be Prorogued the House sitting And now that this Rebellion hath over-spread the whole Kingdome and that many members of both Houses are involved therein so as the Parliament cannot sit We humbly desire to know his Majesties pleasure therein and if his Majesty shall think fit to Prorogue it which in present we hold expedient that then we may receive his commandment for Prorogation and that the doubt concerning that be cleared for to assemble at that time cannot be with safety Our Letters of the third of December have been hitherto with-held on this side by contrary winds In this most miserable condition the Lords Justices and Councell continued shut up within the City of Dublin strugling with all their power for a short preservation from those dismall calamities which had generally over-spred the whole Kingdome Their care travell and endeavours had hitherto in some measure extended to the most remote parts how they might asswage the swelling distempers or yeeld some reliefe to the lamentable complaints and bitter out-cryes daily brought up unto them But now the evils abroad were grown past their cure and their own dangers so multiplyed as they were enforced to spend their time almost in a perpetuall consultation never at rest sometimes raised in the night by sudden advertisements alwayes in constant perplexity and trouble desperately threatned on every side so as what through treachery within or from without they had just reason to apprehend the losse of the City and Castle wherein they had enclosed themselves and so consequently the ruine and destruction of all the British and Protestants throughout all other parts of the Kingdome And thus they continued untill the most happy and welcome arrivall of that truly valiant Gentleman and gallant Commander Sir Simon Harcourt The arrivall of Sir Simon Harcourt with Forces out of England who being designed Governour of the City of Dublin was dispatched away by speciall Order of Parliament with his Regiment for the preservation of that place and landed here on the last of December 1641 to the great joy and comfort of all his Majesties Protestants and well affected Subject and to the terrour of those Rebels now in Armes who had made themselves believe that no Succours would be sent out of England towards the suppressing of their notorious Rebellion And now my intentions were to have proceeded further on in setting down what hath fallen out within the next foure Months and then to have added a briefe account of all such particular passages as have been acted during the space of those six Months within all the severall Counties of this Kingdom and so having recollected and presented as it were at one view the publike calamities and miserable desolations of all the foure Provinces there to have sate down and made the first period of this Story But I must here take up being unexpectly called away I resolve therefore patiently to attend the restoring of this Kingdome and the resettlement of our affaires and then if I find not this work undertaken and perfected by some more skilfull hand I shall hope to get the rest of my tailing together and make such further provision of all other materialls as may enable mee to goe through with the same In the meane time it will not be amisse to take notice that the Rebels within very few Moneths after their first breaking out had so ordered their affaires as that by their sudden surprises their sharpe and bloody executions their barbarous stripping and despoyling of all sorts that fell into their hands they had cleared the Inland Counteys of all the British Inhabitants And except some few Castles and other places of strength which they held severally besieged and had most of them suddenly after surrendred for want of reliefe they had in a manner made themselves absolute Masters in all those Parts of the Kingdome And for the Maritime places there were only some of the chiefe Cities which were held out against them besides some few other Forts and places of no great importance As in the Province of Lemster the Cities of Dublin and in the Province of Munster the Cities of Cork Youghall and Kinsale in Vlster London-Derry Colraine and Caregfergus And all these they held either besieged much distressed or they were otherwayes so over-pestred with the multitudes of poore stripped people fled to them for safety as they were confident they could not long hold out but that either open force treachery famine or sicknesse would within a short time inevitably put them into their hands Thus it pleased God to humble his own people in this Land and for their sinnes to give them up into the power of their cruell Enemies who began now to sacrifice to their own neâ—s to celebrate the memory of their Victories And upon the prosperity of their undertakings and late successe they were become so confident of prevailing even to the totall extirpation of all the British and Protestants out of this Kingdome as they proceeded to set down a certaine form of Government nominated the persons whom they intended to entrust with the management of their affaires what Lawes they would have revoked what Statutes newly enectad And in the meane time they erected a Councell which they stiled the Supreme Councell which they invested with absolute Power and Authority to order and governe the whole Kingdome This consisted of certaine Noblemen Gentlemen three or foure Lawyers and one Physitian who being elected unto this charge had the place of their residence appointed unto them at Kilkenny a City in the Province of Lemster where they sate ordinarily for the dispatch of all the great and weighty affaires of their State They there erected severall Courts of Judicature they made a new broad Seale appointed severall great officers of State coyned money settled an excise upon all kinde of commodities and performed many other acts of regall power Now how they proceeded on in the ordering these their great affaires what Councels they took what meanes they used to enable themselves to make opposition against the Forces sent over by the Parliament of England into all the foure Provinces of Ireland I shall here forbeare to speak of These particulars must be reserved for the ensuing part of this Story where they will most properly fall in to be related And where likewise we shall finde so strange a turn such a remarkable declination of their power their hearts failing them for feare their Councells infatuated their designs blasted their Forces routed their sieges raised such a generall defailliance and inprosperity in all their undertakings as we must needs give glory to our Maker and acknowledge that God hath most wonderfully wrought for the deliverance of the poore small remnant of his people which were here shut up and designed to the slaughter For after a considerable number of Horse as well as Foot sent over by the Parliament of England arrived at Dublin and had in some petty encounters thereabouts tried the mettaile of the Rebels and found their spirit of a poore and base allay they began extreamely to disvalue them and would be no longer abused with the fabulous reports of their great strength or numbers which with much advantage they had long made use of Therefore now they began to seek them out in all places and wheresoever they came to meet with them they alwayes prevailed even with small numbers very often against great multitudes of them sparing not many times to pursue them into the midst of their greatest fâ—â—tnesses and made the very bogges and woods unsafe receptacles for their broken Troopes And with so great successe was the warre prosecuted by the English from the first landing of their Forces out of England untill the Treaty of that most unhappy Cessation concluded in Sept. 1643. as that in all the incounters they had with the Rebels during that time they never received any scorn or defeats but went on Victoriously beating them down in all Parts of the Kingdome And so they carried on their work before them without any assistance either from the meere Irish or the English Irish For I can not my selfe remember any Gentleman of quality throughout the whole Kingdome that was there born and breed up a Papist that put himselfe into that service or desired to be listed as a member of the English Army It is true some of the common Souldiers there were of the English Irish that came in and though they were not considerable for their number yet they did good service and still with much fury and sharpnesse followed on upon the execution FINIS
the affairs of great Brittain when Scotland lately in Arms had by their own power and wise managements drawn his Majesty to condiscend to their entire satisfaction as wel in their Church discipline as the liberties of that Kingdom And in England the distractions being grown up to some height through the great misunderstanding betwixt the King and his Parliament Ireland was at this time left naked and unregarded the Government in the hands of Justices the old Army dispersed in places of so great distance as it could be of little advantage the common Souldiers most of them Irish and all the old Commanders and Captains except some few worn out and gone This as the first plotters thought was the time to work out their own ends and masking their perfidious designs under the publike pretences of Religion and the defence of his Majesties Prerogative they let loose the reins of their own vindicative humour and irreconcilable hatred to their British Neighbours I will not presume to say they knew what would fall out in England or what miserable embroilments that Kingdom was ready to break out into for undoubtedly the first plot was laid and most exactly formed many moneths before the war brake out betwixt the King and his people But thus much I shall be bold to affirm that upon the very first breaking out of this Rebellion they did strangely conjecture and beyond all appearance of reason even somewhat positively divine of the dismal breach and fearfull distempers which afterwards followed to the disabling of the Kingdome of England from applying remedies towards the reducement of Ireland For the attestation of this truth I could produce the generall concurrence of severall circumstances many private discourses and advertisements as also a particular Letter which I had long by me written as it seems from a very intelligent Papist a great Zealot in the cause unto a Nephew of Sir Toby Matthew's then in Dublin who though lately converted retained yet a great friendship among them He tels him in the beginning of the Letter that he was desired from some well wishing friends to advise him as he tendered his safety and security upon the sight of those instantly to forsake and abandon that troublesom and most unfortunate Kingdom for God and man had speedily resolved to afflict and punish the overgrown impieties of these prophane times all hearts and hands happily conspiring to it and that he should be as speedy in his passage as was possible and rather as the case stood hazard all dangers by sea then the least at land to be sure not to stop in England especially at London that sink of sin as he cals it and center of disorders for by that time he arrived there he should be sure to find nothing but troubles factions and desperate distempers that he should dispatch therefore for Paris or rather Brussels where there should be order taken for the removall of all mistakes betwixt him and his Uncle This Letter was written about the beginning of Novem. 1641. which was some few dayes after the breaking out of this Rebellion and full six moneths before the taking up of Arms in England Now for the very time when this great Plot received its first forme The Plot for a Rebellion in Ireland first discovered to the Lord Mac Guire and others about the time of Master John Bellewes return out of England with commission to continue the Parliament in Ireland which was in Jan. 1640. though I conceive it of somewhat a more ancient date yet by all the examinations I have hitherto seen I can carry it up no higher then the moneth of January 1640. and that it was about that time communicated to some of the chief Gentlemen of Vlster the Lord Mac Guire doth sufficiently testifie as well in the relation written with his own hand in the Tower and delivered by him to Sir John Coniers then Lieutenant to be presented to the Lords in Parliament as also in his Examination taken before the Lord Lambart and Sir Robert Meredith Kinght in Ireland March 26. 1642. In both these he acknowledgeth that he being in Dublin in Candlemas Tearm about the time when Master John Bellew came out of England with the Commission for the continuance of the Parliament in Ireland Roger Moore acquainted him that if the Irish would rise they might make their own conditions for the regaining of their Lands and Freedome of their Religion and further saith that he had spoken with sundry of Lemster to that purpose who would be ready to joyn with them as likewise a good part of Conaught and that he found all of them willing thereto if so be they could draw to them the Gentlemen of Vlster Now for the manner of putting this Plot in execution the said Lord Mac Guire doth further testifie in his relation aforesaid that the said Roger Moore having the next day acquainted Philip O Rely Turlagh O Neale Brother to Sir Phelim O Neale Master Cosloe and Mac Mahone herewith did propose that first every one should endeavour to draw his own friends into that act at least those that did live in one Country with them and that when they had so done they should send to the Irish in the Low-Countries and in Spain to let them know of the day and resolution so that they might be over with them by that day or soon after with supply of Arms and Munition that there should be a set day appointed and every one in his own Quarters should rise out that day and seize upon all the Arms he could get in his own County and this day to be neer Winter so that England could not be able to send Forces into Ireland before May and by that time there was no doubt to be made but that they themselves would be supplied by the Irish from beyond the Seas Then he told them further that there was no doubt to be made of the Irish joyning with them and that all the doubt was in the Gentlemen of the Pale but he said for his own part he was really assured that when they had risen out the Pale Gentlemen would not stay long after at lest they would not oppose any thing and that in case they did that they had men enough in the Kingdom without them Moreover that he had spoken to a great man who then should be namelesse who would not fail at the day appointed to appear and to be seen in the act but that till then he was sworn not to reveal him but yet that upon their importunity he afterwards told them it was the Lord of Mayo who was very powerfull in the command of men in those parts of Conaught where he lived He further saith that in Lent following Master Moore according to his promise came into Vlster but that nothing was done there but all matters put off till May following where they met at Dublin it being both Parliament and Tearm time and that from thence they dispatched
