Majesty and had also Letters to that purpose from the Earl of Argile And that their intentions were onely for the liberty of their Religion and for the recovery of their Lands which should appear by the Law of the Land to be unjustly held from them Colonell Plunket told us at Armagh That seeing this exploit was begun he was one of the chief plotters thereof and was seven yeers emplyed in the compassing of it Frier Malone of Skerries did take the poor mens Bibles which he found in the Boat and cut them in pieces and cast them into the fire with these words That he would deal in like manner with all Protestant and Puritan Bibles At Master Connors house where the Frier was they had Hanmors Chronicle out of which they animated the Rebells with the Story of the Danes Discomfiture by the Irish though for the most part unarmed and paralelled the History with these times This Frier acknowledged that he was fourteen yeers employed to bring this designe to passe At Dongaâ—non they reported of a Vision seen a little before this Insurrection began A woman compassing about the Town with a Spear in her hand when any would approach her she would seem to go from them when any would go from her she would draw neer unto them The like they say appeared before Tyrones former Rebellion At Armagh Colonell Pluncket told us of another Vision seen at Lisneigarvey which he and about twenty more beheld after the Battle wherein the Irish lost very many of their men and most of their Arms There was an house set on fire at the end of the Town by the light of which fire they discerned a number of Horse-men riding to and fro the number seemed to the Colonell to be about a Thousand or Fifteen hundred Upon which relation I was bold to enquire whether they seemed their own or their enemies he answered That sometime they conceived them their own other while their enemies Yet I believed they could hardly seem their own because amongst them they had not neer so many Horses I further desired to know what they supposed them to be he said They were conceived to be Fayries or such like At Ardtra we were set upon by some of the Scots of whom Robert Stewart brother to the Lord of Castle-Stewart was chief who took some of the goods out of the house and many of our horses and Arms from us Jurat ult. Feb. 1641. John Kerdiff William Aldrich John Sterne The Examination of Edward How of the Parish of Galoon in the County of Fermanagh Clerke THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That he heard Donagh mac Quire say when Hugh mac Mahon of the County of Fermanagh excused my Lord Magwire and said that others had perswaded him of late to stirre in this action That my Lord Magwire knew of it long before and all the Nobility and men of quality that were papists in this Kingdom Moreover I heard Conoge mac Con mac Hugh mac Mahon of Aghnebolah and County of Monaghan say That if my Lord Lievtenant had not been put to death they had not made this Insurrection Further I heard him say That there was an Act made by the present Parliament of England That all Papists there or else-where in this Kingdom should go to Church otherwise be hanged at their own doors and therefore they would begin with us lest we should begin with them here as they did in England for he said they had hanged a Jesuite in London which was the Queens Chaplain And further this Deponent cannot say Deposed before us Ian. 29. 1641. Edw. How Hen Iones Iohn Sterne The Examination of George Cook late of Lissnegney in the County of Cavan Yeoman And of John Cook his son THe Deponent being duly sworn inter alia deposeth And further saith That as he and his wife and children fled away towards Dublin they met at Kells with a Protestant Minister by name Master Sharpe who had three children and carryed two of them on his back whom the Rebells perceiving to be a Protestant Minister did most barbarously hack cut in pieces and murther thrusting into his body three or four pikes together and threw him into a ditch of water where they left him but because the Deponent fled to save his life he cannot tell what became of the said Ministers poor children And the Depoponent John Cook further saith That the same night one Tirlogh Brady took away the Deponents fathers goods he the said Tirlogh told the Deponent That that action was a great Rebellion and that all the papists in Ireland were in Rebellion against the King and Counsell and that the Lord mac Guire had then taken the Castle of Dublin And that the Protestants must be banished out of the Kingdom and the papists would have the same themselves And about the same time one Tirlogh ô Gowen alias Smith a popish priest demanded the Key of the Church of Lara of this Deponents brother which being delivered unto him he the said Tirlogh said that the papists would have their Churches Lands and Kingdom from the English and be no more slaves to the English as they had been or else they would lose their lives Jur. Jan. 22. 1641. George Cooke Hen. Brereton VVilliam Aldrich John Cooke The examination of John Jesop of Cloynmoore in the County of Kildare THis Examinate duely sworne desposeth inter alia That he hath credibly heard that all the Papists in the County of Wexford and Kilkenney and in all the Counties of Ireland are Actors Abettors or at least secret well-wishers unto this Rebellion Iohn Iesop Iur. 8. Ian. 1641. Coram nobis Hen. Brereton Wâ—ll Hitchcock The examination of John Greg of Levileglish in the County of Armagh Yeoman THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That His Wife and five small Children are in the Rebels hands who were most cruelly stripped before he left them even to the childe that sucked the brest further he saith that his said Wife being stripped to the skin by one of the Donnells was by him most cruelly beaten with his drawn Sword in a triumphing and rejoycing manner and with singing Further he saith one Captain Art ô Neal of the Parish of Levileglish aforesaid Gentleman who pretended friendship to him said that unlesse he would take up Arms and go to Masse there was no hope of his life unto whom he replyed that that was great cruelty neither to suffer him the said Gregg to live a slave amongst them nor suffer him to passe into his Native Countrey unto whom the said Captain replyed that neither of those requests would be granted affirming that it was intended by them not to leave an English Protestant alive in this Kingdom and that there was no hope of peace for tenne yeers to come He further saith That in the aforesaid Parish there were divers English-men most cruelly murthered some twice some thrice hanged up and others wounded and left half-dead
