be adjudged and put in possession without any Office or Inquisition to be had 18. That your Majesties protestant Subjects may be restbred to the quiet possession of all their Castles Houses Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and Leases and to the quiet possession of the rents thereof as they had the same before and at the time of the breaking forth of this rebellion and from whence without due processe and judgement of Law they have since then been put or kept cut and may be answered of and for all the meane profits of the same in the interim and for all the time untill they shall be so restored 19. That your Majesties said protestant subjects may also be restored to all their Moneys Plate Jewels Houshouldstuffe Goods and Chattels whatsoever which without due processe or judgement in Law have by the said Confederates been taken or detained from them since the contriving of the said rebellion which may be gained in kind or the full value thereof if the same may not be had in kind and the like restitution to be made for all such things which during the said time have been delivered any person or persons of the said Confederates in trust to be kept or preserved but are by colour thereof still withholden 20. That the establishment and maintenance of a competent Protestant Army and sufficient Protestant souldiers and forces for the time to come be speedily taken into your Majesties prudent just and gracious consideration and such a course laid down and continued according to the tules of good government that your Majesties rights and Laws the Protestant religion and peace of that Kingdome be no more endangered by the like rebellions in time to come 21. That whereas it appeareth in print that the said Confederates amongst other things ayme at the repeale of Poynings Law thereby to open an easie and ready way for the passing of acts of Parliament in Ireland without having them first well confidered of in England which may produce many dangerous consequences both to that Kingdome and to your Majesties other Dominions your Majesty would be pleased to recent and reject all propositions tending to introduce so great a diminution of your Royall and necessary power for the confirmation of your Royall estate and protection of your good protestant Subjects both there and elsewhere 22. That your Majesty out of your grace and favour to your Protestant subjects of Ireland would be pleased to consider effectually of assuring them that you will not give order for or allow of the transmitting into Ireland any act of generall Oblivion release or discharge of Actions or Suits whereby your Majesties said Protestant Subjects there may be barred or deprived of their legall remedies which by your Majesties Laws and Statutes of that Kingdome they may have against the said Confederates or any of them or any of their party for or in respect of any wrongs done unto them or any of their ancestors or predecessors in or concerning their lives liberties persons lands goods or estates since the contriving or breaking forth of the said rebellion 23. That some fit course may be considered of to prevent the filling or overlaying of the Commons house of Parliament in Ireland with popish Recusants being ill affected members and that provision be duely made that none shall vote or sit therein but such as shall first take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance 24. That the proofes and manifestations of the truth of the severall matters contained in the Petition of your Majesties Protestant subjects of Ireland lately presented to your Majesty may be duely examined discussed and in that respect the finall conclusion of things respited for a convenient time their Agents being ready to attend with their proofes in that behalfe as your Majesty shall appoint Which Remonstrance Answer and Propositions His Majesty received from the said Agents the 27 of Aprill 1644. and the same delivered to Master Secretary Nicholas and then the said Agents desired him to move his Majesty that nothing might be concluded with the Irish Agents untill the said protestant Agents were fully heard and that they might have a Copy of the Propositions of the Irish The next day after Master Secretary Nicholas told them that his Majesty had referred the protestants petition their answer to the rebells Remonstrance and their propositions to the Committee for Irish affaires The 29th of April the protestant Agents were told by one of the Committee for the Irish affaires at Oxford that such of the Committee who were at the reading of the Answer to the Rebells Remonstrance and the Propositions of the protestant Agent said That those Propositions were drawne by the close Committee of London and that they wondered that His Majesty would receive so mutinous a Petition The same day the Protestant Agents being informed by divers persons of quality that the rebells Agents were upon dispatch they waited on the Lord Cottington chiefe of the Committee and desired his Lordship to be a meanes that they might have a Copy of the Rebells Propositions to His Majesty his Lordship seemed a stranger to the businesse and said he knew not any Propositions the Rebells had made and said further that he conceived they meant the Irish Remonstance whereunto they answered that the same was long since printed and that they were not strangers thereunto To which his Lordship replyed that if any such Propositions were made it were fit the same should be made knowne unto them but that he knew of none such Notwithstanding the said Lord Cottington was present at the Committee appointed by His Majesty for Irish affaires the 19 of April when the said Propositions from the Rebells of Ireland were read and by his Lordship and the rest on inviolable secrecy delivered unto Sir William Stewart and Sir Gerard Lowther Sir Philip Percivall and Mr. Justice Donuelland who were sent for out of Ireland and appointed by His Majesty to advise with him upon the Treaty and who received command from their Lordships not to communicate the said Propositions to any body which Injunction