him upon his knees And howsoever before this glorious work was fully accomplished it pleased God to put a period to her dayes yet lived she long enough to see just vengeance brought down upon the head of that unnaturall disturber of the peace of the kingdome himself in a manner wholly deserted his country most miserably wasted and a generall desolation and famine brought in mightily consuming what was left undevoured by the sword It is very easie to conjecture in what a most miserable condition Ireland then was The miserable condition of Ireland when K. Iames came to the Crown of England the English colonies being for the most part barbarously rooted out the remainders degenerated into Irish manners and names the very Irish themlelves most mightily wasted and destroyed by the late wars and thereby much of the kingdome depopulated in every place large monuments of calamity and undiscontinued troubles King James of blessed memory found it at his first accession to the Crown of England in this deplorable estate whereupon he presently took into his care the peaceable settlement of Ireland and civilizing of the people And conceiving that the powerfull conjunction of England and Scotland would now overawe the Irish and contain them in their due obedience His lenity towards the Irish rebels and his endeavours for a civill reformation He resolved not to take any advantage of those forfeitures and great confiscations which he was most justly intitled unto by Tyrone's rebellion but out of his Royall bounty and Princely magnificence restored all the Natives to the entire possession of their own lands A work most munificent in it self and such as he had reason to believe would for the time to come perpetually oblige their obedience to the Crown of England And in this state the Kingdom continued under some indifferent terms of peace and tranquility untill the sixth year of his raigne Then did the Earl of Tyrone take up new thoughts of rising in arms and into his rebellious designe he easily drew the whole province of Vlster then entirely at his devotion But his plot failed and he finding himself not able to get together any considerable forces he with the principall of his adherents quitting the kingdom fled into Spain leaving some busie incendiaries to foment those beginnings he had laid for a new rebellion in Ireland and promising speedily to return well attended with forraigne succours to their aid But by the great blessing of Almighty God upon the wise Councels of that King and the carefull endeavours of his vigilant Ministers the distempers occasioned by the noise of that commotion were soon allayed and Tyrone never returning the peace of the kingdome much confirmed and setled King James hereupon being now so justly provoked by the high ingratitude of those rebellious traitours caused their persons to be attainted their lands to be seized and those six Counties within the Province of Vlster which belonged unto them to be surveyed and all except some small parts of them reserved to gratifie the well-affected natives to be distributed in certain proportions among British undertakers who came over and setled themselves and many other British families in those parts By this meanes the foundations of some good Towns soon after encompassed with stone wals were presently laid severall castles and houses of strength built in severall parts of the country great numbers of British inhabitants there setled to the great comfort and security of the whole kingdome And the same course was taken likewise for the better assurance of the peace of the country in the plantation of severall parts of Lemster where the Irish had made incursions and violently expelled the old English out of their possessions But howsoever the King was by due course of law justly intitled to all their whole estates there yet he was graciously pleased to take but one fourth part of their lands which was delivered over likewise into the hands of British undertakers who with great cost and much industry planted themselves so firmly as they became of great security to the country and were a most especiall means to introduce civility in those parts so as now the whole kingdome began exceedingly to flourish in costly buildings K. Charles great readinesse to redresse the grievances presented unto him by the Irish Commissioners 1640 The Lords L. Vicount Gormanstone L. Vicount Kilmaloc L. Vicount Costeloe L Vicount Baltinglas Commons Lemster Nic. Plunket Digbie Richard Fitz-garret Nic Barnewall Esq Munster Sir Hardresse Waller Io. Welsh Sir Donnogh Mac Cartie Conaght Robert Linch Geffrie Browne Thomas Burke Vlster Sir William Cole Sir Iames Mongomerie and all manner of improvements the people to multiply and increase and the very Irish seemed to be much satisfied with the benefits of that peaceable government and generell tranquility which they so happily enjoyed ANd now of late such was the great indulgence of K. Charles our Soveraign that now reigneth to his Subjects of Ireland as that in the year 1640. upon their complaints and a generall Remonstrance sent over unto him from both Houses of Parliament then sitting at Dublin by a Committee of foure temporall Lords of the upper house and twelve Members of the house of Commons with instructions to represent the heavy pressures they had for some time suffered under the government of the Earl of Strafford He took their grievances into his royall consideration descended so far to their satisfaction as that he heard them himself and made present provisions for their redresse And upon the decease of Mr. Wandsford Master of the Rols in Ireland and then Lord Deputy here under the said Earl of Strafford who still continued Lord Lieutenant of this kingdome though then accused of high treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London by the Parliament of England His Majesty sent a Commission of Government to the Lord Dillon of Kilkenny west and Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet Master of the Wards in Ireland Yet soon after finding the choice of the Lord Dillon to be much disgusted by the Committee he did at their motion cause the said commission to be cancelled and with their consent and approbation placed the government upon Sir William Parsons and Sir Iohn Borlace Knight Sir Will. Parsons and Sir Iohn Borlace made L. Iustices Master of the Ordnance both esteemed persons of great integrity and the Master of the Wards by reason of his very long continued imployment in the State his particular knowledge of the kingdome much valued and well beloved among the people They took the sword upon the 9. of Febr. 1640. And in the first place they applied themselves with all manner of gentle lenitives to mollifie the sharp humours raised by the rigid passages in the former government They apply themselves to give contentment to the people They declared themselves against all such proceedings lately used as they found any wayes varying from the Common Law They gave all due encouragement to the