thought laid as it could not well faile and the day once prefixed for execution they did in their publicke Devotions long before recommend by their Prayers the good successe of a great Designe much tending to the prosperity of the Kingdome and the advancement of the Catholick cause And for the facilitating of the Worke and stirring up of the people with greater animosity and cruelty to put it on at the time prefixed they loudly in all places declamed against the Protestants telling the people that they were Hereticks and not to be suffered any longer to live among them that it was no more sinne to kill an English-man then to kill a dogge and that it was a most mortall and unpardonable sinne to relieve or protect any of them Then also they represented with much acrimony the severe courses taken by the Parliament in England for the suppressing of the Romish Religion in all parts of the Kingdome and utter extirpation of all professors of it They told the people that in England they had caused the Queens Priest to be hanged before her own face and that they held her Majesty in her owne person under a most severe discipline That the same cruell Laws against Popery were here ordered to be put sodainly in execution and a designe secretly laid for bringing and seizing upon all the principal Noblemen and Gentlemen in Ireland upon the 23. of November next ensuing and so to make a generall Massacre of all that would not desert their Religion and presently become Protestants The Irish revive their ancient animosities against the English And now also did they take occasion to revive their inveterate hatred and ancient animosities against the English Nation whom they represented to themselves as hard Masters under whose government how pleasant comfortable and advantagious so ever it was they would have the world beleeve they had endured a most miserable captivity and envassalage They looked with much envie upon their prosperity considering all the Land they possessed though a great part bought at high rates of the Natives as their owne proper inheritance They grudged at the great multitudes of their faire English Cattell at their goodly Houses though built by their own industry at their own charges at the large improvements they made of their Estates by their own travails and carefull endevours They spake with much scorne and contempt of such as brought little with them into Ireland and having there planted themselves in a little time contracted great fortunes they were much troubled especially in the Irish Countries to see the English live handsomely and to have every thing with much decency about them while they lay nastily buried as it were in mire and filthinesse the ordinary sort of people commonly bringing their Cattle into their owne stinking Creates and there naturally delighting to lye among them These malignant considerations made them with an envious eye impatiently to looke upon all the British lately come over into the Kingdome Nothing lesse then a generall extirpation will now serve their turne they must have restitution of all the Lands to the proper Natives whom they take to be the ancient proprietors and onely true owners most unjustly despoiled by the English whom they hold to have made undue acquisitions of all the Land they possesse by gift from the Crown upon the attainder of any of their Ancestors And so impetuous were the desires of the Natives to draw the whole Government of the Kingdome into their owne hands The ends proposed by the first plotters of the rebellion to enjoy the publicke profession of their Religion as well as to disburthen the Country of all the British inhabitants seated therein as they made the whole body of the State to be universally disliked represented the severall members as persons altogether corrupt and ill affected pretended the ill humours and distempers in the Kingdome to be growen to that height as required Cauteries deepe incisions and indeed nothing able to worke so great a cure but an universall Rebellion This was certainly the disease as appeares by all the symptomes and the joynt concurrence in opinion of all the great Physitians that held themselves wise enough to propose remedies and prescribe fit applications to so desperate a Malady In those Instructions privately sent over into England by the Lord Dillon of Costeloz presently after the breaking out of the Rebellion the alteration of the supream power in the government and setling of it in the hands of the Earl of Ormond giving leave to the Grand Councell of the Kingdome to remove such Officers of State as they thought fit and to recommend Natives to their places were there positively laid down to be a more likely meanes to appease these tumults then a considerable Army In the Remonstrance of the County of Longford presented about the same time to the Lords Justices by the same Lord Dillon as also in the frame of the Common-wealth found at Sir John Dungars House not farre from Dublin and sent up thither out of Conaught to be communicated to those of Lemster peeces which publikely appeared soon after the breaking out of the Rebellion the main points insisted upon in them and severall others The true causes of the Rebellion were restauration of the Publick profession of the Romish Religion restitution of all the Plantation Lands unto the Natives and settlement of the present Government in their hands All the Remonstrances from severall parts and that came out of the severall Provinces of the Kingdome doe concurre in these Propositions with very little or no difference And therefore that the desires with the first intentions of those who are now out in Rebellion may more cleerly appear I have thought fit here to insert them as I found them Methodically digested into certain Propositions termed The meanes to reduce this Kingdome unto Peace and quietnesse 1 THat a generall and free pardon without any exception be granted to all his Majesties Subjects of this Kingdome and that in pursuance thereof and for strengthning the same an Act of Abolition may passe in the Parliament here 2 That all marks of Nationall distinctions between English and Irish may he abolished and taken away by Act of Parliament 3 That by severall Acts of Parliament to be respectively passed here and in England it be declared that the Parliament of Ireland hath no subordination with the Parliament of England but that the same hath in it self supream Jurisdiction in this Kingdom as absolute as the Parliament of England there hath 4 That the Act of 12. Henry the seventh commonly called Poynings Act and all other Acts expounding or explaining the same may be repealed 5 That as in England there past an Act for a Trienniall Parliament there may passe in Ireland another for a Sexenniall Parliament 6 That it may be enacted by Parliament that the Act of the 2d of Queen Elizabeth in Ireland and all other Acts made against Catholicks or the Catholick Religion
over the poore surprized unresisting English in those Parts and had so deeply drenched their hands in the blood of those innocents as they thought to carry the whole Kingdome before them and therefore would yeeld to no Treaties but in a most barbarous manner tore the Order of Parliament together with the Letter sent unto them and returned a most scornfull Answer fully expressing thereby how farre they were from any thought of laying down Armes or entertaining any overtures towards an Accommodation Within few dayes after the adjournment of the Parliament the Lord Dillon of Costelo accompanied with the Lord Taffe imbarqued for England but by a most impetuous storme were driven into Scotland where they landed and went up to London At the Town of Ware their papers were seized upon by directions from the Parliament of England and their persons committed unto safe custody Mr Thomas Burk went over much about the same time and certainly upon the same errand When the unhappy breach began first betwixt the King and the Parliament of England and that his Majesty thought fit to retire to York those two Lords found meanes to make an escape and all three constantly followed the Court where in those high distempers that afterwards hapned in England they easily found meanes to ingratiate themselves at Court and had the opportunity to doe those good offices for their Country-men which brought on the Cessation of Armes with them in due time The Lords Iustices and Councell by their Letters bearing date about the 20 of November Letters written to the Lord Lievtenant gave unto the Lord Lievtenant a more certaine and full account of the state of the Kingdome then they could any wayes doe at the first breaking out of the Rebellion and thereby making known the very ill condition of their present affaires they moved that the supplies of men money Commanders and Armes mentioned in their former Letters might be with all speed sent over unto them and that his Lordship would presently repaire hither in his own person to undertake the management of the warre About the tenth of the Month of November their Lordships received an Answer from the Lord Lievtenant to their former Letters of the 25 of October whereby he gave them to understand that he had communicated their Letters to the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell and that by Order from their Lordships he had acquainted both Houses of Parliament with them that he had also sent to his Majesty still continuing at Edenborough in Scotland to represent the condition of their affaires and that he understood his Majesty had received some advertisements out of the North of Ireland of the present Rebellion there His Lordship also farther let them know that his Majesty had referred the whole businesse of Ireland to the Parliament of England that they had undertaken the charge and management of the warre that they had declared they should be speedily and vigorously assisted and had designed for their present supplies the summe of 50000 l. and had taken order for making of all further Provisions necessary for the Service as may appeare by the Order of Parliament made there at that time and trans-mitted over by the Lord Lievtenant together with his said Letters unto the Lords Iustices by whose command it was reprinted at Dublin November 12. 1641. as here followeth being intituled An Order of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament in England concerning Ireland THe Lords and Commons in this present Parliament being advertised of the dangerous Conspiracie and Rebellion in Ireland by the Treacherous and wicked Instigation of Romish Priests and Jesuites for the Bloody Massacre and Destruction of all Protestants living there and other his Majesties Loyall Subjects of English blood though of the Romish Religion being ancient Inhabitants within severall Counties and Parts of that Realme who have alwayes in former Rebellions given Testimony of their fidelity to this Crown And for the utter depriving of his Royall Majestie and the Crown of England from the Government of that Kingdome under pretence of setting up the Popish Religion Have thereupon taken into their serious Consideration how those mischievous Attemps might be most speedily and effectually prevented wherein the Honour Safety and Interest of this Kingdom are most nearely and fully concerned Wherefore they doe hereby declare that they doe intend to serve his Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes for the suppressing of this wicked Rebellion in such a way as shall be thought most effectuall by the Wisdome and Authority of Parliament And thereupon have Ordered and Provided for a present Supply of Money and raysing the number of six thousand Foot and Two thousand Horse to be sent from England being the full proportion desired by the Lords Iustices and his Majesties Councell resident in that Kingdome with a Resolution to adde such further Succours as the necessity of those Affaires shall require They have also resolved of providing Armes and Munition not only for those Men but likewise for his Majesties faithfull Subjects in that Kingdome 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 severall Ports of this Kingdome that is to say Bristoll Westchester and one other in Cumberland where the Magazines and Store-houses shall be kept for the Supply of the severall parts of Ireland They have likewise resolved to be humble Mediators to His most Excellent Majesty for the encouragement of those English or Irish who shall upon their own charges raise any number of Horse or Foot for his Service against the Rebells 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 doe hereby commend it to the Lord Lievtenant of Ireland or in his absence to the Lord Deputy or Lords Iustices there according to the power of the Commission granted them in that behalfe to bestow his Majesties gracious Pardon to all such as within a convenient time to be declared by the Lord Lievtenant Lord Deputy or Lords Iustices and Councell of that Kingdome shall return to their due obedience the greatest part whereof they conceive have been seduced upon false Grounds by the cunning and subtle practises 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 publisht by the said Lord Lievtenant Lord Deputy or Lords Iustices and Councell 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 doe hereby exhort and require all his Majesties loving Subjects both in this and in that Kingdome to remember their duty and conscience to God and his Religion and the great and eminent danger which will
involve this whole Kingdome in generall and themselves in particular if this abhominable Treason be not timely suppressed and therefore with all readinesse bounty and chearefulnesse to conferre their Assistance in their Persons or Estates to this so important and necessary a Service for the common good of all Io. Browne Cleric Parliament About the same time the Lord Lievtenant finding that he could not procure so speedy a dispatch of all things necessary for the service of Ireland Commission granted to the Earle of Ormond to be Lievtenant Generall of the Forces in Ireland as would enable him presently to repaire thither in his own person made the Earle of Ormond Lievtenant Generall of the Forces there and sent him over a Commission for the same And the said Earle did within few dayes after receive a Letter from his Majesty out of Scotland wherein he was graciously pleased to let him know it was his pleasure to conferre upon him that charge There was then likewise brought over the summe of 20000 l. from the Parliament the coyne which arrived here was all in Spanish pieces of eight which went for 4 d. in a piece here more then in England and this gaine the Parliament was content the Merchants that undertook the transportation should make at that time in regard of the charge and venture they undertook to stand to It arrived most seasonably even when all that little money they had was quite spent in raising and paying the new Companies and that they were wholly destitute of all meanes to draw in any contributions towards the relieving of their present necessities There continued daily to repaire unto the City of Dublin great numbers of poore distressed English Commissions issued out for the Examination upon Oath of the losses of the British and the cruelties exercised by the Irish upon them who had been most barbarously stripped robbed and despoiled of all their goods and substance by the Rebels Now that it might appeare what their losses were what cruelties were acted what murders committed and who were the chiefe actors in them thorow out the severall Provinces The Lords Iustices and Councell thought fit to issue out a Commission under the Great Seale directed to certaine of the Clergy to take upon oath the severall Examinations of all such persons that having suffered by this present Rebellion would think fit to repaire unto them as will appeare by the Commission it selfe a Copy whereof I have thought fit to insert CHarles by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To our well-beloved Henry Jones Deane of Kilmore Roger Puttock William Huthcok Randall Adams Iohn Sterne William Aldrich Henry Brereton and Iohn Watsons Clerks Greeting Whereas divers wicked and disloyall people have lately risen in Armes in severall parts of this Kingdome and have robbed and spoiled many of our good Subjects British and Protestants who have been separated from their severall habitations and scattered in most lamentable manner And for as much as it is needfull to take due Examination concerning the same Know ye that we reposing special trust and confidence in your care diligence and provident circumspection have nominated and appointed you to be our Commissioners and doe 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 on the holy Evangelists which hereby we authorize you or any two or more of you to administer as well all such persons as have been robbed and despoiled as all the witnesses that can give testimony therein what robberies and spoyles have been committed on them since the 22 of October last or shall hereafter be committed on them or any of them what the particulars were or are whereof they were or shall be so robbed or spoiled to what value by whom what their names are or where they now or last dwelt that committed those robberies 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 them and how often and all other circumstances concerning the said particulars and every of them And you our said Commissioners 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 Counsell of this our Realme of Ireland under the hands and seales