they were to encounter with to effect it and therefore moved the King that their Estates might be secured by an Act of Parliament with Liberty of Exercising their Religion only privately but Peters opposed this as a consideration too Worldly adding that if they would persue his measures he doubted not to see the Holy Church Triumphant in England Other Papists desired the King they might have Liberty to sell their Estates and retire into France and by his Intercession might be provided for in that Kings Dominions To which he replyed that before their desires came to him he had often thought of them and had as he believed provided a sure Sanctuary for them in Ireland if all those endeavours should be blasted in England which he had made for their Security and of whose Success he had not reason to despair adding many zealous Expressions of his extream kindness for the Catholick Church As that he resolved rather to dye a Martyr than not to settle the Roman Religion and that he would choose to dye the next day that design being compassed rather than live 50 years without effecting it having already been almost a Martyr for the Catholick Cause which had been the occasion of all his Troubles In pursuance of these Resolutions the King gave himself wholly up to the Conduct and Counsels of the Furious Jesuits being entred into their Society and was become a Lay Brother of that Order and consequently judged it Meritorious to extirpate and destroy Heresie especially being told That it would be a most glorious Action and that no doubt he would be Canonized for a Saint if he could Reduce 3 Kingdoms to their Ancient Obedience to the Holy See from which they had been so long Apostates and had Nurst up so many Damned Hereticks to the Disturbance of Holy Church But the present Lord Lieutenant being an Obstacle to the Vigorous progress of Popery in Ireland land the Jesuits resolved to remove him of which design a Person of Honour acquainted the King who absolutely denyed there was any such intention or that he had any thoughts of it nor did believe he ever should whilst both lived remove him from that Government though the Papists in Ireland confidently affirmed That he had before given assurance to Father Peters that Tyrconnel should be Lord Deputy and accordingly in 1686. he obtained that Government against all opposition the News of which so surprized the Protestants in Ireland that almost all that were able Deserted the Kingdom and flockt in great numbers to the Isle of Man Scotland and other places so great was their Terror and Consternation at these dreadful tydings and the dismal effects which they expected from his Management of Affairs at length Tyrconnel arrived there after having been kept a considerable time at the Sea side by contrary winds which seemed a Signal Act of providence to give warning and opportunity to the People to fly from the judgments just ready to fall upon that distressed Kingdom The Lord Clarendon Surrendred the Sword to him with an Admirable Speech concluding that as he had kept an equal hand of Justice to the Roman Catholicks so he hoped his Lordship would do to the Protestants But Popery was the Scene which must be Acted and the Protestants Trembled at the Terrible Consequences thereof whilst the Irish Triumpht and insulted over their Dejection reproaching them both as Englishmen and Protestants and usually calling them Fanatick Dogs and Damned Hereticks Yea so Barbarous were their Affronts and Indignities that the English were daily afraid of a general Massacre to be inhumanly put in Execution against them Tyrconnel now places Popish Judges and Officers in all the Courts of Judicature and then proceeds against the Charters of all the Cities and Corporations of the Kingdom He endeavoured to perswade the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of Dublin to Surrender theirs to the King but meeting with much Opposition therein he in a Rage told them that this was the continuance of their former Rebellion having turn'd out all the Loyal Subjects in the last War of Ireland and would do so now if it were in their power whereupon they produced a Letter from King Charles I. Dated at Oxford containing great acknowledgments of their Signal Loyalty and Faithfulness to him with High Assurances of being Eminently rewarded if he were again Restored to his Crown But this availed nothing for the common saying of the Irish was that K. James would regard no Man for any Service formerly done to him his Father or Brother but only for future Service that he expected from them So that though the Citizens of Dublin sent a Gentleman on purpose to the K. with a Petition and Representation of their Case yet he would not regard him but upon first sight askt him if he had the Lord Deputies leave to come with this Petition and that he had those in Ireland that understood the Law better than himself and so turned from him and he was forced to go back again re infecta Yet the City of Dublin was resolved not to betray their Liberties but imploy'd the Council to defend their Charters but these Judges who had already broken through all inclosures of Law and Trampled upon the known Constitutions of the Kingdom that they were opposite to their Popish and Arbitrary Designs over ruled all their Pleadings and gave Judgment against them to the universal excessive Joy of the Irish and great Mortification of the Protestants Consonant to the Sentence against Dublin was Judgment given against all the Charters of the Kingdom except those who quietly Surrendred them The New Lord Deputy now chose him a Privy Council that all but three had scarce common Sense of which two of them would often complain saying that nothing could pass at the Council-Board of publick concern but their Country-men must first ask Teige ' if that would not spoil his Potato Garden but however they all agreed to inslaven and beggar their Country especially in matter of Trade as appeared by Tyrconnels first Proclamation with the Advice