to concurr unto and obey Hereupon presently without further debate for none at all scrâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the catholickness or lawfulness such scruples having been sufficiently 〈◊〉 before clear'd amongst all persons of reason and conscience as many as were at that meeting and had not subscribed at London put their hands to a clean copy of that which was before signed by the Nobility and Gentry at London and others that could not be present then subscribed in their Chambers Both these and those in all were eight Lords and twenty three Esquires Collonels and Gentlemen The Earl of Clanrickard The Earl of Castle haven The Lord of Gormanstown The Lord of Slane The Lord of Athenry The Lord of Brittas The Lord of Galmâ—y Henry Barnawel now Lord of Kingsland Sir Andrew Aylmer Sir Thomas Esmond Sir Richard Barnawel Philip fitz Gerrald Nicholas Darcy Francis Barnawal Sir Henry O Neale Nicholas White George Barnawal Richard Beling W. Talbot Iohn Walsh Michael Dormer Iohn Bellew of Wellistown Patrick Netervil Robert Netervil Charles White Coll. Walter Butler Coll. Thomas Bagnel Gerrald fitz Symons Robert Devoreux Coll. Iames Walsh Edmond Walsh Gerrald Fennel And being joyned to the London Subscribers of the Irish Nobility and Gentry they make in aâ— one hundred and twenty one whereof one and twenty Earls Viscounts and Barons XLIV But these Noblemen not thinking they had by their own only subscriptions done enough in this matter unles they had invited the rest of the Peers and Gentry of their communion where-ever in the Countrey abroad throughout Ireland to the like loyal concurrence framed the ensuing Letter and signed two and thirty copies of it one for every County in the Kingdom to get all the hands of the rest of the Catholick Noblemen and Gentlemen where-ever to the said Remonstrance Sirs THe desires we have to serve our King Countrey and Religion in all just ways gives you the trouble of this Letter Which is to let you know That after serious deliberation finding our selves and together with us all others of the Roman Catholick Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdom as well as the Clergy of it obliged by all the rules of Reason and tyes of Conscience in the present conjuncture especially to concurr even by subscription to the late Remonstrance and Protestation presented Last Summer to his Majesty by such of our Irish Roman Catholick Noblemen and Gentlemen as were then at London and subscribed it there and received so graciously by Him We have therefore this last week given a beginning here at Dublin to that concurrence by our own manual Subscriptions also to the same Remonstrance prefixing to it a Petition to His Grace the Duke of Ormonde Lord Lieutenant for â—iâ—veighâ—ng our said Concurrence and representing it to His Majesty That reflecting on the unsignificancy of a few hands or subscriptions for attaining those great and good ends â—e drive at by this loyal and Religious Declaration we thought it concerned as further to invite by special Letters all the rest of the Nobility and Gentry of our Communion in the several Provinces and Counties of this Kingdom to the like Subscriptions to be transmitted to us hither without delay Whereunto we have found our selves the rather bound that we certainly know it is expected from us all by his Majesty and by the Lord Lieutenant and that his Grace doth wonder why the example of the first Subscribers at London hath not been here at home more readily and frequently followed hitherto by the rest who are no less concerned And that we know moreover that by the neglect or delay this twelve months past of a more general Concurrence to a duty so expedient and necessary we have let pass already fair opportunities to reap very many advantages by it That we hope the same prudential Christian Catholick and obvious reasons which perswaded us and such others as before us did give the first example from London will prevail with you no less Being they import as much as the clearing of our holy Religion from the scandal of the most unholy tenets or positions that can be taught written or practised the assuring his Majesty evermore of our loyal thoughts hearts and hands for Him in all contingencies whatsoever and the opening a door to our own liberty and ease hereafter from the rigorous laws and penalties under which our selves and our Predecessors before us in this Kingdom of Ireland as other our fellow Subjects of the Roman Communion in England and Scotland have sadly groaned these last hundred years That as we believe you will not think we would for even these very same ends how great and good soever nor for any other imaginable swerve in the least title from the true pure unfeigned profession of the Roman Catholick Faith nor from the reverence or obedience due unto his Holiness the Bishop of Rome or the Catholick Church in general so we believe also you will rest satisfied with the plain evidence of the very words genuine sense total contexture and final scope of this Protestation and of every entire clause thereof that nothing therein no part nor the whole of it denies 〈◊〉 indeed at all reflects on the spiritual jurisdiction authority or power of either Pope or Church or any power whatsoever which we you or any other Catholicks in the world are bound by any law divine or humane or by the maximes of our known and common Faith or by the condition of our Communion to assert own or acknowledge the whole tenour of it asserting only the supream temporal power in the Prince to be independent from any but God alone and the subjection and allegiance or the fidelity and obedience either active or passive due to Him in temporal affairs to be indispensable by any power on earth either temporal or spiritual That finally we do upon consideration of all the premisses and what else your own reasons may deduce thence and give further as additional arguments very earnestly desire and pray your unanimous cheerfull and speedy subscriptions to the said Remonstrance and Protestation which we have sent along with this Letter and by the hands of whom we have likewise prayed to call such of you together as he may conveniently or go about to your several dwellings for that end And if any chance to refuse the signing of it which we hope none will to bring us a true list and exact account of such together with the signatures of the rest that the multitude may not lye under prejudices for the failing of some Which being all we have to trouble you with at present commending you to God we bid you heartily farewell Dublin this 4th of March 1662. Your very loving friends and humble Servants Castlehaven Audley Clancartie Carlingford Mountgaret Bryttas Clanrickarde Fingall Tirconnell Galmoye Slane XLV And questionless if these copies had been sent then as was design'd there had been all the hands of the Nobility and Gentry in the Kingdome to the Remonstrance before
power against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against His or Their Crown and Dignity and do my best endeavour to disclose and make known to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors or to the Lord Deputy or other His Majesties Chief Governour or Governours for the time being all Treasons or Trayterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear to be intended against His Majesty or any of them and I do make this Recognition and Acknowledgment heartily willingly and truly upon the true Faith of a Christian So help me God Nevertheless the said Lord Lieutenant doth not hereby intend that any thing in these Concessions contained shall extend or be construed to extend to the granting of Churches Church-livings or the exercise of Jurisdiction the Authority of the said Lord Lieutenant not extending so far Yet the said Lord Lieutenant is Authorized to give the said Roman Catholicks full assurance as hereby the said Lord Lieutenant doth give unto the said Roman Catholicks full assurance That they or any of them shall not be molested in the possession which they have at present of the Churches and Church-livings or of the exercise of their respective Jurisdictions as they now exercise the same until such time as His Majesty upon a full consideration of the desires of the said Roman Catholicks in a Free Parliament to be held in this Kingdom shall declare his further pleasure II. Item It is concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That a Free Parliament shall be held in this Kingdom within Six months after the date of these Articles of Peace or as soon after as Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Castelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghne Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or the major part of them will desire the same so that by possibility it may be held and that in the mean time and until the Articles in these presents agreed to be passed in Parliament be accordingly passed the same shall be as inviolably observed as to the matters therein contained as if they were Enacted in Parliament and that in case a Parliament be not called and held in this Kingdom within two years next after the date of these Articles of Peace then His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other His