as many Indulgences as those that visit Saint Joan's Church Confesse and Repent on the feast of the transfiguration of our Lord and at Easter and say Anima Chri. and you obtaine forgivenesse of all your unperformed oathes say certaine prayers in the honour of the blessed Sacrament upon Christmas day our Lady day Saint Francis day and Saint Cloars day say Anima Christi in honour of Christs blood upon Wednesday Friday and Saturday and you get remission of all your sinnes or the sinnes of any other that you pray for adore the Crosse upon Friday five times and you bring five Soules out of Purgatory of your owne kindred beleeve verily and doubt not that whosoever carryeth any part or parcell of these holy graines about him shall never miscarry Anima Christi sanctifica me c. This sacred graine ye see is a Catholicon good for all diseases preserves from all manner of evill incident to soule as body especially from the temptation of the devill and heresie but yet not their feete from being so swift to shed innocent blood their hands from theft their tongues from lying and such like which are neere enough a kin to the Devill This graine being steeped one quarter of an houre in a hotch-potch of Ave-maries Crosse prayers and such like ingredients the vertue descends as low as purgatory the next doore to hell absolves you from perjury and if you have any part or parcell of these graines about you you cannot miscarry These medicines if they were common would surely undoe all our Physitians and Chirurgians and as one would thinke prove a great hinderance to their very Priests whose craft like Demetrius the Silver Smith would be in danger to be set at naught Some formall conveyances of all the spirituall goods of the Fryar minors and the Nunnes of Saint Clare to some Gent. Our neighbors as a meanes of preserving them here and saving them hereafter i. e. a conferring unto them the merits of their Masses Prayers Fasts Preachings Readings Meditations Devotions c. in some requitall of their Almes to them drawne up under the hand and Seale of the Provinciall Anno 1640. with divers others such delusions which to us they would not be knowne the Originals have come to my hands but I will not glut thee with any more of them These fond scroules the silly people prize as pearles but if they found a Bible of ours in English how basely would they use it burning was the best end that came to all they laid hands on as the like was the destiny of all other Bookes of that nature with which some of the owners were more grieved then for the losse of their goods Nay some Libraries of the Clergy made a prey of they were so violent that as Herod to have beene the surer of the death of our Saviour killed his owne Childe amongst those Innocents at Betheleem so they burnt abundance of their owne Authours also without distinction where at first search they found but any of ours By the death of so many men about us having their houses and all their provision either burnt or drawne hither the dogges onely surviving are found very usually like that judgement upon Jesabell for the murther of Naboth feeding upon their Masters which taste of Mans flesh made it very dangerous for the Passengers in the rodes who have beene often set upon by those Mastives till we were as carefull to kill them also Not long after this my Lord Conway with the Scotâ—h Forces to the number of about three thousand advanced from Knockâ—fâ—rgus as farre as the Newry eight miles beyond Dundâ—â—ke tooke the Towne upon Composition of giving them their lives that were in the Castle which was the rather yeelded to for Sir Edward Trevors sake an ancient grave Privy Counsellour of this Kingdome then Prisoner within it who else by a battery or the basenesse of those varlets might have beenâ— endangered This newes put the Rebels about Armagh some sixteene miles from thence into such a fright as they presently fired the Countrey killed most of the English remaining burnt all the houses and the Corne and fled to Dunganon in the County of Tyrone For the Towne of Armagh Sir Pheâ—emy O Neile being there himselfe they burnt downe every house and Creete in it burnt the faire Cathedrall which they had made their Masse-house hitherto and the Steeple so that the Bells dropped downe the cruell murders they committed were it in any other Country would be incredible about a dozen of the English clapt up in the lower Goale they tooke out of the Towne and butchered them in the upper roome where the better sort were and some of the Clergy they set fire to it intending to have burnt them in it but they broke open the doore two of which escaped the rest were followed and murthered An old grave man one Master Starkey of above fourescore yeares of age Master of the Free-Schoole of Armagh whom I knâ—w to be an innocent harmelesse man and had beene Sewer to Queene Elizabeth they tooke him with his two Daughters and at Blaâ—ke-water not farre from thence stripped them and drowned them some few escaping from thence hither have filled our eares with such horrid and barbarous acts as I am loath to conclude with them and indeed they are so many that they would make a booke of themselves Yet one particular I cannot omit as a just judgement of God upon him who was the Authour and prime Actor in the burning the Church of Armagh who three or foure dayes after runne starke mad and so dyed within the weeke Not long after these came other prisoners to us escaped out of the County of Cavan June the first with their mouthes full of the like stories where abundance of our neighbours here have beene compelled to take Sanctuary who though of the ancient English yet are reported to be more set upon cruelty then the meere Irish There upon the hearing of that newes of the Scotch having the Command of the Castle of Knockefergus the Newry and others they began againe to revive among the common Souldiers their former imaginary hopes that the Scotch were sent to take their parts which they were so credulous of that upon that ground they freely dismissed Captaine Bayly with his wife his Lieutenant and some others of that Nation conveying them to the Newry a long journey and so they came hither onely taking this Oath of them that They should but dâ—e as the rest of the Scotch there did which howsoever the Rebels meaning was an Assistance of them yet they there found they must be perjured unlesse according to the practise of their Country men thereabouts they killed men women and children The same Treaty they were about with the rest of the Scotch in the County of Cavan which if effected accordingly the Rebels shall very charitably binde them in a stricter obligation to cut their throates then else of themselves they might be prone unto Many Regiments are now landed and more ready at the water sâ—de great preparations are making for a March into the field with which none are more pleased then some of ours who have beene thus long cooped up in this besieged Towne with the good newes of which thou mayest expect to be refreshed daily and before the conclusion of this Summer there is hope of producing some good issue out of these beginnings in a just revenge of the blood of so many thousand Christians so causelesly shed by these barbarous Rebels FINIS