of secrecy was a great prejudice to the Protestant cause that those persons being persons of ability and integrity should be restrained from a free communication of all occurrences concerning that affaire with the said Protestant Agents and both they and the Agents were thereby prevented of satisfying severall persons that on false grounds and misinformation of the Rebells and their party who tooke liberty to discourse of the reasonablenesse of the Rebells desires and of the motives inducing the same were deluded with an opinion of the moderatnesse of the Rebells propositions and other their proceedings The same day the Protestant Agents being much troubled with the said Lord Cottingtons answer repaired unto Sir William Stewart Sir Gerard Lowther Sir Philip Percivall and Justice Donuellan and unto Sir George Radcliffe and Sir William Sambach who were added to them for that affaire and acquainted them that they were attending
in that Kingdome for the encrease of Your Majesties revenues towards the defraying of Your Majesties necessary chage of that Kingdome the satisfying in some measure the arreares of Your Army in Ireland especially those who have laid great sums of money out of their owne purses and deeply engaged themselves for money and provisions to keepe themselves their holds and Souldiers under their commands in the necessary defence of Your Majesties rights and lawes and for the encouragement of others in like times and cases which may happen who otherwise will be totally ruined by their great engagements which we humbly submit to Your Majesties consideration And likewise that Your Majesty will be graciously pleased in the said plantations to erect and build some walled Townes in the said Kingdome of Ireland and endow and furnish them with necessary and sufficient meanes of legall and just government and defence for the better security of Your Majesties lawes and rights more especially the Protestant Religion in time of danger 11. That for the better satisfaction of Justice and Your Majesties honour and for the future security of the said Kingdome and Your Maiesties protestant subiects there exemplary punishment may be inflicted upon such of the principall offenders as have had their hands in the shedding of innocent blood or had to doe with the first plot or conspiracy or since that time have done any notorious murthers 12. That Your Maiesties Townes forts and places of strength destroyed by the said confederates since the said rebellion may be by them and at their charge reedified and delivered up into Your Maiesties hands to be duly put into the government under Your Maiesty and Your lawes of good protestants and that all strengths and fortifications made and set up by the said confederates since the said rebellion may be slighted and thrown down or else delivered up and disposed of for Protestant government as aforesaid 13. That Your Maiesties Protestant subiects may be restored to the quiet and peaceable possession of all their Castles Houses mannors lands Tenements hereditaments and leases as they had the same before and at the time of the breaking forth of this rebellion and from whence without due processe and Judgement in law they have since then been put out and kept 14. That Your Maiesties said Protestant subiects may also be restored to or satisfied for all their monies plate Jewells houshold Stuffe Goods or Chattells whatsoever which during the Rebellion have been delivered to any person or persons of of the confederates in trust to be kept and preserved which are yet detained from them without colour of law or Justice 15. That the establishment and maintenance of a compleat protestant Army and sufficient protestant Souldiers and forces for the time to come in Ireland be speedly taken into Your Majesties Prudent Just and Gracious confideration and such a course laid down and continued therein according to the rules of good government that Your Majesties rights and lawes and the protestant Religion and Peace of that Kingdome be no more endangered by the like Rebellion in time to come 16. That whereas it appeareth in print that the said confederates amongst other things aime at the repeale of Poynings Act thereby to open an easie and ready way for the passing of Acts of Parliament in Ireland without having them first well considered of in England which may produce many dangerous consequences both to that Kingdome and to Your Majesties other Dominions Your Majesty would be pleased to recent and reject all propositions tending to introduce so great a Diminution of Your royall and necessary power for the conservation of Your royall estate and protection of Your good protestant subjects both there and elsewhere 17. That Your Majesty out of Your abundant grace and favour to Your Protestant subjects of Ireland will be pleased to consider effectually of assuring them that if your Majesty shall thinke fit for the furtherance of your service to grant to the said confederates an Act of oblivion that your Majesty will not allow of discharge or release any actions suites debts or interests whereby your Majesties protestant subjects of Ireland may be barred or deprived or any of their party in respect of any wrongs done unto them or any of their ancestors or predecessors in and concerning their lands goods or estates since the contriving or breaking forth of the said rebellion 18. That some fit course may be considered of to prevent the filling or overlaying the Commons house of Parliament in Ireland with popish recusants and unlesse some course shall by due meanes be settled the popish faction may at some time or other get such an over-ruling power in that house as may endanger both your Majesties rights and royall prerogatives and the Protestants of that Kingdome And that provision may be made that none shall Vote or sit in any Parliament there but such as shall first take the Oaths of Supremacy and Alleageance 19. That the proofs and manifestation of the Truth of the severall matters contained in the Petition of your Majesties protestant subjects of Ireland and the collections