Majesties chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being will at the request of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or the major part of them call a GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the Lords and Commons of this Kingdom to attend upon the said Lord Lieutenant or other His Majesties chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being in some convenient place for the better setling of the Affairs of the Kingdom And it is further concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties That all matters that by these Articles are agreed upon to be passed in Parliament shall be transmitted into England according to the usual form to be passed in the said Parliament And that the said Acts so agreed upon and so to be passed shall receive no diminution or alteration here or in England Provided that nothing shall be concluded by both or either of the said Houses of Parliament which may bring prejudice to any of His Majesties Protestant party or their Adherents or to any of His Majesties Roman Catholick Subjects party or their Adherents other than such things as upon this Treaty are concluded to be done or such things as may be proper for the Committee of Priviledges of either or both Houses to take cognizance of as in such cases heretofore hath been accustomed and other than such matters as His Majesty will be graciously pleased to declare his further pleasure in to be passed in Parliament for the satisfaction of His Subjects and other than such things as shall be propounded to either or both Houses by His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being during the said Parliament for the advancement of His Majesties service and the peace of the Kingdom which Clause is to admit no Construction which may trench upon these Articles of Peace or any of them and that both Houses of Parliament may consider what they shall think convenient touching the Repeal or suspension of the Statute commonly called Poynings Act intituled An Act that no Parliament be holden in this Land until the Acts be certified into England III. Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is graciously pleased That all Acts Ordinances and Orders made by both or either Houses of Parliament to the blemish dishonour or prejudice of His Majesties Roman Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom or any of them sithence the 7th of August 1641. shall be vacated and that the same and all Exemplifications and other Acts which contain the memory of them be made void by Act to be past in the next Parliament to be held in this Kingdom and that in the mean time the said Acts or Ordinances or any of them shall be no prejudice to the said Roman Catholicks or any of them IV. Item It is also concluded accorded and agreed upon and His Majesty is likewise graciously pleased That all Indictments Attainders Outlawries in this Kingdom and all the Processes and other proceedings thereupon and all Letters Patents Grants Leases Custodiums Bonds Recognizances and all Records Act or Acts Office or Offices Inquisitions and all other things depending upon or taken by reason of the said Indictments Attainders or Outlawries sithence the 7th day of August 1641. in prejudice of the said Catholicks their Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns or any of them or the Widows of them or any of them shall be vacated and made void in such sort as no memory shall remain thereof to the blemish dishonour or prejudice of the said Catholicks their Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns or any of them or the Widows of them or any of them and that to be done when the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or the major part of them shall desire the same so that by possibility it may be done and in
the mean time that no such Indictments Attainders Outlawries Processes or other proceedings thereupon nor any Letters Patents Grants Leases Custodiums Bonds Recognizances or any Record Act or Acts Office or Offices Inquisitions or any other thing depending upon or taken by reason of the said Indictments Attainders or Outlawries shall in any sort prejudice the said Roman Catholicks or any of them but that they and every of them shall be forthwith on perfection of these Articles restored to their respective possessions and hereditaments respectively provided that no man shall be questioned by reason hereof for measne rates or wastes saving wilful wastes committed after the first day of May last past V. Item It is likewise concluded accorded and agreed and His Majesty is graciously pleased that as soon as possibly may be all impediments which may hinder the said Roman Catholicks to sit or vote in the next intended Parliament or to choose or to be chosen Knights and Burgesses to sit or vote there shall be removed and that before the said Parliament VI. Item It is concluded accorded and agreed upon and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That all Debts shall remain as they were upon the 23d of October 1641. notwithstanding any disposition made or to be made by vertue or colour of any Attainders Outlawry Fugacy or other forfeiture and that no Disposition or Grant made or to be made of any such Debts by vertue of any Attainder Outlawry Fugacy or other forfeiture shall be of force and this to be passed as an Act in the next Parliament VII Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon and His Majesty is graciously pleased That for the securing of the Estates or reputed Estates of the Lords Knights Gentlemen and Freeholders or reputed Freeholders as well of Connaught and County of Clare or Countrey of Thomond as of the Counties of Limerick and Tipperary the same to be secured by Act of Parliament according to the intent of the 25th Article of the Graces granted in the Fourth year of His Majesties Reign the tenour whereof for so much as concerneth the same doth ensue in these words viz. We are graciously pleased that for the securing of the Inhabitants of Connaught and Countrey of Thomond and County of Clare that their several Estates shall be confirmed unto them and their Heirs against Vs and our Heirs and Successors by Act to be passed in the next Parliament to be holden in Ireland to the end the same may never hereafter be brought into any further question by us our Heirs and Successors In which Act of Parliament so to be passed you are to take care that all tenures in capite and all Rents and Services as are now due or which ought to be answered unto Us out of the said Lands and Premises by any Letters Patents past thereof since the first year of King Henry the Eighth or found by any Office taken from the said first year of King Henry the Eighth until the One and twentieth of July 1615. whereby Our late dear Father or any His Predecessors actually received any profit by Wardship Liveries Primer-seizins Measne-rates Ousterlemaynes or Fines of Alienations without Licence be again reserved unto Us Our Heirs and Successors and all the rest of the Premises to be holden of our Castle of Athlone by Knights service according to our said late Fathers Letters notwithstanding any tenures in capite found for Us by office since the One and twentieth of July One thousand six hundred and fifteen and not appearing in any such Letters Patents or Offices within which Rule His Majesty is likewise graciously pleased That the said Lands in the Counties of Limerick and Tipperary be included but to be held by such Rents and Tenures only as they were in the fourth year of His Majesties Reign provided alwayes That the said Lords Knights Gentlemen and Freeholders or reputed Freeholders of the said Province of Connaught County of Clare and County of Thomond and Counties of Tipperary and Limerick shall have and enjoy the full benefit of such composition and agreement which shall be made with His most Excellent Majesty for the Court of Wards Tenures Respite and issues of homage any Clause in this Article to the contrary notwithstanding And as for the Lands within the Counties of Kilkenny and Wickloe unto which His Majesty was intituled by office taken or found in the time of the Earl of Strafford's Government in this Kingdom His Majesty is further graciously pleased That the state thereof shall be considered in the next intended Parliament where His Majesty will assent unto that which shall be just and honourable And that the like Act of Limitation of His Majesties Titles for the security of the Estates of His Subjects of this Kingdom be passed in the said Parliament as was Enacted in the One and twentieth year of His late Majesty King James's Reign in England VIII Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That all incapacities imposed upon the Natives of this Kingdom or any of them as Natives by any Act of Parliament Provisoes in Patents or otherwise be taken away by Act to be passed in the said Parliament and that they may be enabled to erect one or more Inns of Court in or near the City of Dublin or elsewhere as shall be thought fit by His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being And in case the said Inns of Court shall be erected before the first day of the next Parliament then the same shall be in such place as His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Castelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall think fit And that such Students Natives of this Kingdom as shall be therein may take and receive the usual degrees accustomed in any Inns of Court they taking the ensuing Oath viz. I A. B. do truly acknowledge profess testifie and declare in my Conscience before God and the World That our Sovereign Lord King CHARLES is lawful and rightful King of this Realm and of other His Majesties Dominions and Countries and I will bear Faith and true Allegiance to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and Him and Them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against His or Their Crown and Dignity and do my best endeavour to disclose and make known to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors or to the Lord Deputy or other His Majesties Chief Governour