THE Whole Proceedings of the Siege of Drogheda in IRELAND VVith a thankfull Remembrance for its wonderfull delivery Raised with GODS speciall assistance by the Prayers and sole valour of the besieged With a Relation of such memorable passages as have falne out there and in the parts neer adjoyning since this late Rebellion Written by Nicholas Bernard Deane of Ardagh in Ireland This shall be written for those that come after and the people which shall be born shall praise the Lord Psal 102. 18. So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts and I will also tell of his greatnesse Psal 1456. LONDON Printed by A. N. for VVilliam Bladen 1642. IT is ordered this fourteenth day of July 1642 by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parlament concerning printing that this Book intituled the siege of Drogheda in Ireland c. be forthwith Printed and that the same be printed by W. Bladen and that this Booke be not printed nor reprinted by any other without his consent John White To the honorable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the house of Commons now assembled in Parliament in England NAture teacheth every thing to affect its owne preservation and Reason for the same end compels this Book under your Honourable Patronage whether it tends as to its proper Centre in the maturity of whose wise and pious resolutions rests terrour and dread to the Rebels and the only hope of reliefe to our miserable distresses in the Kingdom of Ireland and to be a Isa 58. 12. the Repayrer of the Breach and the Restorer of Paths to dwell in is so Honourable a Title that there can be no greater invitation That application of * Vid. Melchior â—â—â—â—dast 〈…〉 Papâ— Baâ—onius in his exhortative to Paul the fifth of those two commands given to Saint Peter b Iob. â—1 17 Feed my sheep c 〈…〉 11. 17. kill and eat i. e. saith he preserve the Catholicks and kill the Hereticks have been in their interpretation the summe of the popish bloudy Conspiracie for this Kingdome for the extirpation of which Idolatrous rout howsoever wee finde there needs no farther incitement then your own Religious zealous inclinations yet wee cannot but humbly declare our affections to it also they like a viperous seed having endeavoured to eat out the hearts of such as nourished them That wee would in a faire medicinall way have healed Babylon cannot be gain said but proving such a fretting gangreen what help is there but an amputation What charitable acts courteous carriage friendly informations we have over-flowed with to them and what ill fruits have been produced from them towards us needs no further witnesse so that for the most moderate of them at least a compelle intrare can be their onely favourable expectation Which howsoever Saint d Mâ—a primitus Sententia erat neminem ad unitatem Christi cogendum non dum enim expertus eram quantum mali eorum viz Donatistarum auderet impunitas At haec opinio mea demonstrantium superabatur exemplis nam prinio appohebatur mihi civitas mea quae cum tota esset in parte Donati ad unitatem Catholicam Timoâ—e Legum Impertalium conversa est quem nune videmus ita hujus vestrae animositatis perniciem detestare ut in ea nunquam fuisse credatur multas alias civitates c. August Epist 48. ad Vincentium Videlicet ibidem gratulationes gratiarum actiones eorum qui ab Haresi timore lâ—gâ—m redierunt Objectiones solvuntur Epist 50. ad Bonifactum lib. 2. contra Petilâ—â—num c. 8â— Lab. 1. contra Gandentium cap. 9. 24. Lâ—b 1. contra Parmen cap. 10 lib. de Vnitate Ecclesiae cap. 20. Augustine had bin once against yet upon the experience of that good issue it had in cleering his own Citie Hippo of Heresie and other parts he changed his mind in urging it This e Sent. August num Heterodoxi metu poenarum ad sidem Catholicam cogi possunt collectâ— a Matth. Merula vide cap. 7. in conclusione cum cohortatione ad Zelum contra Sectarios hujus temporis Merula indeed applyes to us and by the example of this Father exhorts the Emperour and Princes of Germanie to alter their course in a present suppressing the Religion of the Reformed Churches But Becanus the lesuit proceedeth further to move them without any more adoe to the killing of us whom he asperseth with the blot of Heresie after the example of Moses so condemning the worshippers of the golden Calfe the hanging up the heads of the people at Baal peor by Elias Iehu in slaying the priests of Baal And after the applying to us those mortall precepts in the Law against f 〈◊〉 24. 16 Blasphemers g Dâ—â—t 17. 12. Disobeyers of the chief Priest and h Dâ—ut 13. 14. enticers to serve other gods and answers of all pleas that might be alleaged for our toleration concludes i â—â—â—etici 〈◊〉 perâ—â—bant paâ—em Christianam quam hoâ—icidae â—â—res â—t hi puniuntur â—oenacapitis â—â—go multo mâ—gis illi qui sunt pernitiosiores Nam cum pax Christiana sit duplex Ecclesiastica Politica Homicidae â—â—â—es tantum perturbant politicam Haretici utramque Mart. Becan câ—p 15. de paenis Haereticorum quaest â— Wee ought to be slain rather then thieves or murtherers as being far more pernicious to Church and Common-wealth Nay Scioppius in his Classicum Belli sacri charges the Emperour with it as his duty to slay our very k Sâ—ul hujusmodi mandatum acceâ—â—t Percute Amaleck interfice a viro usque ad muherem parvulum lactaâ—â—em Nota infantes Hareticorum Deus occidi jubeat ne adultioâ—â—s facti patrum scelete impliâ—â—â—tur in ò Deut. cap. 13. 9. 15. STAâ—IM percutiâ—s c. Non audias neqâ—e parâ—â—â— ei oculus tuus ut miscrearis sic Imperator interficere debes â—uemcunque c. idque statim ut David in Psal 101. â—n mâ—â—â—â—inâ— interficrebam hoc est ut exâ—rti fuerant disperderem â— e â—â— nullus inveniretur p. 12. 18 19 79. 83. Children and infants after the example of Sauls command for Amaleck and the Israelites for the Cananites that he should not spare neither his eye have pitie l Nulla râ—graviâ—s Deum offendere potest Caesar quam â—arcendo â—â—reticis bello captis exemplo Sauâ—â—â— 1 Sam. 15. â—â— Ergo 〈◊〉 etiam atque etiam Imperator ut si quando tâ—â—s Dei perduelles dâ—vinâ— humano jure mori jussos in potestatem tâ—am â—edegâ—â—is â—â—eâ—s 〈◊〉 gladium in vindictam malorum ubi dâ—tum sâ—c feriâ—tuâ—â— gerâ—â— siâ—itiore quam Saul paena afficiaris saltem ut quod Regi Aâ—hâ—b sâ—â—ilem obâ—aâ—sam Deus cominatus fuerit in te tuâ—sqâ—e 〈◊〉 uâ—ndo â—â—â—tias â—eâ—ic him est pag. 80. 78. Terreat te Imperator 〈…〉 Râ—gi â—clesâ—phâ—t claâ—sâ—s â—urique Indâ—câ— jactura terreat te illa 〈…〉 2. câ—p â—0
