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
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
cannot be far from 〈◊〉 where Vice is Patroniz'd and Antrim a Rebel upon Record and so lately and clearly proved one should have no other Colour for his Actions but the King 's own Letter which takes off all Imputations from Antrim and lays them totally upon his own Father Sir I shall by the next if possible send you over one of our Briefs against my Lord by some Friend It 's too large for a Pacquet it being no less in Bulk than a Book of Martyrs Well might the Irish decline their Tryals by indifferent Juries and Appeal to this Court of Claims which the Lord Chief Justice Santry declared was like the Usurpers High Court of Justice Arbitrary and Unlimited and the English complained that the Natives by this Illegal Court were made Innocent though they were known to be deeply concerned in the Rebellion for that it was beyond all peradventure that not 10 of the Irish Papists were free from Rebellion and Murther and most of them stood Indicted and Outlawed for Treason and therefore dispaired upon their Tryal at the Bar to make any considerable defence Upon this a New Act was prepared to explain the former But Talbot after Tyrconnel being made a Principal Agent for the Irish and they insinuating themselves into the favour of Rainsford afterward made a Judge in England for his good Services in Ireland and the Commissioners of the Court of Claims it so fell out that though it was believed upon the Kings Restoration there could not have been the twentieth part of Ireland gained from the English Yet by Recommendatory Letters and other Stratagems of the Court in England there was almost an half of the Kingdom in value lost and at the same time the most Innocent Irish lost their Estates and the greatest Rebels got twice more than they had before the Rebellion began to such a height was Popery already grown which so far incouraged the Irish that they often told the English that in a short time the Protestants must be all of their Religion In 1669. The Lord Roberts was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland but soon recalled and John Lord Berkley was sent in his Room In 1670. The Papists set up a pretence that the King when in Exile had ingaged to the French King to restore the Irish to their Religion and Estates which not being done might occasion a Breach with that Crown Whereupon Commissions were sent to Irish Papists to make them Justices of Peace in which Office they soon discovered themselves to be so partial and insolent that their proceedings were abhor'd not only by the Protestants but the most thinking Irish After this there was a design for Regulating the Corporations of Ireland and the Popish Party began with Dublin where without any Legal proceeding or pretence 7 of the Aldermen and Sir William Davis the Recorder who were opposite to the Romish Party were turned out in a Tumultuous Irregular manner and 7 of the Rabble put in their places and Sir Ellis Leaton the Lord Lieutenants Secretary was made Recorder and Papists were daily brought into the Common Council to the great Terror of the Citizens who plainly perceived that the design was apparently level'd at the Foundation of the Protestant Interest and Religion and for introducing Popery and Arbitrary Power In which Opinion they were confirmed by some Passages that happened about the same time Particularly that Talbot the Popish Archbishop of Dublin in 1672. Desiring of the Lord Lieutenant to borrow the Hangings of the Castle Silver Candlesticks and other Plate to the use at High-â—â—â—ss they were sent by Sir Ellis Leaton with this Complement that he hoped to have High Mass by Christmas at Christ-Church To effect which soon after an horrid Plot was discovered whereby all the Protestants were to have been barbarously Murthered and the Signal appointed to Distinguish the Irish from the Hereticks was a Cross of Straw which the Priests earnestly enjoyned every one to fix over their Doors telling them the omission thereof might be their Ruine for where the Cross were not found they would be destroyed as Hereticks But this Horrid Conspiracy being happily Discovered upon Search small Crosses of Straw not easily perceived were found on the Houses of most of the Irish in the Province of Munster But the Government of Ireland was at that time so Popishly inclined that they would not incourage the further Discovery thereof and those that appeared earnest in laying it open had their Cattel stole and were threatned to have their Houses burnt so that the whole Villainy was husht up in silence In 3673. The Earl of Essex was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the proceedings in the former year being thought by Courts of England too bare-faced This worthy and prudent Governor managed Affairs with so much skill and integrity that the Papists could hope for no Advantage whilst he held the Sword therefore one Sheredon and Edward Coleman were thought fit Instruments to imbarrass Affairs and manage the Catholick Interest but by the unparallel'd Conduct of this prudent Earl he so far outvy'd the Romish Politicks as to Cajole that Party into an approbation of those Proceedings which proved fatally Destructive to their designs of which at length the D. of York was so sensible that he became his inveterate enemy and set up private designs against him and at length prevailed to have him recalled and in 1677. the Duke of Ormond was again sent Lord Lieutenant thither This year the Papists set up another Project which was that the French should make some new Demands for the Irish upon pretence of the Articles made by King Charles 〈◊〉 in their favour and the King of England was to admit the French to Land Men The Earl of Tyrone the Lord Brâ—â—as and others were also to raise Men in Ireland in order to make a diversion to the putting the Popish Plot in force in England and an Insurrection was designed at the same time in Ireland the King was unacquainted with the chief part of the contrivance the Duke of York having undertaken to qualifie him if he should hear of the Irish Intreague but this was divulged by some of the Irish and the King was hardly prevailed with not to believe it at length the King and Council fearing some danger from Ireland the Duke of Ormond was sent thither and the Duke of York did not think it seasonable to oppose it but yet prevailed so powerfully with the King that he sent Orders for raising Men in Ireland upon pretence of Forreign Service they were all Papists except some Officers who were ready to be so but the Lord Lieutenant would not deliver them Arms so they were exercised with Sticks The next year 1678 the Popish Plot was discovered in England and soon after that in Ireland which was detected by those of their own Party and Religion not one Protestant appearing as evidence against them Upon which Orders came from England for Disarming all Papists but their Friends at
Chief Justice Nugent Lord Chief Baron Rice and Neagle drew up the Form of an Act which in the nature of it gave the whole Lands of Ireland into the Hands of the King and though the Catholicks were to have but half their Estates yet the other part was under such qualifications as the King might dispose of them to those who were most Obedient and Useful to him This was brought over by these 3 who were called the Irish Ambassadors and at length approved of by Father Peters and presented to the King with strong Assurances that if he would but call a Parliament there they could have whom they pleased elected all Corporations being already put into Popish hands and all the Sheriffs of Counties Papists who would be sure to make returns as they thought fit King James who was become a Vassal to the French King durst not refuse their Proposals for fear of disobliging him and having as he constantly did debated it in the Cabinet Councel it was resolved to be brought into the Privy Council which the King did accordingly and being read the Lord Bellasis passionately inveighed against it saying That if such Designs as these were incouraged the Catholicks of England had best in time look out for another Country and not stay to be a mad Sacrifice for Irish Rebels others seconded it and none durst offer any thing in behalf of it afterwards the 3 Irish Ambassadors had Audience at the Council where Rice spoke in the behalf of the rest but the Lords Bellasis and Pours called him Fool and Knave even in the Kings presence Bellasis bidding them make hast to the Fool their Master and bid him next Message he sent to imploy Wiser Men and upon a more honest Errand and every one fell so violently upon them that they kissed the Kings Hand and departed he himself not speaking a word but instantly breaking up the Council And the noise of their Business being known abroad the Boys in the Streets run after the Coach where Rice and Nugent at any time were with Potatoes stuck in sticks crying out make way for the Irish Ambassadors In 1688. The Joyful News of the Birth of the supposed Prince of Wales arrived there about the same time with that of the Imprisoning the Bishopâ— in the Tower which filled them with such exaltations that they could hardly bear it Glorying They had now a Prince who would become a Patron to Holy Church and perpetuate the Catholick Religion to all Posterity by the utter extirpation of Heresie It is remarkable that as soon as ever it was publickly declared the Queen was with Child the Irish throughout the Nation were so confident that it would be a Son that they offered to lay 20 Guinies to one of it which the English were very sensible they would never have ventured had they not been acquainted with the Mystery of it And now they express their Rejoycing with Bonfires Bagpipes Drinking and Revelling for several Nights together forcing the English to come out of their Beds and to drink the King and Princes good Health with Confusion to their Enemies upon their Knees which they well understood were the Protestants and such as would not comply were called Fanatick Oliverian Dogs and they hardly refrain'd from Murthering them and the Officers of Christ-Church were committed to the Stocks because Tyrconnel fancyed that the Bells did not Ring merrily enough on that occasion But the Scripture says The Joy of the Wicked is short and so theirs proved for a while after a Ship came from Amsterdam to Dublin with Letters from a Friend of Tyrconnels to acquaint him that he did imagine the Prince of Orange had a Design against England since none in Holland could guess what else the great and hasty preparations made there should mean Tyrconnel sent this Letter to the Secretary of State who shewed it the King but they made no other use of it than to Scorn and Redicule his Intelligence as the Secretary did in a Letter sent back to him But fresh Suspicions daily arose and the matter seemed still more probable whereupon the huffing Irish called the English Rebels saying they were sure they would joyn with the Prince and as certain that they would be beaten and be served the same sauce as Monmoth was and Bloodily and Maliciously exprest themselves against the Prince whose Head they threatned to stick on a Pole and carry it round the Kingdom and after K. James Proclamation came to them L. C. Justice Nugent that Confident Ignorant Irishman in his Charge to the Jury among other Vilifying Reproaches upon the P. of Orange Audaciously and Impudently added that now the States of Holland were weary of their Prince they had sent him over to be drest as Monmouth was but that was too good for him and that he doubted not before a Month passed to hear that they were hung up all over England in Bunches like Ropes of Onions At this time of his present Majesties Descent into England the Popish Army in Ireland were about 8000 whereof near half were sent into England to assist K. James and the other were dispersed up and down the Kingdom being but an handful in comparison of the Protestants who had Arms enough in Dublin alone to have Mastered them and it was proposed by some when they heard the King had sent Commissioners to Treat with his Highness the Prince of Orange to Seize the Castle of Dublin with the Stores and Ammunition which had been very Feasible by securing Tyrconnel who had only 600 Men to guard him and they by the continual Expresses from England of the wonderful Progress of the Princes Forces were so generally Discouraged that they declared themselves desirous to lay down their Arms proposing to themselves only to remain in the same condition they were in K. Charles II. time and Tyrconnel himself commanded the Protestants to signifie the same to their Friends in England that he was willing to part with the Sword upon those Terms with K. James his leave For though he received the first News of the Princes Landing with the greatest Disdain and Contempt Boasting that he was able to raise an Army of an Hundred Thousand Men on a Months notice and gave Commissions to every one that would accept of them yet the additional Accounts of his Highnesses daily Success raised such a Consternation in him that by all his Actions it did sufficiently appear he had no thoughts of standing out and all his Discourses expressed his Disordered and ill Apprehension of the present Tendency of Affairs which was much increased by the dreadful Alarm that the Protestants had from a Letter sent to the Earl of Mount Alexander giving him an account of an Horrible Massacre designed upon the Protestants on December 9. being Sunday the Letter came to Dublin the Friday before and the News thereof so Terrified the Protestants that the next Day above 3000 got away into the Ships that were in the Harbor at that time