or Governours for the time being all Treasons or Trayterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear to be intended against His Majesty or any of them and I do make this Recognition and Acknowledgment heartily willingly and truly upon the true Faith of a Christian So help me God c. And His Majesty is further graciously pleased That His Roman-Catholick Subjects may erect and keep Free-Schools for education of youth in this Kingdom any Law or Statute to the contrary notwithstanding and that all the matters assented unto in this Article be passed as Acts of Parliament in the said next Parliament IX Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is graciously pleased That places of Command Honour Profit and Trust in His Majesties Armies in this Kingdom shall be upon perfection of these Articles actually and by particular instances conferred upon His Roman-Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom and that upon the distribution conferring and disposing of the places of Command Honour Profit and Trust in His Majesties Armies in this Kingdom for the future no difference shall be made between the said Roman-Catholicks and other His Majesties Subjects but that such distribution shall be made with equal indifferency according to their respective merits and abilities And that all His Majesties Subjects of this Kingdom as well Roman-Catholicks as others may for His Majesties service and their own security arm themselves the best they may wherein they shall have all fitting encouragement And it is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That places of Command Honour Profit and Trust in the Civil Government of this Kingdom shall be upon passing of the Bills in these Articles mentioned in the next Parliament actually and by particular instances conferred upon His Majesties Roman-Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom and that in the distribution conferring and disposal of the places of Command Honour Profit and Trust in the Civil Government for the future no difference shall be made between the said Roman-Catholicks and other His Majesties Subjects but that such distribution shall be made with equal indifference according to their respective merits and abilities and that in the distribution of Ministerial offices or places which now are or hereafter shall be void in this Kingdom equality shall be used to the Roman-Catholick Natives of this Kingdom as to other His Majesties Subjects And that the command of Forts Castles Garrison Towns and other places of importance in this Kingdom shall be conferred upon His Majesties Roman-Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom upon perfection of these Articles actually and by particular instances and that in the distribution conferring and disposal of the Forts Castles Garrison Towns and other places of importance in this Kingdom no difference shall be made between His Majesties Roman-Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom and other His Majesties Subjects but that such distributions shall be made with equal indifference according to their respective merits and abilities and that until full settlement in Parliament Fifteen thousand Foot and Two thousand and five hundred Horse of the Roman-Catholicks of this Kingdom shall be of the standing Army of this Kingdom and that until full settlement in Parliament as aforesaid the said Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being and the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloc Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires shall diminish or add unto the said number as they shall see cause from time to time X. Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That His Majesty will accept of the yearly Rent or annual Sum of Twelve thousand pounds sterl to be applotted with indifferency and equality and consented to be paid to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors in Parliament for and in lieu of the Court of Wards in this Kingdom Tenures in Capite Common Knights service and all other Tenures within the cognizance of that Court and for and in lieu of all Wardships Primer-seisins Fines Ousterlemaynes Liveries Intrusions Alienations Measne-rates Releases and all other Profits within the cognizance of the said Courts or incident to the said Tenures or any of them or Fines to accrue to His Majesty by reason of the said Tenures or any of them and for and in lieu of respites and issues of homage and fines for the same and the said yearly Rent being so applotted and consented unto in Parliament as aforesaid then a Bill is to be agreed on in the said Parliament to be passed as an Act for the securing of the said yearly Rent or annual Sum of Twelve thousand pounds to be applotted as aforesaid and for the extinction and taking away of the said Court and other matters aforesaid in this Article contained And it is further agreed That reasonable Compositions shall be accepted for Wardships fallen since the Three and twentieth of October One thousand six hundred forty and one and already granted and that no Wardship fallen and not granted or that shall fall shall be passed until the success of this Article shall appear and if His Majesty be secured as aforesaid then all Wardships fallen since the said Three and twentieth of October are to be included in the Agreement aforesaid upon Composition to be made with such as have Grants as aforesaid which Composition to be made with the Grantees since the time aforesaid is to be left to indifferent persons and the Umpirage to be the said Lord Lieutenant XI Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That no Nobleman or Peer of this Realm in Parliament shall be hereafter capable of more proxies than two and that blank proxies shall be hereafter totally disallowed and that if such Noblemen or Peers of this Realm as have no Estates in this Kingdom do not within five years to begin from the conclusion of these Articles purchase in this Kingdom as followeth viz. a Lord Baron Two hundred pounds per annum a Lord Viscount Four hundred pounds per annum and an Earl Six hundred pounds per annum a Marquess Eight hundred pounds per annum and a Duke a Thousand pounds per annum shall lose
their Votes in Parliament until such time as they shall afterwards acquire such Estates respectively and that none be admitted into the House of Commons but such as shall be estated and resident within this Kingdom XII Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That as for and concerning the independency of the Parliament of Ireland of the Parliament of England His Majesty will leave both Houses of Parliament in this Kingdom to make such Declaration therein as shall be agreeable to the Law of the Kingdom of Ireland XIII Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That the Council Table shall contain it self within its proper bounds in handled matters of State and weight fit for that place amongst which the Patents of Plantation and the Offices whereupon those Grants are founded are to be handled as matters of State and to be heard and determined by His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours for the time being and the Council publickly at the Council-Boord and not otherwise Titles between Party and Party grown after these Patents granted are to be left to the ordinary course of Law And that the Council Table do not hereafter intermeddle with common business that is within the cognizance of the ordinary Courts nor with the altering of possessions of Lands nor make nor use private Orders Hearings or References concerning any such matter nor grant any Injunctions or order for stay of any Suits in any Civil cause and that Parties grieved for or by reason of any proceedings formerly had there may commence their Suits and prosecute the same in any of His Majesties Courts of Justice or Equity for remedy of their pretended Rights without any restraint or interruption from His Majesty or otherwise by the chief Governour or Governours and Council of this Kingdom And that the proceedings in the respective Presidents Courts shall be pursuant and according to His Majesties printed Book of Instructions and that they shall contain themselves within the limits prescribed by that Book when the Kingdom shall be restored to such a degree of quietness as they be not necessarily inforced to