this Rebellion assuring them they should all be saved and reputed as Martyrs that died in that quarrell One Dowdal of Killalee confessed that when his Brother went first out his own mother upon her knees disswaded him but a Priest urged him to it and prevailed whose example himselfe not long after followed After this wee had a rumour of O Relyes advancing this way wards from the County of Cavan The day before whose comming to Platten a Castle within two miles of us one Darcy the Master of it was so courteous as with great protestations of welcome solemnly to invite most of our Captains to a Feast thither which if obtained they had beene all hand-somly câ—tched in a snare by him This Rely having taken Kels Arbracen the Navan wee might easily foresee a possibility of besetting us on the Southside also toward Dublin whereupon our Governour intreated the State to a further sâ—â—ply who after a long expectation sent it downe but unfortunatly the foot miscarried by the way as followeth Of the defeat of six hundred foot with their Ammunition at the Bridge of Gillingstone within three milâ—s of Droheda ON Saturday the two and twentieth of November six hundred Foot and fifty Horse set out of Dublin but so late that they marched but six miles to Swords which as soone as wee understood a Post was sent from hence to warn them to mend their pace and not to faile of reaching hither the next day both for their own safety and ours and in expectation of them accordingly our Governour issâ—ed out with a competent force of Foot and Horse to meet them but the Souldiers mutined against their Commanders and would not march any further then Balrudhery which was but six miles more though they were offered double pay to invite them through The next day being the twenty third of November a little on this side the Bridge of Gillingstone when they thought all danger was past in a great stubble field they were met with by at least 2000 of the Enemy who being a mighty fog were within Musket shot before they were discryed The Captains presently began to draw up their men into a Battalia and entred the field The Souldiers seemed at first to be over-joyed to meete them The Rebels making a stand they did so also But it so fell out as they were ready to give fire one of the Officers who dying in the place prevented the like punishment for it commanded a Counter-march in which they being compelled to take a Ditch were disordered and the Enemy judging it a flight gave such a shout that frighted them into a further confusion and so presently charging them were routed most were slaine many escaped hither with their Armes but more without two of the Captains were killed the other escaped with one Ensigne The fifty Horse who were my Lord of Ormonds made their way through them without the hurt of one man The causes of this disaster are diversly pleaded by the Souldiers and Commanders which I will not take upon mee to determine This accident was our greatest losse and our Enemies gaine by the large portion of powder match armes and moneys which were made a prey of yet some good was produced out of this evill being the occasion whereby our foes were discerned from seeming friends for till now the Lords of the Pale were Neuters but upon this successe they all instantly discovered themselves of what stamp they were of after whose Coppy our Townsmen began to improve their hands also Assoon as the Scout that morning brought us the news of the Enemies marching that way our valiant Governour made out presently with six hundred foot and two troops of horse but before he could reach the place the Rebels were fled with the carriages as being the mayne thing they aymed at but that falshood of our Neighbours on the Northside of us appeared evidently two of their Commissioners the Sheriff and our Alderman were at that instant in parley with us from them and as soone as the certainty of the ill news came joy might be discerned in their smiles who by much of their discourse to me that morning it was cleere they were of the Plot feares they presently multiplyed upon such as were apt for them what bloudy fellows they were and desperate giving also an assurance of a prosecution that night and the like which in reason being probable enough the whole Regiment stood to their Armes and were appointed their severall Guards upon the first Alarme but they had not thâ— hearts to proceed Not long after this the Rebels took the opportunity of another advantage also in the surprizall of a Chester Barke at the Skerries whose owner upon great presumptions is believed to have beene corrupted to it by three or foure of our Popish Merchants aboard her who against the desire of the rest of the English which was to have been for Dublin or any other Port would put in no where but there and ran her aground also which in regard of the open Harbour and the fairnesse of the weather it could not be but a voluntary act And it further appeared by the mirth of the Merchants as soone as she was stuck their present violent rifling the English who had some good summes of moneys before any Boat came out from the Rebels That Barke was fraught with some extraordinary provision of Powder and Ammunition for them amongst which there was a Harquebush made of purpose at Chester at the charge and direction of one of our Town The Papists in her were welcomed by the kind greeting of the Rebels but the poore Protestant English robd of all they had their Letters out of England intercepted and detained As soone as they were landed desiring a safe conduct hither the Lord Netherfield out of a pretence of favour would not suffer them but sent them to Dublin assuring them he would not fail to take this Town within two days and then they would be prisoners again of which he had so strong a perswasion that the rumour was confidently given out and believed in Dublin before the attempt So sure did a simple Alderman of ours who was with them expect it that to mediate for the saving of one of their lives and giving him a shilling to carry him to Dublin he compelled the poore man to make over his house and what else hee had here thinking to have taken possession of it instantly in due forme of Law Nay their boasts then were to this purpose That they might easily see the cause was of God it had so prospered that Gods speciall hand was in it in so sudden giving up the Kingdom into the hands of the Catholicks Which since by the contrary event on our side hath been retorted unto them otherwise in our wonderfull delivery from them Now were wee fully besieged on all sides blockt up aswell by Sea as Land all ways of entercourse towards Dublin stopped Sentinels placed so thick night and day that