which were so cramm'd that they were ready to be stifled Deserting their Houses and all that ever they had in the World and running to the Ships with scarce Cloaths on their Backs and went to the Isle of Man in England or the North of Ireland such strange Confusions and Distractions did the Dread of the Barbarous and cruel usage which they feared from the Irish produce many of them having been eye witnesses of the Horrid Murders and Ravages committed by them in 1641. Tyrconnel having notice of this sudden Hurry on Sunday Morning sent two Protestant Lords to perswade the People not to go away and ordered a Yatch to fetch back them that were gone but both proved ineffectual He then sent to some of the Principal Protestants in Dublin assuring them with many Oaths and Protestations that he had an utter Abhorrence of any such Design as Massacring the Protestants and beg'd them to perswade their their Friends not to remove The dreadful Tydings Arrived at other places in Ireland that very Sunday Morning while the People were at Church and struck them with such Horror and Amazement for fear of present Destruction that many for hast got out of the Windows others were ready to be squeezed to Death at the Doors many left their Hats and Periwigs behind them yea the Cloaths on their Backs were torn to pieces in the Crowd others were trampled under Foot and the Women in worse condition then the Men Nay for several Sundays after the Protestants carried Arms with them to Church the Minister himself being Armed while Preaching whether the Design was real or no or whether this Discovery prevented it is not known but certainly the dread of it produced the greatest Horror Grief and Despair that Humane Nature could be capable of In this Consternation things continued till Janunuary when advice coming of K. James his flying to France the Irish Lords moved Tyrconnel to deliver up the Sword which many thought he would have been easily perswaded to since at the beginning of the Alarm it was believed that he would be the first Man in the Government who would endeavour his escaping having already packt up most of his Goods of Value and shipt some of his Treasure His whole Council were of the Opinion that he should surrender and he finding himself so very weak and so much in the power of the Protestants protested to them with the deepest Oaths and Curses according to his usual Acts of Dissimulation Falshood and Flattery That he would be rid of the Government very willingly so as it might be with Honour that it was easy for him to ruine and destroy the Kingdom and make it not worth a Groat but impossible to preserve it for his Master At another time he told them that he could not deliver the Sword with Honour till it was demanded and askt them whether they would have him throw it over the Castle Wall for there was none to take it Some imagined that he intended in earnest to have parted with it especially if it had been demanded before K. James went into France having likewise before procured Letters to be sent to England to excuse the Male Administrations in the Government and that it was the Opinion of all the Catholicks that the Kingdom would be ruined and themselves also if they yielded not to the Prince of Orange that they would be contented to be reduced to the same State they were in when King James came to the Crown c. But after all the generality of the Protestants were of Opinion that he meant nothing less only designed to gain time and delude them till he had got a kind of an Army together to master them and they were confirmed therein by his Secret giving out 500 Commissions of one sort and another in a Day The Irish likewise assembled in great Bodies and and were called Rapparees Armed with Skeins and Half-Pikes killing the Cattle of the English and stealing an 100 or 2 at once in a Night so that many Substantial Protestants who owned several Hundreds of black Cattel and Sheep c. had not one left and for 40 Miles together in the Province of Munster the Irish Cabbins were full of Beef stoln from the English which they did not so much as bestow salt upon but hung it up in the Smoak so that it lookt and stunk as bad as Carrion It was affirmed that in 9 Days the Irish stole eleven thousand Cattel in that one Province and at length to compleat the miseries of the Protestants they Robbed and Pillaged their Houses so that those who had lived in great Hospitality and Plenty now wanted Bread to eat and had nothing left to preserve them from Starving All this while the New Levies were Mustering every Day the Priests putting off their Wolves Clothing and with their Swords and Periwigs turn'd Commanders and Exercised the Irish Soldiers All the Scum and Rascality of the Country were made Officers every where Papists inlisted themselves and the Priests suffered no Man to come to 〈…〉 that did not Arm himself with a Skeine and 〈…〉 Pike the better Sort of their Captains and i◠〈…〉 or Officers had been Foot-men or Servants to Protestants most of them Sons or Descendants of the Rebels in 1641. who had Murthered so many Protestants many were Outlawed and Condemned Persons for Torying and Robbing no less then 14 Notorious Tories were Officers in Cormuck O Neals Regiment And these New Commissioned Officers were obliged without pay to subsist their Men as they called it being between 40 and 50000 for three Months a thing impossible for them to do since most of them were not able to maintain themselves which gave mortal apprehensions to the Protestants who had reason to fear the Destruction that immediately fell on them when they saw their Enemies in Arms and their own Lives and Goods in the power and at the Mercy of those Thieves Robbers and Tories now Armed and Authorized from whom they could scarce secure themselves when it was in their power to pursue and hang them And this was acknowledged by one of their own Justices who in his Charge at the Quarter-Sessions declared That among other Conveniences which they received from this Government one was That it had rid them of Tories for all these were taken into the Kings Army Tyrconnel and his Council were still in amaze and Confusion and all unanimous to submit except Nugent and Rice but on a sudden they came to a Conclusion that might quiet the Irish Lords who were for Submission to the Prince and Goverrment of England and the Project was That the Lord Montjoy a Protestant and the Lord Chief â—â—ron Rice should be sent over to the late King 〈…〉 in France to Represent to him The im 〈…〉 â—â—ility of their holding out against England 〈…〉 â—he necessity to yield to the time and make 〈◊〉 best Terms they could till a better Opportunity presented to serve himself of his Irish Subjects This
was a Jesuitical Stratagem contrived by Rice and Neagle as one of them afterward boasted carryed on without the privity of any but the Lord Deputy and themselves and every Body told the Lord Montjoy that it was all Sham and Trick only to amuse the Protestants and remove him out of the way who was most likely to Head them Yet the Lord Tyrconnel Swore most Solemnly that he was in earnest in this Message and that he knew the French Court would oppose it to the utmost who regarded only their own interest and did not care if Ireland were sunk into the Pit of Hell so they could give the Prince of Orange a Diversion but for 3 Months but said he if the King be perswaded to Ruin his fastest Friends only to gratifie France and do himself no Service he is neither so Merciful nor Wise as I believe him to be If he recover England Ireland will fall in course but he can never expect to conquer England by Ireland If he Attempts it he ruins Ireland to do himself no kindness but rather to exasperate England the more against him and make his Restoration impossible intimating that if the King would not do it he would look on his refusal to be forced on him by those in whose power he was and that he should think himself obliged to do it without his consent The Lord Montjoy alledged That his going into France could not influence the Councils in England who could reduce the Kingdom without his Assistance and that he must either obey the Deputy or Declare War against him and K. James's interest which he did not think safe since he had no Order nor Incouragement from England but on the contrary all the Advice he had from thence was to be quiet and not to meddle that he was obliged to K. James and neither his Conscience nor Gratitude would permit him in his present Circumstances to make War on his own Authority against him whilst there was any possibility of doing the business peaceably Upon these Motives L. Montjoy proceeds in this Negotiation and took Shipping with Rice at Waterford in Jan. 1688. Tyrconnel having first granted these General Concessions to the Protefâ—ants 1. That no more Commissions should be given out nor new Men raised 2. That no more of the Army should be sent to the North. 3. That none should be questioned for what was past 4. That no private House should be obliged to quarter Souldiers These he sent about the Kingdom by Letters yet the Lord Montjoy was no sooner gone but according to his usual Falshood he denied all and was angry at the Dispersing the Letters Soon after came News that the Lord Montjoy was made a Prisoner in the Bastile in France which more Exasperated the Protestants against K. James as a Violator of Publick Faith to his Subjects and likewise ruined the little Reputation that his Lord Deputy had among them Soon after a French Engineer Landed at Cork and came with all Expedition to Dublin assuring Tyrconnel that K. James would be suddenly with him and that nothing was to be feared from England till the end of the Summer upon this the face of things quickly altered and the little hopes that had hitherto supported the English now utterly vanished so that there appeared a necessity of associating together and getting into the Castles and best places of strength they had for the Defence and Preservation of their Lives some Protestants had a while before put themselves into a posture of Defence in the North c. but Proclamations were issued out by the Council signed by several Protestants commanding them to go to their respective homes under the penalty of being proceeded against as Traytors which proved fatal to the English they judging thereby the danger was not so great as they imagined But at length matters were reduced to such extremity that no course remained to preserve the Protestants but of making their escape for though the Lord Kingstone Sir Arthur Royden and others endeavoured to have secured several places yet matters were managed so indiscreetly that all proved ineffectual and their inconsiderable Forces were soon Defeated After which Tyrconnel Disarmed all the Protestants throughout the Kingdom in one Day In the Cities and Towns they shut up the Gates and none were suffered to pass in or out without being strictly searcht for Arms under pretence of which they â—â—so came into the English Houses and often Seiz'd 〈◊〉 â—heir Plate and Mony or what else they could meet with in this Confusion which lasted several days during which most of the Horses which belonged to English Gentlemen and Farmers was seized in the Country for the Kings use which were brought into the Towns where the Soldiers were quartered in so great numbers in private as well as publick Houses that the English had scarce Beds to lye on About this time Collonel Hamilton is sent with an Army to the North of Ireland and though more early in the year than usual yet the Judges were sent into the Country on pretence to punish the Thieves and Robbers that plundred the Protestants but the Design was to Condemn those poor Protestants that had taken up Arms and Defended their Houses against them and likewise to raise Mony for the Army their being very little in the Exchequer And the Judges read a Letter in every County directed from the Government to the principal Gentlemen and to the Minister and Popish Priest of every Parish requiring them to Summon their Parishioners together and perswade them to Subscribe to the utmost of their Ability for the Subsistance of the Kings Forces assuring them that he would be soon at the Head of them with a confiderable Assistance from France and that they who had no Mony should send in Meal Malt Beef Cheese Butter Herrings or else Leather Brogs Stockins Wool Cloth Linnen or any other Goods the Country afforded This was a great Oppression to the Protestants who though they had but very little left by the Rabble yet must Contribute largely or else were reckoned well-wishers to the Kings Enemies The Lord Galmoy was likewise sent with Forces to Guard the passages between the North of Ireland and those parts of Munster and Connaught that adjoyned to Ulster to prevent the South and Western Protestants from joyning who being a Malicious and Bloody Papist first drew Blood there causing two Gentlemen who had taken Arms for their own Defence under Collonel Sandason to be Hanged on a Sign-post at Belniot and their Heads being cut off were kickt about the Streets by his Soldiers like Foot-balls at Ornagh he took 2 others upon the same pretence and caused the Son first to Hang his Father and carry his Head on a pole through the Streets crying this is the Head of a Traytor and then the young Man himself was Hanged It was also Reported that some of his Dragoons meeting with a Clergymans Wife whose Husband had fled Northward several of them one
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
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
