them to introduce law for the extirpation of Catholique Religion in the three Kingdomes at any time before these Remonstrants openly entred into this actuall Rebellion and bloudy assacination though those Remonstrants draw it in amongst their provocations to take up Armes Neither indeed did those Remonstrants feare any violence or sharpe prosecution from their quiet Neighbours the Protestants in Ireland there having been very great and as now appeares very dangerous patience used towards the Remonstrants aswell by Governours as all Officers and Protestants who would have beene glad to live among them in peace if the Remonstrants could have endured their company Lastly whereas they seeme grieved That the Parliament of England encroached against law and unjustly upon the Priviledges of Parliament in Ireland in sending for and questioning too and in the English Parliament the members of that Parliament They do wel now to expresse sence of it amongst the rest of their pretexts for their wicked acts But when Protestant members of this Parliament against whom that pretended encroachment most extended were sent for they imploring the aid of the Parliament of Ireland to defend them and their priviledges were not holpen therin by the Commons house but were answered by a leading Member of the Cōmons house now a Remonstrant that the House should do well not to take notice thereof least any variance should arise betweene the two Parliaments so unwilling they were to assist the Protestants or maintaine that right which now they so stoutly challenge though a good while afterwards both Houses tooke occasion to write to their Committee in England to sollicite concerning that particular And so little feare had they then of any pernicious purposes in that Parliament against them though they now make mention of that Parliaments unwarrantable invasion since made on your Majesties Rights and Prerogatives as a pretence for their wicked and abominable actions long before that begun In the seventh Article Those Remonstrants doe justly acknowledge your Majesties grace and Princely patience in hearing their grievances 7. Article which would have wrought upon any loyall or dutifull heart to returne love and obedience to so gracious a Soveraigne and at least neighbour-like demeanour towards your Majesties faithfull Subjects the Brittish and Protestants which how they performed their then immediately ensuing acts doe demonstrate But in this Article also they continue their untrue and malicious calumniations against your Majestie in your Governours and Officers who did never give any of them just cause of offence It cannot appeare that the Lords Justices and Counsell did give any untrue Information against them or the Committees of that Parliament neither is it true that any such thing was done for that they know the Counsell of whom the Lords Justices then were gave all the furtherance they could to the going of that Committee Hoping that what your Majestie should be pleased to grant might redound to the common benefit of your people Neither did any Privie Counsellours goe into England of purpose to crosse or give impediment to your Majesties Justice and graces But it is true that the late Lord Dillon afterwards Earle of Roscomon and Sir Adam Loftus your Majesties Vice-Treasurer were about that time sent for by your Majestie upon the motion of your Parliament of England as it seemed to testifie in the cause moved in that Parliament against the Earle of Strafford And if in their attendance there their advice or knowledge concerning any thing there propounded or handled by the Committee were required by your Majestie doubtlesse those Counsellours did faithfully discharge the duty of good servants to your Majestie and true wel-wishers to that Kingdome being both Natives thereof and members of that Parliament Neither did your Majesties Justices and Counsell transmit unto your Majestie or any of the State of England any misconstructions or misrepresentations of the proceedings and actions of that Parliament but rather it may justly be beleeved that those Remonstrants doe worke upon their owne evill imaginations in this as in the former Articles they have presumed to avouch severall knowne untruths Nay the Lords Justices were so farce from any such malevolence to that Parliament or any Members thereof as when they received your Majesties Commission dated the sourth of Ianuary 1640. authorizing them to continue prorogue or determine the Parliamnent as they thought fit They in confidence that the intent of all the Members of the Parliament was for the generall good of the Kingdome and your Majesties service did willingly continue it and gave all countenance and assistance to it which well appeares by a motion made by a noble Peere in the Lords House That the Lords Justices had alwayes chearfully received their requests and Messages and were ready to comply with them desiring it might be entred to the end it might remaine to posteritie It is also conceived that when your Majestie had given direction that all Letters from thence should be kept apart to the end the Committee might have recourse unto them if any such misrepresentations could have appeared to them they would have instanced the same in this Remonstrance and not have offered to your Majestie suppositions for certainties And touching the Parliament of Irelands power of Judicature in matters Capitall there was nothing written from thence concerning that matter untill your Majestie being advertized of the impeachment of the Lord Chancellour and others in the Lords House required the Lords Justices to search and certifie whether any presidents might be found there for such a proceeding Your Majestie then also graciously declaring that as your Majestie intended not to prejudice the Rights of the Lords House so your Majestie did expect that they should nto introduce any new president for that cause Thereupon the Lords Justices having searched and demanded of the two Houses of Parliament if any such presidents they could shew none were produced which the Lords Justices certified backe to your Majesties principall Secretarie as in duty they ought And it is beleeved that those Remonstrants would not now more earnestly presse for that power in Judicature then heretofore was done were it not by the exercise or terrour thereof if their partie could have prevailed to rid themselves of your Majesties English Judges and Officers whom they cannot endure to beare rule amongst them though they clearly saw the Kingdome prospered above any former times under their great labour and travell It is most untrue that your Majesties Protestant officers or subjects did envy the good union betweene the two Houses But the truth is they did labour to cherish and confirme it by their uttermost skill and industry And if your Majesties servants or your Protestant subjects did happen to oppose those Remonstrants in any their undutifull motions and projects either concerning Religion or your Majesties Protestant Clergie or concerning the derogation of your Majesties Prerogatives Rites and authories or malicious practise against your Majesties Officers Those Remonstrants did and now
Armes This the Earle sent to the Lords Iustices the 23th of the same moneth which was long after the Irish Army was beaten from Drogheda and that your Majesties Army was fully Master of the field in all parts of the Pale And then the Lords Iustices and Councell thought not fit of themselves to harken unto it but forth with certified the same to the then Lord Lieutenant desiring your Maiesties directions therein And for their further proceeding on the 23th of March 1642. the Lord Montgarret sent to the Earle of Ormond then Lientenant Generall of your MaiesTies Army a paper of the grievances aswell concerning things done in England as Ireland and desired it might be shewed to the Lords Iustices and Councell that redresse might be given which lay not in their Lordships powers yet this also they sent to the then Lord Lieutenant to be shewed to your Maiestie About August one thousand six hundred forty and two the Remonstrants sent to the said Lieutenant Generall of your Maiesties Army a Petition directed to your Maiestie which his Lordship presented to the Lords Iustices who forthwith sent it away to your Maiesties principall Secretary and since then no other complaint hath beene heard of except that Remonstrance and except some particular motions hereafter mennoned By all which it fully appeares the Lords Iustices and Councell did no way frustrate any of their attempts to complaine to your Maiestie For the sense these Remonstrants seeme now to have of the late effusion of innocent bloud there T is well if they now beginne to be sensible of the effusion of the innocent bloud whereof indeed themselves only are guilty which will more plainely appeare by distinguishing the times which they causelesly confound Your Maiesties subiects being in full peace and trusting only to the protection of your Maiesties lawes these confederates and their bloudy instruments did in many parts of the Kingdome suddenly and treacherously assault and glut their long contealed malice in cruelly murthering by sundry kinde of tormenting deaths some hundred thousands of your Maiesties harmelesse Protestant subiects and dispoiling both them and all the rest of all their esTates and substance as is too manifest to the world nothing limiting their outragious aymes but professEd to all extirpation of all Brittish and Protestants All which time neither your Maiesties Governours nor your surprized subiects were able to make any considerable resistance And when afterwards your Maiesties forces out of England enabled your subiects to stand upon their defence and by your Maiesties Princely direction and authority to take due vengeance on their unparraleld wickednesse no man no not the confederates in their owne consciences can iustly charge your Maiesties Governours or protestant Subiects with bloud undeservedly shed in that necessitated way of their own defence and iust punishment of those former heynous acts But the confederates ought to bewayle the bloud of your Maiesties officers and servants fighting in your iust quarrell as an addition of waight to their former guilt Vid. Proclamation Octob. 