or Marcheor Law That if anie of the English race should use an Irish name Irish language Irish apparrel or anie other guise or fashion of the Irish his Lands should bee seised till hee conformed Or if he no Land then other mulcts were appointed That the Lords should not disturb the King's Officers in executing their Offices That Serjeants Bailiffs should execute the commands of the King and of the Sheriffs that the Sheriffs and Serjeants of Franchises should give acquittances for the Kings money received of Debtors and receiv and pay by Indenture That no Sheriffs should hold Courts contrarie to the Common Law That the English should not marrie nor Gossip with the Irish That the English should use the English language and nurture That old and new English should all alike be called Lieges of the King That no English should use Irish or barbarous sports that no Irish Pipers Rimers bablers Skelaghs Ferdanes Carraghs or news-tellers should bee suffered to com amongst the English That no Kearns Hoblers nor idle men should range take meat c of the people against their wills but hue and crie to be made after them That no Irish should be admitted to benefits or entred into religious houses That Judges should travel half yeerly to enquire of offences and to execute the Law That four Justices of peace of and in each Countie should charge the Inhabitants with hors and foot to defend themselvs against Irish enemies That robberies committed in the guildable should not be protected in the franchises and so on the contrarie but the theeves to be delivered up to the proper officers and many other like Laws were then made towards restauration and recomposing of the then deformed and adulterated English and for the further redress divers other Laws som before and som after were made viz. One to take away protections which with frequent pardons were observed to be pestilent Remora's to the English restitution and secure peace insomuch as King Edward the third towards the later end of his reign sent two Ordinances into Ireland viz. First Justitiarius Hiberniae non concedat pardonationes de morte hominis nec de roberiis seu incendiis et quòd de caetero certificet dominum Regem de nominibus petentium Secondly Item quòd nec Justitiarius nec aliquis magnas Hiberniae concedat protectiones alicui contra pacem regis existentis And the experience of the common dammage by such pardons and protections ever since prove's the malignancie of them that being charged by divers good authors conversant in Irish affairs to be the dishonour and ruine of the Common-wealth Other Laws were also made viz. One to distinguish betwixt the English and Irish by the cutting off their beards Another against the taking of amends for the murther of a friend Another That no man should stirr up the Irish to assist in their warr Another Against taking Theeves into Comerick in English protection All which Laws at Kilkenny were after confirmed and revived by another Law made in the tenth yeer of King Henrie the seventh Chap. 8 Wherein are these words viz. As long as those Laws were put in ure and execution this Land continued in prosperitie and honor and since they were not executed the people rebelled and digressed from their obedience and the Land fell to ruine and desolation c. And the truth is it appear's by good Histories of those times and more authentically by Records both of the Exchequer Common-pleas of those yeers that by practice of these Lawes and the industrie travel of the said Lionel notable alteration was made in the manners of the people and much don of value towards the restitution of the English Government in the English Colonies That the Crown-Revenues both certain and casuall were duly accompted for in all the Provinces and that the King's Writ did run the Common-Law executed in all parts amongst the English This Duke built the wals of Catherlagh hee also reduced much lands in Connaght and Vlster into the English mens hands and this good order continued all the residue of that King's reign and part of the reign of King Richard the second but towards the middle of his time the Irish and som farr degenerate English hearing of the Duke of Clarence his death in Italie and finding great dissentions to arise in England combined themselvs to the fresh annoiance of the English and prosecuting their long intendment to exstirpate them And now did the English finde caus to rais themselvs into defens against the Irish which they were afterwards dangerously put unto thereupon that King having received repuls in his affectation to bee Emperor and desirous to act somthing of glorie and satisfaction to his people about the 18 yeer of his reign undertook a roial expedition into Ireland transporting with him 30000 foot and 4000 men at Arms as the Chronicles relate whereat the Irish being terrified fell into their old lock of submissions the verie gulf which hath hitherto swallowed up all the essaies and labors of reformation there hoping thereby to dissolv that force and frustrate his good design and to insist on the verie truth that cours of pardons upon submissions of the Irish hath for at least three hundred yeers past bottomed all the combustions and insults of the Irish That King being not in case to be long absent was perswaded to accept of their submissions which hee did from all the powerful men of the Irish and som degenerate English Lords those