as varying from the Common Law and abated the Subsidy that was given in the Earl of Straffords time from 40000 to 12000 l. and soon after Robert Sydney Earl of Leicester was made Lord Lieutenant The Roman Catholicks likewise privately enjoyed the free Exercise of their Religion and by the over-great indulgence of the late Governors had their Titular Archbishops Bishops Vicars General Provincial Consistories Deans Abbots Priors and Nuns who without Controul exercised a voluntary Jurisdiction over them they had also their Priests Jesuits and Fryers who came in great Numbers from Forreign Parts and without restraint Setled themselves in all the Chief Towns Villages Noble-Men and Gentlemens Houses and none of the Laws were put in Execution against them and the Ancient Animosities between the two Nations seemed to be Buryed so that they lived together in Peace for 40 years Marriages and all other indearments of Friendship passing between them and the Irish Lords and Gentlemen found such Advantage by the English Commerce and Cohabitation in the great Improvement of their Lands and Native Commodities beyond what they ever formerly enjoyed that Phelini O Neal and many other principal Leaders in the Succeeding Rebellion had not long before turned their Irish Tennants out of their Lands and exposed them to starve upon the Mountains and took the English for their Tenants who gave them greater Rents and payed them more certainly These and many other Symptoms of a Flourishing Kingdom seemed to declare That the Peace and Tranquillity of the Nation was fully Setled and humanly probable so to continue and the Irish Army Raised for the Invasion of Scotland was peaceably Disbanded and no Noise of War temained in the Coasts In this great Calm the English continued in a most deep Security when on a sudden the Irish Papists raised a Rebellion so execrable in its self so oâ—ious to God and the whole World as no Age Kingdom nor People can parallel the Horrid Cruelties and Abominable Murthers that were without Number as well as without Mercy committed upon the Brittish Inhabitants throughout the Land of what Sex Age or Condition soever which was long before presaged by some discerning Persons particularly by the excellent Learned and Religious Archbishop Usher of Armagh who amongst many other extraordinary Gifts and Graces wherewith he was endowed had a wonderful Spirit of Prophecy from which among many other things he foretold this Bloody Rebellion 40 years beâ—re it came to pass in a Sermon preached at Dublin in 1601. where from Ezekiel 4.6 Discoursing concerning the Prophets bearing the iniquity of Judah 40 Days the Lord therein appointing a Day for a year he made this direct Application in Relation to the Connivance at Popery at that time From this year says he will I reckon the Sin of Ireland that those whom you now imbrace shall be your Ruine and you shall bear your Iniquity Which Prediction proved exactly true for from that time 1601. to 1641. was just 40 years It is observed that the Irish have naturally a dull and deep Reservedness which makes them carry on their Business with much Silence and Secrecy but yet it is Admirable to consider how this mischievous Plot which was generally to be acted by several Persons in divers places at the same time should without Noise be brought to the very point of Execution without any Notice or Intimation given to any two of that huge Multitude of Persons who were designed to be Sacrificed in it there not being any certain Discovery made of it till Oct. 22. which happened in the manner following Owen O Covally a Gentleman of a meer Irish Family but had long lived among the English being a Servant to Sir John Clothwarthy and Trained up in the Protestant Religion came to the Lord Justice Parsons about nine a Clock that Evening and gave an account of a Wicked and Damnable Plot contrived by the Irish Papists for Seising the Castle of Dublin the very next Day with all the Arms and Ammunition therein And at the same Hour all other Forts and Magazines of Arms in the Kingdom and that all the Protestants and English who would not joyn with them should be cut off and thereby the Papists would be possest of the Government and Kingdom at the same instant upon this Discovery the Lords Justices and Councils caused Recruits to be put into the Castle and the City to be Guarded and then endeavoured to seise the Traytors many of whom came into the City that Night and Hugh Mac-Mahon Esquire Grandson to the Rebel Tyrone and the Lord Mac-Guire Two of the principal Conspirators were made Prisoners but several others of the chief escaped that Night So that only 30 of the most inconsiderable were taken the great ones having too many Friends in the City who furthered their escape Mac-Malion being Examined before the Council without much Difficulty confest the Plot Resolutely telling them That on that very Day Oct. 23. 1641. All the Forts and strong Places in Ireland would be taken That he with the Lord Mac-Guire Hugh Birn Captain Brian O Neal and several other Irish Gentlemen were come up expresly to Surprise the Castle of Dublin that 20 Men out of each County were to be there to joyn with them That all the Popish Lords and Gentlemen in the Kingdom were ingaged in this Plot that what was that Day to be done in other Parts of the Country was so far Advanced by that time as it was impossible for the Wit of Man to prevent it and added that it was true they had him now in their power and might use him how they pleased but he was sure he should be Revenged The next Day News Arrived that the Irish were Risen in the Province of Ulster Plundering Burning and Massacring the poor English and the Rebellion appeared to be general over all the Northern part of the Kingdom and every Hour people Arrived at Dublin like Jobs Messengers telling the Story of their own Sufferings and the fearful Murthers of the Protestants in all parts from whence they came The Rebels grew stronger every Day and by the latter end of October had got possession of all the Towns Forts Castles and Gentlemens Houses in seven whole Counties and half the County of Doun except London-Derry Colrain and the Town and Castle of Inniskilling this impetuous Torrent of Success seemed to proceed from the great Security and Confidence the English had in the Irish with whom they lived peaceably and quietly and to whom they had not given the least provocation So that in the Northern Countries they were suddenly swallowed up and over-run before they could make any manner of Resistance For most of the English having either Irish Tenants Servants Landlords or Familiar Neighbours So soon as the Country began to rise about them many fled to them for preservation and with great Confidence put their Lives Wives Children and all they had into their Power but these generally either betrayed them into the
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