made to disprove the scandalous aspersions cast on your Majesties gracious government and on your good and loyall protestant subjects by the confederates may be duly examined and discussed The seventh of May Sir William St Leger came from His Majesties Army to Oxford and being with the protestant Agents told them That that party of the Army that came out of Munster in Ireland were much discontented to heare that the protestant Agents received no better countenance and that he had told the Lord Digby so much and that the Lord Digby on discourse with the said Sir William said That The greatest favour he could doe the Protestants Agents was to call them mad men that he might not call them roundheads for that the said Agents had proposed mad propositions and wished him to prevaile with some of the Agents to come to him that he might confer with them which the said Agents did not the L. Digbies expressions then and before so little encouraging them thereunto The same day there was a report in Oxford grounded upon a letter that came out of Ireland signifying that it went for currant newes in Dublin that the Irish Agents were dispatched at Court and that they staid to procure the protestants pardons This being told to the L. Digby by the said Sir William St Leger his Lordship answered That the Protestant Agents had raised that report of purpose to cast an aspersion upon the King The eighth of May the Protestant Agents waited on Mr. Secretary Nicholas desiring to know what resolution was taken upon their second propositions who told them That the Lords sate not that day according to their appointment And the said Agents heard by others that some of the Lords desired to avoid sitting in counsell when the businesse of Ireland was debated The ninth of May the protestant Agents were commanded to wait at the
and Trust within that Kingdome be conferred upon Romane Catholiques Natives in equallity and indifferencis with your Majesties other Subjects Answ We humbly conceive that the Romane Catholique Natives in Ireland may have the like Offices and Places as the Romane Catholiques Natives of England here have and not otherwise Howbeit we conceive that in the generallity they have not deserved so much by their late Rebellion Therefore wee see not why they should be endowed with any new or further Capacities or Priviledges then they have by the Laws and Statutes now in force in that Kingdome 9. Propos That the insupportable oppression of your Subjects by reason of the Court of Wards and respit of homage be taken away and a certain Revenew in lieu thereof fetled upon your Majestie without diminution of your Majesties profits Answ We know of no oppression by reason of the Court of Wards and we humbly conceive that the Court of Wards is of great use for theraising of your Majesties Revenews the preservation of your Majesties Tenures and chiefly the education of the Gentry in the Protestant Religion and in civility of learning and good manners who otherwise would be brought up in ignorance and barbarisme their estates be ruined by their kindred and friends and continue their dependencie on the chief Lords to the great prejudice of your Majesties service and Protestant Subjects And there being no colour of exception to your Majesties just Title to Wardships we know not why the taking away of your Court concerning the same should be so pressed unlesse it bee to prevent the education of the Lords and Gentry that fall Wards in the Protestant Religion For that part of this Proposition which concerneth respit of Homage we humbly conceive it reasonable that some way may be setled for that if it stand with your Majesties good pleasure without prejudice to your Majestie or your Protestant Subjects 10. Propos That no Lord not estated in that Kingdome or estated and not resident shall have Vote in the said Parliament by proxie or otherwise and none admitted to the House of Commons but such as shall be estated and resident within the Kingdome Answ Wee humbly conceive that in the year 1641. by the graces which your Majestie then granted to your Subjects of Ireland the matter of this Proposition was in a fair way regulated by your utter abolishing of blank Proxies and limitting Lords present and attending in the Parliament of Ireland that no one of them should bee capable of more Proxies then two and prescribing the Peers of that Kingdome not there resident to purchase fitting proportions of Land in Ireland within five years from the last of July 1641. or else to lose their Votes till they should make such purchases which purchases by reason of the troubles happening in that Kingdome and which have continued for two years and a half have not peradventure yet been made And therefore your Majestie may now bee pleased and may take just occasion to enlarge the time for five years from the time when that Kingdome may again bee setled in a happy and firme peace And as to Members of the House of Commons the same is most fit as wee humbly conceive to be regulated by the Laws and Statutes of that Kingdome 11. Propos That an Act bée passed in the next Parliament declaratory that the Parliament of Ireland is a frée Parliament of it self independent of and not subordinate to the Parliament of England And that the Subjects of Ireland are immediatly subject to your Majesty as in right of your Crown And that the Members of the said Parliament of Ireland and all other the Subjects of Ireland are independent and no way to bée ordered or concluded by the Parliament of England and are onely to bée ordered and governed within that Kingdome by your Majestie and such Governors as are or shall be there appointed and by the Parliament of that Kingdome according to the Laws of the Land Answ This Proposition concerns your Majesties high Courts of Parliament both of England and Ireland and is beyond our abilities who are not acquainted with the Records and Presidents of this nature to give any answer unto and therefore we humbly desire your Majesties pardon for not answering unto the same 12. Propos That the assumed power of jurisdiction in the Councell