direct the Term to be adjourned to the first of Hillary Term excepting only the Court of Exchequer for hastning in the Kings money if it be possible We desire upon this occasion your Lordship will be pleased to view our Letters concerning the plantation of Conaght dated the 24 of April last directed to Mr. Secretary Vane in that part thereof which concerns the County of Monaghan where now these fires do first break out In the last place we must make known to your Lordship that the Army we have consisting but of 2000 Foot and 1000 Horse are so dispersed in Garrisons in severall parts as continually they have been since they were so reduced as if they be all sent for to be drawn together not only the places whence they are to be drawn and for whose safety they lye there must be by absence distressed but also the Companies themselves comming in so small numbers may be in danger to be cut off in their march nor indeed have we any money to pay the Souldiers to enable them to march And so we take leave and remain from his Majesties Castle of Dublin 25 of October 1641. Your Lordships to be commanded William Parsons John Borlase Richard Bolton Can. R. Dillon Anthony Midensis John Raphoe R. Digbie Ad. Loftus Ger. Lowther John Temple Tho. Rotheram Fran. Willoughbie Ja. Ware G. Wentworth Robert Meredith POSTSCRIPT THe said Owen Conally who revealed the Conspiracy is worthy of very great consideration to recompence that faith and loyalty which he hath so extreamly to his own danger expressed in this businesse whereby under God there is yet hope left us of deliverance of this State and Kingdome from the wicked purposes of those Conspirators And therefore we beseech your Lordship that it be taken into consideration there so as he may have a mark of his Majesties most royall bounty which may largely extend to him and his posterity we not being now able here to do it for him W. PARSONS To the Right Honourable our very good Lord ROBERT Earle of Leicester Lo. Lieutenant Gen. and Generall Governour of the Kingdome of Ireland THe dispatch sent to his Majesty was addressed to Sir Henry Vane Principall Secretary and carried by Sir Henry Spotswood who went by sea directly into Scotland And the Letters to the L. Lieutenant were sent to London by Owen O Conally the first discoverer of the Plot. The Lords now with all care and diligence applyed their further endeavours towards the preventing as much as was possible the destruction intended against all the Brittish inhabitants of the Kingdome The Lords Iustices cause the Proclamations to be dispersed Letters to be written and other means to be used for the prevention of the rising of the Irish in the North but all to no purpose as well as the security of the City and the places round about it A work of large extent and wherein they met with many difficulties by reason of their own wants both of men and money They having formerly sent away and dispersed the Proclamations into severall parts of the Countrey now sent Letters by expresse Messengers unto the Presidents of Munster and Conaght and to severall principall Gentlemen in those two Provinces as also to others within the Province of Lemster giving them notice of the discovery of the Plot and advising them to stand upon their guard and to make the best provision they could for the defence of the Countrey about them They sent another expresse to the Earl of Ormond then at his house at Caricke with Letters to the same effect and withall desired his Lordship presently to repair unto them at Dublin with his Troop of horse They sent likewise Commissions to the Lords Viscounts of Clandeboys and of the Ardes for raising of the Scots in the Northern parts and putting them into arms as they did also soon after to Sir William Stewart and Sir Robert Stewart and severall other Gentlemen of quality in the North. And as they gave them order for prosecution of the Rebels with fire and sword so they gave them power to receive such of them in as should submit to his Majesties grace and mercy But these dispatches they were enforced to send all by sea the Rebels having stopped up the passages and hindred all manner of entercourse with that Province by land The Lords of the English Pale repair to the Councell Board there declare their loyall affections to his Majestie The English Pale is a large circuit of land possessed at the time of the first conquest of Ireland by the English and ever since inhabited by them it contains severall Counties viz. the Counties of Dublin Meth Lowth Kildare c. The Lords of the Pale having been at the Councell Board and there declared to the Lords Justices with great protestations their loyall affections unto his Majestie together with their readinesse and forward concurrence with their Lordships in this service came unto them again within two or three dayes after with a Petition wherein they offered unto their Lordships the deep sense they had of an expression in the late Proclamation set out upon the discovery of this great Conspiracy intended as is there set down by some evill affected Irish papists which words they feared might be by some mis-interpreted and such a construction put upon them as might reflect upon their persons as comprehended under them Whereupon the Lords Justices and Councell thought fit to descend so far to their satisfaction as not only to remonstrate the clearnesse of their intentions towards them but that it might appear unto the world they entertained not the least jealous thoughts of them they caused a new Proclamation to be set out by way of explanation of the former which I have thought fit here to insert that it may appear how far they were from giving any of those Lords and Gentlemen occasion to break out into those rebellious courses they soon afterwards took to their own destruction By the Lords Iustices and Councell W. Parsons John Borlase WHereas a Petition hath been preferred unto Us by divers Lords and Gentlemen of the English Pale in behalf of themselvs and the rest of the Pale and other the old English of this Kingdome A Proclamation issued for the satisfaction of the Lords and Gentlemen of the English Pale shewing that whereas a late Conspiracy of Treason is discovered of ill-affected persons of the old Irish that thereupon a Proclamation was published by Us wherein among other things it is declared that the said Conspiracy was perpetrated by Irish papists without distinction of any and they doubting that by those generall words of Irish Papists they might seem to be involved though they declare themselves confident that We did not intend to conclude them therein in regard they are none of the old Irish nor of their faction or confederacy but are altogether averse and opposite to all their designes and all others of like condition We doe
him upon his knees And howsoever before this glorious work was fully accomplished it pleased God to put a period to her dayes yet lived she long enough to see just vengeance brought down upon the head of that unnaturall disturber of the peace of the kingdome himself in a manner wholly deserted his country most miserably wasted and a generall desolation and famine brought in mightily consuming what was left undevoured by the sword It is very easie to conjecture in what a most miserable condition Ireland then was The miserable condition of Ireland when K. Iames came to the Crown of England the English colonies being for the most part barbarously rooted out the remainders degenerated into Irish manners and names the very Irish themlelves most mightily wasted and destroyed by the late wars and thereby much of the kingdome depopulated in every place large monuments of calamity and undiscontinued troubles King James of blessed memory found it at his first accession to the Crown of England in this deplorable estate whereupon he presently took into his care the peaceable settlement of Ireland and civilizing of the people And conceiving that the powerfull conjunction of England and Scotland would now overawe the Irish and contain them in their due obedience His lenity towards the Irish rebels and his endeavours for a civill reformation He resolved not to take any advantage of those forfeitures and great confiscations which he was most justly intitled unto by Tyrone's rebellion but out of his Royall bounty and Princely magnificence restored all the Natives to the entire possession of their own lands A work most munificent in it self and such as he had reason to believe would for the time to come perpetually oblige their obedience to the Crown of England And in this state the Kingdom continued under some indifferent terms of peace and tranquility untill the sixth year of his raigne Then did the Earl of Tyrone take up new thoughts of rising in arms and into his rebellious designe he easily drew the whole province of Vlster then entirely at his devotion But his plot failed and he finding himself not able to get together any considerable forces he with the principall of his adherents quitting the kingdom fled into Spain leaving some busie incendiaries to foment those beginnings he had laid for a new rebellion in Ireland and promising speedily to return well attended with forraigne succours to their aid But by the great blessing of Almighty God upon the wise Councels of that King and the carefull endeavours of his vigilant Ministers the distempers occasioned by the noise of that commotion were soon allayed and Tyrone never returning the peace of the kingdome much confirmed and setled King James hereupon being now so justly provoked by the high ingratitude of those rebellious traitours caused their persons to be attainted their lands to be seized and those six Counties within the Province of Vlster which belonged unto them to be surveyed and all except some small parts of them reserved to gratifie the well-affected natives to be distributed in certain proportions among British undertakers who came over and setled themselves and many other British families in those parts By this meanes the foundations of some good Towns soon after encompassed with stone wals were presently laid severall castles and houses of strength built in severall parts of the country great numbers of British inhabitants there setled to the great comfort and security of the whole kingdome And the same course was taken likewise for the better assurance of the peace of the country in the plantation of severall parts of Lemster where the Irish had made incursions and violently expelled the old English out of their possessions But howsoever the King was by due course of law justly intitled to all their whole estates there yet he was graciously pleased to take but one fourth part of their lands which was delivered over likewise into the hands of British undertakers who with great cost and much industry planted themselves so firmly as they became of great security to the country and were a most especiall means to introduce civility in those parts so as now the whole kingdome began exceedingly to flourish in costly buildings K. Charles great readinesse to redresse the grievances presented unto him by the Irish Commissioners 1640 The Lords L. Vicount Gormanstone L. Vicount Kilmaloc L. Vicount Costeloe L Vicount Baltinglas Commons Lemster Nic. Plunket Digbie Richard Fitz-garret Nic Barnewall Esq Munster Sir Hardresse Waller Io. Welsh Sir Donnogh Mac Cartie Conaght Robert Linch Geffrie Browne Thomas Burke Vlster Sir William Cole Sir Iames Mongomerie and all manner of improvements the people to multiply and increase and the very Irish seemed to be much satisfied with the benefits of that peaceable government and generell tranquility which they so happily enjoyed ANd now of late such was the great indulgence of K. Charles our Soveraign that now reigneth to his Subjects of Ireland as that in the year 1640. upon their complaints and a generall Remonstrance sent over unto him from both Houses of Parliament then sitting at Dublin by a Committee of foure temporall Lords of the upper house and twelve Members of the house of Commons with instructions to represent the heavy pressures they had for some time suffered under the government of the Earl of Strafford He took their grievances into his royall consideration descended so far to their satisfaction as that he heard them himself and made present provisions for their redresse And upon the decease of Mr. Wandsford Master of the Rols in Ireland and then Lord Deputy here under the said Earl of Strafford who still continued Lord Lieutenant of this kingdome though then accused of high treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London by the Parliament of England His Majesty sent a Commission of Government to the Lord Dillon of Kilkenny west and Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet Master of the Wards in Ireland Yet soon after finding the choice of the Lord Dillon to be much disgusted by the Committee he did at their motion cause the said commission to be cancelled and with their consent and approbation placed the government upon Sir William Parsons and Sir Iohn Borlace Knight Sir Will. Parsons and Sir Iohn Borlace made L. Iustices Master of the Ordnance both esteemed persons of great integrity and the Master of the Wards by reason of his very long continued imployment in the State his particular knowledge of the kingdome much valued and well beloved among the people They took the sword upon the 9. of Febr. 1640. And in the first place they applied themselves with all manner of gentle lenitives to mollifie the sharp humours raised by the rigid passages in the former government They apply themselves to give contentment to the people They declared themselves against all such proceedings lately used as they found any wayes varying from the Common Law They gave all due encouragement to the
the latter end of August and presently after their return they applied themselves to the Lords Justices and Councel desiring to have all those Acts and other Graces granted by His Majesty made known unto the people by proclamations to be sent down into severall parts of the country which while the Lords Justices took into their consideration and sate daily composing of Acts to be passed the next Session of Parliament for the benefit of His Majesty and the good of his Subjects They seemed with great contentment and satisfaction to retire into the country to their severall habitations that they might there refresh themselves in the mean season The discovery of the Conspiracie of the Irish to seize upon the Castle and City of Dublin and their generall Rising at the same time in all the Northern parts of this Kingdome The happy condition of Ireland at the time of the breaking out of the Rebellion Octo. 23 1641. SUch was now the state and present condition of the Kingdome of Ireland such the great serenity through the gentle and happy transaction of the publike affairs here As that the late Irish Army raised for the invasion of the kingdom of Scotland being peaceably disbanded their Arms and Munition by the singular care of the Lords Iustices and Councel brought into His Maiesties stores within the city of Dublin there was no manner of warlike preparations no reliques of any kind of disorders proceeding from the late levies nor indeed any noise of war remaining within these coasts Now while in this great calm the British continued in a most deep security under the assurance of the blessed peace of this land while all things were carried on with great temper and moderation in the present government and all men sate pleasantly enjoying the comfortable fruits of their own labours without the least thoughts or apprehension of either tumults or other troubles the differences between his Majesty and his Subjects of Scotland being about this time fairly composed and setled There brake out upon the 23. of October 1641. a most desperate and formidable Rebellion an universall defection and generall Revolt wherein not only all the meer Irish but almost all the old English that adhered to the church of Rome were totally involved And because it will be necessary to leave some monuments hereof to posterity I shall observe the beginnings and first motions as well as trace out the progresse of a rebellion so execrable in it self so odious to God and the whole world as no age no kingdome no people can parallel the horrid cruelties The first plot for the rebellion carried on with so great secresie as none of the English had notice of it before it was ready to be put in execution the abominable murders that have been without number as well as without mercy committed upon the British inhabitants throughout the land of what sexe or age of what quality or condition soever they were And first I must needs say howsoever I have observed in the nature of the Irish such a kind of dull and deep reservednesse as makes them with much silence and secresie to carry on their businesse yet I cannot but consider with great admiration how this mischievous plot which was to be so generally at the same time and at so many severall places acted and therefore necessarily known to so many severall persons should without any noise be brought to such maturity as to arrive at the very point of execution without any notice or intimation given to any two of that huge multitude of persons who were generally designed as most of them did to perish in it For besides the uncertain presumptions that Sir William Cole had of a commotion to be raised by the Irish in the Province of Vlster about a fortnight before this rebellion brake openly out and some certain intelligence which he received of the same two dayes before the Irish rise I could never hear that any English man received any certain notice of this conspiracy before the very evening that it was to be generally put in execution It is true Sir VVilliam Cole upon the very first apprehensions of something that he conceived to be hatching among the Irish did write a Letter to the Lords Justices and Councell dated the 11. of Octob. 1641. wherein he gave them notice of the great resort made to Sir Phelim O Neale in the county of Tyrone as also to the house of the Lord Mac Guiâ—e in the county of Fermanagh and that by severall suspected persons fit instruments for mischief As also that the said Lord Mac Guire had of late made severall journies into the Pale and other places and had spent his time much in writing Letters and sending dispatches abroad These Letters were received by the Lords Justices and Councell and they in answer to them required him to be very vigilant and industrious to finde out what should be the occasion of those severall meetings and speedily to advertise them thereof or of any other particular that he conceived might tend to the publique service of the State And for that which was revealed to Sir VVilliam Cole upon the 21. of Octob. the same moneth by John Cormacke and Flarty Mac Hugh from Brian Mac Cohanaght Mac Guire touching the resolution of the Irish to seize upon his Majesties castle and city of Dublin to murder the Lords Justices and councell of Ireland and the rest of the Protestants there and to seize upon all the castles Forts Sea-ports and holds that were in possession of the Protestants within the Kingdom of Ireland I finde by the examination of John Cormacke taken upon oath at Westminster Nov. 18. 1644. That the said Sir VVilliam Cole did dispatch Letters to the Lords Justices and councell the same day to give them notice thereof But I can also testifie that those Letters whether they were intercepted or that they otherwaies miscarried I cannot say came not unto their hands as also that they had not any certain notice of this generall conspiracy of the Irish untill the 22. of Octob. in the very evening before the day appointed for the surprize of the castle and city of Dublin Then the conspirators being many of them arrived within the city and having that day met at the Lion Tavern near Copper Alley and there turning the Drawer out of the room ordered their affairs together drunk healths upon their knees to the happy successe of their next mornings work Owen O Conally discovers the conspiracy of the Irish to the Lord Parsons the very evening before it was to be executed Owen O Conally a Gentleman of a meer Irish family but one that had long lived among the English and been trained up in the true Protestant religion came unto the Lord Justice Parsons about nine of the clock that evening and made him a broken relation of a great conspiracy for the seizing upon his Majesties castle of Dublin He gave him the names of some