crying lamentably for some to come and end their misery by killing them out And further he saith That the names of the chiefest of the Rebels in those parts are Phelomy ô Neal of Kinnard in the County of Tyron Knight and Turlagh ô Neal Esquire his Brother and one Colonell Pluncket and Captain Manus oge ô Caban of the County of Armagh Gentlemen and Redmond ô Mullan of the Grange in the County of Tyron Gentleman and Patrick ô Mullan now of Armagh Gentleman who wrote Proclamations in His Majesties Name And further he saith That he heard by credible English-men that the said Phelomy ô Neal affirmed that his taking up Arms was by His Majesty and the Queens consent and the Parliament in this Kingdom and further that one Captain Shane ô Neal in the County of Tyron stiled the said Phelomy ô Neal with the title and stile of His Majesty Iohn Greg. Iur. 7. Ian. 1641. Coram nobis Will. Hitchcock Roger Puttock The Examination of Henry Raynolds of Cornemuekley in the County of Cavan Yeoman THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That he heard one whose name as he thinks is Ferdoragh an Irish Priest say that they had the Kings hand for what they did and the cause of there rising was because there was a Statute made in England that all papists should go to Church before a certain time or be banished Hen. Raynolds Deposed before us 4. Ian. 1641. Hen. Iones Io. Watson The Examination of Charles Crafford of Navan in the County of Meath Gentleman THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That the reason generally given by them for their doing was that they had found a Letter wherein the English had resolved to hang the Irish at their doors if they would not go to Church and that therefore they would begin with the English first Charles Craffords Mark Iur. 22. Ian. 1641. Roger Puttock Io. Sterne Ioh VVatson VVill Aldrich The Examination of John Wood of New-Rath in the County of Wicklow Gentleman THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That these words were spoken by Nicholas Byrne James mac Cahire and divers other of the Rebels that they were discontented Gentlemen and having their Lands unjustly taken away by the Plantation could not have any satisfaction but by the Sword Therefore it was their Colonell Luke Tooles pleasure that all Protestants should depart the Kingdom upon pain of death And for Dublin if that did stand out long with them they made no question to burn it but if they could take it and not fire it so they might have the head of my Lord Parsons and three or four more of the chiefest of the City all the rest should fare so much the better And they further said That there was an Act of Parliament in England that all papists in Ireland should upon pain of death either go to Church or be banished the Kingdom by such a day of the moneth which as I take it was by the 24. of November And therefore they desired liberty of conscience and to enjoy all that Land which there predecessors did formerly enjoy For why should not they have there demands as well as the Scots John Wood Jur. 17. Feb. 1641. John Stern Randall Adams The Examination of Henry Steel Curate of Cluntubbrid THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That when they were imprisoned in the Dungeon in the County Goal all the robbers and rogues first set at liberty they remained there in a most miserable estate there being in number about forty eight more or lesse where they had no roome to stand or lye And further deposeth That he by Gods great mercy being enlarged his wife yet prisoner in Castle-Blaney he came away with one Master Barnewell and being in a place called Cabret where one Master Fleming liveth whose Daughter is married to the Lord Magwire he heard the servants of the house and other Irish relating that this Magwire and the popish Primate whose Sirname is Rely were a long space travelling through the Kingdome together to perswade them all to condiscend to this most inhumane plot and this Rely was then at this Flemings house Hen. Steel Deposed this 10. of Ian. 1641. Will. Aldrich Iohn Sterne The Examination of Katherine Graunt of Navan in the County of Meath Widdow THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That the whole Town and Corporation of the Navan made good preparation for the entertainment of the Northern Rebels in victuals and drink for them very many of them went to the Rebels before they came to Town and generally all of them met them with great joy and welcoming of them when they came to Town She further deposeth That she heard the Priest that came with the Rebels from the North and the Priest of the Navan Master Fay among them as she verily beleeveth all charging divers of the Captains not to go back nor come in upon the Proclamation of pardon that came from the State for if they did they were all undone Kath. Graunts Mark Deposed this 5. of Ian. 1641. Roger Puttock Hen. Brereton The Examination of Hugh Madden late of Kirreke in the County of Wickloe Gentleman THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That after he had been first besiedged by at least eight hundred of the Rebels having conference with some of them they then gave out in words that that businesse which they had begun they would pursue till it were effected and would not look for a pardon for the same or to that effect Hugh Madden Iur. 23. Feb. 1641. Iohn VVatson Iohn Sterne The Examination of John Right late of Newtown alias Castle-câ—ol in the County of Fermanagh Butcher THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Rory Magwire shewed to him and others whom he then robbed a Parchment or paper with a great Seal affixed which he affirmed to be a Warrant from the Kings Majesty for what he did And he further deposeth That when he and his neighbours then robbed complained of their miserable condition being robbed and stripped the said Rory replyed That if they were not content with what was done they should see worse within a few dayes Iohn Right Jurat Jan. 5. 