rest to disobedience that they adjudged them less worthy of favour than the others whom they had misguided And therefore for those principal Persons they required them to take care not to be too forward without first consulting the Counsel-board in proffering or promising mercy to those unless they the said Commissioners saw it of great and unavoidable necessity They likewise writ to the Lords Presidents of Munster and Connaght advising them to be upon their Guards And that several of the Catholick Communion might not say but that they also were confided in the Lords Justices who were willing to continue all proofs imaginable of their confidence in them gave in November several Commissions of Government to the Lord Gormanston in Meath the Lord Mountgarret in Kilkenny Nicholas Barnewell in Dublin Walter Bagnall in Caterlagh the Lord Lowth in Lowth Sir Thomas Nugent in Westmeath Sir Robert Talbot in Wickloe the two Sir Dillon's in Longford and several others as well in Munster as Connaght and Ulster who contrary to the trust reposed in them not forbore to protect or endeavour'd to reduce any but soon after joyn'd with the Rebels and prov'd as violent if not worse against the Protestants as those who first appear'd in the Rebellion And because the Times required something extraordinary beyond the course of common-Common-Law the Lords Justices and Councel gave several Commissions of martial-Martial-Law to the prime Gentlemen of the Pale all Roman Catholicks as to Henry Talbot in the County of Dublin John Bellew Esq in the County of Lowth Richard Dalton and James Tuit Esq in the County of Westmeath Valerian Wesley in the County of Meath James Talbot in the County of Cavan And understanding of Sir O-Neal's proceedings in Ulster the only person remaining of nearest alliance to the Earl of Tyrone how that he had surprized Charlemont where the Lord Caufield lay with his Foot-Company afterwards basely butcher'd by him the Lords Justices endeavour'd to reduce many to their obedience But the root of their Design being deeplier laid than on threats or encouragements to frustrate their hopes the Lords Justices hourly endeavour'd to fortifie his Majesty's Interests wih the most powerful Forces they could raise But in the interim the Magistrates of the City of Dublin perceiving great numbers of Strangers to come to Town from several Parts lingring in the Suburbs and Fields to the terror of the Inhabitants they repair'd to the Councel Board with much fear and astonishment beseeching the Lords Justices and Councel to inhibit the same lest the concourse of people promiscuously gathering in such a crowd might threaten the security of the City Whereupon their Lordships considering somewhat more than ordinary must necessarily be done in such an exigence caus'd some to be apprehended and immediately publisht a Proclamation in his Majesty's Name commanding all Persons not Dwellers in the City and Suburbs to depart within an hour after publication thereof upon pain of death in the interim and afterwards receiving all who applied themselves to the Lords Justices with singular friendship and integrity But the Magistrates growing still jealous of the concourse of people applied themselves again to their former refuge Whereupon the State that the Inhabitants might receive no dis-encouragement who were like to bear the brunt of all Taxes Levies and Supplies the 28th of October publisht a Proclamation to the same intent with the former with the penalty of death to such as wilfully harbour'd them However the Insolencies of the Rebels threatning even Dublin it self most of the prime Gentry of the County Justices of Peace looking on in all places and giving way to those hateful actions the State having intelligence from Dr. Jones a Service very remarkable that during his imprisonment amongst the Rebels at Cavan which ripen'd his integrity highly improv'd to the Service of the State they intended to besiege Tredath the Lords Justices the better to divert them from Dublin appointed Sir Henry Tichborn Col. and Governour of that Town Sir Faithfull Fortescue the former Governour finding Supplies not hastned with that speed he desir'd having resign'd up his Commission not being willing to lose his Reputation though he was forward enough to hazard his Person So the Lords Justices designing the said Sir Hen. Tichborn a Company of Foot and to compleat his Regiment order'd Sir John Borlase Junior Capt. Lt. Col. Byron Capt. Lt. Col. Wenmond Capt. Who though they had been all in former Employments Field-Officers yet out of their