of the chief conspirators assured him they were come up expresly to the Town for the same purpose and that next morning they would undoubtedly attempt and surely effect it if their designe were not speedily prevented and that he had understood all this from Hugh Mac Mahon one of the chief conspirators who was then in the town and came up but the very same afternoon for the execution of the plot and with whom indeed he had been drinking somewhat liberally and as the truth is did then make such a broken relation of a matter that seemed so incredible in it self as that his Lordship gave very little belief to it at first in regard it came from an obscure person and one as he conceived somewhat distempered at that time But howsoever the Lord Parsons gave him order to go again to Mac Mahon and to get out of him as much certainty of the plot with as many particular circumstances as he could straightly charging him to return back unto him the same evening And in the mean time having by strict commands given to the constable of the castle taken order to have the gates thereof well guarded as also with the Mayor and Sheriffes of the city to have strong watches set upon all the parts of the same and to make stay of all strangers hee went privately about ten of the clock that night to the Lord Borlacies house without the town and there acquainting him with what he understood from Conally they sent for such of the councell as they knew then to be in the town But there came only unto them that night Sir Thomas Rotheram and Sir Robert Meredith chancellour of the Exchequer with these they fell into consultation what was fit to be done attending the return of Conally And finding that he staid somewhat longer than the time prefixed they sent out in search after him and found him seized on by the watch and so he had been carryed away to prison and the discovery that night disappointed had not one of the Lord Parsons servants expresly sent amongst others to walk the streets and attend the motion of the said Conally come in and rescued him and brought him to the Lord Borlacies house Conally having somewhat recovered himself from his distemper occasioned partly as he said himself by the horror of the plot revealed to him partly by his too liberall drinking with Mac Mahon that he might the more easily get away from him he beginning much to suspect and fear his discovering of the plot confirmed what he had formerly related and added these farther particulars set down in his Examination as followeth The Examination of Owen O Conally Gentleman taken before us whose names ensue Oct. 22. 1641. VVHo being duly sworn and examined saith that he being at Monimore in the County of London-Derry on Tuesday last he received a Letter from Colonel Hugh Oge Mac Mahon desiring him to come to Conaght in the County of Monaghan and to be with him on Wednesday or Thursday last whereupon he this Examinate came to Conaght on Wednesday night last and finding the said Hugh come to Dublin followed him hither He came hither about six of the clock this evening and forthwith went to the lodging of the said Hugh to the house near the Boat in Oxman town and there he found the said Hugh and came with the said Hugh into the Town near the Pillory to the lodging of the Lord Mac Guire where they found not the Lord within and there they drank a cup of Beer and then went back again to the said Hugh his lodging He saith that at the Lord Mac Guire his lodging the said Hugh told him that there were and would be this night great numbers of Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Irish Papists from all the parts of the Kingdom in this town who with himself had determined to take the Castle of Dublin and possesse themselves of all his Majesties Ammunition there to morrow morning being Saturday and that they intended first to batter the Chimnies of the said town and if the City would not yield then to batter down the houses and so to cut off all the Protestants that would not joyn with them He further saith that the said Hugh then told him that the Irish had prepared men in all parts of the Kingdom to destroy all the English inhabiting there to morrow morning by ten of the clock and that in all the Sea Ports and other Towns in the Kingdom all the Protestants should be killed this night and that all the Posts that could be could not prevent it And further saith that he moved the said Hugh to forbear executing of that businesse and to discover it to the State for the saving of his own estate who said he could not help it But said that they did owe their Allegiance to the King and would pay him all his Rights but that they did this for the tyrannicall Government was over them and to imitate Scotland who got a priviledge by that course And he further saith that when he was with the said Hugh in his lodging the second time the said Hugh swore that he should not go out of his lodging that night but told him that he should go with him the next morning to the Castle and said if this matter were discovered some body should die for it whereupon this Examinate feigned some necessity for his easement went down out of the Chamber and left his sword in pawn and the said Hugh sent his man down with him and when this Examinate came down into the Yard and finding an opportunity he this Examinate leaped over a Wall and two Pales and so came to the Lord Justice Parsons William Parsons Tho. Rotheram Rob. Meredith Owen O Conally Octob. 22. 1641. HEreupon the Lords took present order to have a Watch privately set upon the lodging of Mac Mahon as also upon the L. Mac Guire and so they sate up all that night in consultation having far stronger presumptions upon this latter examination taken then any wayes at first they could entertain Mac Mahon taken The Lords Justices upon a further consideration there being come unto them early next morning severall other of the Privy councel sent before day and seized upon Mac-Mahon then with his servant in his own lodging they at first made some little resistance with their drawn swords but finding thewselves over-mastered presently yielded and so they were brought before the Lords Justices and Councel still sitting at the Lord Borlacy's house where upon examination he did without much difficulty confesse the Plot resolutely telling them His confession That on that very day all the Forts and strong places in Ireland would be taken That he with the L. Mac-Guire Hugh Birn Capt. Brian O Neale and severall other Irish Gentlemen were come up expresly to surprise the Castle of Dublin That twenty men out of each County in the Kingdom were to be here to joyn with them That
therefore to give them full satisfaction hereby declare and publish to to all His Majesties good Subjects in this Kingdom That by the words Irish Papists VVe intended only such of the old meer Irish in the Province of Ulster as have plotted contrived and been actors in this Treason and others who adhere to them and that VVe did not any way intend or mean thereby any of the old English of the Pale nor of any other parts of this Kingdome VVe being well assured of their fidelities to the Crown and having experience of the good affections and services of their Ancestors in former times of danger and Rebellion And VVe further require all His Majesties loving Subjects whether Protestants or Papists to forbear upbraiding matter of Religion one against the other and that upon pain of his Majesties indignation Given at His Majesties Castle of Dublin 29 Octob. 1641. R. Ranelagh R. Dillon Ant. Midensis Ad. Loftus Geo. Shurley Gerrard Lowther I. Temple Fr. Willoughby Ia. Ware God save the King ¶ Imprinted at Dublin by the Society Of STATIONERS BUt to return now to the Northern Rebels who so closely pursued on their first plot as they beginning to put it in execution in most of the chief places of strength there upon the 23 of Octob. the day appointed for the surprizall of the Castle of Dublin had by the latter end of the same moneth gotten into their possession all the Towns Forts Castles and Gentlemens houses within the Counties of Tyrone Donegall The greater part of Vlster possessed by the Northern Rebels Fermanagh Armagh Cavan London Derry Monaghan and half the County of Down excepted the Cities of London Derry and Coleraigne the Town and Castle of Encikillin and some other places and Castles which were for the present gallantly defended by the British undertakers though afterwards for want of relief surrendred into their hands The chief of the Northern Rebels that first appeared in the execution of this Plot within the Province of Vlster were Sir Phelim O Neale The names of the chief Rebels in Vlster Turlogh O Neale his brother Roury Mac Guire brother to the Lord Mac Guire Philip O Rely Mulmore O Rely Sir Conne Mac Gennis Col. Mac Brian Mac Mahon these having closely combined together with severall other of their accomplices the chief of the severall Septs in the severall Counties divided their forces into severall parties and according to a generall assignation made among themselves at one and the same time surprized by treachery the Town and Castle of the Newry Severall Forts and other places suddenly surprized by the Rebels the Fort of Dongannon Fort Montjoy Carlemont Tonrages Caricke Mac Rosse Cloughouter Castle Blaney Castle of Monaghan being all of them places of considerable strength and in severall of them companies of foot or troops of Horse belonging to the standing army Besides these they took a multitude of other Castles Houses of strength Towns and Villages all abundantly peopled with Brittish in habitants who had exceedingly enriched the Countrey as well as themselves by their painfull labours They had made for their more comfortable subsistance handsome and pleasant habitations abounding with corn cattell and all other commodities that an industrious people could draw out of a good inland soile They lived in great plenty and some of them very well stored with plate and ready money They lived likewise in as great security being quiet and carelesse as the people of Laish little suspecting any treachery from their Irish neighbours The English well knew they had given them no manner of provocation they had entertained them with great demonstrations of love and affection No story can ever shew that in any Age since their intermixed cohabitation they rise up secretly to do them mischief And now of late they lived so peaceably and lovingly together as they had just reason most confidently to believe that the Irish would never upon any occasion generally rise up again to their destruction This I take to be one main and principall reason that the English were so easily over-run within the Northern Counties The great security and confidence of the English in the Irish a great cause of their sudden destruction and so suddenly swallowed up before they could make any manner of resistance in the very first begnnings of this Rebellion For most of the English having either Irish Tenants Servants or Landlords and all of them Irish neighbours their familiar friends as soon as the fire brake out and the whole Countrey began to rise about them some made their recourse presently to their Friends for protection some relying upon their Neighbours others upon their Landlords others upon their Tenants and Servants for preservation The English betrayed murdered by their Irish friends servants and tenants or at least present safety and with great confidence put their lives their Wives their Children and all they had into their power But these generally either betrayed them into the hands of other Rebels or most perfidiously destroyed them with their own hands The Priests had now charmed the Irish and laid such bloody impressions in them as it was held according to the maxims they had received a mortall sin to give any manner of relief or protection to any of the English All bonds and tyes of faith and friendship were now broken the Irish Landlords made a prey of their English tenants Irish tenants and servants a Sacrifice of their English Landlords and Masters one neighbour cruelly murdered by another the very Irish children in the very beginning fell to strip and kill English children all other relations were quite cancelled and laid aside and it was now esteemed a most meritorious work in any of them that could by any means or wayes whatsoever bring an Enlish man to the slaughter A work not very difficult to be compassed as things then stood The intermixture of the English among the Irish a main cause of their sudden destruction For they living promiscuously among the British in all parts having from their Priests received the Watchword both for time and place rose up as it were actuated by one and the same spirit in all places of those Counties before mentioned at one and the same point of time and so in a moment fell upon them murdering some stripping only or expelling others out of their habitations This bred such a generall terror and astonishment among the English as they knew not what to think much lesse what to do or which way to turn themselves Their servants were killed as they were ploughing in the fields Husbands cut to pieces in the presence of their Wives their Childrens brains dashed out before their faces others had all their goods and cattell seazed and carried away their houses burnt their habitations laid waste and all as it were at an instant before they could suspect the Irish for their enemies or any wayes imagine that they had it in their hearts or in their
chief persons of quality residing in the said Counties of the Pale and others adjacent to them to govern and command such forces as should be raised by them and armed by the state for the defence of the Countrey and issued out from the Councel-board severall Commissions of government unto them As one to the Earl of Ormond and the L. Viscount Montgarret for the county of Kilkenny to Walter Bagnall Esq for the county of Catâ—rlagh Sir Iam. Dillon the elder and Sir Iames Billon the yonger for the county of Longford L. Viscount Costeloe for the county of Maio Sir Robert Talbot and Garrat Birne for the county of Wiclow Sir Christopher Bellew for the county of Lowth Earl of Kildare for the county of Kildare Sir Thomas Nugent for the county of Westmeath Nicholas Barnewall for the county of Dublin L. Viscount Gormanston for the county of Meath All these were made choice of without distinction of religion the Lords holding it fit at that time to put the chief persons of power in the countrey into those places of trust hoping they might prove good instruments to oppose the threatning incursions of the Northern Rebels which they knew them well enabled to perform if they would really joyn in the service or at least be kept by this their great confidence in them from giving any entertainment or assistance to their rebellious designes The Commission directed to the L. of Gormanston I have thought fit here to insert It was found afterwards in his study by some of his Majesties army when he and all the rest of the Governours that were of the Romish religion thus chosen deserted their houses and openly declared themselves in actuall rebellion The other Commissions were all of the same tenour By the Lords Iustices and Councell W. Parsons John Borlase RIght trusty and well beloved We greet you well Whereas divers most disloyall and malignant persons within this Kingdome have traiterously conspired against His Majesty His Peace Crown and dignity and many of them in execution of their Conspiracy are traiterously assembled together in a warlike manner and have most inhumanely made destruction and devastation of the persons and estates of divers of his Majesties good and loyall subjects of this Kingdom and taken slain and imprisoned great numbers of them We out of our care and zeal for the common good being desirous by al means to suppresse the said treasons and traitors and to conserve the persons and fortunes of His Majesties loving Subjects here in safety and to prevent the further spoil and devastation of His Majesties good people here do therfore hereby require and authorize you to levie raise and assemble all every or any the forces as well Footmen as Horsemen within the county of Meath giving you hereby the command in chief of all the said forces and hereby further requiring and authorizing you as Commander of them in chief to arme array divide distribute dispose conduct leade and govern in chief the said forces according to your best discretion and with the said forces to resist pursue follow apprehend and put to death slay and kill as well by battell as other wayes all and singular the said Conspirators Traytors and their adherents according to your discretion and according to your conscience and discretion to proceed against them or any of them by martiall law by hanging them or any of them till they be dead according as it hath been accustomed in time of open rebellion and also to take waste and spoil their or any of their Castles Holds Forts Houses Goods and Territories or otherwise to preserve the lives of them or any of them and to receive them into His Majesties favour and mercy and to forbear the devastation of their or any of their Castles Forts Houses Holds Goods and Territories afore mentioned according to your discretion Further hereby requiring and authorizing you to do execute and perform all and singular such other things for examination of persons suspected discovery of Traitors and their adherents parlying with and granting Protections to them or any of them taking up of Carts Carriages and other conveniences sending and retaining espials victualling the said forces and other things whatsoever conducing to the purpose aforementioned as you in your discretion shall think fit and the necessity of the service require further hereby requiring and authorizing you as Commander in chief to constitute and appoint such Officers and Ministers respectively for the better performance and execution of all and singular the premises as you in your discretion shall think fit And We do hereby require and command all and singular His Majesties Sheriffs Officers and Ministers and loving Subjects of and within the county of Meath and the borders thereof upon their faith and allegiance to his Majestie and to his Crown to be aiding helping and assisting to you in the doing and executing of all and singular the premises This our Commission to continue during Our pleasure only and for the so doing this shall be your sufficient VVarrant Given at His Majesties Castle of DUBLIN Novemb. 1641. R. Dillon Io. Temple Ia. Ware Rob. Meredith To Our very good Lo. NICHOLAS Vic. Com. Gormanstowne IN these Commissions it is very observable that there was power given to these Lords and Gentlemen to whom they were directed not only to use fire and sword for the destruction of the Rebels and their adherents but also to preserve the lives of any of them to receive them or any of them into his Majesties favour or mercy This plainly shewes the very great confidence the Lords were pleased to repose in them as also their desires to make them instruments to deliver those multitudes of people that engaged themselves in this rebellion from the power either of his Majesties arms or civill justice They intended nothing but the reducing of a rebellious Nation and they at the first applyed lenitives which failing in the cure they were afterwards then enforced to have recourse to more violent medicines Arms and munition delivered out to the Lords and chief Gentlemen of the Pale by the Lo. Iustices and Councel That these Governours thus constituted might be the better enabled according to the authority and power given unto them by their severall Commissions to undertake the defence of the Countrey in this high extremity of the neare approaching dangers The Lords took order to have delivered unto them a certain proportion of arms to be imployed for the arming of some men to be raised in each county for the common safety besides the armes they gave them and other Gentlemen for the defence of their own private houses As to the Lord of Gormanstone there were delivered armes for five hundred men for the county of Meath There were also delivered armes for three hundred men for the county of Kildare Armes for three hundred men for the county of Lowth Armes for three hundred men for the county of West-Meath Armes for three hundred men for the
would not consent to marry a beastly Trull Mary Ny Neile a neer Kinswoman of Sir Phelim's He was proffered his life without the Blouse if he would have gone to Masse but he chose rather to dye then to doe either There was made the like proffer of life for going to Masse to Robert Eckline a child of eleven or twelve yeers of age but he also refused it saying he saw nothing in their Religion for which he would change his owne And this Deponent further saith that very many of the British Protestants the Rebels buried alive and took great pleasure to heare them speak unto them as they digged downe old ditches upon them except those whom they thus buried they buried none of the Protestants neither would permit any who survived to performe that duty for them And further saith that the Rebels would send their children abroad in great troops especially neer unto Kinard armed with long wattles and whips who would therewith beat dead mens bodies about their privy members untill they beat or rather thrashed them off and then would returne in great joy to their Parents who received them for such service as it were in triumph And further saith that if any women were found dead lying with their faces downwards they would turne them upon their backs and in great flocks resort unto them censuring all parts of their bodies but especially such as are not fit to be named which afterwards they abused so many wayes and so filthily as chast ears would not endure the very naming thereof Many of the Protestants the Rebels would not kill out-right but being halfe dead would so leave them entreating for no better favour at their hands two or three dayes after but to kill them out-right which sometimes were granted sometimes denied A young youth having his back-bone broken was found in a field having like a Beast eaten all the grasse round about him the Deponent could not learne that they killed him out but that they removed him to a place of better Pasture so that in those most bloody and execrable wretches that of the holy Ghost is cleerly verified The very mercy of the wicked is cruelty And further saith that the Rebels themselves told him this Deponent that they murdered 954. in one morning in the County of Antrim and that besides them they supposed that they killed above 1100. or 1200. more in that County They told him likewise that Colonell Bryan O Neile killed about one thousand in the County of Downe besides three hundred killed neere Killeleigh and many hundreds both before and after in both those Counties At Sir Phelims return from Lisnegarvy some of the Souldiers forced about 24. British into a house where they burned them alive whose terrible out-cryes they desired very much to imitate and expresse unto others And saith that he heard Sir Phelim likewise report that he killed 600. English at Garvagh in the County of Derny and that he had left neither man woman nor Child alive in the Barony of Munterlong in the County of Tyrone and betwixt Armagh and the Newry in the severall Plantations and Lands of Sir Archibald Atcheson John Hamilton Esquire the Lord Canfield and the Lord Mount Norrice and saith also that there were above two thousand of the British murdered for the most part in their owne houses whereof he was informed by a Scotch man who was in those parts with Sir Phelim and saw their houses filled with their dead bodies In the Glenwood towards Dromore there were slaughtered as the Rebels told the Deponent upwards of twelve thousand in al who were all killed in their flight to the County of Downe The number of the people drowned at the Bridge of Portadowne are diversly reported according as men staid amongst the Rebels this Deponent who staid as long as any and had better intelligence then most of the English amongst them and had best reason to know the truth saith there were by their owne report 190. drowned with Master Fullerton At another time they threw 140. over the said Bridge at another time 36. or 37. and so continued drowning more or fewer for seven or eight weeks so as the fewest which can be supposed there to have perished must needs be above 1000. besides as many more drowned betwixt that Bridge and the great Lowgh of Montjoy besids those who perished by the sword fire and famine in Coubrassill and the English plantations adjacent Which in regard there escaped not 300. out of all those quarters must needs amount to many thousands Neere unto the Deponants House thirty six persons were carryed to the Cure-bridge at one time and drowned At another time six and fifty Men Women and Children all of them being taken out of the Deponents House and at severall other times severall other numbers Besides those that were drowned in the Black-water at Kinnard In which Towne and the Parish of Tinon whereof the Deponent was Rector there was drowned slaughtered and dyed of Famine and for want of Cloathes about six hundred The Deponent might adde to these many thousands more but the Diary which he this Deponent wrote amongst the Rebels being burned with his House The numbers of British destroyed within the Province of Ulster Bookes and all his Papers he referreth himselfe to the number in grosse which the Rebels themselves have upon inquiry finde out and acknowledged which notwithstanding will come short of all that have been Murdered in Ireland there being above one hundred and fifty foure thousand now wanting of the British within the very precinct of Vlster And this Deponent further saith That it was common Table-talke amongst the Rebels that the Ghost of Master William Fullerton Timothy Jephes and the most of those who were throwne over Portadowne-Bridge were daily and nightly seene to walke upon the River sometimes singing of Psalmes sometimes brandishing of naked Swords sometimes scrieching in a most hideous and fearefull manner The Deponent did not beleeve the same at first neither doth he yet know whether to beleeve it or no but saith that divers of the Rebels assured him that they themselves did dwell neere to the same River and being daily affrighted with those apparitions but especially with their horrible scrieching were in conclusion inforced to remove further into the Country Their owne Priests and Fryers could not deny the truth thereof But as it was by the Deponent Objected unto them said it was but a cunning flight of the Devill to hinder this great worke of propagating the Catholicke Faith and killing of Heretickes or that it was wrought by Witchcraft The Deponent himselfe lived within thirteen miles of the Bridge and never heard any man so much as doubt of the truth thereof Howsoever he obligeth no mans faith in regard he saw it not with his owne eyes otherwise he had as much certainty as morrally could be required of such a matter And this Deponent further saith That the degenerate Pale English were most cruell