Adventurer to Aid him with his utmost Power and Dermot coming to him at Bristol an agreement was made that Strangebow should marry Dermots only Daughter Eva and after his Death should enjoy the Kingdom of Leinster of which she was Heiress after which Strangebow ingaging some other private Gentlemen in the Design they got together a party of 490 Men which they Transported in three Ships to Wexford in Ireland and there joyning with some of Dermots Forces they not only Reduced that Town but soon after possest themselves of all the Maritime Parts of Leinster King Henry upon the News of the prosperous reducement of so large a Territory by such inconsiderable Forces desirous to share with his Subjects both in the profit and glory of so great an Action Resolved to make an Expedition thither in Person when he Arrived there the Presence of so great a Prince had such a strange Influence on the Minds of the rude Savage Natives that partly by the Power of his Arms and partly by his Grace and Favour in receiving them upon their feigned Submissions he soon Subdued this Barbarous Divided People This happened in 1172. the King found the Land good and flourishing with plenty of all kind of Provisions the Soil Rich and Fertile the Air Sweet and Temperate the Heavens safe and commodious several Towns and Villages scattered up and down in several parts of the Countrey but the Buildings so Mean and Contemptible that when the King Arrived at Dublin their Chief City he found no place for Entertainment but was obliged to set up a long House made of Smoothed Wattles after the manner of that 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 Easterlings which formerly Inhabited there He found likewise several Monuments of Piety and other Remarkable Testimonies that the Christian Religion had been planted there about 400 years after Christ by some Holy and Learned Men from Forreign Par◠〈◊〉 Sedulius Paladius and Patricius the Famous Irish Staint born at Kirk Patrick near Glasgoâ— in Scotland who came hither out of a Pious Desire to propagate the Gospel and for the Conversion of a Barbarous People instructing them in the Principles of the Christian Faith and St Patricius with his unwearied endeavours had such great Success that some Authors write the Couren of Armagh was by him Erected into an Episcopal See 350 Bishops Consecrated great Numbers of Clergymen Instituted who notwithstanding the Notorious Ignorance and Debauchery of the Common People being most Monks by Profession and of strict and severe Lives were so admited by other Nations in those rude Times that in Respect to them Ireland was Termed the Isle of Saintsâ— But so quickly did Piety Decay that this Name was lost Yea the very Prints and Characters of Devotion Obliterated even among the Clergy themselves and so filthy and depraved were the manners of the Common People that when King Henry the II. designed to go thither he obtained a Bull of Pope Adrian to go over and Conquer Ireland and Reduce the Beastly Inhabitants into the way of Truth and the King at his Arrival found them so indeed being generally void of all manner of Civility Governed by no Setled Laws living like Beasts Biting and Devouring one another without all Rules Customs or Reasonable Constitutions either for Regulation of Property or against open Force and Violence most Notorious Murthers Rapes Robberies and other Acts of Inhumanity and Barbarism Raging without Controul or Punishment whereupon he without any manner of Scruple or further Inquisition into particular Titles resolving it seems to make good by the Sword the Popes Donation made a General Seizure of all the Lands of the whole Kingdom and without further Ceremony took them into his own hands And the more speedily to introduce Religion and Civility and Accomplish the Work so gloriously begun the King called a great Council at Lissemore where he caused the Laws of England to be received and Setled in Ireland which he United to the Imperial Crown of England and Distributed the whole Land among his English Officers and Souldiers A Learned Author in his Observations upon the Causes of the sudden Reducing of Ireland gives this as one Reason thereof That a Synod or Council of the Clergy being Assembled at Armagh and that point fully Debated it was unanimously agreed That the Sins of the People and particularly their buying of Englishmen from Pyrates and Detaining them under most miserable Bondage was one great occasion of the Heavy Judgment fallen upon the Nation and that Heaven by way of just Retaliation had now suffered them to be Reduced by the English to the same Slavery Whereupon they Ordered all the English in Captivity throughout the Land to be Released If so heavy a Judgment fell upon them for the hard usage of some few English what Expiation can they now pretend to make for the Effusion of so much Innocent Blood in 1641. when in two years time above three Hundred Thousand Protestants were cruelly Murthered in Cold Blood King John came into Ireland in his Minority to little purpose but upon a second general Defection in the 12 year of his Reign he made a second Expedition thither and Built several Forts and strong Castles many of which remain to this Day â—e Erected Courts of Judicature and setled the English Colonies and Civil Government King Richard II. upon the same occasion made two Voyages thither in Person but both these Princes to save English Blood and Treasure and having likewise Troâ—bles at Home were both content to suffer themselves to be abused by the feigned Submissions of the Irish who finding their present inability to resist such great Forces came from the farthest parts of the Kingdom to submit to their Merey and yet some have observed that they left not one True Subject more behind them than they found at their first Arrival However by the Presence of these Princes and the Care of the Governours set over them the first Adventurers and others of the English Nation drove the Irish out of all the Habitable parts of the Countrey especially those on the Sea-Coasts and afterwards grew so Potent that they Entertained private Animosities against each other yea their Dissentions were so great that at length they drew in the Irish whom they had driven up into the Mountains and ever esteemed their most deadly Enemies to take part in their Quarre's shamelesly using their Affistance for the Inlargement of their own private Territories against their own Compaâ—â—iots and Joynt Tenants in that good Land the Irish glad of the Occasion Fomented these Broils among the English whom they mortally hated to the utmost and notwithstanding the great Priviledges they enjoyed by their Protection always shewed the utmost Aversion to them and their Laws Insomuch that besides the five Irish Kings and their Families aforementioned
the rest of that Nation were always reckoned Aliens and absolute Enemies so that from Hen. II. to Hen. VIII none were admitted to be Subjects or received any benefit by the English Laws but such as purchased Charters of Denization and it was no Capital Offence to kill any of them since the Laws did neither protect their lives nor Revenge their Deaths so that living in the Bogs and Woods on the Mountains they upon all occasions declared their Malice and Hatred against the English Colonies planted near them However the English were still Owners and Possessors of the Kingdom and kept themselves almost Entire for the first Hundred years after their Arrival not suffering the Irish to live promiscuously among them but by an High Hand Kept them in due Obedience and Subjection to the Crown of England and when they afterwards grew more careless and intermingled among them whereby the english learnt their beastly Manners and Customs there were very severe Laws made against them so that in the Reign of King Edward III. It was declared High Treason to Marry with the Irish or to let them Nurse their Children and to use the Irish Language Names or Apparel was made a Premunire that is to lose their Estates and be perpetually imprisoned And though in after Ages the English endeavoured to Civilize the People and introduce the English Laws Language Habit and Customs among them thereby to reduce them to Civility yet such was their Rough Rebellious Disposition and their implacable Malice to the English that nothing could Attemper or Reduce them to any Tolerable patience or perswade them to live peaceably among them So that in all times as well when they were admitted into the Condition of Subjects as while they were Esteemed and Treated as Enemies they took all Advantages most perfidiously to rise up and imbrue their Hands in the Blood of their English Neighbours and Ireland hath long continued a true Aceldama or Field of Blood and a dismal Sepulchre for the English Nation for after their intermixing with the Irish they Barbarouslâ— Degenerated into their Manners and Customs inso much that-by their intestine Broils and the Mischievous Attempts of the Irish upon them the English from their first Access to Ireland till the Reign of Queen Elizabeth being above 380 years had no setled Peace nor Comfortable Subsistance amongst them but were in such perpetual Troubles and so over-worn with misery that they could scarce Survive the Universal Calamity that over-spread the face of the whole Kingdom Whereupon that excellent Queen in the beginning of her Reign out of her Pious Intentions and Affections to her People took care to Redress these Disorders and sending over Prudent and Religious Governors made a great Reformation by many good Laws Enacted against the Barbarous Customs of the Irish and for the Execution of Justice throughout the Countrey which were reduced into Shires and Sheriffs and others Ministers of Justice placed in them and the High Powers Usurpations and Extortions of the Irish were Restramed and several Destructive Customs Repressâ—d The two Presidential Courts of Munster and Connaught were then Instituted and special Order taken for Free Schools to be Erected for Educating Youth throughout the Kingdom But these and other Courses for the Advancement of True Religion and Civility were Highly Disagreeable to the loose Humours of the Natives who pretended the English Government was Insupportable and began Desperately to struggle for their Liberty several Plots were laid some by those who were of the Old English by Extraction and divers Rebellions and petty Revolts happened during that Queens Reign which she timely Supprest either by Force and Favour often Renewing her kindness to them upon their continued provocations Restoring some Rebellious Lords to their Forfeited Estates and Commands and Bestowing New Titles of Honour upon others But all was in vain the Malignant impressions of Irreligion and Barbarism Transmitted from their Ancestors either by Infusion or Natural Generation had so irrefragably Stiffened their Necks and hardened their Hearts that they still retained all their wicked Customs and Inclinations without change in their Affections or Manners having their Eyes inflamed and their minds inraged with Rancor and Revenge against the English Nation breathing forth nothing but their Ruine Destruction and â—tter Extirpation and resolving at once to Disburthen the whole Kingdom and their Posterity of them and deliver themselves from their Subjection to the Crown of England a desperate Rebellion was raised by the Earl of Tyrone who had received Titles of Honour from the Queen a Command of Horse and Foot great proportions of Land and other Favours which he now ingratefully Cancell'd ingaging most of the Irish and some English Degenerate Families in his Treacherous Designs and likewise calling in some Foreign Forces to his Assistance The Queen perceiving that no Obligations would secure the Irish Loyalty Resolved to Reduce them by Force which was done in a short time and Tyrone brought upon his Knees though not without the Expence of much English Blood above a Million of Money the Country miserably wasted and a general Desolation and Famine over-spreading the Land King James at his first coming to the Crown conceiving that the powerful Conjunction of England and Scotland would overcome the Irish and contain them in their due Obedience resolved not to take any Advantage of these Forfeitures and great Confiscations which he was most justly Intituled to by Tyrones Rebellion but restored all the Natives to the entire possession of their own Lands After which for six years the Countrey was indifferent quiet when Tyrone made a second Insurrection and drew in the whole Province of Ulster who were absolutely at his Devotion to joyn with him but his Plot failed him for not finding himself in a Capacity to Resist the English Forces he fled into Spain promising speedily to return with Forreign Succors but by the care of the Government this Designed Rebellion was quell'd in the beginning and Tyrone never came back After which King James being justly provoked by the High Ingratitude of these Traytors caused their Persons to be Attainted and their Lands to be Seized and Distributed them among Brittish Undertakers many of whom came over and Setled in the Province of Ulster with their Families and Built several good Towns and Castles in divers parts of the Country whereby much Civility was introduced and the whole Kingdom began to Flourish in Costly Buildings and all manner of Improvements and the very Irish seemed to be much satisfied with the Peace and Tranquillity they enjoyed King Charles the I. was no less Indulgent to them for in 1640. upon the Complaint and Remonstrance sent him from both Houses of Parliament then Sitting at Dublin Representing the Heavy Pressures they had suffered under the Government of the E. of Strafford he made present Provision for their Redress Constituting Sir William Parsons and Sir John Burlace Lords Justices of that Kingdom who declared against the late proceedings
afforded none at all for a long time though the Fryars in their white Habits went in Solemn Procession and threw Holy Water therein It would be almost endless to give a particular account of all the Detestable Cruelties and Murders acted by these incarnate Devils upon the Innocent English of whom they destroyed near three Hundred Thousand in a few Months being chiefly Animated thereto by their Villainous Priests upon the account of their Religion and therefore they often declared their Despight to the Bible as being directly contrary to their Cursed Principles and Practices In one place they burnt two English Bibles saying It was Hell Fire they burnt They laid another in a puddle of Water and then stamping on it said a Plague on it This Bible hath bred all the quarrel A Rebel perswaded a Man and his Wife to joyn with them in the Massacre who protested that rather than they would forsake their Religion they would dye upon the Sword 's point he would then have had the Woman burn her Bible but she refused saying she would rather dye than do it Whereupon they were both cruelly Murthered they Murthered Mr. Bingham a Famous Minister and cutting off his Head put a Gag in his Mouth and laying the leaf of a Bible before him bid him Preach saying his Mouth was open and wide enough During these horrid Barbarities there were several Indications of Divine Displeasure apparent in divers places the truth of which was sworn to and affirmed by Witnesses of Credit and Reputation As in the Province of Munster near the Silver Works where while the Rebels were Massacring a great number of Protestant Men Women and Children on the Lords Day Afternoon a most Loud and Dreadful Noise and Storm of Thunder Lightning Wind Hailstones and Rain happened though it was fair all the Day before which much affrighted the Murtherers themselves who confess it to be a sign of Gods Anger against them for their Bloody Cruelty At Portnedown Bridge where so many thousand Protestants were drowned the remaining Inhabitants were so Terrified with the noise of Spirits and Visions for Revenge that they durst not continue thereabout and some of the Rebels themselves said to others that the Blood of some of those that were knockt on the Head and afterward drowned in this River remained on the Bridge and could not be washt away There appeared sometimes Men sometimes Women Breast high in the River