of his Council to break an Act of Parliament in taking off the Duty of Iron and this without asking the King leave but as soon as it was heard of in England a Proclamation came from thence forbidding this wise Act made by these Notable Statesmen and the Lord Bellasis swore in Council That Fool in Ireland was Fool and Mad-man enough to ruine 10 Kingdoms And Father Peters secretly Reprimanded him for his Political Blunder and writ to him if he acted not with greater Caution the King could not possibly preserve him in that Government This with the vast numbers of People that Deserted the Kingdom upon Tyrconnels coming Lord Deputy thither whereby the Towns and Cities were made almost Desolate and Traffick so ruined that the publick Revenue was sunk incredibly from the former value were so strongly pressed against him at the English Privy Council to his Disadvantage that he obtained the Favour of
England he would Abrogate those Laws made against the Papists there He gave thanks likewise to Muskeny Plumket and others of that party promising a Pardon for all that was past But they were much troubled at the Treaty of Peace with the Parliament being sensible that one necessary condition thereof must be the Vigorous Prosecution of the War in Ireland The King to remove this fear writ to the Lord Lieutenant that he could not refuse to make a Peace with his Parliament only upon the account of those Irish it being a point not Popular Yet from that consideration the Lieutenant might raise an Advantage to hasten a Peace with them it letting them know their own Danger by being Excluded from all Hope of Pardon from the Parliament For saith he if we agree upon all other conditions it will not be convenient for me to disagree only concerning those Irish Therefore let them take what I offer while time is and hasten the Peace and when once my Faith is passed no Human force shall make me break it The Queen also being then in France writing to her Husband seemed to grieve much that at Uxbridge they were to Treat of Religion in the first place assuring him That if any thing severe against the Catholicks should be concluded and yet a â—eace not be made the King could not hope for any Assistance from the Catholick Princes or from the Irish who must needs think that after they had done their best they should at last be forsaken And often intreats the King that he would never forsake the Catholicks who had faithfully served him in the Wars c. The Commissioners met at Uxbridge but nothing at all was concluded at that Treaty so that the War must decide it in pursuance whereof both Parties strengthen themselves with fresh Forces and the Kings Army was very formidable but not content with so great a power of English Souldiers he seemed more earnest than before to get over the Irish he had committed the Business to Ormond to make an Absolute Peace but perceiving their Demands were too High so that nothing was effected he now imployed the Earl of Clamorgan Son to the Marquess of Worcester a zealous Papist and therefore more acceptable with the Rebels giving him full power to make a Peace and indulge to the Irish whatever might seem needful and this was Transacted so secretly that both the Lord Lieutenant Ormond and the Lord Digby Secretary of Ireland were ignorant thereof till it was afterward Discovered and made publick But the King finding it difficult to make such a Peace as would bring him certain Assistance otherwise that he might throw all that Envy upon Glamorgan impowred him unknown to the rest For so the Rebels sweetned with large promises unknown to Ormond might the better admit of Conditions just in shew and openly excusable and the King might draw from Ireland such Souldiers as would more firmly adhere to his side and whom he might trust as being the greatest haters of the English Protestants and dispairing of Pardon against the Parliament of England He therefore gave Letters of Authority to Glamorgan in these words Charles by the Grace of God King of England c. Defender of the Faith to our Trusty and well beloved Cosen Edward Earl of Glamorgan Greeting Being confident of your Wisdom and Fidelity We do by these Letters as if under our Great Seal grant unto you full power and authority to Treat with the Confederate Roman Catholicks in Ireland and to indulge them all those things which necessity shall require and which we cannot so Comodiously do by our Lieutenant nor our self publickly own at present Therefore We Command that you do this Businese with as much Secrecy as can be Whatsoever you shall think fit to be promised in my Name that I do attest upon the word of a King and a Christian to grant to those Confederate Catholicks who by their Assistance have abundantly shewed their zeal to us and our Cause Given at Oxford under our Royal Seal March 12. and 20 year of our Reign In pursuance of these Powers the Earl of Glamorgan assured the King He would Land 6000 Irish Papists in May following in Wales and with the Transport Ships block up Melford Haven having already to advance the same thirty thousand pound in Money 1000 Musquets 2000 Case of Pistols 800. Barrels of Powder besides his own Artillery and a certainty of 30000 l. more The K. likewise obliged the Earl of Antrim to joyn with the Marquess of Montross then in Arms in Scotland who ingaged to send 10000 Irish thither from Ireland where the passage was shortestito assist him but was very deficient therein being scarce able to send 1200 thither In 1644. the Parliament ordered the Arraignment of the Lord Macguire and Collonel Mahon who were Seised at Dublin the Night before the Discovery of the Rebellion there and had been in the Town ever since They were now brought to their Tryal at the Kings Bench Bar at Westminster where Macguire insisted much upon his Peerage but was over ruled and both found Guilty of High Treason by a Jury of Middlesex Gentlemen and executed at Tyburn In 1646. the Lord Lieutenant endeavoured to make the Cessation with the Irish a kind of