this is a true Relation as neare as I could collect it from the mouthes of those that were present of that famous victory so much boasted of by the Irish whereunto the inexperience of the English Commanders and the disorders of the common souldiers who were then but newly taken up and had never seene any service contributed farre more then any skill or courage shewed by the Rebels which they had only opportunity at that time to expresse by a loud shout Besides they were treble their number and had for their leaders Roger Moore Hugh Birne and Philip O-Rely the two last persons who had been trained in the Warres abroad under the Spanish Discipline and were of greatest experience among them they brought down a great part of those Forces out of the Counties of Cavan and Monagham and as soone as they came within the River of Boyne great numbers of the ordinary churles of the Pale adjoyned themselves unto their men and so made up a body sufficient to performe that service The newes of this unhappy defeat was brought the very same day being munday the 29 of November at evening to the Lords Justices as they sate in Councell It troubled them very much and as it was a matter of great rejoycing among the Popish Inhabitants of the City so it bred a generall sorrow and consternation among the English and Protestants It hapned in a very ill season the late made Colonels were but then in raising of their men And such Companies as were compleated were by the Lords the same day of the marching of the 600 men to Tredagh Sir Charls Coots Expedition into the County of Wiclow commanded out under Sir Charles Coot into the County of Wiclow for the repressing the insolencies of the Birnes and the Tooles towards the poore Engl sh whom they began to fall upon most furiously stripping murdering and driving them all out of that Territory as soone as they had taken in the Kings Fort in that County called Carews Fort and possessed themselves of the chiefe places of strength belonging to the English Gentlemen there He marched to the Town of Wiclow where he caused some few men and one woman to be executed they being found upon Examination guilty of the late spoyles committed most brabarously upon the English there and the very cloaths of an English woman that was stripped being found upon the back of that Irish woman that was there hanged In his return Luke Toole with neare a 1000 Irish under his command encountred him but he quickly made them flie and take to the next Bogge with the losse of some few of their men And so he returned with all possible speed to Dublin the Lords having sent him notice of the late defeat given to the Forces sent to Tredagh As soone as he arrived he applyed himselfe very carefully to the securing of the Town which now began to be more desperately threatned then ever by the neare approaches of the Rebels And so great were the disorders then in the City so inconsiderable the Forces raised the English Inhabitants so strangly dismayed the Papists so highly raised in spirit and courage as had the Commanders of the Rebels drawn those Forces together as they had in readinesse on both sides the River of Boyne for the siege of Tredagh and so marching up to Dublin had taken the advantage of the present distractions and forward affections which they would have undoubtedly found there to assist them They had in all humane probability made themselves Masters of the City and might so straightly have begirt the Castle as would within a very short time have endangerd the surrender of it But it pleased God to infatuate their Counsells The strong opinion they had that they should presently carry Tredagh and so possesse themselves of all the Armes and Munition they had in that Town caused them to fix their resolutions there and to set up their rest upon the obtaining that place In this as in many other wonderfull acts of divine providence which I then observed with great admiration it pleased God to appeare even miraculously in the preservation of the City and Castle of Dublin with the poore remainders of English and Protestants who had there taken sanctuary And now the Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale thought it high time to discover themselves and their affections to the cause They certainly had not only long entertained a defection in their thoughts but were as the severall forementioned Examinations testifie The defection of the Lords and chiefe Gentlemen within the English Pale the first contrivers and bringers in of the Northern Rebels into this execrable Plot they had now likewise drawn them into rhe Pale and therefore they could not hope now much longer to walk under a maske and entertaine the state with further professions of their loyalty They had gotten a competent proportion of Armes and Munition out of his Majesties store into their own possession They saw now the Northern Rebels advanced within the River of Boyne with very considerable Forces to strengthen their Party and by the late encounter and successefull victory they had therein they pleased their fancies with confident conceits of certaine prevailing if they would now declare themselves by a publike conjunction in the common cause and raising such numbers of men and quantities of provision as the plentifull circuit of the Pale did afford would prosecute the warre so happily begun and so successefully managed hitherto These and severall other considerations working very powerfully among the Lords and cheife Gentlemen of the Pale they did within very few dayes after the late defeat solemnly proceede on to the actuall consummation of their long meditated revolt For the manner place The manner of the conjunction of the Lords and chief Gentlemen of the men of the English Pale with the Northern Rebels expressed in the Examination of Edward Dowdall Esquire time and all other circumstances I shall referre the Reader to this ensuing Relation given in upon Oath March 1641. before Sir Robert Meredith Knight Chancellour of the Exchequer in the Examination of Edward Dowdall Esquire a Gentleman of the Pale one very well esteemed among them one that was present at all their meetings and deeply engaged in all their councells and actions He deposeth that some foure or five dayes after the defeat of the English souldiers at the Bridge of Gellianstown there issued a Warrant from the Lord of Gormanston to the Sheriffe of the County for a generall meeting of all the Countie at Dulick But the place of meeting was afterwards changed to the Hill of Crofty where all the Lords and Gentry of the Country met viz. The Earle of Fingale the Lord Viscount Gormanston the Lord of Slaine the Lord of Lowth the Lord of Dunsany the Lord of Trimblestone the Lord Nettervile And of the Gentry Sir Patrick Barnwall Sir Christopher Bellew Patrick Barnwall of Kilbrew Nicholas Darcy of Plattin James Bath of Acharn
Garret Ailmer the Lawyer Cusake of Gormanston William Malone of Lesmullin Sedgrave of Kileglan Linch of the Knos Lynam of Adamstown Laurence Doudall of Athlumney Nicholas Doudall of Brownstown this Examinates brother and him this Examinate with a multitude of others to the number of a 1000 persons at the least whose names he this Examinate cannot for the present call to minde And after about two or three houres spent upon the said Hill of Crofty by the Lords and Gentry aforesaid There came towards them Colonel Mahowne Philip O-Rely Hugh Boy-Rely Roger Moore Hugh Birne and Captaine Fox attended on with a gard of Musketiers These were some of the chiefe Leaders among the Northern Rebels And this Examinate saith That as soone as the parties drew neare unto the said Hill the Lords and Gentry of the Pale rode towards them and the Lord of Gormanstone being one of the first spake unto them and demanded of them Why and for what reason they came Armed into the Pale Vnto which Roger Moore made present Answer That the ground of their comming thither and taking up Armes was for the freedome and liberty of their consciences the maintenance of his Majesties Prerogative in which they understood he was abridged and the making the subjects in this Kingdome as free as those in England were whereupon the said Lord of Gormanston desired to understand from them truly and faithfully whether those were not pretences and not the true grounds indeed of their so doing and likewise whether they had not some other private ends of their own which being by all denied upon profession of their sincerity his Lordship the Lord of Gormanston then told them Seing these be your true ends we will likewise joyn with you therein unto which course all agreed And thereupon it was publikly and generally declared that whosoever should deny to joyn with them or refuse to assist them therein they would accompt him as an Enemy and to the utmost of their power labour his destruction And this Examinate saith That after the agreement so made as aforesaid There issued another Warrant to the Sheriffe of the County of Meath to summon all the Lords and Gentry 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 Earle of Fingale the Lord of Gormanston and the rest of the Lords and Gentlemen aforenamed 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 unto Dublin which Answer was brought ready drawn by the Lord of Gormanston and presented by his Lordship and being perused by the said Councell at Law was signed by the Lords In this manner was this great transaction most solemnly consummated betwixt Lemster and Vlster Valence and Brabant as Sir Phelim O. Neale stiles them in his Characteristicall Letter before mentioned sent to Owen Roe O-Neale in Flanders were now publickly united together in that great Assembly The Lord Viscount Gormanston on the one side and Roger Moore on the other had both been long tampering about the drawing of this most important work to the forme it now received they had at length brought it unto perfection they two had the glory of it and appeared the great publike instruments of this powerfull union The Lords and chiefe Gentlemen of the Pale having thus farre declared themselves became so high and presuming The endeavours of those of the Pale to strengthen their party against the power of the State as they little valued what was done or commanded by the State at Dublin they now wholly applyed their endeavours to make such preparatives towards the warre as might strengthen their party which as it now stood in conjuncture with the Northern Rebels they beheld as invincible and their power not to be resisted by the inconsiderable Forces drawn together by the Lords Justices and Counsell at Dublin Severall Gentlemen who in the severall Counties of the Pale were made Captaines and had received Arms from the State for their Companies departed from their obedience and addressed themselves and their Companies wholly to the service of the Rebels Nicholas White Esquire Sonne and Heire to Sir Nicholas White of Lislip was the first that gave the example about the second of December but he carried the matter so handsomely as his Company ranne away to the Rebels as he pretended without his consent or even his knowledge any longer time before their departure then to give him opportunity to come and acquaint the State therewith and his own disability to hinder the same The reasons why the State Summond the grand Counsell of all the Lords of the Pale and others then in the City of Dublin But before it was possible to use any meanes of prevention the men were all gone with their Armes and Munition to the Rebels Many of the other Captaines desired no such fine cover for their intentions but delivered themselves and their Armes up to be disposed as they should direct without any further scruple or complement to the State Whereupon the Lords finding how notoriously they were abused by the very great confidence reposed in such Gentlemen of the Pale as being made Captaines had received Armes from them and perceiving what course they began now to stear and how they were resolved to imploy their own Armes against them they took such order and with such celerity and diligence made stay of severall of those Armes which were delivered out for the use of the Pale as of the 1700 Armes distributed among the severall Counties thereof they recovered againe into their hands 950. And now by reason the Northern Rebels had settled their Camp within the River of Boyne and so lay betwixt Tredagh and the City of Dublin all entercouse in the Pale was interrupted the passages stopt up and the Lords Iustices and Councell understood very little or nothing of any proceedings held there They therefore finding their dangers daily to encrease through the near approach of the Rebels unto the City of Dublin the continuall affronts and new scornes the State daily received from them their own want of strength to represse their bold attempts or to preserve the poore English round about them out of their bloody hands resolved now in these their high extremities to try the effects of those large protestations and great professions of loyalty the Lords of the Pale had lately made unto them and to give them a faire opportunity of rendring a most acceptable service to his Majesty and the state here For this end therefore they determined to call a grand Councell of all the Lords which resided within any convenient distance of the City of Dublin clearly and freely to represent unto them the ill condition of their affaires and how highly it imported them in respect of their own
brought down out of every part for the victualling of those that lay encamped about the Town There was allotted to every Company consisting of a hundred men for their daily allowance one biefe and halfe a barrell of corne And that they might with the more facility bring in the Country people to furnish their Army with these proportions they made not only prohibitions that no corne should be carried to Dublin but so blocked up the wayes as the poore churles that lived somewhat distant from the City could not carry their corne thither without apparent danger whereby the Market began to be very ill provided and great want and scarcity was much feared by reason of the large accession of people come from severall parts of the Kingdom up unto the City for safety Whereupon the Lords Justices and Councell made Proclamations to be published That all such as had corne remaining within some few miles distance should as their usuall manner was bring it to the Market at Dublin and they should receive ready money for the same in case they did not that they would presently send out Parties and burn their corn as it stood in the haggards and so prevent the use the Rebels intended to make of it for the victualing of their Army By this meanes the City was indifferently well supplyed all that winter with corn the Country people though otherwayes very malicious against the English and Protestants being content though with much hazard to adventure the bringing their corn where they sold it at a good rate for ready money rather then to suffer it to be threshed out by Warrants from the Lord of Gormanston for the use of the Irish Army then lying before Tredagh But while they continue their fruitlesse and unprofitable attemps there having neither skill courage experience The sad condition of the publike affaires of the State nor any meanes to bring about their impetuous desires and fond endeavours for the taking in of that Town I shall briefly represent a view of the sad estate of our affaires in Dublin It was now almost full two Months since the breaking out of this Rebellion The Lords Justices and Councell out of their deep apprehensions of a generall revolt of all the Irish through the Kingdome did in the very beginning with much earnestnesse sollicite the present sending over of Succours out of England And as soone as they began to make a little further discovery into the strength of this Conspiracy and found their own wants and utter disabilities to make any long or considerable opposition against the universall power of the whole body of the Irish as it then began to appeare unto them firmly united with almost all the Old English that were of the Romish Profession incorporated into their party throughout Ireland they did with much more earnestnesse by their frequent Letters and severall Agents represent unto his Majesty and the Parliament of England the very ill even desperate condition they were in and therefore desired that supplyes both of men money and all kinde of warlick provisions might be sent away with all speed unto them declaring that unlesse they received them presently and that in great proportions they were not able longer to subsist as they stood now environed on all sides with multitudes of the Rebels but had just reason to apprehend their own present ruine and the inevitable losse of the whole Kingdome And because they conceived the Levies in England could not be so suddenly made nor the men so easily transported from thence into the North of Ireland where the Rebels appeared in greatest numbers and had by their most unparalled cruelty towards the English done most mischeife as out of Scotland They made a proposition to the Lord Lievtenant to move both his Majesty and the Parliament The sending of 10000 Scots into Ireland pressed by the Lords Iustices and Councell that 10000 Scots might be presently raised and sent over into those Parts This they pressed with much earnestnesse representing the very great terrour the meere Irish had of that Nation that their bodies would better sort with that Climate endure more hardship and with lesse distemper undergoe the toile and miseries of an Irish war that the transportation would be made with much more facility and lesse charge it being not above three or foure houres saile from some parts of Scotland into the North of Ireland That the Kingdome of Scotland had been lately in Armes and so had all provisions necessary for the furnishing of their men for this expedition in readinesse And lastly they having so good a foundation in the multitude of their own Countrymen so advantagiously settled there already would no doubt undertake the work with all alacrity and vigorously prosecute the warre with such sharpnesse as might testifie their deep resentment of the horrid cruelties exercised upon so many thousands of their own Nation by that barbarous people Commissioners sent out of Scotland to Treat with the Parliament of England concerning the reliefe of Ireland These Letters arrived very opportunely about the time of the Kings return from Edenburgh to the Parliament of England then sitting at Westminster And there being even then two Scotish Lords come out of the Kingdome of Scotland to Treat with the Parliament of England concerning the sending Forces from thence for the reliefe of Ireland His Majesty sent to the Lords and Commons to give them notice of their arrivall and withall desired that certaine Commissioners appointed by himselfe and both Houses of Parliament might bee presently named to Treat with them and from time to time give an account of their proceedings to his Majesty and both Houses This motion was with very great readinesse yeelded unto and it was ordered that the Earle of Bedford the Earle of Leycester Lord Lievtenant of Ireland the Lord Howard of Estric nominated by the House of Peeres And Nathaniel Fiennes Esquire Sir William Ermin Baronite Sir Philip Stapleton Knight John Hampden Esquire nominated by the House of Commons should Treat with the Scotish Commissioners concerning the affaires of Ireland and that there should be a Commission granted unto them to this effect under the great Seale of England together with particular Instructions to regulate the manner of their proceedings In the propositions given in by the Scotish Commissioners they did in the first place make offer of 10000 men in the name of the Kingdom of Scotland Propositions presented to the Parliament of England for the reliefe of Ireland And that they might be enabled to send them speedily away they desired an advance of 30000 l. of the brotherly assistance afforded unto them by the Kingdome of England and that what Armes and Munition they sent into Ireland might in the same proportions be returned unto them with all expedition Next they desired that some ships of Warre might be appointed to guard the Seas betwixt Scotland and Ireland to waft over their Souldiers which they designed to transport