Irish of Leimster taking Oath to leav the Land to his free dispose by a certain time Great quantities of the Leimster land were granted to Sir John de Bellomonto and others whose issues long after enjoyed it he also conditioned with the Irish of Connaght and Ulster upon their submissions to restore the Lands to the English which the Irish never performed So this young Prince abused by the fraudulent submissions of the Irish as others before and after were returned with his men into England leaving the English in Ireland in but a little better case then he found them Soon after his departure the Irish brake forth and stood up for their ends as high as ever whereupon ensued great conflicts between them and the English in one of which was slain Mortimer Earl of March the King's Lievtenant thereupon did many of the English overhaled with burthens and harrowings relinquish their estates and resort into England to side with Parties there as their affections did lead them though Lawes were in Ireland and Ordinances in England as well to stop their going as to return them back It is not recorded nor known as is conceived that in the reigns of King Henrie the fourth or King Henrie the fifth who were much taken up in other business any forces were sent into Ireland whereby the Irish inlarged much partly through the departure of the English and chiefly by the great devastations they formerly suffered besides what diminutions they endured by
intruded upon the Irish there they need no repentance The fourteenth Quere WHether if they shall still pursue the same it will not maintain a lasting chargeable war to bee a large and strange footing for the enemies to England's peace to stand upon to render the Nation to bee no true lovers of freedom but of domination give occasion to the enemies to blaspheme make our Religion odious and by perpetual piracie even utterly spoil all our trade by Sea and so bee at the last our own ruine and whether the gain at the last by a perfect conquest over them which is uncertain will equipoiz all that charge and blood that must bee spilt for the obteining of the same especially considering their eternal loss dying in the prosecution of so unjust a caus The fourteenth Answer IF they the English now in the nick of time pursue the Irish Rebels considering the present power and posture that England is in and the great number of its able bodies fit for emploiment which on a setled peace at home cannot bee better imploied or bestowed then in so conscionable a service conducing to the honor and glorie of God the peace and quiet of all the Dominions of England the advance of Trade the terror of England's enemies the gaining of a most fruitful and plentiful receptacle for a flowing off-spring if now so enabled they shall effectually pursue the service against the Rebels in Ireland beeing so disseminated and scattered as they now are it will not maintein a lasting chargeable war For now but a competent number to bee sent out of England with those faithful and noble ones their Commilitants now there will doubtless by God's gracious assistance do the blessed work of reducing them and remove the largest and strongest footings the enemies of England have gotten render the Nation of England to bee true Lovers of Freedom and the noble preservers of that part of their bodie and dominion This also will take away all occasion from the enemie to blaspheme since the true worship and service of God will bee advanced in place of idolatrous Popetie so much of late years hazarding the peace of England make our Religion that true one indeed beautiful lovely and delightful free our Seas from the brood of Dunkirkers Pickaro's and others of the like stamp Irish Pirats when they shall have no place of harbor or retirement amongst us whereby trade will bee advanced And so in a short time may a firm and lasting peace and safetie bee acquired the gain whereof will not onely equipoiz but out-ballance all the charge that can bee spent for obteining of the same The blood that may bee spilt therein is in the dispofing of the Lord Armipotent the God of Battel from whom our small handfuls of men have not onely met with glorious and most strange and often deliverances far transcending the thoughts of natural man in all their former ingagements but maie doubtless exspect it still and for those that fall in the Lord's baâ—â— they die not but to live eternally in and with him the true knowledg of whom teacheth us that all our daies are numbred and that not one life shall bee lost but by his fore purpose and divine appointment who will still especially in our greatest weakness cover us with his shield in the daie of battel and enable us to trample on the necks of his and our enemies and which is far more excellent they shall surely bee members of the Church and live amongst the Saints triumphant whose death shall happen in a caus so just God's caus And here it may bee noted that the Irish Rebels by their last immane cruelties filling up the measure of their iniquitie seem to bee a people adopted by providence to an utter exstirpation Whereunto all faithful English-men have a call from Heaven in vindication of that innocent bloud there most profusely spilt without leaving that detestable brand of Astorgism upon the English Nation to perpetuitie The Fifteenth Quere VVHether it bee not the dutie of the State and Trustees of the Nation