in the Country is fled leaving his Wife and Family with about fifty Musketteeres to defend it This howsoever the first time it was denyed my Lord Moore and the Governour as it had beene before to my Lord of Ormond who demanded the surrender of it in the Kings name yet the second time hearing of our pieces of battery approaching gave it up upon Composition and so we have a Garrison there also by which our Towne is securely Flanked on both sides the River After this by the escaping of many poore English from their servitude we had evident assurances of the treacherous messages and plots of our Popish Inhabitants for the betraying this Towne unto them some who never were here before could name us the men describe â—he places by the nearenesse to such a Tower designe the time all which agreeing with our former informations and suspition was a sure testimony How many Letters in the midst of these forlorne hopes have I yet seene of theirs in a vaine comforting themselves with an assurance to use their owne words that the Almighty would doubtlesse favour their just and innocent cause and their holy intentions Another I have seene of O Relies to my Lord Moore that he had no newes but that powder was in making every where to use his owne words thankes be to God and our good King c. But we knew at the same time he was falne sicke upon the newes of Sir Phelemies late routing at Tallagh-hallan To relate what a change presently there was in this Towne from that extremity of scarcenesse and deernesse to what a plenty and cheapnesse things were come would be incredible egges which during this Siege one was a rich present worthy of thankes from the chiefest were now fifteene a penny Hens at two pence milch Cowes at five shillings Horses which before the Siege were rated at three or foure pounds sold for twelve pence nay commonly passed among friends for a quart of Beere The finest Wheate in the Market for eight shillings a Barrell Fish to which we had beene altogether strangers multiplyed abundantly though such a glut in reason cannot be imagined to hold many moneths by the burning so many thousand barrels of Corne further from us which they could not bring in Many bloody murthers were committed upon the English Protestants in revenge of this late defeate At Atherdee they killed all that were remaining there the next night neere Slane an old Gentlewoman with her Daughter and Grandchilde had their throates cut in their beds in divers other places they drowned Men Women and Children The Earle of Ormond Lieutenant Generall was now not farre from us with 3000. Foote and 500. Horse burning the County of Meath and on the eleventh of March attended with divers Colonels and Captaines did us the honour of a visit and dined herewith my Lord Moore at Droghedah who began to recover some competent ability of giving such a troope some entertainement Many at the sight of the weakenesse of our Wals fell into admiration of the possibility of our holding out so long against such a multitude His Lordships intention of being the raiser of our Siege thus unexpectedly prevented God giving that honour before his approach to the feeble strength of the besieged yet was very zealous to take the faire opportunity now given him of the full routing of the Rebels so newly disperst by a present quicke prosecution of them before they could get any head againe Which by my Lord Moore and Sir Henry Tichborne our Governours relation finding very seasonable and of little difficulty called a Councell of Warre viz. the Lord Moore and our Governour Sir Thomas Lucas Sir Simon Harcourt Sir Robert Ferrald with others These upon mature deliberation finding good grounds to consent with his Lordship and conceiving great hopes of a good and speedy successe even to the clearing of those Northerne parts wrote to the Lords Justices very earnestly to enlarge his Lordships Commission which before was so straitned that in the literall sense it could scarce stand with a liberty of relieving us if there had beene need being commanded not to passe over the River of the Boyne beyond which the greater part of our Towne is seated alledging many reasons to enforce it preventing an Objection in the want of victuals by a provision undertaken by my Lord Moore from his owne Lands neere adjoyning And indeed such a confidence was apprehended of prevailing in this motion that our Governour had picked out tenne Companies of our best men fittest for that service and my Lord of Ormond designed the like number of lesse experienced Souldiers for our guard in their roome my Lord Moore as the best guide in those parts and Lieutenant Colonell Weyneman chosen by the said Councell of Warre to be Commanders of them All were ready for their march and appointed to meete his Lordship at Slane five miles off But the Lords Justices proving still constant to their former injunction and renewing a stricter command for his present retreate to Dublin that designe so desired by our Governour as an assured meanes of an instant reducing the whole County of Louth was put to a stand and thereupon our scattered rebellious route who before were in a trembling fit now tooke heart againe and gathered at Atherdee and Dondalke whither as we heard daily posted thousands out of Meath and Louth as to their safest receptacles and presumed not long after to threaten us with another visit The Earle of Ormond submitting in this to the wisdome of the State as presuming some other important affaires were in hand which might justly necessitate that command retreated accordingly onely in answer to our Governours request sent him backe foure companies of Foote and two troopes of Horse with two pieces of Battery Upon the receipt of which my Lord Moore and our Governour who in all things have proceeded very unanimously for the prevention of a further multiplication of Rebels which a longer delay might have produced resolved to