Parliament then sitting to endeavour the reasonable ease and contentment of the people freely assenting to all such Acts as really tended to a legall reformation They betook themselves wholly to the advice of the Councel and caused all matters as well of the Crown as Popular interest to be handled in His Majesties courts of Justice no wayes admitting the late exorbitancies so bitterly decried in Parliament of Paper-Petitions or Bils in Civil causes to be brought before them at the Councel-board or before any other by their authority They by His Majesties gracious directions gave way to the Parliament to abate the Subsidies there given in the E. of Straffords time and then in collection from 40000 li. each Subsidy to 12000. li. apeece so low did they think fit to reduce them And they were further content because they saw His Majesty most absolutely resolved to give the Irish Agents full satisfaction to draw up two Acts to be passed in the Parliament most impetuously desired by the Natives The one was the Act of Limitations which unquestionably setled all estates of land in the kingdome quietly enjoyed without claim or interruption for the space of sixty years immediately preceding The other was for the relinquishment of the right and title which His Majesty had to the four counties in Conaght legally found for him by severall inquisitions taken in them and ready to be disposed of upon a due survay to British undertakers as also to some territories of good extent in Munster and the county of Clare upon the same title Thus was the present Government most sweetly tempered and carried on with great lenity and modetation the Lords Iustices and Councel wholly departing from the rigour of former courses did gently unbend themselves into a happy and just compliance with the seasonable desires of the people And his Maiesty that he might further testifie his own setled resolution for the continuation thereof with the same tender hand over them having first given full satisfaction in all things to the said Committee of Parliament still attending their dispatch did about the latter end of May 1641. The Earl of Leicester declared Lord Lieutenant of Ireland May 1641. declare Robert Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant Generall of the Kingdom of Ireland He was heir to Sir Phillip Sidney his uncle as well as to Sir Hen. Sidney his grandfather who with great honour and much integrity long continued chief Governour of Ireland during the Raign of Queen Elizabeth and being a person of excellent abilities by nature great acquisitions from his own private industry and publique imployment abroad of exceeding great temper and moderation was never engaged in any publique pressures of the common-wealth and therefore most likely to prove a just and gentle Governour most pleasing and acceptable to the people The papists permitted privately to enjoy the free exercise of their religion Moreover the Romish Catholiques now privately enjoyed the free exercise of their religion throughout the whole Kingdom according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome They had by the over great indulgence of the late Governours their titular Archbishops Bishops Vicars generall Provinciall consistories Deans Abbots Priors Nunnes who all lived freely though somewhat covertly among them and without controll exercised a voluntary jurisdiction over them they had their Priests Jesuits and Fryars who were of late years exceedingly multiplyed and in great numbers returned out of Spain Italy and other forraign parts where the children of the natives of Ireland that way devoted were sent usually to receive their education And these without any manner of restraint had quietly setled themselves in all the chief Towns Villages Noblemen and private Gentlemens houses throughout the Kingdom So as the private exercise of all their religious rites and ceremonies was freely enioyed by them without any maner of disturbance and not any of the Laws put in execution whereby heavy penalties were to be inflicted upon transgressours in that kinde The good agreement betwixt the Irish and English in all parts of the Kingdome And for the ancient animosities and hatred which the Irish had been ever observed to bear unto the English Nation they seemed now to be quite deposited and buried in a firm conglutination of their affections and Nationall obligations passed between them The two Nations had now lived together 40 years in peace with great security and comfort which had in a manner consolidated them into one body knit and compacted together with all those bonds and ligatures of friendship alliance and consanguinity as might make up a constant and perpetuall union betwixt them Their intermarriages were frequent gossipred fostering relations of much dearnesse among the Irish together with all others of tenancy neighbourhood and service interchangeably passed among them Nay they had made as it were a kinde of mutuall transmigration into each others manners many English being strangely degenerated into Irish affections and customes and many Irish especially of the better sort having taken up the English language apparell and decent manner of living in their private houses And so great an advantage did they finde by the English commerce and cohabitation in the profits and high improvements of their lands and native commodities so incomparably beyond what they ever formerly enioyed or could expect to raise by their own proper industry as Sir Phelim O Neale and many others of the prime leaders in this rebellion had not long before turned their Irish tenants of their lands as some of them said to me when I enquired the reason of their so doing even to starve upon the mountains while they took on English who were able to give them much greater rents and more certainly pay the same A matter that was much taken notice of and esteemed by many as most highly conducing to the security of the English interests and plantation among them So as all these circumstances duly weighed together with the removall of the late obstructions the great increase of trade and many other evident Symptomes of a flourishing common-wealth it was believed even by the wisest and best experienced in the affairs of Ireland that the peace and tranquility of the Kingdom was now fully setled and most likely in all humane probability to continue without any considerable interuption in the present felicity and great prosperity it now enioyed under the government of his Maiesty that now raigneth In August 1641. The Parliament adjourned August 1641. the Lords Justices and Councel finding the Popish party in both Houses of Parliament to be grown to so great a heigth as was scarcely compatible with the present Government were very desireous to have an Adjournment made for three moneths which was readily assented unto and performed by the members of both Houses And this was done not many dayes before the return of the Committee formerly mentioned out of England The Irish Commissioners return out of England and land at Dublin They arrived at Dublin about
23 day of this moneth We conceiving that as soon as it should be known that the plot for seizing Dublin Castle was disappointed all the Conspirators in the remote parts might be somewhat disheartned as on the other side the good Subjects would be comforted and would then with the more confidence stand on their guard did prepare to send abroad to all parts of the Kingdome this Proclamation which we send you here inclosed and so having provided that the City and Castle should be so guarded as upon the sudden Wee could promise Wee concluded that long continued consultation On Saturday at 12 of the clock at night the Lord Blany came to town and brought Vs the ill news of the Rebels seising with two hundred men his house at Castle Blany in the County of Monaghan and his Wife Children and Servants as also a house of the Earle of Essex called Carrickmacrosse with two hundred men a house of Sir Henry Spotswood in the same County with two hundred men where there being a little Plantation of Brittish they plundred the Town and burnt divers houses and it since appears that they burnt divers other Villages and robbed and spoiler many English and none but Protestants leaving the English Papists untouched as well as the Irish On Sunday morning at three of the clock We had intelligence from Sir Arthur Terringham that the Irish in the town had that day also broken up the Kings store of arms and munition at the Newry and where the store of arms hath lyen ever since the peace and where they found fourscore and ten barrels of powder and armed themselves and put them under the command of Sir Con. Magennis Knight and one Creely a Monk and plundered the English there and disarmed the Garrison And this though too much is all that We yet hear is done by them However We shall stand on our guard the best We may to defend the Castle and City principally those being the pieces of most importance But if the Conspiracy be so universall as Mac Mahon saith in his Examination it is namely That all the Counties in the Kingdome have conspired in it which We admire should so fall out in this time of universall peace and carried with that secrecy that none of the English could have any friend amongst them to disclose it then indeed We shall be in high extremity and the Kingdome in the greatest danger that ever it underwent considering our want of men money and armes to enable Vs to encounter so great multitudes as they can make if all should joyn against Vs the rather because We have pregnant cause to doubt that the combination hath taken force by the incitement of Jesuits Priests and Fryars All the hope We have here is the old English of the Pale and some other parts will continue constant to the King in their fidelity as they did in former rebellions And now in these straits We must under God depend on ayd forth of England for our present supply with all speed especially money We having none and arms which we shall exceedingly want without which We are very doubtfull what account We shall give to the King of his Kingdome But if the Conspiracy be only of Mac Guire and some other Irish of the kindred and friends of the Rebell Tirone and other Irish in the Counties of Downe Monaghan Cavan Fermanagh and Armagh and no generall revolt following thereupon we hope then to make head against them in a reasonable measure if We be enabled with money from thence without which We can raise no forces so great is our want of money as we have formerly written and our debt so great to the Army nor is money to be borrowed here and if it were we would engage all our estates for it neither have we any hope to get in his Majesties rents and subsidies in these disturbances which adde extreamly to our necessities On Sunday morning 24. We met again in Councell and sent to all parts of the Kingdome the enclosed Proclamation and issued Potents to draw hither seven Horse troopes as a further strength to this place and to be with us in case the Rebels shall make head and march hitherward so as we may be necessitated to give them battell We also then sent away our Letters to the President of both the Provinces of Munster and Conaght And we likewise then sent Letters to the Sheriffes of the five Counties of the Pale to consult of the best way and means of their own preservation That day the Lord Vice Com. Gormanston the Lord Vice Co. Nettervile the Lord Vice Co. Fitz Williams and the Lord of Houth and since the Earles of Kildare and Fingall and the Lords of Dunsany and Slane all Noblemen of the English Pale came unto us declaring that they then and not before heard of the matter and professed loyalty to his Majesty and concurrence with the State but said they wanted armes whereof they desired to be supplyed by Vs which we told them we would willingly do as relying much on their faithfulnesse to the Crown but we were not yet certain whether or no we had enough to arme our strength for the guard of the City and Castle yet we supplyed such of them as lay in most danger with a small proportion of Arms and Munition for their houses lest they should conceive we apprehended any jealousie of them And we commanded them to be very diligent in sending out watches and making all the discoveries they could and thereof to advertise us which they readily promised to do And if it fall out that the Irish generally rise which we have cause to suspect then we must of necessity put Arms into the hands of the English Pale in present and to others as fast as we can to fight for defence of the State and themselves Your Lordship now sees the condition wherein we stand and how necessary it is first that we enjoy your presence speedily for the better guiding of those and other the publick affairs of the King Kingdom And secondly that the Parliament there be moved immediately to advance to Vs a good sum of money which being now speedily sent hither may prevent the expence of very much treasure blood in a long continued war And if your Lordship shall happen to stay on that side any longer time we must then desire your Lordship to appoint a Lieutenant Generall to discharge the great and weighty burthen of commanding the forces here Amidst these confusions and discords fallen upon Vs We bethought Vs of the Parliament which was formerly adjourned to November next the term now also at hand which will draw such a concourse of people hither give opportunity under that pretence assembling and taking new Councels seeing the former seems to be in some part disappointed and of contriving further danger to this State and People We have therefore found it of unavoidable necessity to prorogue it accordingly and to
whatsoever they had to cover their nakednesse taken from most of them as may appear by the examination of Adam Clover of Slonosy in the County of Cavan who being duly sworn deposeth inter alia That this deponent and his company that were robbed observed that 30 persons or thereabouts were then most barbarously murdered and slain outright and about 150 more persons cruelly wounded so that traces of blood issuing from their wounds lay upon the High way for 12 miles together and many very young children were left and perished by the way to the number of 60 or thereabouts because the cruell pursuit of the Rebels was such that their parents and friends could not carry them further And further saith that some of the Rebels vowed That if any digged graves wherein to bury the dead children they should be buried therein themselves So the poor people left the most of them unburied exposed to ravenous beasts and fowls and some few their Parents carried a great way to bury them And this deponent further saith that he saw upon the way a woman left by the Rebels stripped to her smock set upon by three women and some Irish children who miserably rent and tore the said poor English woman and stripped her of her smock in a bitter frost and snow so that she fell in labour under their hands and both she and her childe dyed there Thus did their mercy in sparing those miserable soules in this manner prove by much a far greater cruelty then if they had suddenly cut them off as they did afterwards many thousands of Brittish that fell into their hands For now they starved and perished in multitudes upon the wayes as they travelled along and to those that outlived the misery of their journey their limbes only served to drag up their bodies to christian buriall there denied unto them For many of the men and most of the women and children that thus escaped either to Dublin or other places of safety in the North not long outlived the bitternesse of their passage but either overwhelmed with grief or outwearied with travell contracted those diseases which furthered by hunger cold nakednesse ill lodgings and want of other necessaries struck deeply into bodies that had lived long at ease with much plenty and soon brought them with sorrow to their graves THese were the first fruits of this Rebellion which now began to dilate it self into the other Provinces having covered over the Northern Parts of the Kingdome with fearfull desolations The first Plotters were yet undiscovered but the great active instruments appointed for the execution of this horrid designe fully appeared and had already deeply imbrued their hands in the bloody massacres of the English Sir Phelim O Neale being the chief of that Sept Sir Phelim O Neales proceedings and now the person remaining of nearest alliance to the late Earl of Tyrone assumed to himself the chief power among the Rebels in Vlster and by his directions guided the rest of his complices on in the destruction of all the English there He was one of very mean parts without courage or conduct his education for a great part of his youth was in England he was admitted a Student of Lincolns Inne and there trained up in the Protestant religion which he soon changed after if not before his return into Ireland lived loosely and having no considerable estate by reason of the great engagement upon it became of very little esteem in all mens opinions Yet such were the over zealous affections of his Countreymen in this cause their secrecy in attempting their suddennesse in executing as by their forwardnesse to destroy the English and get their goods he quickly over-run that part of the Countrey He had prevailed so far within seven dayes after he first appeared in this Rebellion by seazing most treacherously at the very first upon Charlemont where the Lord Caufield lay with his Foot company the Forts of Dongannon and Montjoy as that in his Letter written to Father Patrick O Donnell his Confessor bearing date from Montjoy the 30 of Octob. he was able to brag of great and many victories And presently after he had gotten such a multitude of rude fellowes together though in very ill equipage as he marched down with great numbers of men towards Lisnagaruy near the chief Plantation of the Scots for that part of their plot to spare them as they did in the beginning they found now too grosse to take therefore they resolved to fall upon them without mercy and yet left sufficient forces to come up into the Pale to take in Dondalke in the County of Lowth Which was a Frontier Town in the last wars against Tyrone Dondalke taken by the Rebels about the beginning of Novemb 1641. and so well defended it self as with all the power he had he could never recover it into his hands There lay now a Foot company of the old Army but the Lieutenant who commanded it having neither his men in readinesse nor armes or munition made little or no resistance easily giving way to the forward affections of the inhabitants who delivered up the Town into the possession of the Rebels about the beginning of November 1641. The Rebels presently after their taking in of Dondalke marched on further into the County of Lowth and possessed themselves of Ardee The Rebels march up towards Tredagh a little Town within seven miles of Tredagh anciently called Drohedagh So as it was now high time to provide for the safety of that Town The Lord Moore had already retired thither from his house at Millifont and there remained with his troop of horse and two companies of foot One was under the command of Sir John Nettervile eldest sonne to the Lord Viscount Nettervile He discovered in the very beginning much virulency in his affections by giving false frights and raising false rumours and making all manner of ill infusions into the mindes of the Townsmen who as it afterwards appeared were but too forward to take part with the Rebels It is verily believed they had in the very beginning some plot to cut off the Lord Moore and seaze upon his Troop and that Sir John Netterviles part was to begin a mutiny which he attempted that night he was to be upon the watch by giving ill language and endeavouring to make a quarrell with his Lordship which he very discreetly passed over and so carefully looked to the guard of the Town as they could take no advantage to put on their designe Howsoever the Townsmen were extreamly frighted with the thoughts of their present danger and the greater part of them being Papists were ready to declare themselves for the Catholick cause only their desires were things might be so ordered The ill condition of Tredagh represented by the L. Moore to the L. Iustices as would administer unto them specious pretences of necessity for the same The L. Moore gave present advertisement unto the Lords Justices and