with Hands lifted up crying out with fearful Schreicks and Voices Revenge Revenge Revenge and it was not long ere Divine Justice overtook them Many thousands of the most Notorious Murtherers who perished by the Sword and Plague that followed it so that it was computed that in a few years scarce any of these Miscreants remained alive but were sent to their own place to give an account of their Tremendous Brutalities The King having made a Truce with the Scots who were entred with an Army into England to demand the Redress of their Grievances and the Forces on both sides being Disbanded he made a Journey into Scotland in the beginning of August 1641. and continued there till the latter end of October when this Horrid Rebellion happened Owen O Covally the first Discoverer of the Plot brought the first Letters to London and received as a Reward 500 l. in Money and an Annuity of 200 l. a year and presently the Parliament provided for the Relief of Ireland and the Lords of the Council and the Lords Justices there had with the Arms that were in Dublin Armed many well-affected Gentlemen and several Active Commanders were sent out of the City to defend the adjoyning Places from the Approach of the Rebels at which time the Parliament sent over Twenty Thousand Pounds for a present supply but could not relieve them with any Forces till December following when Sir Simon Harcourt Arrived with Seasonable Supplies of men and money and Raised the Seige of Drogheda which had been much straitned by Sir Phelim O Neal and the Rebels and the English recovered Dundalk Neury and several other Towns and Castles out of their Hands But though the Rebellion brake out in October 23. Yet the King who was now returned from Scotland did not proclaim them Rebels till Jan. 1. following and then gave strict Command that only 40 Proclamations should be printed and that none of them should be Published without the Kings Express Order which the Parliament among other things afterwards Taxed him with Who Replyed thereto That he was unwilling to make the Irish Desperate and utterly undoe his Protestant Subjects who were then too weak to withstand so Potent a Rebellion and that the Lords Justices of Ireland required only 20 as many of themselves well knew Yet this proceeding unhappily increased the Jealousies that began to arise between the King and his English Parliament because it was publickly discourst that it had not been done at all but that some Worthy Protestant Lords had earnestly advised him to proclaim them speedily that a better course might be taken against them and to wash off that foul Stain from himself by prosecuting severely those wicked Villains who reported every where That they had Authority from the King to Seise upon the Holds of the English Protestants that they were the Queens Souldiers and rise to maintain the Kings Prerogative against the Puritan Parliament of England That they told the poor Protestants it was for no purpose to fly for safety into England for that Kingdom would be as much distrest as theirs and that the King intended to forsake his Parliament in England and make War against them and that then they would come over having done their their Work in Ireland and help the King against his English Parliament The Lords therefore advised him by all means to purge himself of these Accusations than which there could not be greater on Earth Soon after the Earl of Leicester was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the Earl of Strafford being Beheaded some time before at Tower Hill But the Relief of that Bleeding Kingdom was much obstructed by the wide Breaches which daily happened between the King and the Parliament particularly upon his going Jan. 4. Attended with 300 Armed Gentlemen into the H. of Commons and Demanding 5 Members to be delivered him which the Parliament declared to be An High Breach of their Priviledges a great Scandal to the King and his Government a Seditious Act manifestly tending to the Subversion of the Peace and an Injury and Dishonour to the said Members there being no Legal charge or accusation against them and that there could be no Vindication of those Priviledges unless his Majesty would discover the Names of those who advised him to such unlawful Courses After this the Parliament considered of a Bill for Pressing Souldiers to be sent out of Scotland to Ireland as being near but the King excepted against it while it lay in the House of Lords as a Diminution to his Prerogative Whereupon the Parliament in
their Petition to him Asserted That the King by taking notice of a Bill while in Debate in the House of Lords had broken the Fundamental Priviledge of Parliament which he ought not to do concerning any Bill till it be presented to him in due course of Parliament and desired Reparation They then desired that an Army of Scots should be sent thither and that they should have the keeping of the Town and Castle of Carick-fergus but the King said that he doubted this might be to the Damage of England The Scots Commissioners replyed That they were sorry his Majesty being their Native King should repose less Trust in them than their Naighbouring Nation had freely done So that at length this was granted It was thought to be the most Feasible way for Reducing Ireland that proportions of Land there should be shared among English Adventurers proportional to those Sums of Money they should Subscribe that so whosoever in Person or Purse should assist in Conquering the Bloody Rebels might be Recompensed if the Work were done and Propositions were framed in Parliament to that purpose which the King confirmed Though at first he laught at them and was heard to say That they were like to him who Sold the Bears Skin before the Bear was killed At length an Act was passed for impowring the Parliament to carry on that War till Ireland should be declared wholy Subdued and that no Peace nor Cessation of Arms should ever be made with the Rebels without consent of both Houses of Parliament The King then offered to go in Person thither but the Parliament thought it not fit to hazard his Person in such an Expedition The Queen about February went to Holland carrying with her most of the Crown Jewels which she had pledged for Money and Arms for the King her Husband and for which she was afterwards voted a Traytor by the Parliament the King having taken leave of her at Dover went with the Prince and Duke of York to Theobalds and from thence to Newmarket where both Houses Presented him a Declaration sent by two Lords in which they Repeat the old Grievances the War of Scotland the Rebellion in Ireland his entring the House of Commons his causless fear of Residing near London to the perplexing of the Kingdom the hindring the Relief of Ireland and incouraging the ill affected Party in the Kingdom To which the King answered with great Indignation extenuating some things and excusing others accusing them for raising needless Fears and Jealousies After which the King passed farther North to York upon which the Parliament voted That the Kings Absence so far Remote from his Parliament is not only an Obstruction but may be a Destruction to the Affairs of Ireland That when the Lords and Commons in Parliament shall declare what the Law of the Land is to have this not only questioned and controverted but contradicted and a command that it should not be obeyed is an High Breach of the Priviledge of Parliament That they which advise the K. to absent himself from his Parliament are Enemies to the Peace of this Kingdom and justly to be suspected as Favourers of the Rebellion in Ireland From York the King sent a Message to the Parliament April 8. 1642. That he would go in Person over to Ireland against those Bloody Rebels and intended to raise a Guard for his Person in Cheshire to carry thither of 2000 Foot and 100 Horse whom he would Arm from his Magazine of Hull But the Parliament having Intimation that the K. designed to Seise that Magazine to Arm himself against them sent Sir John Hotham thither who refused to admit him Entrance upon which the K. Proclaimed him Traytor and complained to the Parliament of the Affront who endeavoured to appease him but justified Hothams Act and declared that the Proclaiming him Traytor without process of Law was against the Liberty of the Subject and Laws of the Land The King daily Summoned the Gentry of the Northern Counties to attend him all York as a Guard for his Person which he declared was in danger from the Parliament who thereupon declared That it appears that the King Seduced by wicked Counsel intends to make a War against the Parliament who in all their Consultations and Actions have proposed no other end to themselves but the Care of his Kingdoms and the performance of all Duty and Loyalty to his Person That whensoever the King maketh War upon the Parliament it is a breach of the Trust Reposed in him by his People contrary to his Oath and tending to the Dissolution of the Government That whosoever shall Serve and Assist him in such Wars are Traytors by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom and have been so adjudged by two Acts of Parliament 11 Rich. II. and 1 Henry IV. and that such Persons ought to suffer as Traytors the King Justified himself in his Declarations and Proclamations against the Parliament which daily encountred each other So that all things tended to an absolute Rupture and presaged the Calamities of the Civil War which soon after followed For both sides flying to Arms and the Nation being divided into Parties several bloody Battels were fought and the whole Kingdom was in a Flame In 1643. The Parliament of England invited the Scots to come in to their Assistance with an Army of 21000. Horse and Foot ingaging to pay them an Hundred Thousand pound towards the Charge of Raising them On the other side the King to withdraw the Protestant Army out of Ireland for Aiding him against the Scots concluded a Cessation of Arms for a year with those Rebels and 3000 of the English Army were Imbarqued from thence to joyn with the King This Cessation was much complained of by the Parliament since it was not only for the benefit of the Irish Rebels who gave him 3000 l. for the Favour but also directly contrary to the Act which the King hath lately Signed That no Cessation should be made without the consent of both Houses Thus was Assistance brought to either side and that English Army which for almost a year had fought Valiantly and Victoriously against those Rebels was now brought over to fight against the Parliament of England The War still continued with much Vigor and great Slaughter was made throughout the Kingdom yet in the midst thereof some Glimmerings of Peace began to appear for in 1644. Conditions were proposed both by the King and Parliament and a Treaty began at Uxbridge between Commissioners from both Parties during which the care of the War was not neglected on either side the King endeavouring to bring over some Forces from the Duke of Lorrain and some Irish to his Assistance and by his Letters to the Lord Lieutenant to make a Peace with the Rebels or at least to continue the Cessation for a year and to promise and grant them the free Exercise of the Romish Religion assuring them that if by their Assistance he could but finish his War in
England he would Abrogate those Laws made against the Papists there He gave thanks likewise to Muskeny Plumket and others of that party promising a Pardon for all that was past But they were much troubled at the Treaty of Peace with the Parliament being sensible that one necessary condition thereof must be the Vigorous Prosecution of the War in Ireland The King to remove this fear writ to the Lord Lieutenant that he could not refuse to make a Peace with his Parliament only upon the account of those Irish it being a point not Popular Yet from that consideration the Lieutenant might raise an Advantage to hasten a Peace with them it letting them know their own Danger by being Excluded from all Hope of Pardon from the Parliament For saith he if we agree upon all other conditions it will not be convenient for me to disagree only concerning those Irish Therefore let them take what I offer while time is and hasten the Peace and when once my Faith is passed no Human force shall make me break it The Queen also being then in France writing to her Husband seemed to grieve much that at Uxbridge they were to Treat of Religion in the first place assuring him That if any thing severe against the Catholicks should be concluded and yet a â—eace not be made the King could not hope for any Assistance from the Catholick Princes or from the Irish who must needs think that after they had done their best they should at last be forsaken And often intreats the King that he would never forsake the Catholicks who had faithfully served him in the Wars c. The Commissioners met at Uxbridge but nothing at all was concluded at that Treaty so that the War must decide it in pursuance whereof both Parties strengthen themselves with fresh Forces and the Kings Army was very formidable but not content with so great a power of English Souldiers he seemed more earnest than before to get over the Irish he had committed the Business to Ormond to make an Absolute Peace but perceiving their Demands were too High so that nothing was effected he now imployed the Earl of Clamorgan Son to the Marquess of Worcester a zealous Papist and therefore more acceptable with the Rebels giving him full power to make a Peace and indulge to the Irish whatever might seem needful and this was Transacted so secretly that both the Lord Lieutenant Ormond and the Lord Digby Secretary of Ireland were ignorant thereof till it was afterward Discovered and made publick But the King finding it difficult to make such a Peace as would bring him certain Assistance otherwise that he might throw all that Envy upon Glamorgan impowred him unknown to the rest For so the Rebels sweetned with large promises unknown to Ormond might the better admit of Conditions just in shew and openly excusable and the King might draw from Ireland such Souldiers as would more firmly adhere to his side and whom he might trust as being the greatest haters of the English Protestants and dispairing of Pardon against the Parliament of England He therefore gave Letters of Authority to Glamorgan in these words Charles by the Grace of God King of England c. Defender of the Faith to our Trusty and well beloved Cosen Edward Earl of Glamorgan Greeting Being confident of your Wisdom and