Prior of the Dominicans here He accompanied by a Captaine of his owne name with a Drum beat a Parley upon the hill and being admitted to the Gate delivered his Commission to the Captaine of the Port the summe of which was to this purpose viz. That the Generall and Captaines of the Catholique Army had sent this Father Darcy with others to treate with the Governour and Captaines of the Towne of Droheda to whom they were â—â— give credit as in their names provided first that they might have assurance of safe conduct and returne under the hands of the Governour before their entrance While this was considering of and a protection sending them accordingly The Fryer longing till he was delivered of his erâ—and staid not for an answer but upon the bare word of an Officer enters and without any further security presents himselfe At his sudden unexpected approach the Governour made him sensible of his errour which being out of his element he had runne into that being come in without any Obligation from him hee was at his mercy whether hee would dismisse him or no yet notwithstanding was pleased to passe it by only as an inconsiderate act and not taking that advantage which the Law of Armes would justifie granted him audience and assurance of safetie as if he had had it more formally under his hand as it was both conditioned and preparing and the Drum that came with him was as inordinate as himselfe being one of our owne Souldiers not long before run away from us whose doome by right was to have bin hanged The summe of his demand was The absolute surrender of the Towne for his Majesties use and service assuring us of such deepe projects and mighty forces that it would be impossible not expresly excepting Gods power it selfe ever to be relieved either by Land or Sea The Governour with the Captaines answer was as short that they had a Commission from his Majestie bearing such a date for the defence of this Towne against them but could they produce a Countermand of a Later date either from his Majesty or the Lords Justices for to give it up they were ready to obey In the meane time they thought themselves more able to keepe it then the Countrey was to keepe them That as yet they had been put to no such distresse as to admit of any such meane thoughts That if they attempted it by the Sword they should be sure to have most of their lives first or if by Famine they should heare they eate their horses hides Having this answer the Fryer was as weary of his stay in Towne as he was hasty of entring only gave us a Copie of the Oath lately taken by the Lords of the Pale and as he said by the rest of the Pretended Catholiques neere us which the next day it came to my hands I thought it not unfit to returne it with the interest of a short glosse and a disswasive appendix to the taking of it The Oath is as followeth I A. B. doe in the presence of Almighty God and all the Angels and Saints in heaven promise vow sweare and protest to maintaine and defend as farre as I may with my life power and estate the publique and free exercise of the true Catholique Roman Religion against all persons that shall oppose the same I further sweare that I will beare faith and true Alleagiance to our Soveraigne Lord King Charles his Heires and Successors and that I will defend him and them as farre as I may with my life power and estate against all such persons as shall attempt any thing against their Royall Persons Honours Estates or Dignities and against all such as shall directly or indirectly endeavour to suppresse their royall Prerogatives or doe any act or acts contrary to regall government As also the power and priviledges of Parliament the lawfull rights and priviledges of the Subject and every person that makes that Vow Oath and Protestation in whatsoever he shall doe in the lawfull pursuance of the same And to my power as farre as I may I will oppose and by all wayes and meanes endeavour to bring to condigne punishment even to the losse of life liberty and estate all such as shall either by force practise Counsels Plots Conspiracies or otherwise doe or attempt any thing to the contrary of any Article clause or any thing in this present Vow Oath and protestation contained so helpe me God Vpon the Treaty of this said Fryer who in the name of the Commanders of the Catholique Army for so he stiled them had demanded the surrender of this Town as aforesaid our Governour and Captains caused this following Protestation and Oath to bee made and drawne up as followeth The Protestation of the Governour and Captaines of the Town of Drogheda for their unanimous defence of it for his Majesties use and service VVHereas we are beset with such who pretend their attempts in taking of this Town to be for the advancement of his Majesties service which notwithstanding we believe is but a pretext to delude the vulgar wee the Governour and Captaines of the said Towne for the further manifestation and approbation of our loyalty and faithfulnesse to his Majesty by whose immediate Command wee are charged for the defence of his just and Royall title in it do likewise hereby unanimously make this following Protestation and Oath and doe enjoyn it to be taken by every Souldier and Inhabitant of this Town as the evidence of their faith and truth to the Kings Crown and dignity which we shall mayntain with our lives and estates and that such as shall refuse it to be put out of the Gates The Oath I Shall to my uttermost endeavour the defence of this Town against all outward or inward attempts whatsoever for his Majesties service I shall forthwith discover any Plot Conspiracy or Combination which may or shall come to my knowledge from without or within which may be any ways intended to the prejudice of the whole Towne or to the person of the Major Governour Aldermen or any of the Captaines or Officers Garrisond in it I shall not attempt nor consent that the Towne shall bee given upon any pretence or cause whatsoever without the consent of the Governour Major and greater part of the Captains and Aldermen in it or without speciall Command from his Majesty or chiefe Governour or Governours of the Kingdome All which I doe herby sweare truly and faithfully to observe and keepe without any fraud deceit or mentall reservation whatsoever This Oath howsoever intending aswell the safety of the Towne Officers as the Garrison and either readily taken or offered to be taken by the Captains Officers and all the Souldiers yet being presented to the Major and Alderman they first delayed it by desiring a sight of it with some time of consideration and at length after advise with their learned I will not say Religious Councell returned a flat refusall only coloured with the