zeal to the present Service came as private Captains Jacob Lovell Serjeant Major who died in the Siege Capt. Chichester Fortescue Capt. William Willoughby Capt. Edward Billingsley Capt. Lewis Owens Capt. John Morris to associate him These they sent from Dublin the 3d. of November who happily arriv'd at Tredath the 4th having been enabled thereunto by 3000 l. most opportunely in the hands of the Vice-Treasurer intended before the Rebellion for the satisfaction of a publick Engagement in England Besides these there was sent Troops under Capt. John Slaughter Lt. to Sir Thomas Lucas Commissary-General Thomas Greimes Lt. to Sir Adam Loftus besides others which in their due time may be taken notice of These being gone to Tredath Sir Charles Coote had a Commission for a Regiment of the poor stripped English so likewise had the Ld. Lambert A little while after arriv'd from England Sir Thomas Lucas who commanded a Troop compleated with such Men as he found there also Capt. Armstrong rais'd a Troop Capt. Tardner soon after landed Lt. to the Ld. Lieutenant's Troop all very considerable not long after Col. Crafford came over also and bringing with him Letters from the Prince Elector then attending his Majesty in Scotland also rais'd a Regiment of the Townsmen and the poor dispoil'd English The State at that time had store of Arms and Ammunition by which these Souldiers and the rest were seasonably furnisht though as I have took notice what in confidence of the Loyalty of the Pale the Lords Justices had furnish'd many of the Lords and Gentlemen of Quality with were either slenderly if ever restor'd or made serviceable against his Majesty Yet for all this the Outrages of the Rebels still increasing adding to their Cruelties a pretended Commission under the Great Seal of Scotland from the King bearing date at Edinburgh the first of October 1641. though in his Majesty's Declaration to the Parliament's Resolution of no further Addresses it appears That the Scot's Great Seal which is said thus to be made use of had for many months before and after that date never seal'd any thing of which notwithstanding Sir Phelim O Neal and Rorie Mac-Guire from the Camp at Newry the 4th of November following gave notice to their Confederates within the Kingdom of Ireland incloseing in their Letters a Copy of the Commission a Copy of which is extant but so improbable as it needs an expiation to mention it the Lord Mac-Guire equally privy to all Transactions
strip'd People with Ropes of Straw covered some part of their nakedness the Rebels set the Straw on fire thereby burning and grievously scorching them Six Souldiers and two Boys having quarter given them were nevertheless hanged at Kilkenny A young Girle strip'd about Easter 1642. in the City of Kilkenny by a Butcher her belly rip'd up that her Intrals fell out where the Maior upon Complaint of the Mother bade away with her and dispatch her whereupon the mother received seventeen or eighteen wounds and her other Child was also extreamly wounded and all forced out of the City by Men Women and Boys throwing stones and dirt at them so as the two Children died in a Ditch At Kilkenny seven Englishmen hang'd and one Irishman because he was taken in their company Twelve murther'd at the Graige one of them being a woman great with child had her belly rip'd up the child falling out alive and a child of a year and a half old hang'd Another of them named Robert Pyne being twice hang'd up was cast into his Grave where he sate up saying Christ receive my soul and so was buried quick An old man hang'd and afterwards drag'd up and down till his Bowels fell out Christopher Morley and two English boys at Castle-Comer hang'd Another had his head clove and before he was dead hung on his Father's Tenter-hooks About sixty men women and children more murther'd at the Graige many of them buried alive At Balincolough within four miles of Ross April 1642. John Stone of the Graige his son his two sons in Law and his two daughters were hang'd one of his daughters being great with child had her belly rip'd up her child taken forth and such barbarous beastly actions used to her as are not fit to be mentioned In Kilkenny Richard Philips and five other Souldiers under Capt. Farrall a Captain on his Majestie 's Party were by the command of the Lord Mountgarret at the end of an House hang'd to death about Easter 1642. The King's County Mrs. Jane Addis of Kilcoursie after her going to Mass murther'd in her House in Fox Countrey Com. Regis having a child not a quarter old the Murtherers putting the