rather to minde seek and preserv the general peace safetie and welfare of the whole Nation then the honors and profits of particular men And whether particulnr men may not in an humble and peaceable manner present their thoughts to the State for a general good The fifteenth Answer THe whole Quere is affirmatively confessed and therefore it is hoped that Ireland a Countrie appropriate to this Nation and the major part of Inhabitants there of English descent will bee looked on not as the honors and profits of particular men but as a general concernment the desertion whereof will redound to the honors and profits of particular men enemies to the peace and welfare of England the most malignant of its enemies the Papists and therefore particular peaceable wel-affected men ought in an humble and peaceable manner to present their thoughts thereof to the State for a general good The sixteenth Quere WHether if the State of England should now in their full strength proclaim Ireland a free State repenting of all the evils that themselvs have acted and intended and that our King hath formerly acted against that Nation and that they will not further act to their prejudice but onely sit down by them as a neighbor-State as Holland doth and that they onely desire that they may bee in mutual league and as friends to seek the peace and welfare of each other that they will not countenance assist or protect each other's enemies nor anie that shall disturb the peace or safetie of anie of the Nation and onely require som considerable Sea-Port-Towns as securitie and bond to tie the Irish to the performance of the Covenants I saie whether this may not bee everie waie as advantagious to the State and people of England as a conquest over them the charge considered The sixteenth Answer IF the State of England should now in their full strength proclaim Ireland a free State and do further as in the Quere is propounded yet our true knowledg and experience of the Rebel's disposition promonisheth that they will bee still especially upon anie occasion of advantage forward and readie to the uttermost of their powers and malice to cut their benefactor's throats besides it would bee the most prejudicial act that could bee imagined against the State and people of England For set aside the honor due to almightie God in giving up that Countrie from his true worship and service to Idolatrie and prophaneness set aside their guilt of the innocent blood of our brethren kindred and Nation there barbarously poured out which will doubtless hang over the heads of the Pardoners set aside the utter overthrow and loss of manie thousands of Families their goods and Estates and the giving up the poor yet considerable remain of the English Protestant partie there to the disposition of their most cruel enemies Set aside the bloud and treasure there spent out of England since the
and Nature on whom hee would father the Irish depredations and murthers And this may in som measure suffice for an Answer to the first Quere at least to shew how the Querist seek's to blinde inadvertent men with a far fetched supposition which want's substance in everie particular when examined yet framed as an Engine to retard all succors for Ireland then at the point to bee lost The second Quere VVHether a people or Nation so setled have not a power to establish all Laws Government Offices and Officers amongst themselvs and to oppose and execute all such as shall endeavor to impose and obtrude upon them Laws Government Offices and Officers without or against their consent The second Answer THe Irish are not such a people or Nation so setled have not a power to establish all Laws Government c. But the people of England to whom Ireland belong's are and have such a power to establish all Laws Government Offices and Officers in Ireland their own Dominions and to oppose and execute all such as shall endeavor to impose and obtrude in their said Dominions Laws Government Offices and Officers without or against their consent The third Quere WHether God and Nature having given a people and Nation such a possession of Lands and som other Prince or people should invade or conquer them deprive them of much of their Land impose Laws Government and Officers upon them without or against their consent if it bee anie other then robberie in the Invaders and the just right of the invaded and conquered to cut off their enemies to procure their own Freedom and inheritance again The third Answer GOd and Nature hath so given Ireland for a possession and Government to the Inhabitants and people of England from the beginning as in the Answer to the first Quere is cleer And this Quere more properly relate's to the English just title against the claim of the Irish who were not the original Inhabiters of Ireland and so no claim from God and Nature for such a possession of theirs and therefore the Irish invasion and expulsion of the English depriving them of much of their Lands framing Laws Government and Officers in the English Dominions or against the English consent is no other then robberie in the Irish Invaders and it is the just right of the Invaded and part conquered English to cut off their Irish enemies and to procure theirs and their Brethren's freedom to regain their own lawful government and inheritance And for further resolution this Quere as it is stated is not the case of the Irish For as