and properly for a religious one it should be a voluntary act Fasts are called Sabbaths but vvith us novv every Sabbath vvas become a Fast so that that distinction according to the ancient Canons could not binde us but still see the accepting of our very intentions that very Sunday February the 14 â—h was there a booty offered to us of above fourescore Covves and tvvo hundred Sheep which sâ—me Horse and Foot instantly issuing out returned with the spoyle of by that time vve vvere going to Church vvhereby my subject vvas turned to thanksgiving That as David we might acknovvledge I did but say I would confesse and thou forgavest c. Thou preventedst me with thy loving kindnesse c. And still this vvas vvith the losse of some of our Enemies but of ours notvvithstanding the shot as thicke as Haile from the other side of the River not one man so much as hurt a Horse vvas onely shot through the eare The popish Tovvnes-men could not dissemble their sadnesse at the sight of this reliefe but it appeared in their faces and speeches and casually a Horse at the Gate slipping out of his Riders hand and running through the Tovvne some of them could not but expresse their joy in hope one Horseman had beene slaine Another Sally vvas made tvvo dayes after on the other side vvith a hundred Foot and a troop of Horse to secure the bringing in of some Corne a mile and a halfe off but by some secret notice given to the Rebels by those of their ovvne party vvithin fifteene hundred from divers parts suddenly beset them our men ran not avvay but having called backe their Forragers made a faire orderly retreate through them to the killing of nine of the Rebels as hath been since confessed by themselves and of ours none so much as hurt onely some straglers of poore unarmed men and women vvho against command to get some Corne stayed too long behinde they barbarously and basely butchered vvithout giving them any quarter to the number of tvventy or thirty which was revenged not long afterwards NOvv Sir Philim O Neile being returned out of the North came very short of those braggs he made vvhen he vvent vvhich vvere nothing but of great Peeces of Battery and so many thousands of men vvhich should be able to eat us up instantly but in stead of that stately march he invisibly stole hither lying at Beauly a mile and a halfe from us three or foure dayes unknovvne and brought but forty Horse vvith him and halfe of those unarmed by vvhich vve suspected the Scotch had not used him very kindely in thâ—se parts yet as soone as he vvas discovered he sent a message to my Lord MOORE That he had taken all the Townes in the North but two which were also at his pleasure That the whole Kingdome was in the like case and still wondred DROGHEDA should be so singular as to thinke to hold out and to bee delivered out of his hand see a little RABSHECAH yet againe protesting his Love to him and renevving that offer of their former honours vvith assurance of being payed to a penny all his dammages But if not gave him vvarning before such a day to prepare himselfe for his last for he vvould then take the Towne whatsoever it cost him and that his Lordship must looke for no quarter from him But hovvsoever vvee vvere ready against his day prefixed yet that feared us not so much as the extremitie of Famine vvhich pressed and grew every day upon us more and more Insomuch that novv nothing but desperate courses could I heare thought of and resolved upon by such as used to be most hearty in the feare of the losse of all at last if they vvere not relieved by such a day and that very neare at hand vvhich though the onely possible meanes must be by Sea from DVBLIN yet the continuance of such a contrary winde dashed our hopes that way also This utmost extremity seemes to me to be Gods onely time when most probably he would be seene even when all sense failed and methought bespoke a present extraordinary spending a day in his house of Prayer which we knew not but might be our last as a speciall triall of the fruit of those exercises as sometimes the Lord of Hoasts hath bidden his to prove him in some cases of want if he did powre them out a blessing Mal. 3. 10. and as an evidence to our very Enemies who had made the cause Religion that we were his Church and chosen by his speciall providence in relieving us and so by a common consent though a private warning the next day being Friday and the eighteenth of February was it thus set apart for the begging our bread of God which accordingly for the subject I tooke the fourth Petition of the Lords Prayer This day we continued in the house of God from morning to evening which was blest with much affection and many teares we begged pardon of our former abuse of his benefits renued our vowes of better obedience c. wherein howsoever some confident passages of assurance of having presently an answer of our desires might well seeme to be without warrant yet see the event that evening the wind inclined and the very next morning from the worst of winds a North-West it instantly turned to the best a South-East and with such weather as we could have wished and so continued Nay it went not unobserved by the very Papists as a wonder that that very evening there were a world of Roaohes and other Fish taken with Angles by the Souldiers never knowne to be found there in the River before which they drew up for many houres as fast as they could cast in The continuance of which gave a present reliefe to most and if a Sparrow fall not to the earth without a providence why should not we judge it a speciall providence when it is for supplying the wants of his children that cry unto him who are of much more value That Saturday in the evening having some notice of the approach of our reliefe we met on the Sunday morning earlier then we used contriving to have done by the Tide and in the continuance of the same former subject and Petition blessed with the same affections praying that it might now passe through the envie and opposition of all our Enemies Now it so fell out that as I was upon the very conclusion of the Sermon a Messenger came into the Church with that joyfull tydings that some of the Vessels were come within the Bar which answer of our prayers receiving upon Gods owne day in his owne house and in the continuance of his owne ordinance we took as from God himselfe and so concluding with all possible thankes and praise to him from whom every good gift descendeth we went out and saw the salvation of God When two Pinaces sixe Gabbards three Friggots with a Shallop came all safely to us all but the two Pinaces