exceed the same XIV Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further pleased That as for and concerning one Statute made in this Kingdom in the Eleventh year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth intituled An Act for staying of Wool Flocks Tallow and other necessaries within this Realm And one other Statute made in the said Kingdom in the Twelfth year of the Reign of the said Queen intituled An Act _____ And one other Statute made in the said Kingdom in the Thirteenth year of the Reign of the said late Queen intituled An Explanation of the Act made in a Session of this Parliament for the staying of Wool Flocks Tallow and other Wares and Commodities mentioned in the said Act and certain Articles added to the same Act all concerning Staple or Native Commodities of this Kingdom shall be repealed if it shall be so thought fit in the Parliament excepting for Wool and Wool-fells and that such indifferent persons as shall be agreed on by the said Lord Lieutenant and the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillen Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall be authorized by Commission under the great Seal to moderate and ascertain the rates of Merchandize to be exported or imported out of or into this Kingdom as they shall think fit XV. Item It is concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is graciously pleased That all and every person and persons within this Kingdom pretending to have suffered by offices found of several Countries Territories Lands and Hereditaments in the Province of Vlster and other Provinces of this Kingdom in or since the first year of King James's Reign or by attainders and forfeitures or by pretence or colour thereof since the said first year of King James or by other Acts depending on the said offices attainders and forfeitures may petition His Majesty in Parliament for relief and redress and if after examination it shall appear to His Majesty the said persons or any of them have been injured then His Majesty will prescribe a course to repair the person or persons so suffering according to justice and honour XVI Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That as to the particular cases of Maurice Lord Viscount de Rupe Fermoy Arthur Lord Viscount Jueagh Sir Edmond Fitz-Gerald of Cloungliffe Baronet Charles Mac Charthy Reagh Roger Moore Anthony Moore William Fitz-Gerard Anthony Lynch John Lacy Collo Mac Bryen Mac Mahon Donnel Costingen Edmond Fitz-Gerald of Ballimartyr Lucas Keatinge Theobald Roch Fitz-Myles Thomas Fitz-Gerald of the Vally John Bourke of Loghmaske Edmond Fitz-Gerald of Ballimullo James Fitz-William Gerald of Glysnan and Edward Sutton they may Petition His Majesty in the next Parliament whereupon His Majesty will take such consideration of them as shall be just and fit XVII Item It is likewise concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is graciously pleased That the Citizens Freemen Burgesses and former Inhabitants of the City of Cork and Towns of Youghal and Dongarvan shall be forthwith upon perfection of these Articles restored to their respective Possessions and Estates in the said City and Towns respectively where the same extends not to the indangering of the Garrisons in the said City and Towns in which case so many of the said Citizens and Inhabitants as shall not be admitted to the present possession of their houses within the said City and Towns shall be afforded a valuable annual Rent for the same until settlement in Parliament at which time they shall be restored to those their possessions And it is further agreed and His Majesty is graciously pleased That the said Citizens Freemen Burgesses and Inhabitants of the said City of Cork and Towns of Youghal and Dongarvan respectively shall be enabled in convenient time before the next Parliament to be held in this Kingdom to choose and return Burgesses into the same Parliament XVIII Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That an Act of Oblivion be passed in the next Parliament to extend to all His Majesties Subjects of this Kingdom and their Adherents of all Treasons and offences Capital Criminal and Personal and other
offences of what nature kind or quality soever in such manner as if such Treasons or offences had never been committed perpetrated or done That the said Act do extend to the Heirs Children Kindred Executors Administrators Wives Widows Dowagers and Assigns of such of the said Subjects and their Adherents who dyed on before or since the Three and twentieth of October 1641. That the said Act do relate to the first day of the next Parliament That the said Act do extend to all Bodies Politick and Corporate and their respective Successors and unto all Cities Burroughs Counties Baronies Hundreds Towns Villages Tythings and every of them within this Kingdom for and concerning all and every of the said offences or any other offence or offences in them or any of them committed or done by His Majesties said Subjects or their Adherents or any of them before in or since the Three and Twentieth of October 1641. Provided this Act shall not extend to be construed to pardon any offence or offences for which any person or persons have been convicted or attainted of Record at any time before the Twenty third day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred forty and one That this Act shall extend to Piracies and all other offences committed upon the Sea by His Majesties said Subjects or their Adherents or any of them That in this Act of Oblivion words of Release Acquittal and Discharge be inserted That no person or persons Bodies Politick or Corporate Counties Cities Burroughs Baronies Hundreds Towns Villages Tythings or any of them within this Kingdom included within the said Act be troubled impeached sued inquieted or molested for or by reason of any offence matter or thing whatsoever comprized within the said Act And the said Act shall extend to all Rents Goods and Chattles taken detained or grown due to the Subjects of the one party from the other since the Three and twentieth of October One thousand six hundred forty and one to the date of these Articles of Peace and also to all Customs Rents Arrears of Rents Prizes Recognizances Bonds Fines Forfeitures Penalties and to all other Profits Perquisites and Dues which were due or did or should accrue to His Majesty on before or since the Three and twentieth of October One thousand six hundred forty and one until the perfection of these Articles And likewise to all Measne-rates Fines of what nature soever Recognizances Judgments Executions thereupon and penalties whatsoever and to all other profits due to His Majesty since the said Three and twentieth of October and before until the perfection of these Articles for by reason or which lay within the survey or cognizance of the Court of Wards And also to all respites issues of homage and Fines for the same Provided this shall not extend to discharge or remit any of the Kingâ—s debts or subsidies due before the said Three and twentieth of October 1641. which were then or before levied or taken by the Sheriffs Commissioners Receivers or Collectors and not then or before accompted for or since disposed to the Publick use of the said Roman-Catholick Subjects but that such persons may be brought to accompt for the same after full settlement in Parliament and not before unless by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them the said Lord Lieutenant shall otherwise think fit Provided that such barbarous and inhumane Crimes as shall be particularized and agreed upon by the said Lord Lieutenant and the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunric Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them as to the Actors and Procurers thereof be left to be tryed and adjudged by such indifferent Commissioners as shall be agreed upon by the said Lord Lieutenant and the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them And that the power of the said Commissioners shall continue only for Two years next ensuing after the date of their Commission which Commission is to issue within six months after the date of these Articles Provided also that the Commissioners to be agreed on for tryal of the said particular Crimes to be excepted shall hear order and determine all cases of Trust where relief may or ought in equity to be afforded against all manner of persons according to the equity and circumstances of every such cases and His Majesties chief Governour or Governours and other Governours and Magistrates for the time being and all His Majesties Courts of Justice and other His Majesties Officers of what condition or quality soever be bound and required to take notice of and pursue the said Act of Oblivion without pleading or suit to be made for the same And that no Clerk or other Officers do make out or write out any manner of Writs Processes Summons or other precept for concerning or by reason of any matter cause or thing whatsoever released forgiven discharged or to be forgiven by the said Act under pain of Twenty pounds sterl And that no Sheriff or other Officer do execute any such Writ Process Summons or Precept and that no Record Writing or memory do remain of any offence or offences released or forgiven or mentioned to be forgiven by this Act and that all other Causes usually inserted in Acts of General pardon or oblivion enlarging His Majesties grace and mercy not herein particularized be inserted and comprized in the said Act when the Bill shall be drawn up with the exceptions already expressed and none other Provided alwayes that the said Act of Oblivion shall not extend to any Treason Felony or other offence or offences which shall be committed or done from or after the date of these Articles until the first day of the before mentioned next Parliament to be held in this Kingdom Provided also that any Act or Acts which shall be done by vertue pretence or in pursuance of these Articles of Peace agreed upon or any Act or Acts which shall be done by vertue colour or pretence of the Power or Authority used or exercised by and amongst the Confederate Roman-Catholicks after the date of the
