Religion to change saith Sancta Clara So as if a Synod were held non intermixtis Puritanis O those are Pestilent fellows our Articles and their Religion would soon be agreed Upon which and other Circumstances the learned and foreseeing Primate Archbishop Usher once in an Assembly of the whole Nation averr'd That the Magistrates yielding to meet the Papists as far as they might in their own way in the first Reformation in England had upon the experience of many years rather hardned them in their Errors then brought them to a liking of our Religion This being their usual saying If our Flesh be not good why do you drink of our Broth The consideration of which made King James of blessed memory take notice* That having after some time spent in setling the Politck Affairs of this Realm of late bestowed no small labour in composing certain differencies we found amongst our Clergy about Rites and Ceremonies heretofore Established in this Church of England and reduc'd the same to such an Order and Form as we doubt not but every Spirit that is led only with Piety and not with Humour shall be therein satisfied It appear'd unto us in the debating of those Matters that a
always cheerfully receiv'd their Requests and Messages and were ready to comply with them desiring that this their compliance might be entred in the Journal to the end that it might remain to Posterity Having by his Majesties Commission dated the 4th of January 1640. authority to Continue Prorogue or Determine the Parliament as they thought fit which liberty they indulg'd much to the freedom of the Parliament However being resolv'd as the sequel prov'd to pretend any thing rather than not to have some exceptions against the Government the Irish Parliament sent to his Majesty a Declaration therein magnifying the Six entire Subsidies they had given in the 10th year of his Majesties Reign and the Four Subsidies in the 15th year of his Reign pretending moreover that they had been ill presented to his Majesty which was clearly evinc'd to the contrary and several Graces vouchsaf'd them thereupon Amongst other things the State at that time found difficult to do the Disbanding of the new rais'd Army was not the least which the Parliament of England had great jealousies of and besought his Majesty that it should be dissolv'd In answer whereof his Majesty repli'd That the thing was already upon consultation but he found many difficulties in it and therefore told the Parliament He held it not onely fit to wish it but to show the way how it might conveniently be done However in August 1641. it was effectually perform'd for which afterwards the Lords Justices had his Majesties gracious approbation and the Arms and Ammunition were carefully brought into his Majesties Stores by the vigilance of the Master of the Ordnance the Lord Justice Borlase else certainly most of those Arms as well as the Men had been undoubtedly listed in the Confederates Army which many of their Party in the House of Commons in Ireland having an eye to made them so averse to have them Disbanded And the Plot proceeded being so cunningly manag'd by some of the Members of Parliament subtil in their insinuations that many of the Protestants and well-meaning people of the House blinded with an apprehension of Ease and Redress lying under the same pretended Yoak with the rest were innocently decoi'd into their acting violently with them Hence Sir Richard Bolton Lord Chancellor of Ireland was impeach'd of High Treason and others of the prime Officers and Ministers of State were Articled against yea some of the Bishops were not spar'd contrary to all presidents of that nature as was certifi'd by the Lords Justices to the Principal Secretary on search made upon his Majesties commands for that purpose So as besides some of the active men of the House Lawyers Darcy Martin Plunket Cusack Brown Linch Bodkin Evers and others took upon them with much confidence to declare the Law to make new Expositions of their own upon the Text as That killing in Rebellion was no forfeiture of Lands and to frame 21 Queries Which in a solemn Committee of the House Adjourn'd from time to time they discuss'd at their own freedom in the Dining-Room at the Castle disdaining the moderate Qualifications of the Judges who gave them modest Answers such as the Law and Duty to their Sovereign would admit and in stead of them vented their own sense as if the State were then in its Infancy and from them meerly to receive its Constitution as Sir John Temple observes resolving upon an alteration in the Government and drawing of it wholly into the hands of the Natives Sir Phelim Oneal making it plain in his Letters of Triumph to his Holy Confessor That his purposes were Conquest and not defence of Religion his Majesties Prerogative or their Liberty No! No King of England writes Mahony a Jesuit nor Crown nor People nor state of that Kingdom having at any time any kind of Right to the Kingdom of Ireland or any part thereof that the English Title to it was but meer Usurpation and Violence and that therefore the old Natives i. e. the meer Irish might chuse and make themselves a King of one of their own Irish and in the then Circumstances of Charles the First of England ' s being a Heretick ought i. e. were bound in Conscience to do so and throw off together the Yoak both of Hereticks and Foreigners Which Tenents being roughly drawn the Confederate Irish seem'd afterward to condemn forsooth in a Council of their own at Kilkenny Yet it is very observable and that from Walsh himself who says He can never forget it having extraordinary great admiration thereat That there was not one in the National Congregation met by an extraordinary favour the 11th of June at Dublin 1666. that open'd once his mouth for confession of any Villanies committed against the King at any time in the late Rebellion or Civil War or even to speak a word for so much as a general Petition to be exhibited to his Majesty imploring his Majesties gracious Pardon Notwithstanding the first Rebellion 1641. and what follow'd upon the Nuncio's access and the violation of the first Peace 1646. and the Nuncio's Censures against the Cessation with the Lord Inchequin and the Peace 1648. And the Declaration and Excommunication of the Bishops as James-Town 1650 against the Lord Lieutenant the Marquis of Ormond and those who obey'd him Emphatically enough exprest by P. W. No. 1. He enforces this Argument further There was no crime writes he at all committed by All or any of the Roman Catholick Clergy of Ireland nor even at any time nor in any occasion or matter hapen'd since the 23d of October 1641. that needed Petitioning for Pardon either for themselves or any other of the Irish Clergy if we must believe the Bishop of Ardagh Patrick Plunket pleading for them in so express terms and the tacit approbation of his words by the universal silence of that Assembly In pursuance of which the Protestant Commissioners of Ireland in their Answer to the Objections the Rebels Agents put in against the Preamble of the Bill of Settlement took notice that in the whole Volume of Papers which were put in by the Catholicks about that Affair there was not one grateful Acknowledgment or so much as one civil mention of his Majesties singular Condescention They having the favour to inspect that Act of Settlement and object as they pleas'd as if all his Majesty could do for them were no more than he ought And further it is these Commissioners observation That in all the Irish Papers they do not own the slaughter of so many thousands to be a Rebellion or once give the Title of Rebels to those who were the first Agents in that horrid and bloody Massacre which being not acknowledged by them more easily absolves the rudeness of their Ingratitude for his Majesties favours And a Person of Honour in his Animadversions on Fanaticism who deserves much for his excellencies in the case takes notice That no Catholick ever made any profession against the Rebellion or manifested his detestation or dislike of
the State First they agreed That their Loyalty to his Majesty should be still reserv'd say they of the modest sort but both his Revenues and Government must be reduc'd to certain bounds His Rents none other than the antient Reservations before the Plantations and the Customs so order'd as to them should be thought fitting Secondly For the Government such as would be esteem'd Loyal would have it committed into the hands of two Lords Justices one of the antient Irish Race the other of the antient British Inhabitants in the Kingdom provided that they be of the Romish Profession Thirdly That a Parliament be forthwith call'd consisting of whom they shall think fit to be admitted wherein their own Religious Men shall be Assistants Fourthly That Poining's Act must be repeal'd and Ireland declar'd to be a Kingdom independent on England and without any reference to it in any case whatsoever Fifthly All Acts prejudicial to the Romish Religion shall be abolish'd and it to be Enacted That there be none other Profession in the Kingdom but the Romish Sixthly That onely the antient Nobility of the Kingdom shall stand and of them such as shall refuse to conform to the Romish Religion to be remov'd and others put in their room Howsoever the present Earl of Kildare must be put out and another put in his place Seventhly All Plantation Lands to be recall'd and the antient Proprietors to be invested into their former Estates with the Limitations in their Covenant express'd That they had not formerly sold their Interests on valuable Considerations Eighthly That the respective Counties of the Kingdom be subdivided and certain Bounds or Baronies assign'd to the Chief Septs and other of the Nobility who are to be answerable for the Government thereof and that a standing Army may be still in being the respective Governours are to keep a certain number of men to be ready at all Risings out as they term it they also being to build and maintain certain Fortresses in places most convenient within their Precincts And that these Governours be of absolute Power onely responsible to the Parliament Lastly For maintaining a Correspondency with other Nations and for securing the Coasts that also they may be render'd considerable to others a Navy of a certain number of Ships is to be maintain'd that to this end five Houses are to be appointed one in each Province accounting Meath for one of them that to these Houses shall be allotted an Annual Pension of certain thousands of Pounds to be made up of part of the Lands appropriate to Abbeys and a further Contribution to be rais'd in the respective Provinces to that end That these Houses are to be assign'd to a certain order of Knights answerable to that of Malta who are to be Sea-men And to maintain this Fleet that all Prizes are to be apportion'd some part for a Common Bank the rest to be divided to which purpose the selling of Woods serviceable for this use is forbidden The House for this purpose to be assign'd to the Province of Leimster is Kilmainham or rather Howth the Lord of Howth being otherwise to be accommodated provided he joyn with them that place being esteem'd most convenient in respect of situation which they have small grounds to hope for For the effecting of which they consider'd that the Forces of the Kingdom would easily amount to two hundred thousand able men wanting onely Commanders which as I have already took notice of might be supplied from O-Neals Regiment in Flanders and other places breeding up the Irish in Arms and Rebellion And for Money the other Sinew of War they were resolv'd not to want it if it could be rais'd-either from Tenant or the Farmers of the Customs who having it then ready were to bring it to their respective Banks So as nothing was omitted which rationally might further their design Which after the State by Proclamation had made known and many on suspicion were daily seiz'd on Certainties of its success were hourly brought to the State That night the Lord Blany brought the ill news of the Rebels seising upon Castle Blany in the County of Monaghan and his Wife and Children and Servants as also of the surprisal of Carrick Mac-ross a House of the Earl of Essex's and Sir Spotswood's in the same County burning divers Villages robbing and spoiling many English none but Protestants On Sunday Sir Arthur Tirringham gave intelligence that the Irish in Newry had broken up the King's Store of Arms and had seiz'd upon them and the Ammunition there listing themselves under the command of Sir Con Mac-Gennis Knight and one Creely a Monk Thus almost every hour some like Job's Messengers hasted to the State as preserv'd onely to acquaint them of the disasters of their Relations and the sufferings of the Protestants of which with all circumstances to it the Lords Justices and Council gave his Majesty an account by Sir Henry Spotswood being then in Scotland and sent Owen O Conally with Letters dated the 25th of October to the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the effect of which Letter you may see in its proper place In the interim the State being from all parts terrifi'd with the insolencies of the Rebels they scarce knew how to steer their course no Money being in the Treasury and the main part of the Citizens being justly suspected for that being mov'd to advance Money on the occasion will Posterity believe it their whole Community would not reach 50 l. And such as had escaped the violence of the Rebels having nothing but their Persons for a prey could contribute little many of which were so frighted with what they had seen and suffered that like inanimate Bodies they appear'd sensless and stupid However the Lords Justices and Council having secur'd the Castle by a Company of Foot under the command of Sir Francis Willoughby one of the Privy Council a known and experienc'd Soldier and setled Sir Charles Coote also of the Privy Council in the Government of the City wherein as in other Services he proved afterwards signally eminent and noble They advertis'd the Earl of Ormond whom the Rebels boasted they had made of their Party then at his House at Carrick of what had hitherto happen'd desiring him to repair to Dublin with his Troop which he accordingly observ'd about the beginning of November About the 27th of October the Lords Justices and Council sent Commissions to the Lords Viscounts of Clandeboys and of the Ardes to raise the Scots in the Northern Parts they also writ to Sir William and Sir Robert Stewart with other Gentlemen of Quality in the North Giving them power to prosecute the Rebels with Fire and Sword yet so as to rescue such as should submit to his Majesties Grace and Mercy signifying withall That although by the said Commission they gave them full power thereunto yet they did then let them know that for those who were chief among the Rebels and Ring-Leaders of the
Protestants Subjects there I cannot but again earnestly commend the dispach of that Expedition unto you for it is the chief Business that at this time I take to heart and there cannot almost be any Business that I câ—â— have more care of I might now take up some of your time in expressing my Detestation of Rebellions in general and of this in particular But knowing that Deeds and not Declarations must suppress this great Insolency I do here in Word offer you whatsoever my Power Pains or Industry can contribute to this good and necessary Work of reducing the Irish Nation to their true and wonted Obedience And that nothing may be omitted on my Part I must here take notice of the Bill for pressing of Souldiers now depending among you my Lords concerning which I declare that in case it comes so to me as it may not infringe or diminish my Prerogative I will pass it And farther seeing there is a Dispute rais'd I being little beholding to him whosoever at this time began it concerning the bounds of this ancient and undoubted Prerogative to avoid further Debate at this time I offer that the Bill may pass with a Salvo Jure both for King and People leaving such Debates to a time that may better bear them If this be not accepted the fault is not mine that this Bill pass not but theirs that refuse so fair an offer To conclude I conjure you by all that is or can be dear to you or me that laying away all Disputes you go on chearfully and speedily for the reducing of Ireland A Charm one should think sufficiently powerful Yet the Lords and Commons in Parliament from his Majesty's Speech took great exceptions suffering the Supplies of Ireland to be retarded demanding of the King the Names of those who had counsell'd Him to take notice of any Debate in the House before it was from'd into a Bill whence began the Cry against evil Counsellors afterwards the pretext of the Misery that ensued Some Forces indeed the Parliament had sent to the Sea-side and others were on their March yet Winds and Tides Votes and Councels did not equally agree so as the Exigences by this means that the State of Ireland was cast upon almost split them Whereupon the Lords Justices and Council publisht a Proclamation dated the 28th of December 1641. Requiring all Persons other than such as had necessary Causes to Dublin such as the Lords Justices the Lieutenant-General of the Army or the Governour of his Majesty's Forces in the City of Dublin should approve or other than such as should bring Provision to the City to be sold should forbear coming to the City or Suburbs thereof upon pain of Death Which was done in time of high necessity Provision being scarce and few repairing to the City but what were Spies and Traitors And because what his Majesty had propos'd before-mention'd for the service of Ireland seem'd to have little effect he again sends a Message to the Lords House by the Lord Chamberlain the 28th of December That being sensible of the Miseries of Ireland the Succours for which went on slowly he offer'd to raise 10000 Voluntiers if the Commons would undertake to pay them A Proposition rather heard than consented to About this time Sir Thomas Carey and Dr. Cale a Sorbonist offer'd from the Rebels these Propositions to the Council Board for a Treaty First That there should be a Toleration of Religion Secondly That Popish Officers as well as Protestant should be admitted to all Employments Thirdly That the Wrongs of Plantations should be repair'd since 1610. Fourthly That there should be a Protlamation to take off the File the Title of Rebels and Traitors All which pass'd somewhat currantly till One then being absent through sickness hearing thereof repair'd to the Council Board though at that time much indispos'd and upon strong Arguments Arguments that would admit of no Sophistry stop'd the proceeding of so dishonourable a Motion so early did some endeavour to force on the State a necessity of complying with the insolent Demands of the Rebels by this faithful Minister of State confidently rejected And here that you may see what the Rebels afterwards thought the only means to reduce Ireland into Peace and Quietness we shall here present you with their Propositions methodically digested The Means to reduce Ireland unto Peace and Quietness 1. THat a general and free Pardon without any exception be granted to all his Majesty's Subjects of this Kingdom and that in pursuance thereof and for strengthning the same an Act of Abolition may pass in the Parliament here 2. That all marks of National distinction between English and Irish may be abolished and taken away by Act of Parliament 3. That by several Acts of Parliament to be respectively passed here and in England it may be declared that the Parliament of Ireland hath no subordination with the Parliament of England but that the same hath in it self supream Jurisdiction in this Kingdom as absolute as the Parliament of England there hath 4. That the Act of the 12th of H. 7th commonly called Poining's Act and all other Acts expounding or explaining the same may be repealed 5. That as in England there pass'd an Act for a Triennial Parliament so there may pass in Ireland another for a Sexennial Parliament 6. That it may be enacted by Parliament that the Act of the 2d of Q. Eliz. in Ireland and all other Acts made against Catholicks or the Catholick Religion since the 20th year of H. 8th may be repeal'd 7. That the Bishopricks Deanaries and all other spiritual Promotions in this Kingdom and all Frieries and Nunneries may be restored to the Catholick Owners and likewise all Impropriations of Tythes and that the Scits Ambits and Precincts of the Religious Houses of the Monks may be restored to them but as to the rest of their temporal Possessions it is not design'd to be taken from the present Proprietors but to be left unto them till God shall otherwise incline their own hearts 8. That such as are now entituled Catholick Archbishops Bishops Abbots or other Dignitaries in this Kingdom by donation of the Pope may during their lives enjoy their spiritual Promotions with Protestation nevertheless and other fit Clauses to be laid down for preservation of his Majesty's Patronages First-fruits and twentieth Parts in Manner and Quantity as now his Highness receives benefit thereby 9. That all Inquisitions taken since the year 1634. to entitle his Majesty to Connaght Thomond Ormond Eliogartie Kilnemanagh Duheara Wickloe and Idvagh may be vacated and their Estates secured according to his Majesties late Graces 10. That an Act of Parliament may pass here for securing the Subjects Title to their several Estates against the Crown upon any Title accrued unto it before sixty years or under colour or pretext of the present Commotions 11. That all Plantations made since the year 1610. may be avoided by Parliament if the Parliament shall hold it just
and their Possessions restored to them or their Heirs from whom the same were taken they nevertheless answering to the Crown the Rents and Services proprotionable reserv'd upon the Undertakers 12. That the Transportation of all Native Commodities to all Places of the World in Peace with his Majesty may be free and lawfull his Customs first paid and that the Statutes of 10 11 and 13 of Queen Elizabeth for restraining the Exportation of Native Commodities be repealed 13. That all Preferments Ecclefiastical Civil and Martial in this Kingdom that lye in his Majesties Gift may be conferr'd on the Natives of this Kingdom onely such as his Majesty shall think meet without any distinction for Religion Provided always that upon the Princes of his Blood of England he may bestow what Places he shall think meet 14. That a Martial and Admiral of this Kingdom may be elected in it to have perpetual succession therein with the same Preheminency Authority and Jurisdiction as they respectively have in England and that the said Places be ever conferr'd upon Noblemen Natives of this Kingdom 15. That there may be Train'd-bands in all Cities Towns Corporate and Counties of this Kingdom arm'd and provided for at the charge of the several Counties Cities and Towns and commanded by the Natives of the same who shall be nam'd by the Counties Cities and Towns respectively 16. That his Majesty may release all Tenures in Capite and by Knights Service in consideration whereof he shall receive a setled Revenue of 12000 l. per annum being double the sum which he casually receives by them Reliefs Seismes Licenses for Alienations Escuage and Aids nevertheless to remain 17. That all Monopolies may be for ever taken away by Act of Parliament 18. That such new Corporations that have not the face of Corporate Towns and were erected to give Voices in Parliament may be dissolved and their Votes taken away and hereafter none such to be admitted to Voices in Parliament Lastly That there may be Agents chosen in Parliament or otherwise as thought meet to attend continually his Majesty to represent the Grievances of this Nation that they may be removable by such as did elect them and in case of death or removance others may be for ever successively substituted in that Place Propositions so destructive to the Crown of England the English Interest and Protestant Religion as I conceive none are so hardy as to maintain their rationality as long as the Crown of England is able to improve the Power of her Conquest More I might add but each Proposition carrieth in it self its insolency and vanity which by the Rebels success on the British through their Treacheries and Surprisals they were encouraged to propose with such audacity However the State in hope to gain time till Supplies might come listned to an offer made by some Popish Priests to treat with the Rebels Whereupon Dr. Cale pretending how far he could prevail with the Rebels was admitted thereunto by a Warrant from the State in confidence that he could obtain better terms than the former But Sir Phelim O-Neal would yield to no Treaty unless the Lord Mac-Guire Mac-Mahone and the rest in the Castle might be freed Which the State refusing with indignation that design ended And that the City of Dublin might be supplied with Corn the Market growing very thin through the Confederates seizing on the Protestants Corn in the Haggard the Lords Justices and Council having that example publish'd a Proclamation the 28th of Decemb. 1641. That all Corn-Masters within fifteen miles of Dublin should be careful to send their Corn to the City to be sold at the Rates following viz. Wheat Pease and Beans at 20 s. a Dublin Peck and Oats at 6 s. 8 d. a Barrel Whereupon the Market was somewhat though not considerable to their urgent occasions reliev'd rather than the Irish would suffer their Corn to be thrashed outby Warrants from the Lord Gormanston for the use of the Irish Army then lying before Tredath or burnt by the State to prevent that inconvenience And that nothing irregular might justly be imputed to the State who studied the preservation of his Majesties Subjects or those indeed who but pretended without appearance to the contrary a submission to his Ministers the 14th of January 1641. they publish'd a severe Proclamation against Pillagers and Voluntiers not listed under some Colonel or Commander So early was the vigilancy of the State in what might preserve their Integrity and Repute Which some finding contrary to their envious Licentiousness wanted not boldness to encourage the Soldiers to a return for England Which the Lords Justices and Council having notice of publish'd this Proclamation By the Lords Justices and Council William Parsons John Borlase WE do hereby in his Majesties Name charge and command all his Majesties Soldiers of this Army that upon pain of death none of them presume to depart hence for England without express license in that behalf from the Lieutenant General of the Army And we command all Owners and Masters of Ships Barques and other Vessels that upon pain of death none of them do permit or suffer any of the said Soldiers to go aboard them or to be carried from hence into England And we require the Searcher and all other Officers and Waiters of the Customs that they and every of them do take special care to prevent the Shipping or Importing of any of the said Soldiers as aforesaid whereof they may not fail Given at his Majesties Castle of Dublin 18th Jan. 1641. Ormond Ossory R. Dillon Ad. Loftus J. Temple Charles Coote Fran. Willoughby Rob. Meredith And now the Flame having march'd through Ulster and Leimster it discovers its fury about the beginning of December 1641. in Munster which Provincetill that time by the moderation of the State had stifled its rage then expressing its consent with the other Provinces The Rebels of Wexford Kilkenny and Caterlaugh coming over the River to prey and spoil the County of Waterford To resist which the Lord President of Munster Sir William Sellenger who to that time had behav'd himself with much Prudence Vigilance and Honour hastned to encounter them whom though he was far inferiour to in number he then discomfited and restored to the Owners what Prey he recovered in which action he found many of his Provincials yet suffer'd none of them to be hurt supposing they came to save their Goods not being interess'd in the Conspiracy which afterwards he found general Mr. Purcell called the Baron of Loghmo exciting about the 9th of December in Tipperary the Irish to rob and spoil the British and Protestants acting with many others daily villanies being armed by a long Provision underhand and furnish'd with the Wealth of the British and Protestants in that Province which was very great and considerable And that Connaght might not be said to be quiet the Lord President of that Province the Lord Rannelaugh coming thither from Dublin about the beginning
those who shall hereafter joyn with them or commit the like acts on any of our good Subjects in that Kingdom to be Rebels and Traitors against our Royal Person and Enemies to our Royal Crown of England and Ireland And we do hereby strictly Charge and Command all those Persons who have so presumed to rise in Arms against us and our Royal Authority which we cannot otherwise interpret than acts of high Rebellion and detestable Disloyalty when therein they spoil and destroy our good and loyal Subjects of the British Nation and Protestants that they immediately lay down their Arms and forbear any further acts of Hostility Wherein if they fail we do let them know that we have authorised our Justices of Ireland and other our Chief Governour or Governours and General or Lieutenant-General of our Army there and do hereby accordingly require and authorise them and every of them to prosecute the said Rebels and Traitors with Fire and Sword as Persons who by their high Disloyalty against us their lawful and undoubted King and Soveraign have made themselves unworthy of any Mercy or Favour Wherein our said Justices or other chief Governour or Governours and General or Lieutenant-General of our said Army shall be countenanc'd and supported by us and by our powerful Succours of our good Subjects of England and Scotland that so they may reduce to obedience those wicked disturbers of that Peace which by the blessing of God that Kingdom hath so long and so happily enjoy'd under the Government of our Royal Father and us And this our Royal pleasure we do hereby require our Justices or other chief Governour or Governours of that our Kingdom of Ireland to cause to be published and proclaim'd in and throughout our said Kingdom of Ireland Given under our Signet at our Palace at Westminster the 1st of January in the 17th year of our Reign 1641. Which coming forth so late and but 40 of them onely ordered to be Printed was by the Parliament in their Declaration of the 19th of May 1642. interpreted as a countenance to that Rebellion in answer whereunto his Majesty in his reply to that Declaration shews That the Proclamation not issuing out sooner was because the Lords Justices of that Kingdom desired them no sooner and when they did the number they desired was but twenty which they advised might be Signed by us which we for the expedition of that service commanded to be Printed a Circumstance not required by them thereupon we Sign'd more of them then our Justices desired And that it might further appear how deep a sense his Majesty had of the Rebellion which called upon Him and his People of England for a general Humiliation of all Estates before Almighty God in Prayer and Fasting for drawing down his Mercy and Blessing upon Ireland His Majesty was pleased by a Proclamation dated at Whitehall the 8th of January 1641. Straightly to Charge and Command That the last Wednesday of every Month during the troubles in Ireland a Solemn Fast should be observ'd through his Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales shewing in his own Person and the Court and example thereof which accordingly for some years was observ'd and considerable Collections were gathered at most Churches that day for the miserable People of Ireland Several but especially Sir Benjamin Rudyard excellently speaking on that Subject which being much in a little accept of in his own Words Mr. Speaker THis Day is appointed for a charitable Work a Work of Bowels and Compassion I pray God we may never have the like occasion to move to stir up our Charity These miserable People are made so because of their Religion He that will not suffer for his Religion is unworthy to be saved by it and he is unworthy to enjoy it that will not relieve those that suffer for it I did know but the last year here in England some and they no Papists who were resolv'd to make Ireland their Retreat as the safer Kingdom of the two We do now see a great a dismal Change God knows whose Turn shall be next it is wrapp'd up in his Providence that which happens to one Country may happen to any Time and Chance comes upon all though guided by a certain Hand The right way to make a Man truely sensible of another's Calamity is to think himself in the same case and condition and then to do as he would be done unto Wherefore Mr. Speaker let our Gift be a matter of Bounty not of Covetousness that it may abound to our Account in the Day of Reckoning He that sowes plentifully shall reap plentifully I am sure he that lends to the Lord hath the best Security and cannot be a loser The first President of the Fast before-mention'd which usher'd in the Charity that succeeded was before it came to be Monthly by the Lords House kept in the Abbey of Westminster where the Archbishop of York and the Lord Primate of Ireland preach'd to the Lords as in St. Margrets Westminster Mr. Calamy and Mr. Marshall to the House of Commons Though when his Majesty afterwards found by the ill use made thereof that the Lecturers in their Sermons and Prayers stir'd up and continued the War rais'd against Him in England the great Promoters too thereof deserting the Care of Ireland He the 6th of October 1643. forbad it to be kept and instead thereof expresly commanded a solemn Fast to be observ'd every second Friday of the Month through England and Wales But to return to the King's Proclamation against the Rebels which the bleeding Iphigenia and others of that lying Spirit would have to be grounded on the information of a malignant Part of the Council informing his Majesty that the Catholicks of Ireland without discrimination had enter'd into a Rebellion whereas there was never any such general Information Nay in all the Accounts they gave to his Majesty they still intimated that they hoped the Pale and other Parts would continue their Loyalty affording the Lords of the Pale as other Towns which afterwards shamefully revolted Arms Ammunition Commands informing his Majesty only of what they had discovered in the North with the suspicions that they had learnt on Examinations from others which would have been Treachery in them to have conceal'd and grand Disloyalty Nor doth his Majesty take notice in his Proclamation of any other than that divers lewd and wicked Persons had of late risen in Rebellion in his Kingdom of Ireland not so much therein as naming Papists or Catholicks that thence any of that profession should take Umbrage Nay so circumspect were the Lords Justices and Council at that time that they avoided all expressions which might any ways encourage the Irish to apprehend the English intended to make it a War of Religion However the Rebels were so far from paying obedience to his Majesty's Proclamation afore-mention'd saying it was counterfeit or done by Coertion as they acted now not as before apart but united in