3. 1641. Whereas on the other side aswell your Maiestie by your Princely Proclamation under your royall signature and privy Signer commanded them to lay downe Armes Vid. Proclamation 1 Novēa 1641. with intent doubtlesse to have mercy on them in a fit measure And your Maiesties Governours there partly by Proclamations promising in your Maiesties name mercy to all that should desist from force as hereafter is set downe And partly by imploying unto them a committee of Parliament there whom they scornefully reiected by tearing aswell the Committees Letters sent to them from Drogheda as the order of Parliament therewith sent And at another time by sending unto them certaine of their owne Clergy to treate and perswade with them whom they abused And partly by letters and faire messages moving them to cease and stay violence by appointing the Lord Moore and others to treate with them By appointing Sir Richard Barnwell and Patrick Barnwell to treate and perswade with them Did their utmost to induce them to returne to due obedience To come and submit their discontents to your Maties known Clemency and stop the issue of bloud which they so willfully had opened enraged And which gives further evidence of your Maties servants subjects peaceable inclination Your Majesties Iustices and Counsell did in the beginning of this Rebellion give severall Commissions to Lords and prime Gentrie of the Natives in the Pale and all the adjacent Counties authorising them to gather the Forces of the Countrey and to governe and command them for preservation of the Subjects in peace authorizing them in those Commissions to parley with Rebels protect and promise mercy to all that would returne to obedience so much confidence had the Lords Iustices in those old English and did desire to make them assured of their trust As the Lord Gormanston in Meath Lord Montgarret in Kilkenny Nicholas Barnwell in Dublin Walter Bagwell in Catherlagh Lord of Lowth in Lowth Sir Thomas Nugent in Westmeath Sir Robert Talbot in Wickloe Sir Iames Dillon in Longford and severall others as well in Munster as Conaught All which Commissions so issued even to so many of of the Remonstrants themselves were issued after the 23 of October and before the last of November 1641. In all which time or afterwards if they pleased they might have staid the spreading of the Rebellion if promise of mercy could have done it besides severall Commissions of Martiall Law to the Natives in each County But they contrary to all hope not only forbare to protect or reduce any but they soone after joyned with the Northerne and other Rebels to the confusion of the State and Government and destruction and banishment almost of all British and Protestants and as for those few Roman Catholicks who stood firme in loyaltie in those unseasonable times they have been embraced and used with that love and affection by your Majesties Governours and Protestant subjects which the Protestant subjects formerly shewed to them and as the Protestants have been As to their undutifull Challenge to your Majesties Princely and deeply merited expressions in your gracious Commission to your said Lieutenant Generall of your Army granted in compassion to these Remonstrants Your Majesties loyall subjects cannot observe their presumption without griefe of heart but doe in all humilitie leave the same to Your Majesties most discerning judgement Your Majesties Protestant subjects doe not beleeve nor ever could observe that any of Your Governours or Protestant subjects there have either directly or collaterally in adverse affection towards the Confederates advertised against or otherwise represented those Confederates to Your sacred Majestie then the truth urged and their bounden duty to Your Majestie and your service pressed them to doe To the first Article Artic. 1. It runneth upon generalls and is in substance generally untrue yet in further dutifull care to give Your Majestie satisfaction Instances herein are humbly offered to maintaine the
third in Leinster about Dublin and those parts when the Castle and Citie of Dublin was preserved there was a generall change in all former Counsells yet afterwards the said Garrett Barry and all his men went into Rebellion and so did most of the souldiers and officers of the other two Regiments Besides on the twenty third day of October one thousand six hundred forty one The Rebells in Vlster when they spoiled and murthered the English said with one voyce that Dublin was taken Also are to bee remembred the severall Antecedents to this Rebellion aswell in print as in words uttered by Romish Clergie men and some Laicks that within three yeares a generall Rebellion should be in Ireland mentioned in the printed Deposition of Doctor Iones And in the moneth of October before the execution of this Plott It was consulted in a great Assembly in the Countie of Westmeath at or neere Multifernam consisting as well of the prime Popish Clergie as of the lay Gentrie what should bee done with the Brittish and Protestants whether to murther and kill them all or to kill some and spoile and banish the rest or only to spoyle pillage and banish all And how your Majestie should be limmited in your Revenewes Rights and Authorities as more at large appeares in the said Doctors examination The like Discoveries of the generall Combination appeares in the Digest framed and collected by the Commissioners for examining the spoyles and murthers committed upon the Protestants by the Rebells tendered there by Master Watson and others of those Commissioners and sent over to your Majesties principall Secretarie It appeares also by examinations sent up by the late Lord President of Munster in the beginning of this Rebellion that about the twenty three of October 1641. the taking of the Castle of Dublin and other your Majesties Forts in Vlster c. was then muttered in that Province for a while after in shew quiet And the like in Connaught though at that time neither of those had heard any thing of the discovery from Dublin nor many dayes after By all which is somewhat plaine That the Conspiracy was generall and that the three Provinces stood not so cleare and quiet in November as in this Article is insinuated The Remonstrants being carefull to leave nothing unobjected that malice or Art can invent doe suggest that the Lords Justices and their adherents who those were is not yet knowne well knowing that many powerfull members of the Parliament in England stood in opposition to your Majestie made their principall addresses to them full fraught with calumnies against those Catholiques First it is conceived that there was no such opposition given to your Majestie as in the Article is mentioned when this Rebellion began your Majesty being then in Scotland bestowing your Grace and Royall presence on your Subjects there Neither at that time was any difference heard there betweene your Majesty and your Parliament in England save what concerned the Earle of Strafford whom the Remonstrants most violently prosecuted Secondly the Lords Justices and Counsell did first addresse their advertisement of this Rebellion not to the Parliament of England as the Remonstrants pretend but to your Majestie on the twentie five of October 1641. And to your Majesties then Lievtenant of that Kingdome to whom all addresses thence were to bee made by your Majesties Order A Copie of which Letters to the Lord Lievtenant they then sent to your Majesty and by the answer of that dispatch they were advertised that your Majesty had sent to the Parliament of England concerning that affaire and that your Majesty doubted not of their speedy resolution for releife of your Majesties faithfull Subjects The next dispatch sent away by the Lords Justices and Counsell into England or Scotland was on the fift of November 1641 at which time they directed letters to the Lords of your Majesties privy Counsell in England and considering that your Majesty was then in Scotland and that it then became of absolute necessity to invoke all the powers that might stand with your Majesties honour and good pleasure from whom any deliverance could come to assist for preservation of your Majesties Crowne and Kingdome They then also and not before directed letters to the speakers of both houses of Parliament in England referring the particulars to the Lords of the Counsells letters and moving for succours and then also they sent a dispatch to your Majesty into Scotland and enclosed therein copies of their severall letters to the Lords of the Counsell and both the Speakers and then also signified by their letters to the Lords of the Counfell that they had so written to both the Speakers And touching the denying of Armes to the Catholiques and arming the Malignant party who in the Remonstrants esteeme are all your Majesties Brittish and Protestant Subjects in Ireland though there never appeared any Malignity in them in the least degree either to your Majesty or your government or to these pretended Catholiques quatenus Catholiques True it is that many Roman Catholiques aswell as Protestants were armed by