said Articles and before the said Publication shall not be accompted taken or construed or be Treason Felony or other offence to be excepted out of the said Act of Oblivion Provided likewise That the said Act of Oblivion shall not extend unto any person or persons that will not obey and submit unto the Peace concluded and agreed on by these Articles Provided further That the said Act of Oblivion or any in this Article contained shall not hinder or interrupt the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them to call to an account and proceed against the Council and Congregation and the respective Supreme Councils Commissioners General appointed hitherto from time to time by the Confederate Catholicks to manage their affairs or any other person or persons accomptable to an account for their respective Receipts and disbursments since the beginning of their respective employments under the said Confederate Catholicks or to acquit or release any arrears of Excises Customs or Publick Taxes to be accompted for since the Three and Twentieth of October 1641. and not disposed of hitherto to the Publick use but that the Parties therein concerned may be called to an account for the same as aforesaid by the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them the said Act or any thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding XIX Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is graciously pleased That an Act be passed in the next Parliament prohibiting That neither the Lord Deputy or other chief Governour or Governours Lord Chancellor Lord High Treasurer Vice-Treasurer Chancellor or any of the Barons of the Exchequer Privy Council or Judges of the Four Courts be Farmers of His Majesties Customs within this Kingdom XX. Item It is likewise concluded accorded and agreed and His Majesty is graciously pleased That an Act of Parliament pass in this Kingdom against Monopolies such as was Enacted in England 21 Jacobi Regis with a further Clause of Repealing of all Grants of Monopolies in this Kingdom and that Commissioners be agreed upon by the said Lord Lieutenant and the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them to set down the Rates for the custom and imposition to be laid on Aquavitae Wine Oyl Yearn and Tobacco XXI Item It is concluded accorded and agreed and His Majesty is graciously pleased That such persons as shall be agreed on by the said Lord Lieutenant and the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall be as soon as may be authorized by Commission under the Great Seal to regulate the Court of Castle-Chamber and such causes as shall be brought into and censured in the said Court XXII Item It is concluded accorded and agreed upon and His Majesty is graciously pleased That Two Acts lately passed in this Kingdom the one prohibiting the plowing with Horses by the Tail and the other prohibiting the burning of Oats in the straw be Repealed XXIII Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased For as much as upon application of Agents from this Kingdom unto His Majesty in the Fourth year of His Reign and lately upon humble suit made unto His Majesty by a Committee of both Houses of the Parliament of this Kingdom some order was given by His Majesty for redress of several Grievances and for so many of those as are not expressed in the Articles whereof both Houses in the next ensuing Parliament shall desire the benefit of His Majesties said former directions for redresses therein that the same be afforded them yet so as for prevention of inconveniencies to His Majesties service that the warning mentioned in the Four and twentieth Article of the Graces in the Fourth year of His Majesties Reign be so understood that the warning being left at the persons Dwelling-houses be held sufficient warning and that as to the Two and twentieth Article of the said Graces the Process hitherto used in the Court of Wards do still continue as hitherto it hath done in that and hath been used in our English Courts But the Court of Wards being compounded for so much of the aforesaid Answer as concern warning and process shall be omitted XXIV Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That Maritime Causes may be determined in this Kingdom without driving of Merchants or others to appeal and seek Justice elsewhere and if it shall fall out that there be cause of an Appeal the Party grieved is to appeal to His Majesty in the Chancery of Ireland and the Sentence thereupon to be given by the Delegates to be definitive and not to be questioned upon any further Appeal except it be in the Parliament of this Kingdom if the Parliament then shall be sitting otherwise not This to be by Act of Parliament And until the said Parliament the Admiralty and Maritime Causes shall be ordered and setled by the said Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them XXV Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That His Majesties Subjects of this Kingdom be eased of all Rents and increase of Rents lately
raised on the Commissioners defective Titles in the Earl of Strafford's Government This to be by Act of Parliament and that in the mean time the said Rents shall not be written for by any Process or increase of Rents or the payment thereof in any sort procured XXVI Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That by Act to be passed in the next Parliament all the arrears of interest money which did accrue or grow due by way of debt morgage or otherwise and yet not satisfied since the Three and twentieth of October 1641. until the perfection of those Articles shall be fully forgiven and be released And that for and during the space of Three years next ensuing no more shall be taken for use or interest of money than five pounds per Cent. And in cases of equality arising through disability occasioned by the distempers of these times the considerations of equity to be alike unto both Parties But as for Morgages contracted between His Majesties Roman-Catholick Subjects and others of that Party where entry hath been made by the Morgagers against Law and the condition of their Morgages and detained wrongfully by them without giving any satisfaction to the Morgagees or where any such Morgagers have made profit of the Lands Morgaged above Countrey charges yet answer no Rent or other consideration to the Morgagees the Parties grieved respectively to be left for relief to a course of equity therein XXVII Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed upon and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That immediately upon perfection of these Articles the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires shall be authorized by the said Lord Lieutenant to proceed in hear determine and execute in and throughout this Kingdom the ensuing particulars and all the matters thereupon depending and that such authority and other the authorities hereafter mentioned shall remain of force without revocation alteration or diminution until Acts of Parliament be passed according to the purport and intent of these Articles and that in case of death miscarriage disability to serve by reason of sickness or otherwise of any the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being shall name and authorize another in the place of such as shall be so dead shall miscarry himself or be so disabled and that the same shall be such persons as shall be allowed of by the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them living And that the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall have power to applot raise and levy means with indifferency and equality by way of Excise or otherwise upon all His Majesties Subjects within the said Kingdom their Persons Estates and Goods towards the maintenance of such Army or Armies as shall be thought fit to continue and be in pay for His Majesties service the defence of the Kingdom and other the necessary publick charges thereof and towards the maintenance of the Forts Castles Garrisons and Towns of both or either Party other than such of the said Forts Garrisons and Castles as from time to time until there shall be a settlement in Parliament shall be thought fit by His Majesties chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them not to be maintained at the charge of the Publick Provided that