Conclusion had destroyed three of his Objections for if the Irish were in almost continual Rebellions as he says and is true how could he expect they should enjoy Offices sit in Parliaments or have Benefit of the Kings Laws But the weakness of these Objections will yet more plainly appear by the following Answers To the First the Instances are few and it is bad Logick to draw general Consequences from the Actions of two or three particular Men especially such as so bitterly reflect on a Government or Nation besides all these three were Papists and their Sacrilege does not concern the Protestant Government of Ireland which is what Mr. Sullevan design'd to asperse To the Second If this Author had consulted the Ecclesiastical Catalogue he would have found that the Natives had more than their share of Bishopricks and Arch-Bishopricks and that to the ruine of most of the Sees and in the Military List he might have found the Baron of Dungannon Neal Garuff Macguire O Connor and many more who had Pay or Pension and yet it is so far from being criminal to prefer the Colony before the Native to Offices of Trust and Profit in a conquered Country that it is a necessary Duty to do it Ne Victi Victoribus Legem darent at most this Partiality is but in matters of Favour so that there is no wrong and 't is founded on good Law and sound Policy But what would this Objecter and his Companions say if they should see a Popish Governor in Ireland against all Law and Policy to make it criminal to be an Englishman and a cause of deprivation to profess the Religion by Law established To the Third Several of the Irish Potentates did sit in former Parliaments and particularly in the Parliaments of the 8th of Edw. 2. O Hanlon O Neal O Donnel Macgenis O Cahon Mac Mahon and many more Irish Lords were present but since the Parliaments are better regulated 't is true that none are suffered to sit in the House of Lords but such as are Lords of Parliament by Law viz. by Writ or Patent but 't is as true that the principal men of the Irish have or had Titles that qualifie them to sit there as O Neal Earl of Tyrone O Donel Earl of Tyrconnel O Bryan Earl of Thomond Mac Carthy Earl of Clancarthy O Bryan Earl of Insiquin The Lords Macguire Clare Glanmalira and Dungannon Kavenagh Baron of Balion O Carol Baron of Ely and many more To the Fourth Since the Irish would not admit their Countries to be made Shire-Ground nor suffer Sheriffs to exercise any Authority in them so that they were not amesnable to the Kings Laws but were governed by their own Brehon Laws so that the English could have no Justice against them nor could the King punish Murder without sending an Army to do it there was no reason they should have the Benefit of that Law they would not submit to And this I take to be the true Reason why it was denied them Davis 6. 'T is true they often Petitioned for the Liberty to be Plaintiffs but they would not at the same time put themselves in a condition to be Defendants nor come within the Jurisdiction of the Kings Courts but by starts and for their benefit and therefore assoon as the Kingdom was throughly subdued and reduced into Shires so that the Kings Writ did run throughout the Realm the Irish had also an equal Benefit of the Law and were received into the Condition of Subjects So that this Objection has been long since quite taken away As to the Fifth They were not so ignorant but that they knew the necessity of leaving a Tenure in the King besides there was some small Reservation or Crown-Rent reserv'd by Contract or Agreement in every Patent and therefore they did not expect it as free as they surrendred it however they got well enough by the bargain for in lieu of a precarious Estate for Life at most they got legal Titles of Inheritance by the Kings Grants and certainly they had little reason to complain whilst as our Author confesses they enjoy'd both the Profits and the Possession But let us return to King Henry the Second who found work enough in France and was advised by his Mother Maud the Empress and others at a great Council held on that occasion Speed at Winchester to postpone his Irish Designs until he could meet with a more favourable opportunity which not long after hapned For Dermond Mac Murrough King of Leinster Regan having forced O Neale O Mlaghalin and O Caroll to give him Hostages grew so insolent at these successes that he became oppressive to his Subjects and injurious to his Neighbours more especially by the Rape of the Wife of Orourk King of Brehny 1167. who was Daughter of O Mlaghlin King of Meath Stanihurst whereupon he was invaded by his Enemies Cambrensis and abandoned by his Subjects and Tributaries particularly by Morough O Borne Hasculphus Mac Turkil Governor of Dublin and Daniel Prince of Ossory and after many Disasters 1168. was forced to quit his Country and betake himself to the King of England for Assistance He was accompanied by his Trusty Servant Auliff O Kinade and sixty others and safely arrived at Bristol where he was generously entertain'd at S. Austin's Abbey by Robert Fitzharding Regan M. S. and