their homage to him who thereupon came and performed the same accordingly which was don in the year after our Saviour's nativitie 579 and this prove's a claim at least made by the Kings of great Britain to the Island of Ireland as part of their dominions Afterwards as is known to all men of anie reading the Saxons and Angles out of Germanie invaded great Britain and by manie contests in Arms and bloudie Battels obteined the Dominion thereof dividing it into several Kingdoms amongst themselvs which continued for manie years In all which times the Irish Inhabitants took more Libertie to root themselvs in their barbarous usurpation and tyrannie for wee cannot finde that then before or since they established anie certain Government either regal or otherwise neither are there extant anie authentick memories of anie certain or passable Laws ordeined by them for the regulating of anie Christian people yet soon after the Saxon's Heptarchie was reduced into an Entire Monarchie It is manifest by good Historie and Record that Edgar King of great Britain then and now called England not unmindful of that Kingdom 's ancient right and interest in Ireland labored and obteined another reducement and had the possession of most of that continent as appear's by the Books of that excellent writer Judg Cook extracted out of Records of the Tower Afterwards when the Danes obteined the Rule and power in great Britain they so little forgot the ancient and just challenge to Ireland as that they sent thither good numbers of men who gained large footing in several places of the best parts of the Island of whom there yet remain manie visible Monuments as their intrenchments and Fortifications to this daie called Danes Mounts or Rathes in Irish Lisses and round slender high Towers yet called Danes Steeples or Danes Towers yea the best and largest Suburbs about Dublin is yet called Ostmantown which term the Saxons gave to the Danes as Easterlings and doubtless it is their then access and som former incursions made by them as aforesaid which left manie of them there fixed who were the ancestors to the now pretended original Nation as pretended to bee given to them by God and Nature Afterwards the Norman William the Conqueror became possessed of the Dominions of England it is universally known what business hee had aswel to settle that so gained Land as to content his Allies and parties brought with him and to preserv what hee left behind him in France to which retrospect hee was enforced by manie disturbances and attempts neither is it unknown how unwarrantably his three next successors came to the Crown in England and against what counterworkings and heart-burnings they held Regencie there besides their distractions in their affairs and from their neighbors of France beeing not free from incumbrances of Scots and Welsh whereby all judicious men may conclude that none of them could safely embrace the restitution of Ireland howsoever it concerned them But assoon as one lineal descent had setled the Crown of England upon King Henry the second who was great Granchilde of the said William the Norman and who is recorded to bee the most powerful English Monarch both in England and France since the Normans coming in That King applied to the Pope for his consent to regain his said Land of Ireland who consenting thereunto to the end it might bee brought into orderly Government as well Ecclesiastical as Civil Hee yet suspended all action thither for som years beeing interrupted by his affairs in France and the disobedient combinations of his sons But after an occasion hapning by the invocation of one of the Irish pettie Kings hee permitted manie of his Subjects of England and Wales to pass thither who by their valor possessed themselvs of a good part of that Island Then in the year 1172 did that King with a competent Armie repair thither in person and resumed into his hands his ancient right of Dominion and interest there without much bloudshed and was therein confirmed by the absolute and free submissions of all the pettie Kings and other Rulers aswel Ecclesiastical as Temporal and by all others then of anie value there which they delivered unto him under their Seals There did hee also receiv the Homage Fealtie Allegiance and subjection of all those pettie usurping Princes and others as his Liege Subjects There did hee hold a great Council or general Assmblie of all the Prime inhabitants of that Island at Lismore which they called a Parlament and gave them the English Laws Vbi Leges Angliae ab omnibus sunt gratanter receptae juratoriâ cautioone praestitâ confirmatae There did hee send his Mandats to the Archbishops Bishops and Clergie of Ireland to assemble in a Synod at Cashel wherein Cbristianus Bishop of Lismore was President in which Synod that King's entrance actions and atchievments there were declared to bee lawful and it was there also concluded that it was most meet that as Ireland by God's appointment had recovered a lawful Lord and King from England so also they should from thence receiv a better from of living they also then established that all Divine Offices of holy Church should from thenceforth bee handled in all parts of Ireland according as the Church of England did observ them In that Synod also they made divers other Canons concerning the Church-Government there which Acts were ratified by the Regal Autoritie of the same Henrie the second To the same purposes another general Synod was soon after held at Armagh in Vlster where the same things and others for right ordering of that Government were resolved and agreed upon There was also placed Hugh Lacie Justice of Ireland for the Government