before is truly said the permission of the British planted and gave them first footing there and the several Conquests or rather reducements of them by the British there was no invasion but a bringing of the rebelling Irish to due obedience and Christian-like submission to their supreme Governors whose right onely it is to impose Laws Governors and Officers upon them and therefore no robberie for the English to enter on their own Land but most just to punish and disseis them who by their frequent Rebellions were no more to bee trusted with them then a mad-man with a sword yet the indulgence of the English Government hath alway as been so great as to take but a part of the Rebel's estates whereas they had forfeited all by their iterated former rebellions Then where is the caus or right of the Irish to cut off the English in cold blood in time of peace and in the best Government and improvement the Irish ever injoyed The fourth Quere WHether length of time where the original Nation is distinct from the Conqueror doth swallow up the right of the conquered that they have no right to seek after and regain their own freedoms and possessions yea or no The fourth Answer LEngth of time cannot privilege or discharge a people originally subordinate to another from their due conformitie and obedience to the Laws and Government of those by whose permission they were received into the Verge of their dominions as the Irish were into the dominions of the British in Ireland neither are the Irish Rebels as now composed a distinct Nation of themselvs nor so distinct in descent from those who at all times lawfully reduced them But that the now most ruling and powerful partie of the Rebels are descended of English lineage as aforesaid and neither they nor the other old degenerate English can justly pretend to anie Land there but what hath been passed unto them under the great Seal of that Land and therefore their freedom and right cannot bee anie wise said to bee swallowed up by the English for from anie other they cannot truly derive either their Freedom Lands or possessions as beeing granted unto them by the English and the meer Irish as is abovesaid not beeing half of the Inhabitants of Ireland nor of anie considerable riches strength or policie The fift Quere HOw can the conquered justly bee called or accounted Rebels if anie time they shall seek and endeavor to free themselvs and to regain their own Lands and Liberties The fift Answer THe Inhabitants of Ireland now in Arms against the power and just right of England are no better then perfidious rebels intruders and inhumane blood-suckers not onely for the causes before shewed but for their iterated Rebellions and former massacring of the English and have been well known to bee such brutish enemies for divers ages past And if it should bee allowed that they at their wills and pleasures might shake off the yoke of obedience and to perpetrate the inhumane cruelties semblable to their former then would they at length as it were change their shape of men into the state of Divels The sixt Quere WHether Julius Caesar Alexander the great William Duke of Normandie or anie other the great Conquerors of the world were anie other then so manie great and lawless thievs And whether it bee not altogether as unjust to take our neighbor Nations Lands and liberties from them as our neighbor's goods of our own Nation The sixt Answer HEre might I now suspend further labor as superfluous in contesting with extravagant impertinencies having expended much time upon the main But I have alreadie as I conceiv irrecoverably thrown down the fals foundation upon which this presumptuous Impostor doth rear the whole fabrick of his insnaring Queres In the fall whereof they are slaughtered as I may saie in the mother's bellie resolved before well objected and may bee left as dead and buried in their first ruines yet since the easiest part of my task is now behinde I will wave the trouble I might justly avoid in beeing filent and crave leav to proceed in the solution of the remaining interrogations to their utmost borders lest by such silence I should give advantage to the contriver of them to surfet with conceit of his supposed unanswerable suggestions By this question that now look's so big stare's us in the face
of war aswel as former And then why may not befal to those Inhabitants of Ireland which challenge the Land to bee given them by God and Nature that which hath betided other Nations by the secret counsels of that God in whose hands the Inhabitants of the earth are tossed as a ball Did not Eneas by conquest of the Latines settle his posteritie in Italie did not the Franks by invasion and conquests take possession of Gallia now their native habitation was not Britain in France surprized by the power of the English Saxons and from them denominated continuing in their possession to this daie Did not the Huns becom Masters of Pannonia now of them called Hungarie And to conclude is not Conquest an universal title throughout the world Is not that Jus gentium quod ubique valet And if this Jus Belli stand for a Plea for them why may not wee then saie as the Civillians fully resoly the lawfulness and proprietie of things gotten by war in this known Maxime Ea quae ab hostibus capiuntur jure gentium statim fiunt capientium I cannot omit som material instances and so conclude the Answer to this Quere