adventure upon the same Designe themselves which they were willing others might have beene honoured with and so upon the one and twentieth of March with one thousand Foote and two hundred horse they marched that way ward first finished what they had left undone at Slane in burning the Towne and some villages in the way In the Castle there was returned againe a Garrison of twelve men who by the presumption of the strength of it had a good minde to hold out but assoone as they saw our pieces of battery yeelded and had quarter onely one of our Souldiers formerly runne away from us there taken was hanged about three miles off some bodies of the Rebels appearing a party of Horse was sent out killed forty of them and so pursued them till the rest were employed in burning the Country after them and so continued that day and the next The three and twentieth day of March they marched with fire and smoke towards Aâ—herdee about a
resolutions they thought fit to visit by the way and where they supposed there had not beene a man they found so intrenched and fortefied that it proved more difficult then was expected yet our men drew up boldly to them within pistoll shot and though it was not the intent of that dayes worke yet being provoked bestowed thousands of bullets amongst them to the death of many of the Rebels in their Trenches but by the ill shots of our Gunners who still missed the house with the fall and continuance of abundance of raine whereby their matches were washed out they were compelled to retreate and so came dropping wet home yet by Church-time to give God thankes for their great preservation who though continuing so long in that imminent danger which they dreamed not of at their going out yet was there not a man lost in the place onely some of slight wounds by poysoned bullets and want of good medicines miscarryed a long time afterwards and in the meane time some were sent to the next village of Colpe where they loaded themselves with their Corne and returned without any opposition And not many dayes after upon the hearing of our preparation for a reply the Rebels in the aforesaid Castle of Stanime abandoned it of themselves and so it fell into our hands without bestowing one shot more And here it hath beene reckoned as a thing very observable that in all these onsets invasions and Sallies out howsoever multitudes have dyed of the famine divers unarmed pillagers met with abroad have beene taken and butchered some dyed of wounds by the unskilfulnesse of the Chirurgion and the like there hath not hitherto beene killed of armed men upon the place in fight as I have beene enformed above twelve of ours and not one Officer and of those there was but one man that was not fetcht off from them and that is accounted the due of his too much presumption who at the assault of a house charged and discharged his musket twice or thrice against the very doore where there were many playing at him from within and so stood as a marke for them without so much as stirring a foote of his ground but of the Rebels how many hundreds if not thousands have beene killed may easily be summed up in the reading This wonderfull preservation was I beleeve the occasion of that false rumour raised by them as if some of ours had sold their Soules to the Devill to be shot-free and yet at other times to encourage their Souldiers who were continually upon their flight they would upon most Sallies perswade them of hundreds of ours slaine with many Commanders of whom some had dyed often in their reports when there was not one nay scarce would they suffer them to beleeve their owne senses that any were killed of theirs Howsoever those of the soberer sort were much convinced of the cause by the event apparently seeing that God was with us After one dayes rest March the first my Lord Moore and the Governour went out againe the same way with a competent number of Horse and Foote when after the securing in of at least two hundred pounds worth of Corne by foure Companyes under the command of Sir John Borlace and the burning of such of their lodgings as had remained of the former dayes work at Colpe they advanced further their first resistance was two Companies of the Rebels stealing along the side of a Ditch who being discovered Captaine Billinsley was sent with 80. Musketteers and comming as unexpectedly upon them as they had entended upon us were soone routed A Lieutenant with thirteene Souldiers were slaine and a Captaine of the O Neales taken prisoner the rest escaped into the Castle of Stanime by the helpe of a Bogge which stopped the horse in their chase the Castle of Colpe after much hazard of such as first entred it by the Pikes and stones throwne of those within whereby they were three or foure times beaten downe the narrow staires at length was taken where they killed them every one to the number of twenty sixe persons and yet neither then nor all that day was one of ours lost With the Captain taken prisoner wee found many Petitions two Letters superscribed to Sir Phelemy O Neile with the title of Earle of Tyrone and Generall of Ireland But yet the foundation upon which those airy honours were built was the condition of his taking this Towne but that day his Excellency was much humbled who unknowne to us had stole over the river onely with five men and by our unexpected approach being cut off from securing himselfe where he intended crept into a furbush and so lay like a trembling Hare in his Forme till the evening where being so neare us he had good lucke he was not started up by so many hunters which needs must have beene the best sport that day Some rough abusive greetings past and repast from each side the river which parted them from any other then such a tongue combate ours giving them lawfull warning of a visit shortly and that not by a cowardly creeping in the darke according to their custome under our wals but at noone day when