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
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
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
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
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
Besiege Dungannon but finding little hopes of reducing it quickly he resolves to go to Kilkenny and the Marquess of Ormond and the Lord Inchequeen retiring without hindring his March he took in several strong Towns and Forts and at length Attacks Kilkenny with such Vigor that he took it in 6 days time after which he Besieges Clonmell a strong Garrison during which Colonel Reynolds and Hewson attack Trim and the Lord Broghill Defeats the Bishop of Ross who designed to relieve Clonmell which soon after was taken by Assault and a great carriage made because of their Obstinacy in defending the same After this Cromwell having in 10 Months done the Work of so many years returns to England and Colonel Ireton being made Lord Deputy is sent over thither there being only Lymrick Waterford Galloway and some few Castles in the hands of the Irish the first of which was Surrendred to him Oct. 29. 1651. But he dying Collonel Edmond Ludlow Succeeded him as Lieutenant General of the Army of that Kingdom The War was now almost at at end and the Lord Claurivard being in Galloway sends a Letter to Ludlow to desire him to appoint Commissioners to meet with others for the composure and conclusion of this wasting bloody War which Ludlow refused but sent him word That if the Irish would submit they should have such Articles and Conditions as were fit for them This prevailed on several Parties as the Lord Muskerries Fitz Patricks and the Odroyrs to come in and submit upon condition they might Transport their Forces into the Service of the King of Spain The Earl of Ormond and the Lord Inchequeen not pleased with the sace of Affairs left that Kingdom some time before and went to France and in 1652. the remaining Irish under the Lord Clanrick and having received several Defeats by the English Forces May 12. Galloway was Surrendred and afterward the whole Country was Reduced to the Obedience of the English Parliament Sir Phelim O Neal the Arch-Rebel being likewise taken Hanged and Quartered The last of the Irish who held out in the Boggs and Fastnesses was General O Brian who at length finding the weakness of his Party and weary of his sculking condition obtained the usual Articles of Transportation upon which Articles it was reckoned that from the year 1652. to 1653. near 27000. Irish had departed the Kingdom and the rest were Transported into the Province of Connaught environed on one side by the Sea and lockt up by Rivers and Garrisons on the other out of which they were not to stir under a severe penalty By this means the Country was much Depopulated and the Lord Fleetwood and the Commissioners in Ireland sent over Letters that some English Colonies might be sent thither to inhabit great Priviledges being offered to them that would Transport themselves and accordingly went over to better their Fortunes and in a short time this Harassed and Ruinated Kingdom began to flourish again both in Tillage Buildings and all other Accomodations I have been very brief in relating any thing of the Affairs of England or of the Actions of Oliver Cromwell in this Kingdom having already published 2 Books one the History of the Wars of England with all the most Remarkable passages till the Death of King Charles I. And his Tryal and last Speech at large And another called the History of the Life and Actions of Oliver Cromwell with his Death and Burial both of the same value with this to which I refer the Reader for further satisfaction In 1654. The Lord Fleetwood was Sworn Lord Deputy of Ireland Serjeant Steel was made Lord Chancellor and Serjeant Pepys Lord Chief Justice Collonel Hammond Corbet with others being made of the Privy Council they ordered that March 1. 1654. should be the longest time allowed to the Irish to Transport themselves out of that Kingdom under very severe penalties But a while after Oliver Cromwell having taken the Government upon himself with the Title of Lord Protector in July 1655. Henry Cromwell his Son was made by him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the place of the Lord Fleetwood all things still continuing very quiet there The same year Arch-Bishop Usher of Armagh dyed a Prelate of incomparable Learning and Piety upon whose Funeral the Protector expended 200 l. After the Death of Oliver Cromwell his Son Richard Succeeded but in a short time was removed from the Government by M. General Lambert and the Army and the Remnant of the Long Parliament restored in 1659. who sent Dispatches to the Lord Henry to Surrender the Government of Ireland to Chancellor Steel and Lord Chief Baron Corbet which he did without opposition and to oblige the Parliament the more signified by an Express that he was preparing to come for England with all speed to give them an account of that Kingdom which he had left in a very good conditon and hoped that his Successor might reap more Content in the Government than he hath found After his Arrival he applyed himself to the Council of State and had Liberty by an Order to go into the