boatd of determining of all manner of Causes be limitted to matters of State and all Pattents Estates and Grants illegally and extrajudicially avoyded there or elsewhere bée left in state as before and the parties grieved their heirs or assignes till legall eviction Answ The Councell-Table hath alwaies exercised jurisdiction in some cases ever since the English Government was setled in that Kingdome and is of so long continuance in cases of some natures as the beginning thereof appeareth not which seemeth to be by prescription and hath always been armed with power to examine upon Oath as a Court of Justice or in nature of a Court of Justice in Cases of some natures and may bee very necessary still in many Cases especially for the present till your Majesties Lawes may more generally bee received in that Kingdome And we conceive that Board is so well limitted by Printed Instructions in your Majesties Royall Fathers time and by your Majesties graces in the 17. year of your Reign that it needeth for the present little or no further Regulating at all howbeit they humbly refer it to your Majesties great wisdome and goodnesse to do therein as to Law and Justice shall appertaine Propos 13. That the Statute of the 11.12 and 13. yéer of Quéen Elizabeth concerning Staple commodities be repealed reserving to his Majesty lawfull and just poundage and a book of Rates to be setled by an indifferent Committée of both Houses for all Commodities Answ The matter of this Proposition is setled in a fitting and good way by your Majestie already as we conceive amongst the graces granted by your Majesty to your people of Ireland in the 17 year of your Majesties Reign to which we humbly refer our selves Propos 14. That in as much as the long continuance of the chief Governour or Governours of that Kingdome in that place of so great eminency and power hath béen a principall occasion that much Tyranny and oppression hath béen exercised upon the Subjects of that Kingdome That your Majestie will be pleased to continue such Governours hereafter but for thrée years And that none once imployed therein be appointed for the same again until the expiration of six years next after the end of the said thrée yéers And that an Act passe to dis-inhable such Governour or Governours during their Government directly or indirectly in Vse Trust or other wise to make any manner of purchase or Acquisition of any Manners Lands Tenements or Hereditaments within that Kingdome other then from your Majesty your heirs or successors Ans We humbly conceive that this Proposition tendeth to lay a fals and scandalous
yeares which were staid by the then Lord Deputy and Counsell upon great and waighty reasons of state as they then represented to your Majesty till your Majesty might be well informed of the truth of the case yet afterwards by your Majesties command Bills for Acts of Parliament to resettle all those lands in the Natives and other possessours and their heires were sent over under the great Seale of Ireland and returned under the great Seale of England according to Poynings Act and were ready to passe by Parliament there at the then next session and three other Acts parcell of those graces if the confederate Catholiques had not raised this fearfull Rebellion before the beginning of that Session which was appointed to be in November following And where in one of those graces it was desired that all distinctions betweene the Natives and Brittish might be taken away That was a thing most desired by the Brittish and Protestants But these Remonstrants have now shewed that they never so intended They were so farre from that as they have to their uttermost extirpated all the Brittish and Protestants although the English Governours in the Raigne of your Majesty and your royall father had by Statutes repealed thirteen severall old Statutes against Irish many of which were penall to them in a high degree and tended to destruction Touching the Complaints of false Inquisitions taken upon faigned titles and no traverses or petition of right admitted It is a faigned and scandalous information for when any particular Inquisitions were found either for tenures or title of land no traverses or petition of right as farre as Law would allow Vide the statute of 10 Caroli Cap 3 for the benefit of plantations were ever denied to the subject But where generall Inquisitions were found for Plantations in Irish Countries in respect they were for setling the people in a full peace And because the Deputy many of the Counsell your Majesties learned Counsell and chiefe Officers of eminent trust were Commissioners and alwayes present And that the lurors were alwayes the prime men in each Territory and the Offices most publiquely found by their free consent all parties fully heard And that those people had neither legall title nor evidences whereon to to ground traverses And by reason of the great difficulty to obteine indifferency of tryall for the Crowne In these cases which could at best but breed disturbance contrary to the true intent of those publique and beneficiall workes It was thought fit for quieting of those estates by Patents that traverses should not be admitted unto those graund Officers upon every light surmise but only upon good just and legall causes first made knowne and well considered of by your Majesties Counsell neither were ever Jurors sentenced for not finding any of those Offices except in the County of Galway in the Province of Connaught where the Iurors upon only willfullnesse would not find upon just and full evidence as appeared after in the Starrechamber And upon the same evidence Informations being filed in the Exchequor for those lands the prime Lawyers and many of the Gentry of that Countrey in their answers upon oath confessed your Majesties Title and so Judgment passed for your Majestie and seizures issued And afterwards in a Petition signed and preferred by all the Prime Inhabitants in that County your Majesties Title was acknowledged and a plantation desired besides in the Lord Faulklands time many of the prime men Lords and