His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being be first made acquainted with such Taxes Levies and Excises as shall be made and the manner of the levying thereof and that he approve the same And to the end that such of the Protestant Party as shall submit to the Peace may in the several Counties where any of their Estate lyeth have equality and indifferency in the Assessments and Levies that shall concern their Estates in the said several Counties It is concluded accorded and agreed upon and His Majesty is graciously pleased That in the directions which shall issue to any such County for the applotting subdividing and levying of the said Publick Assessments some of the said Protestant Party shall be joined with others of the Roman-Catholick Party to that purpose and for effecting that service And that the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall have power to Levy the Arrears of all Excise and all other Publick Taxes imposed by the Confederate Roman-Catholicks and yet unpaid and to call all Receivers and other Accomptants of all former Taxes and all Publick dues to a just and strict accompt either by themselves or by such as they or any seven or more of them shall name or appoint And that the said Lord Lieutenant or any other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being shall from time to time issue Commissions to such person and persons as shall be named and appointed by the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas
Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them for letting setting and improving the Estates of all such person and persons as shall adhere to any Party opposing His Majesties authority and not submitting to the Peace and that the profits of such Estates shall be converted by the said Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being to the maintenance of the Kings Army and other necessary charges until settlement by Parliament And that the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall have power to applot raise and levy means with indifferency and equality for the buying of Arms and Ammunition and for the entertaining of Frigots in such proportion as shall be thought fit by His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them the said Arms and Ammunition to be laid up in such Magazines and under the charge of such persons as shall be agreed on by the said Lord Lieutenant and the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them to be disposed of and the said Frigots to be employed for His Majesties service and the publick use and benefit of the Kingdom of Ireland And that the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall have power to applot raise and levy means with indifferency and equality by way of Excise or otherwise in the several Cities Corporate Towns Counties and parties of Counties now within the Quarters and only upon the Estates of the said Confederate Roman-Catholicks all such Sum and Sums of money as shall appear to the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them to be really due for and in the discharge of the Publick engagements of the said Confederate Catholicks incurred or grown due before the conclusion of these Articles And that the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall be authorized to appoint Receivers Collectors and all other Officers for such monies as shall be assessed taxed or applotted in pursuance of the Authorities mentioned in this Article and for the Arrears of all former Applotments Taxes and other Publick dues yet unpaid And that the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them in case of refractoriness or delinquency may distrain and imprison and cause such Delinquents to be distrained and imprisoned And that the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them make perfect Books of all such monies as shall be applotted raised and levied out of which Books they are to make several and respective Abstracts to be delivered under their hands or the hands of any seven or more of them to the several and respective Collectors which shall be appointed to levy and receive the same and that a Duplicate of the said Books under the hands of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them be delivered unto His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being whereby a present accompt may be given And that the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or them shall have power to call the Council and Congregation and the respective Supreme Councils and Commissioners General appointed hither to from time to time by the said Confederate Roman-Catholicks to manage their publick affairs and all other persons answerable to an accompt for all their Receipts and Disbursments since the beginning of their respective employments under the Confederate Roman Catholicks XXVIII Item It is concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is graciously pleased That for the preservation of the Peace and tranquility of the Kingdom the said Lord Lieutenant and the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas
Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall for the present agree upon such persons who are to be authorized bay Commission under the Great Seal to be Commissioners of the Peace Oyer and Terminer Assizes and Gaol-delivery in and throughout the Kingdom to continue during pleasure with such power as Justices of the Peace Oyer and Terminer Assizes and Gaol-delivery in former times of Peace have usually had which is not to extend unto any crime or offence committed before the first of May last past and to be qualified with power to hear and determine all Civil Causes coming before them not exceeding Ten pounds Provided that they shall not meddle with Titles of Lands Provided likewise the authority of such Commissioners shall not extend to question any person or persons for any Shipping Cattel or Goods heretofore taken by either Party from the other or other injuries done contrary to the Articles of Cessation concluded by and with the said Roman-Catholick Party in or since May last but that the same shall be determined by such indifferent persons as the Lord Lieutenant with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall think fit to the end that speedy and equal justice may be done to all Parties grieved And the said Commissioners are to make their Estreats as accustomed in time of Peace and shall take the ensuing Oath viz. YOV shall Swear That as Justice of the Peace Oyer and Terminer Assizes and Gaol-delivery in the Counties of A. B. C. in all Articles of the Commission to you directed you shall do equal Right to the Poor and to the Rich after your cunning and wit and power and after the Laws and Customs of the Realm and in pursuance of these Articles And you shall not be of Council of any quarrel hanging before you And the Issues Fines and Anerciaments which shall happen to be made and all Forfeitures which shall happen before you you shall cause to be entred without any concealment or imbezling and truly send to the Court of Exchequer or to such other place as His Majesties Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom shall appoint until there may be access unto the said Court of Exchequer You shall not let for gift or other cause but well and truly you shall do your office of Justice of the Peace Oyer and Terminer Assizes and Gaol-delivery in that behalf And that you take nothing for your office of Justice of the Peace Oyer and Terminer Assizes and Gaol-delivery to be done but of the King and Fees accustomed And you shall not direct or cause to be directed any Warrant by you to be made to the Parties but you shall direct them to the Sheriffs and Bayliffs of the said Counties respectively or other the Kings Officers or Ministers or other indifferent persons to do execution thereof So help you God c. And that as well in the said Commission as in all other Commissions and Authorities to be issued in pursuance of these present Articles this Clause shall be inserted viz. That all Officers Civil and Martial shall be required to be aiding and assisting and obedient unto the said Commissioners and other persons to be authorized as abovesaid in the execution of their respective powers XXIX Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That His Majesties Roman Catholick Subjects do continue the possession of such of His Majesties Cities Garrisons Towns Forts and Castles which are within their now Quarters until settlement by Parliament and to be commanded ruled and governed in chief upon occasion of necessity as to the Martial and Military affairs by such as His Majesty or His chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being shall appoint and the said appointment to be by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them And His Majesties chief Governour or Governours is to issue Commissions accordingly to such persons as shall be so named and appointed as aforesaid for the executing of such Command Rule or Government to continue until all the particulars in these present Articles agreed on to pass in Parliament shall be accordingly passed only in case of death or misbehaviour such other person or persons to be appointed for the said Command Rule and Government to be named and appointed in the place or places of him or them who shall so dye or misbehave themselves as the chief Governour or Governours for the time being by the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall think fit and to be continued until settlement in Parliament as aforesaid XXX Item It is further concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That all Customs and Tenths of Prizes belonging to His Majesty which from the perfection of these Articles shall fall due within this Kingdom shall be paid in to His Majesties Receipt or until recourse may be had thereunto in the ordinary legal way unto such person or persons and in such place and places and under such Comptrollers as the Lord Lieutenant shall appoint to be disposed of in order to the defence and safety of the Kingdom and the defraying of other the necessary publick Charges thereof for the ease of the Subjects in other their Levies Charges and Applotments And that all and every person and persons who are at present entrusted and employed by the said Roman-Catholicks in the Entries Receipts Collections or otherwise concerning the said Customs and Tenths of Prizes do continue their respective employments in the same until full settlement in Parliament accomptable to His Majesties Receipts or