Country or whither he pleased But the Nation being Discontented at the continual Fluctuations of the Government the Long Parliament being soon after turned out again by the Army the People generally desired a Free Parliament And General Monk marching out of Scotland with his Army and Reinstating the Parliament and restoring the Excluded Members in March 1659. they Dissolved themselves having sent out Writs for Electing a New Representative to meet April 25 following and about the same time Sir Charles Coot in Ireland declares himself for a Free Parliament and thereupon possest himself of Dublin Castle having before Surprized Galloway from Collonel Sadler in this manner He invited him and his Officers all Zealots for the long Parliament to his House over the Water to be merry which done Sir Charles pretended a desire to drink a glass of Wine in Galloway privately with the Collonel So they two Secretly took a Boat with each a Servant and being on the other side Sir Charles said Collonel Sadler I am resolved for a Free Parliament and to have this Garrison you have a Sword about you draw and fight or else ingage your Honour you will make no disturbance in the Town upon our Admission and my Declaration To which Sadler Surprized and Troubled answered He would Acquiesce upon this he caused the Gate to be opened and Sir Charles having declared himself the Souldiers cryed out A Coot a Coot and a Free Parliament After this he secured Sadler and Sir Hardress Waller at Dublin and immediately all Ireland declared themselves satisfied in this Change offering their Lives and Fortunes in the Defence of the Parliament then Assembled and soon after a Convention was called at Dublin in Nature of a Parliament to provide for the safety of the Kingdom from whence the Lord Shannon Sir John Clothworthy and Major Aston were sent as Commissioners to England where the Parliament
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
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
he would allow them and at the same time gave Orders for the great Guns and Mortars to be ready if they refused to consent to them who seeing the Generals resolution and finding no other remedy at length Octo. 3. the Articles of Capitulation were signed consisting of 2 parts The first relating to Civil Affairs which were signed by the Lord Justices the General and the Persons deputed by the Garrison The other in reference to Military Affairs which were subscribed by the Generals on both sides Such of the French and Irish as had a mind to pass the Seas were to have Liberty for their present convenience to stay in the English Town and Island till they could be shipt away and the Castles of Ross Clare with all other Places and Castles that were then in possession of the Irish were forthwith to be delivered to the English In pursuance of this Agreement one Gate of the Town was delivered up that Evening and the next day the Lord Cutts marched into the Irish Town and took possession of it with seven Regiments of Foot At this very time nows came that divers French Men of War with Transport Ships were on the Coasts and endeavoured to put into some places distant from Lymerick either not knowing the Harbours or being uncertain how affairs stood there but at length it seems they had certain knowledge that Lymerick had submitted and upon what Terms and one Article being That such of the Irish and French as had a mind to leave the Kingdom and go to France might stay to expect a free Passage thither without distirbance the French being hereby asured not to be attacked by our Men of War they boldly appeared on the Coasts of Kerry being about twenty five Men of War and twenty five Transport Ships with some Fire-Ships having aboard 1000 Arms Wine Brandy and other Provisions And that it might be thought their design in coming was only to carry off the Frenh and Irish that were unwilling to stay Monsieur D'Vssen the late French Governour took the first opportunity to give notice of them to M. G. Talmash who was appointed by the General to command in Lymerick whereupon it being judged most convenient that they should Transport themselves in French Ships than to trust ours in the Enemies Port The Transport Ships were admitted to come into the River Shannon but the Men of War and Fire ships to keep out at Sea and those Transport-Ships to have Liberty to take on board such as would freely imbarke But the Irish Noblemen and Gentlemen having been made too sensible of the French insolency in their own Countrey resolved not to trust to their kindness in France and therefore many of them as well as some Chiefs of the Rapparees came in and freely took the Oath of Fidelity to their Maiesties But others being promised great advantages in France were persuaded by Sarsfield Sheldon and other Commanders to imbark with them and make their Fortunes in the service of the Late K. James Nov. 1. The Irish intirely left the English Town of Lymerick and part of them went aboard the French Ships one of which that carried 400 Men with several valuable goods ran upon a Rock and about 100 were drowned Dec. 22. The remainder of the Irish being about 2600 Men Women and Children were by Sarsfield imbarqued from Cork to France though he thought to have carried off a far