1641. coram nobis Randall Adams Iohn Sterne The Examination of George French of Karbery in the County of Kildare THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That he demanded of the Rebells why they dealt so with VVilliam Coleman to whom Luke Brumingham answered That they had a Commission from His Majesty for what they did and Gerald Fitz Gerald of Carbery aforesaid read the Commission that was a supposed Commission from His Majesty to take away all English mens goods Geo. French his mark Jur. 1 Feb. 1641. cor. John Sterne Randall Adams The Examination of Jane Mansfeild lately of the Parish of Castle-Jordan VVidow THis Examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That she coming towards Dublin in her
A REMONSTRANCE OF Divers Remarkeable Passages concerning the Church and Kingdome OF IRELAND Recommended By Letters from the Right Honourable the Lords Justices and Counsell of Jreland And Presented By HENRY JONES Doctor in Divinity and Agent for the Ministers of the Gospel in that Kingdom TO The Honourable House of Commons IN ENGLAND London Printed for Godfrey Emerson and William Bladen and are to be sold at the signe of the Swan in Little-Brittain 1642 To our very assured loving Friend Master Lenthall Esquire Speaker of the Honourable the Commons House of Parliament in the Kingdom of ENGLAND THere hath been presented unto us a Remonstrance of the deplorable estate of this Church of Ireland and the lamentable Condition of the Clergy therein occasioned by the present Rebellion The Remonstrants desiring our Letters in the Representing of the same to the honourable House of Commons in England unto whose grave and wise consideration they do apply themselves We shall not need to say much in a matter so much speaking it self and the experience we have of the true sence they have of this distracted State gives us great assurance that they will take to heart this our miserable Church and Gods servants therein reduced unto unexpressable extremities both Church and State being now involved in one common calamity The bearer hereof Henry Jones Doctor in Divinity is intrusted by the Clergy to negotiate in their behalf and we have intreated him to solicite the cause of the poor robbed English expressed in our Letters to you of the fourth of this moneth We therefore do crave leave to recommend him in this imployment to that Honourable House he being a Person who is able to say much in this businesse having been some while a Prisoner in the hands of the Rebels and observed much of their proceedings and being intrusted with others as a Commissioner to take the examinations out of which the Remonstrance now to be by him offered to that Honourable House is extracted As for himself he hath suffered much in his private fortunes by these troubles and in respect of his Abilities and Learning and Painfulnesse in his Ministry he deserveth favour and encouragement Besides we have found him very diligent and forward in attending all occasions for promoting the publike services here by timely and important intelligence given to us of Occurences during his imprisonment with the Rebels and since especially in his information made to us of the approaches of the enemy to Drogheda when we could not conceive they would rise to that boldnesse by which information amongst others we had the opportunity of sending thither the present Garrison without whom it might have been in danger of surprising And so we remain from His Majesties Castle of Dublin the seventh day of March 1641. Your very assured loving Friends W. Parsons Jo. Borlace R. Dillon Ad. Loftus J. Temple Cha. Coote Tho. Ratherham Fran. Willoughby Rob. Meredith To the Honorable Assembly of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the Commons House of Parliament in the Kingdom of ENGLAND The undernamed in the behalf of themselves and their brethren the poore dispoiled and distressed Ministers of the Gospel in Ireland with the Widdowes and Orphans of such Humbly represent their lamentable Condition Shewing THat by the instigation of Popih Priests Friers and Jesuites with other fire-brands and Incendiaries of the State partly such of them as have been resident here in this Kingdom of Ireland before partly flocking in from Forraign parts of late in multitudes more then ordinary and chiefly by such of them as resorted hither out of the Kingdom of England And out of that ancient and known hatred the Church of Rome heareth to the reformed Religion As also by reason of the surfet of that freedome and indulgence which through Gods forbearance for our tryall they of the Popish faction have hitherto enjoyed in this Kingdom There hath been beyond all paralell of former ages a most bloudy and Antichristian combination and plot hatched by well-nigh the whole Romish sect by way of combination from parts forraign with those at home against this our Church and State thereby intending the utter extirpation of the reformed Religion and the professors of it In the room thereof setting up that idoll of the Masse