should arrive out of England The popish party among them was so prevalent as that after a most serious consultation and very solemn debate among themselves they returned this answer that they were not able to furnish above 40 l. and part of that was to be brought in in cattell There remained at this time imbarqued within the harbour of Dublin four hundred Irish souldiers ready as was pretended Severall Irish souldiers imbarqued under pretence of being carried into Spain at the very time of the first breaking out of the Rebellion to set sail for Spain under the command of Colonell Iohn Barry who with some other Irish Gentlemen had procured leave from his Majesty to leavie certain numbers of voluntiers to be transported over for the service of the King of Spain And those levied in other parts as well as at Dublin were brought together just at the very time designed for the execution of the great plot The pretence was specious but certainly their intentions how finely soever covered over were to have those men in a readinesse together at the very time appointed for the first breaking out of these unnaturall troubles And as for those men which lay within the Harbour of Dublin they were so great a terrour to all the Protestant inhabitants in the City as it exceedingly perplexed the Lords how to dispose so of them as might prevent the mischief justly feared in case of their landing Their Commanders had so handsomely ordered the matter as though they were designed for a long voyage yet stay on ship-board any longer they could not by reason they had no victuals not even enough to carry them out of the Harbour and no man had order in the absence of Colonell Barry who retired himself some few miles out of the town the very evening before the Castle should have been taken to provide for the further supplying of them To suffer them to land was to adde so many instruments of mischief to those already gathered within and about the City Therefore it was resolved that the Captain of the Kings Pinace then in the Harbour should by force keep them from landing which he did severall dayes together till it was apparent they would inevitably starve if a course were not suddenly taken to afford them some relief Whereupon the Lords having no means to victuall them aboard gave them leave to land having first taken order they should not come into the City The Lords Justices and Councell thought fit within very few dayes after the landing of these men the more to deter them and all other ill-affected persons from repairing to the City of Dublin Several Proclamations issued out by the Lo. Iustices and Councell to issue out a Proclamation for the discovery and present removall of all such as did or should come and continue there without just or necessary cause But so carefull were they in this and all other their actions not to give any distaste to the Irish or other inhabitants of the countrey as they forbear to inflict any punishment upon any that continued in the City contrary to their Proclamation sparing severall persons whom they had not only just cause to be jealous off but who were brought before them and convinced to have uttered speeches clearly discovering their ill affections And having by late Proclamations prorogued the Parliament and adjourned Michaelmas Term that under pretence of repair to either of them unnecessary concourse of strangers might not be brought unto the town they proceeded on to some other Acts which as they conceived would not only render great security to the City but lessen the distempers abroad bring safety to the Pale and keep the dangers at distance and far off from them And for this purpose they being informed that a multitude of the meaner sort of people were ignorantly involved in the guilt of this rebellion and by the wicked seducement of the first Conspirators had been drawn on to dispoile their English neighbours they issued out a Proclamation about the beginning of the moneth of November declaring unto all such as were not Freeholders within the County of Meath Westmeath Lowth and Longford that if they would come in and submit make restitution of the goods so taken they should be received to his Majesties mercy and no further prosecution held against them Much about the time of the sending forth of this Proclamation some of the chief of the Sept of the Relyes A Remonstrance sent up to the Lords Iustices and Councell from the Rebels in the county of Cavan and other prime Gentlemen in the County of Cavan sent up a kinde of Remonstrance to the Lords Justices and Councell Whereunto they returned them a very fair answer assuring them of their readinesse to give them all just redresse of their grievances expressed therein so they would in the mean time retire peaceably to their houses restore as they were able the English mens goods forbear all further acts of rapine and violence And they did presently send over their Remonstrance to the Lord Lieutenant to be presented to his Majestie according to their desires But these wayes of moderation and peaceable perswasions proved of very little effect they had no manner of influence into the resolved mindes of the Leaders or of operation upon the hardned hearts of the people they were too deeply engaged so sleightly to retire They had now drenched themselves in the blood of the English and were greatly enriched with their spoiles It was not possible for them to make restitution and they hoped to go through with the work and by the united power of the Kingdome to draw the whole management of the affairs into their own hands And now likewiise the Lords Justices and Councell that they might shew the great confidence they had in the Lords and chief Gentlemen of the Pale Commissions of martiall law granted unto severall persons by the Lords Iustices and give them both oportunity and means to expresse their loyalty and affections to his Majesties service resolved according as the constitution of their affairs then required to do some such acts as might clearly perswade them of the great trust they really reposed in them And therefore first they gave out severall Commissions of Martiall law for executing without attending a proceeding according to the ordinary course of the Common law of such Traitors and Rebels as should be apprehended doing mischief in any parts of the countrey about them And these they directed to the most active Gentlemen though all Papists inhabiting in the severall Counties As to Henry Talbot in the County of Dublin John Bellew Esq in the county of Lowth Richard Dalton and Iames Tuit Esq in the county of West-Meath Valerian Wesley in the county of Meath Iames Talbot in the County of Cavan Commissions of government of the severall counties within the Pale granted to severall Lords and Gentlemen without distinction of Religion Next they made choice of the
county of Dublin And about the same time there were sent down four hundred Muskets to the Lords of the Ardes and Clandeboys for the arming of the Scots in the county of Downe All of these had powder lead and match proportionable to their armes at the same time delivered unto them Severall Counties within the Province of Lemster declare themselves for the Rebels But now the poyson of this rebellion which had hitherto contained it self within the Northern counties and the confines of them began to be diffused into other parts of the Kingdome It had already infected the counties of Letrim Longford West-Meath and Lowth lying contiguous unto them And upon the 12 of Novemb. the Irish in the County of Wiclow brake out most furiously despoiling robbing and murthering all the English inhabitants within that territory They burnt all their fair well-built houses drove away their cattell and laid siege to Fort Carew wherein was a foot company of the old army The newes being brought to the Lords Justices thereof they well considered the importance of the place and that if it were in the hands of the Rebels and that whole county in their possession they could expect little quietnesse or even safety in the Citie by reason of their near neighbourhood Whereupon they were most desirous to have sent down forces for the relief of it But when they came on the other side to consider their want of means for the performance of that service that they had no money but few men and many of them not to be trusted That it would be very dangerous to divide their small forces and so to leave the Citie in a manner unguarded they were enforced to lay aside that resolution and with great grief to sit still and suffer the poor English in those parts to be exposed to the mercilesse cruelties of those barbarous Rebels who went on furiously with the work and quickly cleared all that county of the English inhabitants Within few dayes after the Irish in the Counties of Wexford and Caterlagh began to rise likewise and to follow the bloody examples of their neighbours There were now also great apparencies of the disloyalty of the County of Kildare who with large protestations under the pretence of doing service had gotten into their hands the arms and munition designed for them by the State And so mysterious and doubtfull was the carriage of the Lords and chief Gentlemen of the English Pale giving no manner of intelligence to the State of the proceedings of the Rebels nor making any kinde of preparatives against them as their affections began even then to be justly suspected So as the City of Dublin being the receptacle of the whole State The sad condition of the City of Dublin the Magazine of all the arms munition and other provisions for the army and the chief sanctuary of all the English and despoiled Protestants was now reduced to a very sad condition desperately encompassed on every side the Northern Rebels being come down in two severall parties with great forces within 20 miles of it on the one side and the Rebels of the County of VViclow infesting it on the other side which with the great resort of strangers and the continuall rumours of new plots and devices to surprize the town possessed the Protestants with extraordinary fears of their present danger But that which made their condition appear much more formidable unto them was the daily repair of multitudes of English that came up in troops stripped and miserably despoiled out of the North. Many persons of good rank and quality covered over with old rags and some without any other covering then a little twisted straw to hide their nakednesse Some reverend Ministers and others that had escaped with their lives sorely wounded Wives came bitterly lamenting the murders of their Husbands mothers of their children barbarously destroyed before their faces poor infants ready to perish poure out their souls in their mothers bosome some over-wearied with long travell and so surbated as they came creeping on their knees others frozen up with cold The resort of multitudes of men women and children to the City of Dublin in a most miserable posture ready to give up the ghost in the streets others overwhelmed with grief distracted with their losses lost also their senses Thus was the town within the compasse of a few dayes after the breaking out of this rebellion filled with these most lamentable spectacles of sorrow which in great numbers wandred up and down in all parts of the City desolate forsaken having no place to lay their heads on no clothing to cover their nakednesse no food to fill their hungry bellies And to adde to their miseries they found all manner of relief very disproportionable to their wants the Popish inhabitants refusing to minister the least comfort unto them so as those sad creatures appeared like living ghosts in every street Many empty houses in the city were by speciall direction taken up for them Barns Stables and out-houses filled with them yet many lay in the open streets and others under stals there most miserably perished The Churches were the common receptacles of the meaner sort of thē who stood there in a most dolefull posture as objects of charity in so great multitudes as there was scarce any passage into them But those of better quality who could not frame themselves to be common beggars crept into private places some of them that had not private friends to relieve them even wasted silently away and so died without noise And so bitter was the remembrance of their former condition and so insupportable the burthen of their present calamity to many of them as they even refused to be comforted I have known of some that lay almost naked having clothes sent laid them by refusing to put them on Others that would not stir to fetch themselves food though they knew where it stood ready for them But they continued to lie nastily in their filthy rags and even their own dung not taking care to have any thing clean handsome or comfortable about them And so even worn out with the misery of their journey and cruell usage having their spirits spent their bodies wasted and their senses failing lay here pitifully languishing and soon after they had recovered this town very many of them dyed leaving their bodies as monuments of the most inhumane cruelties used towards them The greatest part of the women and children thus barbarously expelled out of their habitations perished in the city of Dublin and so great numbers of them were brought to their graves as all the Churchyards within the whole Town were of too narrow a compasse to contain them So as the Lords took order to have two large pieces of new ground one on each side the River taken in upon the out-Greens and set apart for burying places These were the memorable spectacles of mercy and of the great commiseration the
resolve others therein I cannot yet determine who were the very first Contrivers where the first debates were entertained or who first sate in Counsell about it This as all other works of this nature had its foundation laid in the dark and sealed up no doubt with many execrable Oaths the great engines of these times to bind up the consciences as well as the tongues of men from discovery Besides they knew well enough that the Plot being most abominable in it self to be carried on with such detestable cruelty should it take and be fully executed which commonly gives to all other treasons applause and highest commendation would certainly render the first authors as well as the bloody actors most odious and execrable to all Posterity Therefore it is not much to be wondred that the first beginnings so mysterious and obscurely laid remain as yet concealed with so great Obstinacy But yet I am very confident that upon view of severall examinations any reasonable man will conclude with me that the very first principles of this inhumane Conspiracy were roughly drawn and hammered out at the Romish Forge powerfully fomented by the trechery and virulent animosities of some of the chief Irish natives and so by degrees by them moulded into that ugly shape wherein it first appeared There certainly it received the first life and motion whether at Rome whether in Ireland or in any other place I cannot yet determine But my meaning is it was first hatched and set on foot by those most vigilant and industrious Emissaries who are sent continually abroad by the power of that See with full commission per fas nefas to make way for the re-establishment of the Romish Religion in all parts where it hath been suppressed Great numbers of these wicked Instruments the Laws against all of the Romish Clergy being of late laid aside and tacitely suspended execution came over into Ireland The main ground-work and first predispositions to a Rebellion in generall were most undoubtedly with great dexterity and artifice laid by them their venimous infusions taking such deep roots in the minds of a blind ignorant supersticious people as made them ready for a change the great ones mischievously to plot and contrive the inferiour sort tumultuously to rise up and execute whatsoever they should command And if we will give credit to severall examinations taken many of them from those of their own we must beleeve the plot for a Rebellion in Ireland The general Plot for a Rebellion in Ireland of an ancient date of a very ancient date as well as of a large extent It had been long in contriving and howsoever peradventure first thought on in Ireland yet received large contributions towards consummation out of England and other Forraign parts I have seen an Examination of one who affirms he heard it confidently averred by Malone a Priest one that stiled himself Chaplain Major within the Pale that he himselfe had been seven yeeres imployed in bringing on this plot to perfection and that he had travailed into severall parts about it Master Goldsmith a Minister in Conaught told me that he did a full yeer before the Rebellion brake out receive a Letter from a Brother of his residing at Brussels wherein he gave him notice thereof though so obscurely as he well understood it not till afterwards Patrick O Bryan of the Parish of Galloom in the County of Fermanagh Patrick O Beians Examination affirmeth upon Oath that all the Nobles in the Kingdom that were Papists had a hand in this Plot as well as the Lord Mac Guire and Hugh Oge Mac Mahowne that they expected ayd out of Spain by Owen Roe O Neale and that Colonel Plunket one of those that was to be an actor in the surprize of the Castle of Dublin told him that he knew of this Plot eight yeers since and that within these three yeers he hath been more fully acquainted with it Francis Sacheverel Esq Francis Sacheverel Esqu his Examination hath deposed that at several times shortly after the beginning of this Rebellion he hath heard four severall popish Priests viz. Hugh Rely of the County of Down Edmund O Tunnah of the County of Armagh Morice Mac Credan of the County of Tyrone and James Hallegan of the County of Armagh say that the Priests Jesuits and Fryars of England Ireland Spain and other Countries beyond the Seas were the plotters projectors and contrivers of this Rebellion and Insurrection and that they have been these six yeers in agitation and preparation of the same and that the said Priests did then expresse a kind of joy that the same was brought to so good effect He also further deposeth that at severall times Ever Boy Mac Gennis in the County of Down Gentleman and Hugh O Hagan in the County of Armagh Gent. did brag and say that they doubted not but that they should shortly conquer the English in the Kingdom and enjoy the same quietly to themselves and that they would not rest so content but they would raise strong Armies to invade and conquer England Roger Moore one of the prime Conspirators told Master Colely then prisoner with him that the Plot had been in framing severall yeers and should have been executed severall times but they were still hindered By Letters sent from Rome to Sir Phelim O Neale and the Lord Mac Guire which were intercepted and brought to the Lord Parsons though the Fryar that writ them doth not expresse any certain knowledge of this very Plot yet thus much appears by them that they had long desired to hear of the rising of the Irish that the news of Sir Phelim O Neal's taking arms was very acceptable to the Pope and his two Cardinal Nephews assuring him of all assistance from thence and further desiring him to send over an Agent to Rome and to imploy several persons of his own Nation whom he there named then residing at Madrid Paris and with the Emperour they being fit Instruments and such as he might make use of for the procuring succours from those Princes whom he assured him would joyn to give him all assistance in this action Besides these we have very many other presumptions that the Irish since they found their own strength The Irish have had it long in design to shake off the English government and that they were able to draw together so great numbers of men as their severall Septs so strangely multiplied during the late peace can now afford have long had it in design to shake off the English government to settle the whole power of the State in the hands of the Natives and to re-possesse them of all the Lands now enjoyed by the British throughout the Kingdom And that in this plot they did but goe about to actuate those confused general notions to put them in a way of execution Now they supposed there could never be offered unto them a fairer opportunity then this most unhappy conjuncture of
one Tooly Conley parish Priest to Master Moore to Colonel O Neale in the Low-Countries who within few moneths after arrived with this answer from the said Colonel desiring them not to delay any time in rising out but to let him know of the day when they intended it and that he would not faile to be with them within fourteen dayes of that day with good ayd also desiring them by any means to seize on the Castle of Dublin if they could And further he saith that during the time of these their private meetings there landed at Dublin Colonel Birne Colonel Plunket Captain Brien O Neale and others who came with directions to carry men away and that these were acquainted with the Plot and did offer their service to bring it on and that they would raise their men under colour to carry them into Spain and then seize on the Castle of Dublin and with the arms found there arme their Souldiers and have them ready for any action that should be commanded them He further also saith that they had divers private consultations about the carrying on of this conspiracy not onely at Dublin but in severall other places in the Province of Vlster and that they had set down severall days for the putting of it in execution but meeting with some obstacles did not come to conclude of the certain time till about the beginning of September and that then they peremptorily resolved on the 23. of October for the day to execute this long designed plot in and that they had respect unto the day of the week which did fall on Saturday being the Market-day on which there would be the lesse notice taken of people up and down the streets that they then setled what numbers of men should be brought up out of the severall Provinces for the surprize of the Castle and what Commanders should lead them on that seeing the Castle had two Gates that the Lemster men should undertake to seize upon the little Gate which lay neerest to the place where the arms and munition was placed and that the great gate should be undertaken by those of Vlster and that Sir Phelim O Neale should be there in person but that he excused himself because he resolved at the same time to seize upon London Derry and that thereupon by the impottunity of the undertakers it was imposed upon him the said Lord Mac Guire to be there in person at the taking of the Castle of Dublin That it was further resolved what number of Forces should be brought up out of the other Provinces to make good those places if possessed by them and that Sir James Dillon did undertake to be there with 1000. men within four dayes after the taking of the Castle as also that it was resolved that every one privy to that matter in every part of the Kingdome should rise out that day and seize on all the Forts and Arms in the severall Counties as likewise on all the Gentry and make them prisoners the more to assure themselves against any adverse fortune and not to kill any but where of necessity they should be forced thereunto by opposition These particulars together with many other circumstances very considerable are set down in the relation given in by the Lord Mac Guire while he remained prisoner in the Tower of London but I have thought fit to forbear to relate them at large because I find that relation published by authority and so presented to the common view We shall find also that Mac Mahone in his examination taken when he was first apprehended by the Lords Justices and Counsel here doth testifie that all the chief of the Nobility and Gentry in this Kingdom were acquainted with the first plot and particularly that all the popish party in the Committee sent into England as likewise in both houses of Parliament knew of it In the Examnation of William Fitz Gerald it is there affirmed that Sir Phelim O Neale sending for him five days after his rising in Arms told him what he did was by directions and consent of the prime Nobility and Gentry of the whole Kingdom and that what he had done in the Northern parts the same was executed at Dublin and in all other Forts and Towns throughout Ireland As being a course resolved upon among the Lords and Gentry for the preservation of his Majesties Prerogative their own Religion and Liberties against the Puritan faction in England Scotland and Ireland and that the Lord of Gormanstone knew of this plot while he was in England is testified by Lieutenant Colonel Read in his Examination as also by the Lord Mac Guire in his relation who saith that Colonel Plunket told him that he being at London had acquainted some of the Irish Committee and particularly the Lord of Gormanstone with this plot and that they approved it well Colonel Plunket in his Letter to Father Patrick Barnwal Lord Abbot of Mellifont as he stiles him doth seem much to glory in the means he had used to incite the Lords and Gentry of the Pale to appear in that blessed cause as he tearms it and assures him that the Lord of Gormanstone whom he there cals Lord General will goe bravely on And now it will be no difficult matter to resolve what were the secondary steps and motions of this great plot as well as by what persons it was wrought out in Ireland and carried on to the very point of execution And first it is to be observed that howsoever Sir Phelim O Neale the Lord Mac Guire Philip O Rely Colonel Mac Brian The first contrivers of the Rebellion did not first openly appear in it Hugh Mac Mahone and their adherents chief of the Irish Septs in Vlster and other counties neer adjacent did first appeare upon the stage and by their bloody execution notoriously declare themselves chief actors in this horrid tragedy Yet this Rebellion was either altogether nor originally plotted by them most of them had but subordinate notions of it and they as other of the chief Nobility and Gentry throughout the Kingdom had severall parts assigned them to act at severall times in severall places and did but move according to the first resolutions taken and such directions as they had received from the first Conspirators I take it to be most probable after the generall plot came to be reduced into form that as the Lord of Gormanstone was one of the first and chief movers in it so he and the chief of the Pale joyned together to draw in as they had done in all former Rebellions the principall septs of the old Irish to engage themselves and to appear first in the businesse That the Lord of Gormanston and some others of the Engl. Pale were engaged in the first Plot is very probable And after they had joyned together and so finely ordered the matter as they had made it a generall rising as Sir Phelim O Neale tearms it of all the Catholicks throughout the