a Peace which they condescended to upon the following Propositions 1. That the Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion should be in Dublin and Drogheda and in the Kingdom of Ireland as free as in Paris and Brussels 2. That the Privy Council of Ireland consist of Members True and Faithful to his Majesty and who have been Enemies to the Parliament 3. That Dublin Drogheda Trim Newry Cathirly Carlingford and all Protestant Garrisons be Manned by the Confederate Catholicks to keep the same for the use of the King and Defence of the Kingdom 4. That the said Councellors Generals Commanders and Souldiers do Swear and Ingage to fight against the Parliament of England and all the Kings Enemies and that they will never come to any Agreement with them to the prejudice of His Majesties Rights and and the Kingdoms 5. That both Parties according to their Oath of Association shall to the best of their power and cunning defend the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom the Kings Rights and Liberties of the Subject This Peace was kept by some of the moderate Papists but was ill Resented both by the Parliament of England and the Popes Nuncio who infiuenced the most Serious Papists To put a stop to which the Parliament sent 2000 Men from Chester under Colonel George Monk with 3 Commissioners to the Lord Lieutenant at Dublin who refused to Deliver the City to them without the Kings Command So that after having Treated the Commissioners the English Forces were again Imbarqued and Landed at Belfast in Ireland whereby they did very good Service against O Neal and his Fellow Rebels who had of late been too Successful against the Protestants On the other side the Nuncio's Party
were so Elevated with the Hopes of shaking off the English Yoak neither of the two Kingdoms being now in a Capacity to Relieve Ireland that the Romish Clergy thundered out Excommunication against any that should Acquiesce in the said Peace and Agreement and with an Army of 17000 Horse and Hoot resolved to Besiege Dublin which so startled the Protestants that the Lord Lieutenant was obliged to Resume the former Treaty with the Parliaments Commissioners and the King finding that all his Secret Transactions with the Earl of Glamorgan were Discovered by the Letters taken at Nasâ—by Fight to the great Disgust of the People in general and that all the Assurance he had from the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Digby were Disappointed by the Falsness and Treachery of the Rebels He though with much Reluctancy consented that all manner of Treaty with the Enemy should cease the Earl of Glamorgan being for a pretence Imprisoned the Lord Lieutenant being prest with the Danger of a Seige from the Roman Catholick Confederates in 1647. Delivered up Dublin to the Parliaments Commissioners he having Articled for his passing freely to the King on whom he waited while the Army carryed him about and afterwards put him to Death and from thence passed to France from whence about September 16â—8 The Cathedral Confederates dreading a Storm from England by Letters to the King had importuned him to send for the said Marquess of Ormond late Lord Lieutenant and ordered him to return again into Ireland upon their Ingagement and Protestation of Plenary Submission to his Majesties Authority and to him as his Lieutenant as being the only proper Person for that Imployment The Marquess accordingly undertook it and making an agreement with the Lord Inchequeen and his Forces and likewise with those of the Marquess of Clan-riccard and the Earl of Castlehaven and the Confederate Catholicks who had proclaimed the Nuncio's Party Rebels and Traytors being all joyned under his Command they designed to Reduce Dublin then possest by the Parliaments Forces but differences soon arose about the Exercise of the Popish Religion and upon points of Command whereby Owen O Neal that had a considerable Party of Irish was Disobliged who thereupon makes an agreement with Collonel Monk in the Name of the Parliament though they afterwards disclaimed it but acknowledged his Faithfulness and Well-meaning therein by a Vote of Parliament considering how odious it would be to have Assistance from Irish Rebels However he Aided them all he could and releived London-Derry then Besieged by the Confederate Forces At length the Marquess of Ormond comes before Dublin with his Army and obliges Collonel Jones the Governor who had drawn out some of the Garrison to interrupt them to retire into the City which was indifferently Fortified and plentifully Mann'd both with Horse and Foot and therefore he durst not venture his Army upon a Desparate Assault since the Garrisons of Drogheda and Trim lay so convenient to Attempt upon them Commanded by Collâ—nel Monk and O Neal So that the Marquess wanting Money and Provisions and the English and Irish Forces Murmuring against each other he was almost resolved to have Marched away but O Neals Party being soon after Defeated and a Convoy of Arms and Ammunition which were sent him by Collonel Monk being taken by the Lord Inchequeen Drogheda was Surrendred together with Dundalk the Garrison Compelling Collonel Monk to deliver it and the Souldiers took up Arms for the King the Garrison of Trim was soon after taken from the Parliament after which the Lord Inchequeen brings up his Forces now much increased to Assist the Marquess at the Siege of Dublin who Designed to shut up the Garrison within their works and hinder them from getting Forrage or to graze their Cattel without the Line which was drawn round the Town The Besieged perceiving the Danger of being thus closely confined whereby they would have been prevented of all Succour both from Land and Sea and knowing the Marquesss want of Horse to Guard the New Forts resolved by a desperate Sally to disturb them which they made accordingly Aug. 2. 