with all the abominations of that whore of Babylon This also ayming at the pulling down and defacing the present state and government of this Kingdom under his Sacred Majesty theirs and our undoubted Soveraign and introducing another form of rule ordered and moderated by themselves without dependance on his Highnesse or the Kingdom of England whence have proceeded such depredations of of the goods and such cruelties exercised on the persons and lives of the loyall Subject such wasting and defacing of all Minuments of civility with such prophanation of holy places and Religion that by the most barbarous and heathenish Nations the like could not in any age be found to be perpetrated All which doth daily appear unto us your Suppliants appointed to enquire upon oath of the premisses and other particulars depending thereupon by vertue of a Commission to us directed under the great Seal of this Kingdom of Ireland bearing Date the three and twentieth day of December in the seventeenth year of his Majesties Reign and by one other Commission further enlarged concerning the premisses Dated the eighteenth of January in the year aforesaid Copies whereof together with the Copies of such and so much of the Depositions as answer to the particulars of this our Remonstrance we have hereunto annexed that both the validity of our proceedings and the truth of this our sayd Remonstrance may the better appear Vpon view of all which it doth very evidently appear that in the present most dangerous designe against this Kingdom the Popish faction therein hath been confederate with forraign States If we may rely upon the report made therof by the conspirators themselves and their adherents here whereof the following examinations are full IT being confessed that they had their Commission for what they did from beyond the Seas A That from Spain they did expect an Army before Easter next consisting if of none others yet of the Irish Regiments and Commanders serving in Flanders and else where under that King together with a great quantity of Powder Ammunition and Arms for a great number of men to be raised in Ireland This Kingdome as they make up their estimate being able to make up the body of an Army of two hundred thousand or more B From France also they looke for ayd C Being in all this further encouraged by Bulls from Rome some of these Rebels requiring to the Popes use and in his name the yeelding up of such places of strength as they had beleaguered D In all which respects and in allusion to that League in France they terming themselves the Catholike Army E and the ground of their war the Catholike cause And to this purpose hath
this present year 1641. been among them proclaimed a year of Jubilce and Pardons before hand granted of all sins of what sort soever that shall be therein committed tending to this great work F Excommunications also thundred against any that shall refuse to joyn therein G It doth secondly appear that they had their correspondents in England for raising the like Rebellion there this not being a report made to us from one part but confirmed from all places of this Kingdome whence the passage hath not beene stopped by the present obstructions H That thirdly they reported themselves to have had the like partie in Scotland that the Scots joyned with them I and were their friends K That the like troubles were to be raised in Scotland L That the Scots were joyned with them in Covenant not to leave a drop of English bloud in England as they the Irish Rebels would do the like in Ireland For which they pretended a writing signed with the hands of the prime Nobility of Scotland M And that the Tower of London the Castle of Edenborough and the Castle of Dublin were to be surprised all upon one day N As for that part of that cursed Faction within this Kingdom of Ireland the Actors therein acknowledge it to be a plot of many years some say two O some eight P some 14 or 17 years Q A plot wherein all the Popish Nobilitie and men of quality were interessed R and by Sir Phelim ô Neale that Arch-Rebell it is professed that what he did was by the consent of the Parliament of Ireland S thereby intending the Popish members therof Notwithstanding all which that this appeareth to have been a long-laid conspiracie yet these Traytors for giving some colour to their Rebellion pretend as if the occasion moving them thereunto were new unexpected and pressing so that with the safety of their lives and duty which they owed God and their Country they could not do lesse then they have done falsly pretending that there was a plot layd in this Kingdome grounded on a pretended Act passed in the Parliament of England for the cutting off of all the Nobilitie and others the Papists in Ireland T and all this to be done in one day V and that to be on the 23 or 24th of November now last past for preventing whereof they laid say they this their counterplot a full moneth before viz. on the 23 of October W For effecting which their wicked and devillish design the sayd Conspirators and Traitors have entred into a most accursed Covenant and bound themselves by an oath of confederation the same being subscribed by the hands of the chiefest Rebels and certaine men being appointed to administer the same to all such as shall either offer themselves or be pressed to serve as Souldiers in that cause others also being sent abroad and in chief the Popish Primate Reily X who hath compassed far and neer to draw into this conspiracy such as had not before been there withall acquainted As also to satisfie any scruples if any were that did or might retard any from entring thereinto the Popish Clergie being observed for the most forward advisers and putters on of the people in this way For whereas many of the Rebels seemed no give eare to a Proclamation of grace Dated the first of November 1641. they were forbidden by their Priests assuring