others in three other Counties of that Province tendred to your Majesty a Plantation upon certaine conditions appearing under their hands they well knowing the benefits arising by plantations and your Majesties just Title to those lands and being conscious to themselves of their unjust intrusion into them And touching the illegall avoyding 150 Patents in a morning by underhand working It is an untruth and as to their naming Sir William Parsons in this Article he was none of the Committee that considered of the Patents in Connaught or Munster where this must be meant neither had any thing to doe in that part of the proceedings neither were any thing neere so many Pattents ever questioned in Connaught and the Territories in Munster lately found for your Majestie which must be the places intended by this Article the debate wherof continued several moneths neither was any such course continued or intended to avoid other Patents except what was done by the means of one Iames Cusack Esquire on of his Majesties Counsell at law and Clark of the Commission for defective tytles A Papist Lawyer now a Remonstrant but where the parties in that intended Plantations brought in their Pattents as was required A Committee of some of the prime Judges your Majesties learned Counsel were appointed by the E. of Straford late Lord Lievtenant to view them And where they found them good as many were they were allowed where they conceived them void in law Counsel was fully heard where they confessed the same it was so agreed where they doubted they were left to tryall if they would stand upon it as few did This was done for avoiding of trouble needlesse charge neither was it a new course for in the Vlster Plantation the like course was found fittest and books of the Cases sent to his then Majestie and by him referred to the Judges of England and by them agreed unto and certified back and so the lands passed and in many other cases aswell for pretended grants of Customes Franchises and other things in former times the Cases were ruled by opinion of the Judges directed by the Deputies and in this Parliament both Houses required the Judges opinions on certaine Queries concerning the Government tendred to the House of Lords by the House of Commons but in most of all the other Plantations all Pattents whether void or otherwayes being not many were allowed and the Pattentees had regraunts for the most part of the same lands or if the necessity of the service so required it of others of like quantitie and value as neere as might be sometimes of better value paying only the old Pattent Rents and services except in some cases when generall Pattents being void in themselves were in Queene Elizabeths time made to Irish Lords of whole Countries upon false surrenders where possession did never runne according to their Pattents And in those cases also so much as they were possessed of were repassed unto them at the former rents and services And if these confederates had had as much care of the honour of the great Seale the publique Faith and just duty and service to your Majestie and your Crowne as those Governours Counsellours and Officers alwayes had they would never have broken out into this unnaturall and horrid rebellion having no just ground or cause for any such act Neither were the Ministers of State like to be advanced or like to be benefited by what was done or to be done towards that Plantation of Connaught and the
in them about that time was Sir Phelomy Oneale made generall of the Catholique Armies as they then called them in the Provinces of Vlster and Meath a County of the Pale On the same four and twentieth day of November 1641 was the house of the Lord Moore called Mellifont three miles from Drogheda surprised and taken by those rebels and many men murthered there in cold blood About the same time also intelligence came from severall parts to the Lords Justices and Counsell that many more younger brothers and sonnes of the gentry and their servants and most of the inferior Inhabitants of the County of Meath beyond the river of Boyne and many on this side that river and many in the County of Dublin on that side the County next Meath had robbed and spoiled all the Brittish and Protestants amongst them and many such acts were freely done within few miles of Dublin the prime gentry most of them Justices of the peace looking on in all places and giving way to those hatefull actions and no course taken to resist or represse any of those insolencies notwithstanding the Commissions of government and of Marshall Law given to many of themselves as is before mentioned On the 22 of the same November great numbers of the Northerne Rebels having without touch passed the County of Lowth shewed themselves on the North side of Drogheda On the 26 and 27 of the same November great number of the Northern Rebels were lodged in Slane the Mansion of the Lord of Slane in the heart of Meath and possessed themselves of that bridge the chiefe passage into the hither part of that County and the County of Dublin by examination it appeareth that on the same 27 of November at night the Lord of Gormanstons Groome was sent and raised those Rebels out of their beds to encountrr the six hundred Foot sent by the Lords Justices and Councell towards Drogheda for further strengthening of that Towne with whom the 28 day of the same November the same Northern Rebells and others met and defeated the said six hundred men neere Julianstowne being undisciplined men newly aaised and took their Armes about the end of that November great numbers of the Irish and some of the old English of the Counties of Wexford Kilkenny and Catherlagh passed over in boates into the County of Waterford in Munster and there committed murthers and great spoiles and rapin on the British and Protestants in that County and sent over great numbers of Cattell and other spoile about the beginning of December 1641. And in part of November before many of the inferiour Inhabitants and some of the Gentry made the like spoile of the British and Protestants in the County of Kildare About