1649. about 8 in the Morning with 1200 Foot and 4000 Horse and finding the New Fortification slight and the Resistance weak they soon were Masters of it from whence seeing the Irish fly in great Disorder they contrary to the first intentions pursued the Besiegers even to the Avenues of their Camp and being Animated by Collonel Jones their Governor who had newly received a Supply of 3000 Men from England they fell with such fury upon the whole Army at Rachmines consisting of 19000 Men that in a short time they put them to the Rout killing 4000 on the place and making 2517 Prisoners many of them Persons of quality taking all their Cannon and a Rich Camp to reward the Souldiers Most of the Lord Inchequeens Foot that at first made some Resistance seeing the Day lost changed sides and joyned with the Parliaments Forces All this was done in so short a space and with so little noise that the Lord Dillon and the rest of the Marquess's Forces on the other side the River Liffy knew nothing of it till some run-aways brought the News the Irish making such hast home in so pannick a fear that the Lord Lieutenant could not possibly rally them and therefore fled with a considerable Perty to Kilkenny and there endeavoured to draw together as many of his Dispersed Troops as possible with which he speeds away to Trim and Drogheda where he had notice that Oliver Cromwell the Parliaments General was Landed with considerable Forces upon on which he put a Garrison of 300 Horse and 2500 Foot into Drogheda which was thought sufficient and having furnisht it with what Provisions he was able and made Sir Arthur Aston Governor went from thence to Trim and Terrogan About this time London-Derry possest by the Parliament and Besieged by Ormonds Forces was relieved and the Siege Raised and not long after a Ship from Spain brought the Plague into Galloway whereof a great number of the Irish dyed Cromwell having refresht his Men at Dublin Marches to Besiege Drogheda and made himself Master of it in a little time after a stout Resistance from the Garrison putting most of the Officers and every Tenth Souldier to the Sword to terrifie others from making Opposition against his Victorious Arms Sir Arthur Afton and several other principal Officers and Gentlemen with near 3000 Souldiers being Slain after this Cromwell Besieges the Town of Wexford and soon reduced it even before the Lord Lieutenants Eyes with the loss of 2000 of the Irish upon this the Marquess makes an Agreement with Owen O Neal whereby the Ulster Army were to joyn with his under the Command of Luke Taaf who was made Governor of Ross but soon forced to surrender it to General Cromwell after which the Garrisons of Bandon-Bridge Yough-Hall Cork Kingsale and all the English Towns in Munster declared for the Parliament and Cromwell marched to
cannot be far from 〈◊〉 where Vice is Patroniz'd and Antrim a Rebel upon Record and so lately and clearly proved one should have no other Colour for his Actions but the King 's own Letter which takes off all Imputations from Antrim and lays them totally upon his own Father Sir I shall by the next if possible send you over one of our Briefs against my Lord by some Friend It 's too large for a Pacquet it being no less in Bulk than a Book of Martyrs Well might the Irish decline their Tryals by indifferent Juries and Appeal to this Court of Claims which the Lord Chief Justice Santry declared was like the Usurpers High Court of Justice Arbitrary and Unlimited and the English complained that the Natives by this Illegal Court were made Innocent though they were known to be deeply concerned in the Rebellion for that it was beyond all peradventure that not 10 of the Irish Papists were free from Rebellion and Murther and most of them stood Indicted and Outlawed for Treason and therefore dispaired upon their Tryal at the Bar to make any considerable defence Upon this a New Act was prepared to explain the former But Talbot after Tyrconnel being made a Principal Agent for the Irish and they insinuating themselves into the favour of Rainsford afterward made a Judge in England for his good Services in Ireland and the Commissioners of the Court of Claims it so fell out that though it was believed upon the Kings Restoration there could not have been the twentieth part of Ireland gained from the English Yet by Recommendatory Letters and other Stratagems of the Court in England there was almost an half of the Kingdom in value lost and at the same time the most Innocent Irish lost their Estates and the greatest Rebels got twice more than they had before the Rebellion began to such a height was Popery already grown which so far incouraged the Irish that they often told the English that in a short time the Protestants must be all of their Religion In 1669. The Lord Roberts was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland but soon recalled and John Lord Berkley was sent in his Room In 1670. The Papists set up a pretence that the King when in Exile had ingaged to the French King to restore the Irish to their Religion and Estates which not being done might occasion a Breach with that Crown Whereupon Commissions were sent to Irish Papists to make them Justices of Peace in which Office they soon discovered themselves to be so partial and insolent that their proceedings were abhor'd not only by the Protestants but the most thinking Irish After this there was a design for Regulating the Corporations of Ireland and the Popish Party began with Dublin where without any Legal proceeding or pretence 7 of the Aldermen and Sir William Davis the Recorder who were opposite to the Romish Party were turned out in a Tumultuous Irregular manner and 7 of the Rabble put in their places and Sir Ellis Leaton the Lord Lieutenants Secretary was made Recorder and Papists were daily brought into the Common Council to the great Terror of the Citizens who plainly perceived that the design was apparently level'd at the Foundation of the Protestant Interest and Religion and for introducing Popery and Arbitrary Power In which Opinion they were confirmed by some Passages that happened about the same time