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
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
K. James to meet and confer with him at Chester carrying along with him Judge Rice for his Councellor and a Subtle Fellow who told the King so many fine Stories there being none to contradict him that he was dismist contrary to the hopes and expectations of many who thought he would never have returned again L. Deputy When he took leave of several Privy Counsellors and Officers at his going to wait on King James at Chester Aug. 1687. He said I have put the Sword in your Hands And then in his usual Stile prayed God to damn them all if ever they parted with it again During Tyrconnels stay here the New Judges went their Circuits wherein they discovered the most gross partiality imaginable for though they found the Jayls full of Tories and Irish Robbers committed for several Notorious Crimes yet with the Assistance of Irish Sheriffs and Juries they were most of them Discharged without punishment either being indicted by wrong Names or else by taking off the Prosecutors with Threats That if they proceeded their Cattel would be stoln their Houses burnt or their Throats Cut which often happened And this was done in pursuance of one of the Lord Deputies Instructions from Court to them that they should by all possible means weaken the Protestant Interest which they so effectually performed that no Englshman was secure of any thing he had by their Exorbitant proceedings against them So that had these Barbarous Injustices and publick Oppressions and Violences in the several Law-Courts even such as never were till then heard of among Christians continued but a few years longer these without other means might have wholy Reduced the Kingdom into Irish Hands it being observed that never one Cause came before them upon a Tryal for Land but the Judgment was constantly given in favour of the Irish As to the Army in Ireland of which I have mentioned something before I shall add that when K. James came to the Crown they consisted in about 7000 Men as cordial to his Interest as possible both Officers and Souldiers Respecting him as their Master and Father and shewed a great forwardness to have assisted him against Monmoth and Arguile Yet he was no sooner setled in the Throne but he began to turn the most zealous of them out of his Service because he could not expect they would be useful to him in destroving the Protestant Religion and Liberties of the Subjects which was the Service he expected from them and therefore took ther Troops away and gave them to persons of mean or broken Fortunes and some of them unqualified by Law and no consideration was had to Loyalty or Merit unless a Man were a Papist of which there were too many Notorious Instances And the manner of their being Discarded was with so much falshood and Barbarity from Tyrconnel as might have shaken the Obedience of any Army but this in the World and caused them to have dispatcht so false a Wretch for in the Morning he would take an Officer into his Closet and with his usual Oaths Curses and Damnations would profess the greatest kindness and friendship assuring them of the Continuance of their Commissions and in the Afternoon would Cashier them with all manner of Scorn and Contempt nay while he was Caressing them he had actually given away their Commands As for the Soldiers and Troops he Marched them to some place so far distant from their Quarters that they were not much known and there after great Hardships stript the Foot of their Cloaths which they had payed for and the Troopers of their Horses Boots and Furniture bought with their own Money and turned them off to walk Barefoot some 100 others 150 Miles to their Houses and Homes And though they were promised something for their Horses yet their Attendance cost them twice as much as they expected and most of them after all got nothing By this means 2 or 300 Protestant Gentlemen who had laid out great part of their Fortunes and Contracted Debts to obtain Commissions were not left worth any thing but were turned out without reason or any consideration and 5 or 6000 Soldiers sent a begging an Hardship perhaps never put upon an Army before for no other reason but because they were English-Men and Protestants and Irish men and Papists were by K. James put in their places clearly Demonstrating that he had no regard to the Laws or the Preservation of that Kingdom and that he absolutely designed to Ruin the Protestant and Advance the Popish Interest in Ireland And the same Fate attended all the Protestant Civil Officers several of them being outed though they had places by Patent for Life Sheriffs Justices of Peace Officers of the Revenue c. who were all changed for Roman Catholicks and this before the News of the Glorious Expedition of his now Majesty the Prince of Orange and without any provocation or the least pretence of Disloyalty Dec. 9. 1687. Being Sunday in the Morning happened such an Inundation of Water at Dublin as was never known before carrying away Stone Bridges overflowing Houses for 3 Days together so that a great part of the City was much indamaged thereby to their great Detriment and loss and was the more remarkable because no great Rain only a few small showres had fallen the â—ight before which seemed to presage the deluge of Troubles that were impending over the poor English in that distressed Kingdom The Earl of Castlemain being returned to England from his Embassy to the Pope and having received no Preferment complained to the Pope who writ to his Nuncio to Address the King in his behalf and being seconded by Father Peters it was resolved in the Cabinet Council Dec. 23. that Jefferies the Lord Chancellor for tampring in the business of Magdalen Colledge should be put out and 3 of the Lords of the Treasury be made Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal and that Castlemain should be Lord Treasurer Peters roundly telling the King that the most effectual means for accomplishing his Design of Establishing the Catholick Religion was to let his Prime Ministers and the World understand That no Service they had or could do should protect them or be reckoned of any account if they boggled in the least Tittle or Circumstance relating to the Catholick Cause But still the Furious Jesuits and their Accomplices were very much unsatisfied that notwithstanding they had a Catholick King upon the Throne yet the Popish Religion made but small progress and there was but a mean harvest of Converts to the Roman Faith Nay not in Ireland where all the power both Civil and Military was in their Hands hereupon a Project is contrived to destroy the Act of Settlement there in hopes the Protestants would Rebel and Forfeit their Estates whereby they should have an opportunity totally to extirpate them out of that Kingdom and so be in a capacity in a short time to subdue England and Scotland likewise In Order hereto the Lord