Kingdom with the generall consent of the prime Nobility and Gentry thereof then as it were with one generall voice they sounded forth from all the four Provinces of Ireland the same language they used the same Remonstrances and made the very same pretences for their justification they began the very self-same course first in stripping then banishing and murthering the British and Protestants onely in the North they drove on somewhat more furiously and spilt much more innocent blood then in any of the other three Provinces They agreed likewise in recalling their Commanders all the four Provinces had their particular Emissaries abroad Those of Lemster brought back Colonel Preston a Branch out of the House of Gormanstone who had long lived with good reputation in Flanders and him they made Generall of their Forces there but of Vlster they sent into Flanders likewise for Owen Roe O Neale upon whom they conferred the same charge in that Province The Munster men brought over Garrat Barry whom they made Generall of their forces And those in Conaught drew back one of the Burks to whom they gave the chief command of such men as they were able to draw together for the advancement of the common design All these held a due correspondency and in all their actions had a just concurrency towards the main end The great instrument chiefly imployed in this work of drawing the meer Irish into a firm combination with the old English as appears by the Lord Mac Guire's relation before mentioned was Roger Moore Esquire a person of a broken fortune Roger Moore the chief Person imployed to make a conjunction between the meer Irish and the English for raising a Rebellion by discent meerly Irish and issued out of the chief family of the O Moores in the County of Leax but by inter-marriages allied to some of the principall Gentlemen of the Pale He Treated with them about the Association he first broke the design to the northern Irish he was the man that made severall journeys in Lemster into Vlster and Conaught Sundry messages were enterchangeably sent and returned the summer before the breaking out of the Rebellion by his means and entercourse between them And all things were so ordered for their agreement as they were to goe hand in hand together some of the principall Gentlemen of the Pale as Colonel Plunket Captain Fox and others were designed to joyn with the Lord Mac Guire Mac Mahone Brian O Neale Con O Neale Hugh Birne for the surprize of his Majesties Castle of Dublin Cartan Major Domi to Owen O Neale in Flanders in his Examination taken February 1641. tels among many other remarkable passages of severall preparatives to this Rebellion as that Con O Neale brother to Daniel O Neale was sent by Owen O Neale into England and that while he resided there he received letters from the President Rosse which was Sir Phelim O Neale and that he assured him he went on very well in his businesse for Bâ—abant and Valence were joyned together which as he affirms signified in those Characters Vlster and Lemster and that he expected the comming of Lewes Lenoy viz. Daniel O Neale Besides as James Talbot Esquire testifies in his Letter of the 9. of November 1641. written to the Lords Justices out of the County of Cavan that he understood from Phillip Mac Mulmore O Rely that there were certain Covenants passed between the Lords of the Pale and the Northern Irish for the advancing of the Rebellion and that the Remonstrance from the principall Irish in the County of Cavan unto the Lords Justices and Councel sent by Dean Jones and Master Waldrone there then prisoner was framed in the Pale and brought unto the said Irish by Colonel Plunket one of their own And this was in the very beginning of the Rebellion long before any jealousies were entertained by the State of the adherence or conjunction of the old English with the Irish What those Covenants or Contracts were I cannot say but it is most certain some there were and some Covenants also entred into between the Northern Irish and the Lords and Gentlemen of the chief of both the other Provinces as well as Lemster and these were signed with their blood as Doctor Maxwel testifies in his examination he heard Sir Phelim O Neale say on the 19. of December 1641. in his own house and in the hearing of Master Joseph Travers and others If the Lords and Gentlemen meaning the Papists of other Provinces then not in arms would not rise but leave him in the lurch for all he would produce his Warrant signed with their own hands and written in their own blood which should bring them to the Gallowes And certainly had there not been some very strange and extraordinary engagements and more then I can well imagine it had not been possible that so many persons of quality having great possessions and many children should have declared themselves after they saw the main part of the plot for the surprize of the Castle of Dublin to fail and the power of the Northern Rebels begin to decline that the Parliament of England had with great alacrity and readinesse undertaken the War and not only engaged themselves to his Majesty to send over powerfull supplies both out of England and Scotland but by their publike Order of both Houses sent over to the Lords Justices and printed at Dublin in the Moneth of November fully declared their resolutions for the vigorous prosecution of the war of Ireland Nay the Cities of Galway and Limeric kept their designs very covertly not doing any open acts of hostility till after the arrivall of some Forces at Dublin out of England and that the siege of Drohedagh or Tredagh was raised and those bold perfidious Traitors beaten back into the North the Lords of the Pale banished by force of his Majesties Arms out of their own habitations which were all spoiled and laid waste Now that then they should declare themselves is more then a miracle to me and such a mystery as I should not know what to think of but that I find in the Lord Mac Guires relation before mentioned that they were acquainted with the first beginnings of this great plot and had a particular interest from time to time in the carriage of it on so as I think I shall not wrong them positively to determine that they were too deeply engaged slightly to retire and that howsoever upon the failing of it in the main piece they at first stood at a gaze and were put to take up second Counsels yet such was the strength of the conspiracy and their great confidence in the power of their arms as made them appear in due time to entertain their severall assignations and act their parts with great diligence and iudustry The wife of Philip O Rely in the County of Cavan told James Talbot as he openly related it to the Lords Justices at Counsel Board that she wondred very much
thought laid as it could not well faile and the day once prefixed for execution they did in their publicke Devotions long before recommend by their Prayers the good successe of a great Designe much tending to the prosperity of the Kingdome and the advancement of the Catholick cause And for the facilitating of the Worke and stirring up of the people with greater animosity and cruelty to put it on at the time prefixed they loudly in all places declamed against the Protestants telling the people that they were Hereticks and not to be suffered any longer to live among them that it was no more sinne to kill an English-man then to kill a dogge and that it was a most mortall and unpardonable sinne to relieve or protect any of them Then also they represented with much acrimony the severe courses taken by the Parliament in England for the suppressing of the Romish Religion in all parts of the Kingdome and utter extirpation of all professors of it They told the people that in England they had caused the Queens Priest to be hanged before her own face and that they held her Majesty in her owne person under a most severe discipline That the same cruell Laws against Popery were here ordered to be put sodainly in execution and a designe secretly laid for bringing and seizing upon all the principal Noblemen and Gentlemen in Ireland upon the 23. of November next ensuing and so to make a generall Massacre of all that would not desert their Religion and presently become Protestants The Irish revive their ancient animosities against the English And now also did they take occasion to revive their inveterate hatred and ancient animosities against the English Nation whom they represented to themselves as hard Masters under whose government how pleasant comfortable and advantagious so ever it was they would have the world beleeve they had endured a most miserable captivity and envassalage They looked with much envie upon their prosperity considering all the Land they possessed though a great part bought at high rates of the Natives as their owne proper inheritance They grudged at the great multitudes of their faire English Cattell at their goodly Houses though built by their own industry at their own charges at the large improvements they made of their Estates by their own travails and carefull endevours They spake with much scorne and contempt of such as brought little with them into Ireland and having there planted themselves in a little time contracted great fortunes they were much troubled especially in the Irish Countries to see the English live handsomely and to have every thing with much decency about them while they lay nastily buried as it were in mire and filthinesse the ordinary sort of people commonly bringing their Cattle into their owne stinking Creates and there naturally delighting to lye among them These malignant considerations made them with an envious eye impatiently to looke upon all the British lately come over into the Kingdome Nothing lesse then a generall extirpation will now serve their turne they must have restitution of all the Lands to the proper Natives whom they take to be the ancient proprietors and onely true owners most unjustly despoiled by the English whom they hold to have made undue acquisitions of all the Land they possesse by gift from the Crown upon the attainder of any of their Ancestors And so impetuous were the desires of the Natives to draw the whole Government of the Kingdome into their owne hands The ends proposed by the first plotters of the rebellion to enjoy the publicke profession of their Religion as well as to disburthen the Country of all the British inhabitants seated therein as they made the whole body of the State to be universally disliked represented the severall members as persons altogether corrupt and ill affected pretended the ill humours and distempers in the Kingdome to be growen to that height as required Cauteries deepe incisions and indeed nothing able to worke so great a cure but an universall Rebellion This was certainly the disease as appeares by all the symptomes and the joynt concurrence in opinion of all the great Physitians that held themselves wise enough to propose remedies and prescribe fit applications to so desperate a Malady In those Instructions privately sent over into England by the Lord Dillon of Costeloz presently after the breaking out of the Rebellion the alteration of the supream power in the government and setling of it in the hands of the Earl of Ormond giving leave to the Grand Councell of the Kingdome to remove such Officers of State as they thought fit and to recommend Natives to their places were there positively laid down to be a more likely meanes to appease these tumults then a considerable Army In the Remonstrance of the County of Longford presented about the same time to the Lords Justices by the same Lord Dillon as also in the frame of the Common-wealth found at Sir John Dungars House not farre from Dublin and sent up thither out of Conaught to be communicated to those of Lemster peeces which publikely appeared soon after the breaking out of the Rebellion the main points insisted upon in them and severall others The true causes of the Rebellion were restauration of the Publick profession of the Romish Religion restitution of all the Plantation Lands unto the Natives and settlement of the present Government in their hands All the Remonstrances from severall parts and that came out of the severall Provinces of the Kingdome doe concurre in these Propositions with very little or no difference And therefore that the desires with the first intentions of those who are now out in Rebellion may more cleerly appear I have thought fit here to insert them as I found them Methodically digested into certain Propositions termed The meanes to reduce this Kingdome unto Peace and quietnesse 1 THat a generall and free pardon without any exception be granted to all his Majesties Subjects of this Kingdome and that in pursuance thereof and for strengthning the same an Act of Abolition may passe in the Parliament here 2 That all marks of Nationall distinctions between English and Irish may he abolished and taken away by Act of Parliament 3 That by severall Acts of Parliament to be respectively passed here and in England it be declared that the Parliament of Ireland hath no subordination with the Parliament of England but that the same hath in it self supream Jurisdiction in this Kingdom as absolute as the Parliament of England there hath 4 That the Act of 12. Henry the seventh commonly called Poynings Act and all other Acts expounding or explaining the same may be repealed 5 That as in England there past an Act for a Trienniall Parliament there may passe in Ireland another for a Sexenniall Parliament 6 That it may be enacted by Parliament that the Act of the 2d of Queen Elizabeth in Ireland and all other Acts made against Catholicks or the Catholick Religion
done those barbarous Rebels tyed wyths about their necks and drew them out of the refining Mill where indeed they slew them and threw them or most of them into a deep hole formerly made one upon another so that none of those 23. men women nor children did escape death Howbeit one Tho. Ladell a Scottish-man one George Kelsie who then and there endured and had many grievous wounds and being left on the ground for dead crawled up after the Rebels were gone away and with much difficulty escaped with their lives And further saith that such was Gods judgement upon the said Hugh Kenedy for that bloody fact that he presently fell into a most desperate madnesse and distraction and could not rest day nor night yet coveting to doe more mischiefe upon the English but being prevented and denied to doe it he about a week after drowned himselfe in the next River to the Silverworks but his barbarous and wicked Souldiers went on in their wickednesse and afterwards bragged how they had killed a Minister and his wife and four children neer the City of Limrick and this Deponent is too well assured that those and other Irish Rebels in that part of the Country exercised and committed great number of bloody murthers robberies and outrages upon the persons and goods of the Protestants so as very few escaped with their lives and none at all saved their goods And further saith that all the popish Gentry in the Country thereabouts especially all those of the Septs and names of the O Brians and the Coghluns the Kenedies were all actors in the present Rebellion against his Majesty and either acted assisted incited or consented to all the murders robberies cruelties and rebellious acts aforesaid And she further saith that by meanes of the said Rebellion her said husband and she were at Werinwood about Candlemas 1641. robbed and deprived of their Cattell Houshold-stuffe Corne Mault Provision ready money debts the benefit of their Lease and other their Goods and Chattels of the value and to their losse of one hundred and threescore pounds at the least and that the said John Kenedy Esquire their Land-lord was the man that so deprived and robbed them thereof and the other Rebels stript her stark naked jurat Feb. 10. 1643. Henry Jones Henry Brereton Anne Sherring The EXAMINATION of John Goldsmith Parson of Brashoule The Province of Conaght in the County of Mayo Sworne and Examined saith THat the Lord of Mayo being to convoy all those of Castle Burre to Galway viz. Sir Henry Bingham with all his company and the Bishop of Killallae with all his company with many of the neighbouring English being about threescore in number whereof there were some fifteen Ministers covenanted with one Edmund Bourk for the safe convoy of the same parties upon a certaine day and the said Lord of Mayo appointed them all to meet him at Belcharah having first separated this Deponent from them to attend his Lady in the work of the Ministery At which day the titulary Archbishop and the Lord of Mayo meeting with their whole number went on their journey to Shreul at which place the Lord of Mayo left them in the custody of the said last named Edmud Bourk But as one Master Bringhurst told the Deponent the Lord of Mayo was not gone farre from them but the said Edmund Bourk drew out his sword directing the rest what they should doe and began to massacre those Protestants and accordingly some were shot to death some stab'd with skeines some run through with pikes some cast into the water and drowned and the women that were stripped naked lying upon their husbands to save them were run through with pikes and very few of those English then and there escaped alive but the most part were murdered in the place Amongst the rest the Bishop of Killalla escaped with his life but was then and there wounded in his head and one Master Crowd a Minister was then and there so beaten with cudgels on his feet that he dyed shortly after And this Deponent further saith that in the Towne of Sligo forty persons of English and Scottish were by the Rebels stript and lockt up in a celler and about midnight a Butcher which was sent unto them on purpose with his Axe knocked them all on the heads and so then and there murthered them which Butcher comming afterwards to Castle Burre did there confesse his bloody fact In Tirawly within the County of _____ about thirty or forty English formerly turned Papists had their choice given them whether they would dye by the sword or drowne themselves They making choyce of drowning were brought to the Sea-side by the Rebels who had their skeines drawne in their hands and forced them to wade into the Sea The mothers with their children in their armes crying for drink having waded to the chin at length cast or dived themselves and children into the Sea yeelding themselves to the Mastery of the waves and so perished The torments the Rebels would use to the Protestants to make them confesse their moneys were these viz. some they would take and writh wyths about their heads untill the blood sprang out of the crowne of their heads others they would hang untill they were halfe dead then they would let them downe and doe the same so often over untill they confessed their monies And this Deponent further saith that a young youth of about fifteen yeers of age the sonne of Master Montgomery the Minister meeting with a bloody Rebell who had been his School-Master This Rebell drew his skeine and began furiously to slash and cut him therewith the Boy cryed unto him Good Master doe not kill me but whip me as much as you will neverthelesse the mercilesse and cruell Rebell then and there most barbarously murthered him A Scotchman travailing in the highway with his wife and children neer _____ were beset by the Rebels who wounded and stab'd him with their pikes put him alive upon a Carre brought him to a ditch and buried him alive as the poore wife afterwards with great griefe told him this Deponent The Vicar of Vrras turned Papist and became Drummer to Captaine Bourke and was after murthered for his paines by the Rebels Another Scotchman neer Ballehen was hanged by the Rebels Joh. Goldsmith Jurat 30. Decembris 1643. Henry Jones Henry Brereton The EXAMINATION of Jane the wife of Thomas Stewart The Province of Conaght late of the Town and County of Sligoe Merchant Sworn and Examined before his Majesties Commissioners in that behalfe Authorized Deposeth and saith THat after the present Rebellion was begun viz. about the beginning of December 1641. her said Husband living as a Merchant in the Towne aforesaid with her this Deponent as for twenty six yeers he had done in very good estate and condition And having continually furnished the Inhabitants of that part thereabouts with all sorts of Wares and Merchandize and by that course having acquired and gained to