the Lords Justices and Counsell when they were listed into your Majesties Army to defend your Majesties Kingdome rights and government against those confederate Catholiques in the beginning of this Rebellion whose plot and designe was to surprise your Majesties Castle of Dublin and your Monition and stores there and all the rest of your Forts and stores in that Kingdome to extirpate all your Majesties Brittish and Protestant Subjects by death or exile and further as is before mentioned Note there were but â—00 armes in the store It is true also that the Lord Justices and Counsell did deliver Armes and Ammunition as farre as they could possible spare aswell to the Roman Catholiques as Protestant Subjects for defence of their houses in severall parts and in great numbers They did also deliver to the five Counties of the Pale Armes and Ammuniton for 1700 men for defence of those Countryes although your Majesty was no way bound to furnish them with armes for their owne defence and some of those armes upon notice of the defection of those trusted with them were recovered and brought backe and the rest soone after imployed by the confederats to fight against your Majestie and your Armyes And for the Cotholiques in the City of Dublin of whose ancient fidelity in the beginning of this Rebellion the Lords Justices and Counsell were fully perswaded they were not disarmed till most of the Catholiques of the Pale declared themselves in open Rebellion against your Majestie which the Lords Justices and Counsell finding and considering that those Inhabitants of Dublin were for the most part allied matched with the gentry and considerable Inhabitants of the Pale That some of them sent daily intelligence to the Rebels sent them provisions of victualls and otherwayes and sundry of them of good substance went to the Rebels with their goods That great numbers of the Popish prentizes servants and
Nobility Gentry Officers of the Army and other Protestant Inhabitants in Ireland taking into serious consideration their sad condition the great necessity they were reduced unto and their extream sufferings by the late Conspiracy and horrid Rebellion there and finding by the Articles of Cessation and his Majesties Proclamation thereupon that the Rebels of Ireland were allowed to send Agents to his Majesty who would doubtlesse watch all opportunities to prejudice the Protestants and to indevour to cleare themselves of their ill-done actions the Protestant Petitioners met together at the Earle of Kildares house in Dublin where they framed a Petition to the then Lords Justices and Councell which they presented at the Couneell board and received their Lordships answer the twelfth day of the same Moneth which Petition and Answer follow In haec verbo TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords Iustices and Councell The humble Petition of diverse of his Majesties Protestant Subjects of IRELAND Humbly sheweth THat your Petitioners being pressed by extream necessities and their great sufferings in the present Rebellion for remedy thereof desire to addresse themselves to his Sacred Majesty by their Agents and because they understand by his Majesties Proclamation and the Articles of Cessation lately published in Print that the Romish Catholicks are admitted to send Agents to his Majesty who will doubtlesse watch all opportunities to prejudice your supplicants They humbly pray that your Lordships will bee pleased to bee a meanes that they bee not admitted to his Majesty untill your supplicants Agents may bee present which shall bee with all convenient speed And to that end they humbly desire that your Lordships will bee pleased to grant licence unto such as your supplicants shall from time to time appoint to attend his Majesty touching the premisses And in regard that your supplicants conceive that the dissolving of this Parliament which by the alteration of the late Lords Justices will shortly determine unlesse by speciall Commission the same bee continued may prove of very evill consequence to his Majesties good Subjects They humbly pray that your Lordships will bee pleased to recommend the same effectually to his Majesties pious consideration that timely direction may arrive for continuance thereof Octobris 12. 1643. VPon consideration of this Petition Wee think fit to let the Petitioners know that his Majesty out of his gracious care of his affaires and good Subjects here hath been pleased already to signifie hither his Royall intention to call into England some such able and fitting Ministers or servants of his Majesty on this side as are fit to bee sent into England to assist in the treaty there when the persons to bee imployed to his Majesty from the Irish shall go over and his Majesties Royall purpose therein is already so farre advanced as the names of fit and able persons of eminent quality free from any exception and well experienced in the affaires of this Kingdome are already transmitted to his Majesty that so hee may make choyce of such as hee shall think fit so as all that could bee thought of necessary for the good of his Majesties Protestant Subjects his Majestie hath already provided for with great piety and wisdome Yet wee who well know his Majesties abundant care and tendernesse of his Protestant Subjects here being desirous to give the petitioners all needfull satisfaction in their desires so farre as may confist with the duty wee owe to his Majesty and looking into former times do finde that when Agents were sent from this Kingdome to attend his Majesty by the approbation of this board it was by his Majesties gracious Licence first obtained wherefore wee hold it our duties at this time also to reserve that part for his Majestie And therefore wee doe forbeare of our selves to give any direction therein but doe intend humbly to transmit a Copy of this their Petition to his Majesty which also answers the Petitioners request concerning the Parliament And wee will labour to obtain a signification of his good pleasure therein with all convenient speed which wee shall readily obey And if in the mean time there bee any matter of grievance offered by the petitioners to us which is in our power to redresse here Wee do let the petitioners know wee shall bee ready to heare it and to interpose his Majesties authority intrusted with us towards their just reliefe therein Ormonde Jo. Borlase Cha. Lamberte Tho. Lucas Roscomon He. Tychborne Fra. Willoughbie Ja. Ware Edw. Brabason Ant. Midensis VPon the receit of the aforesaid Answer the Protestants met againe at the Earle of Kildares house and conceived such persons as the Lords Justices and Councell mentioned in their Answer to bee called into England were to assist by their counsell in the Treaty and to advise in what should bee proposed and for ought known to the Protestants not to represent the bleeding and miserable condition of that Kingdome or to make proofe of the unparalleled cruelties of the Rebels neither did the Petitioners then know who those persons should bee And notwithstanding the Lords of the Councell pretended they had no precedent for the giving of approbation to Agents to attend his Majesty without his Majesties speciall Licence yet it was recent in many mens memories that there were severall precedents for it and that in very late times wherefore the Protestant Petitioners conceived that these delayes were put upon the Protestants by some ill affected meerly to gaine the Rebels advantage of time to work their ends at Court and to discourage the poore Protestants in the prosecution of their intendments And the Protestant petitioners being not satisfied with the Lords of the Councels Answer proceeded to the choyce of Agents and prepared a petition which afterwards was presented to his Majesty And on the foureteenth day of October 1643. the Protestants presented another petition to the Lords Justices and Councell and delivered their Lordships a Copy of the Petition that was prepared to bee sent to his Majesty which was answered by the Lords the nineteenth of the same Moneth which Petition and Answer follow In haec verba To the Right Honourable the Lords Iustices and Councell The humble Petition of divers of his Majesties Protestant Subjects as well Commanders of his Majesties Army as others Humbly sheweth unto your Lordships THat wee have received your Lordships Answer in writing to our Petition whereby wee perceive his Majesties abundant care and tendernesse of us which wee shall with all humble thankefulnesse ever acknowledge together with your Lordships readinesse therein And whereas wee finde in your Lordships said Answer your willingnesse for redresse of any manner of grievance which is in your Lordships power Wee doe humbly herewith offer unto your Lordships a Copy of our most humble Petition which wee prepared to present to his Sacred Majesty wherein wee set down part of our grievances Humbly desiring your Lordships to take the same into your grave consideration and so farre to condescend to our just