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
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
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
one Tooly Conley parish Priest to Master Moore to Colonel O Neale in the Low-Countries who within few moneths after arrived with this answer from the said Colonel desiring them not to delay any time in rising out but to let him know of the day when they intended it and that he would not faile to be with them within fourteen dayes of that day with good ayd also desiring them by any means to seize on the Castle of Dublin if they could And further he saith that during the time of these their private meetings there landed at Dublin Colonel Birne Colonel Plunket Captain Brien O Neale and others who came with directions to carry men away and that these were acquainted with the Plot and did offer their service to bring it on and that they would raise their men under colour to carry them into Spain and then seize on the Castle of Dublin and with the arms found there arme their Souldiers and have them ready for any action that should be commanded them He further also saith that they had divers private consultations about the carrying on of this conspiracy not onely at Dublin but in severall other places in the Province of Vlster and that they had set down severall days for the putting of it in execution but meeting with some obstacles did not come to conclude of the certain time till about the beginning of September and that then they peremptorily resolved on the 23. of October for the day to execute this long designed plot in and that they had respect unto the day of the week which did fall on Saturday being the Market-day on which there would be the lesse notice taken of people up and down the streets that they then setled what numbers of men should be brought up out of the severall Provinces for the surprize of the Castle and what Commanders should lead them on that seeing the Castle had two Gates that the Lemster men should undertake to seize upon the little Gate which lay neerest to the place where the arms and munition was placed and that the great gate should be undertaken by those of Vlster and that Sir Phelim O Neale should be there in person but that he excused himself because he resolved at the same time to seize upon London Derry and that thereupon by the impottunity of the undertakers it was imposed upon him the said Lord Mac Guire to be there in person at the taking of the Castle of Dublin That it was further resolved what number of Forces should be brought up out of the other Provinces to make good those places if possessed by them and that Sir James Dillon did undertake to be there with 1000. men within four dayes after the taking of the Castle as also that it was resolved that every one privy to that matter in every part of the Kingdome should rise out that day and seize on all the Forts and Arms in the severall Counties as likewise on all the Gentry and make them prisoners the more to assure themselves against any adverse fortune and not to kill any but where of necessity they should be forced thereunto by opposition These particulars together with many other circumstances very considerable are set down in the relation given in by the Lord Mac Guire while he remained prisoner in the Tower of London but I have thought fit to forbear to relate them at large because I find that relation published by authority and so presented to the common view We shall find also that Mac Mahone in his examination taken when he was first apprehended by the Lords Justices and Counsel here doth testifie that all the chief of the Nobility and Gentry in this Kingdom were acquainted with the first plot and particularly that all the popish party in the Committee sent into England as likewise in both houses of Parliament knew of it In the Examnation of William Fitz Gerald it is there affirmed that Sir Phelim O Neale sending for him five days after his rising in Arms told him what he did was by directions and consent of the prime Nobility and Gentry of the whole Kingdom and that what he had done in the Northern parts the same was executed at Dublin and in all other Forts and Towns throughout Ireland As being a course resolved upon among the Lords and Gentry for the preservation of his Majesties Prerogative their own Religion and Liberties against the Puritan faction in England Scotland and Ireland and that the Lord of Gormanstone knew of this plot while he was in England is testified by Lieutenant Colonel Read in his Examination as also by the Lord Mac Guire in his relation who saith that Colonel Plunket told him that he being at London had acquainted some of the Irish Committee and particularly the Lord of Gormanstone with this plot and that they approved it well Colonel Plunket in his Letter to Father Patrick Barnwal Lord Abbot of Mellifont as he stiles him doth seem much to glory in the means he had used to incite the Lords and Gentry of the Pale to appear in that blessed cause as he tearms it and assures him that the Lord of Gormanstone whom he there cals Lord General will goe bravely on And now it will be no difficult matter to resolve what were the secondary steps and motions of this great plot as well as by what persons it was wrought out in Ireland and carried on to the very point of execution And first it is to be observed that howsoever Sir Phelim O Neale the Lord Mac Guire Philip O Rely Colonel Mac Brian The first contrivers of the Rebellion did not first openly appear in it Hugh Mac Mahone and their adherents chief of the Irish Septs in Vlster and other counties neer adjacent did first appeare upon the stage and by their bloody execution notoriously declare themselves chief actors in this horrid tragedy Yet this Rebellion was either altogether nor originally plotted by them most of them had but subordinate notions of it and they as other of the chief Nobility and Gentry throughout the Kingdom had severall parts assigned them to act at severall times in severall places and did but move according to the first resolutions taken and such directions as they had received from the first Conspirators I take it to be most probable after the generall plot came to be reduced into form that as the Lord of Gormanstone was one of the first and chief movers in it so he and the chief of the Pale joyned together to draw in as they had done in all former Rebellions the principall septs of the old Irish to engage themselves and to appear first in the businesse That the Lord of Gormanston and some others of the Engl. Pale were engaged in the first Plot is very probable And after they had joyned together and so finely ordered the matter as they had made it a generall rising as Sir Phelim O Neale tearms it of all the Catholicks throughout the
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
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