of any two or more of you as aforesaid Witnesse our right trusty and well-beloved Counsellours Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet and Sir Iohn Borlace Knight our Iustices of our said Realm of Ireland Dublin 23 of December in the seventeenth year of our Raigne Carleton The Commissioners above nominated did very seriously addresse themselves to this work employing their paines therein with great diligence and faithfulnesse and have so well performed the charge imposed upon them as that by severall Examinations many principall Gentlemen of good estates were discovered to be the chiefe actors in the depredations of the British and to have committed many most horrid murders and other notorious cruelties which thorough their industry will now remaine upon Record but had otherwayes been concealed from Posterity and wrapt up in oblivion The like Commissions were in a short time after sent into Munster and Vlster In the Provine of Munster the Commissioners took great care in the Execution of it many Examinations of high concernment were taken by vertue thereof though they remaine as yet concealed and not returned up according as is required by the said Commissions Towards the latter end of November the Lords Iustices and Councell considering the miserable desolations brought upon the whole Kingdome A weekly Fast appointed by the Lords Iustices and Councell and the further calamities threatned by Warre and Famine did by a Proclamation set forth in print give strict charge and command That upon every friday a publike and religious fast should be devoutly and piously observed in and thorow the whole City and Suburbs of Dublin by all his Majesties people therein and that Divine Service and Sermons be celebrated and heard upon the said day weekly in every Cathedrall and other Church and Chappell in the said City and Suburbs thereof And this to be performed as is expressed in the said Proclamation to the end that the severe wrath and indignation of Almighty God may be averted from this Kingdome his divine aide and assistance implored and that some reliefe in these calamitous times may the better be afforded to such miserable persons as these Traytors by their rapine and cruelty have deprived of their fortunes and sent naked and almost famished up to this City The Lords Iustices and Councell being advertised of the neare approach of the Rebels to Tredagh The approach of the Rebels to Tredagh prepared to send down supplies both of
brought down out of every part for the victualling of those that lay encamped about the Town There was allotted to every Company consisting of a hundred men for their daily allowance one biefe and halfe a barrell of corne And that they might with the more facility bring in the Country people to furnish their Army with these proportions they made not only prohibitions that no corne should be carried to Dublin but so blocked up the wayes as the poore churles that lived somewhat distant from the City could not carry their corne thither without apparent danger whereby the Market began to be very ill provided and great want and scarcity was much feared by reason of the large accession of people come from severall parts of the Kingdom up unto the City for safety Whereupon the Lords Justices and Councell made Proclamations to be published That all such as had corne remaining within some few miles distance should as their usuall manner was bring it to the Market at Dublin and they should receive ready money for the same in case they did not that they would presently send out Parties and burn their corn as it stood in the haggards and so prevent the use the Rebels intended to make of it for the victualing of their Army By this meanes the City was indifferently well supplyed all that winter with corn the Country people though otherwayes very malicious against the English and Protestants being content though with much hazard to adventure the bringing their corn where they sold it at a good rate for ready money rather then to suffer it to be threshed out by Warrants from the Lord of Gormanston for the use of the Irish Army then lying before Tredagh But while they continue their fruitlesse and unprofitable attemps there having neither skill courage experience The sad condition of the publike affaires of the State nor any meanes to bring about their impetuous desires and fond endeavours for the taking in of that Town I shall briefly represent a view of the sad estate of our affaires in Dublin It was now almost full two Months since the breaking out of this Rebellion The Lords Justices and Councell out of their deep apprehensions of a generall revolt of all the Irish through the Kingdome did in the very beginning with much earnestnesse sollicite the present sending over of Succours out of England And as soone as they began to make a little further discovery into the strength of this Conspiracy and found their own wants and utter disabilities to make any long or considerable opposition against the universall power of the whole body of the Irish as it then began to appeare unto them firmly united with almost all the Old English that were of the Romish Profession incorporated into their party throughout Ireland they did with much more earnestnesse by their frequent Letters and severall Agents represent unto his Majesty and the Parliament of England the very ill even desperate condition they were in and therefore desired that supplyes both of men money and all kinde of warlick provisions might be sent away with all speed unto them declaring that unlesse they received them presently and that in great proportions they were not able longer to subsist as they stood now environed on all sides with multitudes of the Rebels but had just reason to apprehend their own present ruine and the inevitable losse of the whole Kingdome And because they conceived the Levies in England could not be so suddenly made nor the men so easily transported from thence into the North of Ireland where the Rebels appeared in greatest numbers and had by their most unparalled cruelty towards the English done most mischeife as out of Scotland They made a proposition to the Lord Lievtenant to move both his Majesty and the Parliament The sending of 10000 Scots into Ireland pressed by the Lords Iustices and Councell that 10000 Scots might be presently raised and sent over into those Parts This they pressed with much earnestnesse representing the very great terrour the meere Irish had of that Nation that their bodies would better sort with that Climate endure more hardship and with lesse distemper undergoe the toile and miseries of an Irish war that the transportation would be made with much more facility and lesse charge it being not above three or foure houres saile from some parts of Scotland into the North of Ireland That the Kingdome of Scotland had been lately in Armes and so had all provisions necessary for the furnishing of their men for this expedition in readinesse And lastly they having so good a foundation in the multitude of their own Countrymen so advantagiously settled there already would no doubt undertake the work with all alacrity and vigorously prosecute the warre with such sharpnesse as might testifie their deep resentment of the horrid cruelties exercised upon so many thousands of their own Nation by that barbarous people Commissioners sent out of Scotland to Treat with the Parliament of England concerning the reliefe of Ireland These Letters arrived very opportunely about the time of the Kings return from Edenburgh to the Parliament of England then sitting at Westminster And there being even then two Scotish Lords come out of the Kingdome of Scotland to Treat with the Parliament of England concerning the sending Forces from thence for the reliefe of Ireland His Majesty sent to the Lords and Commons to give them notice of their arrivall and withall desired that certaine Commissioners appointed by himselfe and both Houses of Parliament might bee presently named to Treat with them and from time to time give an account of their proceedings to his Majesty and both Houses This motion was with very great readinesse yeelded unto and it was ordered that the Earle of Bedford the Earle of Leycester Lord Lievtenant of Ireland the Lord Howard of Estric nominated by the House of Peeres And Nathaniel Fiennes Esquire Sir William Ermin Baronite Sir Philip Stapleton Knight John Hampden Esquire nominated by the House of Commons should Treat with the Scotish Commissioners concerning the affaires of Ireland and that there should be a Commission granted unto them to this effect under the great Seale of England together with particular Instructions to regulate the manner of their proceedings In the propositions given in by the Scotish Commissioners they did in the first place make offer of 10000 men in the name of the Kingdom of Scotland Propositions presented to the Parliament of England for the reliefe of Ireland And that they might be enabled to send them speedily away they desired an advance of 30000 l. of the brotherly assistance afforded unto them by the Kingdome of England and that what Armes and Munition they sent into Ireland might in the same proportions be returned unto them with all expedition Next they desired that some ships of Warre might be appointed to guard the Seas betwixt Scotland and Ireland to waft over their Souldiers which they designed to transport
down to posterity the noble atchievements and great victories already obtained by small numbers of the English forces over huge multitudes of these Irish Rebels THE TABLE THe Oiginall of the Irish fol. 1. The first enterprize of the English for the conquest of Ireland made by private adventurers during the reign of King Henry the 2d. King of England fol. 3. Christian Religion setled in Ireland in the fourth Age after the birth of our Saviour fol. 4. The numbers of British and Protestants murthered or otherwise destroyed since the beginning of the Rebellion unto the time of the making of the first Cessation of armes with the Irish Rebels fol. 6. The ancient malice born by the Irish towards the English fol. 7. The royall endeavours of Queen Elizabeth for the reducing of Ireland fol. 8. The miserable condition of Ireland when King James came to the Crown of England fol. 11. The Irish Commissioners present their grievances to King Charles His great readinesse to redresse them fol. 12. The Earl of Leicester declared L. Lieutenant of Ireland fol. 14. The happy condition of Ireland at the time of the breaking out of the Rebellion fol. 16. The manner of the discovery of the Conspiracy of the Irish for the seazing upon the Castle and City of Dublin fol. 18. The rising of the Irish within the Province of Ulster fol. 24. A Letter from the Lords Justices and Councell to the Lord Lieutenant fol. 28. A Proclamation issued out for the satisfaction of the Lords and chief Gentlemen of the English Pale fol. 37. The names of the chief Rebels in Ulster severall Forts and places of strength suddenly surprized by them fol. 39 Severall policies used by the Irish to prevent the rising of the English against them fol. 41. Sir Phelim O Neals proceedings in Ulster fol. 44. The second dispatch of the Lords Justices and Councell into England fol. 46. The Proceedings of the Parliament in England upon the first advertisements brought unto them of the Rebellion raised in Ireland fol. 48. Order taken for victualling the Castle of Dublin and for the safety of the City fol. 53. The sad condition of the City of Dublin fol. 61. The particulars of the first plot of the Rebellion fol. 65. The plot for a generall Rebellion in Ireland of an ancient date fol. 66. The Plot for this late Rebellion first discovered to the Lord Mac Guire upon Mr. John Bellewes return out of England with Commission to continue the Parliament in Ireland fol. 69 That the Lords of the English Pale were engaged in the first Plot is very probable fol. 73. The Romish Clergy and the Irish Lawyers great instruments in raising the Rebellion fol. 76. The means used by them to stir up the people fol. 78. The resolution of the Irish to root out the British out of Ireland fol. 84. Vpon their first rising they seize upon all the English mens goods and cattell next strip them naked and so turn them out of their doors fol. 88. A particular enumeration of severall bloody massacres and horrid cruelties exercised upon the British all testified upon oath and taken out of severall examinations inserted in the margine fol. 90. The Remonstrance of the Protestants of Munster fol. 110. The examinations of severall persons inhabiting within the severall Provinces of this Kingdom taken upon Oath wherein are deposed severall particulars concerning the murders and cruelties used by the Rebels to the British in all parts of the countrey fol. 116. Severall examinations concerning the Apparitions at Portnedown Bridge fol. 133. The cruelties acted by the Irish upon the British were before any provocation given them fol. 1. Concerning the adjournment of the Parliament in Ireland fol. 4. The approach of the Rebels to Tredagh and the defeat of the English forces sent for the relief of that Town fol. 16. The defection of the Lords and chief Gentlemen of the English Pale fol. 18. The manner of their conjunction with the Northern Rebels fol. 19. Their refusall to repair to the Lords Justices and Councell fol. 24. Their proceedings after they had joyned with the Northern Rebels fol. 29. The Kingdome of Scotland sends Commissioners to treat with the Parliament of England concerning the relief of Ireland fol. 32. Their Propositions debated in the House of Peers fol. 34. The revolt of the Province of Munster fol. 35. A Letter from the Lords Justices and Councell to the Lord Lieutenant fol. 39 The Irish Rebellion OR An History of the beginnings and first progresse of the generall Rebellion raised within the Kingdom of Ireland in the Year 1641. THE Kingdome of Ireland which hath for almost five hundred yeares continued under the Soveraignty of the Crown of England was presently after the first conquest of it planted with English Colonies long since worn out or for the most part become Irish And therefore it hath again in this last Age been supplyed with great numbers of people drawn out of England and Scotland to settle their habitations in that Country Now the most execrable plot laid by the Irish for the universall extirpation of all these British and Protestants the bloody progresse of their Rebellion within the compasse of the first two moneths their horrid cruelties in most barbarously murdering or otherwaies destroying many thousands of men women and children peaceably setled and securely intermixed among them and that without any provocation or considerable resistance at first made I intend shall be the present subject of the first Part of this ensuing Story The originall of the Irish The Irish want not many fabulous inventions to magnifie the very first beginnings of their Nation Whether the Scythians Gaules Africans Gothes or some other more Eastern Nation that anciently inhabited Spaine came and sate down first in Ireland I shall not much trouble my selfe here to enquire If wee should give credit to the Irish Chronicles or their Bards who deliver no certain truths we might finde stuffe enough for an ancient pedegree made up out of a most various strange composure of the Irish Nation But to let them passe there are certainly a concurrence of divers manners and customes such affinity of severall of their words and names and so great resemblance of many long used rites and still retained ceremonies as do give us some ground to believe that they do not improbably deduce their first originall from some of those people It may very well be conjectured for infallible Records I finde none that as the Eastern parts of Ireland bordering upon England were first planted by the old Brittaines * Toole of the old Britein word Toll a hil-country Birne of Brin woods Cauvenagh of Cauve strong The view of Ireland by Spencer fol. 33. Toole Birne and Cauvenagh the ancient Septs and still inhabitants of that part of the country being old British words And as the Northern parts of Ireland were first inhabited by the Scythians from whom it was called ** Ireland is often called Scotia maior