dead woman's Breast into the child's mouth bade it such English bastard and so left it Arthur Scot murther'd at Lislooney having twenty wounds given him Another Englishman hang'd at the same place Two men murther'd at Philips-town Seven murther'd at the Birr Thomas Horam hang'd at Philips-town Henry Bigland and eleven more hang'd and murther'd about Knocknemeis A woman aged eighty years stripped naked in frost and snow by two daughters of Rowry Coghlan of Fercall-wood before whose door she died John Lurcan murther'd and chopped in pieces Four English murther'd at Terence Coghlans House Kilkolgan about December 1641. Two and twenty widows and several stripped naked who covering themselves in a House with straw the Rebels fired the straw and threw it amongst them to burn them and they had been burn'd had they not been rescued by others who turn'd them out naked in frost and snow so as many died yea the children died in their mothers arms The County of Lytrim Mr. William Liston and Mr. Thomas Fullerton Clerks kept two days without meat or drink and then murther'd near Mannor Hamilton 24 of January 1641. An English child taken by the heels had its brains dash't out against a block of Timber The County of Limerick A Minister his wife and four children murther'd by Hugh Kenedy and his followers near Limerick The County of Londonderry Six hundred English murther'd at Gervagh by Sir Phelim O Neil The County of Longford Many cruelly murther'd at Longford after quarter promised William Steel and four others hang'd at a Windmill near to Racleen till they were half dead and then cut in pieces by the Rebels The wife of Henry Mead hang'd the said Henry himself being placed in a Ring amongst the Rebels each stabbing of him as he was forced to flie from side to side and so continued till his shoulder and breast were cut in two with a Bill-hook George Foster his wife and child and the wife of John Bizell murther'd at Ballinecorr one other drown'd some children there buried alive The County of Lowth Eighteen of the Lord Moore 's Servants murther'd at Mellifont by Col. Cole Mac Bryan Mac Mahon and his Followers who would not suffer them to be buried The County of Mayo About seven and twenty Protestants besides Children drown'd in the Bay or Harbour near Killala by the Instigation of the Friers Thirty or forty English formerly turn'd Papists drown'd in the Sea near Killala A young boy Mr. Montgomerie's son killed by one that had been his School-master the boy the while crying Good Master do not kill me but whip me as much as you will A man wounded and buried alive A Minister murther'd after he had gone to Mass another hang'd near Ballyhen At the Moyne aliàs Mogne 59 Protestants stripped naked and after barbarously murther'd some encrease the number much William Gibb and his wife both very old murther'd at the Moyn One hundred and twenty men women and children stripped naked and after murther'd at Bellick aliàs Belleeke George Buchanan mortally wounded was near the Strade buried alive by Edmond O Maghery and his followers August 1643. the wife of John Gardiner of the Barony of Carrogh having leave and a Convoy of two Irishmen to visit her children at Bellick was by the said Convoy cruelly murther'd At the Moyn the Rebels forced one Simon Lepers wife to kill her husband and then caused her son to kill her and then hang'd the son The County of Meath Near Navan the son of James Wignall murther'd about Novemb. 1641. Mrs. Heglin and her daughter with two children murther'd at Wilkins-town by two men hired thereto for two barrels of wheat and Robert Robin murther'd near Sir Hill's House Mr. John Ware murther'd at Moylagh Four more hang'd at the Navan An English woman a Papist murther'd at Fitz-Gerald's House at Clonard The murther of Thomas Pressick and others at Trim. The County of Monaghan Many Protestants hang'd at Carrick-maccross Sixteen Protestants at once hang'd at Clounish several others there also hang'd and sixteen women and children drown'd in a Turf-pit The Deponent's father and son murther'd Richard Blancy Esq. hang'd Some murther'd in Monaghan Seven murther'd in the Fews Ensign Lloyd and others murther'd and one buried quick John Hughes and 24 murther'd Eighteen murther'd Seventeen men women and children drown'd at Ballyross Many murther'd and four drown'd Cornet Clinton and his Grandchild drown'd many others murther'd The Queens County Five murther'd wherof one was an English woman turn'd to Mass great with child who was shot John Nicholson and his wife