so having refresh'd himself and Servants he went forward on his Voyage to Aquitain where the King then resided He appeared before the King in a most shabby Habit 1169. says Friar Clin Stanihurst 6â— suitable to the wretched condition of an Exile He fell at his Majesties feet and emphatically bewail'd his own Miseries and Misfortunes He represented the Malice of his Neighbours and the Treachery of his pretended Friends and the Rebellion of his Subjects in proper and lively Expressions he suggested that Kings were then most like Gods when they exercised themselves in succouring the Distressed and that the Fame of King Henry's Magnificence and Generosity had induced him to that Address for his Majesties Protection Assistance But the King being engaged in France could not aid him personally however being mov'd with Dermond's cunning Speeches submissive Deportment Hooker 1. he pitied his Misfortunes entertain'd him kindly and gave him some Presents and then took his Oath of Allegiance and gave him the following Patent HEnry Stainhurst 66. King of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitain Earl of Anjou c. Vnto all his Subjects English Normans Welsh and Scots and to all Nations and People being his Subjects Greeting Whereas Dermond Prince of Leinster most wrongfully as he informeth banished out of his one Country hath craved our Aid Therefore for asmuch as we have received him into our Protection Grace and Favour whosoever within our Realm subject to our Commands will Aid and Help him whom we have embraced as our Trusty Friend for the Recovery of his Land let him be
they were Lords of Parliament The Abbot of Mellifont S. Thomas-Abby near Dublin S. Mary Abby near Dublin Baltinglass Jeripont Tintern in the County of Wexford Douske Tracton in the County of Cork Dunbrody Dunbrodiae Mage alias Nenai in the County of Limerick Wony alias Wethney in the County of Limerick Rosglass alias Monaster Evan Bectif Rathto in the County of Kerry The Priors of S. John of Jerusalem Christ-Church Dublin S. Peters near Trim Conal Kells in Ossory Kenlisae S. Patricks in Down All-Saints near Dublin Athassel Killagh S. Marys in Louth In the close of the last Year Ware 154 it happened that a Waterford-Ship loaden with one hundred Tun of Wine was in her return from Portugal put into Baltimore no sooner was it heard of but Finil O Driscol came on Board and very kindly invited the Merchant and Mariners on shoar to refresh themselves at his House after the Hardships they had suffered at Sea they readily accepted of his Invitation but met with another sort of entertainment than they expected for contrary to the Rules of Hospitality he most perfidiously kept them all Prisoners and distributed most part of the Cargo between himself and his Followers as he thought fit But as soon as the Citizens of Waterford were inform'd of this Treachery they mann'd two Sips and a long Boat and although Captain Dobins did easily recover the former Ship and all the Goods that were left which were about the fourth part of the whole and all the Prisoners yet the Citizens of Waterford were not contented with that but sayl'd to Inisherkin and took O Driscol's Castle there and razed it to the ground and destroyed the Island as much as they could and thence they went to Inchypyle which they served in the same manner and at length after they had destroyed Baltymore and the Country adjacent they carried away O Driscol's best Boat and abundance of Plunder and returned safely to Waterford In the mean time Ware 155. the King that he might not be thought to abandon the Religion of his Ancestors enacted in England the Bloody Law of the Six Articles and not long after revoked the Lord Deputy who left Ireland early in the Spring having first substituted Sir William Brereton 1540. Lord Justice in whose time the Irish Potentates began generally and publickly to own themselves Champions of the Papacy and to assume the specious Pretences of Liberty and Religion the better to cloak their Designs of Robbery and Rebellion Ware 156. for some of them being of a temper impatient to live as Subjects any longer than they are disabled to be Rebels were glad of any Pretence that might seem to justifie their illegal Proceedings and therefore many of them confederated together and especially O Neal O Bryan O Donel and O Carol and in the beginning of July appointed their Rendezvouz all four in West-Meath in order to invade and plunder the Pale but the Lord Justice got his small Army together and was joyned by two thousand of the Inhabitants of the Pale whereof many were Clergy-men who very well knew That whatever was pretended by the Irish yet Plunder and Depredation was meant and intended and therefore they were forward and active to defend their Country but as soon as the Rebels had notice of this Preparation which was counted great in those days those holy Champions dispersed their Forces into Woods and Fastnesses so that this terrible Bugbear vanished without Blows But the Lord Justice would not be so satisfied for he pursued O Connor into Ophaly and made several of the Fastnesses