the same time very many of the old English and Irish were in rebellion about Rosse and Wexford in the County of Wexford Before this time also they had publike Masse in many Churches in the Counties of Meath and Dublin And about the 27 of November aforesaid the walled Towne of Trym in the heart of Meath was seized on by the Rebels and many of your Majesties Subjects murthered there About the beginning of that December were the British and Protestants in the County of Kilkenny robbed and spoiled by the Gentry and Irish Inhabitants Papists of that County and in the same moneth the Lord Mountgarret having drawne a strength of Irish Armed into the City of Kilkenny stood by while the English there dwelling and such as came thither for safety were spoiled and pillaged On the 1 and 2 day of December aforesaid the Northerne Rebells in great numbers were lodged and entertained in the strong Castle and Village of Platten in Meath on this side the Boyne about two miles from Drogheda belonging to Nicholas Darcy Esquire About the last of November or the first of December aforesaid the Northern Rebels and those of the Lowth and Meath in the Pale who assisted them were set downe in Leaguer round about Drogheda on both sides the River against whom the Inhabitants of Meath or Dublin made no manner of resistance About the 4 day of the same Dublin met with the Northerne Rebels at the Hill of Crofty al' Grofty not farre from Drogheda the manner of whose entercourse was this the Lords and Gentry of the Pale being on the said Hill of Crofty the Northern Rebels lay in great numbers neere the Hill and espying the said Lords Gentry some of the Northerne Commanders came to them thereupon the Lord of Gormanston in the Name of the Lords and Gentlemen demanded of the Rebells wherefore they came in that hostile manner into the Pale whereunto answer was made by Rowry O Moore called a Colonell among the Rebels in name of the rest that they came for the free exercise of the Catholick Religion to restore the King to his Prerogative and to give the Subjects of Ireland the like freedome as the Subjects of England had thereupon the Lord of Gormanston said if those were the true grounds of their warre they meaning the Lords and Gentry of the Pale would joine with them and so the said Lords and Gentry and the said Rebels strooke hands It is also testified that certaine dayes before this generall meeting divers prime Gentry of Meath and the chiefe Officers of the Rebels had a meeting at Duleeke on this side the Boyne in Meath and that a few dayes after this meeting at Crofty aforesaid all the Lords and Gentry of Meath and divers of the Northerne Rebells had another meeting at the Hill of Taragh in Meath where they determined on the maintenance of the Northerne Rebells during the Siege and what provision of Beeves and Corne should bee raised on the Country for every hundred of the said Rebels which was done accordingly by their Warrants the Sheriffe of that County called Nicholas Dowdall who was with them in Rebellion obeying them in all things And soon after another meeting the said Lords and Gentry made choice of new Generals of Foot and Horse and other Officers of the Field and Captaines in that County and appointed who should be chiefe Commanders in each Barony and what number of men should bee raised and maintained out of each Plow land in that County of Meath aswell to joine in the Siege as to fight with any other your Majesties Armies which were conceived to amount to two thousand men whereas in six weekes before at the instance of the Lords Justices and Councell they could or would not raise five hundred men for the defence of the County against the Rebells which with seeming great forwardnessE they at first promised to doe and for whom five hundred Armes with Munition answerable was appointed by the Lords Justices and Councell and the Armes sent as farre as Gormanston and there kept till upon notice of the Rebells comming into the Countrey the Lords Justices and Councell suddenly convaied them to Drogheda which the Lord of Gormanston pretends to be done by his monition Though
punishment even to the losse of life liberty and estate all such as shall either by force practise Counsells Plots Conspiracies or otherwise doe or attempt any thing to the contrary of any Article clause or any thing in this present vow Oath and Protestation contained So help me God AND as for the place of holding the Parliament your Majesties Protestant Subjects cannot imagine why the Remonstrants should desire any other place then Dublin it being the place of the residence of the State unlesse those Remonstrants would draw your Majesties Governours and the remainder of your Majesties Protestant Subjects into some remote place where they might inforce them to comply with them in their desires And your Majesties Protestant Subjects doe conceive that this present Parliament is continued before a person of honour and fortune And by the repealing or suspending of Poyings Law it plainly appeares that the Remonstrants desire to bereave your Majestie of the advice of your Privie Councels both of England and Ireland It is not agreeable to reason that your Majesty who is the head should not be acquainted with the making of those Lawes which perhaps may bind your Majestie and Posterity your Prerogatives and Revenues yea perhaps alter the whole frame of that your Government If this Law be suspended they may repeale the Statute made in the second of Queene Elizabeth for restitution of Jurisdictions of the Crowne in causes Ecclesiasticall and the abolishing the Popes usurped Jurisdictions out of that Kingdome and all Lawes which doe concerne the worship of God or the jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall whereby your Majesty will lose above the one moyty of your Regall Authority and God be bereaved of his honour and all good people be enforced to forsake that Kingdome It being most unreasonable at this time for that would make themselves their owne Judges and they being the parties criminous should not onely have the power of their owne