them it would be their undoing Y Hence it is that these Rebels are so hardned in their course of wickednesse that they professe against accepting of any quarter and that they will not accept of any but a generall Pardon A Others again disclaiming any Pardon casting out words to the dishonout of his Sacred Majesty as if his Royall word and Seale were not to be relyed upon B And yet for making the more plausible introduction into their said wicked Rebellion the Conspirators aforesaid have traiterously and impudently averred and proclaimed that their authoritie therein is derived by Commission from his Highnesse Sometimes at distance making offer to shew a large Patent or Commission with a broad Scale giving out that in that their power did appear C Others taking upon them to read some forged writing to that purpose D All which they stick not publikely in Market-places to proclaim E falsly also reporting that his Highnesse was among them in the North of Ireland riding up and down disguised and with glasse eyes desiring not to be discovered Others againe pretending their Commission to be from the Queens Highnesse and professing themselves her Souldiers and that what they did was under the hands of the best of the Nobility of England which yet in favour of the English they did not say they execute to the full G All which they falsly reported to the end that thereby they might distract the mindes and discourage the hearts of the true Subject and that therein they might gain more upon such as they desire to draw into their party or if any should for a time stand aloose as Newters to win a better opinion with them then to be accounted Traytors or their enterprise a Rebellion Whereas it is apparant that Allegiance or Obedience to his Majesty is not the thing they ayme at the contrary being plainly confessed and professed by themselves now that they are entred as far as they can into their diabolicall practise and that their confederates are for the most part declared and drawn unto an head For some of them to the making way for their Trayterous intentions F have given out That the King was dead and that the young King was gone to Masse G That they would have the Prince in Ireland whom they would make their Vice-Roy tutoring him in the Romish religion And that the King should live in Scotland H sometimes That the Duke of York should live with them But others more fully unvizard themselves professing That they would have a King of their own and him Crowned within a fortnight I That they had him already K And that it was from their new King that they had their Commission so much spoken of L Declaring also their new King according to their severall fancies Some being for the Earl of Tyron M others for Sir Phelim ô Neal N If perhaps these two be not intended for one and the same thus we finde the said Sir Phelim honoured with the style of His Majesty O Others yet being rather for the Lord Maguire P there being some that said they had a consecrated Crown for the best deserver * But of His sacred Majesty how contemptuously do they speak Let your King say they fetch you out again Q These being their words to some of His Majesties Subjects oppressed by them We care not for the King of England say others R a third That neither King nor Queen shall govern Ireland
many of Our good Subjects Brittish and Protestants who have been seperated from their setled habitations and scattered in most lamentable manner and many others have beene deprived of their Lands Rents goods and Chattles And forasmuch as it is needfull to take due examination concerning the same Know ye that We reposing especiall trust and confidence in your fidelities care and provident circumspection have nominated and appointed you to be Our Commissioners and do hereby give unto you or any two or more of you full power and authority from time to time to call before you and examine upon oath which We hereby authorise you or any two or more of you to administer on the holy Evangelists As well all such persons as have been so Robbed and spoiled or deprived of their Lands Rents goods or Chattles as all the witnesses that can give testimony therein what Robberies and spoiles have been committed on them or any other to their knowledge since the two and twentieth of October last or shall hereafter be committed on them or any of them what Lands Rents goods or Chattles whereof any person or persons were or shall be so robbed spoiled or deprived to what valew by whom such robberies or spoiles were committed what their names are and where they now or last dwelt that committted those robberies or spoiles on what day or night the said robberies or spoiles committed or to be committed were done what Traiterous or disloyall words speeches or actions were then or at any other time uttered or committed by those robbers or any of them and what unfitting words or speeches concerning the present Rebellion or by occasion thereof were spoken at any time by any person or persons whatsoever what violence or other lewd actions were then performed by the said Robbers or any of them and how often what numbers of persons have been murthered by the Rebels or perished afterwards in the way to Dublin or other places whither they fled or retired for refuge either by way of defence or otherwise What person or persons Clergimen or other Protestants have become Papists since the said two and twentieth day fled or retired for refuge either by way of defence or otherwise What person or persons Clergimen or other Protestants have become Papists since the said two and twentieth day of October last and all other circumstances and things touching or concerning the said particulars and every of them either before the three and twentieth of October or since And for the better performance of this service all Incumbents Curats Parish-Clerks and Sextons of Churches in this Kingdome are hereby