other Charges his particular Vigilance prov'd a good Guard and that Dublin might be fortified the 22. of November 1641. the Lords Justices and Council by their Proclamation enjoyn'd the same Now the State finding the Storm to increase and that though they had some glimmerings of comfort by the success of their Forces in Wickloe under Sir Charles Coote the Rebellion grew general the Lords Justices and Council publish'd a Proclamation the 27th of November for a Weekly Fast every Friday to be devoutly and piously observed and solemnized in and through the whole City of Dublin and the Suburbs thereof that being humbled for their sins the affliction might be remov'd The 28th of November the State had an Account of Sir ONeal's and Sir Con. Mac-Gennis his approach to Lisnegarvey with about 4000 Men who being fearful of the Garrison's Field-Peeces drew out two considerable Divisions of Men to fall on the Town on both sides at once The strength of the Town exceeded not 400 Foot besides the Lord Convay's Troop and part of Capt. John's who made up about 380. generally mounted on small Nags yet so well maintain'd they the Place as having skirmish'd with the Rebels without the Town on one side the rest charg'd others in the Street and in a short time droye them to the Body of their Army fac'd by Sir Phil. O-Neal and Sir Con. who play'd upon them with their Field-Peeces but were so pelted with Muskets as they gave ground the main Body of the English still securing the Market-place We took 6 Colours killed many without any considerable loss on our side more than that Capt. Boid and Capt. St. John were killed Mr. Rawden and Capt. Burly hurt Sir Arth. Tirringham managing the whole with excellent Conduct By this time his Majesty then in Scotland having as is before mention'd recommended the Affairs of Ireland to his Parliament of England immediately on the first intelligence of that Rebellion sent over several Commissions to Sir Robert Stewart and other Persons of Honour and Trust in the North and assisted by the Duke of Richmond caus'd some proportions of Arms and Ammunition to be conveyed thither out of Scotland with what Money he could spare a care and providence worthy so sensible a Prince which though it were little will be found to have done much service testified in his Majesty's Answer to a Pamphlet entituled A Declaration of the Commons touching no further Addresses At the same time he mov'd all the Parliament in Scotland as being nearest to a speedy help but they excus'd their Aids because Ireland was dependent upon the Crown of England intending rather as it seem'd by the sequel to afford their service upon Hire than Compassion or Conscience Yet notwithstanding his Majesty the State and Parliament of England's appearing thus incens'd against the Rebellion all fair means of exceptions being remov'd and a desire of its suppression endeavour'd the Irish finding as yet no considerable relief sent to the English and being exceedingly flush'd with the defeat of those commanded to re-enforce the Garrison of Tredath they unanimously drew down their Northern Forces to infest that Town And that you may see with what union even the Lords of the Pale formerly faithful to the Crown conspired in this Rebellion though by their humble Apology fraught with many vain pretences they would evade the Conspiracy we must here render you an Account of the Truth given in upon Oath March 1641. before Sir Robert Meredith Kt. Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Examination of Edward Dowdall Esq a Person of great esteem amongst them He deposeth That some 3 or 4 days after the defeat of the English Souldiers at the Bridge of Gellingstone there issued a Warrant from the Lord of Gormanston to the Sheriff of the County for a general Meeting of all the County at Dulick but the place of Meeting was afterwards chang'd to the Hill of Crofty where all the Lords and Gentry of the County met viz. The Earl of Fingal the Lord Viscount Gormanston the Lord Slane the Lord Lowth the Lord Dunsany the Lord Trimblestone the Lord Nettervile And of the Gentry Sir Patrick Barnewall Sir Christopher Bellow Patrick Barnwall of Kiltrew Nicholas Darcy of Plattin James Bath of Acharn Garret Ailmer the Lawyer Cusack of Gormanston William Malone of Lesmullin Sedgrave of Kileglan Linch of the Knos Lynam of Adams-Town Lawrence Dowdall of Athlumney Nicholas Dowdall of Browns-Town this Examinate's Brother and him this Examinate with a multitude of others to the number of a thousand Persons at least whose Names he this Examinate cannot for the present call to mind And after about two