that very Tyde came up within our Key laden with a plentifull reliefe for two or three months provision to which somewhat was added by the way too in the taking of a large Fisherboate of the Rebels loaden with Herrings going to some of their confederates elsewhere By a contrary wind they were compelled to put in by the way at Skerries where not affecting idlenesse they landed some forces and burnt some townes and left foure Rebels hanging for land-markes in revenge of one English man whom malitiously they had hanged in dispight of them the day before In this relieving us there was somewhat the very Papists tooke notice of as a speciall providence viz. Their comming the second time from the Skerries hither at once without casting Anchor at the Barre nay notwithstanding a Friggot was compelled to stay awhile in the reare for the taking in a Captaine and some officers out of one of the Pinaces yet instantly waighed Anchor and came up that very Tyde also which though it were so farre spent that a good way she was compelled to come against it yet arrived safely Againe as in the former reliese Jan. 11. a Barque which they had sunke in the Channell was driven out to Sea by the wind and tyde to open their passage so now having strongly chained together a great many Ship-masts with other timber which now we see cast upon the shoare bound with a great Cable and supported by seven or eight great Boats crosse the Channell the very day before the approach of our reliefe of it selfe burst asunder so that though a Shallop was sent in the front with Instruments to cut it yet they found the worke done for them and so was no rubbe at all And lastly that the wind should then turne just to fit the Spring-tyde without which it could have done us but little service and to be at that instant when the very last of our store was just spent we must acknowledge it to be the Lords doing indeed The consideration of which stopped the monthes of all our adversaries with admiration staggered many in their Religion and hath beene a meanes to incline aboundance of them to us who have even stollen into our Communion witâ—out our knowledge till we have found them there as plainely and evidently seeing Gods hand in it While our little Fleet was thus under saile in the Channell the Rebels spared not their shot on both sides which was returned them with interest some of ours were hurt one man killed but of the Rebels not afew In one of the Gabbards a bagge of Powder by the accident of a Match tooke fire as shee was neare the Key but did no other hunt then scorch the faces of halfe a dozen of them who were soone well againe with these besides our provision we had a supply of foure Companies more which with some other independant foote here before made up a full Regiment for my Lord Moore and so we were now restored againe having by the famine beene much lessened to sixteene hundred foote and one hundred and fifty horse and by this refreshment we were with some confidence the more able to looke about us And yet I must not forget our great and early deliverance that Sunday morning also Sir Phi. O Neile marching silently with all his strength hee could make made so bold an attempt that about foure of the clocke he applyed his scaling Ladders to the Wals and in speciall at one place neere Saint Lawrence gate at a low private corner where sometimes a Sentinell had beene omitted they brought abundance of them two of which they had presently fixed and on each one mounted the Sentinell there missing fire they presumed higher till he was faine to knock them downe with the butt-end of his Musquet and cry out to the Guard who instantly so plyed the rest with their fill of shot that they left thirteene of their Ladders and many of their bodies behinde them Their Commanders urged them but to cut the Sentinels throat and the Towne was theirs but they would not be brought to looke that way again nay the remembrance of their former repulses did so dishearten those in the very rear that their Capt. were falne to drive them on like Sheepe and to delude them with the assurance that those in the Front had taken the Town already and the gate opened The like on-set was given or attempted at other Ports also seconded with many shot from the other side the River All our Regiment of horse and foot were ready in a trice and some so quickned that they were seene upon the Wals who had not been out of their beds a fortnight before so zealous was every one to keepe the Towne one day longer The number of their slaine was unknowne by their continuall dragging the dead bodies away But by an English boyes relation who was Drummer to Sir Phelemy who in his making haste to us stumbled over two or three of them lying together in a ditch may be conjectured there were some considerable store but of ours none had the least hurt so that for the blessings of that one day we may praise God with the Psalmist Psal 136. 24 25. O give thankes unto the Lord who hath delivered us from our Enemies and giveth food to all flesh for his mercie endures for ever for which as thou mayest well imagine we did not omit our thankes to God that day so we conceived it worthy of a solemne day of thanksgiving set apart of purpose in the weeke also which we observed the Tuesday following With this reliefe came a Proclamation from the State against these Rebels which that afternoone was published at the Market-Crosse with Drumme and Trumpet wherein the prises set upon each of their heads were farre beyond their worth Sir Phelemy O Neal's valued at 1000. li. Rely and others at 800. li. and the rest of them at 400. li. This set the Souldiers a longing for the next skirmish every one hoping it might be his fortune to hit right two of those of 400. li. weight as I am enformed had beene dispatched by us before one at the Green hils December the third another at Drumullin January the seventh who was by my Lord Moores Troope beat into the water and so drowned whose body was now cast up by the River side but his heâ—â— not thought worthy the cutting off About this time we had some intercourse by messages of a milder nature from other Rebels in parts more remote A Pacquet of Letters were sent to my Lord Moore out of the North transcribed indeed by his Sister the Lady Blany but it was evident all was of their inditing or correcting The summe was an offer either of all their prisoners in Vlster for my Lord Maquire or else my Lady Blany with her Children and Sisters and other Gentlemen in and neare the Castle of Monaghan for two other of their prisoners in the Castle of Dublin for the solliciting of which