we might be visible asked for their drunken Generall in derision of whom some of our Trumpeters gave some scornefull musicke and for one Pistoll of theirs discharged in defiance we returned them ten and for one Musquet twenty and thus our Souldiers in their retreat stretching their throats to be heard with such kinde of language they made up a merry end of that dayes skirmish Some English now as at other times tooke the opportunity to get from under their thraldome and enformed us of some advantages whom commonly they put in Trowses to be taken for Irish and in the front to be first killed yet they usually scaped from these we understood by what lying practises they had kept their Souldiers from running away lately March the third some other forces marched out under the command of Lieutenant Colonell Waineman early in the morning who advanced as farre as Marlingtowne about three miles from us where by the former frights they found the Towne abandoned so that their whole worke that day was to reape what was left for which all sorts were permitted to goe forth for pillage the lanes were so thickned with all sorts of graine that the Spring seemed to be Harvest and the Vernall equinoctiall to be mistaken for the Autumnall such loads of Corne were mounted upon horses that upon the hils they looked like moving haggards by which our great extremity was turned presently into plenty and whereas our chiefest want was Malt the whole Towne having drunke nothing but water for a weeke were now set a brewing againe and for expression of joy there wanted no Bonefires of three or foure Townes together whereby a cleare day grew dusky by the smoake A faire house of one Draicots who by the Rebels was newly created Viscount Marlington for his merit in the cause
mercy but six of them were hanged one of them confessed expresly that his charge was only to â—obbe the Clergie which he was taught was not so much as a veniall sinne and which hee performed accordingly to the â—ndoing of some three or foure many Fryers and Priests were busy in posting 〈◊〉 and fro till they were stopped some upon the pretence that they wanâ—â—d viâ—tualls craved leave to departe and were officious in giving the Rebells their Benidictions who had a quarter of a yeare before enioyned the vulgar one fasting day extraordinary each weeke for the good successe of some speciall designe for the Catholique cause which we dreamed not of and yet their want appeared evidently to be but feigned by the charity of the townes-people to the meanest Prisoners whom they not only pittied and publickly cryed out against our hard usage of such poore harmlesse people but were so charitable in releeving them with meat and cloathes that they make little suit to be released then whom it may easily be beleeved their Priests and Fryers were of much more value Two severall nights I must not forget the Relation of when upon no light grounds we had good cause to be suspitious of some traps laid for us one night dangerous speeches were given out which might beare the exposition of some Massacre one of no meane qualitie was heard to say to his neighbour This night will be our opportunity another in Irish to his fellow in the street Now will be the time or never which when he suspected an English Protestant over-hearing and understanding him charged him instantly with silence somewhat was in it that one of the chiefe of the Towne who seemed to love me truly wisht me not to lodge within my owne house that night but to accept of his About Fleven a clocke as we were expecting some mischiefe it fell so out that a Post from Dublin brought us the newes that the â—ewry was taken againe by the Scots which being so confidently affirmed and instantly rumoured through the Towne I verily beleeve did us good service though it proved but like the surmised noyse of a great hoast in the Syians eares which broke up the siege of Samaria howsoever the present beleefe oâ— it tooke that effect that the Countenances of the Towns-men were apparently altered The next morning in their courteous carriage to the Câ—ptaines and Officers to whom the day before they could not dissemble a good lookâ— But when upon inquiâ—â—e they had found this newes to be but Counterfeit â—â—yne they returned againe to the Designe of another night worke when a Lordâ— Sonne and a noted Papist being then by his turne with the Towne Armes and his owne standing Company Captaine of the Watch there was some further attempt given as being the last night of any hope knowing that a thousand men were upoâ— their much within eight miles of us and would not â—aâ—lâ— to be with us the next At a house over against the main Guard where his owne men were hee tooke some small oceasion to quarrell and with base language to abuse my Lord Moore who wisely bauked it as conceiving thaâ— time of the night not to be seasonable for an uproare Commâ—nded the Rebels maintaâ—ned that they were not Rebels and the like Nay proceeded so farre as twice to aske his Lievtenant being a Protestant What side hee would be of if there were any Commotion In fine it was so apprehended by all the Commanders in the roome that they presently stood upon their Guards with their Pistols spanned under their cloakes expecting some Watch-word from him either to the mainâ— Guard or to some other confederate unknowne else-where And for prevention some strucke betwixt him and the Window towards the street My Lord Moores horse were privately drawne up ten stood alwayes before the doore and the rest in severall divisions guarded the streets to keepe all within The Protestant English Souldiers to the number of Sevenscore were silently called up also which when he perceived he did his best to make up things againe but they had gone too farre to be so easily cured and there were other circumstances not long before which made the suspition smell the stronger as his changing many of his