of that Country passable for Carriages and brought O Connor to that pass that he was forced to give his Son Cnoghor for a Hostage of his future Behaviour but not long after viz. on the 25th of the same Month of July Sir Anthony Saintleger Knight of the Garter Lord Deputy was sworn as was usual in Christ-Church Dublin and the Form of his Oath is to be found in Burlace's Reduction of Ireland pag. 106. and Ware 's Annals 157. This Lord Deputy by the help of Thomas Walsh one of the Barons of the Exchequer John Myn and William Cavendish two Auditors well vers'd in the Treasury did bring the publick Revenue into good Order and more to the King's advantage than ever it had been before But because some People have written extravagantly Present State of Ireland 12. That the Revenue in King Edward the Third's Days amounted unto thirty thousand pounds per annum and that the Earl of Desmond was able to expend ten thousand pounds per annum it will not be inconvenient to give the Reader an Account both of the publick Expence and Income for one Year during Saintleger's Government viz. for the Year 1543.  l. s. d. The King's Mannors and Lands per annum 6069 02 07 Customs of Dublin Droghedah Dundalk   and Trim 0319 13 04 The Fee Fee-Farms of Dublin and Droghedah 0200 00 00 Pâ—â—ty Farms Profits and Homages 0011 05 08 The twentieth part of the Spirituality 0287 02 01 ½ The King's Subsidy Spiritual and Temporal 0613 08 03  7500 11 11 ½    Irish Money Deduct 182 13 09 ½ for yearly Annuities and Proxies perpetual    and 1131 12 06 for Judges Clerks of Courts Customers Controllers Constables of the King's Castle of Dublin c. and Officers of the County and Liberty of Wexford and there remains 6186 05 08 Besides there were some Temporary Payments to be deducted viz. 500 l. per annum Pension to the late Prior of St John of Jerusalem and 759 l. 3 s. 4 d. per annum Pensions to the Religious Persons belonging to the suppressed Monasteries c. So that there remain'd clear to the King but 4927 l. 2 s. 4 d. For as on the one side there were some uncertain Profits that are not included in this Computation as Liveries Wardships First-Fruits the Profits of the Hanaper and the Tributes of Irishmen and likewise the Mannor of Dungarvan and some other small things not then setled are not in charge so on the other side there were some casual Expences for Buildings Reparations Concordatums Inquisitions Messengers c. that did more than tantamount the casual Branches of the Revenue The Charge of the Military List although the Army consisted of no more than three hundred seventy nine Horse and one hundred and fifty Foot amounted to almost eight thousaud Pounds besides Artillery and some other things that were constantly supplied from England that is to say The Lord Deputy's Retinue A Captain at four shillings a day a petit Captain at two shillings and an hundred Horsemen at ninepence apiece makes four pound twelve shillings per diem and that is an hundred and thirteen Pound eight shillings per mensem and per annum 1478 05 00. Mr. Robert Saintleger for the like Retinue for a year being thirteen months and one day 1478 05 00. Master of the Ordinance his Retinue a
them called Traytors or Rebels but advised rather to use the soft Expression of DISCONTENTED GENTLEMEN But the Protestants scorning to be put upon so one of them express'd himself so briskly and so judiciously that the Irish finding they could not get a better agreed with much ado to the Protestation against the Rebels recited here Append. 12. And so having sate two days the Parliament was Prorogued to the Eleventh of January having first appointed a Committee of Both Houses to Treat with the Rebels and a Commission issued accordingly but the Traytors were so pufft up with their innumerable Victories over the naked and unresisting English that they tore the Order of Parliament and the Letter that was sent them and refused to Treat But the Lord Dillon of Costilo who since the Rebellion broke out was by His Majesty's former Orders sworn Privy Counsellor was deputed by the Popish Lords to attend the King and the Lord Taaf and Mr. Burk went with him but before he Embarked he presented the Lords Justices and Council a scandalous Letter See it Append. 3. in nature of a Remonstrance from the Rebels of the County of Longford which nevertheless was framed in the Pale wherein amongst other things they demand Freedom of Religion and a Repeal of all Laws contrary thereunto And this produced the Vote of the Eighth of December in the Parliament of England That they would never give Toleration of the Popish Religion in Ireland or any other of His Majesty's Dominions These Irish Agents hapned to be intercepted by the Parliament and imprison'd and their Papers being rifled it was found to be one of the Private Instructions to the Lord Dillon to move That no Forces might be sent over to Ireland but that it might be left to the Remonstrants to suppress the Rebellion 2 Temple 9. But afterwards they made a shift to escape out of Prison and diligently followed the King's Camp and effectually sollicited the unhappy