whereby the present acting power of a Conqueror is allowed and approved in an usurper by the Lord Jesus Christ who was born under an usurping power to teach us as a judicious Commentator observ's Indicat deinde ipsâ nativitate se non pellere magistratum ordinarium adventu suo imò approbare who besides his universal title to all the world had an indubitable title and claim to the temporal Kingdom of the Jews then under the Romane usurping power Witness that antient Manuscript Michael Nauclerus de Monarchia divina ex libro vaticano yet did so far submit unto the title of Conquest and his intrusion that hee the lawful heir was contented to becom a Subject in his own Land Eodem tempore quo muâ—ti Tyranni occupabant though all power was his and hee that little stone foretold that hee should bee cut out of the Mountain c. yet hee neither smite's them with tongue Dan. 2.45 nor opposeth them by practice but practically useth and teacheth obedience by paying tribute yea becom's an Advocate for Cesar's interest Give unto Cesar that which is Cesar's and in a word was so far from exclaiming against that Romane though usurping autoritie that hee looking up to Heaven affirm's the invader's powers to bee of God and therefore afterwards submit's to an unjust Sentence of death whose steps the holie Apostle following and filled with the Spirit of the same Christ the onely blessed potentate doth in express terms without exclusion Rom. 13. v. 2 3 4 5 6 7. enjoin submission to all sorts of powers c. Hee saie's not they have no title they came in by Conquest they are thievs Robbers but honor's them with the title of lawful Magistrates and command's the conquered Subject upon pain of damnation to afford obedience unto them as the Ministers of God using these words that all powers that bee are of God And for the later part of this Quere viz Whether it bee not altogether as unjust to take our neighbor's Lands and Liberties from them as our neighbor's goods from our own Nation Iâ— is answered that although the Irish have verie long usurped the possession of the Lands and Liberties of the English in Ireland beeing the Lands and Liberties in the neighboring Countrie which the Querist meaneth and which of right and from antiquitie and so until this daie do truly and justly belong to the Engliish as in the first Quere is resolved Yet neither when this present Rebellion brake out in Ireland nor of a number of yeers before were anie Lands or Liberties unjustly taken held or deteined from anie the Rebels of Ireland And hee can pretend to nothing but dull ignorance that know's it not to have been still consistent with the Laws and Customs aswel of England as of other civil Nations of the world to seiz and take the goods and liberties of such neighbors of their own Nation as would not stoop to obedience but Rebel against the known Laws of anie Land where they lived especially wilful Law-breakers such as should first begin and attempt depredations and surprising of the goods and estates of the obedient parties the like Laws beeing for such contemners and Rebels also in such cases to lose their lives The seventh Quere WHether God at the last daie will not call men to an account even for those things which they are unaccountable for here as great Conquerors are The seventh Answer GOd at the last daie will justifie all men that zealously execute the work of his own righteous justice and that are instrumental in the propagation of his truth and glorie as the English now are and as I am confident they will persist in Ireland their own Countrie against and upon the wicked Inhabitants thereof the Irish Rebels who for their abominations as I may boldly saie stink in the nostrils of the Lord and of all his servants and must at last without doubt bee brought to an account for all their ungrateful inhumane bloodie and barbarous actions wherein the hand of the Lord is most visible unto us having alreadie brought manie to the sword destroied som by famine but far more by pestilence and other waies of his Justice and now those whose persons as yet met not with those Judgments and proudly triumphed over and stood upon the necks of the deplorable This at large appear's by the examinations taken at Dublin upon oath and infinitely distressed English do like dust before the winde flie from the faces of our English Protestant souldiers not daring to justifie the least of their acts or undertakings but for refuge flie to Mountains woods bogs and other obscure and unaccessible places cursing now the first plotters contrivers and beginners of their Rebellion and hellish designs And doth not the Querist think that manie of these bloud-suckers in this world and the rest in the world to com shall meet with condign punishment suitable to their demerits The eighth Quere WHether the condition of the conquered bee not Ireland and the condition of the Conquerors bee not England and Ireland unjustly tearmed Rebels and their caus just and England a thieving usurping Tyrannie and their caus altogether unjust beeing against God and Nature and therein such as no judicious conscientious man can assist or bid God speed The eighth Answer THe condition of the conquered is not Ireland beeing as aforesaid not a distinct nation and people but the greatest part of them consisting of English or those from thence extracted And the several Conquests of them but reducements to legal and civil obedience to the just and proper right and interest of England Nor can the condition of the Conquerors of them bee as over an absolute Nation therefore the Inhabitants of Ireland now in arms against the just rights and proprietie of England are properly