foot Company from Protestants to Papists and those to be of his owne servants and Tenants Most nights when he and the Towne had the Watch the Peeces mounted upon the Gates were found stopped with Garlicke of purpose to breake them that whole day was he continually passing from one Fryerie to another whether for Bâ—nedictions or Consultations wee wot not and that very night he went his first round as Captaine of the Watch which then was only for the North side and might have beene dispatched in halfe an houre he was above three houres before his returne altogether confirming our jealousieâ— in his being now laying the trâ—unâ— and disposing of all things for the perfeâ—tion of some Treacherie But doubtlesse had the Enemie kept his houre and according as was threatned and expected approched the wals that night things had not beene so concluded But thanks be to God who tooke of the wheels of their resolutions that the mischiefe that they had devised they had not the courage to drive on to any perfection In the midst of these distractions whereas others with good cause were deserted of their Pastors I was deserted of my Congregation most of the better sort fled to Sea and with very affectionate expressions entreated me to the like presuming by the barbarous cruell usage of others of the Clergie my danger to exceed theirs those who could not flie came about mee for the contrary I was soon resolved as indeed never admitting any other inclination not to leave them in their misery but to live and die with them remembring that of our Saviour that the Shepherd should hazard his life for his sheep as that of Saint Ambrose to Iustina the Empresse when he was commanded either to receive the Arrians or to leave Millain answered Non prodam lupis gregem mihi commissum hic occide si libet But one of the chiefest cares that lay upon me even more then my life was that great treasure of my Lord Primates Library which I had the happinesse to be trusted with in his absence Wee heard of the daily rudenesse of the vulgar in burning and cutting in pieces the papers and books of such of the Clergy already made a prey of as in especiall the Bishop of Meaths and the Lord Conways Library the Manuscripts howsoever invaluable yet by their mean clothing likely to be least respected by such illiterate hands No Barques left in the harbour to remove them the best course which the misery and necessity of that time would afford was not neglected but none could promise safety At length God who useth to be then most seen in helping when al sence faileth allaid much of this and our other feares by sending us a competent strength of a
thousand foot and a hundred horse with able Captaines under the command of Sir Henry Tichburne who was also made Governour of the Towne whom as long expected so was November the fourth joyfully received by us But by the Town as coldly and discourteously making him to wait for his lodging till nine a clock at night in the street though come in by two and at length was compelled by his own Authority to provide one himselfe with divers other particulars which I will not trouble the Reader with But it was so resented that howsoever the Town Armes offered their service that night yet it was rejected and notwithstanding the wet long and heavy march that day three hundred of the Souldiers were drawn out of the severall Companies to continue the Watch that night wherein our vigilant Governour took a voluntary share himselfe also The next day being the fifth of November and the thankfull remembrance â—or our delivery from the Papists Conspiracy in England we kept it solemnly with an addition of the like for our preservation in part from this also which thoâ—gh it were the younger sister yet being in its own Countrey got the preheâ—inence Before it was not well taken to call it Rebellion but only the act of some discâ—ntented Gentlemen But now we took heart to speak as we thought To this Regiment the State was pleased not long after to adde three Companies more so that now besides the Town Arms we were fifteen hundred foot and a hundred and threescore horse by which our feares of meeting daily at the Church wâ—â—â— cured and we encouraged to double our weekly Fasts when by turns each division of the Regiment might â—artake of one and by our frequent admâ—nitions endevoured to prevent these vices usually incident to Souldiers as also in regard that by their continuall Watches they could not attend the publike Prayers offered twice every day in the Church where as best agreeing with our present estate wee used that forme appointed in King Iames his Reigne when all the Refâ—râ—ed Churches were conceived to be in the like danger Anno 1628. by the assistance of some of my Brethren here each part had it with one fitted to our present condition upon their Guards evening and morning and there was reason that where Religion was the cause the better successe might be expected if it could be infâ—sed into the defenders of it Not many nights after here crept out in the twilight this following Declaration framed as it appeares upon the presumption the thing contrived had been effected which was found in the streeâ—s and by the wax at each corner seemed to have beene some where affixed And howsoever wee had seene before some other imperfect ones yet by the draught and fairnesse of the hand with other circumstances wee apprehended this to be the most authenticall The Generall Declaration of the Catholickes of Ireland WHereas we the Roman Catholiks of this Kingdom of Ireland have been continually loving and faithfull subjects to his Sacred Majesty and notwithstanding the generall and heavy oppressions suffered by subordinate Governours to the ruine of our lives honours and estates yet having some liberty of Religion from his Majesty out of the affluence of his Princely love to us wee weighing not corporall losse in respect of the great