required to give in to you Our said Commissioners to the best of their knowledge the names and numbers of the poore so spoyled who have beene buried in their respective Parishes and hereafter in and about Dublin they are to give in weekly Bills under the hands of the Ministers or Church-wardens of such Parishes of such of the said persons as shall be so buried in the said Parishes And you our said Commissioners or any two or more of you as aforesaid are to reduce to writing all the Examinations which you or any two or more of you shall take as aforesaid and the same to return to our Iustices and Councell of this Our Realm of Ireland under the hands and Seals of you or any two or more of you as aforesaid Witnesse Our right trusty and wel-beloved Councellors Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet and Sir John Borlase Knight Our Iustices of Our Realme of Ireland At Dublin the eighteenth Day of January in the Seventeenth yeare of Our Reigne Carleton Examinations taken before us His Majesties Commissioners thereunto appointed by vertue of a Commission to us or any two or more of us directed under the great Seal of Ireland Dated the 23th day of December in the 17th yeare of his Majesties Reigne And by vertue of one other Commission directed as aforesaid bearing Date the 18th day of January in the yeare aforesaid The examination of John Day of Drumleiff in the County of Cavan Weaver THis Examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That the Rebells bad him open the doors of his House otherwise they would fire his House and they said that they had a Commission from the Queene and from beyond the Seas for what they did And that they would not suffer an English-man to stay in the land Jur. 8. Feb. 1641. John Day William Aldrich William Hitchcock The examination of Lucy Spell of Drogheda in the County of Lowth THis Examinate duly sworn deposeth inter alia That at Ballendary where she was prisoner three weeks and lodged in John Parsimers house during which imprisonment she saw one time John Malon a Fryar who taketh upon him the title of Chaplain to the Catholike Army in Ireland together with Michael Murffy Garret Newgent of Drogheda Marchant John Griffin and Patrick Griffin of the same Merchants Roger Belin of the same Merchant with others in their company and heard them in their conference say we will shortly have the Prince of England here in Ireland and make him Vice-Roy and we will tutor him and bring him up in the Catholike Religion and the King himselfe shall live in Scotland and before Easter day next we shall have an Army out of Spain and then we will go all into England and with the helpe of the Catholikes there all whose names the said Fryar said that he had we will put all the Puritans and Protestants to the sword The marke of the said Lucy Jur. 5. Feb. 1641. William Aldrich William Hitchcock John Sterne Henry Brereton The examination of John Biggar of Miltown in the County of Dublin Clerke THis Examinate being duely sworn deposeth inter alia That these words were spoken by the Rebells especially by their Leader For the third of December Edmond Eustace of Ballymore-Eustace that they did give us but our owne Law For whereas there was an Act made by the Councell of England in the absâ—nce and without the consent or knowledge of the King for the expelling banishing and putting away the Papists out of England and seizing of their goods which when they had there effected would have brought the like over hither for extirpation of the Irish Nation that are Papists These considerations for the defence of the Religion the Queens person and by the Kings license moved them to take Arms having the Scots for a president they have also vowed not to leave an English-man in Ireland The Kingdome they will have in their own hands Lawes of their own and a Deputy of their own without molestation or interruption of any other Nation This night at the Widdowes house of one Lawrence Purcell I met with one George Staples who for late years had taught the Children of the chiefe of the Gentry in our parts Having beene formerly acquainted with him he began to examine me what course I intended to take I told him I could not tell untill I
children with some part of their goods if not the most part that this his way of proceeding redounded much to the honour of Spaine whereas the slaughter of many innocents would have laid an everlasting blemish of cruelty on that State that the like usage of the English their neighbours and to whom many there present owed if no more yet their education would gaine much to the cause both in England and other parts That their goods and estates seized upon would bee sufficient without medling with their persons that if the contrary course were taken and their blood spilt beside the curse it would draw from heaven upon their cause It might withall incense and provoke the neighbour Kingdome of England and that iustly taking a more severe revenge on them and theirs even to extirpation if it had the upper hand 2 On the otherside was urged a contrary proceeding to the utter cutting off all the English Protestants where to the instance of the dismissed Moores it was answered that that was the sole Act of the King and Queene of Spaine contrary to the advise of their Councell which howsoever it might gaine that Prince a name of metcy yet therein the event shewed him to be most unmercifull not onely to his owne but to all Christendome beside That this was evident in the great and excessive charge that Spaine hath beene since that time put unto by these Moores and their posterity to this day All Christendome also hath and doth still groane under the miseries it doth suffer by the piracies of Algiers Sally and the like Dennes of theeves That all this might have beene prevented in one houre by a generall Massacre applying that it was no lesse dangerous to expell the