until Recourse may be had thereunto as the said Lord Lieutenant shall appoint as aforesaid other than as to such and so many of them as to the chief Governour or Governours for the time being by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall be thought fit to be altered and then and in such case or in case of death fraud or misbehaviour or other alteration of any such person or persons then such other person or persons to be employed therein as shall be thought fit by the chief Governour or Governours for the time being by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them And where it shall appear that any person or persons who shall be found faithful to His Majesty hath Right to any of the offices or places about the said Customs whereunto he or they may not be admitted until settlement in Parliament as aforesaid that a reasonable compensation shall be afforded to such person or persons for the same XXXI Item As for and concerning His Majesties Rents payable at Easter next and from thenceforth to grow due until a settlement in Parliament It is concluded ordered and agreed upon by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is graciously pleased That the said Rents be not written for or levied until a full settlement in Parliament and in due time upon application to be made to the said Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom by the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunrie Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them for remittal of those Rents the said Lord Lieutenant or other chief Governour or Governours of this Kingdom for the time being shall intimate their desires and the Reasons thereof to His Majesty who upon consideration of the present condition of this Kingdom will declare his gracious pleasure therein as shall be just and honourable and satisfactory to the reasonable desires of His Subjects XXXII Item It is concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That the Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer and the Gaol-delivery to be named as aforesaid shall have power to hear and determine all Murthers Manslaughters Rapes Stealths Burning of Houses and Corn in Reek or Stack Robberies Burglaries forceable Entries detainers of Possessions and other Offences committed or done and to be committed and done since the first day of May last past until the first day of the next Parliament these present Articles or any thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding Provided that the authority of the said Commissioners shall not extend to question any person or persons for doing or committing any act whatsoever before the conclusion of this Treaty by vertue or colour of any Warrant or direction from those in Publick Authority among the Confederate Roman-Catholicks nor unto any act which shall be done after the perfecting and concluding of these Articles by vertue or pretence of any Authority which is now by these Articles agreed on Provided also that the said Commission shall not continue longer than the first day of the next Parliament XXXIII Item It is concluded ordered and agreed by and between the said Parties and His Majesty is further graciously pleased That for the determining such differences which may arise between His Majesties Subjects within this Kingdom and the prevention of inconvenience and disquiet which through want of due remedy in several cases may happen there shall be Judicatures established in this Kingdom and that the persons to be authorized in them shall have power to do all such things as shall be proper and necessary for them to do and that the said Lord Lieutenant by and with the advice and consent of the said Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Gerald Fennel Esquires or any seven or more of them shall name the persons so to be authorized and do all other things incident unto and necessary for the setling of the said intended Judicature XXXIV Item At the instance humble suit and earnest desire of the General Assembly of the Confederate Roman-Catholicks It is concluded accorded and agreed upon That the Roman-Catholick Clergy of this Kingdom behaving themselves conformable to these Articles of Peace shall not be molested in the possessions which at present they have of and in the bodies scites and precincts of such Abbeys and Monasteries belonging to any Roman-Catholick within the said Kingdom until settlement by Parliament And that the said Clergy shall not be molested in the enjoying of such Pensions as hitherto since the Wars they enjoyed for their respective livelihood from the said Roman-Catholicks And the scites and precincts hereby intended are declared to be the body of the Abby one Garden and Orchard to each Abby if any there be and what else is contained within the Walls Mures or ancient Fences or Ditch that doth supply the Wall thereof and no more XXXV Item It is concluded accorded and agreed by and between the said Parties That as to all other the demands of the said Roman-Catholicks for or concerning all or any the matters proposed by them not granted or assented unto in and by the aforesaid Articles the said Roman-Catholicks be referred to His Majesties gracious Favour and further Concessions In witness whereof the said Lord Lieutenant for and on the behalf of His most Excellent Majesty to the one part of these Articles remaining with the said Roman-Catholicks hath put his Hand and Seal and Sir Richard Blake Knight in the Chair of the General Assembly of the said Roman-Catholicks by Order Command and unanimous Consent of the said Catholicks in full Assembly to the other part thereof remaining with the said Lord Lieutenant hath put his Hand and the Publick Seal hitherto used by the said
all that should feed help or adhere to Us are set down in their Declaration * See before page 65. in the former Appendix of Instruments where you have this Declaration at length both Preamble and Fifteen Articles thereof entirely and consequently without interposition of any other matter After which also you have there pag. 70. the Excommunication before mentioned of the 12th of August intituled A Declaration of the Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates and Dignitaries of the Regular and Secular Clergy of the Kingdom of Ireland against the continuance of His Majesties authority in the Marquess of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for the misgovernment of the Subject and the ill conduct of His Majesties Army and the violation of the Articles of Peace at Jamestown in the Convent of the Friers Minors the 12th of August 1650. That in this Title they assume unto themselves a power to declare against the continuance of His Majesties authority where he hath placed it needs no further proof than the reading of it But whence they derive their pretence to this power We find not any where expressed nor by whom they are constituted Judges of the misgovernment of the People the ill conduct of His Majesties Army or of the violation of the Articles of Peace For the misgovernment of the People and ill conduct of His Majesties Army We acknowledge no earthly competent Judge of Us but His Majesty and the established Laws And for the violation of the Articles of Peace by the consent even of all those Bishops unless there be gotten amongst them some that opposed the Peace and joined with those that assisted the English Rebels as long as they could give them hire the trust of looking to the observance of the Articles of Peace was reposed by the General Assembly with whom the Peace was concluded in Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon of Costelloe Lord President of Connaught Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery Francis Lord Baron of Athunry Alexander mac Donnel Esq Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Nicholas Plunket Knight Sir Richard Barnewall Baronet Geoffery Browne Donnogh O