immunity of the soule are inviolably resolved to infix our selves in an immutable and pure allegiance for ever to his Royall Majesty and Successours Now it is that the Parliament of England maligning and envying any graces received from his Majesty by our Nation and knowing none so desired of us as that of Religion and likewise perceiving his Majesty to be inclined to give us the liberty of the same drew his Majesties Prerogative out of his hands thereby largly pretending the generall good of his Majesties Kingdomes But wee the said Catholicks and loyall Subjects to his Majesty doe probably find as well by some Acts to passe by them the said Parliament touching our Religion in which the Catholicks of England and Scotland did suffer As also by threats to send over the Scottish Army with the Sword and Bible in hand against us That their whole and studied plot both was and is not only to extinguish Religion by which we only live happily but also likewise to supplant us and raze the name of Catholicks and Irish out of the whole Kingdome And seeing this surprize so dangerous tending absolutely to the overthrow of the liberty of our consciences and Countrey and also our gracious Kings power forced from him in which and in whose prudent care of us our sole quiet and comfort consisted and without which the feare of our present ruines did prescribe opinion and premonish us to save our selves We therefore as well to regain his Majesties said Prerogative being only due to him and his successours and being the essence and life of Monarchy hoping thereby to continue a strong and invincible unity between his Royall and ever happy love to us and our faithfull duty and loyalty to his incomparable Majesty have taken Arms and possessed our selves of the best and strongest Forts of this Kingdome to enable us to serve his Majesty and defend us from the tyrannous resolution of our Enemies This in our consciences as wee wish the peace of the same to our selves and our posterity is the pretence and true cause of our present rising in Arms by which we are resolved to perfect the advancement of truth and safety of our King and Countrey Thus much we thought fit in generall to publish to the world to set forth our innocent and just cause the particulars whereof shal be speedily declared Dated October 23. 1641. God save the King After the Souldiers in some good order were quartered Sir Henry Tichburne our Governour took a diligent view of the Wals Consultations were had for the better fortifying of them The Mill-Mount conceived a very defensive place for the guard of Meath-side the weaker part of the Town and so accordingly were mounted foure peeces of Ordnance and there soone appeared good cause for this preparation The whole County of Louth scarce a Gentleman that was a Papist excepted were drawn into this Conspiracie so that we were beset on that side Northward with five thousand or as their owne list reported it eight thousand The infection did so spread that it not only tainted but broke out in the faces and lips of some of our Aldermen one Stâ—nley who was a Town Burgesse for the Parliament took himself highly promoted to be a Captaine with them others who not long before seemed to doe good service in the discovery of the like whose Letters I had seene deeply exclayming against those courses now ran the same way also Nay the very Sheriffe of the County who had beene so favoured as to continue Knight of the Shire also was a Leader in that Rebellion too He with Stanley came in hither often upon protection as joynt Commissioners from the Rebels
Foure not a man of them was hurt till all was spent they had cut their Bullets into halfes and to make even with their Powder they rammed in five or sixe together whereby each shot was the death of many and in conclusion when all was spent they broke as many Muskets as they could against the walls The Serjeant who had the command of the Foot behaved himselfe very valiantly by the Confession of the Enemy and at their entrance slue many with his Halbert Halfe a dozen placed in a little outward Castle killed some of them as they were marching downe the hill amongst whom was one of the chiefe Captaines in rich stolne cloathes at whose fall there was a great cry These at last being promised quarter and yeelding yet they wounded and threw them out at the windowes The Horse who could doe but little good within when they saw them pressing so thicke to the very Gates opened them and gave them a desperate Charge and so made their way through them though by their pursuers scattered divers wayes before they came hither The number of the slaine in all of our side were thirteene whom a Fryer for none of our Clergie durst venture thither was so forward for a deed of Charity as to procure them buriall in the Church adjoyning and one man finding life in him notwithstanding at least fourty wounds brought him home on a Carre The course they tooke with him was the same they did with others they first stript him lest he should bloudy his cloathes and then a dozen of them together run him through and hacked him with their Skeenes leaving him for dead But the most barbarous act was the killing of a grave comely old Gentleman of above fourescore yeares of age who after he had opened the Wine-seller and was giving them all possible courteous entertainment and filling wine to them of a sudden run him through A poore old blind man that had beene the Porter who could make no resistance they knockt downe another as old as he they cut his throat so inraged that they slew the very dogs they found broke the windowes tooke up divers of the Plankes in the Chambers to seeke for moneys searched the peoples mouthes for it ript the Featherbeds to take away the Tikes carried away the Hangings and other furniture that was portable cut in peeces all the Coverings of the Chaires and Stooles many of which were very rich broke with