Cessation Husbands's Collections 2 part 247. which afterwards ensued and whereof this Longford Remonstrance was the Parent and Foundation But what regard these Lords had to His Majesty's Service will appear by their vain Expressions in a Letter to the Lord Muskery Anno 1642. viz. That tho' it did not stand with the Convenience of His Majesty's Affairs to give him Publick Countenance yet that the King was well pleas'd with what he did and would in time give him Thanks for it Which being dscovered to the Parliament by Mr. Jepson a Member of that House begat strange Jealousies of His Majesty's Proceedings then tho' now it is manifest those Expressions related to the Cessation that was in Enbryo and not to the Rebellion which the King always abhorr'd In the mean time the King sent some Arms from Scotland to Sir Robert Steward and others in Vlster on the Eighteenth of November and Commissions to raise Forces Particularly the Lord Mongomery had Commission to raise 1000 Foot and 500 Horse and he did raise the Foot and three Troops of the Horse And on the Nineteenth the Lords Justices had an Account that His Majesty had left the Management of the Irish War to the English Parliament and the Order of Parliament was sent to them together with 20000 l. in Money and a Commission to the Earl of Ormond to be Lieutenant-General of the Army and also the following Order of Both Houses of Parliament viz. THE Lords and Commons in this present Parliament being advertised of the dangerous Conspiracy and Rebellion in Ireland by the treacherous and wied Instigation of Romish Priests and Jesuits for the bloody Massacre an Destruction of all Protestants living there and other His Majesty's Loyal Subjects of English Blood tho' of the Romish Religion being ancient Inhabitants within several Counties and Parts of that Realm who have always a former Rebellions given Testimony of their Fidelity to this Crown and for the utter depriving of His Royal Majesty and the Crown of England 〈◊〉 the Government of that Kingdom under pretence of setting up the Poâ—â— Religion have therefore taken into their serious Consideration how the mischievous Attempts might be most speedily and effectually prevented wherein the Honor Safety and Interest of this Kingdom are most nearly and fully concerned Wherefore they do hereby declare That they do intendâ— serve His Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes for the Suppressinâ— of this wicked Rebellion in such a way as shall be thought most effectualâ— by the Wisdom and Authority of Parliament and thereupon have ordereâ— and provided for a present Supply of Money and raising the Number of Six thousand Foot and Two thousand Horse to be sent from England being â—â—e full Proportion desired by the Lords Justices and His Majesty's Councâ— resident in that Kingdom with a Resolution to add such further Succours as the Necessity of those Affairs shall require They have also resolved of providing Arms and Munition not only for those Men but likewise for His Majesty's faithful Subjects in that Kingdom with store of Victuals and other Necessaries as there shall be occasion and that these Provisions may more conveniently be transported thither they have appointed Three several Ports of this Kingdom that is to say Bristol Westchester and one other in Cumberland where the Magazins and Storehouses shall be kept for the Supply of the several Parts of Ireland They have likewise resolved to be humble Mediators to His Most Excellent Majesty for the Incouragement of those English or Irish who shall upon their own Charges raise any Number of Horse or Foot for His Service against the Rebels that they shall be honourably rewarded with Lands of Inheritance in Ireland according to their Merits And for the better inducing the Rebels to repent of their wicked Attempts they do hereby commend it to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or in his absence to the Lord Deputy or Lords Justices there according to the Power of the Commission granted them in that behalf to bestow His Majesty's gracious Pardon to all such as within a convenient Time to be declared by the Lord Lieutenant Lord Deputy or Lords Justices and Council of that Kingdom shall return to their due Obedience the greatest part whereof they conceive have been seduced upon false Grounds by the cunning and subtile Practices of some of the most malignant Rebels Enemies to this State and to the Reformed Religion and likewise to bestow such Rewards as shall be thought fit and published by the Lord Lieutenant Lord Deputy or Lords Justices and Council upon all those who shall arrest the Persons or bring in the Heads of such Traytors as shall be personally named in any Proclamation published by the State there And they 〈◊〉 hereby exhort and require all His Majesty's loving Subjects both in this and in that Kingdom to remember their Duty and Conscience to God and his Religion On the Twentieth day of November the Lords Justices wrote again to the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant for Supplies of