and palpably Rebels and their caus unjust and England's a legal power right and Government and their caus altogether just beeing for God and Nature For God to punish the rebellious wicked and obstinate to root out Idolatrie to plant and dress the Lord's Vineyard by holding out the glorious light of the truth and not suffer it to bee covered or trampled on For Nature such as all judicious conscientious men will assist and bid God speed unto beeing to redeem their brethren the dispoiled Protestants in Ireland restore them to their just and lawful possessions vindicate the robberies murthers tortures rapes and inhumane cruelties barbarously executed on them and reduce that Countrie to Peace and quietness The ninth Quere WHether it bee not the dutie of everie honest man by all fair and peaceable means to endeavor the diverting of the States from the prosecution of so unjust a caus especially decline all means where himself might promote the same but to shew his utter dislike of it The ninth Answer IT is the dutie of everie honest man by all earnest zealous and lawful means to endeavor the encouragement and furtherance of the State of England for their prosecution of their so just a caus especially to undertake all means and to run through all difficulties whereby hee himself might promote the same and shew his willingness unto and good liking of it and hee neither is nor can bee a good Christian that will not contribute to the suppression of these Idolaters murtherers and apparent enemies of God The tenth Quere VVHether those that conted for their freedom as the English now shall not make themselvs altogether unexcusable if they shall intrench upon other's freedoms And whether it bee not an especial note and characterizing badg of a true pattern of freedom to indeavor the just freedom of all men as well as his own The tenth Answer THose that contend for their freedom as the â—aglish now who are backt and seconded by original just Principles fundamental Laws inherent Rights legal and due grants and acknowledgment of their rights from their former accepted Governors make 's the resolution flatly opposite unto and inconsistent with the rebellious Inhabitants of Ireland who have neither original Principles fundamental Laws inherent Rights legal and due grants and acknowledgments of their rights from their former rightful Governors in anie sort or manner distinct and separate from the right power and Government of England over them But as a member to the bodie so is Ireland to England And therefore England need 's no excuse but is everie waie justifiable to rectifie or cut off a corrupt rebellious and gangren'd member who never had imposed on it or reteined anie other defect restriction or freedom then the whole bodie suffered And if the indeavors of England have been so candid as to make Ireland a fellow-member of its own freedom and enjoyment of Laws and Libertie equal with it self in such of the Inhabitants as are capable and deserving the same it is a special note and characterizing badg of a true Pattern of freedom to bring such as belong to them into the like condition of themselvs and to suppress those in Ireland aswel as those in England that oppose the same The Eleventh Quere VVHether in Judgment and Conscience the Irish are not to bee justified in all that they have don against the English in Ireland and in complying with assisting and seeking assistance from anie that would or will bee England's enemies to preserv and deliver them from the crueltie and usurpation of the English rather then to becom slaves to their wills And whether the English would not do as the Irish do were they in like condition The eleventh Answer IF Traitors murtherers ravishers robbers cruel inhumane persecutors of true Christians sacrilegious abominable Idolaters are justifiable then are the Inhabitants of Ireland now in arms against the English to bee justified But if by the Law of God and man such of their partakers Abettors and countenancers are to bee prosecuted and punished by those into whose hands God hath put the sword of legal power and just Government as now in the English Then in Judgment and conscience the said Inhabitants of Ireland deserv sharp prosecution and just condemnation and the rather for that they to uphold themselvs in their mischief have against their dutie and Ioialtie to the lawful Government and right of England assisted and sought assistance from such as are and alwaies have been England's professed enemies and therefore for the English to endeavor the acquifition of their own just rights and to punish those rebellious obstinate and inhumane inhabitants of Ireland is but their dutie and so conscience not crueltie equitie and just right not usurpation They deserving the greatest severitie for their falshood and treacherie who so exorbitantly abused the greatest freedom that ever anie Nation enjoied and were not made slaves to the will of the English Protestants but for manie years past had as much freedom and far more then their evil manners rendered them capable of The twelfth Quere VVHether the English would account anie thing crueltie