Fidelity We do by these Letters as if under our Great Seal grant unto you full power and authority to Treat with the Confederate Roman Catholicks in Ireland and to indulge them all those things which necessity shall require and which we cannot so Comodiously do by our Lieutenant nor our self publickly own at present Therefore We Command that you do this Businese with as much Secrecy as can be Whatsoever you shall think fit to be promised in my Name that I do attest upon the word of a King and a Christian to grant to those Confederate Catholicks who by their Assistance have abundantly shewed their zeal to us and our Cause Given at Oxford under our Royal Seal March 12. and 20 year of our Reign In pursuance of these Powers the Earl of Glamorgan assured the King He would Land 6000 Irish Papists in May following in Wales and with the Transport Ships block up Melford Haven having already to advance the same thirty thousand pound in Money 1000 Musquets 2000 Case of Pistols 800. Barrels of Powder besides his own Artillery and a certainty of 30000 l. more The K. likewise obliged the Earl of Antrim to joyn with the Marquess of Montross then in Arms in Scotland who ingaged to send 10000 Irish thither from Ireland where the passage was shortestito assist him but was very deficient therein being scarce able to send 1200 thither In 1644. the Parliament ordered the Arraignment of the Lord Macguire and Collonel Mahon who were Seised at Dublin the Night before the Discovery of the Rebellion there and had been in the Town ever since They were now brought to their Tryal at the Kings Bench Bar at Westminster where Macguire insisted much upon his Peerage but was over ruled and both found Guilty of High Treason by a Jury of Middlesex Gentlemen and executed at Tyburn In 1646. the Lord Lieutenant endeavoured to make the Cessation with the Irish a kind of a Peace which they condescended to upon the following Propositions 1. That the Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion should be in Dublin and Drogheda and in the Kingdom of Ireland as free as in Paris and Brussels 2. That the Privy Council of Ireland consist of Members True and Faithful to his Majesty and who have been Enemies to the Parliament 3. That Dublin Drogheda Trim Newry Cathirly Carlingford and all Protestant Garrisons be Manned by the Confederate Catholicks to keep the same for the use of the King and Defence of the Kingdom 4. That the said Councellors Generals Commanders and Souldiers do Swear and Ingage to fight against the Parliament of England and all the Kings Enemies and that they will never come to any Agreement with them to the prejudice of His Majesties Rights and and the Kingdoms 5. That both Parties according to their Oath of Association shall to the best of their power and cunning defend the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom the Kings Rights and Liberties of the Subject This Peace was kept by some of the moderate Papists but was ill Resented both by the Parliament of England and the Popes Nuncio who infiuenced the most Serious Papists To put a stop to which the Parliament sent 2000 Men from Chester under Colonel George Monk with 3 Commissioners to the Lord Lieutenant at Dublin who refused to Deliver the City to them without the Kings Command So that after having Treated the Commissioners the English Forces were again Imbarqued and Landed at Belfast in Ireland whereby they did very good Service against O Neal and his Fellow Rebels who had of late been too Successful against the Protestants On the other side the Nuncio's Party
were so Elevated with the Hopes of shaking off the English Yoak neither of the two Kingdoms being now in a Capacity to Relieve Ireland that the Romish Clergy thundered out Excommunication against any that should Acquiesce in the said Peace and Agreement and with an Army of 17000 Horse and Hoot resolved to Besiege Dublin which so startled the Protestants that the Lord Lieutenant was obliged to Resume the former Treaty with the Parliaments Commissioners and the King finding that all his Secret Transactions with the Earl of Glamorgan were Discovered by the Letters taken at Nasâ—by Fight to the great Disgust of the People in general and that all the Assurance he had from the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Digby were Disappointed by the Falsness and Treachery of the Rebels He though with much Reluctancy consented that all manner of Treaty with the Enemy should cease the Earl of Glamorgan being for a pretence Imprisoned the Lord Lieutenant being prest with the Danger of a Seige from the Roman Catholick Confederates in 1647. Delivered up Dublin to the Parliaments Commissioners he having Articled for his passing freely to the King on whom he waited while the Army carryed him about and afterwards put him to Death and from thence passed to France from whence about September 16â—8 The Cathedral Confederates dreading a Storm from England by Letters to the King had importuned him to send for the said Marquess of Ormond late Lord Lieutenant and ordered him to return again into Ireland upon their Ingagement and Protestation of Plenary Submission to his Majesties Authority and to him as his Lieutenant as being the only proper Person for that Imployment The Marquess accordingly undertook it and making an agreement with the Lord Inchequeen and his Forces and likewise with those of the Marquess of Clan-riccard and the Earl of Castlehaven and the Confederate Catholicks who had proclaimed the Nuncio's Party Rebels and Traytors being all joyned under his Command they designed to Reduce Dublin then possest by the Parliaments Forces but differences soon arose about the Exercise of the Popish Religion and upon points of Command whereby Owen O Neal that had a considerable Party of Irish was Disobliged who thereupon makes an agreement with Collonel Monk in the Name of the Parliament though they afterwards disclaimed it but acknowledged his Faithfulness and Well-meaning therein by a Vote of Parliament considering how odious it would be to have Assistance from Irish Rebels However he Aided them all he could and releived London-Derry then Besieged by the Confederate Forces At length the Marquess of Ormond comes before Dublin with his Army and obliges Collonel Jones the Governor who had drawn out some of the Garrison to interrupt them to retire into the City which was indifferently Fortified and plentifully Mann'd both with Horse and Foot and therefore he durst not venture his Army upon a Desparate Assault since the Garrisons of Drogheda and Trim lay so convenient to Attempt upon them Commanded by Collâ—nel Monk and O Neal So that the Marquess wanting Money and Provisions and the English and Irish Forces Murmuring against each other he was almost resolved to have Marched away but O Neals Party being soon after Defeated and a Convoy of Arms and Ammunition which were sent him by Collonel Monk being taken by the Lord Inchequeen Drogheda was Surrendred together with Dundalk the Garrison Compelling Collonel Monk to deliver it and the Souldiers took up Arms for the King the Garrison of Trim was soon after taken from the Parliament after which the Lord Inchequeen brings up his Forces now much increased to Assist the Marquess at the Siege of Dublin who Designed to shut up the Garrison within their works and hinder them from getting Forrage or to graze their Cattel without the Line which was drawn round the Town The Besieged perceiving the Danger of being thus closely confined whereby they would have been prevented of all Succour both from Land and Sea and knowing the Marquesss want of Horse to Guard the New Forts resolved by a desperate Sally to disturb them which they made accordingly Aug. 2. 1649. about 8 in the Morning with 1200 Foot and 4000 Horse and finding the New Fortification slight and the Resistance weak they soon were Masters of it from whence seeing the Irish fly in great Disorder they contrary to the first intentions pursued the Besiegers even to the Avenues of their Camp and being Animated by Collonel Jones their Governor who had newly received a Supply of 3000 Men from England they fell with such fury upon the whole Army at Rachmines consisting of 19000 Men that in a short time they put them to the Rout killing 4000 on the place and making 2517 Prisoners many of them Persons of quality taking all their Cannon and a Rich Camp to reward the Souldiers Most of the Lord Inchequeens Foot that at first made some Resistance seeing the Day lost changed sides and joyned with the Parliaments Forces All this was done in so short a space and with so little noise that the Lord Dillon and the rest of the Marquess's Forces on the other side the River Liffy knew nothing of it till some run-aways brought the News the Irish making such hast home in so pannick a fear that the Lord Lieutenant could not possibly rally them and therefore fled with a considerable Perty to Kilkenny and there endeavoured to draw together as many of his Dispersed Troops as possible with which he speeds away to Trim and Drogheda where he had notice that Oliver Cromwell the Parliaments General was Landed with considerable Forces upon on which he put a Garrison of 300 Horse and 2500 Foot into Drogheda which was thought sufficient and having furnisht it with what Provisions he was able and made Sir Arthur Aston Governor went from thence to Trim and Terrogan About this time London-Derry possest by the Parliament and Besieged by Ormonds Forces was relieved and the Siege Raised and not long after a Ship from Spain brought the Plague into Galloway whereof a great number of the Irish dyed Cromwell having refresht his Men at Dublin Marches to Besiege Drogheda and made himself Master of it in a little time after a stout Resistance from the Garrison putting most of the Officers and every Tenth Souldier to the Sword to terrifie others from making Opposition against his Victorious Arms Sir Arthur Afton and several other principal Officers and Gentlemen with near 3000 Souldiers being Slain after this Cromwell Besieges the Town of Wexford and soon reduced it even before the Lord Lieutenants Eyes with the loss of 2000 of the Irish upon this the Marquess makes an Agreement with Owen O Neal whereby the Ulster Army were to joyn with his under the Command of Luke Taaf who was made Governor of Ross but soon forced to surrender it to General Cromwell after which the Garrisons of Bandon-Bridge Yough-Hall Cork Kingsale and all the English Towns in Munster declared for the Parliament and Cromwell marched to
Voted the Restoration of K. Charles II. and upon notice thereof the like was done in Ireland and several of the most Eminent of that Nation were upon the Kings Arrival at White Hall sent by the Convention to wait upon him in the Name of that Kingdom with a tender of their Allegiance and a Present of 4000 l. to the Duke of York and soon after the King was proclaimed and universally acknowledged throughout the Kingdom But it was not long ere the great Inclinations to the Popish Partie in Ireland were made apparent in the Court of England and several Disputes arose about the Settlement of that Kingdom which were Debated before the King and Council where the Lord Chief Justice Santry in an Excellent Speech Represented to the Board the Horrid Rebellion of 1641. with the Barbarous and Inhuman Massacres which he had been eye witness of In Opposition to which Sir Nich. Plunchel one of the Popes Knights endeavoured to defend the Irish but so weakly having a bad Cause to Manage that the Lord Santry clearly carryed the point in the Judgment of the Auditors he desiring that they might be Tryed by the Common Law where they would meet with a fair and indifferent Tryal by Juties of their Neighbours and thereby could have no wrong done them But the King having Dissolved the Convention and called a Parliament in Ireland he prevailed so much upon them that an Act of Settlement was pressed and a Court of Claims thereby erected who were to Determine all Differences between the English and Irish Proprietars of the Lands there and to declare who were Nocent and who Innocent Papists These Commissioners being Nominated by the King he had so great an influence over them that they commonly gave their Opinions according to his Direction which was oftentimes very favourable to the Irish Rebels particularly in the Case of the Earl of Antrim one of the chief of them as by the following Letter to 〈◊〉 of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant and the Privy Council there doth appear CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and well beloved Cousins and Counsellors c. We greet you well How far we have been from interposing on the behalf of any of our Irish Subjects who by their miscarriages in the late Rebellion in that Kingdom of Ireland had made themselves unworthy of our Grace and Protection is notorious to all Men and we were so jealous in that particular that shortly after our return into this our Kingdom when the Marquess of Antrim came hither to present his Duty to us upon the Information we received from those Persons who then attended us by a Deputation from our Kingdom of Ireland or from those who at that time owned our Authority there that the Marquess of Antrim had so misbehaved himself towards us and our late Royal Father of Blessed Memory that he was in no degree worthy of the least Countenance from us and that they had manifest and unquestionable Evidence of such his Guilt Whereupon we refuse to admit the said Marquess so much as into our Presence but on the contrary committed him Prisoner to our Tower of London where after he had continued several Months under a strict restraint upon the continued Information of the said Persons we sent him into Ireland without interposing the least on his behalf but left him to undergo such a Trial and Punishment as by the Justice of that our Kingdom should be found due to his Crime expecting still that some heinous Matter would be objected and proved against him to make him uncapable and to deprive him of that Favour and Protection from us which we know his former Actions and Services had Meritest After many Months attendance there and wâ—presume after such Examinations as were requisite he was at last dismissed without any Censure and without any transmission of Charge against him to us and with a Licence to Transport himself into this Kingdom We concluded that it was then time to give him some instance of our Favour and to remember the many Services he had done and the Sufferings he had