among ancient writers Scytenland or Scotland So the Southern and more Westerne parts thereof were peopled from the Maritine parts of Spaine being the next continent not by the now Spanish Nation who are strangely compounded of a different admixture of severall people But as I said peradventure by the Gaules who anciently inhabited all the Sea coasts of Spaine the Syrians or some other of those more Eastern Nations who intermixing with the naturall Inhabitants of that Country made a transmigration into Ireland and so setled some Colonies there Ireland anciently divided into divers petty principalities The whole Kingdome of Ireland was divided into divers petty principalities and of later times there were five principall Chieftains viz. Mac Morough of Lemster Mac Cartye of Munster O Neale of Vlster O Connor of Conaght and O Malaghlin of Meath For such were the Irish denominations Isti reges non fuerunt ordinati solemnitate alicuius ordinis nec unctionis sacramento nec iure hereditarto vel aliqua proprietatis successione sed vt armis quilibet regnum suum obtinuit The black book of Christ-church in Dublin it is an ancient Manuscript kept there and I do not finde they were called Kings till about the time of the comming over of the English Giraldus Cambrensis who came into Ireland in the time of Hen. 2. of England being the first writer that gives them that Title Besides as they came not in either by hereditary right or lawfull Election so their investiture was solemnized neither by Unctiō or Coronation they made their way by the Sword had certain kinds of barbarous ceremonies used at their Inauguration kept up their power with a high hand and held the people most monstrously enslaved to all the savage customes practised under their dominion And thus they continued untill the Raign of Hen. 2. King of England in whose time the undertakings for the Conquest of Ireland were successefully made by most powerfull though private adventurers upon this occasion Dermott Mac Morough King of Lemster being by the Kings of Conaght and Meath enforced to flie his country made his repaire directly to Hen. 2. King of England The first enterprise of the English upon Ireland made by private adventurers then personally attending his Wars in France and with much earnestnesse implored his aid for the recovery of his territories in Ireland most injuriously as he pretended wrested out of his hands The King refused to imbarque himself in this quarrell yet graciously recommended the justice of his cause to all his loving Subjects and by his Letters Patents assured them that whosoever would afford the said Mac-Morough assistance towards his resettlement should not only have free liberty to transport their Forces Se nostram ad hoc tam gratiam noverit quam licentiam obtinere Gir. Cambren expugnata Hib. cap. 1. but be held to do very acceptable service therein Hereupon Earle Strangebow first engaging himself determined as a private Adventurer to endeavour his restitution with the utmost forces he could raise he lying then very conveniently at Bristol where Mac-Morough came unto him in his passage back from the King into Ireland There were certain conditions agreed upon between them and a transaction made by Mac-Morough of his kingdome of Lemster unto the Earl upon his marriage with his only daughter Eva. And so he being desirous to return speedily into his own country passed to St. Davids in South-Wales from whence is the shortest passage out of England into Ireland and there he further engaged Fitz-Stephen and Fitz-Gerald private Gentlemen in this service These by their power among their country-men in those parts having gotten together a patty of 490 men Cambr. cap. 3. transported them in three ships into Ireland landing at the Banne a little Creek neer Featherd in the county of Wexford and there joyning with some Forces brought unto them by Mac-Morough made their first attempt upon the town of Wexford they were gallantly seconded by Earl Strangebow who followed presently after with no very considerable forces and yet by the power of their arms within a very short time prevailed so far in the country as they made themselves masters thereof and so gained the possession of all the maritime parts of Lemster King Henry upon the news of their prosperous successe in the sudden reducement of so large a territory by such inconsiderable forces as they carried with them desirous to share with his subjects in the rich fruits K. Henry the 2. his expedition into Ireland An. 1172. as well as in the glory of so great an action undertook an expedition in his own person into Ireland the year following And so strange an influence had the very presence of this great Prince into the minds of the rude savage Natives as partly by the power of his arms partly by his grace and favour in receiving of them in upon their fained submissions most humbly tendred unto him he easily subdued a barbarous divided people The first beginnings of the Conquest of this Kingdome were thus gloriously laid by this King in the year of our Lord 1172. Now for the Land it selfe he found it good and flourishing with many excellent commodities plentifull in all kinds of provision the Soile rich and fertile the Aire sweet and temperate the Havens very safe and commodious severall Towns and little Villages scattered up and down in the severall parts of the country Rog. Hoveden cals it Palatium regium miro artificio de virgis levigatis ad modum patriae illius constructum fol. 528. but the Buildings so poor and contemptible as when that King arrived at Dublin their chief city and finding there neither place fit for receipt or entertainment he set up a long house made of smoothed wattles after the manner of the country and therein kept his Christmas All their Forts Castles stately buildings and other edifices were afterwards erected by the English except some of their maritime towns which were built by the Ostmanni or Easterlings who anciently came and inhabited in Ireland Christian religion setled in Ireland Moreover He found likewise by severall monuments of piety and other remarkable testimonies that Christian religion had been long since introduced and planted among the inhabitants of the land It is not certainly without some good grounds affirmed by ancient writers That in the fourth age after the incarnation of our blessed Lord and Saviour some holy and learned men came over out of forraigne parts into Ireland out of their pious desires to propagate the blessed Gospel throughout the Kingdome By Sedulius Palladius Patricius in the fourth age after the birth of our Saviour as Sedulius Palladius and besides severall others Patricius the famous Irish Saint A Britain borne at a place now called Kirk-Patrick near Glascow in Scotland then the utmost boundary of the Britains dominion in those parts who out of meer devotion came and spent much of their time among the
that were Adventurers in the first Conquest and such other of the English nation as came over afterwards took possession by vertue of the former grants of the whole kingdome drove the Irish in a manner out of all the habitable parts of it and setled themselves in all the plaines and fertile places of the country especially in the chief Towns Ports and upon the Sea coasts And to such a heighth of power and greatnesse had some of those first Adventuring Commanders raised themselves here by reason of the addition of new titles of honour the unlimited jurisdictions and priviledges enjoyed by them the great rents they received the numerous dependance they had As that they began to look upon their own possessions as circumscribed within too narrow limits to entertain private animosities against each other to draw in the Irish whom they had driven up into the mountains and ever esteemed as their most deadly enemies to take part in their quarrels being not ashamed to use their assistance for the enlargement of their own private territories as also to curb the too exorbitant power as they thought of their opposites though their own compatriots and joint-tenants in the possession of that good land The ancient malice of the Irish to the English The Irish were very glad to entertain this occasion did ever foment by their utmost power and artifice these unnaturall broiles and dissentions among the English whom they most mortally hated For they living in a manner out of the reach as well as out of the protection of all the English laws and government were alwayes accounted not only as aliens but meer enemies And besides those Septs of Irish which were termed the Quinque familiae Quinque familia O Neale de Vltonia O Malahglin de Medin O Conor de Conacia o Brien de Thomondia Mac Morough de Lagenia who notwithstanding the great priviledges they enjoyed by the protection of the English lawes ever shewed much aversenesse both to the English and their lawes No other persons of any Irish families from the very first conquest of Ireland in the time of Hen. 2. untill the raign of K. Hen. 8. were admitted into the condition of Subjects or received any benefit by the English lawes but such as purchased Charters of Denization It was no capital offence to kill any of them the Law did neither protect their life nor revenge their death And so they living upon the mountains in the boggs and woods though at first after some sort divided from the English did take all occasions to declare their malice and hatred against the English colonies planted neer unto them But howsoever the English were in all ages infested with their Irish enemies yet were they certainly in point of interest and universall possession owners and proprietors of the whole Kingdome of Ireland They kept themselves in entire bodies almost for the first hundred years after their arrivall not suffering the Irish to live promiscuously among them by which means they failed not to make good their footing and by a high hand to keep them under in due obedience and subjection to the Crown of England And when afterwards they began to be more carelesse of their habitation and to suffer the Irish to intermingle with them By the Statutes made at Kilkenny by Lionel Duke of Clarence L. Lieutenant of Ireland in the time of Edw. 3. Alliance by marriage nurture of Infants and gossipred with the Irish are high treason And if any English man should use the Irish language Irish name or Irish apparell his lands should be seised on and if he had no lands he was to suffer imprisonment Archiu in castro Dublin Statutes of Kilkenny and their English followers to familiarize themselves into their beastly manners and customes for prevention of which mischief many severe Laws were enacted in after ages yet for some time they made good the rights and possessions they had gotten by conquest and went on endeavouring to civilize the people introducing the English Laws language habit and customes long used among them Now although these and all other courses were taken by them which might reclaim such as seemed any wayes inclinable to civility or would take out Charters of Denization yet such ever was and still is the rough rebellious disposition of the people their hatred so implacable their malice so unappeaseable to all the English nation as no Lawes or gentle Constitutions would work no publike benefits attemper or any tract of time reconcile and draw them to any tolerable patience of cohabitation But they have in all times continued to take all advantages as well since they were admitted into the condition of Subjects as while they were esteemed and treated as enemies most perfidiously to rise up and imbrue their hands in the blood of their English neighbours So as Ireland hath long remained a true Aceldama a field of blood an unsatiated sepulchre of the English nation In that space of time which was between the 10. year of Edw. 2. and the 30. year of Edw. 3. all the old English colonies in Munster Conaght Vlster and more then a third part of Lemster became degenerate and fell away from the Crown of England so as the English Pale remained only under the obedience of the Law For what by reason of their own intestine broiles after they had as soon they did when they began to admit the intermixture of the Irish most barbarously degenerate into all their manners and customes and what by reason of the cruell hatred and mischievous attempts of the Irish upon them We shall not find that the English from their first accesse into Ireland unto the beginning of the raigne of Queen Elizabeth a tract of time containing above 380 yeares had any setled peace or comfortable subsistence but were in most perpetuall combustions and troubles so extremely harassed and overworne with misery as they were not long likely to survive the universall calamity that had overspread the face of the whole Kingdome Whereupon that blessed Queen out of her pious intentions and good affections to her people applyed her selfe with great care to redresse the disorders of her Subjects in Ireland And in the very beginning of her Raign sending over prudent and religious Governours the work of Reformation was much advanced by many wholesome Laws enacted against the barbarous customes of the Irish The royall endeavours of queen Eliz. for the reducing of Ireland and the execution of Justice which a long time continued within the limits of the Pale began now to be extended into Conaght Vlster and other remote parts of the Land at some intervals of quiet times The Irish countries were reduced into Shires and Sheriffs with some other Ministers of Justice placed in them The pretended Captainships and those high powers usurped by the Irish together with all the extortions and other fearfull exorbitancies incident to them were now put into such a way of
Councell of the ill condition and most imminent danger he found the Town to be then in that it was not possible to preserve it out of the hands of the Rebels without further strength both of horse and foot That in case the enemy should make any sudden approaches or attempt to surprize the Town he found such poor preparatives for defence within such apparant signes of disloyalty in the Townsmen and all things in such a desperate confusion as they should not be able by the best endeavours they could use to give any good account of that place Hereupon their Lordships presently resolved A Regiment raised by the Lo. Iustices at Dublin sent down under the command of Sir Henry Tichborne for the defence of Tredagh Novemb. 