threescore yeers or thereabouts sworn and examined before his Majesties Commissioners by vertue of a Commission in that behalf directed under the great Seale of Ireland Deposeth and saith THat these Protestant Ministers following about the beginning of the present Rebellion were murthered in the Counties of Tyrone Armagh viz. Master John Matthew Master Blyth Master Hastings Master Smith Master Durragh Master Birge and eight more whose names this Deponent hath forgotten by the Rebels none of which would the Rebels permit to be buried the names of such as murthered this Examinant knoweth not his cause of knowledge of the said murthers is that some of his this Deponents servants who were among the Rebels did give him the relation and he verily beleeveth them and besides this Deponent heard the same confessed and averred by many of the Rebels themselves and by some of those Protetestants that had escaped and that he this Deponent was a prisoner amongst the Rebels at Castle Gaufield neer the place of those murders where he continued fourteen moneths And further saith that in Dungannon in the County of Tyrone or neer thereunto the Rebels murdered three hundred and sixteen Protestants and between Charlmount and Dungannon above four hundred there were murdered and drowned at and in the River by Benburb the Black-water between the Counties of Armagh and Tyrone two hundred and six Protestants and Patrick Mac Crew of Dungannon aforesaid murdered thirty one in one morning and two young Rebels viz. John Begbrian Harie murdered in the said County of Tyrone one hundred and forty poore women and children that could make no resistance and that the wife of Brian Kelly of Loghgall in the County of Armagh one of the Rebels Captaines did with her owne hands murder forty five And this Deponent further saith that one Thomas King sometimes Serjeant to the late Lord Caulfields Company which this Deponent commanded he being enforced to serve under the Rebels and was one of their Provest Marshals gave the Deponent a List of every housholders name so murdered and the number of the persons so murdered which List this Deponent durst not keep At Portadowne there were drowned at severall times about three hundred and eight who were sent away by about forty or such like numbers at once with convoyes and there drowned There was a Lawgh neer Loghgall aforesaid where were drowned above two hundred of which this Deponent was informed by severall persons and particularly by the wife of Doctor Hodges and two of her sons who were present and designed for the like end but by Gods mercy that gave them favour in the eyes of some of the Rebels they escaped and the said Mistris Hodges and her sons gave the Deponent a List of the names of many of those that were so drowned which the Deponent durst not keep and saith that the said Doctor Hodges was imployed by Sir Phelim O Neile to make Powder but he failing of his undertaking was first halfe hanged then cut down and kept prisoner three moneths then murdered with forty four more within a quarter of of a mile Charlmount aforesaid they being by Tirlogh Oge O Neile brother to Sir Phelim sent to Dungannon prisoners and in the way murdered This Deponent was shewed the pit where they were all cast in at a Mill-pond in the Parish of Killamen in the County of Tyrone there were drowned in one day three hundred and in the same Parish there were murdered of English and Scottish one thousand and two hundred as this Deponent was informed by Master Birge the late Minister of the said Parish who certified the same under his hand which note the Deponent durst not keep The said Master Birge was murthered three moneths after all which murders were in the first breaking out of the Rebellion but the particular times this Deponent cannot remember neither the persons by whom they were committed This Deponent was credibly informed by the said Serjeant and others of this Deponents servants who kept company with the Rebels and saw the same that many young children were cut into quarters and gobbets by the Rebels and that eighteen Scottish Infants were hanged on a Clothiers tenterhook and that they murthered a young fat Scottish man and made candles of his grease they took another Scottish man and ripped up his belly that they might come to his small guts the one end whereof they tyed to a tree and made him goe round untill he had drawne them all out of his body they then saying that they would try whether a dogs or a Scotch mans guts were the longer Anthony Stratford Deposeth March 9. 1643. before us Henry Jones Henry Brereton The EXAMINATION of Robert Maxwell Clerk The Province of Ulster Arch-Deacon of Downe sworne and examined deposeth and saith inter alia THat by command from Sir Phelim O Neile the Rebels dragged the Deponents brother Lieutenant James Maxwell out of his bed in the rage and height of a burning Feaver and least any of his acquaintance or friends should bury him they carried him two miles from any Church and there cruelly butchered him when he neither knew what he did or said and thus Sir Phelim paid him two hundred and sixty pound which he owed him And his wife Grissell Maxwell being in child-birth the child halfe born and halfe unborne they stript starke naked drove her about an arrowes flight to the Black-water and drowned her The like they did to another English woman in the same Parish in the beginning of the Rebellion which was little inferiour if not more unnaturall and barbarous then the roasting of Master Watson alive after they had cut a collop out of either buttock And farther saith that a Scottish woman was found in the Glinwood lying dead her belly ripped up and a living child crawling in her wombe cut out of the Cawle and that Master Starkey School-Master at Armagh he a Gentleman of good Parentage and parts being upwards of an hundred yeers of age they stript naked caused two of his Daughters Virgins being likewise naked to support him under each arme he being not able to goe of himselfe And in that posture carried them all three a quarter of a mile to a turfe pit and drowned them feeding the lusts of their eyes and the cruelty of their hearts with the self-same objects at the same time At the siege of Augher they would not kill any English Beast and then eat it but they cut collops out of them being alive letting them there rore till they had no more flesh upon their backs so that sometimes a Beast would live two or three days together in that torment the like they did at Armagh when they murdered Hugh Echlin Esquire they hanged and murdered all his Irish servants which had any way proved faithfull or usefull to him during this Rebellion And as touching exemplary constancy in Religion this Deponent saith that Henry Cowell Esquire a gallant and well bred Gentleman was murdered because he
amongst the British Protestants being beaten from their owne Lands and were never satisfied with their blood untill they had in a manner seen the last drop thereof affrighting Sir Phelim O Neale every day with their numbers and perswading him That whilest they meaning the Protestants lived there would neither be roome for them nor safety for him It was easie to spur on the cowardly and bloody Rebell yet no sooner were the Protestants cut off but contrary to their expectation the meere Irish tooke present possession of their Lands and Houses whereat the Pale English much grumbled and said Sir Phelim had not kept promise with them howsoever they were forced to swallow those and many other injuries And further saith that he knew one Boy that dwelt neere unto himselfe and not exceeding fourteen yeers of age who killed at Kinnard in one night fifteen able strong men with his Skeine they being disarmed and most of their feet in the Stocks Another not above twelve yeers of age killed two women at the Siedge of Augher Another that was a woman and Tenant to this Deponent killed seven men and women of her fellow English Tenants in one morning And it was very usuall in all parts for the Rebels children to murther the Protestants children and sometimes with Lath-swords heavie and well sharpned they would venture upon people of riper yeers cruelties not to be beleeved if there were not so many eye-witnesses of them Deposed 22. of August 1642. Henry Brereton William Aldrich The EXAMINATION of Dame Anne Butler The Province of Lemster wife unto Sir Thomas Butler of Rathealin in the County of Catherlagh Knight duly sworne Deposeth THat after Walter Baggnall of Dunlickny in the County of Catherlagh Esquire Walter Butler with a great number of men had in a violent manner entred this Deponents House they not able to resist they set strict guard over this Deponent her husband and family and brought them from their setled dwelling unto Loghlin-Bridge where they kept her selfe her husband and children in restraint for two weekes and from thence conveyed them with strict guard to the towne of Kilkeny and there were brought before the Lord Mount Garro where Walter Bagnall James Butler brother to the Lord Mount Garrot did use all meanes possible to move the said Lord to put this Deponent her husband and family to death and torture alledging that they were rank Puritan Protestants and desperately provoking used these words saying There 's but one way we or they meaning Papists or Protestants must perish To which malicious provocation the said Lord did not hearken And this Deponent further deposeth that Walter Baggnall with his rebellious company apprehended Richard Lake an English Protestant and his servant with his wife and foure children and one Richard Taylor of Loghlin-Bridge his wife and children Samuel Hatter of the same his wife and children an English-woman called Jone and her daughter and was credibly informed by Dorathy Renals who had severall times bin an eye-witnesse of these lamentable spectacles that she had seen to the number of five and thirty English going to execution and that she had seen them when they were executed their bodies exposed to devouring Ravens and not afforded so much as burial Another English-woman who was newly delivered of two children in one Birth they violently compelled her in her great paine and sicknesse to rise from her childe-bed and tooke the infant that was left alive and dashed his braines against the stones and after threw him into the River of the Barrow and having a peece of Salmon to dinner Master Brian Cavanaghs wife being with her she the said Mistris Cavanagh refused to eat any part of the Salmon and being demanded the reason she said she would never eat any Fish that came out of the Barrow because she had seen severall infants bodies and other Carkases of the English taken up in the Weare And this Deponent saith that Sir Edward Butler did credibly informe her that James Butler of Finyhinch had hanged and put to death all the English that were at Gorane and Wells and all thereabouts And further Deposeth that she being in Kilkeny a prisoner in restraint and having intelligence that some of her owne Cattle were brought thither by Walter Bagnall she petitioned being in great extremity to the Lord of Mount Garrot to procure her some of her own Cattle for her reliefe whereupon he recommended her suit to the Major and Corporation of Kilkeny who concluded because she and her family were Protestants and would not turne to Masse they should have no reliefe Jane Jones servant to the Deponent did see the English formerly specified going to their execution and as she conceived they were about the number of five and thirty and was told by Elizabeth Homes that there were forty gone to execution Anne Butlar Jurat 7. Septemb. 1462. John Watson The EXAMINATION of Joseph Wheeler of Stancarty in the County of Kilkenny Esqu Elizabeth The Province of Lemster the relict of Lieutenant William Gilbert of Captaine Ridgwayes Company Rebecca Hill the relict of Thomas Hill late Lieutenant to the said Captaine Ridgway Thomas Lewes late of Kilkenny Gent. Jonas Wheeler of Stancarty aforesaid Gent. and Patrick Maxwel of the Graige in the same County Gent. sworne and examined depose and say THat about Easter 1642. one Richard Phillips and five others who were old Garrison Souldiers then under the command of Captaine Farrell a Captaine on his Majesties party were by the command of the Lord Mount Garrot at the end of a house in Kilkenny hanged to death by that cruell and bloody Rebell and Provost Marshall Thomas Cantwell of Cantwell-court Esquire or some of his servants or Souldiers in his presence who would hardly suffer them to say their prayers after they were taken out of the prison before they were put to death those poore men dying very patiently and resolutely in the maintainance of the Protestant Faith but one of them because he was an Irish man was offered his life if he would turne Papist but he chose rather death which he quickly had with the other five And further saith that a little before Christmas 1641. Master William Hill of the Abby of _____ in the Queenes County Esquire and the said Lieutenant Thomas Hill his sonne comming to Kilkenny to fetch home Mary Hill the wife of him the said William Hill and the said Rebecca one of these Deponents were then and there sent for by the Lord Mount Garrot and by him committed prisoners to the Goale of Kilkenny where they continued in a dark dungeon bolted for two moneths but were offered freedome if they would joyne with the Rebels and become Papists but they refused and after the said Lord Mount Garrot was gone into Munster with his Forces which was an example to call the rest of the wicked Irish there to rise into Rebellion one Florence Fitz Patrick of Castletowne in the Queens County Esquire a Captaine
of Rebels and his Souldiers came to Kilkenny and then and there without resistance of any broke open the Goale there and forcibly took and carried away with them into Ossory aforesaid the said William and Thomas Hill where they kept them in miserable durance for some time and then hanged them both and a poore young Girle being sent from the Towne of Ballinekill to see what was become of them the said Florence Fitz Patrick meeting her caused her to be halfe hanged then letten downe and after to be buried quicke And by report of one Jone Grace that said she was an eye-witnesse the Rebels threw the dead body of the said William and Thomas Hill into a Saw-pit leaving them so farre unburied that their heads and legs lay bare untill she came and covered them with earth about a week after And further saith that they have credibly heard and beleeve that the said Florence Fitz Patrick having enticed a rich Merchant of Montrath to his the said Fitz Patricks house to bring thither his goods which he promised should be safely protected and safely re-delivered he the said Florence Fiz Patrick possessing those goods afterwards caused the said Merchant and his wife to be hanged and they have credibly heard that the said Florence Fitz Patrick also hanged Lieutenant Keies and his sonne one Hughes a School-Master and divers other Protestants And these Deponents further say that Master Edmond Butler eldest sonne to the Lord Mount Garrot Edward Butler his second sonne Captaine Garret Balnckefield and divers other rebellious Commanders and souldiers to the number of 6 or 700 horse and foot a little before Michaelmas 1642. marched from Balliragget neer to the Iron Forge of Ballinekill and there met with Lieutenant Gilbert aforenamed Ensigne William Alfrey the younger Master Thomas Bingham the Minister Robert Graves Richard Bently and about sixty more of the English Souldiers both the same parties joyned in battle but the English Souldiers though fighting valiantly and killing many Rebels and one Walter Butler a Captaine among the rest were at the last so overcome with multitudes of the Rebels that then and there they the said LIEUTENANT Gilbert William Alfrey Thomas Bingham Robert Graves Richard Bently and two other English Souldiers were absolutely slaine and the heads of all those seven carried to Kilkenny by those Rebels their pipes for joy playing before them on horsback and on a market day which happened to be on the next day following those heads as triumphs of their Victories there brought out and set upon the Market-Crosse where the Rebels but especially the women there and amongst the rest Elice Butler a reputed mother of severall bastards yet the daughter of the said Mount Garrot stab'd cut and slasht those heads the said Elice Butler drawing her skeine slasht at the face of the said William Alfrey and hit him on the nose and those that could but get a blow or stab at those heads seemed to account themselves happy And the Rebels then and there put a gag in the mouth of the said Thomas Bingham the Minister and laying the leafe of a Bible before him bad him preach saying his mouth was open and wide enough and one of those leud viragoes that had no weapons strook one of the heads so with her hand that the same night her hand grew black and blew rankled and she was extreamly lame with it a quarter of a yeer after and that lamenesse and the swelling thereof growing to an issue is like to continue till she dye and another of those women that with great rejoycing went and saw those heads did quickly after the sight therof fell into such an astonishment and distraction that for three or four dayes after she could not sleep nor rest but cried out that still she saw those heads before her eyes which heads being said by the Rebels to be the heads of Hereticks were not afforded Christian buriall but buried without the City in a crosse high-way altogether in a hole the buriers chopping and cutting the heads with their Spades as they threw mold upon them and to make the manner of their buriall and the heads themselves yet more contemptible the Rebels over the hole where the heads were laid set up a long stick whereto they fixed papers that all may take notice of the place And after and from that time the rebellious roguish Boyes took up and frequently used an Oath By the Crosse of the seven devils heads buried on Saint James Green And further say that upon the testimony of a roguish Boy that an English man that was a Maulster to one Richard Shaw of Kilkenny had said He would beleeve the Devill as soon as the Pope the cruell Rebell the Provost Mashall Cantwell aforenamed suddenly took and hanged him up in an Apple-tree till he dyed And further saith that one Vnsill Grace and divers other Rebels in Kilkenny broke open the doors of the Cathedrall Church there and robbed the same Church of the Challices Surplices Ornaments Books Records and Writings there being and made Gunpowder in Saint Patricks Church and digged the Tombes and graves in the Churches in Kilkenny under colour of getting up molds whereon to make Gunpowder And these Deponents have credibly heard and verily beleeve that the Rebels at Goran took 25. Protestants men women and children and pretending and promising to them a Convoy to Duncannon hanged them dead in the way in a Wood neer Newrosse and that the Rebels halfe hanged five more Protestants at Balliragget by the command of the said Captaine Edward Butler and the said Thomas Cantwell the Marshall and letting them downe againe before they were dead suffered them somewhat to recover and then buried them quick And these Deponents Thomas Lewes Patrick Maxwell further say that as they have been credibly told by Walter Archer of Kilkenny a Rebell that a poore English mans wife that went out to gather sticks at a place about two miles from Kilkenny was taken and hanged up by the Rebels And the Deponents Elizabeth Gilbert Patrick Maxwell further say that a poore woman and two children she being the wife of one Harvey of Ballinekill comming to Kilkenny about Candlemas was twelve moneth were then and there assaulted and set upon by the rebellious Inhabitants of that City and hunted baited and drawne with dogs cruelly stab'd with skeines and so miserably used that one of the children died presently having the guts pluckt out and the Deponent Patrick Maxwel further saith that there were taken out of Graige by the Rebels and hanged to death one John Stone and his wife and his sonne William Valentine Robert Pyme and his wife one of their children of a yeer and a halfe old and Thomas White a Merchant and his wife who being great with child had her belly ripped up after she was hanged so as the child fell out of the cawle alive Walter Sherley Mistris Joane Salter an ancient Widow one John a servant to Stone aforenamed the
particular safety as well as for the preservation of the whole Kingdome not only to contribute their best advice and councell but even all the Forces they could any wayes raise towards the beating of the Northern Rebels out of the Pale Severall Letters of Summons were accordingly writ and sent away to the Earle of Fingale the Lord Viscount Gormanston and the rest of the Lords of the Pale the tenour of them here ensueth AFter our very hearty commendations to your Lordships for as much as we have present occasion to conferre with you A Coppy of the Letter written by the Lords Iustices and Councell to the Lords of the Pale concerning the present estate of the Kingdome and the safety thereof in these times of danger We pray and require your Lordship to be with us here on the eight day of this Month at which time others of the Peers are also to be here And this being to no other end we bid your Lordships very heartily farewell From his Majesties Castle of Dublin the third of December 1641. Your very loving friends William Parson Iohn Borlacy Ormondossory Ant Medensis R Dilbon Ad Loftus Ge Shirley I Temple Rob Meredith To our very good Lord George Earle of Kildare The like Letters eodem die to these severall Persons following Earle of Ormond Earle of Antrim Earle of Fingale Vis Gormanston Vis Netervile Vis Fitzwilliam Lo Trimbleston Lord Dunsany Lord Slaine Lord of Hoath Lord Lowth Lord Lambert These Letters were presently sent away But the Lords of the Pale being otherwayes engaged and having before or much about the time they came unto their hands though the Lords knew very little and that very uncertainly of it made that publike combination with the Vlster Rebels before mentioned durst no more adventure their persons within the City of Dublin But after their meeting at the Hill of Crofty appointed an other meeting at the Hill of Tarah and from thence they sent an Answer unto the Lords which as Mr Dowdall testifies was brought thither by the Lord of Gormanston ready drawn up and there only signed and so sent away The Copy of the Letter here followeth May it please your Lordships VVEe have received your Letters of the third of this instant The Answer of the Lords of the Pale to the Lords Iustices intimating that you had present occasions to confer with us concerning the present state of the Kingdome and the safety thereof in these times of danger and requiring us to be with you there on the eighth day of this instant we give your Lordships to understand that we have heretofore presented our selves before your Lordsips 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 received certaine advertisement that Sir Charles Coot Knight at the Councell Board hath uttered some speeches tending to a purpose and resolution to execute upon these of our Religion a generall Massacre by which we are all deterred to wait on your Lordships not having any security for our safety from these threatned evills or the safety of our lives but doe rather think it fit to stand upon our best guard untill we heare from your Lordships how we shall be secured from these perils Neverthelesse we all protest that we are and will continue both faithfull advisers and resolute furtherers of his Majesties service concerning the present state of the Kingdome and the safety thereof to our best abilities and so with the said tender of our humble service we remaine Your Lordships humble Servants Fingale Gormanston Slane Dunsany Nettervill Oliver Lowth Trimblestown Dublin Decem. 7. Received 11. 1641. To the Right Honourable our very good Lords the Lords Iustices and Councell of Ireland In Answer to this Letter the Lords Iustices and Councell out of their unfained desires to give unto those Lords all due satisfaction and to remove those jealousies and great misunderstanding now grown up between them A Proclamation issued out by the Lords Iustices and Councell for the satisfaction of the Lords of the Pale thought fit by way of Proclamation to publish and declare to them and all others of his Majesties good Subjects of the Romish Religion That they never heard Sir Charles Coot or any other utter at the Board or elsewhere any such speeches tending to a purpose or resolution to execute upon those of their profession or upon any other a generall Massacre or any Massacre at all and that they never intended so to dishonour his Majesty and this State or wound their own consciences as to entertaine the least thought of acting so odious impious and detestable a thing upon any persons whatsoever and that if any proofe can be made of any such words spoken by any person whatsoever that he shall be severely punished And therefore that they did pray and require the said Noblemen to attend them at the Board on the 17. day of December that they might conferre with them And for the security of their repaire unto them they did thereby give to all and every of those Noblemen the word and assurance of the State that they might then securely and safely come unto them without danger of any trouble or stay whatsoever from them who neither had nor have any intention to wrong or hurt them But now it began to appeare unto the Lords Iustices and Counsell how farre they were engaged with the Northern Rebels By the Examinations taken of some English who made their escape out of those parts the newes of their solemne contract and Association beforementioned was brought up to Dublin And they then well enough discerned the maine obstruction in their comming the cause of their tergiversations and what good reason they had to finde out excuses to palliate their disloyalty They then expected no other fruits of their Proclamation then what it produced Neither indeed had it any other effect and operation among them then that they did with great boldnesse and confidence by way of Answer thereunto write back a Letter to the Lords Iustices wherein they pretend themselves so justly affrighted with Sir Charles Coot severity and deportment Severall pretences of the Lords of the Pale to colour their refusall to repaire to the Lords Iustices and Councell as that they dare not adventure themselves within the confines of his government They heavily impose upon him the inhumane acts perpetrated as they terme them in the County of Wiclow the Massacre of Santry and the burning of Mr Kings house and his whole substance at Clantarfe and with a little kind of cunning they seeme to pretend a breach of the publike faith but would transferre the blame from the Lords Iustices to Sir Charles Coot and therupon desire no sinister construction may be made of their stay and that they may have some Commissioners appointed to conferre with