enough for them to exercise upon the Irish if the Irish should dispossess them in England and tyrannize over them here as the English have don over them there if afterwards the English should get the upper hand The twelfth Answer THe English never dispossed nor tyrannized over the Irish either in Ireland or England but contrariwise were ever indulgent and loving to them and now as the English will account nothing severe enough if warrantable by God's Law for them to execute upon the rebellious Irish if they should dispossess the English in England and tyrannize over them here as they the Irish have most unlawfully don over English Protestants in Ireland So it is warrantable by God's Law to recover their right in Ireland and by the same Law if they get the upper hand severely to prosecute and punish the blood-guiltie Inhabitants of Ireland it beeing a dutie and trust imposed on them by God against such Idolaters and murtherers and none ought without great offence but prosecute such a cause with effect The thirteenth Quere WHether it bee not the dutie of the English Nation rather to repent of the oppression usurpation and intrusion of themselvs their Kings and forefathers then with a high hand to pursue those designs of violence The thirteenth Answer IT is the part and dutie of the English Nation rather to prosecute and force the rebellious member Ireland to repent their oppression usurpation and intrusion into the right and Government of the English and for their violent depriving them and their harmless neighbors of their Liberties lives goods Lands and other Estates and for the English to recover their own rights in all ages made good by the expence of their fore-father's blood and treasure and with a high hand to pursue the designs of the opposers and where the English never oppressed usurped or
rebellion wherein not a Family in England but is interessed and which they exspect not to bee rendered fruitless to the dishonor of the whole Nation Set all these aside yet humane reason and policie dictate's that the Hous cannot bee safe so long as the back door is open The father wrong's his posteritie if hee lavishly give away halfe his inheritance the regaining whereof hereafter may bee a cause of ten fold loss of blood and treasure to what it may cost in preservation that it is neither safe or just in the Law of Nature to fling away anie part of our Arms or defence though at present cumbersom which may advantage the enemie by taking possession of and using as the popish partie will against us And saie the right and interest of England to Ireland were not so great cleer and undeniable as it is yet the late revolutions considered England must never exspect to bee advantaged or anie waie bettered by deserting Ireland and giving it up to the Rebellious Inhabitants A people so foully and lately treacherous to the Protestants and later English Which people are neither so formidable in their best arms defences and power to keep themselvs in such a proclaimed condition or freedom Nor is it the aim or mark of their new Grandees to effect and maintein it whose divisions and contrarie inclinations amongst themselvs are and will ever bee a readie and open gap for anie England's enemies to enter in at And saie they have no realitie in them to a kingly claim as without doubt they have not they having now of late made amongst them so manie new Kings yet it were an Act of destructive and dangerous consequence to give Ireland to the disposal of the Pope and hee to the Spaniard his dear childe which the Inhabitants of Ireland are not much against but contrariwise manie of them desire it and which undoubtedly if not prevented would happen And so that bit bee brought into the mouth of the Spaniard which hee hath so long gaped after to swallow and devour And admit that Ireland were of the Protestant Religion as well as England and thereby the above inconveniencies avoided yet were it neither safe nor commendable to quit the dependance of that Island on England by proclaiming the Inhabitants thereof a free State since what such a State might do upon verie slender grounds and mistakes let Scotland witness The resolution therefore is that to do as this Quere propound's is extreme loss hazard and disadvantage to the people of England and the reducement of that Countrie to its lawful dependance and Government of England by a full conquest of the present Rebels let the charge bee what it will is more honorable safe profitable and advantagious to England then to proclaim them a free State who are not in a capacitie to make and keep themselvs so nor are or ever were a distinct Nation as is before said and here take notice how the Querist propound's a suitable reward indeed for the State of England to bestow upon the Reâ—â—â—â—â— of Ireland for murdering their kindred and allies acknowledging the said Rebels a free State and in amitie with them and thereby for ever to quit their own undoubted interest establish the worst of their enemies becom guiltie of the unparalel'd murthers of those that were flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone and leav the remnant of the poor English there continually open to the rapine of those whose mercies are cruelties So as the Querist would work the State of England into an impious unprovident and unnatural desertion of the caus of God their own interest and National quarrel The