Particularly that Talbot the Popish Archbishop of Dublin in 1672. Desiring of the Lord Lieutenant to borrow the Hangings of the Castle Silver Candlesticks and other Plate to the use at High-â—â—â—ss they were sent by Sir Ellis Leaton with this Complement that he hoped to have High Mass by Christmas at Christ-Church To effect which soon after an horrid Plot was discovered whereby all the Protestants were to have been barbarously Murthered and the Signal appointed to Distinguish the Irish from the Hereticks was a Cross of Straw which the Priests earnestly enjoyned every one to fix over their Doors telling them the omission thereof might be their Ruine for where the Cross were not found they would be destroyed as Hereticks But this Horrid Conspiracy being happily Discovered upon Search small Crosses of Straw not easily perceived were found on the Houses of most of the Irish in the Province of Munster But the Government of Ireland was at that time so Popishly inclined that they would not incourage the further Discovery thereof and those that appeared earnest in laying it open had their Cattel stole and were threatned to have their Houses burnt so that the whole Villainy was husht up in silence In 3673. The Earl of Essex was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the proceedings in the former year being thought by Courts of England too bare-faced This worthy and prudent Governor managed Affairs with so much skill and integrity that the Papists could hope for no Advantage whilst he held the Sword therefore one Sheredon and Edward Coleman were thought fit Instruments to imbarrass Affairs and manage the Catholick Interest but by the unparallel'd Conduct of this prudent Earl he so far outvy'd the Romish Politicks as to Cajole that Party into an approbation of those Proceedings which proved fatally Destructive to their designs of which at length the D. of York was so sensible that he became his inveterate enemy and set up private designs against him and at length prevailed to have him recalled and in 1677. the Duke of Ormond was again sent Lord Lieutenant thither This year the Papists set up another Project which was that the French should make some new Demands for the Irish upon pretence of the Articles made by King Charles 〈◊〉 in their favour and the King of England was to admit the French to Land Men The Earl of Tyrone the Lord Brâ—â—as and others were also to raise Men in Ireland in order to make a diversion to the putting the Popish Plot in force in England and an Insurrection was designed at the same time in Ireland the King was unacquainted with the chief part of the contrivance the Duke of York having undertaken to qualifie him if he should hear of the Irish Intreague but this was divulged by some of the Irish and the King was hardly prevailed with not to believe it at length the King and Council fearing some danger from Ireland the Duke of Ormond was sent thither and the Duke of York did not think it seasonable to oppose it but yet prevailed so powerfully with the King that he sent Orders for raising Men in Ireland upon pretence of Forreign Service they were all Papists except some Officers who were ready to be so but the Lord Lieutenant would not deliver them Arms so they were exercised with Sticks The next year 1678 the Popish Plot was discovered in England and soon after that in Ireland which was detected by those of their own Party and Religion not one Protestant appearing as evidence against them Upon which Orders came from England for Disarming all Papists but their Friends at
Court had given them timely notice to conceal them so that not above 150 Arms were found among all the Papists in Ireland they hiding them in Boggs and other secret places without any Damage the Lord Brittas and others escaped into France the Earl of Tyrone was committed to the Gate-House Talbot since Tyrconnel with his Brother the Popish Archbishop were imprisoned in Dublin Castle where the last dyed The Duke of York was sent to Flanders and all things appeareâ—â— so discouraging that an Irish Lord swore a greaâ—â— Oath that he believed Jesus Christ was a Protestant for that nothing they could do did prosper The Parliament of England were very busie in searching into the bottom of the Popish Conspiracy and found many Great Persons concerned therein several Papists were executed for the same but still the Court endeavoured by all manner of Arts to obstruct any further Discoveries the Duke of Yorks Interest still prevailing who was come from Flanders but upon the sitting of the Parliament was obliged to go to Scotland from whence he sent private Encouragements to the Irish Papists not to despair of retrieving all again But the English there were very secure as judging themselves happy under the peaceable Government of the D. of Ormond and their Interest in Ireland seemed more firm than ever because they were of Opinion that this late Conspiracy of the Irish would prevent the Kings shewing them any kindness for the future the Lord Lieutenant likewise procured a Grant for calling a Parliament there the News whereof so alarm'd the Duke of York that he came with all speed from Scotland to prevent it which he likewise effected and the Irish afterward boldly affirmed That there would be no Parliament till the Duke came to the Crown which they seemed to believe would be very shortly and accordingly the Death of King Charles the II. happened in February 1684. following which still remains a Mystery though the Papists in Ireland for some time before could fix upon the utmost period of his Life And now the long looken for day was come which so Transported them after all the Dangers and Difficulties they had met with that they could hardly contain their joys within any bounds So soon as King Charles II. was Dead the Duke of Ormond was removed from the Government of Ireland and upon his Arrival in England found King James inclined to such violent Courses as it is thought broke his Heart he dying soon after Before his