Letters under his privie Signet for the passing and securing of the estates of his subjects here by Letters Patents under the great Seal and Letters Patents accordingly were thereof passed fines payed old rents increased and new rents reserved to the Crown And the said late King was further graciously pleased at severall times to send divers honorable persons of integrity knowledge and experience to examine the grievances of this kingdom and to settle and establish a course for redresse thereof And whereas your Majesty was graciously pleased in the fourth yeare of your raign to vouchsafe a favourable hearing to the grievances presented unto you by agents from this kingdom and thereupon did grant many graces and favours unto your subjects thereof for security of their estates and redresses or remove off those heavy pressures under which they have long groaned which acts of Iustice and grace extended to this people by your Majesty and your said Royall Father did afford them great content yet such was and is yet the immortall hatred of some of the said Ministers of Sate and especially of the said Sir William Parsons the said impeached Iudges and their adherents to any welfare and happinesse of this Nation and their ambition to make themselves still greater and richer by the totall ruine and extirpation of this people that under pretence of your Majesties service the publike faith involved in those grants was violated and the grace and goodnesse intended by two glorious Kings successively to a faithfull people made unprofitable 4 The illegall arbitrary and unlawfull proceedings of the said Sir William-Parsons and of the said impeached Iudges and their adherents and instruments in the Court of Wards and the many willfull erroneous decrees and Iudgements of that Court by which the heires of Catholick Noblemen and other Catholicks were most cruelly and tyranically dealt withall destroyed in their estates and bred in dissolution and ignorance their Parents debts unsatisfied their Sisters and younger brothers left wholy unprovided for the Ancient and appearing Tenures of Mesne Lords unregarded estates valued in Law and made for valuable considerations avoyded against Law and the whole Land filled up with the frequent swarmes of Escheators Feodaries Pursevants and others by authority of that Court. 5 The said Catholicks notwithstanding the heavy pressures before mentioned and other grievances in part represented to your Majesty by the late Committees of both houses of Parliament of this kingdom whereunto they humbly desire that relation be had and redresse obtayned therein did readily and without reluctation or repyning contribute to all the Subsidies Loanes and other extraordinary grants made to your Majesty in this kingdom since the begining of your Raign amounting unto well neer on Million of pounds over and above your Majesties Revenue both certain and casuall And although the said Catholicks were in Parliament and otherwise the most forward in granting the said sums and did bear nine parts of ten in the payments thereof yet such was the power of their adversaries and the advantage they gained by the opportunity of their continuall addresses to your Majesty to increase their reputation in getting in of those Moneys and their authority in the distribution thereof to your Majesties great disservice that they assumed to themselves to be procurers thereof and represented the said Catholicks as obstinate and refractary 6 The Army raised for your Majesties service here at the great charge of the kingdom was disbanded by the pressing importunity of the malignant party in England not giving way that your Majesty should take advice therein with the Parliament here alleadging the said Army was Popish and therefore not to be trusted And although the world could witnesse the unwarrantable and unexempled invasion made by the malignant party of the Parliament in England upon your Majesties Honour Rights Prerogatives and principall Flower of your Crown And that the said Sir William Parsons Sir Adam Loftus Knight your Majesties Vice-Treasurer of this kingdom and other their adherents did declare that an Army of ten Thousand Scots was to arrive in this kingdom to force the said Catholicks to change their Religion And that Ireland could never doe well without a Rebellion to the end the remain of the Natives thereof might be extirpated and wagers were laid at generall Assizes and publike meetings by some of them then and now imployed in places of great profit and trust in this kingdom that within one year no Catholick should be left in Ireland that they saw the ancient and unquestionable priviledges of the Parliament of Ireland unjustly and against Law incroached upon by the orders Acts and proceedings of both houses of Parliament in England in sending for and questioning to and in that Parliament the Members of the Parliament of this kingdom sitting the Parliament here And that by speeches and orders Printed by the authority of both houses in England it was declared that Ireland was bound by the Statutes made in England if named which is contrary to known truth and the Laws here setled for four hundred yeares and upwards And that the said Catholicks were throughly informed of the protestation made by both houses of Parliament of England against Catholicks and their intentions to traduce Laws for the extirpation of Catholick Religion in the three kingdoms and that they had certain notice of the cruell and bloudy execution of priests there only for being priests and that your Majesties mercy and power could not prevail with them to save the life of one condemned priest and that the Catholicks of England being of their own flesh and bloud must suffer or depart the Land and consequently others not of so neer a relation to them if bound by their Statutes and within their power These motives although very strong and powerfull to produce apprehensions and feares in the said Catholicks did not prevail with them to take defensive Armes much lesse offensive they still expecting that your Majesty in your high wisdom might be able in a short time to apply seasonable cures apt remedies unto those evils and innovations 7 That the Committees of the Lords and Commons of this Kingdome having attended your Majesty for the space of nine Moneths your Majesty was graciously pleased notwithstanding your then weighty and urgent affaires in England and Scotland to receive and very often with great patience to heare their grievances and many debates thereof at large during which debates the said Lords-Iustices and some of your privy Counsell of this Kingdom and their adherents by their malicious and untrue informations conveyed to some Ministers of state in England who since are declared of the malignant party and by the continuall solicitation of others of the said privy Counsell gone to England of purpose to crosse and give impediment unto the justice and grace your Majesty was inclined to afford to your subjects of this Realm did as much as in them lay hinder the obtaining of any redresse for the said grievances and
not prevayling therein with your Majesty as they expected have by their Letters and instruments labored with many leading Members of the Parliament there to give stop and interruption thereunto and likewise transmitted unto your Majesty and some of the state of England sundry misconstructions and misrepresentations of the proceedings and actions of your Parliament of this your Kingdom and thereby endeavoured to possesse your Majesty of an evill opinion thereof and that the said Parliament had no power of Iudicature in Capitall causes which is an essentiall part of Parliament thereby ayming at the impunity of some of them and others who were then impeached of high Treason and at the destruction of this Parliament But the said Lords-Iustices and privy counsell observing that no art or practise of theirs could be powerfull to withdraw your Majesties grace and good intentions from this people and that the redresse granted of some principall grievances was to be passed as Acts in Parliament The said Lords Iustices and their adherents with the height of malice envying the good union long before setled and continued between the Members of the house of Commons and their good correspondency with the Lords left nothing unattempted which might raise discord and disunion in the said house and by some of themselves and some instruments of theirs in the said Commons house private meetings of great numbers of the said house were appointed of purpose to raise distinction of Nation and Religion by meanes whereof a faction was made there which tended much to the disquiet of the house and disturbance of your Majesties and the publicke service And after certaine knowledge that the said Committees were by the waterside in England with sundry important and beneficiall Bills and other graces to be passed as Acts in that Parliament of purpose to prevent the same the said faction by the practise of the said Lords-Iustices and some of the said privy Counsell and their adherents in tumultuous and disorderly manner on the seventh of August 1641. and on severall dayes before cryed for an adjournment of the house and being over-voted by the voyces of the more moderate part the said Lords-Iustices and their adherents told severall honorable Peeres that if they did not adjourne the Lords house on that day being Saturday that they would themselves prorogue or adjourne the Parliament on the next Monday following by meanes whereof and of great numbers of proxies of Noblemen not estated nor at any time resident in this Kingdom which is destructive to the liberty and freedome of Parliament here the Lords house was on the said seventh day of August adjourned and the house of Commons by occasion thereof and of the faction aforesaid adjourned soone after by which meanes those Bills and graces according your Majesties intention and the great expectation and the longing desires of your people could not then passe as Acts of Parliament Within a few dayes after this fatall and inforced adjournment the said Committees arrived at Dublin with their dispatch from your Majesty and presented the same to the said Lords-Iustices and Councell expressing a right sense of the said adjournment and besought their Lordships for the satisfaction of the people to require short heads of