to rouse them out to weed them not to rake them over not to tread them down but utterly to root them up this lesson the Tyrant himself taught me for demanding once of him by way of Parable how Land might be freed from certain ravenous Fowls that annoyed it he advised us to watch where they bred and fire their Nests about their Ears let us go then and fall upon these Cormorants which shrowd themselves in our possessions and let us destroy them that neither nest nor root neither seed nor stalk neither branch nor stump remain of this cursed and ungracious Generation He had scarce ended his Oration when the People with shouts of Joy extolled him as the Defender of their Lives and Liberties assuring him of their utmost assistance and so joining their Forces they with a running Camp in a very short time cleared every corner of the 〈◊〉 of the Norwegians razing their Castles to 〈…〉 killing all that resisted and banishing 〈…〉 whereby every Prince again recovered his own Government The Histories of Denmark relate that some time before this Fridlenus King of the Danes arriving in Ireland besieged Dublin but perceiving it hard to take by reason of the strength of the Walls he contrived to catch a number of Swallows who had their Nests in the Houses within the City and tying Wildfire to their feet they flying home set the Houses on Fire which whilst the Citizens endeavoured to quench they entred the City after which Gonno the third King of Denmark though a Pagan Married Thyra Daughter to the Christian King Etheldred of Brittain by whom he had two Sons Canute and Harold who first invaded England and then Ireland where at the Siege of Dublin Canute was slain who for his Valour was so extreamly beloved by his Father that he vowed to kill him with his own hands who should bring him Tydings of his Death Gonno was now very old and blind pleasing himself in nothing more than hearing of the Victories of his Sons when therefore Q. Thyra had notice of her Sons Death which neither she nor any other durst discover to him she contrived to clothe her Husband all in Mourning and prepared all other things usual at a Funeral and then used many lamentable expressions of grief for the loss of some Friend which Gonno perceiving wo is me said he you then fignifie the Death of my Son Canute whereunto she answered that he himself and not she had now discovered the Truth whereupon for grief thereof he instantly gave up the Ghost We find little material in the Irish Chronicles from this time till the Conquest thereof by King Henry the Second which how it was occasioned I shall now relate In the year 1167. Dermot Macmur King of Leinster possessed all the East parts of the Isle along the Seacoasts using great cruelty toward the Lords and Gentry it happened that Morrice King of Meath going far into the Country Dermot in the mean time stole away his Queen by her consent which Morrice upon his return resolving to revenge represented it to Roderick O Conor King of Connaught and Monarch of all Ireland beseeching his assistance against the vile Adulterer the People of Leinster detesting both Dermot and his quarrel for his former Tyrannies universally forlook him so that he was forced to fly to King Henry the Second for succour who was then imployed in his Wars in France Henry had before cast an eye upon Ireland because they always assisted the French with men and Adrian an Englishman being now Pope he obtained his consent for the Conquest thereof upon condition of reducing the Inhabitants to Christianity who were almost turn'd barbarous at this very time Dermot offered him his service of which he was very joyful but having Wars with France he had not opportunity to go with him and therefore taking an Oath of Fidelity and Obedience from him he took him into his Protection and for his more speedy assistance sent him into England honourably attended with Letters Patents to this effect ' Henry King of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitain and Earl of Anjou to all our Faithful Subjects Englishmen Normans Welchmen and Scots and to all other Nations whatsoever subject to our Dominion fendeth Greeting When these Letters shall come to your hands know ye that we have received Dermot Prince of Leinster into the bosom of our Grace and Benevolence wherefore whosoever of our loving Subjects within our Dominions will aid assist and restore him as our Leige-man and Faithful Subject be you assured that you have not only our license but shall receive our favour and thanks for the same with these Letters he arrived at Bristow where he agreed with Richard Strongbow Earl of Pembroke to give him his only Daughter in Marriage for which the Earl was the next Spring to settle him in his Kingdom which was to descend to him in right of his Wife after Dermots decease in the mean time Robert Fitz Stephens and Maurice Fitz-Gerald his Brother Gentlemen of Wales promised Dermot that if he would assure them an Estate in the Town of Wexford for ever they would assist him to begin the recovery of his Country while the Earl of Pembroke was providing stronger Forces and accordingly Dermot going