their Generall Sir Phelemy O Neile as supposing he had not yet left that lodging burnt Newtowne under his nose and beate two Colours which was all that appeared into the Castle and returned the sooner upon hearing that hot worke with an intention if neede were to have relieved my Lord Moore but by that time he had marched halfe way the bright firing of three or foure Townes thereabouts gave sufficient assurance of the victory and so made a stand At the first blush comming that way he was misapprehended to have beene Sir Pheâ—emy himselfe whom as yet ours knew not had beene amongst themselves and the number by their open March appeared to have been a thousand The Souldiers had got their fill of all sorts of pillage and howsoever in that hot prosecution a mile or two about they might be thought to have enough of that mornings worke yet were they so eager to have beene at it againe that they sued to their Captaines to let them meet him presently offering to throw all their spoyle downe to make an end with him at once but upon a second inquiry they were found to be their friends In this my Lord Moore by the acclamations of all men behaved himselfe very valiantly to the greater hazard of his person then his Captaines were pleased with was cut through the boote with the sword of one whom having newly discharged his Pistols he had struck under his horse with a halfe Pike the fore-part of his Saddle runne through by another his horse hurt all spattered with the dirt which the thick flying of the Bullets raised but had no other hurt In this desperate fight being once discerned two hundred of the Rebels gathered and made up towards him onely crying out This is my Lord Moore when the rest of the horse in severall Divisions being upon a prosecution he had but seven in his Company yet he retreated not but charged them many were killed the rest scattered and were still lessened by their pursuers This famous Generalissimo Sir Phelemy O Neilâ— with his great Commanders fled away very obscurely and meanely attended unlesse it were with the following curses of the whole Countrey with which he is still greeted by all sorts many of our Gentlemen whom he had with such vaine hopes deluded hath he here left lamenting their miserable condition which they foresee deservedly approaching And thus as our worthy Governour on the Saturday before had the honour in the beginning of the raising of our Siege on the South-side by a retaliating slaughter of so many of them at the fatall Bridge so were we all pleased that this next Saturday on the North-side my Lord Moore to whom we were beholding as our first succour at the rising of these Commotions and our chiefe continued suâ—porter in his large and liberall expenses upon all occasions to the great encouragement of the Captaines and Commanders by supplying them in their extreame great necessities should have the honour of giving them their last in their dispersing The fruit of which beganne that very evening to appeare when some of the English now escaping from them came in and gave us notice that the Castles of Beauly and Stanime on each side the river were deserted by the holders and Sir Phelemy with the rest of that nest being fledge were flowne away with some field-pieces towards Dundalke into each of which our Governour instantly sent some Companies who accordingly entered without the least resistance rounded the Countrey the next morning two or three miles as farre as Termonfecken but found not a man onely a world of Corne which in that haste they had not time to fire By this our Towne was filled with provision Ports beganne to open our neighbours making sute to be admitted to our Market Castles neere hand voluntarily surrendred the owners submitting and all good mens hearts rejoycing by this sudden change begunne and finished in the compasse of a weeke every street ringing with praises to God the Donor to whom we failed not solemnly and publikely to acknowledge it often After the Rebels that had so long besieged us were thus routed and some of the chiefest of their Castles neare possessed by us Letters as well from Lords as other of the Gentry came thick in to us of which some receiving no answer came and presented themselves to our mercy in speciall one Bath who about the middle of December had came in with his Iriâ—h Dart accompanied with the Sheriffe of the County of Louth both Commissioners from the Rebels and very confidently and arrogantly demanded the surrender of this Towne who at first was ashamed to owne the knowledge of me by reason of some speeches that had then passed betweene us the event of which had proved beyond his beliefe or expectation The Letters of the Lord Netherfield and the Lord of Slane with divers others of the chiefe of the Countrey have I seene under their owne hands in a most humble sute to my Lord Moore to stand their friend some protesting their innocency others pretending themselves deluded by the Northerne Irish and heavily cursing the first plotters of this businesse and yet we knew they cursed themselves and had enough under their owne hands they little dreampt of to steare us right enough in our Judgement of them From others we had faigned Letters of the approach of two thousand of O Relyes men one way and of eighteene hundred of Sir Phelemy O Neiles another way and each within five miles of us But the use they had given us of their lyes and the contradiction which the submission of their Chiefe gave to it made the newes of no value with us yet it produced that effect that to prevent their dry lodgings there issued out some competent force to Slane burnt the Towne and the Country neare it tooke the Castle and pillaged it with which the Souldiers came loaden home And not long after my Lord Moore and the Governour made a Salley out another way spent the greater part of the day in burning forty or fifty Villages tooke one Barnewall of Rahasket who was a Colonell among the Rebels and a great Parleyer from them hither and had beene many yeares Deputy Custos Rotulorum of that County as dangerous a fellow by his naturall parts and other education as any they had His Castle after a few shot and seeing our men appearing in a full body he yeelded where was found so much of bread and other victuals ready baked that no doubt he expected the returne of his former Guests besides foure hundred barrels of Malt and abundance of all sorts of Graine his Cellers full of Wine and Beere which the Souldiers Feasted themselves with for a while he with his two Priests taken with him were with seven or eight Fryers more cloystered in one prison here but since he is promoted to the Castle of Dublin Darcy of Plattin two of whose Sonnes were Captaines among the Rebels who had the strongest and fairest Castle