English That these Robbers and banished men might againe returne with swords in their hands who by their hard usage in spoiling might bee exasperated and by the hope of recovering their former estates would bee incensed farre more than strangers that were sent against them Being neither in their persons injured nor grieved in their estate that therefore a generall Massacre were the safest and readiest way from freeing the Kingdome of any such feares 3. In which diversity of opinions howsoever the first prevailed with some for which the Franciscans saith this Frier one of their Guardians did stand yet others inclined to the second some again leaning to a middle way neither to dismisse nor kill And according to this do we finde the event and course of their proceedings In some places they are generally put to the sword or to other miserable ends some restrain their persons in durance knowing it to be in their hands to dispatch them at their pleasures In the mean time they being reserved either for profit by their ransome or for exchange of prisoners or gaining their own pardons by the lives of their prisoners if time would serve or by their death if the worst did happen to satisfie their fury The third sort at the first altogether dismissed their prisoners but first having spoiled them of their goods and after of their raiment exposing the miserable wretches to cold and famine whereby many have perished by deaths worse then sword or halter Hitherto of their Counsells and the effects of them Now for their intentions all being reduced which God forbid into their power and thereof do they as by some Law give such peremptory conclusions that it may well be wondred the thoughts of men professing themselves wise should be so vain and herein I do still follow mine Informer First their loyalty to his Majestie shall be still reserved Thus say they of the modest sort But both his Revenues and Government must be reduced to certain bounds His Rents none other then the ancient reservations before the plantation and the Customes so ordered as to them shall be thought fitting Secondly for the Government such as would be esteemed loyall would have it committed to the hands of two Lords Iustices one of the ancient Irish race the other of the ancient British inhabitants in the Kingdom Provided that they be of the Romish profession Thirdly that a Parliament be forthwith called consisting of whom they shall think fit to be admitted wherein their own religious men shall be ass stants Fourthly Poinings Act must be repealed and Ireland declared to be a Kingdom independant on England and without any reference unto it in any case what soever Fiftly all Acts prejudiciall to the Romish Religion shal be abolished and it to be enacted That there be none other profession in the Kingdom but the Romish Sixtly that onely the ancient Nobility of the Kingdom shall stand and of them such as shall refuse to conform to the Romish Religion to be removed and others put in their room howsoever the present Earl of Kildare must be put out and another put in his place Seventhly all plantation lands to be re-called and the ancient prepriators to be re-invested in their former estates with the limitations in their Covenant expressed That they had not formerly sold their interests an valuable considerations Eightly that the respective Counties of the Kingdom be subdivided and certain bounds or Baronies assigned to the chief Septs and others of the Nobility who are to be answerable for the Government therof And that a standing Army may be still in being the respective Governours being to keep a certain nūber of men to be ready at all risings out as they term it They also being to build and maintain certain fortresses in places most convenient within their precincts And that these Governours be of absolute power onely responsible to the Parliament Lastly for maintaining a correspondencie with other Nations and for securing the coasts That also they may be rendred considerable unto others a Navie of a certain number of Ships is to be maintained That to this end five houses are to be appointed one in each province accounting Meth for one of them That to these houses shall be allotted an annuall pension of certain thousands of pounds to be made up of part of the lands appropriate to Abbeys And a further contribution to be raised in the respective provinces to that end That these houses are to be assigned to a certain Order of Knights answerable to that of Malta who are to be sea-men And to maintain this Fleet that all prizes are to be apportioned some part for a common bank the rest to be divided to which purpose the felling of woods serviceable for this use is to be forbidden The House for this purpose to be assigned to the province of Leinstor is Kilmainham or rather Howth the Lord of Howith being otherwise to be accommodated provided be joyn with them that place being esteemed most convenient in respect of situation which they have small grounds to hope for For effecting of all which they cast up the accounts of the forces of this Kingdom That it is able to make up readily two hundreth thousand able men wanting onely Commanders