going he called his Officers of his Army together and taking a glass of Wine in his Hand Look here Gentlemen says he they say at Court I am now become an old Doting Fool you see my Hand doth not shake nor does my Heart fail nor doubt I but I shall make some of them see their mistake The Lord Primate and the Lord Granard were now made Lords Justices of Ireland but the dayly reported insolencies of their Irish Nobility and Gentry as well as the Commonalty soon made them weary of their Government For they repaired in great Numbers to Dublin and in all places reproached and abused the English with the most impious Calumnies and Reflections and those that refused to drink Confusion to all Protestants and their Religion were seised with Warrants and threatned to be Murthered The Defeat of the Duke of Monmouth in 1685. heightned their Rage more and made them Contrive Hellish Plots against the Lives and Estates of the Protestants under the pretence that they designed to Massacre the Irish though they themselves knew too well that such an Horrid Attempt was as impossible as Ridiculous if any should have been so Villainous to have contrived it since in the most parts of the Kingdom the Irish were vastly more numerous than the English nay in some Countries an 100 Families for one After this Tyrconnel began to Model the Army and Disarm the Protestants upon pretence that Monmoths Rebellion had infected many aad might delude more in that Kingdom and the Irish declared that if any Arms were found in the Protestants Hands they would be judged Persons Disaffected to the King and his Government which so affrighted many that they brought in their own Arms and delivered them up to the Papists After which Tyrconnel went to England accompanyed with one Neagle a cunning Irish Lawyer who published an account of the injustice of the Act of Settlement reflecting with all manner of Invectives against King Charles II. But matters being not ripe enough in England King James did not think it convenient to propose Tyrconnel for Lord Lieutenant at present and therefore it was contrived by the Popish Cabal that the Earl of Clarendon should go over Lord Lieutenant and Tyrconnel Lieutenant General of the Army When the Earl arrived there the English were much Discouraged because of his Relation to the King but their Hopes were extreamly revived when they found him acting with inviolable Integrity to the Protestant The Irish Grandees were very little concern'd at it proceeding still with all violence in ruining the Protestants Interest and animating their vassals with hopes that he would soon be removed the Irish Composing Barbarous Songs in praise of Tyrconnel and that his Heroick Hand should Destroy the English Church They declared publickly That they liked no Government but that of France and that they would make King James as Absolute as King Lewis that they would shortly have the English Churches and Houses and if they suffered them to live would make them Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water That Ireland must be a Catholick Country and that they would make the English as poor Devils as when they came first thither And of this they were so confident that the most Serious amongst them privately advised their Protestant Friends to change their Religion For said they you will be forced to do it in a while and if you delay a little time it may be too late and perhaps you may not be accepted for no Protestant must expect to enjoy any thing in this Kingdom and we resolve to reduce all things to the State they were in before Poinings Act in King Henry 7 time Yea King James himself and his followers use to say That the Irish must be restored to their former Power Estates and Religion in that Kingdom and when the English Objected that their proceedings were Arbitrary and against Law they called them Traytors Crying Damn your Laws it is the Kings Pleasure it should be so and you are all a company of Rebels because you are not of the Kings Religion and will not own his Will and Pleasure to be above all Laws But the English Roman Catholicks were not so confident of their Game so that a general meeting of the chief of them at the Savoy before Father Peters they seemed very doubtful of the Kings Capacity or willingness to expose himself to the hazard of securing the Catholick Religion in his Reign considering his Age and the almost insurmountable difficulties
K. James to meet and confer with him at Chester carrying along with him Judge Rice for his Councellor and a Subtle Fellow who told the King so many fine Stories there being none to contradict him that he was dismist contrary to the hopes and expectations of many who thought he would never have returned again L. Deputy When he took leave of several Privy Counsellors and Officers at his going to wait on King James at Chester Aug. 1687. He said I have put the Sword in your Hands And then in his usual Stile prayed God to damn them all if ever they parted with it again During Tyrconnels stay here the New Judges went their Circuits wherein they discovered the most gross partiality imaginable for though they found the Jayls full of Tories and Irish Robbers committed for several Notorious Crimes yet with the Assistance of Irish Sheriffs and Juries they were most of them Discharged without punishment either being indicted by wrong Names or else by taking off the Prosecutors with Threats That if they proceeded their Cattel would be stoln their Houses burnt or their Throats Cut which often happened And this was done in pursuance of one of the Lord Deputies Instructions from Court to them that they should by all possible means weaken the Protestant Interest which they so effectually performed that no Englshman was secure of any thing he had by their Exorbitant proceedings against them So that had these Barbarous Injustices and publick Oppressions and Violences in the several Law-Courts even such as never were till then heard of among Christians continued but a few years