their Clubs a Closet of Glasses and Gallipots full of such Ingredients as they were incapable of tooke away abundance of provision in the house of Cattell and Horses abroad and what they could not carry they destroyed to the losse of my Lord Moore at least 2000. pounds The faire Haggard of Corne they thrashed and tooke away afterwards by leasure The Women they stripped all starke naked The Chappell they made their quassing roome broke the Pulpit and all the seates threw a faire Church Bible into the Mill-Pond broke the very Bell Their best language to them all was English dogs Whoores and Rogues Heretiques and the like After the departure of these came a ruder troope of the baser sort of Churles some of the very Tenants and neere neighbours who drew away the Iron and Brasse and other wooden lumber leaving not so much as a doore or Iron bar in the windowes And so of a most pleasant habitation in one night became a most rumous desolate place By all which may easily be judged the truth of their former promises if the owners had been so perswaded as to â—ave trusted their owne persons there also who as we have had late credible information were entered in the first List among such as should have bin surprized but such as were trusted with it had not the Courage to attempâ— it as the like care was taken of this Towne also And yet one merry passage conâ—luded this Tragedy by a Basket of Tulips and other such like rootes which these Rebels finding so carefully laid up tooke them for some rare dainties and so fell to eating them with butter which had that present operation that for a weeke after most of them deemed themselves poâ—soned and cursed the Heretiques as if that bait had been laid there of purpose After this they yet desisted not to multiply their parleys daily and in regard my Lord Moore was one of the Lords authorised by Parliament to treat with them they more thick than before applied themselves to him renuing still their former protestations of love to him and his wished him to leave the Towne for his owne safetie pressed their former honourable offer to make him their Generall that full satisfaction should be given him for his losses at Mellifont though I beleeve many of their estates could scarce have compassed it And to cleere themselves of that hatefull aspertion of Rebellion assured him to show that good warrant for what they did which should give all the world satisfaction importuned him very earnestly for a meeting The place and time agreed upon his Lordship with some few adventured out of the Gates but in stead of them found some stragling fellowes gathering which gave him just cause to suspect some treachery and so retreated which since he hath been assured of Yet that night they came to the Gates to excuse it and upon promise of saftie entered but neither spake nor shewed any thing to the purpose still confirming our opinions of them to be false accusers and speakers evill of dignities utterers of great swelling words of vanitie and Inventors of lyes in hypocrisie according to which wee ever found their continuance And yet to put an end to those shadowy pretences a motion was made of cessation of Armes till a Messenger were sent from each withall expedition into Scotland and so to procced according to the return of the Kings pleasure but they could not heare of that eare neither though some answered they had sent one of their own already for the same end which yet wee weighed in as light a belief as the other Some scattered speeches have I heard fall from them scarce worth the gathering up they talked a little confusedly of the Kings Prerogative of an Act passing in England that every Papist should be presently hanged That they would have the Lord Deputy be always of the Irish birth of their former heavy pressures freedome of their Religion and the like the later of which they very presumptuously and confidently avouched Often have I heard them acknowledge which wee knew very well our selves that many of the Priests and Priers have been the chiefe movers of them Our Alderman Captaine sayed a Fryer lately came from Spaine threatned him if he did not readily joyne with them hee should presently have his head struck off and hanged behind him whom yet wee knew needed no such spur to put him forward Nay hee acknowledged that a titular Popish Bishop of theirs made a large Oration unto them by way of incouragment in
their cause Rebellion which in story is not found ever to have prospered long procured me no small threatenings if the day should prove theirs Each Sunday they reckoned to have Masse in our Church as their Generalissimo Sir Philim ô Neil I have been told by such as have been eye and eare-witnesses hath often clapt his hands with a joyfull assurance to his â—ryers that shortly they should say him a Masse in Christ Church in Dublin But their ambitious thoughts were put to a stand by the way here After this about the end of December was there a great Ice so that our River of the Boyne was in a night or two so hard frozen that it could scarse be broken with Mallets Horses and men might safely passe over which giving some advantage to those of the Enemies quarters that lay below the Bridge made ours also the more vigilant in their watch and they wanted no information and invitation from hence to take the present oportunity December the last a Boy was taken in the morning very early upon the Ice after a course or two by the souldiers comming from the Rebels and being charged with suspition of some message at first with execrable oathes denyed it But one threatening to hang him and with a peece of match about his necke beginning to hoise him whereby he found he was in earnest he cryed out that if they would spare his life he would tell the truth and so confessed foure Aldermens wives sent him out to the Rebels with an assurance of their safe walke over the Ice that night that many Horses