over privately before they with Thirty Knights Sixty Esquires and Three Hundred Archers landed in Ireland being the first Englishmen that ever came thither and marching toward Wexford Dormet met with them with five Hundred Men and joining their Forces they soon took the Town of Wexford which was freely given to Fitz Stephens according to their Covenant and their Army daily increasing they prevailed so much that Roderick the Monarch assembled all the Petty Kings to defend their Country at length an Agreement was made whereby Dermot was restored to his former Estate and more Forces arriving from England Dermot incouraged thereby resolved to be revenged of those of Dublin who had been great Enemies to him and his Father and marching thither they soon submitted themselves to him Now arrived the Earl of Pembroke with a considerable aid wherewith he made such notable Conquests that King Henry growing jealous of his greatness sent an Edict to recal all the English out of Ireland but the troubles raised by Thomas Becket Arch-bishop of Canterbury hindred the Prosecution thereof Pembroke was then in Dublin where he was closely besieged by the Irish under Roderick Dermot dying some time before and was at last reduced to such extremity that they resolved to Sally forth and dye like men rather than starve and so issuing out with not above two or three hundred men they valiantly assaulted their Enemies Camp consisting of near Thirty Thousand with so much resolution that with great slaughter of them they obtained a Glorious Victory chasing their Enemies till night came on and then returning Triumphantly with abundance of Provisions and Rich Spoil into the City Roderick himself hardly escaping with his Life after which the Earl of
Pembroke coming into England surrendered Dublin and all the Castles and Forts on the Sea coasts to King Henry and thereby removed his Jealousie and was again received into favour In 1172 King Henry the Second landed with a considerable Army whom Roderick in behalf of himself and all the other petty Princes of that Kingdom acknowledged for his Soveraign Lord and the supream Prince of all that Island so that none refused obedience to Henry but only the Province of Ulster the Christmas after the King Royally feasted all those Princes who were become his Subjects at Dublin and then taught the Irish first to eat Cranes flesh which was before abhorred by them He then called a Synod where divers abuses were reformed and new Canons made for the future Government of the Church and among others That since it had pleased God to bring them under the English Dominion they should for the future observe all the Rites and Ceremonies of the English Church Soon after King Henry returned to England being summoned by the Pope to answer for the death of Thomas Becket which occasioned much Trouble In 1185. Henry made over all his Right and Title to Ireland to his youngest Son John after King of England who Landing at Waterford accompanyed with a few Dissolute Companions whose advice he only regarded caused great Commotions whereupon he went back again the same year After the Death of his Brother Richard the first John succeeded and came again into Ireland setling the Country and Banishing the Lacies for some Misdemeanors but upon submission gave them pardon though not without paying him great Fines In 1300. Edward the first sent for Aid out of Ireland to Assist him in his Wars against Scotland and after his Death the Scots invaded Ireland being Assisted by the Wild Irish whereby the Country was miserably ruined four Princes of Connaught joyning with them but by the valour of the English eleven Thousand were slain in one Fight among whom were the King of Connaught Okelley a great Lord and divers others The Death of Okelly is somewhat Remarkable The Lord Bremingham Commander of the English Army sent one John Hussey his Esquire into the Field to view the dead Bodies and search whether his old mortal Enemy Okelley were slain among the rest Hussey goes only with one man to turn up the Bodies and was presently espied by Okelley that lay lurking behind a bush who knowing Hussey to be a stout man came towards him and said Hussey thou seest I am Armed at all points as well as my Esquire thou art naked with thy Page only so that had I not a great kindness for thee for thine own sake I would slay thee for the sake of thy Master but if thou wilt come and serve me as I desire I promise upon St. Patricks Staff to make thee a Lord of a greater Estate in Connanght than thy Master hath in Ireland These words not prevailing upon Hussey a lusty fellow belonging to Okelly began to reproach him for refusing so fair an offer so that Hussey had now three to deal with he therefore dispatcht this fellow first and then struck Okelleys Esquire such a blow under the Ear that he laid him for dead Lastly he fell upon Okelley himself and instantly slew him and then perceiving the Esquire who was only astonished with the stroke to revive again he caused him to carry his Lords Head upon a Truncheon and presented it to Bremingham who for this notable Service Knighted Hussey and