Magwire upon Saturday before and there they should finde small relief if for England or Scotland it was as bad there as here saying further that what they did they had the Kings Commission for it Elizabeth M Coats her Mark Deposed this fourth of Ian. 1641. before us Randal Adams Iohn Watson The examination of Nicholas Willoughby of the Carrow in the County of Fermanagh Esquire THis examinate duely sworn deposeth inter alia That Con oge mac Mabon said that all the Counties in Ireland were in action or rebellion as well as Monaghan and Fermanagh and that there was warre in England and Scotland between the Papists and them And moreover he said That the Irish were certainly enformed that there was a course to be suddainly taken with them to make them go to Church or else to loose their lives and that they had seen some writing or letter to that effect and said that Owen mac Art ô Neal was come out of Spain and landed about Strangford or that side and that he had brought store of Arms and men with him and that there were many Redshanks come over out of the Highlands in Scotland to take their parts Nicholas Willoughby Deposed before us Febr. 23. 1641. Hen. Jones VVill Hitchcock The examination of Thomas Crant of Cavan in the County of Cavan THis examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That the said Donnagh mac Gwire expressing that he was not made privy to the generall Cause untill two or three dayes afore the day came if he had been made of the Councell he would advise other wayes then to take up Arms but that now it was so his hand was in and that he would not take it cut and that if the Lord of Eveskillin was ill used we should be farre worse and that if he suffered we should all be destroyed not one should escape and that for his part he would never lock for pardon for that he knew well enough that they could pick a fault in any pardon after that he was come in to destroy him for that how many pardons soever the Earl of Tyren had as yet they did him no good Therefore he would not trust to any but would stand out to defend his Country with his bloud Expressing that the Scots were and had been alwaies their friends and that they had a Covenant to shew whereby it might appear the fair correspondency between them the Irish and the Scors in Scotland which covenant imported that the Irish should never take part with the English against the Scots and that the Scots should never take part with the English against the Irish And that it was so covenanted between many of the Lords of Scotland and many of the Lords and their Gentry of Ireland and that Hugh mac Mahon had the Covenant to shew Saying That he was more a Papist then a Protestant and that the Puritan Parliament of England was the cause of all this that they had laid a plot that at the next Sessions of Parliament here in Ireland that the Papists of the house should be all committed to the Castle or murdered and the Protestants were to murder all the Papists throughout the Kingdom and that they having intelligence of that Therefore they did begin first and would now continue and that all the whole Kingdom did rise as they did the self same day the 23. of October and that all the Papists in England did so that same day rise in Arms against the Protestants and also that some Papist Earls and Lords in Scotland did likewise so too So that there was warres in England and Scotland as there was here in Ireland Divers Women and Children murdered lying unburied till dogs spoiled their Corps Women with childe murdered and some dyed for cold after being stript forth of their cloaths lying unburied that dogs gnawed their Children forth of their Wombs which this examinate heard some of the vulgar people report with a cheerfulnesse Also there he heard reported by Con oge mac Con mac Hugh mac Mahon Patrick oge mac Rosse Magwyre that upon Christmas-day they with a matter of a 1000. men went down to Eneskillin fiedge and there they burnt the house of Lisgoole where into was come of Men Women and Children a matter of fifty souls of Scots who they burnt all in the house except Master Iames Dunbarre and his Sister whom they gave quarter to and took them forth of a Window and keepe them prisoners as also they had burnt a Castle called Tullin wherein was a matter of thirty or forty souls of Scots and that as yet they could not do any good on Moone-Castle nor of Eneskillin A poor Man was met withall by a couple of Irish Women who knockt him in the head and killed him the Lord of Dunsany sent for the Women examined the reason why they did so they answered that Barnaby Reyly was hanged at Dublin and they did it to revenge his death the Lord of Dunsany committed them to prison what since is done with them this examinate knoweth not At my being at Racaine I heard it credibly reported that on the Sunday before Christmas-day that after Edmund mac Mulmore ô Rely had pillaged Bishop Bedle of Kilmore and sent him with his two sonnes to Cloughwater Castle to restraint That the Romish Bishop Mac Swine came to the Church of Kilmore and there did consecrate it anew and set up an Altar there and so said Masse and there liveth in the Bishops house Thom. Crant Iur. 13. Febr. 1641. Roger Puttock VVill Aldrich The examination of Elizabeth Parker late of Battydust in the County of Catherlagh VViddow THis examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That when she and others were wishing themselves in England What should you do in England for it was as bad as in Ireland Besides the Seas were very dangerous and Comerfords Wife further said that the Queens Priest was hanged in England which was the cause of the insurrection in this Kingdom or to that effect Iur. 13. Ian. 1641. Coram Elizabeth Parker Roger Puttock Iohn VVatson The examination of Ockar Butts late of Bollganreagh in the County of Wexford Gentleman THis examinate duely sworne deposeth inter alia That one of the Rebels of the said company being as he said the Leader or Commander over them spake these words viz. That they had full power and commission from their Generall to execute such and the like exploits against the Protestants and that we should have no longer respite to remain in this Kingdom then untill the next day following And that then all Protestants should have generall warning to depart this Kingdom upon pain of death And they then made question whether we should be permitted to land in any part of England or no And that such straight Commission was granted and sent over unto their Generall by the Queen and some of the best Nobility of England And also that they did not neer execute towards us