them and so conclude with some professions of their Loyalty and readinesse to give their advices for the advancement of his Majesties service and the common peace of the Kingdome This was an Answer such as might justly be expected to come from persons so deeply now involved in the guilt of so high a Rebellion The great indulgence-used by the Lords Iustices and Councell towards the Lords of the Pale It is no wonder that they were thus put to their shifts and enforced to take up such fond excuses and imaginary pretences for their disloyalty For they could not in their own consciences but be most sensible of the very great indulgence used by the Lords towards them They had not failed in severall particulars to manifest the great confidence they had in their good affections They had refrained from giving them any manner of provocation or jealousie They had forborn the doing some acts of hostility for a time upon some Rebels among them because they would not give them any the least cause of complaint And however it appeared by the Examination of Mac Mahone and severall others that they were privie to the first plot yet the Lords proceeded with so much caution and tendernesse towards them hoping that now the Conspirators had failed in the maine part of their design which was the surprisall of the Castle of Dublin that they might yet reclaime them thereby and draw them into a just concurrence with them for the preservation of the Kingdome out of the hands of those bloody Northern Rebels who in the beginning were the only appearers in the cause But all was to no purpose they were too deeply engaged to recede therefore they ran now violently on and drew along all the cheife Gentlemen likewise of the Pale with them And now it shall be declared Luke Nettervile and others of the chief Gentlemen of the Pale gather Forces and quarter them within six miles of the City of Dublin how the cheife Gentlemen of the Pale began and proceeded on to act their parts About the beginning of December presently after the late defeat given to the English souldiers in their march to Tredagh Luke Nettervile second Sonne to the Lord Viscount Nettervile caused a Proclamation to be made in the Market place of Lusk requiring all the chiefe Gentlemen and other Inhabitants thereabouts not to faile upon paine of death presently to repaire unto Swoords a Town within six miles of the City of Dublin And within few dayes after did meet there the said Luke Nettervile George Blackney Esquire George King Iohn Talbot Richard Golding Thomas Russell Christopher Russell Patrick Caddell William Travers Richard Barnwell Laurence Bealing Holywood of Artaine and severall other Gentlemen who began to gather great numbers of men about them and putting such Armes into their hands as they had in readinesse at the present made their provisions to entertaine a settled Camp within that place The Lords understanding of this unlawfull tumultuous Assembly The Gentlemen of the Pale required by the Lords Iustices and Councell to repaire to Dublin and deeply apprehending the mischievous consequences that might ensue thereupon sent this Warrant following in a faire manner requiring thereby their present repaire unto them By the Lords Justices and Councell William Persons Io Burlace WHereas we have received information that Luke Nettervile Esquire Blackney of Rickenhore Esquire and George King of Clontarfe Gentleman and other Gentlemen of the County of Dublin with great numbers of men are assembled together in a body at Swoords and there abouts within six miles of this City for what intent we know not but apparently to the terror of his Majesties good Subjects and although considering the unseasonablenesse of this time chosen for such an act without our privity whatsoever their pretence is a construction might be made thereof to their disadvantage yet we being willing to make an indulgent interpretation of their actions in regard of the good opinion wee have of the Loyalty of those Gentlemen who it seemes are principalls amongst them in that Assembly and conceiving there may be some mistaking in that enterprise we have chosen the rather hereby to charge the said Luke Nettervile Blackney King and all the persons there Assembled with them upon their duties of Alleageance to his Majesty immediately upon sight hereof to separate and not to unite any more in that manner without direction from us and that the said Nettervill Blackney King and six others of the principall persons of those who are so assembled at Swoords or thereabouts as aforesaid doe appear before us to morrow morning at ten of the Clock to shew the cause of their assembling in that manner whereof they may not faile at their extreame perils Given at his Majesties Castle of Dublin 9. December 1641. Ormond Ossory Rob. Dillon Cha. Lambart Jo. Temple Charles Coot But they were so farre from rendring obedience to the commands they received from the Board as they kept the Messenger in restraint a day and a night threatning to hang him and after returned a scornfull peremptory Answer signifying unto their Lordships The Answer made by the Pale to the Lords Warrant That they were constrained to meet there together for the safety of their lives that they were put in so great a terror by the rising out of some horse Troops and foot Companies at Dublin who killed foure Catholikes for no other reason then 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 runne the hazard thereof by manifesting their obedience due unto their Lordships These were the very words and expressions used by those Gentlemen in their Answer And accordingly they still continued together encreasing their numbers of men and threatning to come down and encamp themselves at Clantarfe a little Village standing upon the very Harbour of Dublin where some of their followers had already at a low water seised upon a Bark lying there and carried away all the Commodities they found in her a great part whereof they had put into the then dwelling house of the said King to whom that Village did belong This was an act of so high a straine and so eminently tending to the present ruine of the City as it required a sudden remedy Delayes were dangerous in a matter of such perillous consequence and the Lords Justices and Councell plainely perceived that if the Rebels were suffered to come down and lodge there that they might without much difficulty make themselves masters of those few Barkes then in the Harbour the State having at that time no Ships of force to guard them and so put themselves in a faire way if they could bring the Wexford Ships about to joyn with them to block up the Harbour and stop the comming in to their reliefe all such succours as should
be designed in England to Land at that Port. Whereupon the Lords finding that the said King continued still with Luke Nettervile and those other Gentlemen at Swoords that they carried themselves with such high contumacy as that disdaining to render any obedience to their Warrant they neither made their departure from that place disbanded their men nor so much as pretended to repaire to them according to their commands at the time prefixed therein It was thought high time to take some other course with them And therefore about foure dayes after the day first set down by the Lords for their appearing before them and the very next day after another Proclamation published for their immediate separation the Lords Justices and Councell made this ensuing Order directed to the Earle of Ormond Lievtenant Generall of his Majesties forces in Ireland By the Lords Iustices and Councell William Parsons Io Burlace A Warrant from the Lords Iustices and Councell for the suppressing of the Rebels of the Pale FOrasmuch as divers of the Inhabitants of Clantarfe Raheny and Kilbarrock have declared themselves Rebells and having robbed and spoyled some of his Majesties good Subjects are now assembled thereabouts in Armes in great numbers mustering and training of their Rebellious multitudes to the terror and danger of his Majesties good subjects as well at Land as at Sea which their boldnesse is acted in such manner as to put scornes and affronts upon this State and Government they acting such depredations even before our faces and in our own view as it were in despight of us It is therefore ordered that our very good Lord the Earle of Ormond and Ossory Lievtenant Generall of the Army doe forthwith send out a party of Souldiers of horse and foot to fall upon those Rebels at Clantarfe and thereabouts who in such disdainfull manner stand to out-face and dare us and to endeavour to cut them off as well for punishment as terror to others and to burn and spoyle the Rebels houses and goods And to prevent their further anoying of the shipping going out and comming in and lying in harbour those Souldiers are to bring up or cause to be brought up to the new Crane at Dublin such of the Boats and Vessels now lying there as they can upon the sudden and to burn spoyle and sinke and make unserviceable the rest Given at his Majesties Castle of Dublin December 14. 1641. Ormond Ossory Rob Dillon Cha Lambart Ad Loftus Jo Temple Cha Coote Fran Willoughby According to their Lordships directions the Earle of Ormond gave present order to Sir Charles Coot to march out privately with some Forces unto Clantarfe which he did without any noise and meeting there with no opposition Sir Charls Coot Marches out with some Forces to Clantarfe he only suffered his men to pillage the Town whereof they burnt some part as also part of Mr Kings house in which much of the goods were found that had been taken out of the Bark before mentioned And this was the first expedition that the Forces newly raised in Dublin made after the defeat of the 600 men in their passage to Tredagh As for the Massacre at Santry mentioned in the Answer from the Lords of the Pale The true Relation of the pretended Massacre at Santry and obtruded to the World as a just pretence to deterre them from waiting on the Lords at Dublin it was no other then this Information was given to some of the Officers of the Army that there had been a robbery newly committed by certaine Rebels at the house of one Smith called the Buskin within five miles of the City And that if a Party of Souldiers might be sent forth the Informer offered to bring them upon those Rebels as also upon other Rebels who had lately murdered one Mr Derick Huberts a Dutch Merchant at the Skirries whereupon two Officers with 40 foot were sent out with direction to fall upon those Rebels They went directly to Santry and there finding some strangers with weapons lodged in suspicious places they slew foure of them who as was conceived were criminall Offendours and one of them after upon further enquiry found to be a Protestant But how fairely soever this matter was carried The proceedings held by the Lords and chiefe Gentlemen of the English Pale after they had joyned with the Northern Rebels yet they resolved to make use of it for the present by way of justification of their disloyalty And having so farre publickly declared themselves they held it not fit to sit idle any longer but began to put the whole Circuite of the Pale into a posture of Warre and to make all such preparatives as might enable them by the powerfull assistance they had out of the North presently to take in Tredagh and afterwards to march up to Dublin and there make themselves Masters of that City and Castle A work as now it stood represented unto them not likely to prove lesse glorious then successefull and easie to be atchieved They had for this end many publike meetings among themselves as also with the cheife Comanders of the Northern Rebels In the first place they declared the Lord Viscount Gormanstone Generall of the Forces to be raised in the Pale Hugh Birne Lievtenant Generall the Earle of Fingale Generall of the horse Then they gave power to those Lords to nominate Captaines in severall Baronies to be respectively appointed out of them and likewise to raise souldiers in every such Barony viz. eight souldiers out of a Plowland land which containes according to the ancient estimation 120 Acres and every Plowland to maintaine the Souldiers to be set out by them The Barony of Duleek was assigned to the Lord of Gormanston the Barony of Screene and Desse to the Earle of Fingale the Barony of Slaine to the Lord of Slaine the Barony of the Navan to the Lord of Trimblestone Kells to the Lord Dunsany Ratogh and Dunboine to Sir Richard Barnewall of Crickestown Baronite and Patrick Barnwell of Kilbrew and by these persons severall Captaines were appointed and numbers of Souldiers raised according to the orders set down at the general meeting There were also Warranrs issued out by the Lord Gormanston whereby those persons appointed to raise the men and to furnish them with provisions for their entertainment were required upon paine of death to send them out Other Warrants were likewise sent out to other persons who were appointed Overseers for the threshing out of all the Protestants corne which was assigned generally through the Pale to be applyed towards the maintenance of their Army The next work was to make a constant provision of all manner of necessaries for the entertainment of such Forces as were already brought down out of the North as well as those raised in the Pale and set down at the siege of Tredagh And for this service they sessed the whole Country thereabouts and ordered what proportions of corne and numbers of cattell should be
all the Lords and Gentlemen in the Kingdom that were Papists were engaged 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 withall told them That it was true they had him in their power and might use him how they pleased but he was sure he should be revenged By this time the noise of this Conspiracie began to be confusedly spread abroad about the Town and advertisement was brought unto the Lords Justices then in councel that great numbers of strangers had been observed to come the last evening and in the morning early unto the Town and most of them to set up their horses in the suburbs whereupon the Lords having in the first place taken order for the apprehension of the Lord Mac-Guire The Lord Mac Guire with severall other of the Conspirators seised on removed themselves for their better security unto the castle where the body of the Councel then in town attended them at the ordinary place of their meeting there In the first place they caused a present search to be made for all such horses belonging to strangers as were brought into any Innes and by that meanes they discovered some of the owners who were presently seised upon and committed to the castle of Dublin having already delivered over to the custody of the Constable there the Lord Mac-Guire and Hugh Mac-Mahon Hugh Birn and Roger Moore chief of the conspirators escaped over the River in the night Colonel Plunket Captain Fox with severall others found means likewise to passe away undiscerned and of the great numbers which came up out of severall counties to be actors in taking of the castle and city of Dublin there were not through the slack pursuit and great negligence of the inhabitants above thirty seized upon most of them servants and inconsiderable persons those of quality having so many good friends within the town as they had very ill luck if apprehended The same day before the Lords rose from councel they took order for this Proclamation which here followeth to be made and published By the Lords Iustices and Councell W. Parsons John Borlase THese are to make known and publish to all His Majesties good Subjects in this Kingdom of Ireland that there is a discovery made by Us the Lords Justices and Councell of a most disloyall and detestable Conspiracy intended by some evill-affected Irish Papists against the lives of Us the Lords Justices and Councell and many others of his Majesties faithfull Subjects universally throughout this Kingdom and for the seizing not only of His Majesties Castle of Dublin His Majesties principall Fort here but also of the other Fortifications in the Kingdom And seeing by the great goodnesse and abundant mercy of Almighty God to His Majesty and this State and Kingdom those wicked Conspiracies are brought to light and some of the Conspirators committed to the Castle of Dublin by Us by His Majesties Authority so as those wicked and damnable Plots are now disappointed in the chief parts thereof We therefore have thought fit hereby not only to make it publiquely known for the comfort of His Majesties good and loyall Subjects in all parts of the Kingdom but also hereby to require them that they do with all confidence and cheerfulnesse betake themselves to their own defence and stand upon their guard so to render the more safety to themselves and all the Kingdom besides and that they advertise Us with all possible speed of all Occurrents which may concern the peace and safety of the Kingdom and now to shew fully that Faith and Loyalty which they have alwayes shown for the publike services of the Crown and Kingdome which We will value to His Majesty accordingly and a speciall memory thereof will be retained for their advantage in due time And We require that great care be taken that no levies of men be made for forreine service nor any men suffered to march upon any such pretence Given at His Majesties Castle of Dublin 23. Octob. 1641. R. Dillon Ro. Digby Ad. Loftus I. Temple Tho. Rotheram Fr. Willoughby Ia. Ware Ro. Meredith God save the King ¶ Imprinted at Dublin by the Society Of STATIONERS THis Proclamation was presently printed and severall copies sent down by expresse messengers unto the principall Noblemen and Gentlemen in severall parts of the country where they caused them to be divers wayes dispersed hoping that when the timely discovery of this conspiracie and the happy prevention in a great part should fully appeare abroad it would prove so great a discouragement to such of the conspirators as had not yet openly declared themselves as that they would thereby be contained within the bounds of their duty and obedience to His Majesty The same night the Lord Blaney arrived with the news of the surprisall of his house his wife and his children by the Rebels of the county of Monaghan The Irish rise first in the province of Vlster and there burn spoil and destroy the English Next day came advertisement from Sir Arthur Tyringham of the taking of the Newry and then the sad relations of burning spoiling and horrible murders committed within the Province of Vlster began to multiply and severall persons every day and almost every houre in every day for a good while after arrived like Jobs messengers telling the story of their own sufferings and the fearfull massacres of the poor English in those parts from whence they came These things wrought such a generall consternation and astonishment in the minds of all the English and other inhabitants well affected within the city as they were much affrighted therewith expecting every houre when the Irish already crept into the Town joyning with the Papists there should make the City a Theater whereon to act the second part of that Tragedy most bloodily begun in the Northern parts by them False rumours spread of the Rebels approach to the City of Dublin And it added most extremely to these present feares that severall unhappy rumours the great tormentors of the weaker sexe were vainly spread abroad of the sodain approach of great numbers of Rebels out of the adjacent Irish counties unto the city Some would make us believe that they were discerned at some distance already marching down from the mountain side within view of the Town a report so credibly delivered by those who pretended to be eye-witnesses that it drew some of the State up to the platform of the castle to behold those who were yet invisible though there were there that would not be perswaded but that they saw the very motions of the men as they marched down the mountains It was at the same time also generally noised abroad that there were 10000. of the Rebels gotten together in a body at the hill of Tarah a place not above sixteen miles distant from the Town and that they intended