gave him large possessions the Successors of whose Family were after Lords of Galtrim In King Edward the Seconds Reign the Lord Roger Mortimer was sent over Justice into Ireland at which time Edward Bruce Brother to Robert Bruce King of Scotland who had taken several places and caused himself to be Crowned King of Ireland was slain in a great Battle wherein the Scots were vanquished one Mawpas an Englishman who rushed into the midst of the fight to encounter Bruce hand to hand was in the search found dead fallen upon the Body of Bruce This year 1320. An University was erected in Dublin about which time the Lady Alice Kettell with her two Companions Petronelle and Basell were charged with Inchantment and that they had conference every Night with a Spirit called Robin Artisson to whom they Sacrificed in the Highway 9 red Cocks and 11 Peacocks eyes and that this Lady swept the Streets of Kilkenny in the Twilight bringing all the filth to the Door of her Son William Outlaw muttering these words 'To the House of William my Son ' Go all the Wealth of Kilkenny Town The Lady made her escape but in searching her Closet saith my Author they found a Wafer of Sacramental Bread having the Devils Name stamped thereon instead of Jesus Christ and an Ointment wherewith she greazed a staff upon which she galloped through thick and thin as she pleased Petronelle was burnt at Kilkenny upon this account In the Reign of King Edward the Third 1329. The Irish in Meath and Leinster Rebelled and Vanquisht the Earl of Ormond burning fourscore English in a Church and committing woful outrages at length the Citizens of Wexford falling upon them slew 400 the rest being drowned in the Water of Slane At this time Sir Robert Savage a wealthy Knight dwelt in Ulster who to secure himself from the incursions of the Irish began to fortifie his Mannor Houses with Castles and Ditches exhorting his Son and Heir to do the same for the benefit of himself and Posterity Father says young Savage I remember the Proverb better a Castle of Bones than of Stones where I have the strength and courage of Men by the Grace of God I will never incumber my self with dead Walls my Fort shall be the youthful Blood of my Friends and where I have room to fight The Father in a fume left building but the neglect of this Counsel was the Ruin of that and many other English Families in Ulster This Savage having raised Forces against the Irish gave to every man before the fight a stout Cup of Aquavitae Wine or strong Ale and provided Plenty of Beef Venison and Fowls for their return which his Captains disliking considering the uncertainty of War since the Enemy might happen to feast upon the same they being so few against a multitude of Irish he smiling Gentlemen said he You are too full of Envy this World is but an Inn wherein we have no certain Interest but are only Tenants at the will of the Lord. If it please him to command us hence as from our Lodging and set other good fellows in our Room what hurt can it be for us to leave them meat for their Suppers Let them stoutly win it and eat it If they should come to our Houses we could not but welcom them with what the Countrey affords and therefore much good may it do them with all my Heart however I have such confidence in your Courage and Gallantry that I doubt
not but we shall return home safe at Night and Banquet merrily upon our own Provisions Which happened accordingly for falling upon them they in a short time cut off three thousand Irish-men and returned triumphantly home In 1394. King Richard the Second being much grieved for the Death of his beloved Queen Ann not able to endure his Chambers of State without Tears passed over into Ireland to divert himself where divers Princes renewed their Homage to him In 1398. the Irish Rebelling Roger Mortimer Earl of March the Kings Lieutenant was slain with divers other Persons of Quality to Revenge which King Richard again sailed to Ireland and had several successful Skirmishes against them killing at one time two hundred of the Rebels and many more afterward and then going to Dublin he continued there some time divers Lords and Princes submitting themselves and were received very courteously by him During his stay here he had intelligence that Henry Duke of Lancaster his Uncle whom he had lately Banished was returned into England designing to deprive him of his Crown whereupon he committed the Dukes Son and the Duke of Glocesters Son both then in Ireland Prisoners to the Castle of Trim and then imbarquing arrived in Wales where he found such weak assistance that at length he fell into his Adversaries Hands and was Deposed by Authority of Parliament the Duke of Lancaster being admitted to Reign in his stead by the Name of Henry the Fourth In whose Second year Sir Stephen Scroop was made Lieutenant who was much exclaimed against by the People for his former Violences and Extortions under King Richard upon which his Lady assured him she would no longer continue with him there unless he took a Solemn Oath upon a Bible not knowingly or willingly to wrong any Christian Creature in that Kingâ—om and to repair all the wrongs he had done she hâ—â—ing made such a Vow to Christ that unless this were performed she could not live with him without peril of her Soul Her Husband consented hereto and became afterwards as Famous for Justice as he had been before Infamous for Oppression In the Reign of King Henry 5. 