also procured the Earl of Glamorgan to be sent into Ireland who made a Peace secretly with the Irish on the 25th day of August as we shall see anon and which also met with the same Fate and for the same Reason And this unfolds the Secret of some Mysteries which at that time were unintelligible for it was a Paradox to Ormond and those Cavaliers who were so zealous for the King that they passionately coveted a Peace with the Irish as that which they thought the only probable Means left to preserve His Majesty I say it amaz'd these Men to find the Irish delay and indeed reject the Peace which themselves at first had courted and which was their Interest to hasten even upon worse Terms than were offered them Nevertheless the Confederates continued to quibble upon Niceties and to reassume Debates that were determined before and particularly the Words in one of the Articles That Officers of Both Religions be equally preferr'd being upon an Objection of the Lord Digby explain'd by themselves to intend only Indifferency were now so strained that they would admit no other Interpretation of the Word Equally but that it must extend to Number whereat His Majesty was exceedingly disgusted But in May there was a General Assembly of the Irish which pursuant to a Decision of their Clergy Appendix 29 did on the Ninth of June Vote That as to the Demand of Restoring the Protestant Churches the Commissioners shall give a positive Denial And the Truth of it is that they thought themselves so sure of what Conditions they pleas'd from the Earl of Glamorgan that they little minded what Answer they gave to the Marquis of Ormond or his Commissioners And on the other side the King thought himself so sure of the Ten thousand Men from them that Sir Marmaduke Langdale was in July sent with Seven hundred Horse to Carnarvan to receive and conduct them as there should be occasion But when their Expectation in England began to tire and no News came either of a Peace or of Succors the Lord Digby Secretary of State wrote the following Letter to the Lord of Muskery and the rest that had been Agents for the Confederates at Oxford My Lords and Gentlemen HIS Majsty having long expected a Conclusion of a happy Peace within your Kingdom and His Affairs having highly suffered by the failing of His Expectations from thence cannot chuse but wonder what the Cause is of it calling to mind those fair Professions and Promises which you made unto Him when you were imployed here as Agents And knowing well what Power and Instructions He hath long since given to my Lord Lieutenant to comply with you for your Satisfaction as far forth as with Reason or Honor His Majesty could in Civil Things or with Prudence or Conscience in Matters of Religion and in the latter as to the utmost of what for any worldly Consideration He will ever be induced to So did He conceive nothing less than what you declared unto Him you were persuaded the Catholicks would be satisfied withal nay ought not in their own Interest to seek more in the present Condition His Majesty is in lest further Concessions might by confirming former Scandals cast upon His Majesty in Matters of Religion so alienate the Hearts of His faithful and loyal Adherents as to make them abandon Him Which as it would draw inevitable Ruin on Him so were you rightly apprehensive that when the Parliament should by that means have prevailed here that must soon after bring a certain Destruction upon your selves What the change of Princples or Resolutions are His Majesty knows not but He finds by the not concluding of a Peace there that your Party it seems is not satisfied with the utmost that His Majesty can grant in Matters of Religion that is the taking away of the Penal Laws against Roman Catholicks within that Kingdom And His Majesty here hears that you insist upon the Demands of Churches for the Publick Exercise of Religion which is the Occasion that His Majesty hath commanded me to write thus frankly unto you and to tell you That He cannot believe it possible that Rational and Prudent Men had there been no Propositions made to the contrary can insist upon that which must needs be so destructive to His Majesty at present and to your selves in the Consequences of His Ruin that is inevitably to be made a Prey to the Rebels of these Kingdoms or to a Foreign Nation Wherefore my Lords and Gentlemen to disabuse you I am commanded by His Majesty to declare unto you That were the Condition of His Affairs much more desperate than they are He would never redeem them by any Concession of so much wrong both to His Honor and Conscience It is for the Defence of His Religion principally that he hath undergone the Extremities of War here and He would never redeem his Crown by destroying It there So that to deal clearly with you as you may be happy your selves and be happy Instruments of His Majesty's Restoring if you would be contented with Reason and give Him that speedy Assistance which you well may so if nothing will content you but what must wound His Honor and Conscience you must expect howsoever His Condition is and how detestable soever the Rebels of this Kingdom are to Him