that part of the dispatch wherein your Majesty did appeare in the best manner unto your people might be suddainly conveyed unto all the parts of the Kingdom attested by the said Lords-Iustices to prevent dispayre or misunderstanding this was promised to be done and an instrument drawn and presented unto them for this purpose and yet as it seemes desiring rather to adde fuell to the fire of the subjects discontent than quench the same they did forbeare to give any notice thereof to the people 8 After this certain dangerous and pernicious petitions contrived by the advice and Counsell of the said Sir William Parsons Sir Adam Loftus Sir Iohn Clotworthy knights Arthur Hill Esquier and sundry others of the malignant party and signed by many thousands of the malignant party in the City of Dublin in the province of Vlster and in sundry other parts in this kingdom directed to the Commons house in England were at publick Assizes and other publick places ' made known and read to many persons of quality in this kingdom which petitions contayned matters destructive to the said Catholicks their Religion lives and estates and were the more to be feared by reason of the active power of the said Sir Iohn Clotworthy in the Commons house in England in opposition to your Majesty and his barbarous and inhumane expressions in that house against Catholick Religion and the professors thereof Soon after an order conceived in the Commons house of England that no man should bow unto the name of IESVS at the sacred sound whereof all knees should bend came to the knowledge of the said Catholicks and that the said malignant party did contrive and plot to extinguish their Religion and Nation hence it did arise that some of the said Catholicks begun to consider the deplorable and desperate condition they were in by a Statute Law here found among the records of this kingdom of the second yeare of the raigne of the late Queen Elizabeth but never executed in her time nor discovered till most of the Members of that Parliament were dead no Catholick of this kingdom could injoy his life estate or libertie if the said statute were executed whereunto no impediment remained but your Majesties prerogative and power which were indeavoured to be clipped or taken away as is before rehearsed then the plot of destruction by any Army out of Scotland and another of the malignant party in England must be executed the feares of those twofold destructions and their ardent desire to maintain that just prerogative which might encounter and remove it did necessitate some Catholicks in the North about the two and twentieth of October 1641. to take Armes in maintenance of their Religion your Maiesties rights and the preservation of life estate and liberty and immediately thereupon tooke a solemne Oath and sent severall Declarations to the Lords-Iustices and Counsell to that effect and humbly desired they might be heard in Parliament unto the determination whereof they were ready to submit themselves and their demands which Declarations being received were slighted by the said Lords-Iustices who with the swaying part of the said Counsell and by the advice of the said two impeached Iudges glad of any occasion to put off the Parliament which by the former adjournment was to meet soon after caused a Proclamation to be published on the three and twentieth of the said Moneth of October 1641. therein accusing all the Catholicks of Ireland of disloyalty and therby declaring that the Parliament was prorogued untill the six and twentieth of February following within a few dayes after the said three and twentieth day of October 1641. many Lords and other persons of rank and quality made their humble addresse to the Lords-Iustices and counsel made
it evidently appear unto them that the said prorogation was against Law and humbly besought the Parliament might sit according to the former adiournment which was then the only expedient to compose or remove the then growing discontents and troubles of the land And the said Lords-Iustices and their party of the Counsell then well knowing that the Members of both houses throughout the kingdom a few in and about Dublin only excepted would stay from the meeting of both houses by reason of the said prorogation by proclamation two dayes before the time gave way the Parliament might sit but so limited that no Act of grace or any thing else for the peoples quiet or satisfaction might be propounded or passed and thereupon a few of the Lords and Commons appeared in the Parliament house who in their entrance at the Castle-bridge and gate and within the yard to the Parliament-house door and recesse from thence were invironed with a great number of Armed men with their match lighted and Muskets presented even to the breasts of the members of both houses none being admitted to bring one servant to attend him or any weapon about him within the Castle-bridge yet how thin soever the houses were or how much over-awed they both did supplicate the Lords-Iustices and Counsell that they might continue for a time together and expect the coming of the rest of both houses to the end they might quiet the troubles in full Parliament and that some Acts of security granted by your Maiesty and transmitted under the great Seale of England might passe to settle the minds of your Maiesties subiects To these requests so much conducing to your Maiesties service and the settlement of your people a flat denyall was given and the said Lords-Iustices and their party of the Counsell by their working with their party in both houses of Parliament being then very thin as aforesaid propounded an order should be conceived in Parliament that the said discontented Gentlemen took Arms in rebellious manner which was resented much by the best affected of both houses but being awed as aforesaid and credibly informed of some particular persons amongst them stood in opposition thereunto that the said Musquetiers were directed to shoot them at their going out of the Parliament house through which terrour way was given to that order Notwithstanding all the before mentioned provocations pressures and indignities the far greater and more considerable party of the Catholicks and all the Cities and Corporations of Ireland and whole provinces stood quiet in their houses whereupon the Lords-Iustices and their adherents well knowing that many powerfull Members of the Parliament of England stood in opposition to your Majesty made their principall application and addressed their dispatches full fraught with calumnies and false suggestions against the Catholicks of this kingdom to them and propounded unto them to send severall great forces to Conquer the kingdom those of the malignant party here were by them armed the Catholicks were not only denyed Arms but were disarmed even in the City of Dublin which in all successions of ages past continued as loyall to the Crown of England as any City or place whatsoever all other ancient and usuall Cities and Corporate Townes of the kingdom by means whereof principally the kingdom was preserved in former times were denyed arms for their money to defend themselves and expresse order given by the said Lords-Iustices to disarme all Catholicks in some of the said Cities and Towns others disfurnished were inhibited to provide Arms for their defence and the said Lords-Justices and Counsell having received an order of both houses of Parliament in England to publish a proclamation of pardon unto all those who were then in rebellion as they tearmed it in this kingdom if they did submit by a day to be limited The said Sir William Parsons contrary to this order so wrought with his party of the Counsell that a proclamation was published of pardon only in two Counties and a very short day prefixed and therein all free-holders were excepted through which every man saw that the estates of Catholicks were first aimed at and their lives next The said Lords-Iustices and their party having advanced their design thus far and not finding the successe answerable to their desires commanded Sir Charles Coot Knight and Baronet deceased to march to the County of Wickloe where he burnt killed and destroyed all in his way And in a most cruell manner man woman and child persons that had no appearing wills to doe hurt nor power to execute it soon after some foot-companies did march in the night by direction of the said Lords-Iustices and their said party to the Town of Sawntry in Fingall three miles off Dublin a Country that neither then nor for the space of four or five hundred yeares before did feel what troubles were or war meant but it was too sweet and too neare and therefore fit to be forced to armes in that town innocent husband-men some of them being Catholicks and some Protestants taken for Catholicks were murthered in their Inne and their heads carried triumphant into Dublin next morning complaint being made of this no redresse was obtained therein whereupon some Gentlemen of quality and others the inhabitants of the Country seeing what was then acted and what passed in the said last march towards the County of Wickloe and justly fearing to be all murthered forsook their houses and were constrained to stand together in their own defence though ill provided of Arms or Ammunition Hereupon a proclamation was agreed upon at the Counsell board on the thirteenth of December 1641. and not published or printed till the fifteenth of December by which the said Gentlemen and George King by name were required to come in by or upon the eighteenth of the said Moneth a safety was therein promised them On the same day another proclamation was published summoning the Lords dwelling in the English-pale near Dublin to a Grand-Counsell on the seventeeth of the said Moneth but the Lords-Justices and their party of the Counsell to take away all hope of Accommodation gave direction to the said Sir Charles Coote the said fifteenth day of the said Moneth of December to march to Clontarff being the house and Town of the said George King and two miles from Dublin to pillage burn kill and destroy all that there was to be found which direction was readily and particularly observed in manifest breach of publike faith by meanes whereof the meeting of the said Grand-Counsell was diverted the Lords not daring to come within the power of such notorious faith-breakers the consideration whereof and of other matters aforesaid made the Nobility and Gentry of the English-pale and other parts of the province of Leinster sensible of the present danger and put themselves in the best posture they could for their naturall defence and imployed Lieutenant Colonel Read to present their humble Remonstrance to your Sacred Majesty and to declare unto you the state