1420. James Butler Earl of Ormond being Lieutenant some of the Irish Lords making Insurrections the Earl fought with them in the red Moor of Athy where saith my Author the Sun being almost down miraculously stood still for three hours till the Irish who were commanded by Omore and his Terrible Army were utterly vanquished with the loss of a very few English neither did the bog or quagmire indamage either Horse or Man of Ormonds party till the feat was accomplished but continued firm like other ground In King Henry the Sixths Reign Richard Duke of York Father to Edward the fourth was Lieutenant his second Son George after Duke of Clarence being born in the Castle of Dublin The Earl of Desmond was Deputy in Edward the fourths time who speaking Disgracefully of the Kings marrying the Lady Elizabeth Gray she carried his Government in Ireland to be examined and for misdemeanours therein he was Condemned and Beheaded at Tredagh Girald Earl of Kildare was Deputy in Henry the Sevenths time to whom Richard Symonds a subtle Priest applyed himself bringing to him a young lad his Scholar named Lambert whom he affirmed to be the Son of George Earl of Clarence lately escaped out of the Tower of London the Youth had been so well Tutored and acted the part of a Prince so Gracefully that the Earl of Kildare and many others of the Nobility espoused his quarrel and Crowned him King in Dablin with much Joy and Triumph and then raising Forces they Imbarqued for England and Landed in Lancashire but were Defeated by King Henry's Army and Lambert taken but pardoned for Life In 1460. The Dutchess of Burgundy raised another Spirit or Illusion one Perkin Warbeck whom she sent into Ireland assuring the Lords that he was the youngest Son of King Edward the Fourth named Richard who had been strangely preserved from the Cruelty of his Uncle Crook-back but he being taken Prisoner confessed the whole Imposture In King Henry the 8ths time the Earl of Kildare was continued Deputy a plain open-hearted man very passionate and soon appeased Being once in a great Rage with his Servants one of his Esquires offered Mr. Boyce a Gentleman retainer an Irish Hobby upon Condition he would just then pluck an hair from the Earls Beard Mr. Boice took him at his word and knowing the Earls good Nature stept to him and acquainted him with the business Well said the Earl I am content but if thou pluck above one Hair I shall reach thee a sound Box on the Ear. Being accused before Henry the Seventh for burning the Cathedral of Cashels and many Witnesses appearing to justifie it he suddenly confest the Fact to the Wonder and Detestation of those present who admiring how he would come off By Jesus says he I would never have done it had I not been told that the Arch-bishop was within it Now he being there present and principal Accuser the King Laughed at the plainness of the man that he should alledge that for an Excuse which was the greatest Aggravation of his offence Lastly they sum'd up all in this Article Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl No quoth the King then in good Faith he shall Rule all Ireland and thereupon constituted him Deputy In 1521. Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey after Duke of Norfolk was made Lord Lieutenant and the Earl of Kildare was by the Contrivance of his Enemies summoned over into England to answer several Accusations against him and being brought before the Council the proud Cardinal Wolsey then Lord Chancellor charged him with several Misdemeanours as holding Correspondence with the Irish Rebels especially the Earl of Desmond his Kinsman who had been Treating with the French and Emperor about invading the Island and not seizing him when in his power with divers other Crimes using these Expressions to Kildare among others Surely this jugling and false play becomes neither a man of Honesty nor Honour had you but lost a Horse or a Cow two hundred of your Retainers had come at your whistle to rescue the Prey even from the uttermost parts of Ulster all the Irish in the Country must have fled before you but in pursuing so great an Enemy as Desmond merciful God! How nice how fearful how backward have you been One while he is from home another time he keeps close home sometimes he is fled sometimes on the Borders where you dare not venture I find my Lord there are dreadful Bugbears on the Borders which affright the Earl of Kidare Earl nay King of Kildare for when you please you can command like an Emperour where you are malicious the most Loyal Subjects are accounted Irish Enemies and where you plead an Irish Rebel shall pass for a dutiful Subject Hearts and Hands Lives and Fortunes lye all at your pleasure and those that do not fawn upon you