drove of Cattell fired thirty or forty of their lodgings and all without the hurt of one man As at Dundalke to whom we still beare an affectionate relation the like we heare of daily very usually thus giving notice one to another by such kinde of fires like Beacons on the tops of hils against a common enemy Much of the like good service is daily done by our Garrisons especially by my Lord Moores foote company at Mellifont under the command of Captaine Constable and at Bewly by some of Captaine Gibsons company under the command of Lieutenant Greeneham who let few dayes passe without reaping some of the Rebels heads Many who were taken Prisoners were so desperate that being threatned to be hanged made such haste that they took ropes hung themselves or being upon the Ladder threw themselves off Not long agone Sir Henry Tichburne went with a party about foure miles from thence encompassed a Wood where he was told Coll. Mac Bryan had lodged with some hundreds of his men the night before killed about one hundred and fifty burnt the Countrey neere and without any dammage March the 25. my Lord Moore being certified of 1300. gathered to the Naâ—â—â—n under the Lord Gormansâ—ownes command and there fortifying the Towne tenne miles from us marched very early with two hundred horse and some Dragoneers and Musquetteers mounted on Garrons for the quicker march onely to take a view of their strength tooke a Scoute with the Lord Gormanstownes owne saddle-horse drew up to the Gates within halfe Pistoll shot killed twenty of them fired the Countrey under their noses and all the way hitherwards returned with abundance of Cowes and sixe hundred Sheepe and yet those who boast so much of the cause of God and Religion and take themselves to die in the happiest estate of Martyrdome had not so much faith or courage to make out upon us and for many that had adventured out elsewhere were found by some Charmes * It is certaine that at the taking of the Newry a Rebell being appointed to be shot upon the Bridge and stript staâ—k naked notwithstanding the Musquetteer stood within two yards of him and shot him in the middle of the backe yet the Bullet entâ—ed not nor did him any more hurt then leave a little blacke spot behinde it This many hundreds were eye-witnesses of one of which of good trust hath related it to me Divers of the like have I beene confidently assured of who have beene provided of such diabolicall charmes as follow thrust-free as they call it who being knockt downe the point of a sword put upon their naked breasts it could not be made to enter or draw the least bloud which howsoever I was alwayes slow of beleeving such fables yet hearing it so often protested unto me by some Officers upon their owne experiâ—nce I could not but listen to it And for paper Charmes their Religion yeelds plenty of that fruit and commends the confidence in them as great evidences of devotion some of which have come to my hands one being lately taken with some of those Rebels at Dundalke and given me I have here inserted the true Copie of though I beleeve it deceived him who put his trust in it and by the lookes it seemed to have beene much worne in the carriage JESVS MARIA ✚ â–¿ This is the measure of the wound of the side of our Lord Jesus Christ which was brought from Constantinople unto the Emperour Charles within a Chest of Gold as a Relique most precious to that effect that no envie might him take and it hath such vertue that hee or shee that shall readit or heare it read or will beare it about them that neither Fire Water Tempest Knife Launce Sword neither yet the Devill shall hurt them And also any woman with child the day that shee seeth the said measure of the wound of our Lord shee shall not die any sudden death in the time of her burthen but shall be delivered with lesse paine and whatsoever they be that desire this about them in the way of Devotion they shall not die any sudden death and by the fight of meditation on this wound they shall gaine victory over their enemies and further care shall not dammage them and moreover the day that he or shee shall read it or heare it read they shall not die any evill death And having thus stumbled upon these delusions I shall give thee a view of one or two more taken at the same place both as the former delivered me by one of their owne profession IHS The measure of our Blessed Ladies Foote Whosoever shall kisse it three times and say three Ave maries devoutly in honour and reverence of her gaineth seventy yeares of pardon and be delivered of many perils Indulgences granted to the sacred graine of Saint Joan being a name of the third order of our blessed Father Saint Frances and was a most godly and vertuous Abbesse you must make no small account of them for the Pope did grant very many Indulgences unto them and to other graines and medals They containe the vertue of that graine carried by the Angel-keeper of Saint Joan unto Heaven as hereafter you shall note by the testimony of our Saviour They have speciall power against Devils for they are forced to flie out of the bodies of men and whosoever carrieth the said graine about him needs not to feare no evill They containe a most powerfull vertue against Wild-fire against the tempest of the Sea and against all manner of infirmities incident to the soule and the body of man and especially against the Feaver Pestilence the Scabbe the tentation of the Devill and of Heresies for they have the vertue of the Agnus Dei. These ensuing Indulgences were granted to these blessed graines by our Saviour and our blessed Lady by the intercession of Saint Joan who did impart the same unto the rest of her Sisters at the houre of her death First say one Pater noster and one Ave Maria and you merit as many Indulgences as Rome affords that day After your Confession and Remission say tenne Pater nosters and tenne Ave Marias in remembrance of the most precious bloud of our Saviour and you are as innocent from sinne as when you came out of the Stone i. e. the Font and if you say them for any soule in Purgatory his sinnes are forgiven him Our holy Father Pope Adrian the third and Pope Gregory the seventh did grant unto the graine these Indulgences following Say one Pater noster one Ave Maria Anima Chri. and Sal. Regina you redeeme three soules out of Purgatory say the prayer of the Crosse with one Creed and you bring a soule out of Purgatory say two Creeds when the Priest knocketh his brest at Masse and you bring a soule out of Purgatory Adore the Crucifix thirty three times and you get remission of sinnes to thirty three soules say the Creed thirty three times and you merit