be maintained by her owne Clergy and her senants of impropriate Parsonages and Viccaridges Thirdly Your Maiesty and Your Royall Father in all the Plantations erected many Free Schooles and endowed them Fourthly many Protestants have built and endowed Free Schooles in speciall places whereas before there were few and those only in some Townes supported by very small salaries not able to give the Teachers subsistance and so in a manner discontinued as well appeared by the ill iteratenes and indeed barbarisme of the people in former times and it cannot be shewed that any Papist there has built or endowed any Schoole nay which is worse all the Popish Clergy and all other Popish Laiety from whom that Clergy can draw any such charity much being so gotten doe send all that can be so gathered to Schooles and Universities beyond the seas whereby that Kingdome is much impoverished and the love and dependency of the people much translated from Your Crowne to forraigne Princes and Potentates To the second Article As they have not spared scandalous and untrue aspersions against Your Maiesty and your Government and against Your Officers and Ministers Arti. 2. which is no other then Art used to cover or if it were possible excuse their odious murthers and other cruelties now committed upon Your Majesties Protestant Subjects so they have presumed to taxe Your gracious Majesty and Your glorious predecessors with want of love and care of their Subjects of that Kingdome by placing as the Remonstrants pretend in the seate of Government and other Offices of eminency men of mean condition and quality who were to begin their fortunes upon the ruines of the Catholique Natives which taxe untrue in it selfe is so undutifull to those Soveraign and gracous Princes as no person of honour will appeare in it but it must be devised by the Romish adversaries of the Clergy or Iesuited Lawyers who now appeare to have been the chiefe firebrands of all these horrible flames which have almost consumed that Kingdome for it cannot be denyed that Your Royall Majesty and the other excellent Princes Your predecessors have since the said Statute of Secundo sent thither to governe Earles Barons and others of noble extraction and plentifull esTates in England and when in intervalls for short times Iustices were appointed they were sometimes Noble men and otherwise men of the best ranke sufficiency and ability to undergoe that charge and it cannot be shewed that many of them have built their fortunes on the ruines of Your Majesties Subjects either Protestants or Preists to whom they 〈…〉 equally in all things but on the contrary some of them have lost themselves and have been much damnified in their estates by their imployment there partly by the unjust clamours and maliciou accusations of of some of those Catholique Natives never enduring long any English Governour or other servants of the King of England that endeavoured the peaceable and legall obedience to the Crowne And it is manifest that of 21 Lieutenants Deputies and Iustices successively Thirty Privy Counsellors and Twelve prime Iudges and several inferior Iudges sent thither out of England since the Statute of 2 do no one of them hath left any Estate there neither were they inriched by that service And though some others and not many left esTates it onely was for the most part by bounty of the Crowne and very few or none by their purchase except the Earle of Strafford who paid great summes of money for all he bought whereas on the other side of eleven prime Iudges and many inferiour Iudges of the birth of Ireland imployed there since the Statute of 2 do every one of them left visible and valuable estates many of them equall at least with the prime Gentry and severall of them in themselves or their posteritie since advanced to titles of honour by the favour of your Majestie and your Royall Ancestors whereby your Majestie may be pleased to judge whether the English or Irish officers have most built their fortunes on the ruines of Catholique Natives It is true that no Natives have been imployed as Chiefe Governours there since the 27. of King Henry the 8. but in former times many of them were untill the last of them gave cause to the King to alter that course And yet since that time most of the prime and inferiour Iudges and the Officers were of the Natives even untill towards the latter end of the Reigne of Queen Eliz. as is before said Vid. the Stat. of 10 H. 7. c. 8. and other Statutes for the prosperitie of Ireland while the English lawes were executed and how it decaied afterwards And if times be compared it will appeare by good records and histories that from the end of the first 90 yeares after the first comming of King Henry the 2d. in which time of 90 yeares the English Colonies spread over all the then most habitable parts of the Kingdome the Townes being also wholly English and the English lawes then only used and obeyed throughout all the English Colonies The Irish then and many yeares after declared enemies and aliens did encroach and prevaile strangely against the English Colonies which happened by reason of the unwise and irregular behaviour of many of the English Lords and Chieftaines of Irish birth who then and after degenerated into Irish manners and usages cast off the English lawes subjected themselves to the Brehon and Irish customes The English Lords falling into mortall quarrels among themselves called in and waged the Irish in their contentions who formerly lived in mountaines bogs were of no force whereby the Irish grew powerfull and bold and so wrested out the English freeholders by allowance of the English Lords which hapned chiefly in the times or by occasion of the civill wars in England joyned with the Irish in marriage fostering gossoprick and all other things even against their own fellow conquerors the English freeholders almost to their utter ruine The Governours also and otehr Officers being for the most part of those old English gave way perhaps necessitated in some times to the Irish encroachments and customes though some of them at severall times behaved themselves nobly and dutifully yet others raised Coyne and Livery and other Irish exactions upon the remaining English Colonies and all other Inferiors All which by the English governours and officers were after taken away insomuch as before the end of the Reigne of King Henry the 8. even al lthe Kingdome except the sive Shires of the Pale walled Townes and som small parts about them which also were much degenerated were turned Irish except a few of prime Nobility the English Law renounced Irish Captainships advanced many of the old English Lores turned Irish Captaines All which Captainships and all exactions coyne and taxes belonging thereunto were after taken away by Act of Parliament And all the Inferiors for the most part wholly reduced into Irish slaverie having neither lands nor goods but at the
remisenesse in the Protestant Clergie the said Partington was dismissed in that Court upon hearing therof neither were the Lords Justices and Counsell or any of the parties being of the Counsell mentioned in this Article acquainted with the framing of the said Petition And whether the Petition was delivered to the Parliament in England or no was not knowne there only the said Partington saith that that Petition was about the 22. of October 1641. presented by him to the Parliament in England which could not be a motive to this Rebellion which began that very same day at night neither did any thing ever ensue thereof What Sir Iohn Clotworthie did or expressed in that Commons House against Catholiques was not knowne to the Protestants of Ireland nor is it materiall neither is it beleeved that any thing was there moved plotted or contrived against those Remonstrants or that that Parliament resolved any such destructive course against them till they had declared themselves in the late horrid Rebellion and massacred robbed and spoyled your Majesties peaceable and conformable Brittish and Protestant Subjects But the Remonstrants doe practise by confounding of times to gaine some cover for their inhumane perpetrations For their other fearfull speculation of the deplorable and desperate condition they were in by the above mentioned Statute of 2. Eliz. which they seeme to wonder at as a thing lately found amongst the Records there but never executed in that Princesse time nor discovered till most of that Parliament were dead By the danger of which Statute they say no Catholique in that Kingdome could enjoy his estate life or liberty if executed To this it is to be answered that severall Statutes were enacted in that