from declared Enemies I am none of King Henry's Deputy I am his Mortal Foe I have more mind to Conquer than to Govern to meet him in the Field than to serve him as an Officer if all the Hearts in England and Ireland who have cause fol to do would joyn in this quarrel as I hope they will they would soon make him repent his Tyranny and Cruelty for which the Ages to come may justly Register him amongst the most Barbarous Tyrants of Abominable and Hateful Memory The Lord Chancellor taking Lord Thomas by the hand requested him for the love of God to hear a few words and then made a most Passionate Oration accompanied with many Tears to disswade him from this rash Enterprize but all in vain for Lord Thomas thus proceeded It is very easie for the sound to give Counsel to the Sick if the Case were yours you would be as impatient it may be as I as you require me to Honour my Prince so Duty binds me to Reverence my Parents therefore he that Tyrannically designs to kill my innocent Father and threatens my Destruction I will never acknowledge to be my King if as you intimate I happen to miscarry I had rather dye valiantly and at Liberty than live under Henry in Slavery and Bondage With these words delivering up the Sword he flung away like a Madman and assembling all the Irish he could get together they committed several Outrages and Mischiefs and Scizing upon Alen Arch-Bishop of Dublin his Old Enemy his followers murdered him At length after many Skirmishes he was by the Lord Deputy Gray perswaded to submit himself to the King and going to England was committed to the Tower Orders being sent to Ireland for apprehending his five Uncles who were all Seized namely James Walter Oliver John and Richard Fitz Gerald though two of them always opposed their Nephews Proceedings but King Henry being incensed against them because he was informed that as long as any Geraldine breathed in the Countrey he could never Conquer it resolved to be rid of them all Thus were the Five Brethren Sailing to England some comforting themselves with the Kings Mercy and others with their own Innocency when Richard Fitz-Gerald who was more Bookish than the rest chanced to ask the Master what the Name of his Ship was who answering it was called the Cow nay then good Brethren quoth he I utterly despair of our return to Ireland for I remember I have heard an Old Prophecy that Five Brethren to an Earl should be carryed into England in the Belly of a Cow and never come back again At which words the rest began to howl and Lament in a grievous manner which seemed very strange to the Spectators that Five such Valiant Gentlemen should be so disturbed at an Old Prophecy However what he foretold proved true for they no sooner arrived but Thomas Fitz-Gerald was Executed at Tower-Hill and the Five Brethren Hanged and Quartered at Tyburn the Old Earl of Kildare died for grief in the Tower and Gerald the Younger Brother of Thomas flying out of Ireland Travelled many Forreign Countries and at length Died at Naples Soon after the Lord Deputy Gray was Beheaded on Tower-Hill being accused for holding Correspondence with the Fitz-Geralds though many thought him Innocent thereof In the Three and Thirtieth of King Henry the Eight the Title of King of Ireland was by a Parliament setled upon him and his Successors for ever whereas before they were only called Lords of Ireland During the short Reigns of King Edward the Sixth and Queen Mary our Chronicles relate little of any Transactions in Ireland In 1566. The Seventh of Queen Elizabeth for the great Fame of her Wisdom Donald Mac Carti More a great Potentate of Ireland came and delivered up into her hands all his ample Territories which she restored to him again and in requital created him Earl of Glencare giving him many Presents and paying the expence of his Voyage In 1570 O Brian Earl of Thomond not brooking the severe Government of Edward Fitton President of Connaught entered into a Conspiracy which being ready to break forth was strangely discovered For the day before they meant to take up Arms Fitton knowing nothing of it sent word to the Earl in a friendly manner that the next day he and some of his Friends would come and dine with him the Earl having a guilty Conscience thought his designs were revealed and that Fitton would rather come as an Enemy than a Guest Whereupon he presently fled to France where he confessed the whole to Queen Elizabeths Ambassador by whose Intercession he was afterwards pardoned and restored Four years after Sir Henry Sydney Lord Deputy going into Ulster several Irish Grandees submitted themselves and were received into favour In 1583 the famous Rebel Gerald Fitz-Gerald the eleventh Earl of Desmond of this Family having a long time escaped the English in his lurking places was now discovered by a Common Souldier in a poor Cottage and there slain his Head was sent into England and set upon London-bridge This end had this great Lord who possessed whole Countreys and had at least five hundred Gentlemen of his own Name and Race all whom and his own Life also he lost within three years very few of his Family being left alive And this disaster he fell into by being Trayterous to his Prince at the instigation