He will in that Point joyn with them the Scots or with any of the Protestant Religion rather than do the least Act that may hazard that Religion in which and for which He will live and die Having said thus much by His Majesty's Command I have no more to add but that I shall think my self very happy if this take any such effect as may tend to the Peace of that Kingdom and make me Your Affectionate humble Servant GEO. DIGBIE Cardiff 1 August 1645. But the Confederates little regarded this Importunity they had other Designs of their own to mind and were busie managing the Two Treaties with Ormond and Glamorgan and whilst they proceeded diligently with the Earl they dealt sophistically with the Marquis still raising new Scruples and Difficulties varying and inhancing upon the King as His Condition grew worse so that on the Second of August they demanded to be exempt from the Excommunication of a Protestant Bishop because they could not in Conscience seek Absolution from those of another Religâ—n And thus Matters continued until the 25th of August at which time the secret Peace with Glamorgan was concluded and then to let him know that they design'd no more effectual Compliance with him than they had perform'd with others they did on the 28th of August make the following Order ☞ viz. The General Assembly Order and Declare 〈…〉 Union and Oath of Association shall remain firm and inviâ—lable and in full strength in all Points and to all Purposes until the Articles of the intended Peace shall be ratifiâ—d in Parliament Notwithstanding any Proclamation of the Peace c. And on the First of September
at London you do not advertise us that Succours are coming our Necessities can admit of no delay but will oblige us to think of some other Course The Instructions from the Council were 1. To demonstrate that the Lord Lieutenant and Officers now employ'd being experienced will be more Serviceable to the Preservation and Reduction of Ireland than any others 2. That we prefer the interest of the Crown of England before our particular advantage and therefore rather than our continuance shall hinder Supplies we will surrender but because Patentees cannot leave their Places without His Majesties allowance and are sworn to that effect you must declare that they will resign So as His Majesties Direction be therein obtained and all of them preserved in Persons and Estates and indemnified from publick Engagements and repaid their Disbursements for the publick and be protected for Six Months from private Debts and have Liberty to transport themselves and their Apurtenances where they please And Pursuant hereunto there were two Sets of Proportions delivered to the Agents the first from the Lord Lieutenant only was 1. That he would prosecute the War against the Irish Rebels as vigorously as he shall be thereunto enabled by the Parliament and will faithfully serve the Crown of England therein 2. That neither the Forces he has nor the Forces or Supplies that shall be sent him shall be otherwise employed than according to the Directions of the Parliament of England 3. That he will neither make Cessation or Peace with the Rebels without Consent of King and Parliament of England 4. That he will be oblig'd hereunto by Oath or otherwayes Competent for a Man of Honor and Conscience The other Proposals were from the Lord Lieutenant and Council demanding 1. Three thousand Foot and Five hundred Horse which will make up those here to be Seven thousand fifteen hundred Foot besides Officers and One thousand Horse besides Officers which at three days Pay in a Week amounts to 8258 l. 12 s. od per Month of Twenty eight days and that three Months Pay for them be sent and 1000 l. for Contingencies and Ammunition c. convenient and some spare Arms and Swords 2. That all that have constantly and faithfully served in this War may be preserved in Persons Estates and Employments and the like by those that were for some time forcibly kept by the Rebels but left them as soon as they could and the same of those that went to serve the King in England and the like of so many of the Irish as are accepted of as Adherents to His Majesties Protestant Subjects in this Cause They also wrote to the Speaker of the House of Lords That they were necessitated to make the Peace and the Irish broke it because the British Plantations in Ulster were not subverted And Secondly because Popery was not established in its fulness of Jurisdiction and Practice That Athlone was surpriz'd That they were reduced to Extremity and refer'd themselves to the farther report of their Agents and prayed immediate Assistance Upon the Receipt of these Letters the Parliament of England resolved to send Succours as fast as they could but well knowing that Ormond and his Party were unmoveably fixed in their Loyalty they resolved not to continue him in the Government but to proceed upon the other Overture and to send Commissioners over to receive the Sword and Garisons from him and that being done to settle such a Chief Governour as they should think fit And accordingly they did send over Sir Thomas Wharton