3. to leavy in the City of Dublin a Regiment of foot and to place them under the command of Sir Henry Tichborne for the defence of Tredagh And for this purpose there was very oportunely in the hands of the Vice Treasurer 3000 li. in a readinesse to be at that time sent over into England for the satisfaction of a publick engagement there This the Lords thought fit to make use of for the leavying and setting out of those men which Sir Henry Tichborne got together in very few dayes and having a Commission of government for the Town with some other private instructions he marched away with great alacrity and diligence the 3 of November and happily arrived next day at Tredagh A Regiment raised by Sir Charles Coot The Lords granted another Commission to Sir Charles Coot to levy a thousand men more which he most carefully endeavoured and within a very short time made up his Regiment wherein very many of the English who came up stripped and despoiled out of the North listed themselves for most of the men which escaped from thence with their lives being better able to suffer then the women and children outlived the miseries of their journey and putting themselves into severall companies some of them had the contentment to revenge the barbarous cruelty used by the Rebels towards them The second dispatch made by the L. Iustices and Councel into England Nov. 5. VPon the 5. of November the Lords made their 2d. dispatch unto His Majesty still at Edenburgh in Scotland At the same time they sent severall Letters into England to the L. Keeper Speaker of the house of Peers to the Speaker of the house of Commons to the Lo of his M ties most hon Privy Councel to the L. Lieutenant of Ireland in all which they did with much earnestnesse declare their present dangers together with the necessity of sending sudden relief In their Letter to the Lords of the Councel they did more particularly set down the miserable estate of the whole kingdom and the large progresse that the Rebellion had in few dayes made since it broke out They represented unto their Lordships the great outrages the Rebels had committed upon the British inhabitants in Vlster that they had seized upon all their estates and houses in five Counties of that Province possessed their Arms detained many of the principall Gentlemen prisoners That they had already slain many most barbarously hewed some to peeces that they have exposed thousands to want and beggery who had good estates and lived plentifully That the Rebellion began then to diffuse it self into the counties of Longford and Letrim and to threaten the English plantations in the King and Queens county that the inhabitants of the counties of Meath and Lowth began to fall upon the English near about them that they conceived there could not be lesse then 30000. who had already openly declared themselves in this Rebellion and were assembled together in severall great parties that they understood their designe was having got Dondalke to take in Tredagh and so to come up immediately to besiege the city and castle of Dublin that they gave out publikely their purpose was to extirpate the English and Protestants and not to lay down Arms untill the Romish religion were established the Government setled in the hands of the Natives and the old Irish restored to the lands of their supposed ancestors That they held it their duty to acquaint their Lordships with the lamentable estate wherein the Kingdome stood that his Majesty and the Parliament might understand it and so speedily provide for sending over to their relief 10000 Foot 1000 Horse together with some able Commanders 100000. l. in money and further provisions of Arms That unlesse these were presently sent to them they craved leave to repeat it again and again the Kingdom would be utterly lost all the English and Protestants in Ireland destroyed the peace of the kingdome of England disturbed by the Irish from thence and so England enforced to make a new conquest of it for that a Politique reformation would then be impossible But now before I passe further The proceedings of the Parliament of England upon the first advertisements brought unto them of the Rebellion raised in Ireland I shall here give an accompt of the arrival of these and the former Letters of the 25. of October addressed by the Lords Justices and Councel to the L. Lieutenant of Ireland Owen O Conally the happy discoverer of the first Plot who carried the first Letters over arrived at London the last day of October and late in the evening delivered those Letters to his Lordship who having read them over and received from him full information of all other parriculars within his knowledge repaired the next morning to the Councel-board and having there acquainted the Lords of His Majesties Privy Councel with them he was required by their Lordships to communicate them unto the Lords of the upper house of Parliament which he did accordingly the very same morning And they considering the high importance of them as soon as they had perused them Ordered that they should be presently sent down to the house of Commons by the Lord Keeper the L. Privy Seal L. High Chamberlain L. Admiral L. Marshal L. Chamberlain Earl of Bath Earl of Dorset Earl of Leicester Earl of Holland Earl of Berks Earl of Bristol L. Vicount Say E. Mandevile L. Goring L. Wilmot all of them being of His Majesties most honorable Privy Councel There were Chairs provided for these Lords in the house of Commons and they sate down there till the Letters were read and then having informed the house of such other parciculars as they had received concerning the generall Rebellion in Ireland they departed without any further conference or other debate upon them leaving the house of Commons to consider further of them Who presently Ordered That the House forthwith should be resolved into a Committee to take into consideration the matter offered concerning the Rebellion in Ireland as likewise to provide for the safety of the Kingdom of England This being done they fell into a most serious debate of this great businesse then before them they fully
considered what means were fittest to be used at present for the prevention of the further spreading of that hideous Rebellion in Ireland as well as stopping of the ill influence it might make upon their affairs in England where great troubles even then began to appeare within view And after much time spent in this debate they came to these severall Conclusions which being put to the question were assented unto by the Committee and so resolved as followeth 1. That 50000. l. be forthwith provided 2. That a Conference be desired with the Lords to move them that a select Committee of the Members of both Houses may be appointed to go to the city of London and to make a Declaration unto them of the state of the businesse in Ireland and to acquaint them that the leading of monies at this time will be an acceptable service to the Commonwealth And that they propose unto them the Loan of 50000. l. and to assure them that they shall be secured both of the Principall and Interest by Act of Parliament 3. That a select Committee may be named of both Houses to consider of the affaires of Ireland 4. That Owen O Conally who discovered this great treason shall have 500. l. presently paid him and 200. l. per annum pension untill provision of land of inheritance of a greater value be made for him 5. That the persons of Papists of quality within this Kingdome may be secured within the severall Counties where they reside 6. That no person whatsoever except those who are Merchants shall be admitted to go over into Ireland without Certificate from the Committee of both Houses appointed to consider the affaires of Ireland These with severall other particulars concerning Ireland and tending in order to the safety of the kingdome of England were resolved upon the question and Master Whitlock appointed to report them to the House as heads of a conference desired with the Lords concerning the affaires of Ireland which was accordingly had with their Lordships the same day At which conference the L. Keeper did expresse the very great sense the Lords had of the exceeding great care taken by the house of Commons for the prevention of the further spreading of the Rebellion in Ireland And his Lordship by command of the Lords did further let them know that their Lordships did think fit to agree with them in all those particulars presented unto them by the house of Commons without any materiall alteration only adding such further things as they conceived might serve to further and expedite their desires in the more speedy putting them in execution The house of Commons having proceeded thus far in the affairs of Ireland upon the two first dayes after the discovery made unto them of the Rebellion there raised did notwithstanding their own present distractions set apart some portion almost of every day that they sate during the whole moneth of November for the considering of the affairs of Ireland and so upon the third and fourth of the same resolved upon the question and accordingly ordered these particulars following 1. That the House holds fit that 20000 li. be forthwith supplied for the present occasions of Ireland 2. That a convenient number of ships shall be provided for the guarding of the Sea-coasts of Ireland 3. That this house holds fit that 6000 foot and 2000 horse shall be raised with all convenient speed for the present expedition into Ireland 4. That the Lord Lieutenant shall present to both Houses of Parliament such Officers as he shall think fit to send into Ireland to command any forces to be transported thither 5. That Magazines of victuals shall be forthwith provided at Westchester to be sent over to Dublin as the occasions of that Kingdome shall require 6. That the Magazines of armes ammunition powder now in Carlile shall be forthwith sent over to Knockfergus in Ireland 7. That it be referred to the Kings Councell to consider of some fit way and to present it to the House for a publication to be made of rewards to be given to such as shall do service in this Expedition into Ireland and for a pardon of such of the Rebels in Ireland as as shall come in by a time limited and of a sum of money to be appointed for a reward to such as shall bring in the Heads of such principall Rebels as shall be nominated 8. That Letters shall be forthwith sent to the Justices in Ireland to acquaint them how sensible this House is of the affairs of Ireland 9. That the Committee of Irish affairs shall consider how and in what manner this Kingdome shall make use of the friendship and assistance of Scotland in the businesse of Ireland 10. That directions shall be given for the drawing of a Bill for the pressing of men for this particular service for Ireland These particulars together with severall others being resolved upon the question they passed an Ordinance of Parliament enabling the Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to raise 3500 foot and 600 horse for the present service there And they further expressed their resolution not to make use of the assistance offered unto them by their Brethren of Scotland further for the present then for the furnishing them with 1000 foot which they desired might be transported out of Scotland into the North of Ireland And on the same day they ordered that the Master of his Majesties Ordnance should deliver to the L. Lieutenant of Ireland the number of 1000 arms for horse and 8000 arms for foot and ten Last of powder to be presently sent into Ireland And that the Lord Admirall should suddenly provide shipping for the transporting of men arms and ammunition and other provisions according to the former resolutions of the House Now while both Houses of Parliament were taking Order for raising men money and sending provisions and other necessaries for Ireland there arrived those other Letters of the 5 of November formerly mentioned which being addressed to the Lords of his Majesties Privie Councell were communicated to both Houses of Parliament and after a conference upon them took further resolutions for the speedy sending away supplyes into Ireland And such were the forward affections and zeal of the House of Commons to promove what concerned the service of Ireland as they thereupon voted 200000 li. to be raised for the suppressing the Irish rebellion and for securing of the Kingdome of England and payment of the publick debts And that they might facilitate this great work of raising such a summe of money upon the credit of an Act of Parliament before the money could be collected throughout the Kingdome they thought fit for the better encouragement of the City of London and for the giving them full satisfaction in point of security for the monies formerly lent them to make this Order following THe Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled having a due regard to the good affections of the City of London expressed
should arrive out of England The popish party among them was so prevalent as that after a most serious consultation and very solemn debate among themselves they returned this answer that they were not able to furnish above 40 l. and part of that was to be brought in in cattell There remained at this time imbarqued within the harbour of Dublin four hundred Irish souldiers ready as was pretended Severall Irish souldiers imbarqued under pretence of being carried into Spain at the very time of the first breaking out of the Rebellion to set sail for Spain under the command of Colonell Iohn Barry who with some other Irish Gentlemen had procured leave from his Majesty to leavie certain numbers of voluntiers to be transported over for the service of the King of Spain And those levied in other parts as well as at Dublin were brought together just at the very time designed for the execution of the great plot The pretence was specious but certainly their intentions how finely soever covered over were to have those men in a readinesse together at the very time appointed for the first breaking out of these unnaturall troubles And as for those men which lay within the Harbour of Dublin they were so great a terrour to all the Protestant inhabitants in the City as it exceedingly perplexed the Lords how to dispose so of them as might prevent the mischief justly feared in case of their landing Their Commanders had so handsomely ordered the matter as though they were designed for a long voyage yet stay on ship-board any longer they could not by reason they had no victuals not even enough to carry them out of the Harbour and no man had order in the absence of Colonell Barry who retired himself some few miles out of the town the very evening before the Castle should have been taken to provide for the further supplying of them To suffer them to land was to adde so many instruments of mischief to those already gathered within and about the City Therefore it was resolved that the Captain of the Kings Pinace then in the Harbour should by force keep them from landing which he did severall dayes together till it was apparent they would inevitably starve if a course were not suddenly taken to afford them some relief Whereupon the Lords having no means to victuall them aboard gave them leave to land having first taken order they should not come into the City The Lords Justices and Councell thought fit within very few dayes after the landing of these men the more to deter them and all other ill-affected persons from repairing to the City of Dublin Several Proclamations issued out by the Lo. Iustices and Councell to issue out a Proclamation for the discovery and present removall of all such as did or should come and continue there without just or necessary cause But so carefull were they in this and all other their actions not to give any distaste to the Irish or other inhabitants of the countrey as they forbear to inflict any punishment upon any that continued in the City contrary to their Proclamation sparing severall persons whom they had not only just cause to be jealous off but who were brought before them and convinced to have uttered speeches clearly discovering their ill affections And having by late Proclamations prorogued the Parliament and adjourned Michaelmas Term that under pretence of repair to either of them unnecessary concourse of strangers might not be brought unto the town they proceeded on to some other Acts which as they conceived would not only render great security to the City but lessen the distempers abroad bring safety to the Pale and keep the dangers at distance and far off from them And for this purpose they being informed that a multitude of the meaner sort of people were ignorantly involved in the guilt of this rebellion and by the wicked seducement of the first Conspirators had been drawn on to dispoile their English neighbours they issued out a Proclamation about the beginning of the moneth of November declaring unto all such as were not Freeholders within the County of Meath Westmeath Lowth and Longford that if they would come in and submit make restitution of the goods so taken they should be received to his Majesties mercy and no further prosecution held against them Much about the time of the sending forth of this Proclamation some of the chief of the Sept of the Relyes A Remonstrance sent up to the Lords Iustices and Councell from the Rebels in the county of Cavan and other prime Gentlemen in the County of Cavan sent up a kinde of Remonstrance to the Lords Justices and Councell Whereunto they returned them a very fair answer assuring them of their readinesse to give them all just redresse of their grievances expressed therein so they would in the mean time retire peaceably to their houses restore as they were able the English mens goods forbear all further acts of rapine and violence And they did presently send over their Remonstrance to the Lord Lieutenant to be presented to his Majestie according to their desires But these wayes of moderation and peaceable perswasions proved of very little effect they had no manner of influence into the resolved mindes of the Leaders or of operation upon the hardned hearts of the people they were too deeply engaged so sleightly to retire They had now drenched themselves in the blood of the English and were greatly enriched with their spoiles It was not possible for them to make restitution and they hoped to go through with the work and by the united power of the Kingdome to draw the whole management of the affairs into their own hands And now likewiise the Lords Justices and Councell that they might shew the great confidence they had in the Lords and chief Gentlemen of the Pale Commissions of martiall law granted unto severall persons by the Lords Iustices and give them both oportunity and means to expresse their loyalty and affections to his Majesties service resolved according as the constitution of their affairs then required to do some such acts as might clearly perswade them of the great trust they really reposed in them And therefore first they gave out severall Commissions of Martiall law for executing without attending a proceeding according to the ordinary course of the Common law of such Traitors and Rebels as should be apprehended doing mischief in any parts of the countrey about them And these they directed to the most active Gentlemen though all Papists inhabiting in the severall Counties As to Henry Talbot in the County of Dublin John Bellew Esq in the county of Lowth Richard Dalton and Iames Tuit Esq in the county of West-Meath Valerian Wesley in the county of Meath Iames Talbot in the County of Cavan Commissions of government of the severall counties within the Pale granted to severall Lords and Gentlemen without distinction of Religion Next they made choice of the