acquitall in their owne hands but also of the condemnation of your Majesties British and Protestant Subjects who persecuted them for their disloyalty against your Majestie It is also dangerous for that the Remonstrants have erected that Idoll of popular Government We meane their Councels called the supreame Councels Provinciall Councels and County Councels and all other their usurped judicatures both by Sea and Land which if they should settle by Parliament they would thereby give countenance to their past actions and for ever exclude the honourable and just Lawes of England which for these 400. yeares have governed that people Also your Majestie is already intituled to a great part of that Kingdome by Attainder of many of the Remonstrants in this Rebellion which by this meanes they will be sure to deprive your Majestie of And so to disable your Majestie to raise any yearely Revenue out of their lands or to make your Majesties Protestant Subjects any satisfaction for their losses thereout This Statute was held so sacred and inviolable that notwithstanding that the Committee from the Parliament made suite to your Majesty that an Act might passe for the further explanation of the same Statute which your Majesty upon mature deliberation did not think fit to give way unto And for the suspension made in the 11 year of Queen Elizabeth It was with those cautions and restrictions as can neither give expedition to the present affaires or be applyed to these times or occasions And your Majesties Protestant Subjects doe humbly crave leave to informe your Majesty that whereas by the late Articles of Cessation of Armes in Ireland It was amongst other things agreed That your Majesties Protestant Subjects and their adherents should injoy all their severall possessions and quarters as they stood the 15 of September 1643. at twelve of the clocke of the said day without interruption of the said Confederate Roman Catholickes and their adherents And that restitution should be made of any things taken after the said time as may appeare by the said Articles yet the said Confederate Roman Catholickes have since the said 15 of the said September as well by fraud as by force of Arms taken from divers of your Majesties Protestant Subjects several holds and places of strength and divers lands and goods amounting to a very great value and refuse to make restitution of the same and have burnt and wasted many places to the ruine of divers Families and to the great terrour of your Majesties said Protestant Subjects And whereas also upon the Conclusion of the said Cessation it was agreed by the said Lord Viscount Muskery and others on the behalfe of the said Confederate Roman Catholickes that thirty thousand pounds should be paid by them at certaine dayes agreed upon which was intended and declared should be imployed to the maintenance of your Majesties Army then much distressed for want of meanes yet neverthelesse although the times are long since expired that the most part of the thirty thousand pounds should have been paid the far greatest part thereof is detained and what was paid was paid so unseasonably as that your Majesties Army that relyed thereupon have been reduced to very great extremities and your Majesties Protestant Subjects forced to pay taxes and contributions towards their reliefe farre above their ability which failer of payment by the Remonstrants your Majesties Revenues being in the hands of the confederate Roman Catholikes necessitated the souldiers to pillage and plunder thousands of your Majesties good Subjects to their utter ruine and destruction in manifest breach of their undertakings and to the great disservice of your Majestie And by these former and continued evill actions knowne untruthes and scandalous aspersions cast on your Majestie and your Royall government and Protestant Subjects of that Kingdome in their said Remonstrance all men may judge that they intend nothing but the absolute extirpation of your Majesties English government and Protestant Subjects there All which your Majesties Protestant Subjects doe most humbly desire may be redrest by your Sacred Majestie for the continuation of your Majesties English Governours and government in that Kingdome and for the encouragement of your Majesties loyall and obedient Protestant Subjects A TRVE NARRATION OF ALL The Passages concerning the Petition of the Protestants of Ireland presented to his Majesty at Oxford the eighteenth day of Aprill 1644. Together with The Reasons inducing the said Protestants to Petition the proceedings and successes thereof in Ireland and afterwards in England from the beginning untill the Protestant Agents were dismissed by His Majesty from Oxford the thirtieth day of May 1644. Collected in obedience to the Order and Command of the Honourable House of Commons of the Parliament of England for the manifestation of the Truth the vindication of the Protestants the satisfaction of the Well-affected and prevention of the Popish party whose daily practice it is to represent untruths to the world and under specious shews to delude and blind the people ABout the sixt of October 1643. diverse of the Protestant
Protestant Religion in Ireland according to the Laws and Statutes in the said Kingdome now in force 2. That the Popish titular Archbishops Bishops Jesuits Friers and Priests and all others of the Roman Clergy be banished out of Ireland because they have been the stirrers up of all rebellions and while they continue there there can be no hope of safety for your Maiesties Protestant Subjects And that all the Laws and Statutes established in that Kingdome against propery and popish Recusants may continue of force and be put in due execution 3. That restitution may be made of all our Churches and Church-rights and revenues and all our Churches and Chappels re-edified and put in as good estate as they were at the breaking out of the rebellion and as they ought to be at the charge of the confederate Roman Catholiques as they call themselves who have been the occasion of the destruction of the said Churches and possessed