casually had run upon it and continued a long time without danger that they had given him some money and had promised him more That the answer returned was that they wondred they had it not from the men whose judgement must needs have prevailed more with them That they doubted of some trap laid for them by the Governour unknowne to the women and prayed to give them some surer notice with a token of some Soape and a white dish to drinke a cup of Ale in The women were examined but had good cause to deny it How diligent our souldiers were night and day in preventing any such surprisall by breaking the Ice may easily be imagined which they had no sooner done but it thawed of its owne accord Upon New-yeares day about foure of the clocke in the morning foure Companies and a troop of Horse invited themselves to a visit of some of those quarters North-ward but the delay they had in opening the Port which the late frost had unexpectedly hardened hindered much of their designe only Captaine Martin with his Company who gate over the wall with ropes killed some 15. with a Sentinell whereas if the rest could have followed in time they had multiplyed them near to as many hundreds so secure were they of our not daring so much as to approach near them we put them to flight burnt that Village and another and so retreated January the 7 â—h by breake of day about 300. foot and fourescore horse were pleased to take the aire out at S. Johns Port killed a 100. forced a 100. more to the River many were drowned amongst whom was found cast up by the water side one Art Roe Mac-Maghon a great Commander with them tooke 50. Armes Cowes and other booty to the value of a hundred pound worth burnt their lodgings and after a pursuite of a mile or two by the horse retreated which they did very slowly of purpose to have invited another Body of them not far off to a present revenge of their fellowes But they had seene enough of their bloud for one morning some made an overture but as our men faced about they turned their backs whom a Drake of ours over-reached to the dropping of some of them In this skirmish howsoever they wanted not showers of shot from the other side of the River also yet there was not a man of ours hurt excepting one who against command continuing pillaging after all the rest were gone was taken tardy and received some wounds according to his desert but escaped with life Accidentally many were slaine among our selves in the streets and more in the like hazard strangely preserved A Corporall of a troop once upon a nights alarum riding in haste towards the water side a Sentinell apprehending his intent by his not answering what he was to have made over the River to the Enemy shot him quite through the back of which he dyed The next night another received his deaths wound by his next fellow as they fate on horsebacke One being drunke discharging his Musket killed a man and a woman not far from him A woman in the twilight carrying a paile of water upon her head a shot from the wals at randome strucke through the very bottome and hurt her not the bullet being found in the water divers casually shot through the crowne of the Hat Armes Breast Collers of their Dublets and yet had no other hurt then sometimes razing of the skin and the bullet hanging in their cloathes Now victuals began to be very scarse the best sort were confined to one meale a day the common souldiers food was altogether herrings and water and no bread at all with it This put every one to a narrow search through their quarters what was found was put into a store-house that Corne that was still in stacks was threshed out immediately But yet by reason of the want of Mills most of which were without the Towne little Corne could be ground but by Quernes too slow a provision for so many thousands of souldiers and Inhabitants The Milch Cowes throughout the Towne were insâ—antly killed and divided and as soone gone as given Coales grew so scâ—rse that for the Guards as all the partitions of pales in backsides had been plucked up so all the Orchards were cut downe within the wals as without whereby the Towne seemed very naked and like the poore people comming in to us stript to it's shame of it's choisest Oâ—naments The want of Hay and Oates caused the Horses to droope and to be unfit for service who in stead were faine to take to straw and graines sicknesse and death began to reigne every where many famished others with a dyet not used to before fell into such diseases which brought them to the same end In the midst of this extremity hearing nothing from the State who indeed now conceived our case to be too desperate to be supplyed our Governour thought fit to trim up a small vessell which being loaded with some small Peeces and manned with forty Musketeers was resolved to adventure her through the Enemies shot with a little Friggot attending her who in the fight should have slipped through to Dublin When they were ready the Towne still declared their hearts in hiding the Pilots so that after much search none could be found till at length my Lord Moore was faine to threaten to send halfe