Sir Robert King Sir John Clotworthy Sir Robert Meredith and Richard Salway Esquire Who on the 13th day of November arrived in the Bay of Dublin they immediately sent to the Lord Lieutenant that they had matters of importance for the Preservation of the Protestants of Ireland to Communicate to his Excellency and desired his safe Conduct which was accordingly sent them and the next day they Landed and on the 15th they delivered his Excellency a Copy of their Commission and of the Ordinance of Parliament and of their Instructions which were to this Effect To assure the Marquis of Ormond and Earl of Roscomon c. that the Parliament would take the Protestants of Ireland into their Protection and if he would surrender up the Sword and Garisons in four days that then Ormond should enjoy his Estate and have Indemnity from Debts contracted on the publick Accoâ—â—â—s and shall be protected against all Debts for a Twelvemonth that he and his followers may have Passes to go where they please that Ormond should have Two thousand Pound per annum for five years and longer if he cannot receive so much out of his own Estate and that Ormond may live in England if he will submit to all Ordinances of Parliament and that for a Twelvemonth he may live in England and shall not be pressed to any Oath he engaging his Honour not to do any thing disserviceable to the Parliament during that time Then the Lord Lieutenant demanded if by the word Protection it was intended that the Protestants should enjoy their Lives Liberties Estates and Employments without Molestation of the Parliament he also desired to know when the abovesaid four days were to begin and to what Persons and to whose use the Sword and Garisons were to be delivered The Commissioners answer'd They could not explain the word Protection but doubted not but a fair Interpretation would be made thereof That the four days commenc'd 15 November at Nine in the Morning and the Sword and Garisons were to be surrendred to them the Commissioners to the use of the Parliament of England in order to the Preservation of the Protestants of Ireland Ormond repli'd That he could not remit the Safety of the Protestants to the incertainty of a future Interpretation The Commissioners then produc'd an additional Instruction to give such Protestants as they condition withal except such as have been in the Irish Rebellion Assurance of Security to their Persons Estates and Goods in Ireland and that they may live quietly under the Protection of the Parliament submitting to the Ordinances of Parliament and compounding for their English Estates at two years Purchase On the Sixteenth of November the Commissioners offered Assistances of Men and Ammunition for the present Defence of Dublin or Caution they be employ'd to no other use and be restored if the Treaty break off Then Ormond demanded Whether the Protestants that concluded the Cessation or Peace should be interpreted to be in the Irish Rebellion To which the Commissioners answered in the Negative And being farther demanded Whether they expected every protestant should treat for himself or that Ormond's Treaty should suffice for all they answer'd It should serve for all that submitted to the Parliament within twenty days after notice Then Ormond ask'd Whether it was expected they should submit to all Ordinances of Parliament that were or should be made The Commissioners answer'd He saw the Words and they had no
between him and Owen Roe O Neal And that the innocent Blood which hath been shed in Ireland is so fresh in the Memory of this House that this House doth Detest and Abhor the thoughts of closing with any Party of Popish Rebels there who have had their hands in shedding that Blood Nevertheless the House being satisfied that what the said Collonel Monk did therein was in his apprehension necessary for the Preservation of the Parliament of England's Interest the House is content that the further consideration thereof as to him be laid aside and shall not at any time hereafter be called in question And so we are come to the fifth Army which was that of the Parliament's and tho' at this time it was but small and ill provided and had no other Towns in the Kingdom in their possession except Dublin and London Derry and even both these were besieg'd by considerable Armies yet within half a Year it became so powerful and victorious that it recovered the the best part of the Kingdom and at length reduced it all And even in this weak condition and before their Recruits came they did all that was possible for before the Royal Army came near Dublin Collonel Jones sent out a Party under Major Cadowgan to discover the Enemy and to slacken their march and he did excellent Service not only in destroying the Country about Tecroghan but in cutting off a great many of his Enemies and Jones himself marched out as far as the Naas on the 12th of June but having notice of the Approach of the Cavaliers he returned to his proper business of preserving the City which he performed exceeding well On the other side Ormond was endeavouring to straiten Dublin and the better