Rebels attesting that the 100000 l. borrowed of the Subscription-Money for Ireland they soon re-paid with advantage being then forc'd to make use of it to prepare a competent Army for the defence of the King and Kingdom without any prejudice to the Affairs of Ireland whose subsistence depends on the welfare of this In Answer to which it was replied That that Kingdom were the Money restored in the mean time suffered by that Diversion and that had the Lord Wharton's Forces been approved of there was no further security that those should have been sent for Ireland than other Forces that were rais'd for that purpose and yet imployed against his Majesty at Edge-hill the other Exceptions of the Parliament in his Majesty's Papers being also answer'd which begot a Reply not altogether pertinent in this place to pursue However the Parliaments imploying the 100000 l. contrary to the Interest of the foremention'd Act in the 17th year of Car. 1. with his Majesties full consent before he left the Parliament was the cause that it produced so little good effect for Ireland many of the Subscribers taking that occasion as others before had done upon his Majesties motion to go for Ireland to withdraw their subscriptions and others not to pay in their Money which was with so much Caution provided for and guarded with so many advantagious Circumstances for all the Adventurers as if it had been carried on and seasonably applied with that Care and Sincerity it ought to have been it would in a little time have reduc'd that whole Kingdom and have eas'd that poor People of many of those Calamities they have since endur'd The want of which put the Lords Justices and State on many difficulties Yet that something might seem to be done there was an Order of the Commons House of Parliament the 3d. of August 1642. That the Ministers about the City of London should be desired to exhort the People to bestow old Garments and Apparel upon the distressed Protestants in Ireland in reference to which the 19th of September following the Lord Mayor of London ordered that those Cloaths should be brought to Yorkshire-hall in Blackwel-hall to be ready for shipping them for Ireland and a vast Supply was brought in Charity never so much manifested its compassion as in that Cause which afterwards was entrusted to a Reverend Person who discharged his trust with singular Prudence and Integrity though as to the Army these Cloaths never reach'd or intended And now the Rebels finding their Strength much augmented by the unhappy differences in England their chief Contrivers of the Conspiracy the Clergy met at Kilkenny and there Established in a General-Congregation several Considerations for their future Government Upon which Proceedings and the validity of the 6th Article of those Prelate-Dignities and learned men the first General-Assembly at Kilkenny sate the 10th of November 1642. according to what Scobel gives us an account of Though Peter Walsh one of the Assembly certainly to be credited in his second part of the first Treaties of his History and vindication of the Loyal Formulary writes that the first General or National-Assembly of the Confederates began at Kilkenny the 24th of October 1642. and continued to the 9th of January following upon which day they were dissolved having constituted to succeed them the Supream Council of the Confederate Catholicks of Ireland and that they might be the better tied together with the Holy bond of Union and Concord as is expressed in the thirty third Article of the General Assembly and the third of the Congregation They framed the ensuing Oath of Association to be taken by all in that Confederacy The Preamble to the Oath of Association WHereas the Roman Catholicks of this Kingdom have been inforc'd to take Arms for the necessary defence and preservation as well of their Religion Plotted and by many foul Practises endeavour'd to be quite suppress'd by the Puritan Faction as likewise their Lives Estates and Liberties as also for the defence and safeguard of his Majesties Regal Power just Prerogatives Honour State and Rights invaded upon and for that it is requisite that there should be an unanimous Consent and real Union between all the Catholicks of this Realm to maintain the Premisses and strengthen them against their Adversaries It is thought fit by them that they and whosoever shall adhere unto their Party as a Confederate should for the better assurance of their adhering fidelity and constancy to the publick Cause take the ensuing Oath The Oath of Association I A. B. do profess swear and protest before God and his Saints and his Angels that I will during my life bear true Faith and Allegiance to my Soveraign Lord Charles by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland and to his Heirs and lawful Successors and that I will to my power during my life defend uphold maintain all his and their just Prerogatives Estates and Rights the Power and Priviledge of the Parliament of this Realm the Fundamental Laws of Ireland the free exercise of the Roman Catholick Faith and Religion throughout this Land and the Lives just Liberties Possessions Estates and Rights of all those that have taken or shall take this Oath and perform the Contents thereof and that I will obey and ratifie all the Orders and Decrees made and to be made by the supream Council of the Confederate Catholicks of this Kingdom concerning the said publick Cause and that I will not seek directly or indirectly any Pardon or Protection for any Act done or to be done touching this general Cause without the consent of the major part of the said Council and that I will not directly or indirectly do any Act or Acts that shall prejudice the said Cause but will to the hazard of my Life and Estate assist prosecute and maintain the same Moreover I do further swear That I will not accept of or submit unto any Peace made or to be made with the said Confederate Catholicks without the consent and approbation of the general Assembly of the said Confederate Catholicks And for the preservation and strengthning of the Association and Union of the Kingdom that upon any Peace or Accommodation to be made or concluded with the said Confederate Catholicks as aforesaid I will to the utmost of my power insist upon and maintain the ensuing Propositions until a Peace as aforesaid be made and the Matters to be agreed upon in the Articles of Peace be establish'd and secured by Parliament So help me God and his holy Gospel The Propositions mention'd in the aforesaid Oath 1. THat the Roman Catholicks both Clergy and Laity to their several Capacities have free and publick Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion and Function throughout the Kingdom in as full lustre and splendor as it was in the Reign of King Henry the 7th or any other Catholick King 's his Predecessors Kings of England and Lords of Ireland either in
Ireland or England 2. That the secular Clergy of Ireland viz. Primates Archbishops Bishops Ordinaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Prebendaries and other Dignitaries Parsons Vicars and all other Pastors of the secular Clergy and their respective Successors shall have and enjoy all and all manner of Jurisdictions Priviledges Immunities in as full and ample manner as the Roman Catholicks secular Clergy had or enjoy'd the same within this Realm at any time during the Reign of the late H. 7. sometimes King of England and Lord of Ireland any Law Declaration of Law Statute Power and Authority whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding 3. That all Laws and Statutes made since the 20th year of King H. 8. whereby any Restraint Penalty Mulct Incapacity or Restriction whatsoever is or may be laid upon any of the Roman Catholicks either of the Clergy or of the Laity for such the said free Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion within this Kingdom and of their several Functions Jurisdictions and Priviledges may be repeal'd revoked and declared void by one or more Acts of Parliament to be pas'd therein 4. That all Primates Archbishops Bishops Ordinaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Chancellors Treasures Chaunters Provosts Wardens of Collegiate Churches Prebendaries and other Dignitaries Parsons Vicars and other Pastors of the Roman Catholick secular Clergy and their respective Successors shall have hold and enjoy all the Churches and Church-Livings in as large and ample manner as the late Protestant Clergy respectively enjoy'd the same on the first day of October in the year of our Lord 1641. together with all the Profits Emoluments Perquisits Liberties and the Rights to their respective Sees and Churches belonging as well in all Places now in the possession of the Confederate Confederate Catholicks as also in all other places that shall be recovered by the said Confederate Catholicks from the adverse Party within this Kingdom saving to the Roman Catholick Laity their Rights according to the Laws of the Land And that the Supreme Council the legitimate issue of the General Assembly might look with the better face of Authority they fram'd to themselves a Seal bearing the mark of a long Cross on the right side whereof a Crown and a Harp on the left with a Dove above and a flaming Heart below the Cross and round about this Inscription Pro Deo pro Rege Patria Hibernia unanimis with which they seal'd their Credentials to Princes and under that Seal pass'd their principal Acts of Sovereignty Having now modell'd themselves into a separate State confronting his Majesties Royal Government setled in Dublin ordering in their Supreme Council at Kilkenny in the said Province of Leimster all their Affairs Civil and Military through the whole Kingdom As to War they had their Forces under the Conduct of four well experienc'd Generals before mentioned answering the several Provinces of Leimster Munster Connaght and Ulster Giving out Letters of Mart An Example of which together with the Authority they assum'd notwithstanding his Majesties Proclamation of the 1st of January 1641. we shall hear give you at large By the Supreme Council of the Confederate Catholicks of Ireland TO all Men to whom this Present shall come We the Supreme Council of the Confederate Catholicks of this Realm send Greeting Know ye That we have taken into our serious consideration the great and necessary use we have of Ships of War for the defence of the Coasts of this Realm and advancement and furtherance of Commerce with Foreign Nations and for opposing his Majesties Enemies who daily hinder and annoy his Majesties good Subjects of this Kingdom by Sea and stop all free Trade in this Realm and abroad have therefore constituted and appointed and do hereby ordain constitute and appoint our well-beloved Friend Captain Francis Oliver Native of Flanders having received good testimony of his sufficiency and integrity to be Captain of the Ship called St. Michael the Archangel of burthen 120 Lasts or Tuns or thereabouts hereby giving and granting unto the said Captain full and absolute Power Commission and Authority to furnish the said Ship with all Necessaries fit for Sea and War and with the same to cross the Seas and take hinder and prejudice all such as he shall find or meet of His Majesties Enemies the Enemies of the General Catholick Cause now in hand in this Kingdom their Ships and Goods whatsoever either by Sea or Land by what means soever and the said Shipping or Goods to set to sale and dispose of as lawful Prizes and open Enemies Goods saving unto his Majesty and his lawful Officers and unto all other Person or Persons Bodies Politick and Corporate all Rights Requisites and Duties due or usual answered out of all Prizes And we hereby command all Officers of all our Ports Harbours and Havens within our Jurisdiction throughout this Realm to admit the said Captain Francis Oliver and his Companies Ships and Goods from time to time to pass and repass come and go without molestation or trouble And that all Commanders of Forts and all other Officers of his Majesties loving Subjects to be aiding and assisting unto him in execution and furtherance of the Premisses whatsoever and as often as occasion shall require And lastly we pray all Foreign Princes States and Potentates to defend protect assist and favour the said Captain his Ships and Goods when and as often as he shall come into their respective Coasts and Harbours This our Commission to continue during pleasure Given at Kilkenny the last of December 1642. Was signed Mountgarret Hugo Armachanus Gormanston Johan Episc. Clonfertensis Nic. Plunket Patr. Darcy James Cusack Jeffry Brown And as to Civils they had their Officers of State Justices of Oyer and Terminer and of the Peace with their Courts of Judicature in several kinds and Councils Supreme County Provincial and on occasion National this being as Parliamentary called their General Assembly They had their Negotiations also abroad and from abroad and by Envoys Agents and publick Ministers Extraordinary and Resident they receiv'd the sense of other Princes and return'd their own being also by those Princes treated at home in like manner as if they had been some State absolute or more considerable of which read the Appendix All the subsequent Acts being derived from the Orders establish'd at Kilkenny the 24th of October 1642. By what I have mention'd you may see how the Rebels endeavour'd to get credit abroad and repute at home managing their Concerns with so much subtilty as having them anvil'd in every Covent nothing was omitted to mature their designs or colour what they had now begun with the fairest pretence whilst the State in the interim through the distractions in England daily increasing which gave fresh fuel to the Rebels presumption were so straitned for want of Supplies that the Lords Justices having by all the ways imaginable represented as well to his Majesty as to the Parliament the miserable condition they
his Majesty the 18th of April 1644. did agree with their sence in order to the present condition of the Kingdom Whereby it 's thought that if it had been said that the 24 Propositions had been agreed to by the Protestants in general there would have been an Endeavour to have got some to have signed an Instrument against the Agent 's Proceedings and therefore their Proceeding was acknowledged to be according to their Instructions and their Correspondent's Advice in Town As in the Answer May it please your Lordships IN Obedience to your Lordship's Commands signified in your Order of the 5th of June 1644. directed to us the Persons under-named requiring us to certifie your Lordships Whether the 24 Propositions of his Majesty's Protestant Agents of Ireland presented to his Majesty do agree with our sence in order to the present condition of this Kingdom We the said Persons do humbly certifie That we have perused the Propositions in the said Order mention'd and do humbly conceive them to be in substance pursuant to the humble Petition of his Majesty's Protestant Subjects as well Commanders of his Majesty's Army here as others a Copy of which Petition hath been formerly presented to your Lordships and from that Honourable Board transmitted to his Sacred Majesty and by him graciously receiv'd as may appear by his Majesty's Letters of the 6th of November last whereof your Lordships were pleas'd to grant the Petitioners a Copy And that the said Propositions are as we humbly conceive in substance pursuant unto certain Instructions entituled Instructions for the Agents who are to attend his most Sacred Majesty on the behalf of his Majesty's Protestant Subjects of Ireland Which Instructions were also presented at that Honourable Board and there upon serious Debate according to the Pleasure of your Lordships in some things altered and so a Copy thereof was delivered to your Lordships And we humbly conceive that the said Propositions are such in substance as if way may be found whereby his Majesty may bring to pass the Particulars therein conceiv'd they would conduce to the Establishment of the true Protestant Religion the Honour and Advantage of his Majesty and the future Security of his Highness his Royal Posterity this his Kingdom and the Protestant Subjects therein But how these Propositions stand in order to the present condition of this Kingdom is a thing far above us to resolve All which we humbly leave to your Lordship's Grave Considerations Signed Will. Cooley Will. Usher Hen. Jones Anth. Dopping Will. Plunket Theod. Schoute Peter Wybrants When the Irish Confederates Agents return'd into Ireland most of them as far as acted in view perform'd their Promise and Engagements to the King so as many of the Nobility and Gentry and most of the Persons of considerable Fortune together with the moderate Clergy who are easie to be number'd were convinc'd of the necessity of submitting themselves entirely to the King till he was able to grant them more that they might not be glad to accept of less But the evil Genius of that People condemn'd to wilful ruine and misfortune soon evidenc'd how unripe they were for mercy and that it was not so easie to allay the Spirits they had conjur'd up as to foment and irritate them The Nobility and Men of known Fortune whom self-Interest by this time had taught Loyalty found that they had lost their Power and the Reverence they had parted with to the Clergy had much Influence on he common People who devoting themselves solely to their Clergy's Dictate oppos'd all Conclusions which according to Wisdom and true Policy were to be the Ingredients of a happy and lasting Peace And so above 2 years were spent after these Agent 's departure from the King in fruitless and in-effectual Treaties the Earl of Glamorgan in the interim treating in that wilde order with the Rebels as under a pretended sufficient Authority from the King utterly disown'd he blew them up to such a pernicious Expectation by the feigned Articles he sign'd to them the 25th of August 1645. so destructive both to Church and State and so repugnant to his Majesty's publick Professions and known Resolutions as the Treaty of Peace proceeding on more agreeable Terms by the Lord Lieutenant found many rubbs and impediments Whilst the Strength and Power of the Parliament's Forces in England exceedingly increased and his Majesty's Forces were defeated and himself for want of Succours promis'd out of Ireland was compelled to deliver up himself to his Scottish Subjects and was shortly after by them given into the hands of the Parliament of England who being at last split into several Factions so varied Councils as in conclusion he was betrayed and suffer'd to the astonishment of the World But that I may not o're-slip the Series of this Story which through a conflux of Matter will sometimes unavoidably be disturbed I must take notice that the first Cessation being near determin'd the 5th of Sept. 1644. there was a new Cessation agreed on by the Lord Lieutenant and the Irish Commissioners to begin on the 15th of September and continue till the 1st of December following And in respect that the Treaty of Peace had several Matters of weight and consequence which necessarily required further time to be prepared and drawn into writing it was agreed on at the Castle of Dublin the 2d of Octob. anno praedict that the Treaty should be adjourn'd to the 4th of November ensuing the Irish Agents in the interim to have liberty to continue in or come to Dublin as often as they should think fit which time they improved and Affairs were so managed as there was never any other Cessation till the Peace About which time the Earls of Thomond Clanrickard and St. Albans the Lord Rannelagh Fitz-williams Taaff and Dillon who had never receded from his Majesty's Commands writ to him That betwixt two Parties one if they were disposed to make Invasion upon them and the other who sticking to the Covenant dis-obey'd the Cessation they were like to be ruin'd and therefore implor'd his Majesty to reconcile the Difference betwixt those who were too high either of the Confederates or Protestants in their Demands and declare against the Scots who would make little distinction were it in their power between them and those whom they now assaulted In treating of Peace we must not forget that the Lord Inchequin having been easily wrought on to agree to the Cessation carried over many of his Munster Forces to the King who in memory of his service bestowed on him a noble Wardship and would have made him an Earl But the Presidency of Munster pre-dispos'd of to the Earl of Portland being his aim he returns again into Ireland and from Cork the 17th of July 1644. he and other Officers there writes to his Majesty That no Peace could be concluded with the Irish Rebels which would not bring unto his Majesty and the English in general a far greater prejudice than
the shew of a Peace there would bring them an advantage c. And thereupon besought him that he would not so much regard so inconsiderable a handful of People as they were as to purchase but a seeming security by leaving thereby the Protestant Religion in all likelihood to be extirpated and his Majesty obnoxious to the loss of that Kingdom Further beseeching his Majesty that he would be pleas'd to Proclaim again the Irish to be Rebels and not to pardon those who have committed so many barbarous Crimes that they are as far above description as they are short of honesty professing they had his Majesties Commission for what they did the true sense of which devillish aspersion cast upon his Majesty with other reasons made them resolve to die a thousand deaths rather than condescend to any Peace referring themselves in other things to their Declaration And from the same place the day following these write to both Houses of Parliament in England much to the same effect importuning their Agreement with his Majesty without which the War could not be prosecuted as it ought offering for the securing of their Garrison to their Service whom they pleas'd Concluding That they hoped such a wise Assembly would distinguish betwixt the effects of Necessity the Cessation and Dishonesty Including in their Letter to both Houses their Declaration which I had thought to have abbreviated but it is so significant that we shall find it unravels many Secrets then to come and declares such Truths as without injury to their Merits we could not smother The unanimous Declaration of His Majesties Protestant Subjects of the Province of Munster IF in the undertaking of a just Design it were onely requisite that the Hearts and Consciences of the Undertakers were satisfi'd we should not need to publish this Declaration but lest our Enemies should traduce the candour of our Actions and Intentions we have made this manifestation of them which will acquaint the World with their Malice and our Innocence We are confident that all Christendom hath heard of the bloody Rebellion in Ireland and we are as confident the Rebels and Popish Clergy have so palliated and disguised it that many are fully perswaded they had reason for what they did But we believe all men of Judgment will change that opinion when they shall know That though they were a Conquer'd People yet the Laws were administred unto them with as much equity as to the English That they enjoyed their Religion though not by Tolleration yet by Connivance That their Lords though Papists sate in Parliament And that the Election of the Knights of the Shire and Burgesses was free and though of a contrary Religion were admitted into the House of Commons yet for all these and many other vast Favours and Priviledges when every one was sitting under his Vine and Fig-tree without any provocation they resolve upon a general extirpation both of the Protestants and their Religion which without doubt they had effected had not God been more merciful than they were wicked and by a Miracle discovered this devillish Design whereof though we had notice just time enough to secure our main Magazine at Dublin yet we could not prevent the butchery of multitudes of innocent Souls which suffered at the first in the Province of Ulster and since they have continued this Rebellion with such perfidiousness and bloodiness that though we had been as guilty as we are innocent yet the prosecuting of the War with that barbarousness had rather been a sin than justice But by Gods great providence when the Rebellion brake out first the Parliament of England was sitting unto whom his Majesty communicated so much of his Power over this Kingdom as we shall hereafter mention and gave them great encouragement to prosecute the War against the Rebels by granting Lands unto such as should adventure Money for the maintenance of the War Whereupon the Parliament who were most willing to advance so good a Cause sent us at first large Supplies which had so good success that the Divine as well as Humane Justice did proclaim them Rebels for indeed God Almighty since the deliverance of the Children of Israel from the Egyptians never appeared so visibly as in this War But the unhappy misunderstanding between the King and Parliament did so hinder the continuance of those Supplies for this Kingdom that all we received in nineteen months amounted not to five weeks entertainment so that the Army which was sent to relieve us lived upon us And truly we may with Justice profess that the Forces of this Province did feed as miraculously as fight being never able to prescribe any certain way of subsistance for one month together but when the poor Inhabitants were almost beggar'd and no means for the Forces to subsist on left a Cessation of Arms was made for a twelvemonth with the Rebels which our necessity not inclination compelled us to bear with and the rather out of a firm hope that the Almighty out of his infinite goodness would within that year settle a right understanding between the King and Parliament that then they would unanimously revenge the crying blood of so many thousands of innocent Souls and until God blessed us with the sight of that happy Union we might keep our Garrisons which otherwise we could not the better to enable them to prosecute so just and honourable a design But this Cessation was as fatal to us during the time of Treaty as afterwards it was ill observed for they knowing what agreement they would enforce us to condescend unto did privately send one or two persons to every Castle that we had demolished which under pretence of being by that means in their possession they ever since detain though it be contrary to the Articles And which is more injurious they have at all times since entred upon what Lands they have thought fit and detained them also and their devillish malice having no bounds they did place Guards upon the High-ways to interrupt our Markets and punished divers of their own Party for coming with Provisions to us thereby to deter all from bringing any relief to our Garrisons that so they might starve us out of those Places that neither their fraud or force could get from us which that they might the better accomplish they murthered divers of the poor English that presuming on the Article of free Commerce went abroad to buy Victuals which certainly would have caused them to have declined that course of seeking Food if hunger threatning them with more certain death had not forced them thereunto And whereas we trusted that these notorious infidelities in them and infinite sufferings in us would have been so visible to his Majesty that nothing could have induc'd him to make a Peace with so perfidious a People who through their fawning and insinuating with his Majesty and by the counsel of some who represent that there is no way left for the securing the
Ja. Ware God save the King An Abreviate of the Articles of Peace concluded by the Marquiss of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Commissioner for the King and the Lord Mountgarret President of the Supream Council the Lord Muskery Sir Robert Talbot Dermot O Brian Patrick Darcy Jeffery Brown and John Dillon Esquires Commissioners for the Irish. 1. THat the Professors of the Roman Catholick Religion in the Kingdom of Ireland or any of them be not bound or obliged to take the Oath of Supremacy expressed in the second of Queen Elis. commonly called the Oath of Supremacy 2. That a Parliament may be held on or before the last day of November next and that these Articles agreed on may be transmitted into England according to the usual Form and passed provided that nothing may be passed to the Prejudice of either Protestant or Catholick Party other then such things as upon this Treaty shall be concluded 3. That all Acts made by both or either Houses of Parliament to the Blemish or Prejudice of his Majesties Roman Catholick Subjects since the 7th of August 1641. shall be vacated by Acts of Parliament 4. That no Actions of Law shall be removed before the said Parliament in case it be sooner called then the last of November And that all Impediments which may hinder the Roman Catholicks to sit in the next Parliament shall be remov'd before the Parliament sit 5. That all Debts do Stand in state as they were in the beginning of these Troubles 6. That the Plantation in Connaght Kilkenny Clare Thomond Tipperary Limrick and Wickloe may be revoked by Act of Parliament and their Estates secur'd in the next Sessions 7. That the Natives may erect one or more Inns of Court in or near the City of Dublin they taking an Oath as also one or more Universities to be Govern'd as his Majesty shall appoint as also to have Schools for Education of Youth in the Kingdom 8. That Places of Command of Forts Castles Garrisons Towns and other Places of Importance and all Places of Honour Profit and Trust shall be conferr'd with equal Indifferency upon the Catholicks as his Majesties other Subjects according to their respective Merits and Abilities 9. That 12000 l. Sterling be paid the King yearly for the Court of Wards 10. That no Peer may be capable of more Proxies then two And that no Lords Vote in Parliament unless in 5 years a Lord Baron purchase in Ireland 200 l. per anum a Viscount 400 l. and an Earl 600 l. or lose their Votes till they purchase 11. That the Independency of the Parliament of Ireland on the Kingdom of England shall be decided by Declaration of both Houses agreeable to the Laws of the Kingdom of Ireland 12. That the Council Table shall contain itself within its bounds in handling Matters of State as Patents of Plantations Offices c. and not meddle with matter betwixt Party and Party 13. That all Acts concerning Staple or Native Commodities of this Kingdom shall be repeal'd except Wooll and Woollfels and that the Commissioners the Lord Mountgarret and others named in the 26 Article shall be Authoriz'd under the Great Seal to moderate and ascertain the rates of Merchandize to be exported and imported 14. That no Governor be longer Resident then his Majesty shall find for the good of his People and that they make no purchase other then by Lease for the Provision of their Houses 15. That an Act of Oblivion may be passed without extending to any who will not accept of this Peace 16. That no Governor or any other Prime Minister of State in Ireland shall be Farmers of his Majesties Customs 17. That a Repeal of all Monopolies be passed 18. That Commissioners be appointed to regulate the Court of Castle-Chamber 19. That Acts Prohibiting Plowing by Horse-tails and burning of Oats in the Straw be repealed 20. That Course be taken against the Disobedience of the Cessation and Peace 21. That such Graces as were promised by his Majesty in the Fourth year of his Reign and sued for by a Committee of both Houses of Parliament and not express'd in these Articles may in the next ensuing Parliament be desir'd of his Majesty 22. That Maritine Causes be determin'd here without Appeal into England 23. That the increase of Rents lately rais'd upon the Commission of defective Titles be repeal'd 24. That all Interests of Money due by way of Debt Mortgage or otherwise and not yet satisfi'd since the 23. of Octob. 1641. to pay no more than 5l per Cent. 25. That the Commissioners have power to determine all Cases within their Quarters until the perfection of these Articles by Parliament and raise 10000 Men for his Majesty 26. That the Lord Mountgarret Muskery Sir Dan. O Bryan Sir Lucas Dillon Nich. Plunket Rich. Bealing Philip Mac-Hugh O Relie Terlogh O Neal Thomas Flemming Patrick Darcy Gerald Fennel and Jeffery Brown or any five of them be for the present Commissioners of the Peace Oyer and Terminer and Gaol-Delivery in the present Quarters of the Confederate Catholicks with power of Justice of Peace Oyer and Terminer and Gaol-Delivery as in former times of Peace they have usually had 27. That none of the Roman Catholick Party before there be a Settlement by Parliament Sue Implead or Arrest or be Sued Impleaded or Arrested in any Court other than before the Commissioners or in the several Corporations or other Judicatures within their Quarters 28. That the Confederate Catholicks continue in their Possessions until Settlement by Parliament and to be Commanded by his Majesties Chief Governour with the advice and consent of the Commissioners or any Five of them 29. That all Customs from the perfection of these Articles are to be paid into his Majesties Receipt and to his use as also all Rent due at Easter next till a full Settlement of Parliament 30. That the Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol-Delivery shall have power to hear and determine all Offences committed or done or to be committed or done from the 15th day of September 1643. until the first day of the next Parliament Thus the Marquess having perform'd all on his part that could be expected from him and was in his power to do and having receiv'd from other Parts all the assurance he could require there being no other way of engaging the publick Faith of the Nation than that to which they had so formally engaged themselves to him in he intended nothing then but how his Majesty might speedily receive some fruit of that Peace and Accommodation he thence expected by sending assistance to him And to that purpose with advice and upon invitation of several Persons who had great Authority and Power amongst the Confederate Catholicks the Lord Lieutenant took a Journey himself to Kilkenny where he was receiv'd with that Respect and Reverence as was due to his Person and to the Place he held and with such expressions of Triumph and Joy as gave him cause