of certain Popish Priests of whom the chief was one Nicholas Sanders an Englishman who at the same time died miserably of Famine for running mad upon his ill success he wandred up and down the Mountains finding nothing to sustain him In 1558 the Bourks raised a Rebellion the Irish declaring they would have one of that Family rule over them or some other Lord out of Spain neither could they be quieted till the President of Connaughts Brother following them into the Woods drove away five thousand head of their Cattel so that after forty days half starved they came forth and submitted themselves But the President understanding that about this time two thousand Scotch Islanders were landed and joined with the Irish and ready to break into Connaught he musters up his Men to give them Battel but they flying to Bogs and Woods he retires back as though in fear thereby to draw them to the firm ground and then set upon them with his whose force slaying three thousand which was all their number except fourscore by which notable Victory the insolent attempts of the Scotch Islanders were wholly crushed In 1590. Hugh Cavelock so called because he had been so long kept in Fetters the Son of Chan O Neal accused Hugh Earl of Tyrone for holding correspondence with the Spaniards in 88. who to prevent the accusation took a Cord and with his own hands strangled Hugh For which being sent for over he was pardoned upon Condition of future obedience and reducing the Countrey to Civility After this Mac-Mahon a potentate of Ireland compelled those under him to
pay tribute whereupon the Deputy caused him to be taken and tried by a Jury of Common Souldiers and then to be hanged up dividing his lands between some of the Mahons and the English Then Brian O Roch fearing he should be served in the same manner raised a Rebellion and being defeated fled into Scotland but at the Queens request was delivered up and was arraigned at Westminster for dragging the Queens Picture at an Horse-tail and for giving the Spaniards entertainment which being told him by an Interpreter for he could speak no English he said he would not be tryed unless the Queen her self were Judge but being informed this was the Law he only said ' If it must be so it must be so and was condemned and executed at Tyburn which he valued as little as if all had been in Jest In 1596 Tyrone with considerable forces raised a Rebellion and was proclaimed Traytor after which he gave the English a great defeat whereupon all Ulster Munster and Connaught were in Arms against the English at length the Earl of Essex was sent against him who instead of fighting made a Truce with him But afterwards the English so prevailed that Tyrone finding his condition desperate resolved to throw himself upon the Queens mercy without Conditions hereupon being admitted to the presence of the Deputy at the very entry of the Room he fell on his Knees begging pardon for his great fault against God and a most bountiful Prince the next day the Deputy took him along with him to Dublin intending to send him to England but before he could come thither the Queen died In King James his Reign Tyrone and all his adherents absolutely submitted to his Majesties pleasure who by an Act of Oblivion published by Proclamation under the Great Seal did forgive and utterly extinguish all offences against the Crown and all particular Trespasses between Subject and Subject to all who would come into the Justice of Assize by such a day and claim the benefit thereof by which all the Irishry who in former times were generally left under the Tyranny of their Lords Cheiftains and had no defence nor justice from the Crown were now received into his Majesties immediate protection The publick peace being thus established publick Justice was next setled by dividing all Ireland into shires and erecting Circuits in every Province and governing all things therein according to the Laws of England and lastly the Estates and possessions of the English as well as Irish were setled throughout the Kingdom to the great comfort and security of all men and thereupon ensued the calmest and most universal peace for above forty years that ever was seen in Ireland Yet the foundation thereof was not so strongly laid but it received a shake by the first Storm that threatned England For being ingaged in a War with France and Spain about the beginning of the Reign of King Charles the I. 1627. there was occasion for sending some additional Forces into Ireland for the security thereof upon which a Proposition was made to the chief of the Irish Nation by the Lord Deputy Falkland for contributing a competent sum of money toward the maintenance of those Forces to be established by the way of a standing Army to which they would not condescend without a Toleration of Religion first obtained though Arch-bishop Usher then Lord Primate of all Ireland in a great Assembly of Irish and English at Dublin used many cogent Arguments to persuade them to it and among others That their being Romanists would not exempt them the more from the danger of a Common Enemy as they might conjecture from the