to effect it the Lord Dillon of Costilogh was ordered to stay on the North side the City with 2000 Foot and 500 Horse and the Lord-Lieutenant with the rest of the Army marched over the River to Rathmines on the 25th of July and the very same day the Collonels Reynolds Venables and Hunks arrived with 600 Horse and 1500 Foot and other Supplies of Money and all other Necessaries into the City from England But these Succours did not so much contribute to the Preservation of Dublin as did a certain intelligence they brought with them that Cromwell and his Army intended to land in Munster Hereupon the Lord of Insiqum with a great Party of the best Horse was detach'd to defend that Province whereby the Army was weakned and exposed to the Misfortune it afterwards met with Nevertheless most of the General Officers being of Opinion that Baggotrath might be Fortified and made Tenable and being so would straiten the City so that their Horse could have no Forrage and consequently Dublin would in a little time be forced to surrender they prevailed with the Lord-Lieutenant to suspend his thoughts of retiring to Drumnagh and to give Orders for the Fortfying of Baggotrath Accordingly Major-General Purcell who had been the forwardest Man to this Advice had the charge of the Undertaking and the Army was kept all night in Batallia to countenance the Enterprize but when the Lord-Lieutenant who had been on Horseback all night came in the morning to view the Fortification he did not find it in that condition he expected Purcell excusing himself by the fault of his Guide Hereupon the care of that Affair was committed to another Officer who by nine a Clock had pretty well effected his Design and then no signs of any Sally appearing the Army which was all this while in Batallia was permitted to rest themselves and the Marquess retired to his Tent to the same purpose and so did most of the General Officers out of a vain Confidence that the Enemy would not Sally so late in the day But they found themselves grosly mistaken and were quickly alarum'd out of their Sleep for about ten a Clock on the 2d of August a party issued out of Dublin and meeting with better success than they could have the vanity to hope for they were seconded by most part of the Garrison by single Troops and Companies one after another and having slain or routed some few that opposed such a Pannick Fear seiz'd all the rest that a more easy or more compleat Victory could hardly be gain'd The Lord-Lieutenant in vain using his utmost endeavours to Rally the Horse whereupon a considerable part of the Foot finding themselves deserted by the Cavalry did in a Body surrender themselves And tho' the Lord Taaf escaped to the North side the River and importuned the Lord Dillon c. to attempt the recovery of the Field with those 2500 fresh Men yet so great was the Consternation that they could not be prevailed upon to try their Fortune nor hardly to provide for their own Safety without Confusion tho' at length they did observe the Lord-Lieutenant's Orders of going half to Tredagh and half to Trim to secure those Garrisons whilst his Excellency went to Kilkenny to Rally his shattered Troops In this Battle 4000 Men were killed and 2517 were taken Prisoners whereof several Officers of note and all the Artillery and two hundred draught Oxen and indeed all the Baggage of an exceeding rich Camp became the Reward and Prize of the Conqueror This is that fatal Defeat at Rathmines which the Irish say was so improvident and unfortunate that nothing has hapned in Christianity more shameful They did all that Malice could suggest to place the fault of this Misfortune on the Lord-Lieutenant but without any manner of reason for besides the assurance we have from Peter Walsh P. W. Remonstrance 583-609 that Edmond Reyly Titular Archbishop of Armagh did betray this Army and that the Nuntio Party at Rome rejoyced exceedingly at this Defeat This one observation will determine where the Fault lay viz. That Ormond was always victorious at the head of an English Army and the Irish were always worsted whoever was their General except only at the Battle of Bemburb But to proceed on the 3d of August Ormond stop at Balisanon and having found means to make the Garrison believe that Dublin was taken that strong Castle was presently surrendered and thereby General Jones was stop from prosecuting his Victory which else he would have done even to the Walls of Kilkenny Nevertheless that great Captain resolved to push on his Fortune and whilst the Consternation lasted to make the best use of it he could and accordingly he immediately advanced to Tredagh but the Lord Moor valiantly defended the place and Ormond came to Trim with what Forces he could rally so that Jones was obliged to raise the Siege on the 8th of August which was the very day Owen Roe forced the Lord of Ards to draw off from London-Derry But on the 14th of August Oliver Cromwell the Parliament's Lord-Lieutenant landed at Dublin he brought with him about 9000 Foot and 4000 Horse and all Necessaries for his Army and had a good Fleet constantly to attend