to believe the People were glad to be again receiv'd into his Majesty's Protection A Protection his Majesty evidences to his Commissioners at Uxbridge That it was as inevitably necessary that they should not consent to hinder him therein as he had strong Reasons for the Cessation before unless they could shew how his Protestant Subjects in Ireland may probably at least defend themselves and that he should have no more need to defend his Conscience and Crown from the Injuries of this Rebellion At this Peace the Irish seem'd exceedingly enliven'd but the shew thereof quickly vanish'd and a cloud of Jealousie began again to cover the Land The Pope's Nuncio and the titular Bishops who depended on him envi'd that Nation the happiness and glory they foresaw it would be possess'd of by the execution of that Agreement and so without any colour of Authority either by the old establish'd Laws of that Kingdom or those Rules they had prescrib'd to themselves since the Rebellion they conven'd a Congregation of the Clergy at Waterford a Town most at their devotion where the Titular Bishop of Ferns was in the Chair and refided And therefore it will not be amiss to take a short view of their proceedings that the unhappy oppressed and miserable Ireland may clearly discern to whom it owes those Pressures and Grievances it is now overwhelm'd with and whether that Bishop be to be reckon'd in the number of those who suffer at present for his Zeal to Religion his Allegiance to the King and his Affection to his Countrey or whether his name be to be inserted in that Catalogue which must derive to Posterity the Authors and Fomentors of so odious and causless a Rebellion in which such a Sea of Blood hath been let out and the Betrayers of the Honour and Faith of that Countrey and Nation and who are no less guilty of extirpation of a Religion they so much glory of in that Kingdom than Ireton or Cromwel or that impious Power under which they have perpetrated all their Acts of Blood Cruelty and Desolation At that time the Parliament of England having accommodated the Spaniard with 2000 Men he in lieu thereof so temper'd the Irish ever devoted to that Nation that the Spaniard having then an Agent in Ireland he took them off from doing any thing effectual in our King's business And the Congregation of the Clergy was no sooner assembled then instead of prescribing Acts of Charity and Repentance to the People for the ill they had formerly done and then inflaming their hearts with new Zeal and infusing pious Courage into them to relieve and succour the King from those who oppressed him according to their particular Obligation by their late Agreement which had been the proper Office of Prelates and a Christian Clergy they began to inveigh against the Peace which themselves had so lately approv'd and so formally consented unto as if it had not carefully enough provided for the advancement of Religion and would not suffer it to be proclaim'd in Waterford and sent their Emissaries and their Orders to all considerable Towns and Cities to incense the People against it and against those who wished it should take effect insomuch that when the King at Arms was Proclaiming the Peace at Limerick with that solemnity and Ceremony as in such cases is used throughout the World with his Coat of Arms the Ensign of his Office and accompani'd with the Mayor and Aldermen and the most substantial of the Citizens in their Robes and with all the Ensigns of Magistracy and Authority one Molife a seditious Frier stirr'd up the multitude against him which being led on by one Fanning a person notorious for many outrages and acts of Blood and Inhumanity in the beginning of the Rebellion violently assaulted them and after many opprobrious speeches in contempt of the Peace and the Authority of the King and tearing off the Coat from the Herald beat and wounded him and many of the Magistrates of the City and some of them almost to death And least all this might be excused and charitably interpreted to be the effect of a Popular and Tumultuous Insurrection the Lawful Mayor and other principal Officers who assisted him in the discharge of his Duty were immediately displac'd and Fanning the impious Conductor of that Rabble was made Mayor in his place who by Letters from the Nuncio was thanked for what he had done and encouraged to proceed in the same way and had the Apostolical Benediction bestowed on him for committing such an outrage upon the Priviledged Person of an Herald who in the name of the King came to proclaim Peace As by the Law of Nations must have been adjudged barbarous and unpardonable in any part of the World where Civility is planted if he had come to have denounced War And yet all this while the design it self was carried with so great secresie that the Lord Lieutenant proceeding in his Progress for the setling and composing the humours of the People which he understood to have been in some disorder by the infusions of the ill-affected Clergy never heard of any Force of Arms to second and support those mutinous disorders till being near to the City of Cashell he was advertis'd by Letters from the Mayor that Neal's Army was marching that way and had sent terrible threats to that City if it presum'd to receive the Lord Lieutenant And shortly after he found that Owen O Neal used all possible expedition to get between him and Dublin that so he might have been able to have surprised and destroyed him whereupon the Marquis found it necessary to lose no time in returning thither yet resolved not onely to contain himself from any Acts of Hostility but even from those Trespasses which are hardly avoidable upon Marches and paid so precisely for whatsoever was taken from the Inhabitants throughout all the Catholick Quarters presuming that those Persons of Honour who had transacted the Treaty would have been able to have caused the Peace to be observed in despight of those clamorous undertakers But when the Unchristian Congregation of Waterford had made this Essay of their Power and Jurisdiction they made all possible hast to propagate their Authority and declared the Peace to be void and inhibited all Persons to submit thereunto or to pay any Taxes Imposition or Contribution which had been setled by the said Agreement and without which neither a standing Army which was to be applied to the Reduction of those Towns and Provinces which had put themselves under the Protection of the Parliament of England and never submitted to the former Cessation nor could be comprehended in the Peace could be supported or the 10000 Men rais'd to be transported into England for the succour of the King as had been so Religiously undertaken which inclination of theirs the People so readily obeyed and submitted unto That they committed and delegated the intire and absolute Power of Governing
Orders and Injunctions continued still their desire to observe the Peace The titular Bishop of Ossory publisht this extraordinary Writing WHereas we have in publick and private meetings at several times declared to the Supream Council and others whom it might concern That it was and is unlawful and against conscience the implying Perjury as it hath been defined by the special Act of the Convocation at Waterford to both Common-Wealths Spiritual and Temporal to do or concur to any Act tending to the approbation or countenancing the Publication of this unlawful and mischievous Peace so dangerous as it is now Articled to both Common-Wealths Spiritual and Temporal And whereas notwithstanding our Declaration yea the Declaration of the whole Clergy of the Kingdom to the contrary the Supream Council and the Commissioners have actually proceeded to the Publication yea and forcing it upon the City by terror and threats rather then by any free consent or desire of the People We having duly considered and taken it to heart as it becometh us how enormous this Fact is and appears in Catholicks even against God himself and what a Publick Contempt of the Holy Church it appeareth beside the evil it is like to draw upon this poor Kingdom after a mature Deliberation and Consent of our Clergy in Detestation of this hainous and scandalous Disobedience of the Supream Council and others who adhered to them in matter of conscience to the Holy Church and in hatred of so sinful and abominable an Act do by these Presents according to the Prescription of the Sacred Cannons pronounce and command henceforth a general Cessation of Divine Offices throughout all the City and Suburbs of Kilkenny in all Churches Monasteries and houses in them whatsoever Given at our Palace of Nova Curia the 18th of August 1646. Signed David Ossoriensis This extravagant Proceeding did not yet terrifie those of the Confederate Catholicks who understood as they pretended how necessary the observation of the Peace was for the preservation of the Nation But as they desired the Lord Lieutenant to forbear all acts of Hostility upon how unreasonable a Provocation soever So they sent two Persons of the Supream Council Sir Lucas Dillon and Dr. Fennel to the Congregation at Waterford to dispose them to a better temper and to find out some Expedient which might compose the minds of the People and prevent those Calamities that would unavoidably fall upon the Nation upon their declining and renouncing the Peace which you must understand in them to be very real But after they had attended several days and offered many Reasons and Considerations to them The Congregation put a Period to all the Hopes and Consultations of that nature by issuing out a Decree of Excommunication which they caused to be Printed in this Form and in these Words and with these Marginal Notes By John Baptist Rinuccini Archbishop and Prince of Firmo and by the Ecclesiastical Congregation of both Clergies of the Kingdom of Ireland A Decree of Excommunication against such as adhere to the late Peace and do bear Arms for the Hereticks of Ireland and do aid or assist them NOt without Cause saith the Oracles of Truth doth the Minister of God carry the Sword for he is to punish him that doth Evil and remunerate him that doth Good hence it is that we have by our former Decrees declared to the World our sence and just Indignation against the late Peace Concluded and Published at Dublin not onely in its nature bringing prejudice and destruction of Religion and Kingdom but also contrary to the Oath of Association and withall against the Contrivers of and Adherers to the said Peace In pursuance of which Decrees being forced to unsheath the Spiritual Sword We to whom God hath given power to bind and loose on Earth assembled together in the Holy Ghost tracing herein and imitating the Examples of many Venerable and holy Prelates who have gone before us and taking for our Authority the Sacred Canons of Holy Church grounded on Holy Writ Ut tollantur èmedio nostrum qui hoc opus faciunt Domini nostri Jesu deliver over such Persons to Satan that is to say We Excommunicate Execrate Anathematize all such as after the Publication of this our Decree and notice either Privately or Publickly given to them hereof shall defend adhere to or approve the Justice of the said Peace and chiefly those who bear Arms or make or joyn in War with for or in behalf of the Puritans or other Hereticks of Dublin cork Youghall of other places within this Kingdom or shall either by themselves or by their appointment bring send or give any Aid Succour or Relief Victuals Ammunition or other Provision to them or by advice or otherwise advance the said Peace or the War made against us Those and every of them by this present Decree We do declare and pronounce Excommunicated ipso facto ut non circumveniamini à Satana non enim ignoramus Cogitationes ejus Dated at Kilkenny in our Palace of Residence the 5th day of October 1646. Signed Johannes Baptista Archiepiscopus Firmanus Nuncius Apostolicus de Mandato Illustrissimi Domini Nuncij Congregationis Ecclesiasticae utriusque Cleri Regni Hiberniae Nicholas Firmence Congregationis Cancellarius The Nuncio having thus fortifi'd himself made great preparations to march with two Armies to Dublin which consisting of 16000 Foot and as many hundred Horse he believ'd or seem'd to believe would take the Town by Assault as soon as he should appear before it and in this confidence that we may not interrupt the series of this Discourse by any intervening action when the Armies were within a days march of the City the two Generals sent this Letter with the Propositions annexed to the Lord Lieutenant May it please your Excellency BY the Command of the Confederate Catholicks of this Kingdom who offer the inclosed Propositions we have under our Leading two Armies our thoughts are best to our Religion King and Countrey our ends to establish the first and make the two following secure and happy It is the great part of our care and desires to purchase your Excellency to the effecting of so blessed a work We do not desire the effusion of blood and to that purpose the inclosed Propositions are sent from us we pray to God your consideration of them may prove fruitful We are commanded to pray your Excellency to render an Answer to them by two of the Clock in the afternoon on Thursday next be it War or Peace We shall endeavour in our Ways to exercise Faith and Honour and upon this thought we rest From the Camp 2. March 1646. Your Excellencies most humble Servants J. Preston Owen O Neile 1. That the exercise of the Romish Religion be in Dublin Tredagh and in all the Kingdom of Ireland as free and as publick as it is now in Paris in France or Bruxels in the Low-Countreys 2. That the Council of State
Toleration of the Romish Catholick Religion had in truth prov'd for the extirpation of the Protestant when they should think fit to put the same in execution Nor was the only Argument and Excuse which they published for these Proceedings more reasonable than the Proceedings themselves which was That the Concessions and Promises made unto them by the Earl of Glamorgan were much larger and greater security for their Religion than those consented to by the Marquess Whereas in truth those Concessions and Promises made by the Earl as we have took notice were dis-avowed and dis-own'd by the Lord Lieutenant before the Peace was concluded and the Earl committed to Prison for his Presumption which though it produced some interruption in the Treaty yet was the same after resumed and the Peace concluded and proclaimed upon the Articles formerly mention'd so that the Allegation of what had been undertaken by the Earl of Glamorgan can be no excuse for their violating the Agreement afterwards concluded with the Marquess Whereby it appears let the most favourable Fucus imaginable be put upon it that though they released the Commissioners for the Treaty as justifiable yet Herod and Pilate were then made Friends each Party consenting to dam the Peace This last wonderful Act put a period to all Hopes of the Marquess of Ormond which Charity and Compassion to the Kingdom and Nation and his discerning Spirit would fain have cherisht in that in-evitable ruine and destruction both must undergo from that distemper of mind that possessed them and had so long boy'd them up against his experience and judgement And now those whose Natures Dispositions and Interest made them most averse to the Parliament of England grew more affrighted at the thoughts of falling under the Power of the Irish so that all Persons of all humours and inclinations who lived under his Government and had dislikes and jealousies enough against each other were yet united and reconciled in their opinions against the Irish. The Council of State besought the Lord Lieutenant to consider whether it were possible to have any better security from them for the performance of any other Agreement he should make than he had for the performance of that which they now receded from and disclaimed And since the Spring was now coming on whereby the number power and strength of their Enemy would be increas'd on all sides and their hopes of Succours was desperate and so it would be only in his election into whose power he would put those who had deserved as well from his Majesty by doing and suffering as Subjects could do whether into the hands of the English who could not deny them protection and justice or of the Irish who had not only dispoil'd them of all their Fortunes and prosecuted them with all animosity and cruelty but declared by their late carriage that they were not capable of security under them they therefore entreated him to send again to the two Houses of Parliament and make some agreement with them which would probably be for their preservation whereas with the other what-ever could be done it was evident it would be for their destruction That which amongst other things of importance made a deep impression in the Marquess was the knowledge that there had been from the beginning of these Troubles a Design in the principal Contrivers of them entirely to alienate the Kingdom of Ireland from the Crown of England to extirpate not only the Protestant but all the Catholicks who were descended from the English and who in truth are no less odious to the old Irish than the other and to put themselves into the protection of some foreign Prince if they should find it impossible to erect some of the old Families And how impossible and extravagant soever this Attempt might reasonably be thought in regard not only all the Catholicks of the English Extraction who were in Quality and Fortune much superiour to the other but many Noble and much the best and greatest Families of the ancient Irish perfectly abhorred and abominated the same writ some Yet it was apparent that the violent Part of the Clergy that now govern'd had really that intention and never intended more to submit to the King's Authority whosoever should be intrusted with it And it had been proposed in the last Assembly by Mr. Anthony Martin and others That they should call in some forreign Prince for protection from whom they had receiv'd Agents as from his most Christian Majesty Monsieur de Monry and Monsieur de Molin from his Catholick Majesty Don Diego de Torres his Secretary from the Duke of Lorrain Monsieur St. Katherine and from Rome they had Petrus Franciscus Scarampi and afterwards Rinuccini Archbishop and Prince of Fermo Nuncio Apostolick for Ireland whose exorbitant Power was Earnest enough how little more they meant to have to do with the King and as it would be thought gave no less an umbrage offence and scandal to the Catholicks of Honour and Discretion than it incensed those who bore no kind of Reverence to the Bishop of Rome to whom as their publick Ministers they sent their Bishop of Ferns and Sir Nicholas Plunket as before Mr. Richard Bealing to Spain they sent Fa. Hugh Bourk to Paris Fa. Matthew Hartegan and to the Duke of Lorrain by general Commission Theobald Lord Viscount Taaff Sir Nich. Plunket and Mr. Geoffry Brown some of whose Instructions we shall here give you that the Temper of that Council and the Affections of those Men what pretence soever veils their Designs may appear from the Instruments themselves Kilkenny 18. Jan. 1647. By the Supream Council and others the Lords Spiritual and Temporal here under-Signing and the Commons of the Confederate Catholicks of Ireland Instructions to be observed and by the Lord Bishop of Fernes and Nicholas Plunket Esq Commissioners appointed and authorized by and in the behalf of the Confederate Roman Catholicks of Ireland in the Court of Rome 1 Imprimis YOu are to represent unto his Holiness the deplorable Condition wherein the Confederate Catholicks are and for your better information to take with you the Draught of the Representation of the present Condition of the Countrey which you are to enlarge and second by your own Expressions according to your knowledge and therefore desire in regard Ireland and Religion in it is humanely speaking like to be lost that his Holiness in his great Wisdom and Piety will be pleased to make the Preservation of a People so constantly and unanimously Catholick his and the Consistory of the Cardinals their Work And you are to pray his Holiness to afford such present effectual Aids for the preservation of the Nation and the Roman Catholick Religion therein as shall be necessary 2. You are to let his Holiness know That Application is to be made to our Queen and Prince for a settlement of Peace and Tranquillity in the Kingdom of Ireland And that for the effecting thereof the Confederate Catholicks
do crave his Holiness's Mediation with the Queen and Prince as also with the King and Queen Regent of France and with the King of Spain and all other Christian Princes in all Matters tending to the Avail of the Nation either in point of settlement to a Peace or otherwise 3. The Confederate Catholicks having raised Arms for the freedom of the Catholick Religion do intend in the first place that you let his Holiness know their resolution to insist upon such Concessions and Agreements in Matters of Religion and for the security thereof as his Holiness shall approve of and be satisfied with wherein his Holiness is to be prayed to take into his Consideration the imminent danger the Kingdom is in according to the Representations aforesaid to be made by you and so to proceed in Matters of Religion as in his great Wisdom and Piety may tend best and prove necessary to the preservation of it and the Confederate Catholicks of Ireland 4. You are to represent to his Holiness That the Confederates think fit to insist upon as security for such Agreements in Religion as his Holiness will determine that the Lord Lieutenant Lord Deputy or other Chief Governour or Governours of the Kingdom from time to time should be Roman Catholicks unless his Holiness upon the said Representation of State-Affairs here or for some other Reason shall think fit to wave that Proposition 5. You are to represent to his Holiness That the Confederate Catholicks desire that all the Concessions to be made and agreed on for the setling of the Catholick Religion in this Kingdom be publisht at the same time with the Temporal Articles of the Settlement if his Holiness on representation of the State of Affairs here or for some other Advantages shall not think fit to determine or suspend the publishing of those or some of them for a time 6. You are to represent to his Holiness That no change or alteration is to be in any part of the present Government of the Confederate Catholicks until the Articles of Peace or Settlement pursuant to the present Authority and Instructions you and the Commissioners to the English Court in France have been concluded and expected and published in this Kingdom by those intrusted in Authority over the Confederate Catholicks 7. You are to take notice That the resident Council now named are the Persons to serve for the interval Government until the next Assembly of the Confederate Catholicks and the Assembly is at liberty to name others if they please and that no less than eight of the said Residents concurring during the said interval shall make any Act or Order obliging and according as it is provided in the former Articles for the interval Government in the late rejected Peace the Forts Cities Towns Castles and Power of the Armies of the Confederate Catholicks to remain and continue in their hands during the said interval Government 8. You are to take notice That the Persons to be imployed into France to the Queen and Prince are to finish their Negotiation with the Queen and Prince pursuant to their Instructions with all possible speed after they shall receive his Holiness's Resolution from you out of Rome in the Matters referred as aforesaid to his Holiness and you are to use all possible diligence in procuring and sending his Holiness's said Resolution unto our said Commissioners imployed to the Queen and Prince 9. In case his Holiness will not be pleased to descend to such Conditions as might be granted in Matters of Religion then you are to solicit for considerable Aids whereby to maintain War and to ascertain and secure the same that it may be timely applied to the use of the Confederate Catholicks And in case a Settlement cannot be had nor considerable Aids that may serve to preserve the Nation without a Protector you are to make application to his Holiness for his being Protector to this Kingdom and by special instance to endeavour his acceptance thereof at such time and in such manner as the Instructions sent by our Agents to France grounded on the Assembly doth import whereof you are to have a Copy 10. Though Matters be concluded by his Holiness's Approbation with the Prince and Queen yet you are to solicit for Aids considering our distress and setting before him that notwithstanding any such Aids we have a powerful Enemy within the Kingdom which to expulse will require a vast charge 11. You are to take with you for your instruction and the better to enable you to satisfie his Holiness of the full state of Affairs here the Copies of the Instructions at Waterford the Articles of the late rejected Peace and Glamorgan's Concessions and the Propositions from Kilkenny to the Congregation at Waterford in August 1646. 12. If Moneys be receiv'd in Rome by you by way of Gift Engagement or otherwise you are to bring or send the same hither to those in Authority and not to dispose the same or any part thereof otherwise than by Order from the general Assembly or supream Council and for all sums of Money so by you to be receiv'd you are to give account to the Authority intrusted here over the Confederate Catholicks 13. You are to manage the circumstance of your Proceedings upon the Instructions according as upon the Place you shall find most tending to the Avail of the Confederate Catholicks Tho. Dublin Tho. Cashell Thom. Tuamen Electus Ewerus Clougherensis David Ossoriens Joha Episc. Roscotensis Fr. Edmundus Laglensis Franc. Ardensis Episc. Robert Elect. Coses Cluomer Francis Patricius Ardack Electus Rob. Dromore Elect. Henry O Neal Rich. Bealing J. Bryan Robert Devereux Gerald Fennel Farren By the Command of the General Assembly N. Plunket These having been solicited we shall now present you with their further Instructions to importune other Princes Instructions for France Jan. 18. 1647. YOu are to present your Letters of Credence to his most Christian Majesty and the several Letters you have with you to the Queen the Prince and Cardinal Mazarine declaring the special affection of the Confederate Catholicks to his Majesties service upon all occasions wherein they may serve him You are to desire his most Christian Majesty the Queen Regent and Cardinal Mazarine their Favourable and Friendly regard of the Affairs of the Confederate Catholicks and to direct their assistance in what they may to further the settling of the happy Peace of this Kingdom with advantagious and honourable Conditions Commissioners being now sent to conclude the same if they may You are to let his most Christian Majesty the Queen Regent and Cardinal Mazarine know That there be a considerable Enemy in the heart of the several Provinces of this Kingdom that yet we have many Cities and Parts of the greatest consequence in our hands and have sufficient stock of Men to defend the Nation and expel the Enemy but do want aids of Money and Shipping without which we shall be in danger the next Summer-service and therefore to