of that Land wherein that Land then seemed to bee formally setled in a peaceable subject condition to England as it ought to bee Thus may the Querist and all others see that that Land and supposed original Nation did not continue manie hundreds or thousands of years nor was enjoied till these times without anie others laying claim to have right to the same It may bee demanded though standing thus how might King Henrie the second seiz all that Land into his own hands and grant it to adventurers as after hee did To this the answer is easie For in a short time after that King and the greatest part of his Army withdrew into England Then did all those pettie Kings Rulers and men of value and the other Inhabitants falsly and traiterously join in a Confederacie and action to extirpate and expuls all the English and Welsh then left there and did cast aside their dutie and obedience to England and the good order and Laws so freely and lately entertained by them breaking all Faith and Allegiance to him to whom they had formerly sworn it they murthered as manie as they could take at advantage and at last besieged Dublin and other Towns intending to destroie all the English But the valor of those men left there and the
intruded upon the Irish there they need no repentance The fourteenth Quere WHether if they shall still pursue the same it will not maintain a lasting chargeable war to bee a large and strange footing for the enemies to England's peace to stand upon to render the Nation to bee no true lovers of freedom but of domination give occasion to the enemies to blaspheme make our Religion odious and by perpetual piracie even utterly spoil all our trade by Sea and so bee at the last our own ruine and whether the gain at the last by a perfect conquest over them which is uncertain will equipoiz all that charge and blood that must bee spilt for the obteining of the same especially considering their eternal loss dying in the prosecution of so unjust a caus The fourteenth Answer IF they the English now in the nick of time pursue the Irish Rebels considering the present power and posture that England is in and the great number of its able bodies fit for emploiment which on a setled peace at home cannot bee better imploied or bestowed then in so conscionable a service conducing to the honor and glorie of God the peace and quiet of all the Dominions of England the advance of Trade the terror of England's enemies the gaining of a most fruitful and plentiful receptacle for a flowing off-spring if now so enabled they shall effectually pursue the service against the Rebels in Ireland beeing so disseminated and scattered as they now are it will not maintein a lasting chargeable war For now but a competent number to bee sent out of England with those faithful and noble ones their Commilitants now there will doubtless by God's gracious assistance do the blessed work of reducing them and remove the largest and strongest footings the enemies of England have gotten render the Nation of England to bee true Lovers of Freedom and the noble preservers of that part of their bodie and dominion This also will take away all occasion from the enemie to blaspheme since the true worship and service of God will bee advanced in place of idolatrous Popetie so much of late years hazarding the peace of England make our Religion that true one indeed beautiful lovely and delightful free our Seas from the brood of Dunkirkers Pickaro's and others of the like stamp Irish Pirats when they shall have no place of harbor or retirement amongst us whereby trade will bee advanced And so in a short time may a firm and lasting peace and safetie bee acquired the gain whereof will not onely equipoiz but out-ballance all the charge that can bee spent for obteining of the same The blood that may bee spilt therein is in the dispofing of the Lord Armipotent the God of Battel from whom our small handfuls of men have not onely met with glorious and most strange and often deliverances far transcending the thoughts of natural man in all their former ingagements but maie doubtless exspect it still and for those that fall in the Lord's baâ—â— they die not but to live eternally in and with him the true knowledg of whom teacheth us that all our daies are numbred and that not one life shall bee lost but by his fore purpose and divine appointment who will still especially in our greatest weakness cover us with his shield in the daie of battel and enable us to trample on the necks of his and our enemies and which is far more excellent they shall surely bee members of the Church and live amongst the Saints triumphant whose death shall happen in a caus so just God's caus And here it may bee noted that the Irish Rebels by their last immane cruelties filling up the measure of their iniquitie seem to bee a people adopted by providence to an utter exstirpation Whereunto all faithful English-men have a call from Heaven in vindication of that innocent bloud there most profusely spilt without leaving that detestable brand of Astorgism upon the English Nation to perpetuitie The Fifteenth Quere VVHether it bee not the dutie of the State and Trustees of the Nation rather to minde seek and preserv the general peace safetie and welfare of the whole Nation then the honors and profits of particular men And whether particulnr men may not in an humble and peaceable manner present their thoughts to the State for a general good The fifteenth Answer THe whole Quere is affirmatively confessed and therefore it is hoped that Ireland a Countrie appropriate to this Nation and the major part of Inhabitants there of English descent will bee looked on not as the honors