answer which the Duke of Medina Sidonia gave in this case in 1588. That his Sword knew no difference between a Catholick and an Heretick but that he came to make way for his Master Divers other notable instances he gave whereby he prophetically intimated what afterward fell upon Ireland in 1641. when above one hundred and fifty thousand Brittish Planters were most inhumanely massacred by the outragious Irish without the least provocation given to prepetrate such wicked and unparallell'd acts of Barbarism But before I proceed to give an account of that dismal Tragedy I will make some brief deduction of some former Transactions in this Kingdom and discover the beginnings and progress of the General Rebellion in 1641. Ireland for near five hundred years has continued under the Soveraignty of the Crown of England and presently after its first Conquest was planted with English Colonies long since worn out or generally become Irish and therefore hath in this last age been supplied with great numbers of People from England and Scotland to settle there The Irish as we have related want not many Fabulous inventions to magnifie the Original of their Nation but whether the Scythians Gauls Africans Goths or some other Eastern Nations that antiently inhabited Spain came and sate down there is very uncertain yet their Manners Customs words names and still retained Ceremonies seem very much to demonstrate their first rise from some of those People For it may be conjectured that as the Eastern Parts of Ireland bordering upon England were first planted by the old Brittains several of their words being still in use and as the Northern Parts were first inhabited by the Scythians from whom it was called Scyteland or Scotland So the South and more Western Ports thereof were peopled by the Maritime Parts of Spain being the next Continent not by the present Spanish Nation who are now a different mixture of People but it is probable by the Gauls who anciently inhabited all the Sea-coasts of Spain The whole Kingdom of Ireland was divided into five principal Cheiftains or Commanders that is Macmorough of Leinster Mac-cartye of Munster O Neal of Ulster O Connor of Connaught and O Malaghlin of Meath who were called Kings but as they had neither Hereditary Right nor Lawful Election so they were neither Anointed nor Crowned but made their way by the Sword and were invested with certain Barbarous Ceremonies and ruled with all manner of Tyranny the People being absolute slaves to all the savage Customs practised under their Dominion which continued till the reign of Henry II. King of England in whose time the undertaking for the Conquest of Ireland was very Successful being made by most Powerful though private Adventurers upon this occasion Dormet Mac-Morough King of Leinster being forced to fly his Countrey by the Kings of Conaught and Meath repaired to King Heary then personally attending his Wars in France and earnestly implored his Aid for recovering his Territories most Injuriously as he pretended taken from him The King refused to imbark in the quarrel yet graciously Recommended the Justice of his Cause to all his Loving Subjects and assured them that whoever would Assist Dermot should have free Liberty to Transport their Forces and be held to do very acceptable Service therein Whereupon Strangebow Earl of Pembroke resolved as a private
Besiege Dungannon but finding little hopes of reducing it quickly he resolves to go to Kilkenny and the Marquess of Ormond and the Lord Inchequeen retiring without hindring his March he took in several strong Towns and Forts and at length Attacks Kilkenny with such Vigor that he took it in 6 days time after which he Besieges Clonmell a strong Garrison during which Colonel Reynolds and Hewson attack Trim and the Lord Broghill Defeats the Bishop of Ross who designed to relieve Clonmell which soon after was taken by Assault and a great carriage made because of their Obstinacy in defending the same After this Cromwell having in 10 Months done the Work of so many years returns to England and Colonel Ireton being made Lord Deputy is sent over thither there being only Lymrick Waterford Galloway and some few Castles in the hands of the Irish the first of which was Surrendred to him Oct. 29. 1651. But he dying Collonel Edmond Ludlow Succeeded him as Lieutenant General of the Army of that Kingdom The War was now almost at at end and the Lord Claurivard being in Galloway sends a Letter to Ludlow to desire him to appoint Commissioners to meet with others for the composure and conclusion of this wasting bloody War which Ludlow refused but sent him word That if the Irish would submit they should have such Articles and Conditions as were fit for them This prevailed on several Parties as the Lord Muskerries Fitz Patricks and the Odroyrs to come in and submit upon condition they might Transport their Forces into the Service of the King of Spain The Earl of Ormond and the Lord Inchequeen not pleased with the sace of Affairs left that Kingdom some time before and went to France and in 1652. the remaining Irish under the Lord Clanrick and having