or three hours spent upon the said Hill of Crofty by the Lords and Gentry aforesaid there came unto them Col. Mahone Philip O-Relie Hugh boy-Relie Roger Moore Hugh Birne and Capt. Fox attended on with a Guard of Musketeers And this Examinate saith That as soon as the Parties drew near unto the said Hill the Lords and Gentry of the Pale rode towards them and the Lord Gormanston being one of the first spake unto them and demanded of them why and for what reason they came arm'd into the Pale unto whom Roger Moore made present Answer That the ground of their coming thither and taking up Arms was for the freedom and liberty of their Consciences the maintenance of his Majesty's Prerogative in which they understood he was abridg'd and the making the Subjects of this Kingdom as free as those in England were Whereupon the said Lord Gormanston desired to understand from them truely and faithfully whether these were not pretences and not indeed the true grounds of their so doing and likewise whether they had not some other private end of their own Which being all denied upon profession of their sincerity to his Lordship the Lord of Gormanston then told them Seeing these be your true ends we will likewise joyn with you therein unto which course all agreed And thereupon it was publickly and generally declared That whosoever shall deny to joyn with them or refuse to assist them therein they would account him as an enemy and to the utmost of their power labour his destruction And this Examinate saith That after the Agreement made as aforesaid there issued another Warrant to the Sheriff of the County of Meath to be at the Hill of Taragh about a week after and accordingly there met at the same place the Earl of Fingal the Lord Gormanston and the rest of the Lords and Gentry aforenam'd together with Sir Thomas Nugent and Nicholas Plunket the Lawyer Birford the Lawyer and a multitude of others And the work of that day was first to make Answer to a Summons made by the State for the calling of the Lords of the Pale to Dublin which Answer was brought ready drawn by the Lord Gormanston and presented by his Lordship and being perused by the said Council at Law was signed by the Lords To which we will add passing by
many other testimonies of their Conjunctions that which is confirm'd by a very credible Person of Colonel Richard Plunket of Dunsaghly in the County of Dublin within the Pale one destin'd for the taking of the Castle of Dublin who affirm'd openly That he had a Contract under the hands of all the Lords of Ireland that were Catholicks to stand firm in this Insurrection most of their actions confirming his words And Relie's Wife told James Talbot a Person of eminent note amongst them That if those of the Pale would have let them alone and not set them on work they were so well at ease as they would never have begun that troublesome task Upon which it is evident though Some would insinuate the contrary that both the old Irish and old English what ends they would severally pretend to have centred in the destruction of the Protestants and that the old English Papists were a little backwarder than the Irish was in that they had something more to loose than the other and so would put them first upon the work wherein themselves were equally engag'd Which the Lords Justices and Councel perceiving writ the 3d. of Decemb to the Earl of Fingal the Lord Viscount Gormanston and the rest of the Lords of the Pale To come to Dublin and consult for the safety of the Kingdom Luke Nettervile and others having caus'd Proclamation to be made at Lusk twelve miles from Dublin that all the Gentry of the County should upon pain of death meet within three or four days at Swoards within six miles of Dublin which accordingly they did constituting Captains Richard Golding Thomas Russel Francis Russel Robert Travers Christopher Hollywood and other Commanders their Militia amounting on that short warning to 1200. which would have been impossible to have rais'd had they not before been Armed and instigated to that Cause Upon which these Lords of the Pale Conspirators with the first return'd to the Lords Justices the 7th of Decemb. this Answer receiv'd the 11th May it please your Lordships WE have received your Letters of the 3d. instant intimating that you had present occasions to confer with us concerning the present state of the Kingdom and the safety thereof in these times of danger and requiring us to be with you there on the 8th of this instant We give your Lordships to understand that we have heretofore presented our selves