longer these without other means might have wholy Reduced the Kingdom into Irish Hands it being observed that never one Cause came before them upon a Tryal for Land but the Judgment was constantly given in favour of the Irish As to the Army in Ireland of which I have mentioned something before I shall add that when K. James came to the Crown they consisted in about 7000 Men as cordial to his Interest as possible both Officers and Souldiers Respecting him as their Master and Father and shewed a great forwardness to have assisted him against Monmoth and Arguile Yet he was no sooner setled in the Throne but he began to turn the most zealous of them out of his Service because he could not expect they would be useful to him in destroving the Protestant Religion and Liberties of the Subjects which was the Service he expected from them and therefore took ther Troops away and gave them to persons of mean or broken Fortunes and some of them unqualified by Law and no consideration was had to Loyalty or Merit unless a Man were a Papist of which there were too many Notorious Instances And the manner of their being Discarded was with so much falshood and Barbarity from Tyrconnel as might have shaken the Obedience of any Army but this in the World and caused them to have dispatcht so false a Wretch for in the Morning he would take an Officer into his Closet and with his usual Oaths Curses and Damnations would profess the greatest kindness and friendship assuring them of the Continuance of their Commissions and in the Afternoon would Cashier them with all manner of Scorn and Contempt nay while he was Caressing them he had actually given away their Commands As for the Soldiers and Troops he Marched them to some place so far distant from their Quarters that they were not much known and there after great Hardships stript the Foot of their Cloaths which they had payed for and the Troopers of their Horses Boots and Furniture bought with their own Money and turned them off to walk Barefoot some 100 others 150 Miles to their Houses and Homes And though they were promised something for their Horses yet their Attendance cost them twice as much as they expected and most of them after all got nothing By this means 2 or 300 Protestant Gentlemen who had laid out great part of their Fortunes and Contracted Debts to obtain Commissions were not left worth any thing but were turned out without reason or any consideration and 5 or 6000 Soldiers sent a begging an Hardship perhaps never put upon an Army before for no other reason but because they were English-Men and Protestants and Irish men and Papists were by K. James put in their places clearly Demonstrating that he had no regard to the Laws or the Preservation of that Kingdom and that he absolutely designed to Ruin the Protestant and Advance the Popish Interest in Ireland And the same Fate attended all the Protestant Civil Officers several of them being outed though they had places by Patent for Life Sheriffs Justices of Peace Officers of the Revenue c. who were all changed for Roman Catholicks and this before the News of the Glorious Expedition of his now Majesty the Prince of Orange and without any provocation or the least pretence of Disloyalty Dec. 9. 1687. Being Sunday in the Morning happened such an Inundation of Water at Dublin as was never known before carrying away Stone Bridges overflowing Houses for 3 Days together so that a great part of the City was much indamaged thereby to their great Detriment and loss and was the more remarkable because no great Rain only a few small showres had fallen the â—ight before which seemed to presage the deluge of Troubles that were impending over the poor English in that distressed Kingdom The Earl of Castlemain being returned to England from his Embassy to the Pope and having received no Preferment complained to the Pope who writ to his Nuncio to Address the King in his behalf and being seconded by Father Peters it was resolved in the Cabinet Council Dec. 23. that Jefferies the Lord Chancellor for tampring in the business of Magdalen Colledge should be put out and 3 of the Lords of the Treasury be made Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal and that Castlemain should be Lord Treasurer Peters roundly telling the King that the most effectual means for accomplishing his Design of Establishing the Catholick Religion was to let his Prime Ministers and the World understand That no Service they had or could do should protect them or be reckoned of any account if they boggled in the least Tittle or Circumstance relating to the Catholick Cause But still the Furious Jesuits and their Accomplices were very much unsatisfied that notwithstanding they had a Catholick King upon the Throne yet the Popish Religion made but small progress and there was but a mean harvest of Converts to the Roman Faith Nay not in Ireland where all the power both Civil and Military was in their Hands hereupon a Project is contrived to destroy the Act of Settlement there in hopes the Protestants would Rebel and Forfeit their Estates whereby they should have an opportunity totally to extirpate them out of that Kingdom and so be in a capacity in a short time to subdue England and Scotland likewise In Order hereto the Lord