undergone for his Affections and Fidelity to our Royal Father and our Self and that it was time to redeem him from those Calamities which yet do lye as heavy upon him fince as before our happy Return And thereupon we recommended him to you our Lieutenant that you should move our Council there for preparing a Bill to be Transmitted to us for the Re-investing him the said Marquess in the possession of his Estate in that our Kingdom as had been done in some other Cases To which Letter you our said Lieutenant returned us answer That you had informed our Council of that our Letter and that you were upon consideration thereof unanimously of Opinion that such a Bill ought not to be transmitted to us the Reason whereof would forthwith be presented to us from our Council After which time we received the inclosed Petition from the said Marquess which we referred to the Considerations and Examinations of the Lords of our Privy Council whose Names are mentioned in that our Reference which is annexed to the said Petition who thereupon met together and after having heard the Marquess of Antrim did not think to make any Report to us till they might see and understand the Reasons which induced you not to transmit the Bill we had proposed which Letter was not then come to our Hands After which time we have received your Letter of the 18th of March together with several Petitions which had been presented to you as well from the Old Soldiers and Adventurers as from the Lady Marchioness of Antrim all which we likewise transmitted to the Lords Referees Upon a second Petition presented to us by Lord Marquess which is here likewise enclosed commanding our said Referees to take the same into their serious consideration and to hear what the Petitioner had to offer in his own Vindication and to report the whole matter to us upon a third Petition herein likewise inclosed we required them to expedite with what speed they could By which deliberate Proceedings of ours you cannot but observe that no Importunity how just soever could prevail with us to bring our self to a Judgment in this Affair without very ample Information Our said Referees after several Meetings and perusal of what had been offered to them by the said Marquess have reported unto us That they have seen several Letters all of them the Hand-writing of our Royal Father to the said Marquess and several Instructions concerning his Treating and Joining with the Irish in order to the King's Service by reducing to their Obedience and by drawing some Forces from them for the Service of Scotland That besides the Letters and Orders under his Majesty's Hand they have received sufficient Evidence and Testimony of several private Messages and Directions sent from our Royal Father and from our Royal Mother with the Privity and with the Directions of the King our Father by which they
Court had given them timely notice to conceal them so that not above 150 Arms were found among all the Papists in Ireland they hiding them in Boggs and other secret places without any Damage the Lord Brittas and others escaped into France the Earl of Tyrone was committed to the Gate-House Talbot since Tyrconnel with his Brother the Popish Archbishop were imprisoned in Dublin Castle where the last dyed The Duke of York was sent to Flanders and all things appeareâ—â— so discouraging that an Irish Lord swore a greaâ—â— Oath that he believed Jesus Christ was a Protestant for that nothing they could do did prosper The Parliament of England were very busie in searching into the bottom of the Popish Conspiracy and found many Great Persons concerned therein several Papists were executed for the same but still the Court endeavoured by all manner of Arts to obstruct any further Discoveries the Duke of Yorks Interest still prevailing who was come from Flanders but upon the sitting of the Parliament was obliged to go to Scotland from whence he sent private Encouragements to the Irish Papists not to despair of retrieving all again But the English there were very secure as judging themselves happy under the peaceable Government of the D. of Ormond and their Interest in Ireland seemed more firm than ever because they were of Opinion that this late Conspiracy of the Irish would prevent the Kings shewing them any kindness for the future the Lord Lieutenant likewise procured a Grant for calling a Parliament there the News whereof so alarm'd the Duke of York that he came with all speed from Scotland to prevent it which he likewise effected and the Irish afterward boldly affirmed That there would be no Parliament till the Duke came to the Crown which they seemed to believe would be very shortly and accordingly the Death of King Charles the II. happened in February 1684. following which still remains a Mystery though the Papists in Ireland for some time before could fix upon the utmost period of his Life And now the long looken for day was come which so Transported them after all the Dangers and Difficulties they had met with that they could hardly contain their joys within any bounds So soon as King Charles II. was Dead the Duke of Ormond was removed from the Government of Ireland and upon his Arrival in England found King James inclined to such violent Courses as it is thought broke his Heart he dying soon after Before his going he called his Officers of his Army together and taking a glass of Wine in his Hand Look here Gentlemen says he they say at Court I am now become an old Doting Fool you see my Hand doth not shake nor does my Heart fail nor doubt I but I shall make some of them see their mistake The Lord Primate and the Lord Granard were now made Lords Justices of Ireland but the dayly reported insolencies of their Irish Nobility and Gentry as well as the Commonalty soon made them weary of their Government For they repaired in great Numbers to Dublin and in all places reproached and abused the English with the most impious Calumnies and Reflections and those that refused to drink Confusion to all Protestants and their Religion were seised with Warrants and threatned to be Murthered The Defeat of the Duke of Monmouth in 1685. heightned their Rage more and made them Contrive Hellish Plots against the Lives and Estates of the Protestants under the pretence that they designed to Massacre the Irish though they themselves knew too well that such an Horrid Attempt was as impossible as Ridiculous if any should have been so Villainous to have contrived it since in the most parts of the Kingdom the Irish were vastly more numerous than the English nay in some Countries an 100 Families for one After this Tyrconnel began to Model the Army and Disarm the Protestants upon pretence that Monmoths Rebellion had infected many aad might delude more in that Kingdom and the Irish declared that if any Arms were found in the Protestants Hands they would be judged Persons Disaffected to the King and his Government which so affrighted many that they brought in their own Arms and delivered them up to the Papists After which Tyrconnel went to England accompanyed with one Neagle a cunning Irish Lawyer who published an account of the injustice of the Act of Settlement reflecting with all manner of Invectives against King Charles II. But matters being not ripe enough in England King James did not think it convenient to propose Tyrconnel for Lord Lieutenant at present and therefore it was contrived by the Popish Cabal that the Earl of Clarendon should go over Lord Lieutenant and Tyrconnel Lieutenant General of the Army When the Earl arrived there the English were much Discouraged because of his Relation to the King but their Hopes were extreamly revived when they found him acting with inviolable Integrity to the Protestant The Irish Grandees were very little concern'd at it proceeding still with all violence in ruining the Protestants Interest and animating their vassals with hopes that he would soon be removed the Irish Composing Barbarous Songs in praise of Tyrconnel and that his Heroick Hand should Destroy the English Church They declared publickly That they liked no Government but that of France and that they would make King James as Absolute as King Lewis that they would shortly have the English Churches and Houses and if they suffered them to live would make them Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water That Ireland must be a Catholick Country and that they would make the English as poor Devils as when they came first thither And of this they were so confident that the most Serious amongst them privately advised their Protestant Friends to change their Religion For said they you will be forced to do it in a while and if you delay a little time it may be too late and perhaps you may not be accepted for no Protestant must expect to enjoy any thing in this Kingdom and we resolve to reduce all things to the State they were in before Poinings Act in King Henry 7 time Yea King James himself and his followers use to say That the Irish must be restored to their former Power Estates and Religion in that Kingdom and when the English Objected that their proceedings were Arbitrary and against Law they called them Traytors Crying Damn your Laws it is the Kings Pleasure it should be so and you are all a company of Rebels because you are not of the Kings Religion and will not own his Will and Pleasure to be above all Laws But the English Roman Catholicks were not so confident of their Game so that a general meeting of the chief of them at the Savoy before Father Peters they seemed very doubtful of the Kings Capacity or willingness to expose himself to the hazard of securing the Catholick Religion in his Reign considering his Age and the almost insurmountable difficulties
they were to encounter with to effect it and therefore moved the King that their Estates might be secured by an Act of Parliament with Liberty of Exercising their Religion only privately but Peters opposed this as a consideration too Worldly adding that if they would persue his measures he doubted not to see the Holy Church Triumphant in England Other Papists desired the King they might have Liberty to sell their Estates and retire into France and by his Intercession might be provided for in that Kings Dominions To which he replyed that before their desires came to him he had often thought of them and had as he believed provided a sure Sanctuary for them in Ireland if all those endeavours should be blasted in England which he had made for their Security and of whose Success he had not reason to despair adding many zealous Expressions of his extream kindness for the Catholick Church As that he resolved rather to dye a Martyr than not to settle the Roman Religion and that he would choose to dye the next day that design being compassed rather than live 50 years without effecting it having already been almost a Martyr for the Catholick Cause which had been the occasion of all his Troubles In pursuance of these Resolutions the King gave himself wholly up to the Conduct and Counsels of the Furious Jesuits being entred into their Society and was become a Lay Brother of that Order and consequently judged it Meritorious to extirpate and destroy Heresie especially being told That it would be a most glorious Action and that no doubt he would be Canonized for a Saint if he could Reduce 3 Kingdoms to their Ancient Obedience to the Holy See from which they had been so long Apostates and had Nurst up so many Damned Hereticks to the Disturbance of Holy Church But the present Lord Lieutenant being an Obstacle to the Vigorous progress of Popery in Ireland land the Jesuits resolved to remove him of which design a Person of Honour acquainted the King who absolutely denyed there was any such intention or that he had any thoughts of it nor did believe he ever should whilst both lived remove him from that Government though the Papists in Ireland confidently affirmed That he had before given assurance to Father Peters that Tyrconnel should be Lord Deputy and accordingly in 1686. he obtained that Government against all opposition the News of which so surprized the Protestants in Ireland that almost all that were able Deserted the Kingdom and flockt in great numbers to the Isle of Man Scotland and other places so great was their Terror and Consternation at these dreadful tydings and the dismal effects which they expected from his Management of Affairs at length Tyrconnel arrived there after having been kept a considerable time at the Sea side by contrary winds which seemed a Signal Act of providence to give warning and opportunity to the People to fly from the judgments just ready to fall upon that distressed Kingdom The Lord Clarendon Surrendred the Sword to him with an Admirable Speech concluding that as he had kept an equal hand of Justice to the Roman Catholicks so he hoped his Lordship would do to the Protestants But Popery was the Scene which must be Acted and the Protestants Trembled at the Terrible Consequences thereof whilst the Irish Triumpht and insulted over their Dejection reproaching them both as Englishmen and Protestants and usually calling them Fanatick Dogs and Damned Hereticks Yea so Barbarous were their Affronts and Indignities that the English were daily afraid of a general Massacre to be inhumanly put in Execution against them Tyrconnel now places Popish Judges and Officers in all the Courts of Judicature and then proceeds against the Charters of all the Cities and Corporations of the Kingdom He endeavoured to perswade the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of Dublin to Surrender theirs to the King but meeting with much Opposition therein he in a Rage told them that this was the continuance of their former Rebellion having turn'd out all the Loyal Subjects in the last War of Ireland and would do so now if it were in their power whereupon they produced a Letter from King Charles I. Dated at Oxford containing great acknowledgments of their Signal Loyalty and Faithfulness to him with High Assurances of being Eminently rewarded if he were again Restored to his Crown But this availed nothing for the common saying of the Irish was that K. James would regard no Man for any Service formerly done to him his Father or Brother but only for future Service that he expected from them So that though the Citizens of Dublin sent a Gentleman on purpose to the K. with a Petition and Representation of their Case yet he would not regard him but upon first sight askt him if he had the Lord Deputies leave to come with this Petition and that he had those in Ireland that understood the Law better than himself and so turned from him and he was forced to go back again re infecta Yet the City of Dublin was resolved not to betray their Liberties but imploy'd the Council to defend their Charters but these Judges who had already broken through all inclosures of Law and Trampled upon the known Constitutions of the Kingdom that they were opposite to their Popish and Arbitrary Designs over ruled all their Pleadings and gave Judgment against them to the universal excessive Joy of the Irish and great Mortification of the Protestants Consonant to the Sentence against Dublin was Judgment given against all the Charters of the Kingdom except those who quietly Surrendred them The New Lord Deputy now chose him a Privy Council that all but three had scarce common Sense of which two of them would often complain saying that nothing could pass at the Council-Board of publick concern but their Country-men must first ask Teige ' if that would not spoil his Potato Garden but however they all agreed to inslaven and beggar their Country especially in matter of Trade as appeared by Tyrconnels first Proclamation with the Advice of his Council to break an Act of Parliament in taking off the Duty of Iron and this without asking the King leave but as soon as it was heard of in England a Proclamation came from thence forbidding this wise Act made by these Notable Statesmen and the Lord Bellasis swore in Council That Fool in Ireland was Fool and Mad-man enough to ruine 10 Kingdoms And Father Peters secretly Reprimanded him for his Political Blunder and writ to him if he acted not with greater Caution the King could not possibly preserve him in that Government This with the vast numbers of People that Deserted the Kingdom upon Tyrconnels coming Lord Deputy thither whereby the Towns and Cities were made almost Desolate and Traffick so ruined that the publick Revenue was sunk incredibly from the former value were so strongly pressed against him at the English Privy Council to his Disadvantage that he obtained the Favour of