resolve others therein I cannot yet determine who were the very first Contrivers where the first debates were entertained or who first sate in Counsell about it This as all other works of this nature had its foundation laid in the dark and sealed up no doubt with many execrable Oaths the great engines of these times to bind up the consciences as well as the tongues of men from discovery Besides they knew well enough that the Plot being most abominable in it self to be carried on with such detestable cruelty should it take and be fully executed which commonly gives to all other treasons applause and highest commendation would certainly render the first authors as well as the bloody actors most odious and execrable to all Posterity Therefore it is not much to be wondred that the first beginnings so mysterious and obscurely laid remain as yet concealed with so great Obstinacy But yet I am very confident that upon view of severall examinations any reasonable man will conclude with me that the very first principles of this inhumane Conspiracy were roughly drawn and hammered out at the Romish Forge powerfully fomented by the trechery and virulent animosities of some of the chief Irish natives and so by degrees by them moulded into that ugly shape wherein it first appeared There certainly it received the first life and motion whether at Rome whether in Ireland or in any other place I cannot yet determine But my meaning is it was first hatched and set on foot by those most vigilant and industrious Emissaries who are sent continually abroad by the power of that See with full commission per fas nefas to make way for the re-establishment of the Romish Religion in all parts where it hath been suppressed Great numbers of these wicked Instruments the Laws against all of the Romish Clergy being of late laid aside and tacitely suspended execution came over into Ireland The main ground-work and first predispositions to a Rebellion in generall were most undoubtedly with great dexterity and artifice laid by them their venimous infusions taking such deep roots in the minds of a blind ignorant supersticious people as made them ready for a change the great ones mischievously to plot and contrive the inferiour sort tumultuously to rise up and execute whatsoever they should command And if we will give credit to severall examinations taken many of them from those of their own we must beleeve the plot for a Rebellion in Ireland The general Plot for a Rebellion in Ireland of an ancient date of a very ancient date as well as of a large extent It had been long in contriving and howsoever peradventure first thought on in Ireland yet received large contributions towards consummation out of England and other Forraign parts I have seen an Examination of one who affirms he heard it confidently averred by Malone a Priest one that stiled himself Chaplain Major within the Pale that he himselfe had been seven yeeres imployed in bringing on this plot to perfection and that he had travailed into severall parts about it Master Goldsmith a Minister in Conaught told me that he did a full yeer before the Rebellion brake out receive a Letter from a Brother of his residing at Brussels wherein he gave him notice thereof though so obscurely as he well understood it not till afterwards Patrick O Bryan of the Parish of Galloom in the County of Fermanagh Patrick O Beians Examination affirmeth upon Oath that all the Nobles in the Kingdom that were Papists had a hand in this Plot as well as the Lord Mac Guire and Hugh Oge Mac Mahowne that they expected ayd out of Spain by Owen Roe O Neale and that Colonel Plunket one of those that was to be an actor in the surprize of the Castle of Dublin told him that he knew of this Plot eight yeers since and that within these three yeers he hath been more fully acquainted with it Francis Sacheverel Esq Francis Sacheverel Esqu his Examination hath deposed that at several times shortly after the beginning of this Rebellion he hath heard four severall popish Priests viz. Hugh Rely of the County of Down Edmund O Tunnah of the County of Armagh Morice Mac Credan of the County of Tyrone and James Hallegan of the County of Armagh say that the Priests Jesuits and Fryars of England Ireland Spain and other Countries beyond the Seas were the plotters projectors and contrivers of this Rebellion and Insurrection and that they have been these six yeers in agitation and preparation of the same and that the said Priests did then expresse a kind of joy that the same was brought to so good effect He also further deposeth that at severall times Ever Boy Mac Gennis in the County of Down Gentleman and Hugh O Hagan in the County of Armagh Gent. did brag and say that they doubted not but that they should shortly conquer the English in the Kingdom and enjoy the same quietly to themselves and that they would not rest so content but they would raise strong Armies to invade and conquer England Roger Moore one of the prime Conspirators told Master Colely then prisoner with him that the Plot had been in framing severall yeers and should have been executed severall times but they were still hindered By Letters sent from Rome to Sir Phelim O Neale and the Lord Mac Guire which were intercepted and brought to the Lord Parsons though the Fryar that writ them doth not expresse any certain knowledge of this very Plot yet thus much appears by them that they had long desired to hear of the rising of the Irish that the news of Sir Phelim O Neal's taking arms was very acceptable to the Pope and his two Cardinal Nephews assuring him of all assistance from thence and further desiring him to send over an Agent to Rome and to imploy several persons of his own Nation whom he there named then residing at Madrid Paris and with the Emperour they being fit Instruments and such as he might make use of for the procuring succours from those Princes whom he assured him would joyn to give him all assistance in this action Besides these we have very many other presumptions that the Irish since they found their own strength The Irish have had it long in design to shake off the English government and that they were able to draw together so great numbers of men as their severall Septs so strangely multiplied during the late peace can now afford have long had it in design to shake off the English government to settle the whole power of the State in the hands of the Natives and to re-possesse them of all the Lands now enjoyed by the British throughout the Kingdom And that in this plot they did but goe about to actuate those confused general notions to put them in a way of execution Now they supposed there could never be offered unto them a fairer opportunity then this most unhappy conjuncture of
Kingdom with the generall consent of the prime Nobility and Gentry thereof then as it were with one generall voice they sounded forth from all the four Provinces of Ireland the same language they used the same Remonstrances and made the very same pretences for their justification they began the very self-same course first in stripping then banishing and murthering the British and Protestants onely in the North they drove on somewhat more furiously and spilt much more innocent blood then in any of the other three Provinces They agreed likewise in recalling their Commanders all the four Provinces had their particular Emissaries abroad Those of Lemster brought back Colonel Preston a Branch out of the House of Gormanstone who had long lived with good reputation in Flanders and him they made Generall of their Forces there but of Vlster they sent into Flanders likewise for Owen Roe O Neale upon whom they conferred the same charge in that Province The Munster men brought over Garrat Barry whom they made Generall of their forces And those in Conaught drew back one of the Burks to whom they gave the chief command of such men as they were able to draw together for the advancement of the common design All these held a due correspondency and in all their actions had a just concurrency towards the main end The great instrument chiefly imployed in this work of drawing the meer Irish into a firm combination with the old English as appears by the Lord Mac Guire's relation before mentioned was Roger Moore Esquire a person of a broken fortune Roger Moore the chief Person imployed to make a conjunction between the meer Irish and the English for raising a Rebellion by discent meerly Irish and issued out of the chief family of the O Moores in the County of Leax but by inter-marriages allied to some of the principall Gentlemen of the Pale He Treated with them about the Association he first broke the design to the northern Irish he was the man that made severall journeys in Lemster into Vlster and Conaught Sundry messages were enterchangeably sent and returned the summer before the breaking out of the Rebellion by his means and entercourse between them And all things were so ordered for their agreement as they were to goe hand in hand together some of the principall Gentlemen of the Pale as Colonel Plunket Captain Fox and others were designed to joyn with the Lord Mac Guire Mac Mahone Brian O Neale Con O Neale Hugh Birne for the surprize of his Majesties Castle of Dublin Cartan Major Domi to Owen O Neale in Flanders in his Examination taken February 1641. tels among many other remarkable passages of severall preparatives to this Rebellion as that Con O Neale brother to Daniel O Neale was sent by Owen O Neale into England and that while he resided there he received letters from the President Rosse which was Sir Phelim O Neale and that he assured him he went on very well in his businesse for Bâ—abant and Valence were joyned together which as he affirms signified in those Characters Vlster and Lemster and that he expected the comming of Lewes Lenoy viz. Daniel O Neale Besides as James Talbot Esquire testifies in his Letter of the 9. of November 1641. written to the Lords Justices out of the County of Cavan that he understood from Phillip Mac Mulmore O Rely that there were certain Covenants passed between the Lords of the Pale and the Northern Irish for the advancing of the Rebellion and that the Remonstrance from the principall Irish in the County of Cavan unto the Lords Justices and Councel sent by Dean Jones and Master Waldrone there then prisoner was framed in the Pale and brought unto the said Irish by Colonel Plunket one of their own And this was in the very beginning of the Rebellion long before any jealousies were entertained by the State of the adherence or conjunction of the old English with the Irish What those Covenants or Contracts were I cannot say but it is most certain some there were and some Covenants also entred into between the Northern Irish and the Lords and Gentlemen of the chief of both the other Provinces as well as Lemster and these were signed with their blood as Doctor Maxwel testifies in his examination he heard Sir Phelim O Neale say on the 19. of December 1641. in his own house and in the hearing of Master Joseph Travers and others If the Lords and Gentlemen meaning the Papists of other Provinces then not in arms would not rise but leave him in the lurch for all he would produce his Warrant signed with their own hands and written in their own blood which should bring them to the Gallowes And certainly had there not been some very strange and extraordinary engagements and more then I can well imagine it had not been possible that so many persons of quality having great possessions and many children should have declared themselves after they saw the main part of the plot for the surprize of the Castle of Dublin to fail and the power of the Northern Rebels begin to decline that the Parliament of England had with great alacrity and readinesse undertaken the War and not only engaged themselves to his Majesty to send over powerfull supplies both out of England and Scotland but by their publike Order of both Houses sent over to the Lords Justices and printed at Dublin in the Moneth of November fully declared their resolutions for the vigorous prosecution of the war of Ireland Nay the Cities of Galway and Limeric kept their designs very covertly not doing any open acts of hostility till after the arrivall of some Forces at Dublin out of England and that the siege of Drohedagh or Tredagh was raised and those bold perfidious Traitors beaten back into the North the Lords of the Pale banished by force of his Majesties Arms out of their own habitations which were all spoiled and laid waste Now that then they should declare themselves is more then a miracle to me and such a mystery as I should not know what to think of but that I find in the Lord Mac Guires relation before mentioned that they were acquainted with the first beginnings of this great plot and had a particular interest from time to time in the carriage of it on so as I think I shall not wrong them positively to determine that they were too deeply engaged slightly to retire and that howsoever upon the failing of it in the main piece they at first stood at a gaze and were put to take up second Counsels yet such was the strength of the conspiracy and their great confidence in the power of their arms as made them appear in due time to entertain their severall assignations and act their parts with great diligence and iudustry The wife of Philip O Rely in the County of Cavan told James Talbot as he openly related it to the Lords Justices at Counsel Board that she wondred very much
the Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale did not rise and joyn with them in the very beginning of this Rebellion adding these words or to this effect that if they would have let us alone and not set us on we were so well at ease as we would never have begun this troublesom work It cannot certainly be imagined that those of the English Pale unlesse they had been the first projectors or deep adventurers would have yeelded that the meer Irish should have seized upon the City and Castle of Dublin places of refuge for them in all former troubles and which would now have given them protection and safety against the incursions of the Irish But I hold it not necessary to produce further evidence in this particular I purpose now to declare how those great Instruments of mischief that were the supream conductors of this wicked design moved forwards so succesfully in the beginning toward the accomplishment of their long intended extirpation of all the British and Protestants out of the Kingdom The Romish Clergy and the Popish Lawyers great instruments in the first Plotting and carrying on the Rebellion I find two sorts of persons who did most eminently appear in laying those main fundamentals wherupon their bloody superstructions were afterwards easily reared up And these were such of the popish Lawyers as were natives of the Kingdome and those of the Romish Clergy of severall degrees and orders For the first they had in regard of their knowledge in the Laws of the Land very great reputation and trust they now began to stand up like great Patriots for the vindication of the liberties of the Subject and redresse of their pretended grievances and having by their bold appearing therein made a great party in the house of Commons The Irish Lawyers draw a great party in the House of Commons to adhere to them here then sitting some of them did there magisterially obtrude as undoubted maximes of Law the pernicious speculations of their own brain which though plainly discerned to be full of virulency and tending to sedition yet so strangely were many of the Protestants and well meaning men in the house blinded with an apprehension of ease and redresse and so stupified with their bold accusations of the government as most thought not fit others durst not stand up to contradict their fond assertions so as what they spake was received with great acclamation and much applause by most of the Protestant Members of the house many of which under specious pretences of publike zeale to this Country they had inveigled into their party And then it was that having impeached Sir Richard Bolton Lord Chancelour of Ireland of high treason together with other prime Officers and Ministers of State that were of English birth some of those great Masters took upon them with much confidence to declare the Law to make new expositions of their own upon the Text to frame their Queres challenges fitter to be taken to a long wilfully over-grown misgovernment then to be made against an authority that had for many yeers struggled against the beloved irregularities of a stubborn people and which had prevailed far beyond former times towards the allaying of the long continued distempers of the Kingdom They disdained the moderate qualifications of the Judges who gave them modest answers such as the Law and duty to their Soveraign would admit But those would not serve their turn they resolved upon an alteration in the government and drawing of it wholly into the hands of the Natives which they knew they could not compas in a Parliamentary way and therefore only made preparatives there and delivered such desperate maximes which being diffused abroad would fit and dispose the people to a change As they declared it to be Law that being killed in Rebellion though found by matter of record would give the King no forfeiture of estate that though many thousands stood up in arms in a Kingdom working all manner of destruction yet if they professed not to rise against the King that it was no Rebellion That if a man were out-lawed for Treason and his land thereby vested in the Crown or given away by the King his heir might come afterwards and be admitted to reverse the Outlawry and recover his Ancestors estate And many other positions of a perilous consequence tending to sedition and disturbance did they continue to publish during that Session and by the power and strength of their party so far did they prevail at last as they presumed to attempt a suspension of Poynings Act and indeed intended the utter abrogation of that Statute which remains as one of the greatest tyes and best monuments the English have of their entire dominion over the Irish Nation and the annexion of that Kingdom to the imperiall Crown of England They further assumed power of Judicature to the Parliament in criminall and capitall ofences A right which no former age hath left any president for neither would this admit the example And thus carrying all things before them they continued the Session of Parliament begun in May till about two moneths before the first breaking out of this Rebellion it being very ill taken that even then they were adjourned And this they have since aggravated as a high crime against the Lords Justices and as one of the chief moving causes to the taking up of Arms generally throughout the Kingdome But to let those things passe how finely soever these proceedings were carried on and being covered over with pretences of zeale and publike affection passed then currant without any manner of suspition yet now the eyes of all men are opened and they are fully resolved that all these passages together with the other high contestations in Parliament not to have the newly raised Irish Army disbanded the importunate solicitation of their Agents in England to have the old Army in Ireland cashiered and the Kingdom left to be defended by Trained Bands of their owne Nation As likewise the Commissions procured by severall of the most eminent Commanders now in Rebellion for the raising men to carry into Spain were all partes of this Plot Prologues to this ensuing Tragedy Preparatives such as had bin long laid to bring on the sodain execution of this most bloody Designe all at one and the same time throughout the Kingdome The meanes used by the Priests Jesuits to stir up the people to rebell Now for the Jesuits Priests Fryers and all the rest of the viperous fraternity belonging to their holy Orders who as I said had a main part to Act and have not failed with great assiduity and diligence to discharge the same They lost no time but most dexteriously applyed themselves in all parts of the Country to lay such other dangerous impressions in the minds as well of the meaner sort as of the chiefe Gentlemen as might make them ready to take fire upon the first occasion And when this Plot was so surely as they
since the twentieth yeer of King Henry the eight may be repealed 7 That the Bishopricks Deanaries and all other spirituall promotions of this Kingdome and all Frieries and Nunneries may be restored to the Catholick owners and likewise all impropriations of Tythes and that the Scits Ambits and Precincts of the Religious houses of the Monks may be restored to them but as to the rest of their temporall possessions it is not designed to be taken from the present proprietors but to be left to them untill God shall otherwise incline their own hearts 8 That such as are now entitled Catholick Archbishops Bishops Abbots or other dignitaries in this Kingdome by donation of the Pope may during their lives enjoy their spirituall promotions with protestation neverthelesse and other fit clauses to be laid downe for preservation of his Majesties rights of Patronages first Fruits and twentieth parts in manner and quantity as now his Highnesse receives benefit thereby 9 That all inquisitions taken since the yeer 1634. to entitle his Majesty to Conaught Thomond Ormond Eliogartie Kilnemanagh Duheara Wickloe and Idvagh may be vacated and their estates secured according to his Majesties late graces 10 That an Act of Parliament may passe here for the securing the Subjects title to their severall estates against the Crown upon any title accrewed unto it before sixty yeers or under colour or pretext of the present commotions 11 That all Plantations made since the yeer 1610. may be avoyded by Parliament if the Parliament shall hold it just and their possessions restored to them or their Heirs from whom the same were taken they neverthelesse answering to the Crowne the Rents and services proportionable reserved upon the undertakers 12 That the transportation of all native Commodities to all places of the world in peace with his Majesty may be free and lawfull his customes first paid and that the Statutes of 10 11 13. of Queen Elizabeth for restraining the exportation of native Commodities be repealed 13 That all preferments Ecclesiasticall Civill and Martiall in this Kingdome that lye in his Majesties gift may be conferred on Natives of this Kingdome onely such as his Majesty shall think meet without any distinction for Religion Provided alwayes that upon the Princes of his blood of England he may bestow what places he shall think meet 14 That a Marshall and Admirall of this Kingdome may be elected in it to have perpetuall succession therein with the same preheminence authority and jurisdiction as they respectively have in England and that the said places be ever conferred upon Noble-men Natives of this Kingdom 15 That there may be Trained Bands in all Cities Towns Corporate and Counties of this Kingdome armed and provided at the charge of the severall Counties Cities and Townes and commanded by the Natives of the same who shall be named by the Counties Cities and Towns respectively 16 That his Majesty may release all Tenures in Capite and by Knight-service in consideration whereof he shall receive a setled revenue of 12000. li. per annum being double the summe which he casually receives by them Reliefes Seismes Licenses for Alienations Escuage and Aydes neverthelesse to remain 17 That all Monopolies may be for ever taken away by Act of Parliament 18 That such new Corporations as have not the face of Corporate Townes and were erected to give voyces in the Parliament may be dissolved and their Votes taken away and hereafter no such to be admitted to voices in Parliament 11 That there may be Agents chosen in Parliament or otherwise as thought meet to attend continually his Majesty to represent the grievances of this Nation that they may be removable by such as did elect them and in case of death or removance others may be for ever successively substituted in that place and that such Agents may enjoy the freedome of their conscience in Court and every where else These are the means proposed by these Catholick Remonstrants for reducing of the Kingdom to peace these the great obstructions they would have removed the cōstant Counsel they would have followed in setling the tranquility present government of this Land so as we need seek no further evidence nor make any more curious enquiries into the secret causes of their first rising we have here enough out of their owne mouths to resolve the most scrupulous unbeleever of their first motives to this Rebellion The re-establishment of the Romish Religion onely a pretence for the rebellion And now for the matter of Religion howsoever I am very confident they ever really intended the re-establishment of that of the Church of Rome with all the Rites and Ceremonies thereof together with the utter extirpation of all of the reformed profession Yet considering the large indulgence and free liberty they universally enjoyed at that time in the full exercise of that their Religion throughout all the parts of the Kingdome it may be most justly suspected how zealously soever they now obtrude it that this was onely the bare outward couverture made use of by the principall undertakers to draw on a poore ignorant superstitious people to sacrifice their lives in this quarrell Neither can it by any reasonable man be ever presumed that such persons as made no conscience of committing treason so many cruell murders and all other kind of abominable villanies not to be paralleld in any other Country could be drawne meerly out of conscience towards God to act these for the regaining of the free and publike profession of their Religion This certainly was no more the true and main cause of their taking up Armes then the redresse of their pretended grievances All the grievances of the Kingdom redressed before the Rebellion brake out whereunto his Majesty had condiscended and out of his inclinations for their present reliefe had given much more satisfaction to their Agents lately in England then ever they could in any other time expect to receive or hope to enjoy Yet we see how little effect those great graces brought over not above two moneths before this Rebellion brake out took among them for presently after the return of their Agents with them this most detestable conspiracy which had been long in hatching began to work and to be put in execution And if we shall consider their maine designe and chiefe ends therein as they appear in their first principles or will give credit to the severall speeches and passages that we meet with among the Rebels in the very beginning of their breaking out as also to severall other testimonies that have since privately fallen from some particular persons among them we must beleeve that their designe cleerly was to destroy and root out all the British and Protestants planted within this Kingdom to cut off the Soveraignty of the Crowne of England and so to deliver themselves from their long continued subjection to the English Nation But to come to one maine particular taken into debate by the prime Movers
State here as to enable them by the assistance of those small Forces they confusedly gathered together to hold out till the arrivall of the Succours sent out of England I leave it to every one to consider with how much advantage they might have gone on at that time towards the accomplishment of so desperate a Project And for my selfe I must professe that I am cleerly resolved that had they at first overmastered the unexpected difficulties and fatall impediments they met withall at home and possessed themselves of the Arms and Munition within the Castle of Dublin and so flesht and blooded in the slaughter of many thousands of the English Nation had transported a numerous Army of Irish Rebels and sodainly landed them in some good Port within the Kingdome of England They would have prevailed very farre towards the miserable desolation and ruine thereof It must be remembred in what a most unhappy discomposure the affaires were at that time there what a diseased body the State then had and what high distempers then strongly working soone after brake out what a strong party they might have found within and with what great reputation they would have marched on under the glory of their late victories atchieved in Ireland signalizing the power of their armes with such horrid cruelties and bloody butcheries as would have wrought a strange terror among the people Thus we see what were the Causes and first Motives to this unnaturall Rebellion as likewise who were the chiefe Actors and the great instruments designed by the first Plotters to predispose the people to a readinesse to take Armes for the rooting out of the British Inhabitants from among them The Preparatives being all made the Plot in all points ripe for execution it was carried on to the very evening before the day appointed for the taking of the Castle of Dublin without discovery And though it pleased God to bring it then to light as hath been declared and so happily to disappoint it in the maine Peece yet it tooke in the Northerne parts being that very day fully executed in most of the chiefe places of strength within the Province of Vlster And whereas the Priests did long before in their publick Devotions at Masse pray for a blessing upon a great Designe they had then in hand so now as I have heard they did in many places the very day before the breaking out of this Rebellion give the people a dismisse at Masse with free liberty to goe out and take possession of all their Lands which they pretended unjustly detained from them by the English as also to strip rob and dispoyle them of all their Goods and Cattell They had without doubt by one meanes or other either private or publick instructions not to leave to the English any thing that might afford the least comfort or hope of longer subsistance among them This was the main bait used to draw on the common people The English goods presented to the Irish as a chiefe means to raise them up against them and this wrought farre more powerfully then all other perswasions fictions or wilde chimeraes that they infused into them It is most apparant that the prime Gentlemen in all parts as well as the Clergy pressed them on to despoyle the English of all their Goods and Cattell well knowing their avaricious humour and greedy desires to get them into their possession and that they could not possibly finde out any other thing that would engage them more readily to undertake or more desperately to execute all manner of villanies then the hopes of enjoying so rich a prey now presented unto them The people made beleeve by their priests that it was a Meritorious act to kill the English The people being now set at liberty and prepossessed by their Priests with a beleefe that it was lawfull for them to rise up and destroy all the Protestants who they told them were worse then Dogs that they were Devils and served the Devill assuring them the killing of such was a meritorious act John Parry of Dâ—uermosh in the County of Armagh deposeth that O Cullan a Priest told his Auditors at Masse that the bodies of such as died in this quarrell should not be cold before their soules should