after another Ravished her and then ript up her Belly and exposed her with a dead Man upon her At Tipperary an English Gentleman seeing some Dragoons marching towards his House shut up his Doors it being late in the Evening as if they were gone to Bed but 16 of them coming thither and not being quickly admitted they forced open his Doors calling him Traytor for shutting them against the Kings Forces and having pillaged all things of value they then deflowred his Daughter and only Child before his Face all 16 lay with her and 3 of them as was affirmed by his Family after she was actually dead These were the beginnings of the Villainies which the Protestants suffered from these execrable Wretches While things were in this posture K. James was hourly expected by the Irish and almost every Post a false Alarm is given that he was Landed Bonfiâ—es being made and Guns Discharged in the several Garrisons and that so often that not only Protestants but also many Papists thought it to be but a sham of Tyrconnels to Discourage the Protestants and obtain better Terms from them But at length March 12. 1689. he Landed at Kingsale at which the Protestants and some Papists seemed not very well satisfied nay the first were so indifferent that for a Fortnight after he Arrived they would not believe it because they imagined he had no great kindness for them however they thought he would have made their condition more easie for the present and spoke them fair considering that the Irish depended upon many Friends which they boasted they had in Scotland and England But K. James soon let the World know he was not fond of such Dependencies for coming to Cork where he was received by the Mayor and Aldermen in their Formalities the Recorder in a long Speech magnified the Irish Loyalty and Valour saying That he now hoped His Majesty was convinced of their Fidelity and that they were better Subjects than the Church of England Men to this part of the Speech the K. Replyed That he acknowledged all the Recorder had said to be true and that he hoped by their Forces and the Assistance he should receive from his Brother of France to be restored to his Throne in spight of those Slaves of the Church of England at this very time the Judges held the Assizes there and one Brown a Gentleman of about 500 pound a year who had been in Arms against the Rapparees being there a Prisoner he put himself on his Tryal and Petitioned K. James thinking that he would begin with an Act of Mercy and give him his Life but on the contrary he left him to the Law whereby he was sure to be Condemned and accordingly was Hanged and Quartered from hence K. James took his Journey to Dublin where he was received with all Demonstrations of Joy imaginable by Tyrconnel and the Popish Party who lookt upon him as their only Support Champion and Deliverer He was no sooner Arrived but the Irish discovered what his future Designs were in their common talk at publick Houses declaring openly That the King would have such a Powerful Army of French Irish and Scots Roman-Catholicks as should force the English into Obedience That he did not think of returning into England by the means of any Protestant Friends but by a French power So that when he came to his Throne he might Rule as he thought fit that the Protestants of Ireland might feed themselves with what hopes they pleased but they should quickly find the K. would neither value nor regard them That the K. had a long time Caressed the Damn'd Church of England as they called it and that he could do no good with them but now he would do his Business without them and so find an opportunity of shaking them quite off that they did not doubt but to be in the midst of England by Midsummer and make that the Seat of War thereby preserving their own Country Estates and Tenants and living on the Churls as they called the English who they said were Rich and a giddy inconstant People not being satisfied with any kind of Government and would they doubted not be soon divided and broken among themselves so that they did not fear carrying their Point King James himself by his Discourses and Actions soon confirmed the same For he had but 2 Considerable Protestants in his Army Sir Thomas Newcomer and Collonel Russell these he immediately Disbanded without any other Objection but their Religion and declared to Collonel Sarsfield who desired Commissions for 2 of his Protestant Relations and offered to be bound for their Fidelity That he would Trust no Protestant and was heard to say as he came out of his Chappel upon occasion of some of his Courtiers Discoursing about Protestants That a Protestant Stunk in his Nostrils And as his words so his Deeds discovered his Abhorrence of them for he had not been long in Dublin when the Wife of one Maxwell who was Condemned for betaking himself with some others to a strong House in Queens County for the Security of their Lives presented a Petition to the King to pardon her Husband This poor Woman had by her piteous intreaties prevailed with the High Sheriff to reprieve him for 15 Days that she might use her interest to save him though against the command of the Bloody Lord Gilmoy who ordered him to be presently executed she accordingly went to Dublin hoping that the King might be perswaded to do one Act of Grace being just come to the City and the High Sheriff went with her and promised her Admittance to the Presence where she appeared in the most lamentable condition that was possible to excite Compassion having 4 or five small Children hanging about her all in Tears and delivered her Petition praying his Majesty to pardon or at least to Reprieve her poor Husband for some time which she delivered in such melting Terms as moved the very Irish Nobility then present to second her Request and might have Mollified the hardest Heart in the World but the Answer she had from King James was Woman your Husband shall dye and the High Sheriff was severely Reprimanded for not executing him according to his Warrant and Threatned that if the Prisoner escaped he should dye for him and was commanded to hang him immediately which was done accordingly There are several other instances of this kind and it may easily be imagined how great an Incouragement this kind of Behaviour in a Prince was to the rude Soldiers to Treat the poor Protestants not only in the Country but even in Dublin under the very eye of the Government in a Barbarous manner It was ordinary with them to take the meat that the poor people had provided for their Families without thanks or payment noâ— could a Protestant be abroad after Sunset without danger of his Life One Power Bred a Protestant but turned Papist in K. James time coming to his House one Evening was set upon