before your Lordships and freely offered our advice and furtherance towards the particulars aforesaid which was by you neglected which gave us cause to conceive that our Loyalty was suspected by you We give your Lordships further to understand that we have receiv'd certain advertisement that Sir Charles Coote Knight at the Council-board hath offered some speeches tending to a purpose and resolution to execute upon those of our Religion a general Massacre by which we are all deterr'd to wait on your Lordships not having any security for our safety from those threatned evils or the safety of our lives but do rather think it fit to stand upon our best guard until we hear from your Lordships how we shall be secur'd from those perils Nevertheless we all protest that we are and will continue faithful advisers and resolute furtherers of his Majesties Service concerning the present state of this Kingdom and the safety thereof to our best abilities And so with the said tender of our humble service we remain Your Lordships humble Servants Fingall Gormanston Slane Dunsany Nettervile Oliver Lowth Trimblestone And Luke Nettervile Esq George Blackney of Rickenhore Esq George King of Clantarfe Gent. and others met at Swoards being charged on their Allegiance the 9th of Decemb. immediately on sight of the Lords Justices Warrant to separate and not to unite any more in that manner without direction from the State They instead of obedience to the States command return'd this answer That they were constrain'd to meet there together for the safety of their lives That they were put into so great a terror by the rising out of some Horse-Troops and Foot-Companies at Dublin who kill'd four Catholicks for no other reason than that they bore the name of that Religion as they durst not as they pretended stay in their houses and therefore resolved to continue together till they were assured by their Lordships of the safety of their Lives before they ran the hazard thereof by manifesting their obedience due unto their Lordships Upon which the Lords Justices and Council publish'd a Proclamation the 13th of Decemb. to satisfie the world of the innocency of the State from the guilt of any mans blood and concerning the four they alledg'd were kill'd as Papists they were such as were found faulty in rebellious actions of which one was a Protestant Commanding them furthermore on the allegiance to his Majesty to separate upon the sight of their Warrant and that Luke Nettervile and his Accomplices should appear before the State on the eighteenth of the said month to the end they may be fully heard by the State To which end the Lords Justices and Council thereby gave them and every of them the word of the State that they might then securely and safely repair thither without danger of any trouble or stay whatsoever And that the Lords of the Pale might not be less satisfi'd in what they objected the same day also the Lords Justices and Council publish'd a Proclmation and sent it to those Noblemen positively affirming That the Lords Justices and Council did never hear Sir Charles Coote or any other utter at the Council-board or else-where any speeches tending to a purpose or resolution to execute on those of their Profession or any other a general Massacre nor was it ever in their thoughts to dishonour his Majesty or the State by so odious impious and detestable a thing giving them assurance of their safety if they would repair thither the 17th of that Month. Yet notwithstanding these Condescensions or whatsoever else the State could do whereby the doubts of those men might be remov'd and their security ascertain'd still the Torrent of the Pale ran to make up the intended Deluge despising whatsoever security or faith the State was pleased to promise them Whereupon the Lords Justices and Council were enforc'd to send this Warrant to the Earl of Ormond and Ossory to send out a Party of Soldiers Horse and Foot against those that dar'd so impudently to affront them By the Lords Justices and Council William Parsons John Borlase FOrasmuch as divers of the Inhabitants of Clantarfe Rhaheny and Kilbarrock have declared themselves Rebels and having robb'd and spoil'd some of his Majesties good Subjects are now assembled thereabouts in Arms in great numbers mustering and training of their rebellious Multitudes to the terrour and danger of his Majesties good Subjects as well at Land as at Sea which their boldness is acted in such manner as to put scorn and affronts upon this State and Government they acting such depredations even before