second yeare of that glorious Queene And which State it is that those Remonstrants do to much tremble at is not here understood But it is beleeved that those Remonstrants pretend to find themselves so much greived with the first Chapter of those Statutes first for that it was made principally to repeale the Statutes made by Queene Mary wherein that Queene repealed all Lawes made by King H. 8. against usurped forraigne power iurisdiction and authority and to sett up some other authorities and judicatures in the Church the mischeifs and inconvenience whereof are in that Statute of secundo declared whereunto is to be added that the continuance of such a forraigne power in matters Ecclesiasticall would utterly banish all Protestant Subjects out of that Kingdom and leave your Majestie few good Subjects there for that the Popish party being dissolved from their iust dependancy on your Majesties authority in matters Ecclesiasticall which in true consideration concernes the halfe of your Majesties Royall Soveraigne will apply themselves for all matters of spirituall cognizance to the Pope in whose power it may be to discharge them from alleigeance in civill causes as he hath often done to other Princes which he will not spare to doe for his advantage and to keepe on foot his old claymes And in the second place to restore to the Crowne the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction which of right belongeth thereunto And to authorize apt Ministers for ordering and dispensation thereof for the better eschewing those mischeifes both to Prince and people and to revive certaine Acts repealed by Queene Mary And for the penall part thereof against such as shall maintayne and defend the authority preheminence power or jurisdiction spirituall or Ecclesiasticall of any forraigne Prince Prelate Person State or Potentate It is to be answered That that Statute is not introductive or maketh any new cryme for that offence was formerly Treason by the law for the first offence But that Statute mittigateth the severity of punishment and maketh it not Treason till the third offence committed after the second conviction and attaynder and giveth a great releife to the offendors touching the time of prosecution so that the Subjects terror is lesse then it was before The residue of that law appointeth what manner of persons shal be fit for promotion in the Church or imployment under your Majestie in civill affaires and how Liveries shall be sued by your Majesties Tennants the restriction whereof is in your Majesties hands to moderate at your gracious pleasure wherein they have of late had good experience of your princely clemency And have little cause so to exclaime against your Majesties Lawes as destructive to their lives estates and Liberties If those Remonstrants do so startle at the second Chapter of that Session It may well be said here is a great noise of danger but little hurt done and concerning these two Statutes they were no such concealed things for they were printed amongst all the Statutes of the Kingdome then printed about the 16 yeare of Queene Elizabeth when few of those Parliament men were dead and they were put in execution severally soone after the Statutes were made and long before that Queene died as appeares by the Records extant Only for the second Chapter it may be said that it was not so frequently put in execution for certaine yeares after the Statute made because all men for the most part in that Kingdome when there were any intervalls of peace did come to Church though many of them went to Masse also Recusancy was little then heard of or in many yeares after as is before declared But when Recusancy began over boldly to looke the Government in the face and that not only but many euill effects of Popery began to be dangerous to the safety of the Kings Majesties good people and government Then that Statute was at severall times put inexecution yet without danger to any mans life or estate neither is there any thing in that Statute that may threaten any mans life or estate the most binding part of that Statute being but to settle and maintaine the booke of Common prayer and other Orders Ornaments and Ceremonies in the Church and Churchmen and requires all subjects aswell Protestants as Papists to come to Church every Sonday and Holy day having not lawful cause of absence upon paine to forfeit 9d for every such daies absence And that limmited to an indictment to be found at the next Sessions or Assizes after the offence committed unlesse men would wilfully abuse themselves aswell towards God as the authorized Church and government In which cases other penalties are appointed not reaching to life In which Statute also are other favourable clauses for the ease of the people farre from provoking those Remonstrants to enter into the late hatefull conspiracy against your Majesty your Lawes and iust prerogatives or to commit such outragious cruelties upon your Majesties Brittish and Protestant subjects as they have done The same Lawes being now in force here in England and much more sharpe against Papists and these Lawes in Ireland have now bin in force above fourescore yeares yet no man ever lost his life or estate upon either of these Lawes nor Liberty for any long time yet do those Remonstrants from this
Article these words are left out viz. in like manner to present unto His sacred Majesty the true and entire faith and allegiance of His Majesties Protestant subjects of this Kingdome unto His Royall Person Crowne and Dignity their cheerfull and constant acknowledgement of His supremacy in all causes and over all persons their universall obedience to all His Laws and gracious Government and their continued desires and endeavour even to the uttermost hazzard of their lives and fortunes for the preservation of all His Rights and just Prerogatives In the fourth is added in Doctrine and Discipline In the sixth is added and Statutes in this Kingdome established and now of force And about the same time the Lord-lieutenant sent for the Protestant Agents and declared unto them that it would be for their better reception at Court that they should prepare their severall Companies under their commands to goe into England to serve His Maiesty Sir Charles Cootes excepted whose command lay in another Province And soone after Captaine Parsons Troope was casheered because they refused to goe into England Captaine Bridgeway and Sir Francis Hamiltons Companies notwithstanding divers of them refused to goe and that the Lord-lieutenant on his first motion promised not to impose that on them and that Captaine Bridgeway and Sir Francis Hamilton were desirous that their Companies might remaine there for their suture hopes of settlement there were ordered to goe with their Lieutenants which was very prejudiciall to the said Agents and souldiers most of the Souldiers being Lessees or under Farmers unto them and persons who expected satisfacton from the rebels for their losses and injuries sustained by them which course was the cause as Major Iones another of the said Agents declared that he declined the said imployment After which Captaine Ridgeway and Sir Francis Hamilton were imployed to the Lord Lieutenant and desired his Lordship that Sir Charles Coote and Captaine Wil. Parsons who were chosen and added as Agents by the Protestants might have liberty to goe along with them into England They received answer from his Lordship that he would acquaint the Board therewith The eighteenth of March the Protestant Petitioners petitioned the Lord-lieutenant and Councell for licence for Sir Charles Coote and Capt. Parsons to repaire into England to joyne with their other Agents in the behalfe of the Protestants in regard the petition limited the negotiation thereof to three or more of them and that Major Iones had formerly declined the Agency and that Mr. Fenton Parsons then at London was not acquainted with the choice of him made therefore it was doubtfull whether he could attend the same or no. Which request being denied by the Lords did very much discourage the Protestants untill they were revived by the arrivall of His Majesties Letter of the 27 of February 1643. which came to Dublin the 29 of March 1644. signifying his Majesties pleasure in approbation of Sir Charles Coote and Captaine William Parsons for their comming into England which followeth in haec verba CHARLES REX RIght trusty and right entirely beloved Cousin and Counsellor Right trusty and right wel-beloved Cousins and Counsellors and trusty and wel-beloved Councellors We greet you well We are very well pleased to observe in your Letter to Secretary Nicholas of the third of this moneth how dutifully the Earl of Kildare and the rest of our good Protestant subjects in Ireland acknowledged before you the confidence We gave them of Our Grace and Favour which We hope they will give Us cause more particularly to make good to every of them as occasion shall be offered And whereas they have further proposed the addition of Sir Charles Coote and Captaine William Parsons to those Gentlemen designed to attend Us We are well contented to give way to that addition and that you licence them accordingly to come over hither to attend Us with the rest for which these Our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant Given at our Court at Oxford the twenty seventh of February 1643. To Our right trusty and entirely beloved Cousin and Councellor James Marquesse of O mond Our Lieutenant-Generall and generall Governour of Our Kingdom of Ireland and to the rest of Our Councell there By His Majesties command EDW. NICHOLAS whereupon the said Agents received Letters which were delivered them as Letters of