received several Defeats by the English Forces May 12. Galloway was Surrendred and afterward the whole Country was Reduced to the Obedience of the English Parliament Sir Phelim O Neal the Arch-Rebel being likewise taken Hanged and Quartered The last of the Irish who held out in the Boggs and Fastnesses was General O Brian who at length finding the weakness of his Party and weary of his sculking condition obtained the usual Articles of Transportation upon which Articles it was reckoned that from the year 1652. to 1653. near 27000. Irish had departed the Kingdom and the rest were Transported into the Province of Connaught environed on one side by the Sea and lockt up by Rivers and Garrisons on the other out of which they were not to stir under a severe penalty By this means the Country was much Depopulated and the Lord Fleetwood and the Commissioners in Ireland sent over Letters that some English Colonies might be sent thither to inhabit great Priviledges being offered to them that would Transport themselves and accordingly went over to better their Fortunes and in a short time this Harassed and Ruinated Kingdom began to flourish again both in Tillage Buildings and all other Accomodations I have been very brief in relating any thing of the Affairs of England or of the Actions of Oliver Cromwell in this Kingdom having already published 2 Books one the History of the Wars of England with all the most Remarkable passages till the Death of King Charles I. And his Tryal and last Speech at large And another called the History of the Life and Actions of Oliver Cromwell with his Death and Burial both of the same value with this to which I refer the Reader for further satisfaction In 1654. The Lord Fleetwood was Sworn Lord Deputy of Ireland Serjeant Steel was made Lord Chancellor and Serjeant Pepys Lord Chief Justice Collonel Hammond Corbet with others being made of the Privy Council they ordered that March 1. 1654. should be the longest time allowed to the Irish to Transport themselves out of that Kingdom under very severe penalties But a while after Oliver Cromwell having taken the Government upon himself with the Title of Lord Protector in July 1655. Henry Cromwell his Son was made by him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the place of the Lord Fleetwood all things still continuing very quiet there The same year Arch-Bishop Usher of Armagh dyed a Prelate of incomparable Learning and Piety upon whose Funeral the Protector expended 200 l. After the Death of Oliver Cromwell his Son Richard Succeeded but in a short time was removed from the Government by M. General Lambert and the Army and the Remnant of the Long Parliament restored in 1659. who sent Dispatches to the Lord Henry to Surrender the Government of Ireland to Chancellor Steel and Lord Chief Baron Corbet which he did without opposition and to oblige the Parliament the more signified by an Express that he was preparing to come for England with all speed to give them an account of that Kingdom which he had left in a very good conditon and hoped that his Successor might reap more Content in the Government than he hath found After his Arrival he applyed himself to the Council of State and had Liberty by an Order to go into the Country or whither he pleased But the Nation being Discontented at the continual Fluctuations of the Government the Long Parliament being soon after turned out again by the Army the People generally desired a Free Parliament And General Monk marching out of Scotland with his Army and Reinstating the Parliament and restoring the Excluded Members in March 1659. they Dissolved themselves having sent out Writs for Electing a New Representative to meet April 25 following and about the same time Sir Charles Coot in Ireland declares himself for a Free Parliament and thereupon possest himself of Dublin Castle having before Surprized Galloway from Collonel Sadler in this manner He invited him and his Officers all Zealots for the long Parliament to his House over the Water to be merry which done Sir Charles pretended a desire to drink a glass of Wine in Galloway privately with the Collonel So they two Secretly took a Boat with each a Servant and being on the other side Sir Charles said Collonel Sadler I am resolved for a Free Parliament and to have this Garrison you have a Sword about you draw and fight or else ingage your Honour you will make no disturbance in the Town upon our Admission and my Declaration To which Sadler Surprized and Troubled answered He would Acquiesce upon this he caused the Gate to be opened and Sir Charles having declared himself the Souldiers cryed out A Coot a Coot and a Free Parliament After this he secured Sadler and Sir Hardress Waller at Dublin and immediately all Ireland declared themselves satisfied in this Change offering their Lives and Fortunes in the Defence of the Parliament then Assembled and soon after a Convention was called at Dublin in Nature of a Parliament to provide for the safety of the Kingdom from whence the Lord Shannon Sir John Clothworthy and Major Aston were sent as Commissioners to England where the Parliament