after another Ravished her and then ript up her Belly and exposed her with a dead Man upon her At Tipperary an English Gentleman seeing some Dragoons marching towards his House shut up his Doors it being late in the Evening as if they were gone to Bed but 16 of them coming thither and not being quickly admitted they forced open his Doors calling him Traytor for shutting them against the Kings Forces and having pillaged all things of value they then deflowred his Daughter and only Child before his Face all 16 lay with her and 3 of them as was affirmed by his Family after she was actually dead These were the beginnings of the Villainies which the Protestants suffered from these execrable Wretches While things were in this posture K. James was hourly expected by the Irish and almost every Post a false Alarm is given that he was Landed Bonfiâ—es being made and Guns Discharged in the several Garrisons and that so often that not only Protestants but also many Papists thought it to be but a sham of Tyrconnels to Discourage the Protestants and obtain better Terms from them But at length March 12. 1689. he Landed at Kingsale at which the Protestants and some Papists seemed not very well satisfied nay the first were so indifferent that for a Fortnight after he Arrived they would not believe it because they imagined he had no great kindness for them however they thought he would have made their condition more easie for the present and spoke them fair considering that the Irish depended upon many Friends which they boasted they had in Scotland and England But K. James soon let the World know he was not fond of such Dependencies for coming to Cork where he was received by the Mayor and Aldermen in their Formalities the Recorder in a long Speech magnified the Irish Loyalty and Valour saying That he now hoped His Majesty was convinced of their Fidelity and that they were better Subjects than the Church of England Men to this part of the Speech the K. Replyed That he acknowledged all the Recorder had said to be true and that he hoped by their Forces and the Assistance he should receive from his Brother of France to be restored to his Throne in spight of those Slaves of the Church of England at this very time the Judges held the Assizes there and one Brown a Gentleman of about 500 pound a year who had been in Arms against the Rapparees being there a Prisoner he put himself on his Tryal and Petitioned K. James thinking that he would begin with an Act of Mercy and give him his Life but on the contrary he left him to the Law whereby he was sure to be Condemned and accordingly was Hanged and Quartered from hence K. James took his Journey to Dublin where he was received with all Demonstrations of Joy imaginable by Tyrconnel and the Popish Party who lookt upon him as their only Support Champion and Deliverer He was no sooner Arrived but the Irish discovered what his future Designs were in their common talk at publick Houses declaring openly That the King would have such a Powerful Army of French Irish and Scots Roman-Catholicks as should force the English into Obedience That he did not think of returning into England by the means of any Protestant Friends but by a French power So that when he came to his Throne he might Rule as he thought fit that the Protestants of Ireland might feed themselves with what hopes they pleased but they should quickly find the K. would neither value nor regard them That the K. had a long time Caressed the Damn'd Church of England as they called it and that he could do no good with them but now he would do his Business without them and so find an opportunity of shaking them quite off that they did not doubt but to be in the midst of England by Midsummer and make that the Seat of War thereby preserving their own Country Estates and Tenants and living on the Churls as they called the English who they said were Rich and a giddy inconstant People not being satisfied with any kind of Government and would they doubted not be soon divided and broken among themselves so that they did not fear carrying their Point King James himself by his Discourses and Actions soon confirmed the same For he had but 2 Considerable Protestants in his Army Sir Thomas Newcomer and Collonel Russell these he immediately Disbanded without any other Objection but their Religion and declared to Collonel Sarsfield who desired Commissions for 2 of his Protestant Relations and offered to be bound for their Fidelity That he would Trust no Protestant and was heard to say as he came out of his Chappel upon occasion of some of his Courtiers Discoursing about Protestants That a Protestant Stunk in his Nostrils And as his words so his Deeds discovered his Abhorrence of them for he had not been long in Dublin when the Wife of one Maxwell who was Condemned for betaking himself with some others to a strong House in Queens County for the Security of their Lives presented a Petition to the King to pardon her Husband This poor Woman had by her piteous intreaties prevailed with the High Sheriff to reprieve him for 15 Days that she might use her interest to save him though against the command of the Bloody Lord Gilmoy who ordered him to be presently executed she accordingly went to Dublin hoping that the King might be perswaded to do one Act of Grace being just come to the City and the High Sheriff went with her and promised her Admittance to the Presence where she appeared in the most lamentable condition that was possible to excite Compassion having 4 or five small Children hanging about her all in Tears and delivered her Petition praying his Majesty to pardon or at least to Reprieve her poor Husband for some time which she delivered in such melting Terms as moved the very Irish Nobility then present to second her Request and might have Mollified the hardest Heart in the World but the Answer she had from King James was Woman your Husband shall dye and the High Sheriff was severely Reprimanded for not executing him according to his Warrant and Threatned that if the Prisoner escaped he should dye for him and was commanded to hang him immediately which was done accordingly There are several other instances of this kind and it may easily be imagined how great an Incouragement this kind of Behaviour in a Prince was to the rude Soldiers to Treat the poor Protestants not only in the Country but even in Dublin under the very eye of the Government in a Barbarous manner It was ordinary with them to take the meat that the poor people had provided for their Families without thanks or payment noâ— could a Protestant be abroad after Sunset without danger of his Life One Power Bred a Protestant but turned Papist in K. James time coming to his House one Evening was set upon
stand by them in Defence of their Lives and the Protestant Religion which they did believe by the Preparations they heard were making by the Enemy would be very soon invaded and the News they heard from London Derry did much Fortifie their Courage So that upon the Approach of the Irish Companies the Inniskillin Horse and Foot Advanced toward them but came no sooner in View ere the 2 Companies with the whole Rabble that was with them turned their Backs and fled without halting in very great Fear and Disorder and their Officers being then at Dinner at a Gentlemans House not far from thence hearing the Inniskillin Men were come out left their Dinners before they had half done and ran away after them and all of them got the next Day 24 Miles off in great Terror of the Inniskilliners who afterward performed many admirable Actions against the Irish King James's pretended Parliament Sate in Dublin from May 7. 1689. to July 20. following and in that short time entirely destroyed the Settlement of Ireland and outed both the Protestant Clergy and Laity of their Free-Holds and Inheritances by Repealing the 2 Acts of Settlement Whereby 2 thirds of the Protestants of the Kingdom held their Estates And the Real Estates of all that dwelt or staid in any place in the 3 Kingdoms who did not own K. James's Power or correspended with any such as they Term'd Rebels or were any ways Aiding Abetting or Assisting to them from Aug. 1. 1688 are declared to be forefeited and vested in the King By which Clause almost every Protestant that could write in the Kingdom had forfeited his Estate for the Pacquets went constantly from London to Dublin and back again from August 1688. to March following and few had Friends in England or the North but Corresponded with them by Letters and every such Letter is made by this Clause a Forfeiture of Estate They likewise passed an Act of Attainder whereby above 3000 Protestants were Attainted and their Estates forfeited to the King some for being in Arms but the greatest part for absenting themselves and going out of the Kingdom These proceedings were thought very severe by the Protestants since those that Armed themselves did not Attempt any thing even against those whom the Lord Deputy against the Laws of the Kingdom and the Interest of the Nation had intrusted with Arms and Imployments except in their own Defence when Invaded and Assaulted by them Neither was there one Act of Hostility committed wherein the Protestants were not on the Defensive Their Crime then if any was only that they were unwilling to be Robb'd and Plundered as their Neighbours were without opposition but Disarmed some of those who under Colour of being King James's Soldiers destroyed the Country this was all the Reason Tyrconnel had to proclaim them Rebels for Killing and Murdering his Majesties Subjects and with pillaging the Country whereas it was Notorious they never kil'd any but whom they found actually Robbing for killing of whom the Laws of the Kingdom not only indemnified them but likewise assigned them a Reward and it is as plain that the Protestants preserved the Country from being pillaged and for this they now forfeited their Estates As for those that were absent it would have been unwisely done for the Protestants that were gone to England to have returned again to a Ruinous Kingdom the Actual Seat of War where all the goods they had left behind were Imbezeled by Robbers and their Estates given to those Sons of Rebellion in 1641. And when Men of the best Estates in Ireland wisht themselves away and many were content to leave all and venture their Lives in little Boats to the Mercy of the Seas in the death of Winter reckoning any thing safer and easier than to stay under a Government which had effectually destroy'd all the measures of Right and Wrong and Condenmed so many Gentlemen to the loss of all without allowing them the favour either of being Tryed or Heard And of those that starâ— many of them were kill'd by the Soldiers Murthered in their Houses Executed by Martial Law starved and famished in Jay is and destroyed by many other Violences the Papists declaring That they designed to starve one half of the Protestants and hang the other and that it would never be well till this was done So that all King James's proceedings in that Kingdom clearly manifested his design to be the absolute inslaving it to Arbitrary Power and Popery by his Invading the Liberties and Estates and exposing their Lives to his peremptory Will and Pleasure This the Protestants in the North as well as others were very sensible of and therefore the People of London-Derry resolved to hold out to the last Extremity Some time before the English Navy being out at Sea to prevent Supplies from France Admiral Herbert with his Squadron had notice by his Scent-Ships that part of the French Fleet were abroad and stood for the Irish Coast whereupon he Sail'd after them and found them in Bantry-Bay whereupon drawing his Ships up into a Line and lying upon the Stretch he battered them extreamly from 10 in the Morning till 5 in the Afternoon at what time the French Admiral went off and stood farther into the Bay On our side we lost Captain Aylmer of the Portland with a Lieutenant and about 300 Seamen killed and Wounded the Damage of the French was equal to ours though they had the Bay to shelter them the Wind and a double number of Ships So soon as the English were gone the French weighed Anchor for fear of a second Engagement King James now sets forward with his Army toward London Derry where the Garrison had already Proclaimed King William and Queen Mary and had received from England 480 Barrels of Powder and Arms for 2000 Men with a Commission to Collonel Lundy to be Governor and promise of further Supply King James's Army consisted in about 12000 Men and a very good Train of Artillery his Generals were Monsieur de Mornont General of the French Horse the Sieur Piscina General of the Foot Collonel Hamilton Lieutenant General of the Irish Foot all under the Standard of France and consisting of several Regiments commanded by the D of Berwick and Fitz-James his Brother the Lord Nettervile Abercorn Collonel Shelden and Collonel Randleigh The King had some assurance given him that the Town upon his Approach would undoubtedly Surrender and that the very sight of so formidable an Army would fright them into a Compliance and therefore April 18. he advances with his Army before the Walls with flying Colours Orders were given that none should fire till the Kings Demands were first known but the People of London-Derry wondring to see Lieutenant General Hamilton approaching the Walls contrary to his ingagement not to come within 4 Miles of the Town imagined they were betrayed and fired their Guns upon them which being unexpected by the Enemy some of them fled others hid themselves and a great