solicite for considerable Aids in Moneys to be sent timely the preservation of the Catholick Religion in this Kingdom depending thereon If you find upon the place that a settlement of Peace cannot be had according to the several Instructions that go with the Commissioners to his Holiness and Christian Majesty and Prince of Wales nor such considerable Aids that may probably prove for the Preservation of the Nation then you are to inform your self by correspondence with our Commissioners imployed to Rome whether his Holiness will accept of this offer of being Protector to this Nation and if you find he will not accept thereof nor otherwise send such powerful and timely Aids as may serve to preservation then you are by advice of other the Commissioners imployed to his Majesty and Prince of Wales and by correspondence had with the Commissioners imployed to Rome and by correspondence likewise with our Commissioners imployed since if it may be timely had to inform your self where the most considerable Aids for preserving this Nation may be had by this offer of the Protectorship of the Nation in manner as by other Instructions into France grounded on the same of the Assembly is contain'd and so to manage the disposal of the Protectorship as you and the rest of our said Commissioners shall find most for the advantage of the Nation The like Instructions for Spain bearing the same Date Upon these and other considerations ever in his view the Marquess thought it much more prudent and agreeable to the Trust reposed in him to deposite the Kings Interest and Right of the Crown of Ireland into the hands of the Lords and Commons of England who still made great profession of Duty and Submission to his Majesty from whom it would probably return to the Crown in a short time then to trust it with the Irish from whom less then a very chargeable War would never recover it in what state soever the Affairs of England should be and how lasting and bloody and costly that War might prove by the intermedling and pretences of Foraign Princes was not hard to conclude In that such Auxiliaries many times prove dangerous Assistance not being over-tender or much distinguishing betwixt the Party they come to assist and that they come to subdue when they are made Umpires in such Quarrels as may be guessed by the Accompt in the 14th Appendix of which the Lords and Commons of the Parliament of Ireland being very sensible they thus in March expressed themselves and their condition to the Parliament of England The Declaration of the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled in Ireland of the present Estate and distressed Condition of the Protestants in the said Kingdom and their Address unto the most Honourable the Parliament of England for Relief WE the Lords and Commons of the Parliament of Ireland having by the Mercy of God your Care of us and the Industry of those intrusted by his Majesty with the Government here preserved unto us the means of sitting together and of delivering freely our thoughts concerning the condition of this miserable Kingdom whereof we are the representative Body and finding withall the Government our Selves and indeed the Protestants in the Kingdom reduced to that final point of Extremity that if not very speedily supported and preserved all in these Parts must become a Prey unto the bloody and inhumane Rebels and this City of Dublin the chief Seat and Cittadel of this Kingdom with the other Garrisons depending thereupon be turn'd into the prime Seats and Strengths of those who have given evident proof that they aim not at less then the extirpation of all Protestants and the setting up the abominable Idol of the Mass and Superstition and at the shaking off of all Loyalty and Subjection to the Crown of England We therefore hold it our duty as being also perhaps the last which we by reason of the near approach of a powerful and pernicious Enemy may have the means to discharge in this Capacity to make the present Address and Representation of our miserable Condition to the most Honourable the Parliament of England which as it hath in all times of common Danger been the Fountain from whence the Power and Lustre of the Crown of England in this Kingdom hath sprung so it is now the onely Sanctuary unto which in behalf of our selves and the distressed Interest thereof we can fly for Succour and Preservation We hold it un-necessary to particularize our present Wants and Miseries and Imposibilities of further subsistance of our selves since they are too well known even to our Enemies in so much as it may be feared that the benefit which we confidently expect by the great diligence and Wisdom of the most Honourable the Parliament of England may not arrive timely for our Relief and Preservation nor can we so misdoubt the Wisdom Justice and Piety of those Honourable Houses whereof we have had heretofore very real and great experience which we do here with all thankfulness acknowledge as to fear that they will suffer the Protestant Religion the Interest of the Crown of England and of the Protestants in these important Garrisons and Quarters to be sacrificed unto the fury of the merciless Rebels But on the contrary as we do earnestly desire so are we most confident that the Goodness and Wisdom of the most Honourable the Parliament of England will so seasonably send over a sufficient Power as well to subdue and suppress these merciless and bloody Rebels as to maintain these places accompanied with an assurance from the most Honourable the Parliament of England for enjoying those Conditions of Honour subsistance and safety which have been lately offered by their Commissioners for and in the name of the most Honourable the Parliament of England to those who have hitherto govern'd and preservd them and to his Majesties Protestant Subjects and those who have faithfully and constantly adhered unto them unto which they may be pleased to joyn such further additions of Grace and Bounty as to their Wisdoms and Goodness shall be thought fit as that they and all the Protestants and such others as have faithfully and constantly adhered unto them may find Security and Preservation therein whereby we may heartily joyn under those whom the said most Honourable the Parliament of England shall appoint in prosecuting so Pious a War and being Gods Instruments for the bringing just Vengeance upon such Perfidious Rebels and in restoring the Protestant Religion and Interest of the Crown of England in this Kingdom to its due and former Lustre which we will ever strive with the hazard of our Lives and Fortunes to maintain While the Marquess was in this deliberation being privy to the Parliaments actions he receiv'd information that the King was delivered by the Scots to the Commissioners of the two Houses of Parliament who were then treating with him for the settling of Peace in all his Dominions and at the same time several Persons of
their Quarters In the interim the Parliament of Ireland then sitting at Dublin finding into what straights the Kingdom was brought and how his Excellency had strugled with the greatest difficulties imaginable for his Majesties and their Interest they the 17th of March sent this Remonstrance in acknowledgment of great Care and Indulgence The Remonstrance of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament assembled declaring the Acknowledgment of their hearty thankfulness to the most Honourable James Marquis of Ormond Lord Lieutenant General of Ireland his Excellency WE the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament in our whole Body do present our selves before your Lordship acknowledging with great sense and feeling your Lordships singular goodness to us the Protestant Party and those who have faithfully and constantly adhered unto them who have been preserved to this day under God by your Excellencies providence and pious care which hath not been done without a vast expence out of your own Estate as also to the hazarding of your Person in great and dangerous difficulties And when your Lordship found your self with the strength remaining with you to be too weak to resist an insolent and upon all advantages a perfidious and bloody Enemy rather than we should perish you have in your care transferred us into their hands that are both able and willing to preserve us and that not by a bare casting us off but by complying so far with us that you have not denied our desires of Hostages and amongst them of one of your most dear Sons All which being such a free Earnest of your Excellencies love to our Religion Nation and both Houses do incite us here to come unto you with Hearts fill'd with your love and Tongues declaring how much we are oblig'd to your Excellency professing our resolutions are with all real service to the utmost of our power to manifest the sincerity of our acknowledgment and affections unto you and to perpetuate to posterity the memory of your Excellencies merits and our thankfulness We have appointed this Instrument to be entred into both Houses and under the hands of both Speakers to be presented to your Lordship Rich. Bolton Canc. 17 die Martii 1676. intr per Val. Savage Dep. Cler. Parl. Maurice Eustace Speaker Int. 17. die Martii 1676. per Philip Fernely Cler. Dom. Com. What effect this made upon his Excellency you will here see My Lords and Gentlemen WHat you have now read and deliver'd hath much surpriz'd me and contains matter of higher obligation laid upon me by you than thus suddenly to be answer'd yet I may not suffer you to depart hence without saying somewhat to you And first I assure you that this Acknowledgment of yours is unto me a Jewel of very great value which I shall lay up amongst my choicest Treasures it being not onely a full confutation of those Calumnies that have been cast upon my actions during the time I have had the Honour to serve his Majesty here but likewise an Antidote against the virulency and poison of those Tongues and Pens that I am well assur'd will be busily set on work to traduce and blast the Integrity of my present Proceedings for your preservation And now my Lords and Gentlemen since this may perhaps be the last time that I shall have the Honour to speak to you from this Place and since that next to the words of a dying man those of one ready to banish himself from his Country for the good of it challenge credit give me leave before God and you here to protest That in all the time I had the Honour to serve the King my Master I never receiv'd any Command from him but such as spake him a Wise Pious Protestant Prince zealous of the Religion he professeth the welfare of his Subjects and industrious to promote and settle Peace and Tranquility in all his Kingdoms and I shall beseech you to look no otherwise upon me than upon a ready Instrument set on work by the Kings wisdom and goodness for your preservation wherein if I have discharg'd my self to his Approbation and Tours it will be the greatest satisfaction and comfort I shall take with me where-ever it shall please God to direct my steps And now that I may dismiss you I beseech God long long to preserve my Gracious Master and to restore Peace Rest to this afflicted Church and Kingdom But to return In conclusion the Commissioners from the two Houses of Parliament having performed all that on their part was expected the Marquis of Ormond delivered up Dublin and the other Garrisons into their hands the 17th some write the 18th of June 1647. on condition to enjoy his Estate and not to be subject to any Debts contracted for the support of his Majesties Army under his Command or for any Debts contracted before the Rebellion That he and all such Noblemen and Officers as desir'd to pass into any part of that Kingdom should have travelling Arms and free Passes with Servants for their respective Qualities That he should have 5000 l. in hand and 2000 l. per Annum for five years till he could receive so much a year out of his own Estate And that he should have liberty to live in England without taking any Oaths for a year he engaging his Honour to do nothing in the interim to the prejudice of the Parliament However he delivered not up the Regalia till the 25th of July at which time he was transported with his Family into England where they admitted him to wait on the King and to give his Majesty an account of his Transactions who received him most graciously as a Servant who had merited highly from him and fully approved all that he had done The straits his Excellency was then put to were great and in consideration into whose hands the Government might fall his surrender of Dublin to the Parliament seem'd extreme hazardous yet Providence so steer'd his Resolution in that act as doubtless the ground of his Majesties Sovereignty and the English preservation how many Channels soever it past through first proceeded thence Before He came away the Soldiers had receiv'd such a tincture of Mutiny as Mr. Annesly and Sir Robert King for fear of violence privately quitted the Kingdom before which they with Sir Robert Meredith Colonel Michael Jones and Colonel John Moore took notice of the insolency of the Soldiers to exact Contribution and free Quarters at their pleasure forbidding them so to do c. by a Proclamation at Dublin the 20th of June 1647. Soon after the Parliaments Commissioners were warm in the Government having regulated their Militia they put their Sickle into the Service of the Church where they found many so tenâ—cious to the Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy and their Vows to their Ordinaries as they could not be wean'd from the Liturgy of the Church of England in which Ministery they desir'd to finish their Course with joy and the 9th of July
declar'd by the Council together with Owen Roe O Neal's offer to drive Inchequin quite out of Munster at his own charge and at the charge he would force out of those parts by his Souldiers But at this time Inchequin was in a deeper Correspondence with the Scots Nation which way Ormond was also to biass his Designs The Nuncio thus disappointed called a new assembly of his Clergy compos'd of Hugh O Rely Primate of Ireland Thomas Fleming Archbishop of Dublin Thomas Welsh Archbishop of Cassel John de Bourk Archbishop of Tuam and ten Bishops who unanimously declared That this Cessation of Arms was much prejudicial to the Catholick Religion and could not be embraced in Conscience and so Excommunicated all that adher'd thereto Hitherto the Council had born it self with some respect toward the Catholick Church remembring the Clemency us'd by the Nuncio in delivering some of them from Prison but upon this last Excommunication they so threatned him that he was forced to go privately from Kilkenny to a Castle where Preston by order of the Council following he fled to Gallway and called there a National Council to pacifie the Troubles of the Kingdom which the aforesaid Council endeavour'd to hinder forbidding the appearance of the Clergy taking hold of divers Ecclesiastical Persons of his houshold imprisoning them So that the Nuncio despairing of re-establishing of the Affairs of the Catholicks and having information That Ormond had resolv'd with all his Forces to advance the Protestant Religion and to destroy all opposers and that the Supream Council of Catholicks had declar'd their departure from the League with their Confederates he departed arriving in France In the interim Owen Roe judging that he could not in conscience joyn his Armies any longer with a Party that called it self Catholick and yet chas'd away the Nuncio declar'd his separation from them until they recal the Nuncio and endeavour to obtain a Catholick Vice-Roy and execute in all other points the Oath they had taken This was taken very ill by the Marquess of Ormond and his Council who charg'd O Neal with a Design under colour thereof to oppose the Affairs of the King which occasion'd him to object to them not the aforesaid Oath but a particular Declaration which he had published where he with all his Officers profess That they intend onely to re-establish the Catholick Religion the Liberties of the Kingdom and the Prerogatives of the King in their former Glory and Splendor The Ormond Party Catholick being in such perplexity by reason of these differences and their sleighting the Nuncio appeal'd to his Holiness but from Rome it is certified That the Pope well understanding their deportment refused to give Audience before he had heard his Nuncio Who in the end rather receiv'd a Check as before is mention'd then an Approbation from his Holiness for what he had done in Ireland And now as to the difference betwixt their Generals and our Proceedings thereupon Colonel Jones finding the Distractions amongst the Rebels to grow very high and that the old English under the Marquess of Clanrickard had taken the Castle of Athlone and other Places from Owen Roe and that Athy was besieged by Colonel Preston and Owen Roe came up to Relieve it and burnt and spoil'd the Countrey thereabouts thought it high time to be stirring out amongst them and thereupon sent out some of his Forces which took in the Garrisons of the Nabber and Ballihoe formerly surprized by the Rebels But yet not having his Provisions come from England durst not himself stir forth till he had sufficiently secured Dublin which in the first place he began more strongly to Fortifie that it might receive no prejudice in his absence About which time Flemming an active Officer among the Rebels took in Cruces Fort and Killaloe two Garrisons in Pudsonbyes Quarters Next Jones secured Sir Maurice Eustace Colonel Gifford Capron Flower Willoughby and several others who continuing their affection to the Marquess he suspected and by Order of the Committee of Derby-House sent them to the Castle of Chester detaining Colonel Byron and Sir Thomas Lucas Prisoners at Tredagh suspecting these would deliver him and the City to the Marquess of Ormond then every day expected Lord Lieutenant out of France The Scots Army under Duke Hamilton about this time entered England to whose Proceedings Major General Monro sent over into Scotland his Son or Nephew George Monro with 2000 Foot and 600 Horse as Sir Robert Stewart his Son with a Troop and Sir Fred. Hamilton his with a Regiment and several others disaffected to the Parliament of England in hope to settle with advantage there By which means Belfast Carrigfergus and Colrain were left very weak and much un-guarded which Colonel Monk finding and understanding how contrary to all compact Monro had dealt with the Parliament of England in sending over the Forces maintain'd by them in Ireland to fight against them in England he began to think of some means to make himself master of those Towns he was at present at Lisnegarvy and prepared a Party to go out to make an inroad into the RebelsQuarters he march'd away in the morning but having sent some Persons of trust to remain near Carigfergus to attend his advance thither he return'd in the night over the mountains and came at break of day to the Gates of Carigfergus which he found open and so enter'd without resistance he seiz'd upon Major General Monro and sent him Prisoner into England where he was by the House of Comons committed to the Tower Colonel Monk having thus seized upon Carigfergus caus'd some Horse to march presently away to Belfast which was surrendred into his hands by the Governor and so was likewise Colrain so as he presently became Master of all those Towns disbanding and sending away most of those Forces into Scotland which oppos'd the Parliament and hindred those broken Troops of Monro's which fled out of England upon Duke Hamiltons defeat at Preston in Lancashire from returning into Ireland and did use all means to settle the Country in such a posture as that the Interest of the Parliament might be secur'd there He planted Garrisons upon the Frontiers of Ulster to hinder the incursions of the Rebels and he gave the Quarters the Scots had to such of the British as he found faithful to the service This was about September 1648. a Service very acceptable in England in manifestation whereof the Parliament sent him 500 l. and made him Governor of Carigfergus by an Order of the 4th of October and sent over Cloaths for some of those Scottish Regiments which came into him and 5000 l. in Money for the two Provinces of Ulster and Connaght to be equally divided Sir Charles Coot there being very active not long after took in the strong Fort of Culmore near Londonderry seizing on at the same time Sir Robert Stewart whom he sent Prisoner to the Parliament upon which the Scots Mutinied but
by a Letter from Sir Robert Stewart they were pacified and all the Affairs of that Province managed by Sir Charles Coot Sir Robert Stewart being at Liberty upon his Parole Before this Townsend and Doily two Colonels under Inchequin in Munster sent over to the Committee at Derby-House some Propositions for the surrender of the Towns in Munster upon Condition of indempnity and receiving part of the Arrears for the whole Army this was pretended to be acted by the consent of Inchequin and that he with his own hand had approved and interlin'd them in several Places Hereupon the Committee at Derby-House sent back Colonel Edmond Temple with an Answer to those Colonels and Power withall to Treat with the Lord Inchequin about somewhat more certain and more reasonable to be propounded by him But before his arrival there Sir Richard Fanshaw the Princes Secretary was come from the Prince to Inchequin with a Declaration of the Princes Design to send the Duke of York into Ireland with such of the revolted Ships as remain'd in Holland and to let him know the hopes he had that by his assistance and the Army under his Command both he and his Father might be restored This so puft up Inchequin as that he would hear of no Overtures and made him absolutely dis-avow to have had any knowledge of the Propositions sent over and thereupon imprisoned Townsend and Doily thereby putting an issue to that Negotiation Fortifying besides all the Harbours against the Parliaments Forces placing and displacing their Officers as he thought most convenient to introduce the Kings keeping a Correspondence with the West of Ireland as yet free to all Trade and holding frequent intelligence with Jarsey where the Prince was said would keep his Court Thus the Interest of the Parliament was wholly lost in Munster where Sir William Fenton Colonel Fair Captain Fenton and other Officers for their affections to the Parliament being imprison'd were exchang'd in December for the Lord Inchequin's Son imprison'd in the Tower about October 1648. Near this time Owen Roe attempted to rescue Fort-Falkland besieged by the Lord Inchiquin and Colonel Preston joyn'd but he was repulsed with the loss of many men as his Lieutenant General Rice Mac-Guire and Lewis More dangerously hurt which put Owen to such straits as he made an Overture to Colonel Jones by his Vicar-General O Rely to surrender Athy Mary-burrough and Rebban and lay down his Arms if he and his Confederates might have the priviledges they had in King James's time But Jones could better improve the Offers to a beneficial delay than ascertain any thing Though afterwards Owen Roe and his Council of Officers further offered That if he nor the new expected Army from England would not molest him in his Quarters but give him leave to depart with his Forces into Spain he would not joyn with Ormond Preston or Inchiquin And here we must resume our account of the Marquis of Ormond who after he had in vain solicited supplies of Money in France to the end that he might carry some Relief to a Kingdom so harrassed and worn and be the better thereby able to unite those who would be sure to have temptation enough of Profit to go contrary to the Kings obedience his Excellency was at last compelled being with great importunity called by the Lord Inchiquin and the rest who were resolv'd to uphold his Majesties Interest to transport himself unfurnish'd of Money sufficient Arms or Ammunition considerable and without any other Retinue than his own Servants and some old Officers of the Kings And in this Equipage he Embarqu'd from Haure de Grace in a Dutch Ship and arriv'd about the end of September 1648. at Cork where he was receiv'd by the Lord Inchiquin Lord President of Munster and the Irish with much contentment soon after whose arrival even the 6th of October he published the ensuing Declaration By the Lord Lieutenant General of Ireland ORMOND TO prevent the too frequent prejudices incident through jealousies distrusts and mis-constructions to all undertakings We account it not the least worthy our labour upon the instant of our arrival to prepare this People whose welfare we contend for with a right understanding of those intentions in us which in order to his Majesties Service we desire may terminate in their good To enumerate the several Reasons by which we were induc'd for preservation of the Protestant Religion and the English Interest to leave the City of Dublin and other his Majesties Garrisons then under our Power in this Kingdom in the hands of those intrusted by his two Houses of Parliament were to set forth a Narrative in place of a Manifest It may suffice to be known that those Transactions had for one main ground this confidence That by being under the Power of the Houses they would upon a happy expected composure of Affairs in England revert unto and be revested in his Majesty as his proper right But having found how contrary to the inclinations of the well-affected to his Majesties restauration in England the Power of that Kingdom hath unhappily devolv'd to hands imployed onely in the art and labour of pulling down and subverting the Fundamentals of Monarchy with whom a pernicious Party in this Kingdom do equally sympathize and co-operate And being filled with a deep sense of the Duty and obligations that are upon us strictly to embrace all opportunities of employing our endeavours towards the recovery of his Majesties just Rights in any part of his Dominions Haing observed the Protestant Army in the Province of Munster by special providence discovering the Arts and practises used to intangle the Members thereof in engagements as directly contrary to their Duties towards God and Man as to their intentions and resolutions to have found means to manifest the Candor and Integrity thereof in a disclaimer of any obedience to or concurrence with those Powers or Persons which have so grosly vari'd even their own professed Principles of preserving his Majesties Person and Rights by confining him under a most strict Imprisonment his Majesty also vouchsafing graciously to accept the Declaration of the said Army as an eminent and seasonable expression of their fidelity toward him and in testimony thereof having laid his Commands upon us to make our repair unto this Province to discharge the duties of our Place We have as well in obedience thereunto as in pursuance of our own duty and desire to advance his Majesties Service resolved to evidence our approbation and esteem of the proceedings of the said Army by publishing unto the World our like determination in the same ensuing particulars And accordingly we profess and declare First to improve our utmost endeavours for the settlement of the Protestant Religion according to the example of the best Reformed Churches Secondly to defend the King in his Prerogatives Thirdly to maintain the Priviledges and Freedom of Parliament and the Liberty of the Subjects that in order hereunto we shall oppose
many other Freedoms and Bounties conveyed to you and your Posterity by those Articles there is a door and that a large one not left but purposely set open to give you entrance by your future Merit to whatsoever of Honour and Advantage you can reasonably wish So that you have in present fruition what may abundantly satisfie and yet there are no bounds set to your hopes but you are rather invited or to use a new phrase but to another and better end you seem to have a Call from Heaven to exercise your Arms and uttermost Fortitude in the Noblest and Justest Cause the World hath seen for let all the Circumstances incident to a great and good Cause be examined and they will be found comprehended in that which you are now warrantably call'd to defend Religion not in the narrow circumscribed definition of it by this or that late found out name but Christian Religion is our Quarrel which certainly is as much and fatally struck at I may say more by the blasphemous License of this Age than ever it was by the rudest Incursions of the most barbarous and avowed Enemy to Christianity the Venerable Laws and Fundamental Constitutions of our Ancestors are trodden under Impious and for the most part Mechanick feet The Sacred Person of our King the Life of those Laws and Head of those Constitutions is under an ignominious Imprisonment and his Life threaten'd to be taken away by the Sacrilegious hands of the basest of the People that owed him obedience and to endear the Quarrel to you the Fountain of all the benefits you have but now acknowledg'd and which you may further hope for by this Peace and your own Merit is endangered to be obstructed by the execrable murther of the worthiest Prince that ever Ruled these Islands In short Hell cannot add any thing to the desperate Mischiefs now openly projected and now judge if a greater and more glorious Field was ever set open to Action and then prepare your selves to enter into it receiving these few advices from him that is throughly Embarqu'd with you in the Adventure First let me recommend to you that to this as unto all holy Actions as certainly this is you will prepare your selves with perfect Charity a Charity that may obliterate what-ever Rancor the long continued War may have contracted in you against any that shall now co-operate with you in so blessed a Work and let his Engagement with you in this whoever he is be as it ought to be a Bond of Unity of Love of Concord stronger than the nearest Tyes of Nature In the next place mark and beware of those who shall go about to renew jealousies in you under what pretence soever and account such as the infernal Ministers imploy'd to promote the black design on foot to subvert Monarchy and to make us all slaves to their own avaritious lusts Away as soon and as much as possible may be with distinction of Nation and Parties which are the fields wherein the seeds of those Rancour-weeds are sown by the great Enemy of our Peace In the last place let us all divest our selves of that preposterous and ridiculous ambition and self-interest which rather leads to our own threatned general ruine than to the enjoyment of advantages unreasonably desired And if at any time you think your selves pinch'd too near the bone by those Taxes and Levies that may be imposed for your defence consider then how vain how foolish a thing it will be to starve a righteous Cause for want of a necessary support to preserve your selves fat and gilded Sacrifices to the rapine of a merciless Enemy And if we come thus well prepared to a Contention so just on our Parts God will bless our Endeavours with success and victory or will crown our Sufferings with honour and patience for what honour will it not be if God hath so determin'd of us to perish with a long glorious Monarchy and who can want patience to suffer with an oppressed Prince But as our Endeavours so let our Prayers be vigorous that he may be delivered from a more unnatural Rebellion than is mention'd by any Story now raised to the highest pitch of Success against him I should now say something to you as to my self in Retribution to the advantagious mention made of me and my Endeavours to the bringing this Settlement to pass But I confess my thoughts were taken up with those much greater Concernments Let it suffice that as I wish to be continued in your good Esteem and Affection so I shall freely adventure upon any hazard and esteem no trouble or difficulty too great to encounter if I may manifest any Zeal to this Cause and discharge some part of the Obligations that are upon me to serve this Kingdom It will not here be necessary to insert the Articles of Peace at large which are publickly known to the World though we shall sum them up in brief It is sufficient that the Lord Lieutenant granted all that was enough in the Judgements of the Romish Catholick Bishops and even of the Bishop of Ferns that Incendiary and still waspish Prelate requisite to a peaceable and secure profession of that Religion with such countenancing of and support to it as from the first planting of it it had never in some respects been possessed of in that Kingdom but was likewise compelled so far to comply with the Fears and Jealousies of divers who by often breaking their Faith and from a greater guilt were apprehensive that all that was promised to them might not be hereafter observed as to divest himself of that full and absolute Power that was inherent in his Office and was never more fit to be exercised than for the carrying that Design in which they seem'd all to agree and to make 12 Commissioners nam'd and chosen by the Assembly to look to the observation and performance of the said Articles until the same should be ratified in a full and peaceable Convention of Parliament joynt sharers with him in his Authority So that he could neither levy Souldiers raise Money or so much as erect Garrisons without the approbation and consent of the major part of those Commissioners the danger and mischief of which limitation and restraint he foresaw enough but found the uniting that People and composing them to an entire confidence in the Peace which could be compassed no other way was so necessary that he could not sacrifice too much to it And then the abilities and the affections of the Commissioners were so well known and approved by him that having most of them in appearance the same good Ends with him he presum'd he should with less difficulty be able to perswade which were the nearest and most natural ways that conduced thereunto The Heads of the Articles of Peace 1648. 1. THat the Roman Catholicks of Ireland have free Exercise of Religion all Penalties taken off not obliged to the Oath of Supremacy to enjoy all