and profits of particular men but as a general concernment the desertion whereof will redound to the honors and profits of particular men enemies to the peace and welfare of England the most malignant of its enemies the Papists and therefore particular peaceable wel-affected men ought in an humble and peaceable manner to present their thoughts thereof to the State for a general good The sixteenth Quere WHether if the State of England should now in their full strength proclaim Ireland a free State repenting of all the evils that themselvs have acted and intended and that our King hath formerly acted against that Nation and that they will not further act to their prejudice but onely sit down by them as a neighbor-State as Holland doth and that they onely desire that they may bee in mutual league and as friends to seek the peace and welfare of each other that they will not countenance assist or protect each other's enemies nor anie that shall disturb the peace or safetie of anie of the Nation and onely require som considerable Sea-Port-Towns as securitie and bond to tie the Irish to the performance of the Covenants I saie whether this may not bee everie waie as advantagious to the State and people of England as a conquest over them the charge considered The sixteenth Answer IF the State of England should now in their full strength proclaim Ireland a free State and do further as in the Quere is propounded yet our true knowledg and experience of the Rebel's disposition promonisheth that they will bee still especially upon anie occasion of advantage forward and readie to the uttermost of their powers and malice to cut their benefactor's throats besides it would bee the most prejudicial act that could bee imagined against the State and people of England For set aside the honor due to almightie God in giving up that Countrie from his true worship and service to Idolatrie and prophaneness set aside their guilt of the innocent blood of our brethren kindred and Nation there barbarously poured out which will doubtless hang over the heads of the Pardoners set aside the utter overthrow and loss of manie thousands of Families their goods and Estates and the giving up the poor yet considerable remain of the English Protestant partie there to the disposition of their most cruel enemies Set aside the bloud and treasure there spent out of England since the
rebellion wherein not a Family in England but is interessed and which they exspect not to bee rendered fruitless to the dishonor of the whole Nation Set all these aside yet humane reason and policie dictate's that the Hous cannot bee safe so long as the back door is open The father wrong's his posteritie if hee lavishly give away halfe his inheritance the regaining whereof hereafter may bee a cause of ten fold loss of blood and treasure to what it may cost in preservation that it is neither safe or just in the Law of Nature to fling away anie part of our Arms or defence though at present cumbersom which may advantage the enemie by taking possession of and using as the popish partie will against us And saie the right and interest of England to Ireland were not so great cleer and undeniable as it is yet the late revolutions considered England must never exspect to bee advantaged or anie waie bettered by deserting Ireland and giving it up to the Rebellious Inhabitants A people so foully and lately treacherous to the Protestants and later English Which people are neither so formidable in their best arms defences and power to keep themselvs in such a proclaimed condition or freedom Nor is it the aim or mark of their new Grandees to effect and maintein it whose divisions and contrarie inclinations amongst themselvs are and will ever bee a readie and open gap for anie England's enemies to enter in at And saie they have no realitie in them to a kingly claim as without doubt they have not they having now of late made amongst them so manie new Kings yet it were an Act of destructive and dangerous consequence to give Ireland to the disposal of the Pope and hee to the Spaniard his dear childe which the Inhabitants of Ireland are not much against but contrariwise manie of them desire it and which undoubtedly if not prevented would happen And so that bit bee brought into the mouth of the Spaniard which hee hath so long gaped after to swallow and devour And admit that Ireland were of the Protestant Religion as well as England and thereby the above inconveniencies avoided yet were it neither safe nor commendable to quit the dependance of that Island on England by proclaiming the Inhabitants thereof a free State since what such a State might do upon verie slender grounds and mistakes let Scotland witness The resolution therefore is that to do as this Quere propound's is extreme loss hazard and disadvantage to the people of England and the reducement of that Countrie to its lawful dependance and Government of England by a full conquest of the present Rebels let the charge bee what it will is more honorable safe profitable and advantagious to England then to proclaim them a free State who are not in a capacitie to make and keep themselvs so nor are or ever were a distinct Nation as is before said and here take notice how the Querist propound's a suitable reward indeed for the State of England to bestow upon the Reâ—â—â—â—â— of Ireland for murdering their kindred and allies acknowledging the said Rebels a free State and in amitie with them and thereby for ever to quit their own undoubted interest establish the worst of their enemies becom guiltie of the unparalel'd murthers of those that were flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone and leav the remnant of the poor English there continually open to the rapine of those whose mercies are cruelties So as the Querist would work the State of England into an impious unprovident and unnatural desertion of the caus of God their own interest and National quarrel The seventeenth Quere VVhether Ireland were not altogether as like to accept of protection safetie and defenâ—e from the State and people of England as from Spain or any other Nation especially would they not rather then from Prince Charles Rupert or from such like forlorn Soldiers how would they then style the malignant Partie inconsiderable And whether they were not then likelie suddenly to recall their Sea-Pirats and so suddenly set open all Trade by Sea The seventeenth Answer BEcaus the Rebellious Inhabitants of Ireland have cast off their obedience to the government of England and as is too well known have plotted and as farr as they could indeavored the utter exâ—tirpation of the English Protestants have in coolness of bloud and without any provocation given them maliciously and most barbarously murthered som hundreds of thousands of them driven the rest from their habitations robbed them of their Estates wounded maimed and most miserably intreated great numbers of others have burned their houses Casiles and Churches and have elected and made to and amongst themselvs several new Kings viz. the Pope the King of Spaine Owen M c Art O Neil Sr Phelim O Neil The Lord Maguire since deceased O Conner Dun of Sligoh Philip M c Hugh M c Sane O Rely Dermot M c Doolin Cavenagh and one O Shergil as doth and will fully appear in the examinations taken in that behalf and becaus also those rebellious Irish have declined all English government returned to their barbarous manners and customs have set up a new government have vowed and many of them taken the Sacrament to destroy not only all the men women and children of the English Protestants but also all irrational Creatures of the English breed and becaus also they have in a most high manner as farr as they could prophaned the Churches books and daies of God's true worship have brought to death as many Professors of his truth as they could possiblie surprise and have dilated their power and strength in the acting and perpetrating of any crime destructive to the English Protestants and which might render themselvs uncapable of mercie protection or safetie from the people of England therefore none ought to be given them nor ought the sword now justly and upon necessitie drawn out against them be returned to the Scabbard before that destruction they denounced and resolved to execute upon the English be retaliated upon themselvs least such mercie be recompenced with a curs as the holie Ghost by the Prophet in a case such semblance pronounced Jer. 28.10 Cursed bee bee that doth the work of the Lord negligently and cursed bee hee that keepeth back his Sword from bloud But I wonder from what the Querist mean's they should be protected saved or defended if hee intend it to bee from that punishment they have so justly merited by their Rebellion and wickedness past according to that protection and those Concessions they lately had by Compact with Ormond grounded upon a Commission from the late King Charle To that I answer That if the indulgent English should grant it to them no doubt they would accept and make use of it so long as they should finde it to promote and be consistent with their own ends and surely they would to themselvs take up no little glorie to meet with such a color of justification as they might thereby transferr their odious guilt upon the Protectors so much elevate the policie and wit of the old Serpent their dread Lord and Master above the English Protestant genius and bee thereby also the further enabled to destroy the remaining Partie of the Protestants in Ireland too precious wee hope to bee the price of their securitie But for further resolution These rebellious Inhabitants of Ireland are so contemptuous to the English laws so opposite in profession to the English Protestant so hardned in their wickedness envie and hatred against God's truth and them for the truth's sake and so wil ully bent to persist as till suppressed they will not omit but contrariwise with greediness draw into their confederacie countenance and assistance any whether forreign Prince or other person and never think themselvs in good condition or safetie until if possible they have sounded the dreinings of the English veins to their abyss through their deepest lakes of bloud and have brought the undestroied part of the English to the lowest ebb of tranquilitie which they will endeavour to effect and hasten on as well by Sea as Land and have in most esteem all malignant Parties lending a hand and enabling them to effect it But the Lord prevent them Something may bee said concerning Edmond Gawre who delivered the formerly recited and answered cavilling Queres to Mr Theodore Jennings who delivered them over to the Lord President of the Council of State as that it is verie like lie he is an Irishman and one whom by credible information doth or lately did covertly cnnningly shelter among the soldierie in or about Londor and is a Jesuitical Papist for the verie Queres themselvs smel of the breath of a Jesuit the truth whereof may do well if found out by inquisition after his present being parentage and education which is left to the discretion of those eminent persons in anthoritie the Impostorâ—s then present drift being to retard and hinder if possible forces and succors from our Partie in Ireland at that time when the Land was in greatest danger to bee â—ent and taken from us FINIS