recommendation from the Lord Lieutenant and Councell to Mr. Secretary Nicholas but what was the effect of the said Letters or of former Letters delivered to those agents formerly appointed neither the Protestant petitioners nor their Agents did ever know being refused to be communicated to the said Agents though they earnestly desired the same On the second of April 1644. the Protestant Agents tooke shipping at Dublin and on the seventeenth of April came to Oxford and that day they delivered to Mr. Secretary Nicholas the said Letters from the Lord Lieutenant and Councell formerly mentioned and desired him to let them know what time he thought fittest for the said Agents to waite upon His Majesty to present unto Him the petition from the Protestants of Ireland who appointed them the next day at nine of the clocke in the Garden at Christ-church in Oxford and then they were by him presented to His Majesty where after kissing His Majesties hands they presented unto Him the said petition to which afterwards they received an answer which petition and answer follow in haec verba To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The humble Petition of divers of your Majesties Protestant Subjects in your Kingdome of Ireland as well Commanders of your Majesties Army here as others whose names are subscribed in the behalfe of themselves and other your Protestant Subjects in this your Kingdome Sheweth THat this your Highnesse Kingdome reduced with the vast expence of Treasure and much effusion of Brittish blood to the obedience of the Imperiall Crowne of England hath beene by the Princely care of your Royall progenitors especially of Queen Elizabeth and of your Royall father of ever blessed memory and your sacred Majesty in many parts happily planted great sums of money disbursed in buildings and improvements Churches edified and endowed and frequented with multitudes of good Protestants and your Customes and Revenues raised to great yeerely summes by the industry of your Protestant subjects especially and great summes of money by way of Subsidies and Contributions cheerfully paid unto your Majesty by your said Subjects In which happinesse this your Kingdome hath flourished in a long continued peace and under your Highnesse most glorious and happy government untill that by the present generall conspiracy and rebellion raised out of detestation of your blessed government and for rooting out of the Protestant religion and so for the dispossessing of your Majesty of this your said Kingdome without the least occasion offered by your Majesty or your Protestant subjects And notwithstanding that your Majesty immediately before had enlarged beyond president your Royall favour and bounty to them in granting all that
high and unreasonable in their propositions they must expect nothing but War To which the Agents answered that they were ill furnished for a War but had rather undergoe the hazard of a War then consent to a dishonorable and destructive peace and they further answered that they should betray the trust reposed in them by the Protestants of Ireland if they did admit of any further alterations of the said propositions then as is hereafter mentioned which the said Agents were resolved upon no terms to doe Then Sir George Radcliffe said that he was sure that if the said Agents would fall three parts of foure of the said Propositions that the fourth part would not be consented unto And afterwards Sir George Radclieffe seeing he could no way further prevaile with the said Agents to alter their propositions told them that they were sent over by the Protestants of Ireland to preserve them ☞ and unlesse the said Agents consented to a peace His Majesty being in no condition to send them any reliefe the Irish upon their Agents returne home would destroy the remnant of the Protestants of Ireland and therfore desired the said Agents to consider of some way to secure them To which it was answered by the Protestant Agents that there were five more he yet to come to the end of the Cessation within which time meanes might be found for their reliefe and that it were better that the Protestants should quit Ireland for a time then consent to a destructive peace Then Sir George asked how they could get the Protestants from thence To which it was answered by one of them that His Majesty might make stay of the Irish Agents in England untill the protestants were brought out of Ireland Sir George Radcliff replied that be had rather advise the King to lose that Kingdom then that he should violate his word with the Irish Agents who were come to Treate with His Majesty and had his Majesties promise for their safe returne And the said Sir George said further ☞ that if the Irish had not good conditions it was not likely that they would forbeare Armes untill the end of the time limited by the Articles of Cessation The next day the Protestant Agents delivered the aforesaid propositions unto Secretary Nicholas to be presented to his Majesty or to the Lords of the Committee which he thought fittest which propositions follow in haec verba The humble Propositions of Your Majesties Protestant Agents of Ireland in pursuance of the humble Petition of Your Majesties Protestant subjects aswell Commanders of Your Majesties Army there as others presented to Your Majesty the 18. day of April 1644. and answered by Your Majesty the 25 of the same 1. WE most humbly desire the establishment of the true Protestant Religion in Ireland according to the Lawes and Statutes in the said Kingdome now in force 2. That popery and popish recusants may be suppressed according to the lawes and statutes established in Ireland 3. That the Parliament now sitting in Ireland may be continued for the better setlement of that Kingdome for if that Parliament should be dissolved there would be few or no protestant freeholders found in that Kingdome they being either killed or banished by this rebellion to elect or chuse any of Your Majesties protestant subjects to sit in Parliament hereafter which by consequence may be destructive to Your Majesties rights and prerogatives and protestant subjects in their lives liberties and fortunes 4. That all such lawyers who refuse to take the Oathes of supremacy and alleageance may be suppressed and restrained from practise in that Kingdom the rather because the lawyers in England doe not here practise untill they take the Oath of supremacy And it hath beene found by wofull experience that the advice of the popish lawyers to the people of Ireland hath been a great cause of their continued disobedience 5. That there may be a present absolute suppression and dissolution of all the assumed arbitrary and tyrannicall power which the said confederate Roman Catholiques as they call themselves exercise over Your Majesties subjects both in causes Ecclesiasticall and Temporall 6. That all the Armet and Ammunition of the said confederates may be brought into Your Majesties hands when any conclusion shall be made 7. That Your Majesties protestant subjects ruined and destoyed by the said confederates may be repaired for their great losses out of the estates of the said confederates not formerly by any Act of Parliament in England otherwise disposed of in such manner and measure as Your Majesty in Your high Wisdome shall think fit whereby they may the better be enabled to reinhabit and defend the said Kingdome of Ireland 8. That the said confederates may rebuild the severall Plantation Houses and Castles destroyed by them in Ireland in as good state as they were at the breaking out of the rebellion which Your Majesties protestant subjects have beene bound by their severall patents to build and maintaine for Your Majesties service or otherwise that Your Majesty will discharge Your said protestant subjects of that Covenant or condition in their severall patents and that an Act be passed in this present Parliament to that purpose And whereas severall Castles and Houses were surrendered upon Quarter upon Articles under their hands with solemne Oathes or otherwise to preserve the said Castles and houses from being defaced or demolished That the said confederates who have so Articled with any of Your Majesties protestant subjects may rebuild the said Castles or Houses in as good state as they were at the time of surrendring up of the same upon Articles as aforesaid or such a considerable fine may be levied out of the Estates of the said confederates as may rebuild the said Houses as Your Majesty in your high Wisdome shall think fit 9. That the great arrears of rent due to Your Majesty out of the Estates of Your Majesties protestant subjects at and since Michaelmas 1641. may be paid unto Your Majesty by the said confederates who have either received the said Rents to the uses of he confederates or destroyed the same by disabling Your Majesties protestant subjects to pay the same and have also destroyed all or the most part of all other rents or meanes of support belonging to Your said protestant subjects or that Your said protestant subjects may be discharged of all such arrerages of rents to Your Majesty And that Your Majesty will be further graciously pleased to give an abatement of the great yearly rents payable from Your protestant subjects for some reasonable time as in Your Majesties high wisdome shall be thought fit for their encouragement and enablement to replant that Your Kingdome in respect the said lands for the most part depopulated by the said confederates will not be worth Your Majesties rents for a long time 10. That Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to take into Your Majesties hands so much of the confederates estates as are necessary to be planted