Marquess well saw how tedious and inconvenient this course might prove and rather advance all the scandalous and seditious Designs then suppress them Yet he fore-saw as well that if it were declin'd by him he should be un-avoidably reproach'd with not being willing to be informed of the just Grievances of the People and consequently not to remedy them And therefore without giving countenance to any such irregular Convention by any formal summons of his own he gave way that the Commissioners should write their Letters to that purpose and accordingly the Agents did come thither from the several Countreys to communicate and present their Complaints and Desires together in January following And the Lord Lieutenant received them with good Countenance and wished them freely to consult together as soon as they could to present whatsomever they had to say to him to which they should be sure to receive a speedy Answer About which time Colonel Barry who through the whole Scene had been intrusted by the Supream Council to negotiate with the King and was not ill thought of by the Marquess of Ormond had then licence from Cromwel to visit his Wife and Family at Castlelions under the Parliaments obedience where he transacted through the Mediation of a noble Person many Concerns to the composing of Differencies with the greatest though what tended to an Agreement with Inchequin would never in the least be indulged and the rest then spoke of had a fate not seasonably to be composed In the mean time the Bishops and Clergy of themselves and without any Authority received or desired from the Lord Lieutenant Assembled at Cloanmacnoise upon the River Shannon upon whose Councils and Conclusions all mens eyes were more fixed then upon what the Agents should represent at Kilkenny it being very evident that many of the Catholick Noblity of the Kingdom and some principal Persons of Quality and Interest formally concurred with the Marquess And the Commissioners of Trust were for the most part as zealous for the execution and observation of the Articles of Peace and that the same might be rendred useful to the Nation Yet the Clergy and Religious Persons had found means to obstruct that Union which was necessary for the carrying on the Work and especially had that influence upon the Corporate Towns that no Garrisons would be admitted therein or such Submission paid to the Lord Lieutenant or the Commissioners Orders as were essential to their own defence and to the making War against the Enemy So that all men were in suspence what would be the issue of that Meeting And it cannot be denied but that those Bishops and that part of the Clergy which were best affected and knew the ways which were most conducing to the happiness of their Countrey prevail'd so far that the Conclusions which were made there seem'd full of respect for the Kings Service and wholsom Advice and Council to the People They declared how vain a thing it was to imagine that there would be any security for the exercise of their Religion for the enjoying of their Fortunes or for the preservation of their Lives by any Treaty with or Promise from the Parliament That they abhorred all factious Animosities and Divisions which raged amongst themselves to the hindrance of the Publick Service And therefore enjoyn'd all the Clergy of what Quality soever and Ecclesiastical Persons by Preaching and all other means to incline the People unto an union of Affection and to the laying aside of all jealousies of each other and unanimously to concur in opposing the Common Enemy And appointed the Bishops and other Persons to proceed with greater severity against those Religious and Spiritual Persons who should under-hand cherish and foment those Jealousies and Divisions In a word they said so much and so well that when the Lord Lieutenant was informed of it and when he saw the Extract of their Determinations he conceiv'd some hope that it might indeed make good Impression on the People and produce a very good effect The Particulars of which here follows The Copies of Acts and Declarations by the Ecclesiastical Congregation of the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates met at Clonmacnoise the fourth day of December 1649. And since Concluded By the Ecclesiastical Congregation of the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates WHereas heretofore many of the Clergy and Laity did in their actions and proceedings express much discontents and divisions of mind grounding the same on the late difference of Opinion happened amongst the Prelates and the Laity by which the Nation was not so well united as was necessary in this time of great danger wherein all as with one heart and hand ought to oppose the Common Enemy We the Archbishops Bishops and Prelates of this Kingdom met motu proprio at Clonmacknose 4. Decembris 1649. having removed all differences among us not entring into the merits of diversities of former Opinions thought good for removing of all jealousies from our own thoughts hearts and resolutions and from others who had relation or were adherent to the former diversity of Opinions to manifest hereby to all the World that the said Divisions and Jealousies grounded thereupon are now forgotten and forgiven among us on all sides as aforesaid And that all and every of us of the above Archbishops Bishops and Prelates are now by the blessing of God as one body united And that we will as becometh charity and our Pastoral charge stand all of us as one intire Body for the Interest and Immunities of the Church and of every the Prelates and Bishops thereof and for the Honour Dignity Estate Right and Possession of all and every the said Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates And we will as one intire and united Body forward by our Councils Actions and Devices the advancement of his Majesties Rights and the good of this Nation in general and in particular occasions to our Power and that none of us in any occasion whatsoever concerning the Catholick Religion or the good of this Kingdom of Ireland will in any respect single himself or be or seem opposite to the rest of us but will hold firm and intire in one sence as aforesaid hereby detesting the actions thoughts and discourses of any that shall renew the least memory of the differences past or give any ground of future difference among us And do in the Name of Jesus Christ exhort all our flock to the like brotherly affection and union and to the like detestation of all past differences or jealousies as aforesaid arising hitherto among them And we desire that this our Declaration be Printed and Published in each Parish by Command of the respective Ordinaries Ut videant opera vestra bona glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in Coelis est Datum apud Clonmacnose 13. Decem. 1649. Signed by Hugo Ardmachanus Fr. Thomas Dublin Thomas Casshel Joan. Archiep. Tuam Fr. Boetius Elphyn Fr. Edmundus Laghlinensis Procurator Waterfordiensis Emerus Clogher Robertus Corcagiensis
Bishop of Clougher held a Council at Baltimore in West-Meath to consult the security of the Nation which Cromwel hearing of sent Colonel Reynolds and Sir Theophilus Jones with 2500 Horse Foot and Dragoons against them with which they dispersed them and those Forces which the Marquis of Clanrickard and the Earl of Castlehaven had brought out of Connaght to the Relief of Tecrogham within 20 miles of Dublin and being joyn'd with the Dublin Forces took in Trim Balahuse Finagh and other Places In the time that Clonmel was Besieged the Bishop of Ross with 4000 Foot and 300 Horse endeavours its Relief but is overcome by the Lord Broghil near Bandon-Bridge and himself taken Prisoner and hang'd in the sight of Caringdred which Castle thereupon yielded to the Lord Broghil In this Hurry the Forces in Ulster being besides much shaken by reason of several Interresses the Nobility Gentry and Commanders for the King scattered a Declaration that none who would submit to his Authority should suffer either in Religion or State but it prevailed little During the Leaguer of Clonmel absolute Orders were brought to Cromwel from the Parliament for his sudden return as also two Expresses from the Council of State to that purpose which after the compleatment of that Siege he fulfilled leaving the Kingdom about the end of May 1650. having made Colonel Ireton his Deputy Here we cannot but take notice that there were several Precepts by the Archbishop of Ardmagh and others to pray for the success of Oliver's Forces whilst Dominick Dempsy a Franciscan esteem'd a grave and holy man and therefore a leading Person and Long the Jesuit asserted that the King being out of the Roman Catholick Church it was not lawful to pray for him particularly or publickly in general on any other day than on Good-Friday as comprehended amongst the Infidels alias Jews Mahometans Pagans and Hereticks and then for the Spiritual welfare of his Soul not for his Temporal prosperity Though the Parliamentarians by the Faction and obstinacy of the Irish who could not hitherto be induced to make reasonable provision for defence had prevail'd far and possessed themselves of many good Places without considerable opposition yet there remain'd a good part of the Kingdom free from their Power the whole Province of Connaght was still entire and the Cities of Waterford Limerick and Galway in possession of the Catholicks which might be made so strong as not to fear any strength Ireton could bring before them and are so situated for all advantages of Sea that they might being well supplied maintain a War against the whole Kingdom they had also the Forts of Duncannon and Sligo as also the strong Castles of Caterlough Athlone Charlemont Carlo and Neanagh from whence the Confederates might bring into the Field twice the number of Men which the Enemy had so that there wanted onely Unity Order and Resolution to preserve themselves to improve which the Marquis of Ormond resolved to begin with Limerick and if he could have disposed that City unto a full obedience and to receive a Garrison he made no question not onely to fortifie it against any attempt of the Enemy but under the countenance of it and by the security of the River Shannon to Quarter his Troops raise Contribution for their support Discipline his Men and in effect by the Spring so to recruit his Army that he might not suspect to prevail against the Enemy where-ever he should engage And to this purpose he went himself thither from Kilkenny in January hoping that the good resolution of the Bishops of Cloanmacnoise had well prepared the People to comply with him but when he came thither albeit he was receiv'd with outward demonstrations of respect he found the temper not such as he desired whatsoever the Bishops had declared The Clergy had observed none of those Directions nor were any in so much credit as they who behaved themselves quite contrary to those Determinations And if no way could be found to allay this Spirit all his endeavours he saw would be without any fruit Hereupon he resolv'd to try whether that part of the Clergy which wished well to the Kingdom could use as efficacious means to preserve as the other who desired confusion did to destroy it And upon advice with the principal Persons of the Catholick Nobility and with the Commissioners of Trust he did by his Letters of the 27th of February 1649. desire as many of the Catholick Bishops as were within convenient distance to meet him at Limerick which they accordingly did the 8th of March following When they came thither he conferred with them in the presence of â—he Commissioners of Trust with all frankness upon the distracted and disjoynted state of Affairs and freely told them That without the People would be brought to have a full confidence in him and yield perfect obedience to him and without the City of Limerick might be perswaded to receive a Garrison and obey his Orders it was not to be hoped that he could be able to do any thing considerable against the Enemy He desired them therefore if they had a mist rust of him or a dislike of his Government that they would as clearly let him know it assuring them that such was his desire of the Peoples preservation that there was nothing within his Power consistent with his Duty to the King and agreeable with his Honour that he would not do at their desires for that end Withall letting them see that his continuance with the Name and not the Power of the Lord Lieutenant could bring nothing but ruine upon the Nation as well as dishonour on him So that again he propounded to them in plain terms Either that they would procure a due obedience to be yielded to him or propose some other way by his quitting the Kingdom how it might be preserved After consultation together they return'd with many expressions of respects and affection to his Person and faithfully promis'd to endeavour all that obedience he desir'd withall presenting the 13th of March to him a Paper of Advice which contained as they said certain Remedies for removing the discontents and disgusts of the People and for the advancing of his Majesties Service Amongst which they proposed That a Privy Council might be framed by the Peers and other of the Natives of the Kingdom as well Spiritual as Temporal to sit daily with him and determine all the weighty Affairs of the Countrey by their Council and many other Particulars concerning the raising of Men and conducting the War To every one of which his Excellency from Limerick gave them sitting at Loghreogh an Answer in writing amongst which he told them That he could not understand how the present distresses of the Kingdom could proceed from the want of a Privy Council or how the framing of such a Council could advantage the management of the War which by the Articles of Peace was to be done by the Commissioners of Trust with whom he
that it proceeded not from the Spirit that was included and confined within the Walls but that it was the same that was generally working in other places He was well enough satisfied that they who were most passionately possessed with it had no correspondence with the Parliament nor had a mind to be subjected to their Power he was willing therefore to believe that they had fancied and imagined to themselves some expedient for their own preservation which could not fall within his comprehension and that they might have contracted a prejudice to his Person or to his Religion which might keep them from such an union and confidence as they might be reduc'd unto under some Catholick who might be as zealous to preserve his Majesties Interest and recover the Kingdom to his obedience and he was the more confirmed in this his apprehension by revolving the several passages which had hapned at his being at Limerick during the time that they seem'd to pay him all respect when the Lord Inchiquin had been then with him towards whom they had observed the Marquis had a great confidence and friendship as he well deserved at which time some principal Persons of the City and with them some of the Bishops had under a shew of great confidence and trust repaired to the Lord. Lieutenant and declared unto him That all that indisposition and waywardness of the People proceeded from the prejudice they had against the Lord Inchequin who had always they said prosecuted the War against them with the most rigour and animosity and the Places and Persons which had been most at his devotion having treacherously revolted to the Parliament the People were not confident of him and jealous that the Marquis had too great a confidence in him so that if he would dismiss that Lord and discharge the Troops that yet remained under his Command of which some frequently ran away to the Parliament not onely that City but the whole Nation would as one man be at his disposal While these insinuations were thus proposed to the Lord Lieutenant other Persons and those as leading men with an equal number of Bishops applied themselves to the Lord Inchequin and told him That whilst the affairs were conducted by the Marquis of Ormond they expected no good fortune that they looked upon him as not of their Nation and one so solicitous for the English Interest and all English-men that he was nothing regardful of them and theirs But that his Lordship was of the most antient Extraction of Ireland and under that notion look'd upon with great affection and reverence by the Irish and if the Government and Command were exercis'd by him there would be such an Obedience paid to him that he would in short time grow strong enough to oppose the Enemy and recover his Countrey When these two Lords had communicated each to other as they quickly did the excellent Addresses which had been made to them and agreed together how to draw on and encourage the Proposers that they might discover as much of their purposes as was possible they easily found their design was to be rid of them both And when they perceived by the continuance of the same Friendship that they had communicated with each other they less dissembled towards both but proceeded with those disrespects which are mention'd before The Marquis having sadly considered all this and that nothing might remain unattempted by him that he could possibly imagine might tend in any degree to the recovery or preservation of the Kingdom he appointed another meeting to be at Loghreogh the 25th of April and summon'd thither all the Catholick Bishops as many of the Nobility as could with any security come thither the chief Gentlemen of Quality of the Parts adjacent and several Officers of the Army where being met together he gave them in the first place an Answer in writing to a Paper he had received from the Archbishop of Tuam the first of April intituled The Grievances presented by the Congregation of Prelates assembled propria motu at Cloanmacnoise in which he made it evident how much they were mistaken in the matter of Fact and that which was really amiss proceeded from themselves and their not observing the Orders and Rules they were bound by and could not be prevented by him and consented to all the good and practicable ways proposed by themselves for remedying the like for the future He remembred them of the pains he had taken of the Propositions he had made of the Orders he had given and of the Neglects Disobedience and Affronts he had received by which alone the Enemy made that progress in their Successes He shewed them a Letter he had received lately from his Master the King bearing date on the 2d of February from Castle Elizabeth in the Isle of Jersey in answer to one writ from Kilkenny in December in which his Majesty signified his gracious pleasure to him That in case of the continuance of that disobedience in the People and contempt of his Authority he should withdraw himself and his Majesties Authority out of that Kingdom Whereupon he told them having received so little effect of all the pains he had taken and so ill returns for all the affection he had shewed to them he was resolved to make use speedily of the liberty the King had given him as to his own Person which he found was rendred so unacceptable to the People yet if they could propose to him any way how he might deposite the Kings Authority in such manner as it might not be exposed to the same affronts it had received in him and might be applied to the preservation of the People and recovery of the Nation he would gladly gratifie them and would heartily wish that they might receive that happiness by his absence which they could not receive in his presence and to that purpose desired them to consult seriously and maturely among themselves Upon this all the Bishops Nobility and Commissioners of Trust with the principal Gentlemen expressed very much trouble at the resolution the Marquis had taken and on the last day of April from Loghreogh 1650 made an Address to him in writing under their several hands in which amongst other things they told him That they conceiv'd themselves in duty bound for his better information of the inclination of that Nation humbly to present to him That however his Excellency might not have met with a ready concurrence to some Proposals made for the advancing his Majesties Service occasion'd through some misunderstanding in some few Persons and Places yet the Country generally and the Nation in it as they had already by expending their Substance in an extraordinary measure and their Lives upon all occasions abundantly testifi'd their sincere and irremovable affections to preserve his Majesties Rights and Interests intire to him so they would for the future and with like cheerfulness endeavour to overcome all difficulties which the Enemies
from making any Acts which might discourage the People from their Obedience to the Kings Authority And the Duke of Ormond acknowledges that for these 20 years he had to do with the Irish Bishops he never found any of them either to speak the Truth or to perform their Promise to him onely the Bishop of Clogher excepted who during the little time he lived after his submission to the Peace and Commission receiv'd from him he could not charge And therefore how inconvenient soever his Service had been to the Peace and Happiness of that Nation his Death was very unseasonable Upon the news of the Bishop of Clogher's defeat the 26 of June the Lady Fitzgarret after a well-regulated defence surrender'd up her Castle of Tecrochan to Colonel Reynolds and Colonel Huetson who had taken in Kilmallock Harristown Naas Ballymole Rabridge Tallo Athy Maryborrough Dermots Castle besides the Places mention'd before And on the 19th of August followed the surrender of Carlow which by the care of Ireton together with Waterford and Duncannon had since the beginning of June been close blocked up which Preston understanding surrender'd also Waterford within few days on Conditions which brought with it the delivery of the strong Fort of Duncannon about the same time Charlemont and Caterlagh were surrender'd to Sir Charles Coot and Colonel Venables after they had took in Culmore London-derry Eniskillen which was deliver'd by Sir George Monro to Sir Charles Coot for 500 l. though a little before he had receiv'd 1200 l. from the Marquess of Clanrickard for to secure it Colrain also Ardmach Carrickfergus Knockfergus Belfast Cloughouter Castle Jordon Carlingford Margrave Monaghan Liskelaghan In the mean time Colonel Henry Ingolsby who was sent to block up Limerick at a distance overcame 3000 Rebels coming to its Relief whereof 900 were slain the rest routed and taken Prisoners In August the Lord Inchequin gathering Forces in Kerry was disturb'd by Colonel Phaer who in his return thence took in the Castle of Kilmurry and thence went against the Lords Roch and Muskery who headed the Rebels in the West The Army having refresht it self at Waterford Ireton from thence intended for Limerick yet wanting Provision for such a Siege takes his Journey through the County of Wicklow which afforded him 1600 Cows besides Sheep and other Provisions From thence Sir Hardress Waller with an equal share of the Booty was sent with a considerable Force to straighten Limerick who in his way near Limerick took in Bally-Glaughan Bally-Cubbain and Garrygaglain three strong Castles whilst Ireton and Sir Charles Coot joyning Forces appear'd before Athlone to try if they could gain that Garrison but finding the Bridge broke and the Town on this side burnt Sir Charles Coot staid there to straighten it whilst Ireton taking two Castles in Colcohe's Country and the Burr which the Enemy had left and burnt presently seated himself before Limerick where he had certain Intelligence that the Marquess of Clanrickard who upon notice of the Enemies being at Athlone march'd with considerable Forces towards its Relief if any thing should have been attempted had retaken the two Castles and laid Siege to the Burr to whose Relief Colonel Axtell Governor at Kilkenny having made a conjunction at Rocrea with the Wexford and Tipperary Forces resolutely marched whereupon the Marquess of Clanrickard's Forces under their chief Commander he being gone with the other part of his Army towards Limerick retreated to Meleake Island a strong Fastness but were beaten thence the 25. of October with the loss of near 1500 Men 200 Horse Waggons and Baggage Upon this success the Irish quitted all their adjacent Garrisons and Ireton the Winter coming hard on drew off from Limerick having settled the Garrisons round about it with about 1200 Men and took in Neanagh a strong Castle in Low Ormond upon whose surrender Castleton and Dromaneer yielded also whence endeavouring to gain Killalough Pass though without effect he went to his Winter Quarters about the 10th of November at Kilkenny To provide for whom and the Forces in Ireland the Parliament was at a great stand the Prosecution of the War in Scotland having exercis'd the uttermost Force they could raise so as they now began to cast about which way might be most likely to disburthen themselves of some part of that Charge And for this purpose they appointed Commissioners to be sent into Ireland which were four Members of Parliament Mr. Corbet Colonel Ludlow Colonel Jones and Mr. Weaver The main Errant they went upon was to find out some means in that Kingdom for the raising of certain sums of Money yearly towards the maintenance of the Army These were designed about the beginning of October and were to be in readiness to imoark at Milford-Haven by the midst of December 1650. But to return to the Marquess of Ormond whose endeavours could not work the Confederates to any reasonable resistance though they saw their Cities and Towns won on every side who towards the end of July receiv'd a Letter subscribed by two Persons who Stiled themselves Archbishops of Dublin and Tuam in these words May it please your Excellency THis Nation become of late the Fable and Reproach of Christianity is brought to a sad Condition notwithstanding the frequent and laborious Meetings and Consultations of Prelates we find jealousies and fears deep in the hearts of men thorns hard to be plucked out we see most men contributing to the Enemy and rendring their Persons and Substance useful to his malice and destructive to Religion and the Kings Interests This Kind of men if not timely prevented will betray ir-remediably themselves and us We find no Stock or Subsistance ordered for maintaining the Souldiery nor is there an Army any way considerable in the Kingdom to recover what is lost or defend what we hold So as humanely speaking if God will not be pleased for his Mercies sake to take off from us the heavy Judgment of his Anger we are fair for losing Sacred Religion the Kings Authority and Ireland The four Archbishops to acquit their Consciencies in the eyes of God have resolved to meet at Jamestown about the 6th day of the next month and to bring along as many of the Suffragans as may repair thither with safety The end of this Consultation is to do what in us lies for the amendment of all Errors and the recovery of this afflicted People if your Excellency shall think fit in your Wisdom to send one or more Persons to make Proposals for the safety of the Nation we shall not want willingness to prepare a good Answer nor will we dispair of the Blessings of God and of his Powerful Influence to be upon our Intentions in that Place Even so we conclude remaining Your Excellencies most humble Servants Fra. Tho. Dub. Joh. Archbishop Tuamen 24. July 1650. For his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Whosoever reads this Summons or Intimation will believe it to be Satis pro Imperìo and
Rapotensis Nico. Fernensis Procurator Arch. Dublin Eug. Kilmore Walt. Clonfert Procurator Leghlin c. Jamestown 10. Aug. 1650. When viz. the 12. of the same the two Persons had delivered their Credential Letter to the Lord Lieutenant he wished them in regard of the importance of the Matter they were instructed with to set down what they had in Command in Writing whereupon they presented him the 13th with this following Letter May it please your Excellency WE being intrusted by the Clergy met at Jamestown to deliver a Message unto your Excellency importing their advice what the onely means is as they conceive that may serve to free the Nation from the sad Condition whereunto it is reduced at present do in obedience to your Excellencies Commands signified for giving in the Substance of the said Message in Writing humbly present the same as followeth That whereas they doubt not your Excellency hath labour'd by other hands to bring the best Aids that possibly could be had from abroad for the Relief of this gasping Nation yet finding now in their Consciencies no other expedient Remedy for the preservation thereof and of his Majesties Interests therein more prevalent then your Excellencies speedy repair to his Majesty for preventing the Ruine and Dissolution of all and leaving the Kings Authority in the hands of some Person or Persons faithful to his Majesty and trusty to the Nation and such as the affection and confidence of the People will follow by which the Rage and Fury of the Enemy may receive Interruption They humbly offer this important Matter of the Safety or Destruction of this Nation and the Kings Interest to your Wisdom and Consideration hoping the Kingdom by your Excellencies Presence with his Majesty and intrusting safely the Kings Authority as above may with Gods blessing hold out until reliev'd with Supplies from his Majesty The Prelates will in the mean time do what lies in their Power to assist the Person or Persons so intrusted The great Trust his Majesty doth repose in your Excellency the vast Interest in Fortune Alliance and Kindred you have in this Nation and your experience in the management of Affairs of greatest Consequence will we doubt not added to other the Reasons proposed by us induce you to embrace this Advice as proceeding from our pious Intentions that look onely on the preservation of the Catholick Religion the support of his Majesties Authority and the Estates Liberties and Fortunes of his Subjects of this Kingdom which we humbly offer as Your Excellencies most humble Servants Fr. Oliver Dromore Charles Kelly Aug. 13th 1650. Though the Marquess did not expect that the Meeting of the Bishops and Clergy in that manner at Jamestown would have produced any better effect than their former Meetings in other Places had done yet he could not imagine that their Presumption would have been so great as it appear'd by this Message to be And when he communicated it to the Commissioners of Trust they were no less seemingly scandalized at it and believ'd that upon serious Conference with the Bishops they should be able to reform their Understandings and their Wills and therefore desired the Marquess that instead of sending a particular Answer to the Matter of the Message he would write to them To give him a Meeting at Loghreogh on the 26th of the same month to the end that upon a free Conference they might be induced to understand how pernicious a thing they had advised in order to their own security And the Bishop of Dromore and Dr. Kelly return'd with this Proposition and the Marquess making no doubt of their Compliance so far as to meet at the Place appointed went thither at the day assigned but they instead of meeting him themselves sent their Bishops of Cork and Clonfert no otherwise intrusted then to receive his Answer to the Proposition they had made for his leaving the Kingdom To which when he saw he could not draw them to a Conference he the 31. of August return'd That they might well remember that upon the Disobediences he had formerly met with he had obtain'd leave from his Majesty to have departed the Kingdom and that if themselves the Bishops Nobility and Gentry met together had not in April last in Writing and Discourse given him assurance that they not only desired his stay but would endeavour to procure such obedience to him as might enable him with hope of success to have gone on in the War he would have made use of the liberty given unto him by his Majesty to have freed himself from the vexation which he had since endured and the dishonour which he fore-saw he should be subject to for want of Power without which as he then told them he should be able to do nothing considerable for the King or the Nation That he had transmitted those Assurances to his Majesty with his own resolution to attend the Effects That he plainly observed that the Division was great in the Nation under his Government yet it would be greater upon his removal of which in a free Conference he would have given them such pregnant Evidence as he held it not fit to declare to them by writing For these and other Reasons he told them That unless he was forced by in-evitable necessity he was not willing to remove out of the Kingdom and desired them to use all means within their Power to dispose the People to that Dutifulness and Obedience that became them This wrought nothing on the Temper of those Men who were resolved not to be satisfied with any thing the Marquess could say unto them Insomuch that within few days after they had receiv'd his Answer from Loghreogh at the time when the Parliamentarians were strong in the Field and had then passed the Shannon if they had not been restrained by the few Troops the Marquess still kept on foot they published an Excommunication against all those of what Quality soever who should feed help or adhere unto the Lord Lieutenant in which this Circumstance is observable That though they did not publish this Excommunication until the 15th of September it was enacted in their Assembly at Jamestown the 12th of August which was within two days after they had sent the Bishop of Dromore and Dr. Kelly to perswade the Marquess to leave the Kingdom and the day before they delivered their Message So that they thought any thing that the Lord Lieutenant should return to them would be impertinent to the Matter in hand or if they were not so delighted with their own Proceedings that they have themselves carefully published to the World in Print would it be believ'd that Persons who in the least degree pretended the care of the Peoples welfare and security could at such a time when a potent Enemy was in the Field set all Men loose from all Government Civil and Martial and not direct them whom they should follow and obey For if it be said That