ascend up into heaven and that they should be free from the paines of Purgatory and a rare preservative against the paines of Purgatory gathered themselves together in great numbers assembling in severall companies through the severall parts of the Northerne Counties with staves Margaret Bromley in her Examination deposeth that some of the Rebels would say after their cruell butcheries that they knew if themselves should now dye their soules should goe to Heaven and that they were glad of the revenge they had taken of the English sithes and pitch-forks for at first they had not many better weapons And so in a most confused manner they began tumultuously to drive away at the first onely the Cattel belonging to the English The Irish rise and first drive away all the Cattel belonging to the English and then to break into their houses and seize upon their goods It is true there were some murders committed the very first day of their rising and some houses set on fire but these as I conceive were for the most part out of private spleen or where they had particular instructions so to doe as they had from the Lord Mac Guire to kill Master Arthur Champion a Justice of Peace in the County of Fermanagh who with severall other of his neighbours were murthered at his owne house upon the 23. of October in the morning But certainly that which they mainly intended at first and which they most busily employed themselves about was the driving away the Englishmens Cattell and possessing their goods The Irish Gentlemen possesse themselves of the Goods belonging to the English under pretence of securing them Wherein the common people were not the onely actors but even the chiefe Gentlemen of the Irish in many placrs most notoriously appeared and under plausible pretences of securing their goods from the rapine and spoile of the common sort got much peaceably into their hands And so confident were the English of their good dealing at first as many delivered their goods by retaile unto them gave them particular Inventories of all they had nay digged up such of their best things as they had hidden under ground to deposite in their custody Much likewise they got by faire promises and deep engagements to doe them no further mischief to suffer them their wives and children quietly to retire and leave the Country But others and especially the meaner sort of people fell more rudely to work at the very first breaking up of their houses and using all manner of force and violence to make themselves masters of their goods The next act was to strip the English man woman child stark naken and to turn them out of their
integrity and credit They are all upon Oath as all the other Examinations concerning cruelties before mentioned likewise are I shall leave the severall particulars to the consideration of such as shall please to take the paines to read them over And I may well say of them in respect of the former cruelties inserted as was said to the Prophet Ezekiel in another case Turne thee yet againe Ezek. 8.13 and thou shalt see greater abominations then these A generall REMONSTRANCE of the distressed PROTESTANTS in the Province of MUNSTER SEting forth from the gasping condition of thier most sad and distressed souls That wheras the Province of Munster through the vaste expence of English treasure and blood was reduced from the height of Barbarisme to such a degree of Civility that the power and dignitie of the English Crown was much advanced and extended by the surest and noblest bonds of a florishing people those of Religion Civilitie and Profit Of Religion witnessed by the enlarged Congregations both in Cathedrall and Parochiall Churches Civility by the many costly Plantations fair strong Buildings plentifull Markets and bountifull Hospitality And Profit by the free Trade and Commerce throughout Christendome Lands fully improved abounding with heards and flocks of all sorts of the best English Cattell which enabled us to advance great sums to his Majesties Customes contribute large Subsidyes and to supply the West of England with such a considerable proportion of Wooll and Cattle that a great part of the Trade of those parts subsisted therby And this begun at the great charge of the EnglishVndertakers in the time of Queen Elizabeth of famous memory since when few parts of Christendome from their beginning in so short space had such a Rise and growth which was not alone to our selves but the very Natives must confesse that their Estates were hugely augmented by our improvements And therfore let it not be wondred at that when we consider from what we are falne to what we are faln if the pain of losse strive to equall that of sence and if the depth of our Miseries have not sunke our soules to stupidity we may compare our Woes to the saddest paralell of any Story Our Temples demolished or worse prophaned by sacrifices to Idols our Houses and Castles become ruinous heaps our Nation extirpated destroyed No quality age sexe priviledged from Massacres and lingring deaths by being robbed and stript naked through cold or famine Passages of a notable peece of Clemency and Mercy The famished Infants of murdered Parents swarm in our Streets for want of Bread perish before our faces and many of our yet miserable remnant which lived plentifully and relieved others are forced to aske relief and those they ask of constrained by want to refuse them So as undoubtedly our present Miseries are not farre distant of those of Samarias Siedge and all those cast upon us by this unparalelled Rebellion at a time when we were most confident and secure more and greater Jmmunities and Bounties being granted by his Majestie that now is then ever was by his Royall Progenitours for what cause offence or least seeming occasion of provocation our Soules could never imagine Sinne excepted save that we were Protestants and his Majesties loyall Subjects and could not endure their poysonous breaths to belch out such prophanenesse as in a deepe measure pierced and wounded the sacred fame of our King and to colour this wee must goe under the notorious names of first Puritans and later of Round-heads For particular instances time would faile and length weary the Reader But we all together confident to make it manifest by abundant instances That the Depopulations in this Province of MUNSTER doe well and neere equall those of the whole KINGDOME The particulars whereof as of the multitude of inhumaine cruelties were collected and reduced to severall instances with ample proofe by the many Moneths indevours of a reverend Divine one Arch-Deacon BISSE thereunto authorized by vertue of a Commission under the Broad-Seale of this Kingdome who was most barbarously murthered by the Jrish expressing that to be the cause And because it may be thought requisite to touch something of the Demeanours of the Jrish since the Cessation as well as before many English have beene murthered as they travelled with other expressions of that utter detestations of the English that if any remaine which few doe nor surely will doe that can but breath but elsewhere then must they be in a degree worse then any knowne slavery And likewise for other parts of the Cessation they have beene totally broken and our Quarters being of large extent universally taken from us even to the wals of our Garrisons wherein we have often called to the chiefe of them for justice which being denied or which is worse delayed want of meanes to justifie our selves leaves us without remedy All which we poure forth our griefes and Supplications above to God alone and here on earth to our Dread Soveraign The EXAMINATION of Anne the late Wife of John Sherring late of the Territory of Ormond The Province of Munster neere the Silverworks in the County of Tipperary aged about 25. yeeres Sworne and Examined Deposeth and Saith THat about Candlemas was two yeers the said John Sherring her then husband going from his Farme which he held from Master John Kenedy Esquire neer to the Silverworks one Hugh Kenedy one of the brothers of the said John Kennedy a cruell Rebell together with a great multitude of Irish rebellious Souldiers then and there fiercely assaulted and set upon her said husband and upon one William Brock William Laughlin Thomas Collop and eight more English Protestant men and about ten women and upon some children in their company and then and there stript them of their cloaths and then with stones poleaxes skeines swords pikes darts and other weapons most barbarously massacred and murdered her said husband and all those Protestant men women and children In the time of which Massacre a most loud and fearfull noise and storme of thunder lightning wind hailstones and raine began The time being on a Sabbath day about an hour before night the former part of that day being all very faire but that thunder lightning and tempest happening suddenly after the massacre was begun much afrighted and terrified this Deponent and many others insomuch as those murtherers themselves confessed it to be a signe of Gods anger and threatning of them for such their then cruelty yet it deterred them not but they persisted in their bloody act untill they had murdered those said English Protestants and had hackt hewed slashed stab'd and so massacred them that many of them were cut all to pieces and her husband for his part had thirty grievous wounds then and there given him viz. some through or neer his heart ten mortall wounds in his head three in his belly and in either arme four and the rest in his thighes legs back and neck and that murder
soule circumstances which would make this Rebellion appeare farre more odious and detestable I shall now return to take up the publike affaires of the State where I left them in the hands of the Lords Justices and Councell who finding the City to grow daily more and more impestred with strangers by reason of the resort of great numbers of ill-affected persons that daily made repaire thereunto They issued out severall other Proclamations to prohibite the accesse of all strangers to the Town and to require such as remained in the City without calling or settled habitation to depart Sir Henry Tichborn being dispatched with his Regiment of foot to Tredagh as is formerly mentioned Some Troops of horse and Regiments of foot raised by the Lords Iustices and Councell the Lords Justices took further order for the present raising of other foot Companies as likewise some Troopes of horse which might serve for the defence of the City of Dublin now in most imminent danger by reason of the approaches made by the Forces of the Rebels Sir Charles Coot had a Commission for a Regiment which he quickly made up out of the poor stript English who had repaired from divers parts even naked to the Town and upon the engagements of the State procured cloaths for them The Lord Lambert to whom a Commission also was granted for the raising of an other Regiment began also to get some men together The Earle of Ormond was now arrived in Dublin and brought up with him his Troop consisting of 100 Curassiers compleatly armed Sir Thomas Lucas who had long commanded a Troop of horse in the Low-Countreys and Captaine Armestrong some time after yet very seasonably came thither Both of them had money imprested Sir Thomas Lucas to compleat his Troope already brought out of England Captaine Armestrong to raise a new Troop Captaine Yarner also arrived soon after at Dublin he was sent out of England by the Lord Lievtenant to raise and command his Troop which in a very short time he made up about 100 horse many persons then living in the Town being desirous to put themselves and their horses into that Troop Not long after Colonell Craford came over also and bringing with him Letters of Recommendations from the Prince Elector then attending his Majesty in Scotland under whom he had formerly the command of a Regiment of Dragoons in Germany Sir Charls Coot made Governnout of the City of Dublin The Lords Justices thought fit to give him a Regiment which they were then taking order to raise and arme out of such Townsmen as were fit to beare armes within the City of Dublin none were to be admitted into it but Protestants and out of them they made choyce not only of the Souldiers but of all the Officers belonging to the same And further for the repressing of the disorders daily appearing within the City and restraining the ill-affections of the Papists there inhabiting they made Sir Charles Coot Governour of the City and gave him an allowance of 40 s. per diem for the present Now while these Colonells and Captaines are bestirring themselves in getting their men together under their severall commands and in training them up to the use of their armes and the Governour of the Town taking strict order for constant Watches within and Guards without to restraine the repaire of all suspicious and ill-affected persons I shall in the meane time give an account of the adjournement of the Parliament according to the late Prorogation made by the Lords Justices which some of the ill-affected members of both Houses endeavoured to make use of for the raising of further troubles The adjournment of the Parliament In the Month of August before the Rebellion brake out the Parliament was adjourned to the 17 of November next ensuing Now upon the discovery of the late conspiracy for the surprise of his Majesties Castle of Dublin the ordinary place of meeting for both Houses of Parliament the Lords finding that the fire was begun in the North and fearing a generall revolt of all other parts of the Kingdome resolved as a matter highly tending to the safety and security of the City and Castle to prorogue the Parliament which they did by Proclamation then set out untill the 24. of February But two or three dayes before such of the Lords and Commons then in the Town were to meet of course in their severall House for declaring the said Prorogation it was generally noised abroad that the putting off the Parliament was extreamely ill taken by the Popish Members of both Houses Mr Burk who was one of the Committee lately employed into England came to the Lord Dillon of Kilkenny West and highly complaining of the injury which he said was done thereby to the whole Nation hindring them from expressing their loyall affections to his Majesty and shewing their desires to quell this dangerous Rebellion and that they had reason to resent it so farre as to complaine to the King thereof as a point of high injustice His Lordship having acquainted the Board herewith Mr Burk was presently sent for and he used the same language in effect there though with much modesty Hereupon the Lords fell into debate what was fit to be done and how farre it might be thought reasonable in them to condiscend to their desires The Popish party much discontented at it Some were of opinion that it was fit to disannull the Prorogation and to give them leave to continue the Parliament according to the first adjournment made the beginning of August They urged the very ill condition of the whole Kingdome in regard of the Northern Rebellion and that those of the Counties of Wiclow and Wexford as well as some other Counties in Conaght had already joyned themselves to them that this Prorogation might peradventure so irritate the Pale and have such an influence into Munster as might raise them into Armes and so put the whole Kingdome into a generall combustion Others of the Board Voted strongly for the holding of the Prorogation according to the time prefixed by the Proclamation grounding their opinion upon these reasons First that it would highly trench upon the gravity and wisdome of the Board to alter a resolution so solemnly taken up after a most serious debate and publikely made known thorough out the whole Kingdome by Proclamation that it would be of most dangerous consequence to bring so great a multitude of people to the City in such dangerous times that the Protestants and well-affected Members of both Houses were for the most part either destroyed dispersed or so shut up as they could not repaire to the present meeting and that therefore the Irish would be superiour in number and voyces and so wholly carry all things according to their own humour that considering the small Forces then in the City such great numbers as might take occasion under colour of comming to the Parliament to repaire thither could not be admitted without