many were kill'd and it was reported that one Captain Froy was slain near the Kings Person who was in some disorder to find himself so Roughly and Unmannerly Treated by those from whom he expected a Dutiful Compliance as well as at the Behaviour of his Army so different from the Character he had received of both and therefore those in the Town who had incouraged him to try this dangerous Experiment sent some Persons to the King to excuse it by alledging the Difficulty of Commanding an untractable Multitude But upon their return they were three Days before this kept out by the People Collonel Cunningham and Richards came into the Lough from England with 2 Regiments and other Necessaries for Supply of Derry with Instructions to receive Orders from Governor Lundy who thereupon called a Council of War where the 2 Collenels being present with others unacquainted with the Condition of the Town or the Inclination or Resolution of the People they make an Order that there not being Provision in the Town for the present Garrison and the 2 Regiments for above a week or ten Days and the place not being Tenable against a Formidable Army therefore it was not Advisable to Land the 2 Regiments and that considering the Enemy will soon possess themselves of the place the Principal Officers shall privately withdraw that the Inhabitants by a timely Capitulation may make the better Terms with the Enemy In pursuance of this Order Collonel Cunningham Richards with their Officers went to their Ships which with 2 Regiments on Board Sailed Back for England And the Council in pursuance of these pernicious intentions proceeded to conclude upon a Surrender and drew up a Paper to that purpose which most of them Signed and the Town was Designed to have been delivered up in 2 or 3 Days In the mean time the Officers and Soldiers in London-Derry who knew nothing of the Order of Council earnestly intreated Collonel Lundy that the English Forces might Land that with their Assistance they might take the Field and fight the Enemy before the Cannon were brought over in Order to the Preservation of that Corner into which the Provisions and Wealth of 3 or 4 Counties was crouded The Collonel to delude them told them publickly That it was resolved the English Forces should immedately Land and when they were in their Quarters the Gates should be opened and all joyn in Defence of the Town and to carry on the Intreague the Sheriffs were ordered to go through the City to provide quarters for them but all this was a meer sham that he and the Officers might get away with the greater Ease and Safety A Farty of Irish having a few Days before Attempted to Ford the River at Castle Fin were repulsed by some Forces sent out of Derry who opposed their coming over till all their Ammunition was spent After which they followed the rest of the English Army which were 10000 strong and made good their Retreat to Derry but were much Surprized to find the Gates shut against them by the Governors Order So that many Officers Soldiers and Private Gentlemen were forced that Night to lye about the Walls but the next Day with much Difficulty and some Violence upon the Centry by firing at him and calling for Fire to burn the Gates that and the other Gates were thrown open This and other Passages occasioned great jealousies of the Governor but when the Town-Clerk found it absolutely necessary to Publish the Resolutions of the Council of War That Collonel Cunningham his Ships Men and Provisions should return to England and all Gentlemen and others in Arms should quit the Garrison and go along with him the Common Soldiers were extreamly inraged at their Officers several of whom at this time had Deserted them and fled for England So that they could not forbear expressing it with Violence on some of them One Captain Bell was shot Dead and another Burnt who with more Officers was got into a Boat as they imagined to get away K. James upon the Repulse he had received retired the same Evening with his Army to St. Johnstown about 5 Miles from Derry and staid there 2 Days to wait for an Answer from the City to the Proposal he had made April 17. That to prevent the effusion of Christian Blood if they would Surrender the City Honourable Terms should be allowed them the Council in the absence of Collonel Lundy who thought it for his safety to keep his Chamber proceeded upon the Governors Project to chuse 20 Men to go out and Capitulate with K. James but the Multitude on the Walls and at the Gates hearing of it were so exceedingly incensed that they Threatn'd If a Man of them offered to go out on that Errand they would Treat him as a betrayer of the Town the Protestant Religion and K. Williams Interest Upon which none of them durst offer to go ond so a stop was put to that dangerous Capitulation notwithstanding the Orders of the Governor and Council so little did the Soldiers regard any Command that seemed to cross their Resolutions of Defending the City The Multitude having thus broken the Authority of the Council they with Collonel Lundy thought fit to withdraw he with some Difficulty got to the Ships at Culmore from thence to England Upon which the Garrison seeing they were Deserted by their Governor and having resolved to Defend the Town against the Enemy they chose Mr. Walker a Clergyman and Major Baker to be their Governors during the Siege and the Soldiers whom their Officers had left chose their Captains and each Captain which of the Collonels he would serve under as they pleased themselves and one Mr. Bennet was sent to England to give an account of their Resolutions to maintain the place and to desire Speedy Succors to be sent from thence for their Assistance April 9. A Trumpet came to the Walls from K. James to know why they sent not out Commissioners to Treat according to their Proposals but the People having put a stop to it Collonel Whitney wrote a few Lines to excuse themselves to the King The next Day the Lord Straband came up making many Proposals and offering his Kings Pardon Protection and Favour if they would Surrender the Town but these fine words had no place with the Garrison for at that very time of this Capitulating the Enemy were observed to use that opportunity for drawing their Cannon to a convenient stand Whereupon they desired his Lordship to withdraw or else they should fire upon him he still continued his Compliments till they plainly told him they would never deliver the Town to any but K. William and Q Mary and their Order My Lord having ended all his Insinuations found himself at last obliged to Retire So that K. James having loft all hopes of Accomodation re-resolved if possible to reduce them by force and raised several Batteries against the Town his Head Quarters being still at St. Johnstown
the Town from Pâ—undring Upon which a Party of Horse under the D of Ormond went to take possession of the place Jâ—â—y 19. The K. dined with the D. at his Castle of Kilkenny which Count Lauzun had â—â—â—â—ved with all the Fâ—â—niture in a good Condition the Cellars being well furnish'd with â—ine which they had not time to drink at their going off Col. Eâ—nger was sent from thence with 1000 Horse and Dragoons to seâ—â—re the Town of Wex ord which was deserted by the Irish Garriâ—on As also Clonmel whither Count Schomberg marched with a Body of Horse being one of the strongest Towns in Ireland cost Cromwel 2000 men in taking it the Irish pretended to defend it now and levelled the Suburbs and Hedges but at length march'd off having got 300 l. of the People to secure it from burning and plunder July 22. Maj. Gen. Kirk sent a Trumpet to Summon the Town of Waterford to surrender which they refused in very civil Terms but at length on the 25. they delivered it up on Articles and at the same time the strong Fort of Duncannon 7 miles below Waterford was surrendred upon the like terms The K. went into Wâ—terford and took care that none should be disturbed in their Persons or Goods At the King's return to his Camp His Majesty held a Council where he declared his resolution to go for Engl. upon some accounts he had from thence leaving Count Solms Commander in Chief But a few days after having advice from England that the French were gone off the Coast and had only burnt a small Village in the West His Majesty resolved to return to the Army and Aug. 8. the L. Portland and Brigadier Stuart were sent toward Lymerick with about 1100 Horse Foot and the next day the whole Army advanced The K. having ordered their several Posts sent a Trumpet to Summon the Town it seems a great part of the Ganison were for surrendring it but Mons Boiselean the French Governor the D. of Berwick and Col. Sarsfield much opposed it telâ—ng the Soldiers That there were great Divisions Insurrections in England That the Dauphin was landed there with 50000 men and that the P. of Orange would be obliged soon to draw home his Army to England The Trumpeter was sent back from Mons Boiseleau with a Letter directed to Sir R. Southwell Secretary of State not sending directly to the King because it is thought he would avoid giving him the Title of Majesty That he was surprized at the Summons and that he thought the best way to gain the P. of Orange's good opinion was by a vigorous defence of that Town which his Majesty had intrusted him withal The next morning a Cornet deserted the Enemy who told K William That a great many were for surrendring That Câ—â—nt Lauzun with the French were encampt nigh Galloway the Irish refusing to receive them into the Town because themselves had done so some time before at Lymerick That Tyrconnel with most of the Irish Horse and some Foot were encamped about 8 miles on the other side of Lymerick That there were 14 Regiments of Foot 3 of Horse and 2 of Dragoons then in the Town This City is very strong both by Nature and Art and the Irish had now added some new Fortifications to it In 1651. Lieut. Gen. Ireton laid Siege to it for several Months and did not take it at last for it was in some measure betray'd to him by one Col. Stennel and others of the Irish who against the Governors consent received in a or 300 men thereby getting Possession of the Town Ireton Hanged the Mayor and several others that were still for defending it When His Majesty sate down before Lymerick he had only a Field-Train of Artillery because some imagined the Town would have surrendred upon Summons But it being refused Six Cannon called Pounders two 18 Pounders a great quantity of Ammunition Provisions tin Boats and abundance of other materials were upon the Road from Dublin under the Convoy of 2 Troops of Col. Villars Horse of which Sarsfield having intelligence by a French Gunner who went over to the Enemy he passed the River in the Night with a Body of Horse for being satisfied that if this Train arrived before Lymerick it would not be able to hold it he resolved to run the hazard of destroying them If he succeeded he broke our measures if not he designed for France as he afterward declared The K. had notice of his march and to prevent the worst ordered 500 Horse to march and meet the Guns but by some neglect in the Officers it was 1 or 2 a Clock in the morning before the Party marched which they then did very slowly till about an hour after they saw a great light in the Air and heard a strange rumbling noise which they imagined to be the blowing up of the Train as really it was For on Sunday night Aug. 11. the Guns lay at Cashel and on Monday they marched beyond Cullen to a little old ruinous Castle called Ballemedy not 7 miles from the Camp and being so near did not fear an Enemy especially having no notice and therefore being weary of marthing had turn'd most of their Horses to grass leaving a very slender Guard and the greatest part went to sleep but some never awaked in this World for Sarsheld lurking among the Mountains all the day being guided through by-ways to the very spot he unawares fell in upon them and cut several to pieces with some Waggoners and Country People that were coming to the Camp with Provisions The Chief Officer seeing how it was Commanded to Sound to Horse but those that went to fetch them up were killed by the way The Officers and others after the best resistance they could make were forc't to shift for themselves with loss of Horses and Goods a Lieutenant and some few Troopers were kill'd in all about 60. The Irish got what Horses they could some broke the Boats others the Guns and drawing all the Carriages and Waggons with Bread and Ammunition together in an heap what they could not carry away they laid a Train and fired at their going off blowing up all with an astonishing noise whereby every thing that would burn was reduced to Ashes The Party of Horse that were sent against them came when the business was over in sight of the Enemies Reer but wheeling toward the Left to intercept their passage over the Shannon they unhappily went another way This was very unwelcome News in the Camp however the Siege went on and several more Guns were planted and Firings continued briskly from divers Batteries Aug. 12. Brigadier Stuart went with a Detachement of Men and 〈◊〉 Field-pieces toward Castle Connel upon whose approach the Garâ—rison consisting in 126 surrendred and were brought Prisoners to the Camp Aug. 19. Our Batteries plaid upon the Walls and Houses of Lymerick and the K. riding softly up toward Cromwel's-Fort as his Horse was entring a