confess they had not power to confer any new Authority on their Faculty of destroying being more prevalent than that of preserving Their second Reason was They feared they should lose the few Churches remaining under his Government as they had lost under him all the Churches in the Cities of Waterford Kilkenny Wexford Ross Clonmel Cashel Featherd Kilmallock and the rest in which they said they agreed with the Maccabees Maximus vero primus pro sanctitate timor erat Templi By whose ill Government those Cities were lost appears by what hath been said before and how well the few that were then left were kept after they had forced the Marquis to depart the Kingdom is well known to the World The third Reason they thought fit was Because the Lord Lieutenant had declared at Cork that he would maintain during his life the Protestant Religion according to the example of the best Reformed Churches which might be the same with the Covenant for ought they knew They said They could not expect from him the defence of the Catholick Religion which was a strange objection against a Protestant Lieutenant of a Protestant King under whose Government they pretended to be desirous to live And whatsoever had been declared by the Lord Lieutenant at Cork in that particular before the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Published and Printed the 6th of October 1648. and well known to the Bishops who after the same and notwithstanding that Declaration with all demonstrations of cheerfulness gave their consents to that Peace which they now think fit to break because of that Declaration The fourth Reason was cast in the same mould The scandal over the World to make choice of one of a different Religion especially in Rome where his Holiness expected that a Catholick Governour should be placed over them according to his Agreement or Articles as it was reported with the Queen of England which the Marquis knew to be an aspersion and they said They did fear the scourges of the War and the Plague that had faln so heavy upon them were some evidence of Gods anger for putting Gods Cause and the Churches under such an hand whereas that trust might have been managed in a Catholicks hand under the Kings Authority Which Reason indeed had most ingenuity in it and whensoever they digested their malice and their prejudice in those Personal Reproaches and Calumnies which they knew to be most untrue if they had frankly declared and excepted against him for being a Protestant they had more complied with the dictates and integrities of their hearts And yet it might appear a very unskilful and imprudent suggestion to make the humour of the Court of Rome the Rule of obedience to their Sovereign and to discourse of choosing a Person of what Religion they thought fit to be his Vice-gerent as if they not he were to be consulted in it which would administer much cause of jealousie unto a Protestant King and to his Protestant Subjects if it were not well known to them that some of the Catholick Nobility and Gentry of the Nation were Enemies at least seemingly to those resolutions that unhappy part of the Catholick Bishops did broach and propagate which alone have reduced that Nation to the calamities it then and since underwent The fifth Reason that they should find no favour nor countenance but reproach and disgrace from any Catholick Prince Church or Laity while the Marquis Governed when in truth since that time and that their proceedings have been taken notice of the Catholick Princes have looked upon them as incapable of any succour or countenance and have accordingly left them to the rage of their Persecutors Their other Reasons were more Vulgar and too often before recited exceptions to his Person in respect of the ill success of his Conduct and the prejudice the People had to him in regard of the same And the too considerable Corporations remaining which were Limerick and Galway were at so great distance with the Lord Lieutenant that they were resolved to appear as in their intentions and actions they conceiv'd they were faithful to the Crown and obedient to the Kings Authority if placed in another Person To which suggestions nothing need to be added to what hath been said in this Discourse of the demeanor of those particular Places nor can the observation be avoided That it was the natural practice of this Congregation to use all their industry and artifice to infuse jealousie and sedition into the People and distrust and obstinacy into the Corporations and then to urge that jealousie prejudice and indisposition of the People and Corporations to countenance any thing they thought fit to do or oppose They concluded that the event of War being uncertain if the Nation should be reduced to a condition of agreeing with the Enemy the Lord Lieutenant would not be a fit man to agree for the exercise of their Religion for their Churches Altars or any thing concerning the same And therefore they said That the best way that occurred to them in this pressing exigency for the union of the Nation and keeping them from agreeing with the Enemy was That the Marquis of Clanrickard in whom according to the sense of the Congregation at James-town they desired the Kings Authority should be left that he might Govern the Nation with the consent of all Parties and the Kings Authority be taken away from the Lord Lieutenant until an Assembly And to that end that a free and lawful Assembly might be made to sit to judge upon the Peoples preservation and to decree and order what should be best and safest for the defence of the Nation Touching the Kings Authority to be kept over them and the Peace to be asserted and made good or to renew the Association or any thing else they should find best and most expedient and unto that they would willingly submit for they said they never intended to hinder an Assembly or to give Laws to the People all that they endeavour'd was to defend the Altars and Souls entrusted to them And as they were of opinion that the Soldiers would follow the Marquis of Clanrickard and the People obey him so they would contribute their best endeavours to that effect They further gave assurance that if any free and lawful Assembly upon due consideration of their own state and condition should find it the best way for their own safety and preservation to make an Agreement with the Enemy as they intended never by the grace of God to grant away from them by an Affirmative consent to the Churches and Altars if forced from them they were blameless so would they not hinder the People from compounding with the Enemy for the safety of their Lives and Estates when no way of offence was appearing though upon such an Agreement they saw that they alone should probably be losers of Lives States Churches Altars Immunities and Liberties But in such Contracts with the Enemy if any
to offer his Assistance that if he had known any Person had been intrusted there with his Majesties Authority he would have addressed himself unto him and no other And that he finding his Lordship invested with that Power did what he knew his Master expected at his hands apply himself unto him with and by whose Direction he would alone steer himself through that Negotiation He told him the Duke had already disbursed 6000 Pistols for the supplying them with those things he heard they stood most in need of which were brought over by a Religious Parson who came with him and that he was ready to be informed of what they would desire from his Highness that might enable them to resist their Enemy and that he would consent to any thing that was reasonable for him to undertake Hereupon the Lord Deputy appointed a Committee of the Commissioners of Trust together with some Prelates to confer with the Ambassador to receive any Overtures from him and to present them with their Advice thereupon unto him They met accordingly and receiv'd the Propositions from the Ambassador but they were so disagreeable to the professions he had made of respect to the King and indeed so inconsistent with the Kings Honour and Interest as there was great reason to suspect that they proceeded rather from the Encouragement and Contrivance of the Irish then from his own temper and disposition and this was the more believ'd when instead of returning the Propositions to the Lord Deputy they kept the same in their own hands put out some of those who were appointed by him to be of the Committee and chose others in their Places and proceeded in the Treaty without giving the Deputy an Account of what was demanded by the Ambassador or what they thought fit to offer unto him Of all which the Deputy took notice and thereupon forbade them to proceed any further in that way and restrain'd them unto certain Articles which he sent them which contain'd what he thought fit to offer to the Ambassador and gave them Power onely to Treat Notwithstanding his positive Direction they proceeded in that Treaty with the Ambassador and sent an Advice to the Lord Deputy to consent unto the Articles propos'd by him since they said he would not recede from what he had proposed and that it was much better to submit to the same then that the Treaty should be broken off The Lord Deputy as positively declared that what was demanded was so derogatory to the Honour of the King his Master and destructive to his Interest as he would never agree to it and resolved presently to leave the Town And when the Ambassador sent to him to desire to see him and take his leave of him he absolutely refused and sent him word That he would never pay his Civility to or receive it from a Person who had so much swarv'd from the Propositions made by himself and who had presumed to make Propositions so dishonourable to the King his Master and he believ'd so contrary to the good Pleasure of the Duke of Lorraign And that he would send away an Express to the Duke to inform him of his Miscarriage and he presumed he would do Justice unto the King upon him When the Prelates saw that no obstinacy in the Ambassador nor Importunity from them could prevail with the Lord Deputy to shew what influence they had upon that Treaty they perswaded the Ambassador to consent to the same Propositions he had formerly no doubt by the same Advice rejected and thereupon to make the sum formerly disbursed by the Duke at his coming out of Flanders full 20000 l. and the Lord Deputy sent a couple of Gentlemen into Flanders to Treat further with the Duke of Lorraign according to such Commissions and Instructions as he gave them The Bishop of Ferns about the same time left Ireland and came likewise to Bruxels and having without the Privity of the Lord Deputy receiv'd some secret Trust and Delegation from the Prelates of Ireland and Credit from them to the Duke of Lorraign he quickly interessed himself in that Treaty and took upon him the greatest part in it and that which he said was the sence of the Nation He reproach'd the Persons imployed and trusted by the Lord Deputy with all the Proceedings which had been in Ireland by the consent of the Confederate Catholicks inveighed against their opposing the Nuncio and appealing against the Excommunication issued out by him he told them and all this by a Letter under his hand that he was clearly of opinion That the Excommunication was just and lawful and that the greatest Statesmen Souldiers Citizens and People disobeying and now obstinate are and were delivered to Satan and therefore forsaken of God and unworthy of Victory and of his Holy Blessing And thereupon he said he did with all sincerity and charity offer his own humble opinion what was to be done by them which was to the end the Agreement they were making with his Highness the Duke of Lorraign might become profitable to the Nation and acceptable in the eyes of God that they would immediately with humble hearts make a Submission unto his Holiness in the name of the Nation and beg the Apostolical Benediction that the light of Wisdom the Spirit of Fortitude Vertue Grace Success and the Blessing of God might return again to them He told them the necessity of doing this was the greater for that the Person from whom they came with Authority the Marquess of Clanrickard the Lord Deputy was for several causes Excommunicated a jure Homine and that he was at Rome reputed the great Contemner of the Authority and Dignity of Churchmen and a Persecutor of the Lord Nuncio and some Bishops and other Churchmen And after many rude and bitter reproaches against the Deputy he used these words Do you think God will prosper a Contract grounded upon the Authority of such a man and shortly after he said that if the Duke of Lorraign were rightly informed of the Business he would never enter upon a Bargain to preserve or rather restore holy-Holy-Religion in the Kingdom with Agents bringing their Authority from a withered cursed Hand And then concluded for my part upon the denial to hear my humble Prayers which I hope will not happen I will withdraw my self as a man dispairing of any fruit to come from an unfound Trunk where there is no Sap of Grace And am resolved to communicate no more with you in that Affair but rather to let the Prince know he was building his Resolutions of doing good upon an unhallowed foundation and that God therefore unless himself will undertake to obtain an Absolution for the Nation will not give him the Grace to lay down the Lapis Angularis of his own house again in that Kingdom This Letter bare date at Bruxels the 20th of July 1651. the Persons to whom it was directed being then in the same Town What
the issue of that Treaty was and what regard there was had therein to the King's Honour we have in the next Place reason to mention And the rather for that those whom the Marquess of Clanrickard authorized to Treat with the Duke of Lorraign had most perfidiously wav'd his Instructions resuming to themselves a Deputation and Authority from the People and Kingdom of Ireland An Insolency so great as the Lord Deputy resents it with a just Indignation First we shall give you their Agreement then his Letter An Agreement betwixt Charles the 4th Duke of Lorrain and Theobald Lord Viscount Taaff Sir Nicholas Plunket and Jeffrey Brown deputed and authorized by the People and Kingdom of Ireland 1. THe most Illustrious Duke is to be vested with Royal Power under the Title of Protector Royal of Ireland 2. Because Religion is the prime End and Subject of the Treaty all is to begin with an Imploring Application to the Pope for his Paternal Benediction and Help That he will not be wanting in things Spiritual or Temporal in consideration whereof it is Protested that constant perpetual Obsequiousness of Duty and Faithfulness shall be paid to his Holiness and the Apostolick See 3. In consideration of this Royal Protector 's Power granted the Duke is by War to prosecute the Kings Enemies and afford him all possible Assistance 4. The said Duke is to do nothing in Derogation of the Kings Authority or Jurisdiction in Ireland but rather to amplifie it And having restored the Kingdom and Religion to its due pristine Estate he is to resign cheerfully the Kingdom to the King 5. Before Resignation as aforesaid the Duke is to be re-imbursed all by him pre-impended in this Business and for this Re-imbursment a general and exact Obedience to the Duke in Faith and Fidelity from the Kingdom and People is made and to be observ'd without reservation to any other Superiority whatsoever 6. The Duke is not to fail on his part to expel out of Ireland Hereticks Enemies to the King and his Religion and to recover and defend all things belonging to the faithful Subjects of Ireland 7. The Duke is Solely and Absolutely to exercise all Military Power for the present and future in Ireland as to the nomination of all Commanders and guiding all Martial Proceedings at his own Pleasure and in his own Person unless he in his absence substitute some other Catholick Person 8. The Duke is to introduce no Innovation in the Towns c. to him assigned repugnant to the Securities Priviledges Immunities Proprieties Lands Estates or antient Laws of the Irish reserving onely to himself Authority to apply Remedies to any thing accruing wherein publick prejudice may be concern'd 9. The Duke is not to interpose in Administration of Judicial or Civil Affairs but leave them to be proceeded in according to the Fundamental Laws and publick Form of the Kings chief Governor and the Assembly instituted 10. The manner of calling Assemblies to be as formerly unless complaint arise against their Government or other extraordinary Emergencies hinder And then according to the antient Laws the cutting off the Assembly is to be at the Pleasure of his Highness 11. When the work is done in Ireland by consent of a General Assembly the Duke promises to afford Agents to the King against Rebelling Adversaries in other Kingdoms 12. In case the Duke cannot go in Person into Ireland it is free in his Choice and Pleasure to depute any other man of Catholick Piety who shall be independent on the Militia and in Civil Matters shall be received to all manner of Councils in the same right as any other Counsellor or Commissioner 13. All Cities Castles Lands taken from the English shall revert to the Owners if Catholicks who have constantly persevered in the Catholick Quarters under the Duke Yet the Duke's Military Power shall be intire over the same to Garrison and dispose of them for publick Security at his Pleasure 14. All Pay to the Souldiers is to pass from the Duke as well out of the publick Revenues as the Duke's Coffers when that fails Provided that the Duke disburses of his proper Money for publick uses for the future to be repaid him as his former Disbursements 15. All Goods of Enemies and Dilinquents are to be converted to the publick Military Charges and towards rewarding great Merits by the Duke with advice of the General Assembly 16. The Duke besides 20000 l. already contributed promises all further Accommodations and Supplements for War together with his Power and Industry what is not above the reach of his Faculties and beneath the necessities of the War towards the repayment whereof as well principal as the annual provenue and use thereof the whole Nation of Ireland is to be liable until the last penny be paid And for Caution in the mean time the Duke is to be seized and possessed in his own hands of Galway Limerick Athenry the Castle and Town of Athlone and Waterford and the Royal Fort of Duncannon when recovered from the Enemy and these are to remain to him and his Heirs until full and intire satisfaction receiv'd and to pay just Obedience and be garrison'd and commanded at his Pleasure 17. In laying of publick Taxes and levying the same for the Dukes satisfaction the Duke do proceed by Advice of the General Assembly and all aggrieved Parties in case of inequality to seek Redress from the General Assembly 18. For liquidating and stateing the Dukes Disbursements a certain Method shall be agreed on between the Duke and the said Transactors but for the Persons to be intrusted in that Charge the General Assembly is to alter them at their Pleasure 19 The Duke shall make no Peace nor Cessation without the Lord Deputy or General Assembly 20. The Lord Deputy and General Assembly shall make no Peace without the consent of the Duke July 22. 1651. Signed Charles of Lorraign The Lord Marquess of Clanrickard Lord Deputy of Ireland his Letter to the Duke of Lorraign Octob. 20th 1651. May it please your Highness I Had the Honour on the 12th of this instant to receive a Letter from your Highness dated the 10th of September wherein you are pleased to express your great zeal for the advancement of the Catholick Religion in this Kingdom your great affection to the King my Master and your good opinion of this Nation and your compassion of their sufferings and your great readiness to afford them aid and assistance even equal with your own nearest concernments and that your Highness received such satisfaction from the Queen and Duke of York as did much strengthen those resolutions so as they might sooner appear but for the stay made here of Monsieur St. Catherin and his long Northern Voyage upon his return and referred what concerned the agreement to the relation of those Commissioners I had imployed to your Highness to treat upon that subject of Assistance and Relief for this Kingdom I with much alacrity congratulate
of them that would accept of it together with the Excommunication of the Marquess now Duke of Ormond and the order of Publication thereof whereupon Sir Nicholas Plunket who subscribed the said Instructions and principally insisted on the forementioned Particulars was sent for by the Committee of Lords who had the Examination of that Affair and acknowledging his hand-writing Report thereof was made to his Majesty and Council by whom it was ordered about the 14th of March 1661. That no more Petitions or Addresses should be received by the Irish to the obstruction of the Settlement of that Kingdom and that Sir Nicholas Plunket should thence-forward no more presume to come into his Majesties Presence nor to Court Likewise there was produced an Oath previously taken by several of the Popish Nobility Clergy and others of the Gentry of Ireland before the Articles of Peace made in 1648. which they so much insist upon wherein they swear and engage That if those Articles of Peace were not in every particular for their advantage performed they would not be concluded by any thing therein Which appear'd to be so damnable a Piece of Treachery as it was highly resented in Council and the rather for that his Grace stood up and justified that to his knowledge it was a Truth And lest the memory of so great a Deliverance should slip out of our thoughts I shall in the next place present you with the Anniversary Act for its observance that this may be to us not less then the Passover to the Israelites for a Memorial and a Feast to the Lord throughout our Generations by an Ordinance for ever AN ACT FOR Keeping and Celebrating the three and twentieth day of October as an Anniversary Thanksgiving in this Kingdom WHereas many Malignant and Rebellious Papists and Jesuits Friers Seminary Priests and other Superstitious Orders of the Popish pretended Clergy most disloyally treacherously and wickedly conspired to surprize His Majesties Castle of Dublin His Majesties principal Fort of this Kingdom of Ireland the City of Dublin and all other Cities and Fortifications of this Realm and that all the Protestants and English throughout the whole Kingdom that would not joyn with them should be cut off and finally by a general Rebellion to deprive our late Sovereign Lord of ever blessed memory King Charles the First of this his ancient and rightful Crown and Sovereignty of this Kingdom and to possess themselves thereof all which was by the said Conspirators plotted and intended to be acted on the three and twentieth day of October in the year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred forty and one a Conspiracy so generally inhumane barbarous and cruel as the like was never before heard of in any Age or Kingdom and if it had taken effect in that fulness which was intended by the Conspirators it had occasioned the utter ruine of this whole Kingdom and the Government thereof And however it pleased Almighty God in his unsearchable Wisdom and Justice as a just punishment and deserved correction to his People for their sins and the sins of this Kingdom to permit then and afterwards the effecting of a great part of that Destruction complotted by those wicked Conspirators whereby many thousand British and Protestants have been massacred many thousands of others of them have been afflicted and tormented with the most exquisite torments that malice could suggest and all Mens Estates as well those whom they barbarously murthered as all other good Subjects were wasted ruined and destroyed yet as his Divine Majesty hath in all Ages shown his Power and Mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of his Church and in the protection of Religious Kings and States so even in the midst of his Justice he was graciously pleased to extend Mercy to his Majesty and to this his Kingdom and good Subjects therein not only in mercifully discovering to the then Lords Justices by one Owen O Connelly a meer Irish Man but trained up in the Protestant Religion who out of a sense of his Duty and Loyalty to his Majesty and for the preservation of his good People and as an effect of that Religion he was trained up in revealed that hideous and bloody Treason not many hours before the appointed time for the Execution thereof but also in preserving the said Castle and City of Dublin and some other Cities Towns and Castles in the Kingdom from the bloody hands of the barbarous Conspirators as also in thereby rendring deliverance of the Lives of the said Lords Justices and Council and of all the British and Protestants in Dublin and in the said other Cities Towns and Castles preserved and of sundry other British and Protestants faln into the hands of those rebellious Conspirators and likewise in sending us Succours out of England hither by the Piety Care and Wisdom of our late Sovereign Lord King Charles the First whereby with Gods blessing the good Subjects of this Kingdom have hitherto continued safe under his mighty Protection notwithstanding the unexampled rage and implacable malice of those merciless Rebels Wherefore as we do most humbly and justly acknowledge Gods Justice in our deserved punishments in those Calamities which from the Councils and Actions of those Conspirators and their Adherents have faln upon us in this Kingdom in general so we do in like manner acknowledge that even in exercising of that his Justice he remembred Mercy also and magnified his Mercies to us in those great Blessings which we humbly confess to have proceeded meerly from his infinite Goodness and Mercy and therefore to his most holy Name we do ascribe all Honour Glory and Praise And to the end this unfeigned Thankfulness may never be forgotten but may be had in a perpetual Remembrance that all Ages to come may yield Praises to his Divine Majesty for the same and have in memory that joyful Day of Deliverance Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty with the Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by Authority of the same that the three and twentieth day of October shall be kept and celebrated as an Anniversary holy day in this Kingdom for ever and that all Persons do at that day forbear all bodily Labour and the exercise of their Trades and that all and singular Ministers in every Cathedral and Parish Church or other usual place for Common-Prayer within this Realm of Ireland shall always upon the three and twentieth day of October say Morning Prayer and give thanks to Almighty God for that most happy and miraculous Deliverance and Preservation far above the expectations of those wretched Conspirators And that all and every Person and Persons inhabiting within this Realm of Ireland shall yearly upon the three and twentieth day of October diligently and faithfully resort to the Parish Church or Chappel accustomed or to some usual Church or Chappel where the said Morning Prayer Preaching or other Service of God
raised by my Lord Strafford against Scotland First that every one should endeavour to draw his own friends into that Act. and at least those that did live in one County with them and when they had so done they send to the Irish in the Low-Countryes and Spain to let them know of the day and resolution so that they be over with them by that day or soon after with supply of Arms and Ammunition as they could that there should be a set day appointed and every own in his own quarters should rise out that day and seize on all Arms he could get in his County and this day to be near Winter so that England could not be able to send forces into Ireland before May and by that time there was no doubt to be made but that they themselves should be supplied by the Irish beyond Seas who he said could not miss of help from either Spain or the Pope but that his resolutions were not in all things allowed For first it was resolved nothing should be done until first they had sent to the Irish over-Seas to know their advice and what hope of success they could give for in them as they said all their hope of relief was and they would have both their advice and resolution before any further proceedings more than to speak to and try Gentlemen of the Kingdom every one as they could conveniently to see in case they would at any time grow to a resolution what to be and strength they must trust to then Mr. Moore told them that it was to no purpose to spend much time in speaking to the Gentry For there was no doubt to be made of the Irish that they would be ready at any time And that all the doubt was in the Gentry of the Pale but he said that for his own part he was really assured when they had risen out the Pale Gentry would not stay long after at least that they would not oppose them in any thing but be Neuters and if in case they did that they had men enough in the Kingdom without them Moreover he said he had spoke to a great man who then should be nameless that would not fail at the appointed day of rising out to appear and to be seen in the Act. But that until then he was sworn not to reveal him and that was all that was done at that meeting only that Mr. Moore should the next Lent following make a journey down into the North to know what was done there and that he also might inform them what he had done and so on parting Mr. Phillip Reyly and I did importune Mr. Moore for the knowledge of that great man that he spake of and on long entreaty after binding us to new secrecy not to discover him till the day should be appointed he told that it was the Lord of Mayo who was very powerful in Command of men in those parts of Connaght wherein he lived and that there was no doubt to be made of him no more than was of himself and so we parted The next Lent following Mr. Moore according to his promise came into Ulster by reason it was the time of Assizes in several Counties there he met only with Mr. Reyly and nothing was then done but all matters put off till the May following where we or most of us should meet at Dublin it being both Parliament and Term-time In the mean time there landed one Neale O Neale sent by the Earl of Tyrone out of Spain to speak with the Gentry of his Name and Kindred to let them know that he had treated with Cardinal Richelieu for obtaining succour to come for Ireland and that he prevailed with the Cardinal so that he was to have Arms Ammution and Money from him on demand to come for Ireland and that he only expected a Convenient time to come away and to desire them to be in a readiness and to procure all others whom they could to be so likewise which message did set on the proceedings very much so that Mr. Moore Mr. Reyly my brother and I meeting the next May at Dublin and the same Messenger there too It was resolved that he should return to the Earl into Spain with their Resolution which was that they would rise out twelve or fourteen dayes before or after Allhallontide as they should see cause and that he should not fail to be with them by that time There was a report at that time and before that the Earl of Tyrone was killed which was not believed by reason of many such reports formerly which we found to be false and so the Messenger departed with directions that if the Earls death were true he should repair into the Low-Countrys to Colonel Owen O Neale and acquaint him with his Commission from the Earl whereof it was thought he was not ignorant and to return an Answer sent by him and to see what he would advise or would do himself therein But presently after his departure the certainty of the Earls death was known and on further Resolution it was agreed that an express Messenger should be sent to the Colonel to make all the Resolutions known to him and to return speedily with his Answer And so one Toole O Comely a Priest as I think Parish Priest to Mr. Moore was sent away to Colonel O Neale In the interim there came several Letters and News out of England to Dublin of Proclamations against the Catholicks in England and also that the Army raised in Ireland should be disbanded and conveyed into Scotland And presently after several Colonels and Captains Landed with directions to carry away those men amongst whom Colonel Plunkett Colonel Burne and Captain Bryan O Neale came but did not all come together for Plunkett landed before my coming out of Town and the other two after wherein a great fear of Suppressing of Religion was conceived and especially by the Gentry of the Pale and it was very common amongst them that it would be very inconvenient to suffer so many men to be conveyed out of the Kingdom it being as was said very confidently reported that the Scottish Army did threaten never to lay down Arms until an uniformity of Religion were in the three Kingdoms and the Catholick Religion suppressed And thereupon both Houses of Parliament began to oppose their going and the Houses were divided in their Opinions some would have them go others not but what the definitive conclusion of the Houses was touching the point I cannot tell for by leave from the House of Lords I departed into the Country before the Prorogation But before my departure I was informed by John Barnewall a Fryer that those Gentlemen of the Pale and some other Members of the House of Commons had several meetings and consultations how they might make stay of the Souldiers in the Kingdom and likewise to arm them in defence of the King being much injured both of England and Scotland then as they were