themselves of the profits and revenues thereof 4. That the Parliament now sitting in Ireland may be continued there for the better settlement of the Kingdome And that all persons duely indicted in the said Kingdome of Treason Felony or other heynous crimes may be duely and legally proceeded against out-lawed tryed and adjudged according to Law And that all persons lawfully convicted and attainted or to be convicted and attainted for the same may receive due punishment accordingly 5. That no man may take upon him or execute the Office of a Major or Magistrate in any Corporation or the Office of a Sheriffe or Justice of peace in any City or County in the said Kingdom untill he have first taken the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance 6. That all popish Lawyers who refuse to take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance may be suppressed and restrained from practice in that Kingdome the rather because the Lawyers in England doe not here practice untill they take the Oath of Supremacy and it hath been found by wofull experience that the advice of popish Lawyers to the people of Ireland hath been a great cause of their continued disobedience 7. That there may be a present absolute suppression and dissolution of all the assumed arbitrary and tyrannicall power which the said confederates exercise over your Majesties subjects both in causes Ecclesiasticall and Temporall 8. That all the Armes and Ammunition of the said Confederates be speedily brought in to your Majesties stores 9. That your Majesties protestant Subjects ruined and destroyed by the said Confederates may be repaired for their great losses out of the estates of the said Confederates not formerly by any Acts of this present Parliament in England otherwise disposed of whereby they may the better be enabled to reinhabit and defend the said Kingdome of Ireland 10. That the said Confederates may rebuild the severall plantation houses and castles destroyed by them in Ireland in at good state as they we eat the breaking out of the rebellion which your Majesties protestant subjects slave beene bound by their severall Patents to build and maintaine for your Majesties service 11. That the great arreares of rent due to your Majesty out of the estates of your Majesties protestant subjects at and since Michaealmas 1641 may be paid unto your Majesty by such of the said Confederates who have 〈…〉 the said rents to the uses of the said Confederates or dessroyed the same by disabling your Majesties protestant subjects to pay the same and have also destroyed all or the most part of all other rents or meanes of support belonging to your said protestant subjects And that your said protestant Subjects may be discharged of all such arreares of rents to your Majesty 12. That the said Confederates may give satisfaction to the Army for the great arreares due unto them since the rebellion and that 〈◊〉 Communcers as have raised forces at their owne charges and laid forth great famines of money out of their owne purses and engaged themselves for money and provisions to keepe themselves their holds and souldiers under their commands in the due and necessary defence of your Majesties right and Laws may be in due sort satisfied to the encouragement of others in like times and cases which may happen 13. That touching such parts of the said Confederates estates as being forfeited for their Treasons are come or shall duely come into your Majesties hands and possession by that Title your Majesty after due satisfaction first made to such as claime by former acts of Parliament would be pleased to take the same into your own hands and possession and for the necessary encrease of your Majesties revenue and better security of your said Kingdome of Ireland and protestant Subjects living under your gracious government thereto plant the same with Brittish and Protestants upon reasonable and honourable tearmes 14. That one good walled Town may be built and kept repaired in every County of the said Kingdome of Ireland and endowed and furnished with necessary and sufficient meanes of legall and just government and defence for the better security of your Majesties Lawes and rights more especially the true Protestant Religion in times of danger In any of which Townes no papist may be permitted to dwell or inhabit 15. That for the better satisfaction of justice and your Majesties honour and for the future security of the said Kingdome and your Majesties Protestant subjects there exemplary punishment according to Law may be inflicted upon such as have there traiterously leavyed warre and taken up Armes against your Majestles protestant Subjects and Laws and therein against your Majesty especially upon such as have had their hands in the shedding of innocent blood or had to doe with the first plot or conspiracy or since that time have done any notorious murder or overt act of Treason 16. That all your Majesties Townes Forts and places of strength destroyed by the said Confederates since the said rebellion may be by them and at their charges re-edified and delivered up into your Majesties hands to be duely put into the government under your Majesty and your Laws of good Protestants and that all strengths and fortifications made and set up by the said Confederate since the said rebellion may be slighted and throwne down or else delivered up and disposed of for Protestant government and security as aforesaid 17. That according to the presidents of former times in cases of generall rebellions in Ireland the attainders which have been duely had by Outlary for Treason done in this rebellion may be established and confirmed by act of Parliament to be in due forme of Law transmitted and passed in Ireland and that such Traitors as for want of Protestant and indifferent Jurors to indict them in the proper County are not yet indicted nor convicted or attainted by Outlary or otherwise may upon due proofe of their offences be by like act of Parliament convicted and attainted and all such offenders forfeit their estates as to Law appertaineth and your Majesty to