greater number but several whole Regiments deserted him upon advice of the ill Treatment the Irish already landed in France had received where the Officers were generally displaced or made to serve in lower Stations and French men put over their heads After this Coll. Foulk Governour of Dublin had Orders to disband the Irish Regiments that came over to us upon the surrender of Lymerick except 1400. who were sent into the service of the Emperor of Germany Ireland being thus happily reduced to the Obedience of their Majesties General Ginkle went to Dublin where he and the rest of the gallant Commanders were received with a general joy and the highest marks of respect to their merits who had been so serviceable to the Kingdom Soon after the General imbarqued for England and was received very graciously by Their Majesties and created Earl of Athlone the Parliament likewise sending their thanks to him for his good services desiring him to communicate the same to all the Officers that served under him in this Expedition And he together with them was highly entertained with a noble Treat by the City of London The Lords Justices were very diligent to settle matters in Ireland which now began to breath again after such ruins and devastations as had been made by the brutish Irish And the Parliament in England abrogated the Oath of Allegiance in that Kingdom and ordered another Oath to be taken Sir David Collier was made Governour of Lymerick In August 1692. The Ld Vi. Sydney being constituted L. Leiuetenant of Ireland arrived there and was received with loud peals of Cannon and Complimented by the Nobility and after having taken the Oath the sword was delivered to him and the day ended with acclamations of Joy and Bonesires And soon after his Excellency issued out Writs for calling a Parliament in that Kingdom who met accordingly and his Excellency in an Eloquent Speech declared The happiness they enjoyed by being restored to this great Priviledge since the Kingdom could not so well be recovered to any degree of settlement legally as by a Parlirment constituted and setled and that behoped they would make use of at to pass such Laws as might tend to the firm settelment of the Conuntrey upon the Protestant Interest and that it would be a great satisfaction to his Majesty to see them established in peace and prosperity having had so great and glorious a part releiving them from the calamities under which they laboured After this the Commons presented their Speaker and proceeded to swear their Members They then ordered an Adress of Thanks to be drawn up to his Majesty and another to the Ld. Lieutenant and then passed 1. An Act of Recognition of Their Majesties undoubted Title to the Crown of Ireland 2. For incouraging Protestant Strangers to settle in that Kingdom 3. For an Additional Excise upon Beer Ale and other Liquors 4. For taking Affidavits in the Countrey After which the Parliament was Prorogued to April and from thence to Sept. 1693. A List of the Nobility in the Kingdom of Ireland 1693. SIR Charles Porter Kn. Lord Chancellor Dr. Mich. Boyle Lord Archbishop of Armagh Primate of Ireland Dr. â—r March Archbishop of Dublin Dr. Narcissus March Archbishop of Cashell Dr. Joseph Vesey Archbishop of Tuam Rich. Earl of Cork Lord Treasurer DVKES Butler Duke of Ormond Schomberg D. of Linster EARLS Fitzgerald E. of Kildare O Bryon E. of Thomond Burk E. of Clanriccard Touchett E. of Castlehaven Boyle E. of Cork Mc. Donnel E. of Antrim Nugent E. of Westmeath Dillon E. of Roscomon Ridgeway
The Battle Victory of K. William at The River Boyn in Ireland Iuly 1. 1690 THE HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF Ireland Being an Account of all the Battles Sieges and other considerable Transactions both Civil and Military during the late Wars there till the entire Reduction of that Countrey by the Victorious Arms of our most Gracious Soveraign King William To which is prefixed A Brief Relation of the Ancient Inhabitants and first Conquest of that Nation by King Henry II. and of all the remarkable Passages in the Reign of every King to this time Particularly the Horrid Rebellion and Massacre in 1641. With the Popish and Arbitrary Designs that were carried on there in the last Reigns By R. B. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside 1693. TO THE Reader THE Kingdom of Ireland has for several Ages been an Aceldama or Field of Slaughter watered with the Blood of English Men occasioned by their Repeated Rebellions and inveterate aversion to the English Nation in pursuance whereof they have left no Treacheries Murders or Villanies unattempted being incouraged thereto by their Ignorant and Superstitious Priests to whose Dictates this Stupid People entirely Submit and who endeavour to Foment and Cherish this Inexorable hatred formerly under pretence of Recovering their Liberty but since the Reformation upon account of Difference in Religion which made them very Troublesom to the Renowned Queen Elizabeth and as one Chief occasion of the Horrid and Bloody Massacre in 1641. In the late Reigns they were somewhat quieter receiving much Favour and Countenance from the Court but upon his present Majesties Glorious Expedition into this Kingdom they made an absolute Defection from the