informed and to prevent any attempt against Religion and presently after I departed into the Country and Mr. Reyly being a Member of the House of Commons stayed the Prorogation and on his coming into the Country sent to me to meet him and I came to his House where he told me that he heard for certain that the former Narration of Barnewall to me for I did acquaint him with it was true and that he heard it from several there also was Emar mac Mahone made firmly privy to all our proceedings at Mr. Reylys lately come out of the Pale where he met with the aforenamed John Barnewall who told him as much and he formerly told me and moreover that those Colonels that lately came over did proffer their Service and industry in that Act and so would raise their men under colour to convey them into Spain and then seize on the Castle of Dublin and with their Arms there to Arm their Souldiers and have them ready for any occasion that should be commanded them but that they had not concluded any thing because they were not assured how the Gentlemen of the remote parts of the Kingdom and especially of Ulster would stand affected to that Act and that assurance of that doubt was all their impediment Then we three began to think how we might assure them help and of the assistance of Ulster Gentlemen It was thought that one should be sent to them to acquaint them there with and they made choice of me to come by reason as they said that my Wife was allyed to them and their Countrey-woman and would believe me trust me sooner than other of their parts they or most of them being of the Pale And so without as much as to return home to furnish my self for such a Journey Volens nolens they prevailed or rather forced me to come to Dublin to confer with those Colonels and that was the last August was Twelve-month Coming to Town I met Sir James Dillon accidentally before I came to my Lodging who was one of those Colonels and after Salutations he demanded of me where my Lodging was which when I told him and parted the next day being abroad about some other occasions in Town I met him as he said coming to wait on me in my Chamber but being a good way from it he desired me to go into his own Chamber being near at hand And then began to discourse of the present sufferings and afflictions of that Kingdom and particularly of Religion and how they were to expect no redress the Parliament in England intending and the Scots resolving never to lay down Arms until the Catholick Religion were suppressed Then he likewise began to lay down what danger it would be to suffer so many able Men as was to go with them to depart the Kingdom in such a time Neither said he do their other Gentlemen that are Colonels and my self affect our own private profit so as to prefer it before the general good of the Kingdom And knowing you are well affected thereunto and I hope said he ready to put your helping-hand to it upon occasion I will let you know the resolution of those other Gentlemen and mine which is if we are ready to raise our Men and after to seize on the Castle where there is great great store of Arms and arm our selves there This was the first motion that ever I heard of taking the Castle for it never came into our thoughts formerly nor am I perswaded ever would if it had not proceeded from those Colonels who were the first motioners and contrivers thereof for ought known to me and then to be ready to prevent and resist any danger that the Gentlemen of the Kingdom like thereof and help us For we of our selves neither are able nor will do any thing therein without their assistance I began according to the directions that were sent with me to approve of their Resolution and also to let him know how sure he might be of the assistance of those of Ulster Then he told us that for my more satisfaction I should confer with the rest of the Colonels themselves as many as are privy to the Action and accordingly a place of meeting was appointed that afternoon and on the time and place appointed there met Sir James himself Colonel Bourne and Colonel Plunket And that former Discourse being renewed they began to lay down the Obstacles to that Enterprise and how they should be redressed 1st If there should VVar ensue how there should be Money had to pay the Souldiers 2ly How and where they should procure succours from Forreign parts 3dly How to draw in the Pale Gentlemen 4thly Who should undertake to surprise the Castle and how it should be done To the first it was answered That the Rents in the Kingdom every where not having respect whose they should be due to the Lords and Gentlemen thereof should be collected to pay the Souldiers And moreover they might be sure nay that there was no doubt thereof to procure money from the Pope who gave several promises formerly to my Lord of Tyrone in case he could make way to come into Ireland to maintain six thousand men yearly at his own charge and that notwithstanding that my Lord of Tyrone was dead yet that he would continue the same forwardness now To the second it was answered by Colonel Bourne that help from abroad could not fail them For said he Colonel O Neal told me that he had or would procure in readiness I do not remember which of those the Colonel spake or whether he spoke positive that Colonel O Neal had Arms or would procure them Arms for ten thousand men And moreover said he I make no great question that if we send into Spain we shall not miss of aid for I being in London the last year in the Scots troubles I was in conference with one of the Spanish Ambassadours there then and talking of their troubles then a-foot he said That if the Irish did then rise too and send to Spain their Messengers would be received under Canopies of Gold These last words he told me and some one man of those that were present privately whose name I cannot call to mind neither well remember I whether he spoke to them all or no then it was thought that when they were both in Arms for defence of the Catholick cause they would be succoured by the Catholick Princes of Christendom To the third it was answered by Colonel Plunket That he was as morally certain for those were his words as he could be of any thing that the Pale Gentleman would joyn with them and assist them For he said I have spoke to several of them since my landing in the Kingdom and I find them very ready and willing and withal I have at London spoke to some of the Committees and particularly to my Lord of Gormonstowne to let them know his resolution and they approved it very well
other Church Goods pertaing unto their respective Titles with obligations to pay proportionable Rent unto the Souldiers as aforesaid or his payment of their own competent maintenance and lett the Houses Tenements and other Church goods be taken from the Catholicks who heretofore had them as Tenements or otherwise 26. It is committed to the will and disposition of the Ordinary whether and when to enter into the Churches and celebrate Masses therein we command all and every the general Colonels Captains and other Officers of our Catholick Army to whom it appertaineth that they severally punish all transgressors of our aforesaid Command touching Murtherers Maimers Strikers Thieves Robbers and if they fail therein we Command the Parish Priests Curats or Chaplains respectively to declare them interdicted and that they shall be Excommunicated if they cause not due satisfaction to be made unto the Common-wealth and the party offended And this the Parish Priests or Chaplains shall observe under pain of Excommunication of sentence given ipso facto 27. To the end that these Acts Propositions and Ordinances may have more happy success We thought it fitting to have recourse unto God Almighty by Prayers Fastings and Alms We therefore will pray and as far as it is needful do command that every Priest as well Secular as Regular do celebrate one Mass a week and that all Lay-men do fast upon Wednesday Friday and Saturday in one week and thence forward one day a week and upon that Wednesday or Saturday as long as the Ordinary shall please and that they pray heartily unto God for the prosperous success of this our Catholick War for which they shall gain so many days indulgences as every Prelate shall publish in their several Diocesses respectively after the Fast of the aforesaid three days in one Week having first confessed and received the blessed Sacrament and bestowed some Alms to this effect 28. In every Regiment of Souldiers let there be appointed at least two Confessors and one Preacher to be named by the Ordinaries and by the Superiors of the Regulars whose competent maintenance we commend and command to every Colonel in their respective Regiments And to the end that all those Ordinances and Statutes may effectually be put in Execution We will and decree that all Arch-bishops Bishops Apostolical Vicars and Regular Superiours as well here present as absent may be very serious and careful of the Execution of the aforesaid as they tender not to incur displeasure wrath and revenge and herewith we charge their Consciences 29. Moreover VVe pray and require all Noblemen Magistrates and all other Marshal Commanders that with their helps and Secular forces they assist and set forward in Execution the aforesaid Statutes in their several Precincts respectively as often as it shall be needful If in any of the aforesaid Statutes any doubt or difficulty may by chance arise the explication thereof we reserve to the Metropolitans in every Province respectively and to the Bishops in every their Diocesses such of them as are no way contrary to this Cause no other person may presume to expound the aforesaid difficulties Haec dicta acta ordinata statuta subscripta erant nominibus sequentium Praelatorum All those Judgments Sayings Acts and Covenants VVe submit to the Judgment of the See Apostolick Hugo Archiepiscopus Armachanus Thomas Archiepiscopus Casselensis Malachius Archiepiscopus Guamenum David Episcopus Osoren Frater Boetius Episcopus Elphinensis Frater Patricius Episcopus Waterforden Lysmoren Frater Rochus Episcopus Kildaren Johannis Electus Claunfarten Emerus Electus Dunen Conoren Frater Josephus Everard Procurator Archiepiscopi Dublinens Doctor Johannes Creagh Procurator Episcopus Lymeriten David Bourck Willielmus O Connell Procurator Episcopi Imolacen Donatus O Tearnan Procurator Episcopi Laonen Doctor Dionysius Harty Decanus Laonensis Doctor Michael Hacket Vicar gener Waterforden Gulielmus Devocer Vic. gener Fernesen Thomas Roch Vicar Generalis Ossoren Frater Lucas Archer Abbas Sanctae Crucis Frater Anthonius de Rosario Ord. praed Vicar Provincial Robertus Nugent Societat Jesu in Heb. Frater Thadeus Connoldus Ang. pro Provinc Johannes Wareinge Decanus Lymericen Frater Patricius Darcye Guardian Dublin Frater Thomas Strange Guardian Waterford Frater Joseph Lancton Prior Kilkenny Frater Tho. Tearnon Guard de Dundalk Frater Johannes Reyly Guard Kilkenny Frater Boetius Egnanus Guard Buttevant Jordanus Boork Archidiaconus Lymericensis APPENDIX VIII Fol. 98. Orders made and established by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the rest of the general Assembly for the Kingdom of Ireland met at the City of Kilkenny the 24th day of October Anno Dom. 1642. and in the Eighteenth year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord the King Charles by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland c. 1. IMprimis That the Roman Catholick Church in Ireland shall and may have and enjoy the Priviledges and Immunities according to the great Charter made and declared within the Realm of England in the ninth year of King H. 3. sometime King of England and the Lord of Ireland and afterwards enacted and confirmed in this Realm of Ireland and that the Common Law of England and all the Statutes of force in this Kingdom which are not against the Catholick Roman Religion on the Liberties of the Natives and other Liberties of this Kingdom shall be observed throughout the whole Kingdom and that all Proceedings in Civil and Criminal Cases shall be according to the said Laws 2. Item That all and every person and persons within this Realm shall bear Faith and true Allegiance unto our Soveraign Lord King Charles by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland His Heirs and Successors and shall uphold and maintain his and their Rights and lawful Prerogatives with the utmost skill and power of such person or persons against all manner of persons whatsoever 3. Item That the Common Laws of England and Ireland and the said Statutes called the great Charter and every Clause Branch and Article thereof and all other Statutes confirming expounding or declaring the same shall be punctually observed within this Kingdom so far forth as the Condition of the present times during these times can by possibilities give way thereunto and after the War is ended the same to be observed without any Limitation or Restriction whatsoever 4. Inasmuch as the City of Dublin is the usual and principal Seat of Justice in this Kingdom where the Parliament and ordinary Courts were held and some other places where principal Councils were sometimes kept and as yet possessed and commanded by the malignant party who are Enemies to God and their King and his Majesties well-affected Subjects The Assembly is necessitated during this VVar in some formalities and circumstances to deviate from the proceedings prescrib'd by the said Laws and Statutes nevertheless retaineth the substance and Essence thereof so far-forth as the endless malice and cruelty of their Enemies the said malignant party doth permit
then to accompany the said Commission with our Letters to the said Commissioners wherein We signified to them that although by the said Commission We gave them that power yet We did then let them know that for those who were Chief among the Rebels and Ring-leaders of the rest to disobedience that We adjudged them less worthy of favour then the others whom they had mis-guided And therefore for those principal persons We required them to take care not to be too forward without first consulting this Board in proffering or promising mercy to those unless they the Commissioners saw it of great and unavoidable necessity Which power entrusted by Us with the said Commissioners was then granted in respect of the conjuncture of affaires at that time and to answer the then sudden extremities in the publick service And whereas We have now received information that a long time after the said power entrusted with them and when the State of the Countrey was far different from the Condition wherein it stood at the issuing of the said Commission and after the general Conspiracy was fully discovered and that the Rebels of all degrees and conditions had with hateful and bloody obstinacy declared their purpose to extirp the Brittish throughout the whole Kingdom without hope of reconcilement other then by the strength of his Majesties forces some of the said Commissioners notwithstanding the premonition given them by Our said Letters and without consulting this Board therein have given Protections of late to many of the said Rebels being principal persons and freeholders which Protections are in sundry respects found to be a mighty hindrance to His Majesties service in those parts and tending to His Majesties loss and disadvantage And albeit We are informed that those persons so protected have by their mis-behaviours since the Protections granted to them violated the express or implyed conditions of all Protections which besides the unreasonableness of the granting of them contrary to the intent of Our direction in Our said Letters might justly give cause to have those Rebells immediately faln upon and cut off Yet in regard We who are entrusted here by His Majesty for the Government of this His Kingdom and People are so tender of His Majesties honour as We neither have done nor will do any thing that by any construction can be interpreted a breach of any word given by Us or any other authorized by Us. We think fit before we proceed to the just correction of those Rebels hereby to publish and declare that all the said Protections granted since the first of March last to any person or persons whatsoever in the County of Downe or other Counties above named shall at the end of ten days next after the pubishing of this Proclamation at Down-Patrick or Strangford in the said County of Down or at any other publick place in any of the said Counties respectively stand void and be annulled repealed and revoked And we do hereby accordingly from and after the said ten days revoke repeal make void and annull them and every of them to all intents and purposes as if they had never been granted and do Order that from and after the said ten days they be of no force nor derive any benefit protection or security to any of the parties to whom they were so granted And this Proclamation We require the Sheriff of the County of Downe and the several Sheriffs of the said several Counties respectively to cause to be proclaimed and published at Down-Patrick and Strangford aforesaid and at some publick places in the said several Counties respectively that so all persons whom it may concern may take notice thereof and that hereafter when by the Power and Strength of Hu Majesties Army the said Offenders receive due punishment for their high transgressions they may not have any colour to presend the beast breach of word in this State or any the Ministers thereof Given at His Majesties Castle of Dublin the 19th day of August 1641. La. Dublin Ormond Ossory Cha. Lambert Ad. Loftus J. Temple Tho. Lucas Ja. Ware Rob. Meredith Pope Urban the Eight's Grant of Indulgence to Owen Roe O Neal referrable to Fol. 136. mentioned in Mahony's Disp. Apologet. p. 41. Dilecto filio Eugenio O Nello DIlecte fili Salutem Nullum praetermittere soles occasionem quâ non Majorum tuorum Vestigiis insistens Eximium Zelum propagandae Ecclesiae studium perspectum facis idque luculènter in praesentia praestitisti in Hiberniam proficisci cogitans ut Catholicorum rationibus praesto sis Quam ob rem pergratae Nobis advenerunt Literae quibus Hujusmodi itineris deliberationem declaras rei faelicitèr gerendae principium à caelesti ope auspicatus non minus humilitèr quam religiose Apostolicam benedictionem a Nobis postulas Praeclarum hunc in te ardorem constantiam adversus haereticos verae fidei animum non parum laudamus tuaeque jam pridem pietatis conscii à te expectamus in hac opportunitate strenui atque excelsi roboris documenta quae antehac singularem nominis famam tibi comparârunt Illorum paritèr commendamus Consilium quos tuo excitans exemplo significasti speramus autem fore ut Altissimus tuae causae praesto sit ut Notam faciat in populis Virtutem suam Interim ut confidentius cuncta aggrediamini Nos divinam Clementiam indesinentèr orantes ut adversariorum conatus in nihilum redigat tibi caeterisque Catholicorum rem in praedicto regno Curaturis nostram libentèr impartimur benedictionem Universisqne singulis si verè paenitentes confessi fuerint Sacrâ Communione si fieri possit debitè refecti plenariam suorum peccatorum veniam remissionem atque in Mortis articulo Indulgentiam etiam plenariam elargimur Datum Romae sub Annulo Piscatoris die 8. Octobris 1642. Pontificatûs Nostri Anno 20. APPENDIX X. Fol. 141. By the Lords Justices and Councel Jo. Borlase Hen. Tichborne WHereas We have lately seen a Printed Paper intitled a solemn League and Covenant for reformation and defence of Religion the Honour and happiness of the King and the Peace and safety of the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland which seems to have been Printed at London on the ninth day of October 1643. And forasmuch as in the said League or Covenant there are divers things contained not only tending to a seditious Combination against His Majesty but also contrary to the municipal Laws of this Kingdom of Ireland and destructive to the Church-Government established by Law in this Kingdom And for that by the Laws of this Kingdom no Oath ought to be tendred to or taken by any person or persons whatsoever in this Kingdom but before a Judge or other person thereunto Lawfully Authorised by His Majesty and for that the said League or Covenant is now endeavoured to be set on foot in this Kingdom without His Majesties Privity Direction or Allowance And in regard it is directly
contrary to the Liberty and Freedom of the Subject to be by any such Oath or Covenant pre-engaged And for that the setting on foot at this time in this Kingdom the said League or Covenant without His Majesties Allowance may not only beget much distraction and unquietness amongst His Majesties good Subjects but also may prove very penal to all those who shall presume to tender or take the same We therefore for prevention of such mischiefs do in His Majesties Name strictly charge and command all His Majesties good Subjects of what degree or quality soever within this Kingdom upon their Allegiance to His Majesties that they presume not to enter into or take the said League Covenant or Oath And we do likewise inhibit and forbid all His Majesties Subjects in this Kingdom to impose administer or tender the said League Oath or Covenant And if notwithstanding this our Proclamation any person shall presume to impose tender or take the said League Oath or Covenant We shall proceed against him or them with all severity according to the known Laws of the Land Given at His Majesties Castle of Dublin the 18. day of Decemb. 1643. Ri. Bolton Canc. La. Dublin Ormonde Roscomon Edw. Brabazon Ant. Midensis Cha. Lambart Geo. Shurley Gerrard Lowther Tho. Rotherham Fra. Willoughby Tho. Lucas Ja. Ware G. Wentworth GOD SAVE THE KING APPENDIX XI Fol. 141. The Copy of a Letter written by direction of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament Assembled to several Commanders and Officers of his Majesties Army and others in the Kingdom of Ireland AFter our very hearty Commendations The Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament in this His Majesties Kingdom of Ireland have commanded us to signifie unto you that they have lately seen a Printed Paper intituled a solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion the honour and happiness of the King and the Peace and safety of the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland which seems to have been Printed at London on the ninth day of October 1643. That they have also seen a Printed Proclamation dated the eighteenth day of December last and set out by the Right Honourable the late Lords Justices and Council expressing diverse great and Weighty Reasons against the said League and Covenant and therefore Commanding all his Majesties good Subjects of what Degree or Quality soever within this Kingdom upon their Allegiance to his Majesty That they presume not to enter into or take the said League Covenant or Oath and inhibiting and forbidding all His Majesties Subjects in this Kingdom to impose administer or tender the said League Oath or Covenant That upon serious debate and consideration taken by the Lords and Commons of the said League and Covenant and Proclamation They find the said Proclamation to have been set out with great Wisdom and Reason and do highly Commend the Judgement of the said Lords Justices and Council therein and as both Houses do fully concurr therein in all the parts thereof So they have expresly Commanded us to signifie the same unto you and in their names to let you know That it is their express Pleasure that you and all the Commanders Officers and Souldiers of His Majesties Army and all others His Majesties Subjects in this Kingdom whom it may concern do render all due Obedience and Observation to the said Proclamation in all the parts thereof And this being to no ther end We remain Your very Loving Friends Ri. Bolton Canc. Maur. Eustace Speaker of the House of Commons Dublin Castle xviii die April Anno Dom. 1644. Fol. 142. There is mention made of the Protestants Arrival at Oxford where they deliver'd to his Majesty this Petition To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The humble Petition of divers of your Majesties Protestant Subjects in your Kingdom of Ireland as well Commanders of Your Majesties Army here as others whose Names are subscrib'd in the behalf of themselves and other Your Protestant Subjects in this Your Kingdom Sheweth THAT this Your Highness Kingdom reduced with the vast Expence of Treasure and much effusion of British blood to the obedience of the Imperial Crown of England hath been by the Princely care of your Royal Progenitors especially of Queen Elizabeth and of Your Royal Father of ever blessed Memory and your Sacred Majesty in many parts happily planted great sums of Moneys disbursed in Buildings and Improvements Churches edified and endowed and frequented with multitudes of good Protestants and your yearly Customs and Revenues rais'd to great yearly sums by the industry of your Protestant Subjects especially and great sums of Money by way of Subsidies and Contributions chearfully paid unto your Majesty by your said Subjects In which happiness this your Kingdom hath flourished in a long-continued Peace and under your Highness most glorious and happy Government until that by the present general Conspiracy and Rebellion rais'd out of Detestation of Your blessed Government and for rooting out of the Protestant Religion and so for the dispossessing of Your Majesty of this Your said Kingdom without the least occasion offered by Your Majesty or Your Protestant Subjects And notwithstanding that Your Majesty immediately before had enlarg'd beyond president Your Royal favour and bounty to them in granting all that their and our joint Agents did desire of Your Majesty And we continuing amongst them in all Love and Amity without distrust Your Petitioners and others who labour'd to oppose those damnable Designs and Practices have been driven from their Dwellings Estates and Fortunes their Houses and Churches burnt and demolished All Monuments of Civility utterly defaced Your Majesties Forts and places of strength thrown down and the Common and Statute-Laws of this Your Kingdom utterly confounded by taking upon themselves the exercise of all manner of Authorities and Jurisdictions Ecclesiastical and Civil both by Sea and Land proper and peculiar to Your Sacred Majesty being Your just Prerogatives and the Royal Flowers of Your Imperial Diadem to the Disherison of Your Crown and Your Royal Revenues brought to nothing and the Protestant Clergy with their Revenues and support for the present destroyed This Your Kingdom in all parts formerly inhabited with Brittish Protestants now depopulated of them and many thousands of Your Protestant Subjects most barbarously used stripped naked tortur'd famish'd hang'd buried alive drown'd and otherwise by all barbarous cruel sorts of Death murther'd such as yet remain of them are reduced to that extremity that very few of them have wherewithal to maintain a Being and all of them so terrified and afflicted with those barbarous and inhuman cruelties the true report whereof being now spread abroad into the Christian World Your Suppliants conceive fears that Your Majesties Brittish Subjects will be discouraged from coming again to inhabit this Kingdom and the remnant of what is left will be forced to depart All this being done by the Conspiracy of the Papists who did publickly declare the utter extirpation of the
Protestant Religion and all the Brittish Professors thereof out of this Your Majesties Kingdom And to the end it may the better in some measure appear Your Suppliants have made choice of Captain William Ridgeway Sir Francis Hamilton Knight and Baronet Captain Michael Jones and Mr. Fenton Parsons whom they have employed and authorized as their Agents to manifest the truth thereof in such Particulars as for the present they are furnish'd withal referring the more ample manifestation thereof to the said Captain William Ridgeway Sir Francis Hamilton Captain Jones and Fenton Parsons or any three or more of them and such other Agents as shall with all convenient speed be sent as occasion shall require to attend Your Majesty from Your Protestant Subjects of the several Provinces of this Your Kingdom VVe therefore Your Majesties most humble loyal and obedient Protestant-Subjects casting down our selves at Your Royal feet and flying to You for succour and redress in these our great Calamities as our most gracious Soveraign Lord and King and next and immediately under Almighty God our Protector and Defence most humbly beseeching Your Sacred Majesty to admit into Your Royal Presence from time to time our said Agents and in Your great VVisdom to take into Your Princely Care and Consideration the distressed Estate and humble desires of Your said Subjects so that to the Glory of God Your Majesties Honour and the happiness of Your good Subjects the Protestant Religion may be restored throughout the whole Kingdom to its lustre that the losses of Your Protestant Subjects may be repaired in such manner and measure as Your Majesty in Your Princely VVisdom shall think fit and that this Your Kingdom may be setled as that Your said Protestant Subjects may hereafter live therein under the happy Government of Your Majesty and Your Royal Posterity with comfort and security whereby Your Majesty will render Your self through the whole VVorld a most just and Glorious Defender of the Protestant Religion and draw down a Blessing on all other Your Royal Undertakings for which Your Petitioners will ever pray c. Subscribed by the Earl of Kildare Lord Viscount Montgomery Lord Blany and many others To which they received this Answer by His Majesties Command At Our Court at Oxford the 25th of April 1644. His Majesty being very sensible of the Petitioners Losses and sufferings is ready to hear and relieve them as the Exigencie of his Affairs will permit and wisheth the Petitioners to propose what they think fit in particular for his Majesties Information and the Petitioners Remedy and future Security Edw. Nicholas Upon the reading of the Petition His Majesty was pleased to say That He knew the Contents of the Petition to be Truth APPENDIX XII Fol. 142. The Propositions of the Roman Catholicks of Ireland humbly presented to His Sacred Majesty in pursuance of their Remonstrance of Grievances and to be annexed to the said Remonstrance together with the humble Answer of the Agents for the Protestants of Ireland to the said Propositions made in pursuance of Your Majesties directions of the 9th of May 1644. requiring the same 1. Pro. THAT all Acts made against the Professors of the Roman Catholick faith whereby any restraint penalty Mulct or incapacity may be laid upon any Roman Catholicks within the Kingdom of Ireland may be repealed and the said Catholicks to be allowed the freedom of the Roman Catholick Religion Answ. To the first we say that this hath been the pretence of almost all those who have entred into Rebellion in the Kingdom of Ireland at any time since the Reformation of Religion there which was setled by Acts of Parliament above eighty years since and hath wrought good effects ever since for the peace and welfare both of the Church and Kingdom there and of the Church and Kingdom of England and Protestant party throughout all Christendom and so hath been found wholesom and necessary by long experience and the repealing of those Laws will set up Popery again both in Jurisdiction profession and practice as that was before the said Reformation and introduce among other inconveniencies the Supremacy of Rome and take away or much endanger Your Majesties Supream and just Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical Administration of honour and power not to be endured the said Acts extending as well to seditious Sectaries as to Popish Recusants so as by the repeal thereof any man may seem to be left to chuse his own Religion in that Kingdom which must needs beget great confusion and the abounding of the Roman Clergy hath been one of the greatest occasions of this late Rebellion besides it is humbly desired that Your Majesty will be pleased to take into Your gracious consideration a Clause in the Act of Parliament passed by Your Majesties Royal Assent in England in the 17th year of Your Raign touching punishments to be inflicted upon those that shall introduce the Authority of the See of Rome in any Cause whatsoever 2. Pro. That Your Majesty will be pleased to call a free Parliament in the said Kingdom to be held and continued as in the said Remonstrance is expressed and the Statute of the 10th year of King Hen. 7. called Poyning's Acts explaining or enlarging the same be suspended during that Parliament for the speedy settlement of the present Affairs and the repeal thereof be there further considered of Answ. VVhereas their desire to have a free Parliament called reflecteth by secret and cunning implication upon Your Majesties present Parliament in Ireland as if it were not a free Parliament we humbly beseech Your Majesty to present how dangerous it is to make such insinuation or intimation to your people of that Kingdom touching that Parliament wherein several Acts of Parliament have already past the validity whereof may be endangered if the Parliament should not be approved as a free Parliament and it is a point of high nature as we humbly conceive is not properly to be dismissed but in Parliament and Your Majesties said Parliament now sitting is a free Parliament in Law holden before a person of honour and fortune in the Kingdom composed of good loyal and well-affected Subjects to Your Majesty who doubtless will be ready to comply in all things that shall appear to be pious and just for the good of the True Protestant Religion and for Your Majesties service and the good of the Church and State that if this present Parliament should be dissolved it would be a great terrour and discontent to all Your Majesties Protestant Subjects of the Kingdom and may be also a means to force many of Your Majesties Subjects to quit that Kingdom or peradventure to adhere to some other party there in opposition of the Romish Irish Confederates rather than to be liable to their power which effects may prove of most dangerous consequence and we humbly offer to Your Majesties consideration Your own gracious Expression mentioned in the grounds and motives inducing Your Majesty to agree to a