returne out of England one of which being my Parishioner and examined upon oath I thought it not unfit to give thee a summe of it As soone as their Letters were taken from them viewed themselves robbed of all and stripped and come ashore they were entertained by one of the Irish Lords with this salutation Ye are welcome out of England to be hanged as all of your profession must expect shortly And not long after in cold and snowy weather were turned out of doores without any sustenance often forced for want of water it selfe to quench their thirst with Snow At Balruthery about eight miles from us where a Convent of our Friars sate daily in Councell against us This party heard one Friar Malone who was Vicar Generall to the Catholique Army assuring one of their Captaines that they would not faile to have Masse on Christmas day in Saint Peters Church in that starved Towne of Drogheda and at Christ-Church at Dublin by Newyearesday not doubting as soon as they should take the former the other would follow with ease That they would make a Bonefire of my Lord Primates Library rejoycing to thinke how they should warme their hands by it taking what revenge they could on it seeing he was too farre out of their reach himselfe one Friar Walsh adding this for a cause in regard those bookes had beene an instrument whereby by his writing and doctrine he had damned more soules then now were living And for my selfe in liew of my Custodium of it my sentence was to have beene * The like was not onely threatned but done to Marlorate that worthy and able Divine by the Papists at the Siege of that Towne whereof he was Pastor as soone as it was taken vid. Praestantium aliquot Theologorum qui Rom. Antichrist praecipue oppugnarunt Effigies Elogia per lac Ver-heiden Hagae 1602. in vita August Marlorat Anno quo Rothomagum obsessum occupatumque fuit ab Antichristianis noster Marloratus â—cclesiae Rothomagensis Pastor fuit comprehensus cujus vitam laqueo abrupere illi qui Romano obstricti Pontificiegreglos se satellites illo facto declararunt Martyr igitur verus quem causa non paena facit Anno 1562. cum Annos 56. vixisset hanged up by it and afterwards to have beene beaten to powder One of our Captaines who was an Inhabitant and of whose dislike of them they had had some former experience his torment was the same time decreed also viz. to have put him into a Caske driven full of spikes and so to have rowled him up and downe till he had beene dead with divers the like forged out of that holy but bloudy Irish Inquisition This foresaid Vicar Generall who bragged he had had his oare in many Conspiracies before now This party heard him often declaring the Decree of the Army to be this that seeing Drogheda had beene offered Quarter and refused it they would kill man woman and children of all the English Protestants that by Easter day they hoped England should be theirs as well as this Kingdome That they had a great party already and were assured of some forraigne assistance whereby they would plague the Puritans in London and have the education of the young Prince themselves c. Many treacheries were by this party revealed which had beene hatched by the like within our owne bowels Many horrid Acts committed upon some of the Clergy and other Protestants whom after they had butchered denied them buriall and suffered the swine to feed on them making a mocke of the greatest misery and tearming the most unpatterned cruelty the finest sport in which none had their hands deeper then those of the very Pale derived of the ancient English onely degenerated in matter of Religion The lives of these Friers not onely in dicing gaming and cursing whole nights but also in drunkennesse whoring committing of rapes and such other lasciviousnesse were so lewd as is not fit for any chast eare to be defiled with and yet all their designes forsooth pretended under the cloake of holinesse and Religion Some other Prisoners upon exchange of the like number of theirs we received also out of the County of Cavan by whom we were informed how the same evill spirit that reigned here had possessed them there also in their teacherous betraying such who had deserved so well of them robbing and utter undoing them who had formerly saved their lives which is too long to be crowded into this corner onely I caÌ„not let passe their barbarous ingratitude to Bishop Bedell the Bishop of Kilinore who was so addicted to the Irish in favouring them and preferring them above any others that he incurred a censure from the best of his friends for it yet this learned venerable Prelate of sixty eight yeares of age whose gravity might have turned the edge of malice it selfe did they put out of his house in the depth of winter and inclosed him in a cold Castle in the midst of a Lough manacled his sonnes before his face which himselfe begged to have beene so much honoured also and having rob'd him of all he had the Titular Popish Bishop taking possession of his bookes and Manuscripts which hee prised most at length he was removed to a poore house within sight of his owne where divers others of the poore English Protestants were by an honest charitable Minister of the Irish birth relieved and there with griefe and former miserable usage dyed whom they could scarce be drawne to allow Christian buriall dying saith the Popish Bishop a Heretique and so was laid in the outmost part of the Church-yard as himselfe had desired Such confidence yet had some of the religious persons of that County of a good successe that an Abbat was heard to say in these tearmes That he would not aske it of God in mercy but in justice that now if the Catholike cause did not thrive for his part let the Devill take them and their Religion ever after But to returne againe to our selves with whom by Gods blessings all things still prospereth in sallying out from one Quarter to another to the death alwayes of some of the Rebels and without the losse of one of ours sometimes twenty of our Musquetteers have adventured to take a drove of a hundred or sevenscore Cowes from as many score of the Rebels lying in ditches upon advantages and yet have cut them off by tenne or twenty put the rest to flight without the losse of any men or cattell Nay some of our Garrisons being not above sixscore horse and foote when they have been enformed of a thousand of them gathering and attempting to burne a Village neare them have made a party out killed many the rest flying like the wicked when no man pursued Some threescore horse and Dragoneers upon intelligence of some nests of Rebels lurking in divers bodies to the number of five hundred have marched out seven or eight miles killed one hundred of them returned with a good