Crown of England and had Totally Reduced that Country to Popish Idolatry and French Slavery if his Majesties Victorious Arms and Admirable Conduct had not by the Blessing of Heaven Reconquered and Reduced this Stubborn Nation to their former Subjection Of which the following History gives a brief Account as well as of the Ancient Inhabitants thereof and of all Considerable Matters from its first Conquest to this time which being full of Variety and Delight I doubt not will be as Acceptable to the Reader as my former Mean Endeavours of this Kind R. B. THE HISTORY Of the Kingdom of IRELAND IRELAND hath been always accounted a Land of wonders and many strange Relations have been made thereof though the greatest wonder seems to be that such incredible stories should be told and so firmly believed as they are by the Irish and divers others to this very day To give you a taste of them we find it recorded in their Histories that in the North of Munster there are two Islands a greater and less in the first never any Woman or Female Creature entreth but they instantly dye as hath been experimented by Bitches and She Cats brought thither to that purpose The Cock Birds Sing and hop upon the Trees but the Hens avoid it as a fatal place The lesser is called the Living Isle because none can dye therein and therefore those that dwell here when they are even tyred with living by reason of Sickness or Old age desire to be conveyed thither and no sooner arrive but they give up the Ghost In the West part of Connaught say they there is an Island called Aren to which St. Brendan doth often resort the Air whereof is so great an enemy to putrefaction that they never bury the Bodies of the dead but are kept above ground without the least smell or offence so that a Son may there view his Father Grandfather and all his Relations for many Ages past In Ulster is a Lake thirty thousand paces long and fifteen thousand broad out of which ariseth the noble Northern River called Bane wherein there are abundance of great Fish so that the Nets are oft broken It is believed by the Inhabitants that there were very wicked vicious people formerly living in this place and there was an Old Prophecy in every ones mouth that when ever a Well which was therein and was continually covered and lockt up carefully should be left open so great a quantity of Water should issue thereout as would forthwith overflow the whole adjacent Countrey It happened that an Old Beldam coming to fetch Water heard her Child cry upon which running away in haste she forgot to cover the Spring and coming back to do it the Land was so over-run that it was past her help and at length She her Child and all in that Territory were drowned which caused this Pool that remains to this day A strange Spring is likewise discoursed of in Ulster wherewith if a man wash his hair or beard they presently turn grey and another of a contrary quality making all grey hair black I have seen a man saith my Author who washing half his beard with this Water it was all White the other part remaining Brown In Connaught is a Well on the Top of a Hill that Ebbs and Flows equally with the Sea yet the Water 's fresh At Castlenock near Dublin is a Window neither glazed nor latticed yet a Candle being set there in the greatest wind or storm burns as quietly as in the greatest calm and a Spring the water whereof is wholesome to humane Bodies but poison to Beasts In Kildare is a curious Field upon an Hill where the Irish say a great Battle will one time or other be fought between the Irish and English with such vast effusion of bloud that a Mill in a Valley hard by shall be turned Four and twenty hours with the streams thereof In a Plain in this County they relate those stones were formerly placed which are now on Salisbury Plain and conveyed thither with sleight of hand by Merlin the Welch Prophet at the request of Aurelius Ambrosius King of the Brittains In the South part of Munster is an Island blest by St. Brendane a famous she Saint in this Island with this strange quality That if any Hare Stag or other wild Beast be chased thereabout it makes toward this Islet swimming over a small stream into it whither the Dogs dare not pursue but standing on this side the Bank see their Enemy sit there securely protected by some invisible Bars from danger But the most Remarkable wonder of all is that of St. Patricks Purgatory thus described by the Superstitious Irish Writers In Ulster there is a Pool which incompasseth an Island in one part whereof stands a Church exceedingly inlightened by the glorious appearance of Angels the rest of the Isle is dark and horrid seeming only a Den for Devils and Evil Spirits wherein is a Pit which by a door leadeth into a Cave of Stone divided into seven parts which is called St. Patricks Purgatory for when this Irish Saint preached the Gospel to them and told them of Joys eternal in another life for the Godly and miserable Torments to the Wicked the People came and spake thus to him Sir
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
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
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
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
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