Answers they had Humbly offered pretending not to be Judges but submissive Petitioners for what was committed to their Charge APPENDIX XIII Fol. 144. The Humble Propositions of your Majesties Protestant Agents of Ireland in pursuance of the humble Petition of your Majesties Protestant Subjects as well Commanders of your Majesties Army there as others presented to your Majesty the 18th day of April 1644. and answered by your Majesty the 25 of the same 1. WE most humbly desire the Establishment of the true Protestant Religion in Ireland according to the Laws and Statutes in the said Kingdom now in force 2. That the Popish Titular Arch-Bishops Bishops Jesuits Friers and Priests and all others of the Roman Clergy be banished out of Ireland because they have been the stirrers up of all Rebellion and while they continue there there can be no hope of safety for your Majesties Protestant Subjects And that all the Laws and Statutes established in that Kingdom against Popery and Popish Recusants may continue of force and be put in due Execution 3. That Restitution may be made of all our Churches and Church Rights and Revenues and all our Churches and Chappels re-edified and put in as good Estate as they were at the breaking out of the Rebellion and as they ought to be at the Charge of the Confederate Roman Catholicks as they call themselves who have been the occasion of the Destruction of the said Churches and possessed themselves of the Profits and Revenues thereof 4. That the Parliament now sitting in Ireland may be continued there for the better settlement of the Kingdom and that all Persons duly indicted in the said Kingdom of Treason Felonie or other heinous Crimes may be duly and legally proceeded against outlaw'd tried and adjudged according to Law And that all Persons lawfully convicted and attainted or to be convicted and attainted for the same may receive due punishment accordingly 5. That no Man may take upon him or execute the Office of a Major or Magistrate in any Corporation or the Office of a Sheriff or Justice of Peace in any City or County in the said Kingdom until he have first taken the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance 6. That all Popish Lawyers who refuse to take the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance may be suppress'd and restrain'd from practice in that Kingdom the rather because the Lawyers in England do not here practice until they take the Oath of Supremacy And it hath been found by woful Experience that the Advice of Popish Lawyers to the people of Ireland hath been a great cause of their continued Disobedience 7. That there may be a present absolute Suppression and Dissolution of all the assumed Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power which the said Confederates exercise over Your Majesties Subjects both in Causes Ecclesiastical and Temporal 8. That all the Arms and Ammunition of the said Confederates be speedily brought into Your Majesties Stores 9. That Your Majesties Protestant Subjects ruin'd and destroy'd by the said Confederates may be repair'd for their great losses out of the Estates of the said Confederates not formerly by any Acts of this present Parliament in England otherwise dispos'd of whereby they may the better be enabl'd to re-inhabit and defend the said Kingdom of Ireland 10. That the said Confederates may rebuild the several Plantation-Houses and Castles destroy'd by them in Ireland in as good state as they were at the breaking out of the Rebellion which Your Majesties Protestant Subjects have been bound by their several Patents to build and maintain for Your Majesties Service 11. That the great Arrears of Rent due to Your Majestie out of the Estates of Your Majesties Protestant Subjects at and since Michaelmas 1641. may be paid unto Your Majestie by such of the said Confederates who have either receiv'd the said Rents to the uses of the said Confederates or destroy'd the same by disabling Your Majesties Protestant Subjects to pay the same And have also destroy'd all or the most part of all other Rents or means of support belonging to Your said Protestant Subjects And that Your said Protestant Subjects may be discharg'd of all such Arrears of Rents to Your Majestie 12. That the said Confederates may give satisfaction to the Army for the great Arrears due unto them since the Rebellion and that such Commanders as have rais'd Forces at their own Charges and laid forth great sums of Money out of their own Purses and engag'd themselves for Money and Provisions to keep themselves their Holds and Souldiers under their Commands in the due necessary Defence of Your Majesties Rights and Laws may be in due sort satisfied to the encouragement of others in like times and Cases which may happen 13. That touching such parts of the Confederate Estates as being forfeited for their Treasons are come or shall duly come into Your Majesties hands and possession by that Title Your Majesty after the due satisfaction first made to such as claim by former Acts of Parliament would be pleased to take the same into your own hands and possession and for the necessary encrease of Your Majesties Revenue and better security of the said Kingdom of Ireland and the Protestant Subjects living under your gracious Government there to plant the same with Brittish and Protestants upon reasonable and honourable Terms 14. That one good walled Town may be built and kept repair'd in every County of the said Kingdom of Ireland and endow'd and furnish'd with necessary and sufficient means of legal and just Government and Defence for the better security of Your Majesties Laws and Rights more especially the true Protestant Religion in time of Danger in any of which Towns no Papist may be permitted to dwell or inhabit 15. That for the better satisfaction of Justice and Your Majesties Honour and for the future security of the said Kingdom and Your Majesties Protestant Subjects there exemplary punishment according to Law may be inflicted upon such as have there traiterously levied VVar and taken up Arms against Your Majesties Protestant Subjects and Laws and therein against Your Majesty especially upon such as have had their hands in the shedding of Innocent blood or had to do with the first Plot or Conspiracy or since that time have done any notorious Murther or Covert Act of Treason 16. That all Your Majesties Towns Forts and places of strength destroy'd by the said Confederates since the said Rebellion may be by them and at their Charges re-edified and deliver'd up into Your Majesties hands to be duly put into the Government under Your Majestie and Your Laws of your good Protestants And that all Strengths and Fortifications made and set up by the said Confederates since the said Rebellion may be slighted and thrown down or else deliver'd up and disposed of for Protestant Government and Security as aforesaid 17. That according to the Presidents of former times in cases of General Rebellions in Ireland the Attainders which have been duly had by Outlawry for
Treason done in this Rebellion may be establish'd and confirm'd by Act of Parliament to be in due form of Law transmitted and passed in Ireland and that such Traitors as for want of Protestant and indifferent Jurors to indict them in the proper County are not yet indicted nor convicted or attainted by Outlawry or otherwise may upon due proof of their offences be by like Acts of Parliament convicted and attainted and all such offenders forfeit their Estates as to Law appertaineth and Your Majesty to be adjudged and put in possession without any Office or Inquisition to be had 18. That Your Majesties Protestant Subjects may be restored to the quiet Possession of all their Castles Houses Mannors Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Leases and to the quiet possession of the Rents thereof as they had the same before and at the time of the breaking forth of this Rebellion and from whence without due Process and Judgment of Law they have since then been put or kept out and may be answer'd of and for all the Mean Profits of the same in the interim and for all the time until they shall be so restored 19. That Your Majesties said Protestant Subjects may also be restor'd to all their Moneys Plate Jewels Houshold-stuff Goods and Chattels whatsoever which without due Process or Judgment in Law have been by the said Confederates taken or detain'd from them since the contriving of the said Rebellion which may be gain'd in kind or the full value thereof if the same may not be had in kind and the like restitution to be made for all such things which during the said time have been deliver'd to any person or persons of the said Confederates in trust to be kept or preserv'd but are by colour thereof still withholden 20. That the establishment and maintenance of a compleat Protestant-Army and sufficient Protestant-Souldiers and Forces for the time to come be speedily taken into Your Majesties prudent just and gracious Consideration and such a course laid down and continued according to the Rules of good Government that Your Majesties Right and Laws the Protestant Religion and peace of that Kingdom be no more endanger'd by the like Rebellions in time to come 21. That whereas it appeareth in Print that the said Confederates amongst other things aim at the repeal of Poyning's Law thereby to open an easie and ready way in the passing of Acts of Parliament in Ireland without having them first well consider'd of in England which may produce many dangerous Consequences both to that Kingdom and to Your Majesties other Dominions Your Majesty would be pleased to resent and reject all Propositions tending to introduce so great a diminution of Your Royal and necessary Power for the confirmation of your Royal Estate and protection of Your good Protestant Subjects both there and elsewhere 22. That Your Majesty out of Your grace and favour to your Protestant Subjects of Ireland would be pleased to consider effectually of answering them that you will not give order for or allow of the transmitting into Ireland any Act of general Oblivion Release or discharge of Actions or Suits whereby Your Majesties said Protestant Subjects there may be barred or depriv'd of their Legal Remedies which by Your Majesties Laws and Statutes of that Kingdom they may have against the said Confederates or any of them or any of their party for or in respect of any wrongs done unto them or any of their Ancestors or Predecessors in or concerning their Lives Liberties Persons Lands Goods or Estates since the contriving and breaking forth of the said Rebellion 23. That some fit course may be consider'd of to prevent the filling or over-laying of the Commons House of Parliament in Ireland with Popish Recusants being ill-affected Members and that provision be duly made that none shall Vote or sit therein but such as shall first take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy 24. That the proofs and manifestations of the truth of the several matters contain'd in the Petition of Your Majesties Protestant Subjects of Ireland lately presented to Your Majesty may be duly examined discussed and in that respect the final Conclusion of things respited for a convenient time their Agents being ready to attend with Proofs in that behalf as your Majesty shall appoint In answer wereunto it was replied by the Committee of Lords and others of Irish affaires at Oxford 1. That their Lordships did not think that the Propositions presented by the Protestant Agents to his Majesty and that morning read before their Lordships were the sence of the Protestants of Ireland 2. That those Propositions were not agreeable to the Instructions given the said Agents by the Protestants of Ireland 3. That if those Propositions were drawn they would lay a prejudice on his Majesty and his Ministers to Posterity these remaining on Record if a Treaty should go on and Peace follow which the Kings necessity did enforce and that the Lords of the Committee apprehended the said Agents did flatly oppose a Peace with the Irish. 4. That it would be impossible for the King to grant the Protestants Agents desires and grant a Peace to the Irish. 5. That the Lords of the Committee desired the Protestant Agents to propose a way to effect their desires either by Force or Treaty considering the condition of his Majesties Affaires in England To the first the Protestant Agents replied that they humbly conceived that the Propositions which they had presented to his Majesty were the sence of of the Protestants of Ireland To the Second That the Propositions are agreeable to the Instructions given to the said Agents by the Protestants of Ireland and conduced to the well settlement of that Kingdom To the Third That they had no thought to draw prejudice on his Majesty or their Lordships by putting in those Propositions neither had they so soon put in Propositions had not his Majesty by his Answer to the Protestant Petition directed the same To the Fourth The said Agents humbly conceived that they were imployed to make proof of the effect of the Protestant Petition to manifest the inhumane Cruelties of the Rebels and then to offer such things as they thought fit for the Security of the Protestants in in their Religion Lives Liberties and Fortunes That the said Protestants had no disaffection to Peace so as punishment might be inflicted according to Law as in the Propositions are expressed and that the said Protestants might be repaired for their great losses out of the Estates of the Rebels not formerly by any Acts of this present Parliament in England otherwise disposed of which the said Agents desired might be represented to his Majesty and the Lords of the Committee accordingly To the Fifth That the said Protestant Agents were Strangers to his Majesties Affairs in England and conceived that part more proper for the advice of his Councils then the said Agents and therefore desired to be excused for medling in the treaty further then the
she my Brother the Earl of Antrim hath taken the Castle and City of Dublin having lately moved thither for the same purpose and not to please the Dutchess as was given out and my brother Alexander mac Donnell according to the general Appointment hath taken the Town and Castle of Carrickfergus He the Deponent then asked what they meant to do with those whom they had disarmed and pillaged She said as long as their preservation should be deemed consistent with the publick safety they should injoy their lives when otherwise better their enemy perish than themselves which was but a very cold comfort to a Freshman prisoner as my self was And also said That Sir Phelim O Neil told this Deponent in December last that his stock in money amounted to 80000 sterling wherewith he said he was able to maintain an Army for one year though all shifts else failed And that Captain Alexander Hovenden told him that as soon as his brother Sir Phelim was created Earl of Tyron and great O Neil he wrote Letters and sent them by Friars to the Pope and Kings of Spain and France but would not discover the Contents And further saith That about the first of March last the said Alexander told the Deponent that the Friars of Drogheda by Father Thomas brother to the Lord of Slane had the second time invited Sir Phelim thither and offered to betray the Town unto him by making or discovering the Deponent knoweth not whether a breach in the Wall through which he might march six men a breast The Deponent saw this Friar the same time in Armagh whom Sir Phelim took by the hand and brought to the Deponent saying This is the Friar that said Mass at Finglass upon Sunday morning and in the Afternoon did beat Sir Charles Coote at swords I hope said the Friar to say Mass in christ-Christ-Church Dublin within eight weeks And further Deposed that he this Deponent asked many both of their Commanders and Friars what chiefly moved them to take up Arms They said Why may not we as well and better fight for Religion which is the Substance than the Scots did for Ceremonies which are but Shadows and that my Lord of Strafford's Government was intolerable The Deponent answered That that Government how insupportable soever was indifferent and lay no heavier upon them then on him and the rest of the Brittish Protestants They replied That the Deponent and the rest of the Brittish were no considerable part of the Kingdom and that over and above all this they were certainly informed that the Parliament of England had a plot to bring them all to Church or to cut off all the Papists in the Kings Dominions in England by the English Protestants or as they call them Puritans in Ireland by the Scots And further deposeth That he asked as seeming very careful of their saftety what hope of Aid they had and from whom as also what discreet and able men they had to imploy as Agents to their Friends beyond the Sea They said if they held out this next Winter they were sure and certain in the Spring to receive Aid from the Pope France and Spain and that the Clergy of Spain had already contributed five thousand Arms and Powder for a whole year then in readiness They said their best and only Agents were their Priests and Friars but especially the forenamed Paulo Neil upon whose coming with advice from Spain they presently opened the War and that since the War began in the very dead of Winter he both went with Letters and returned with Instructions from Spain in one Month professing the good Cause had suffered much prejudice if he had been hanged in Dublin And this Deponent further saith That he demanded why sometimes they pretended a Commission from the King at other times from the Queen since all Wisemen knew that the King would not grant a Commission against himself and the Queen could not They being Commanders and Friars said That it was lawful for them to pretend what they could in advancement of their Cause That many of the Garrison Souldiers now their Prisoners whom they determined to imploy in the War and to train others would not serve them in regard of their Oath unless they were made so to believe That in all Wars rumours and lies served many times to as good purpose as Arms and that they would not disclaim any advantage But they said for the Queen in regard as a Catholick she had enemies enough already they would command their Priests publickly at Mass to discharge the people from speaking of her as a Cause or Abetter of the present Troubles And the Deponent also asked Sir Phelim O Neil what his demands were without which his Lordship and the rest would not lay down Arms At first he told this Deponent That they required only Liberty of Conscience But afterwards as his Power so his Demands were multiplied They must have no Lord Deputy great Officers of State Privy Councellors Judges or Justices of Peace but of the Irish Nation no standing Army in the Kingdom all Tythes payable by Papists to be paid to Popish Priests Church Lands to be restóred to their Bishops All Plantations since primo Jacobi to be disannulled none made hereafter no payments of debts due to the Brittish or restitution of any thing taken in the Wars all Fortifications and Strengths to be in the hands of the Irish with power to erect and build more if they thought fit all Strangers meaning Brittish to be restrained from coming over all Acts of Parliament against Popery and Papists together with Poynings Act to be repealed and the Irish Parliament to be made Independent But saith that others told him this Deponent that although all these Demands were granted yet Sir Phelim for his own part was not resolv'd to lay down Arms unless his Majesty would confirm unto him the Earldom of Tyrone with all the ancient Patrimony and Priviledges belonging to the O Neils And further saith that in March 1641. Alexander Hovenden by Sir Phelim's direction sent from the Camp before Drogheda a Prophecy said to be found in the Abbey of Kells importing that Tyrone or Sir Phelim after the Conquest and Settlement of Ireland should fight five set Battels in England in the last whereof he should be killed upon Dunsmore-heath but not before he had driven King Charles with his whole Posterity out of England who should be afterwards profugi in terra aliena in aeternum The Paper it self with the Deponents whole Library to the value of seven or eight hundred pounds was lately burnt by the Scots under the Conduct of the Lord Viscount Montgomery since that Prophecy the Deponent saith he hath often seen Captain Tirlagh mac Brian O Neil a great man in the County of Armagh with many others no mean Commanders drinking Healths upon the knee to Sir Phelim O Neil Lord General of the Catholick Army in Ulster Earl
greater Contagion to our Religion then could arise from those light differencies was imminent by Persons common Enemies to them both namely the great number of Priests both Seminaries and Jesuits abounding in this Realm as well of such as were here before our coming to this Crown as of such as have resorted hither since using their Functions and Professions with greater liberty then heretofore they durst have done partly upon a vain confidence of some Innovation in matter of Religion to be done by us which we never intended nor gave any man cause to expect and partly upon the assurance of our general Pardon granted according to the custom of our Progenitors at our Coronation for offences past in the days of the late Queen which Pardons many of the said Priests have procur'd under our great Seal and holding themselves thereby free from the danger of the Laws do with great Audacity exercise all Offices of their Profession both saying Masses perswading our Subjects from the Religion Established and reconciling them to the Church of Rome and by consequence seducing them from the true perswasion which all Subjects ought to have of their Duty and Obedience to Us Of which though I might urge more I have no itch to enlarge their own Scourge may be their Punishment Saepe in Magistrum scelera redierunt sua Certain it was the Irish hop'd to shake off the English Government by that attempt but how improbable a Series of 500 years Succession sufficiently evinces every defection in the People having rooted the Prince more intire that at length methinks they should be wean'd from further Assays of that nature though where there are a People who look towards Egypt there will not want some to cry out for a Captain to lead them But to descant hereupon is not my design being willing to believe that Janus's Gates may henceforth be shut Allegiance being the aim not the pretence of their present Submission What I here endeavour is to clear by what Steps the late Rebellion arrived at its Height and how it came in so short a time to sweep all before it In handling of which I shall first shew the Condition of the Kingdom some years before the Rebellion Then I shall speak of the preliminary Acts thereunto and therein detect the vanity of those who would fix the Rebellion at first upon a few discontented inconsiderable Persons a Rable Authors of all the Civil War that followed in Ulster onely when the Plot was a long laid Design determin'd by the main Body of the Nation as Rory-Mac-Guire ingenuously told Colonel Audley Mervin That this great undertaking was never the Act of one or 2 giddy fellows We have said he our Party in England we have our Party in Scotland that will keep such as would oppose us busy from sending you any Aid in as much as I could tell you who the Persons were that were designed for the Surprisal of all the Places of Strength And in the Declaration of the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates of Ireland at Jamestown the 12. of August 1650. It is there acknowledged That the Catholick People of Ireland so not the Rable in the year 1641. were forc'd to take up Arms for the defence of Holy Religion their Lives and Liberties which some very industriously would fain wipe off as being too undeniable an evidence of their inclinations before those vain pretences they fly to as their main Subterfuge drove them into the Net with others Yet we shall herein so clear the folly of what they would have the World believe as their Excuse serves mainly to aggravate their Crime Mens Impudicam facere non casus Solet Afterwards I will fall on the Subject till the Cessation manag'd by subtil Instruments of State Yet not without great Disgusts to some highly improv'd to the event of what afterwards ensued Then we shall proceed to the Conclusion which betwixt the Cessation and that will appear to have many notable changes such as though some Histories may lead you through many varieties this more In clearing of which I should have been glad of more Originals than I could meet with especially such as might have detected the whole Proceedings at Kilkenny where the Design was so closely anvil'd as all things afterwards were found there in defiance of his Majesties Authority There first the Clergy compact a General Congregation which summon'd a General Assembly equivalent in their Veneration to a Parliament and that Established a Supream Council of the Confederate Catholicks which received from them Sanction and Laws by which Coin was stamped National and Provincial Court Established Estates setled their Clergy Re-established the Popes Nuncio receiv'd Ambassadors sent thence and others entertain'd from Foraign Princes all under a Soveraign Seal of their own and what else might bespeak them independent on any but their own Power But the Evidence of these and some other Records being the Treasure of fearful men whom a specious Artifice had charm'd easy Keys oâ— Interest could not freely purchase The Records however of that presumptious Assembly are notwithstanding the unfortunateness of the Age yet secur'd in his Library which though before it wanted little to make it venerable will in future Ages be resorted to as a Treasure invaluable securing those Secrets which the malice of so potent an Enemy would have improv'd to the ruine of an Empire Yet as I have already said I ground little if any thing but on Proofs Nay I have so well sifted Kilkenny it self though no Art hath been omitted to shuffle up the Proceeding there as the Original Progress and State of that Conclave is not without faithful and notable Remarks more being under the Vizard than appear'd in the Disguise though the Retirement I have now betook my self to suitable to the effects of so disconsolate a Rebellion deprives me of those Councils and Societies which by a free'r Commerce might have rectified either my Sence or Stile For the most part I have in the Appendix set down Copies of the weightiest Records they carrying so much even of the History in them as they eas'd me in the Story I should have been forward to have enlarg'd more nothing of that nature being otherwise than important But in that his Majesty's Works Sir John Temple of the Irish Rebellion Husbands Collections of Orders Ordinances and Declarations of both Houses of Parliament the Commissioners of Ireland's Remonstrance to the House of Commons in England of the condition of the Clergy and Protestants the Speeches of several Members Diurnals Walshes Loyal Formulary the Answer to the Irish Remonstrance presented at Trim 1642. And other Prints being extant I have rather chose to refer the Reader often thither then engage him in too Voluminous a Tract though where any Relation act or other Material Instrument makes up the Story not without injury to be abreviated we have tied our selves to the Words It was my happiness I must acknowledge to meet with a
to the hazard of our lives those Rebels of this Kingdom who shall refuse their obedience to his Majesty upon such terms as he hath thought fit by us to require it and we shall endeavour to the utmost the suppressing of that Independent-Party who have thus fiercely laboured the extirpation of the true Protestant Religion the ruine of our Prince the dishonour of Parliament and the Vassalage of our Fellow-Subjects against all those who shall depend upon them or adhere unto them And that this our undertaking might not appear obnoxious to the Trade of England but that we desire a firm Union and Agreement be preserved betwixt us we do likewise declare that we will continue free Traffick and Commerce with all his Majesties good Subjects of England and that we will not in the least manner prejudice any of them that shall have recourse to our Harbours either in their Bodies Ships or Goods nor shall we take any thing from them without payment of ready money for the same And now that by his Majesties said Command we have proceeded to re-enter upon the work of his Service in this Province We conceive no higher testimony can be given of his Majesties acceptation or of the estimation we bear about us towards their Proceedings than by resorting unto them in Person with his Majesties Authority and exhibiting unto them the incouragement and satisfaction they may receive in this assurance That as we bear an especial regard to their present undertakings and performances accompanied with a real sense of their former sufferings so lest there should any advantage be derived unto those who endeavour to improve all opportunities of sowing sedition and distrust by this suggestion that the former differences in Judgment and Opinion which have induced persons to serve diversly under his Majesty and the Parliament will occasion prejudice or ill resentments to arise towards such Persons as have not formerly concurred in Judgment with others in his Majesties Service We do declare that we are qualifi'd with special Power and Authority from his Majesty to assure them that no distinction shall be made in any such Consideration but that all Persons now interested and engaged in this Cause shall be reflected upon with equal fervour and regard and that we shall make it our endeavours so to improve and confirm his Majesties Gracious disposure towards them as that we will never call to memory any past difference in Opinion Judgment Action or Profession to the prejudice of any Member of this Army or any Person relating to it but on the contrary shall be very ready to attest our good affections towards them in the discharge of such good Offices as shall be in our power in return whereof we shall onely expect their perseverance in their present Ingagements for his Majesties Service with such alacrity constancy and affection as may suit with their late publick Declaration and Professions To whom we desire this assurance also may be inculcated That as we shall in the future use our utmost care and diligence to provide for their preservation from the like hardships to those they have formerly undergone so we have already employ'd our best industry and endeavours for the settlement of such a course as we may with most reason hope will in these uncertain times produce a constant and competent Subsistance for them enabling them to make such a progress in their present undertakings as may with the accomplishment of the great ends thereof establish their own Honour and Content Thus much we have thought fit to publish unto the World to furnish it with an evidence of strong conviction against us if we ever swerve to the best of our power from the just ways of maintaining the true Protestant Religion the Honour and Interest of his Sacred Majesty the just Rights of Parliament the Liberties of the Subjects and the safety quiet and welfare of the People intrusted to our Care At Cork 6. Octob. 1648. Here it must not be forgotten that during the time the Marquis was in France and after the Parliaments Forces had upon so great inequality of number defeated the Irish and in all Encounters driven them into their Fastnesses the Confederate Catholicks had easily discern'd the mischiefs they had brought upon themselves by forcing the Kings Authority out of the Kingdom and introducing another which had no purposes of mercy towards them And therefore they had sent the Lord Marquis of Antrim who from the beginning had passionately serv'd them in their most intimate Concerns the Lord Viscount Muskery and others as their Commissioners to the Queen of England and to her Son the Prince of Wales who were both then at Paris to beseech them since by reason of the King's imprisonment they could not be suffered to apply themselves to his Majesty to take compassion of the miserable condition of Ireland and to restore that Nation to their protection making ample professions and protestations of Duty and of applying themselves for the future to his Majesties Service if they might be once again own'd by him and countenanced and conducted by his Authority And thereupon the Queen and Prince answered those Persons That they would shortly send a Person qualifi'd to treat with them who should have power to give them whatsoever was requisite to their security and happiness With which Answer they return'd well satisfi'd into Ireland So that as soon as the Lord Lieutenant was Landed at Cork he wrote the 4th of October to the Assembly of the Confederate Catholicks then at Kilkenny That he was upon the humble Petition which they had presented to the Queen and Prince come with full power to conclude a Peace with them and to that purpose desir'd that as little time might be lost as was possible and that Commissioners might be sent to him at his House at Carrick whither he would go to expect them within 14 miles of the Place where the Assembly then sate who were so much gladder of his presence by the obligation which they had newly received from the Kings Authority For when the Nuncio and Owen O Neil had thought to have surprized them and to have compelled them to renounce the Cessation the Lord Inchequin being sent unto by them for his protection had march'd with his Army to their relief and forc'd O Neal over the Shannon thereby restoring them to liberty and freedom so that they return'd a message of joy and congratulation to the Lord Lieutenant for his safe arrival and appointed Commissioners to treat with him at the place appointed A Copy of the Marquis of Ormond's Letter to the Supreme Council afore-mention'd was gotten by Colonel Jones and sent over to the Committee of Derby-house and being read in the House of Commons it was Voted to be sent down into the Isle of Wight to the Commissioners then Treating there with the King to know if he would avow it and in case he did disavow it that then he would declare against