seventeenth Quere VVhether Ireland were not altogether as like to accept of protection safetie and defenâ—e from the State and people of England as from Spain or any other Nation especially would they not rather then from Prince Charles Rupert or from such like forlorn Soldiers how would they then style the malignant Partie inconsiderable And whether they were not then likelie suddenly to recall their Sea-Pirats and so suddenly set open all Trade by Sea The seventeenth Answer BEcaus the Rebellious Inhabitants of Ireland have cast off their obedience to the government of England and as is too well known have plotted and as farr as they could indeavored the utter exâ—tirpation of the English Protestants have in coolness of bloud and without any provocation given them maliciously and most barbarously murthered som hundreds of thousands of them driven the rest from their habitations robbed them of their Estates wounded maimed and most miserably intreated great numbers of others have burned their houses Casiles and Churches and have elected and made to and amongst themselvs several new Kings viz. the Pope the King of Spaine Owen M c Art O Neil Sr Phelim O Neil The Lord Maguire since deceased O Conner Dun of Sligoh Philip M c Hugh M c Sane O Rely Dermot M c Doolin Cavenagh and one O Shergil as doth and will fully appear in the examinations taken in that behalf and becaus also those rebellious Irish have declined all English government returned to their barbarous manners and customs have set up a new government have vowed and many of them taken the Sacrament to destroy not only all the men women and children of the English Protestants but also all irrational Creatures of the English breed and becaus also they have in a most high manner as farr as they could prophaned the Churches books and daies of God's true worship have brought to death as many Professors of his truth as they could possiblie surprise and have dilated their power and strength in the acting and perpetrating of any crime destructive to the English Protestants and which might render themselvs uncapable of mercie protection or safetie from the people of England therefore none ought to be given them nor ought the sword now justly and upon necessitie drawn out against them be returned to the Scabbard before that destruction they denounced and resolved to execute upon the English be retaliated upon themselvs least such mercie be recompenced with a curs as the holie Ghost by the Prophet in a case such semblance pronounced Jer. 28.10 Cursed bee bee that doth the work of the Lord negligently and cursed bee hee that keepeth back his Sword from bloud But I wonder from what the Querist mean's they should be protected saved or defended if hee intend it to bee from that punishment they have so justly merited by their Rebellion and wickedness past according to that protection and those Concessions they lately had by Compact with Ormond grounded upon a Commission from the late King Charle To that I answer That if the indulgent English should grant it to them no doubt they would accept and make use of it so long as they should finde it to promote and be consistent with their own ends and surely they would to themselvs take up no little glorie to meet with such a color of justification as they might thereby transferr their odious guilt upon the Protectors so much elevate the policie and wit of the old Serpent their dread Lord and Master above the English Protestant genius and bee thereby also the further enabled to destroy the remaining Partie of the Protestants in Ireland too precious wee hope to bee the price of their securitie But for further resolution These rebellious Inhabitants of Ireland are so contemptuous to the English laws so opposite in profession to the English Protestant so hardned in their wickedness envie and hatred against God's truth and them for the truth's sake and so wil ully bent to persist as till suppressed they will not omit but contrariwise with greediness draw into their confederacie countenance and assistance any whether forreign Prince or other person and never think themselvs in good condition or safetie until if possible they have sounded the dreinings of the English veins to their abyss through their deepest lakes of bloud and have brought the undestroied part of the English to the lowest ebb of tranquilitie which they will endeavour to effect and hasten on as well by Sea as Land and have in most esteem all malignant Parties lending a hand and enabling them to effect it But the Lord prevent them Something may bee said concerning Edmond Gawre who delivered the formerly recited and answered cavilling Queres to Mr Theodore Jennings who delivered them over to the Lord President of the Council of State as that it is verie like lie he is an Irishman and one whom by credible information doth or lately did covertly cnnningly shelter among the soldierie in or about Londor and is a Jesuitical Papist for the verie Queres themselvs smel of the breath of a Jesuit the truth whereof may do well if found out by inquisition after his present being parentage and education which is left to the discretion of those eminent persons in anthoritie the Impostorâ—s then present drift being to retard and hinder if possible forces and succors from our Partie in Ireland at that time when the Land was in greatest danger to bee â—ent and taken from us FINIS