Callaghane Tirlagh O Neil Miles Reilly and Dr. Gerald Fennel Esquires as appears by the said Articles Whereby we suppose it is clear That as the Bishops have arrogated to themselves an unwarranted power to declare against the continuance of His Majesties authority where he hath placed it and to be Our Judges in the government of the People and conduct of the Army wherein VVe doubt whether their skill be answerable to their desire to try it so have they as unwarrantably taken upon them to judge what is or is not a violation of the Articles of Peace and in all they have endeavoured to invade and usurp both upon King and People bereaving the one of Royalty and the other of Freedom Now supposing they were the Monarchs they would be let the grounds of their Excommunication set forth in all that VVe have seen be duly examined and it will be found that their sentence is most unjust So that as their Tribunal is usurped their Judgment is erroneous VVe begin with the Preamble of the Declaration in these words Preamble of the Declaration THE Catholick People of Ireland in the year 1641. forced to take up Arms for the defence of Holy Religion their Lives and Liberties the Parliament of England having taken a resolution to extinguish the Catholick Faith and pluck up the Nation root and branch a powerful Army being prepared and designed to execute their black rage and cruel intention made a Peace and published the same 17th Jan. 1648 with James Lord Marquess of Ormond Commissioner to that effect from His Majesty or from His Royal Queen and Son Prince of Wales now Charles the Second thereby manifesting their Loyal thoughts to Royal Authority This Peace or Pacification being consented to by the Confederate Catholicks when His Majesty was in restraint and neither He or His Queen or the Prince of Wales in condition to send any supplies or relief to them when also the said Confederate Catholicks could have agreed with the Parliament of England upon as good or better conditions for Religion and the Lives Liberties and Estates of the People than were by the above Pacification obtained and thereby free themselves from the danger of any Invasion or War to be made upon them by the power of England where notwithstanding the Pacification with His Majesty they were to dispute and fight with their and His Enemies in the Three Kingdoms Let the world â—udge if this be not an undeniable argument of Loyalty The Peace being so concluded the Catholick Confederates came sincerely and chearfully under His Majesties authority in the person of the said Marquess of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland plentifully providing vast Sums of monies well nigh half a Million of English pounds besides several Magazines of Corn with a fair Train of Artillery great quantity of Powder Match Ammunition with other materials for War After His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant frustrating the expectation the Nation had of his Fidelity Gallantry and Ability became the Author of almost losing the whole Kingdom to God King and Nation Which he began by violating the Peace in many parts thereof as may be clearly evidenced and made good to the world ANSWER Concerning their motives of taking up Arms in the year 1641 We shall say nothing But since they begin so high with their Narrative as the year 1641 it will not be amiss to mind them That betwixt that and the year 1648 there was by Authority from His Majesty and Our Ministration several Cessations and at length a Peace concluded with the Confederate Roman-Catholicks in the year 1646 which Peace was shamefully and perfidiously violated by the instigation and contrivement of most part of these Archbishops Bishops Prelates and others of the Secular and Regular Clergy and that not in slight and strained particulars such as We are now charged with by them but by coming with Two powerful Armies before the City of Dublin upon no provocation from Us unless they esteemed the continuance of a Cessation for about Three years with them and the bringing them a Peace to their own doors such a provocation as deserved their bending their united power against Us leaving other parts that neither had nor would have Peace or Cessation with them unmolested and at liberty to waste their quarters whil'st they devoured Ours and sought Our ruine This as a particular blotting their name and memory with the everlasting infamy of Perfidy Ingratitude and undeniable Disloyalty they have reason to leap over in their Preamble least they should awaken the Curses of those multitudes of People who being seduced into so horrid a violation of Publick Faith by their impious allurements and hellish Excommunications are thereby become desolate Widows helpless Orphans and miserable Exiles from the place of their birth and sustenance True it is That His late Majesty and His now Majesty then Prince of Wales overcoming
them as he knowes would otherwise endeavour to do me ill Offices at Rome and render me the more unservicable there and at home after to His Majestie and your Grace I confess My Lord this reservedness argues some weakness or fearfulness in me and yet I cannot help it otherwise at present or until at least we have some further certainty of the Popes silence then we have yet then by assuring your Grace in the faith of a Christian that I will during life observe most religiously in the whole latitude words and sence of it according to the explication of the Author unto me that Protestation And indeed my Lord I can assure your Grace further that it is no new Iudgement nor new affection of my Soul that works in me now but that which I have had these many years past been very much inclined to and which moreover the sufferings of my Predecessors and unfortunate family I am of ever since Henry the 8. for the Crown of England hath in some measure made natural to me For the rest my Lord I have begd of the bearer that he would from time to time let me know your Graces pleasure and Commands and let your Grace know that I will have all those under my charge as farr as I can have power with them to continue their devotions and vowes to God for his most Sacred Majesty and your Grace and that whatever others do I will ever joyn with such as are most devoted to your Grace as My Lord your Graces Most faithful most obsequious and most affectionate Servant Anthony Docharty Minister Provincial of the Franciscans This letter I thought fit to insert because the said late Provincial of the Franciscans for now he is out of his Office carried not himself as to that matter of the Remonstrance either before or after the said letter so candidly and sincerely as would become a person of his place For he notwithstanding all his wariness being suspected by many that he had subscribed and demanded by them whether he had would never own any such thing that I may say no more and thereby rendred his said concurrence altogether unsignificant as to any use could be made thereof His denyal was grounded I suppose hereon that he had not subscribed the individual paper of the original Remonstrance which most others had And peradventure this equivocation had been harmless if it had stayed there or there were not further ill consequences of such equivocation But it was otherwise as his end in both subscribing and denying was for his own private concerns without any regard of the publick and was only to save his own stake with both sides however were a looser Yet this much I will say for him that after this he writt earnestly over Seas to hinder all he could any censures or proceedings against the Subscribers albeit in some of his letters to that purpose he condemned them himself Nor indeed was it agreable to his purpose of dissembing with both parties to do other haveing been himself the principal in sending before the above named Father Iohn Brady to procure censures against the Remonstrance in it self and by consequence against the first publick and printed Subscribers of it And he could not but know that in all likelyhood he had done his worke by that time as indeed he did all he could do However this be I think it not amiss to mind those Franciscan Fathers of that meeting at Multiferum of their unreasonable obstinacy when they remember the following letter of His Grace to the Procuratour as he was on his journey thether which they themselves there did both see and read the Procuratour having so thought fit to answer their pretence of not subscribing on this account That they were not yet satisfied His Majesty or Lord Lieutenant expected any such matter from them but on the contrary were told it was only the Procuratours desire and worke to engage others as deep as himself for his own sake only or to bring himself off the better at Rome by the multitude concurring with him For Mr. Peter Walsh Sir Dublin 26. Jan. 1662. COnsidering how well His Majesty received the Subscriptions to the Protestation presented to him in England I do a little wonder that the example hath not been more readily and frequently followed here than for ought I can hear from you it hath been I have no end in wishing it should than that those of loyal and peaceable dispositions may thereby be distinguished from others for their own advantage Yet any prudent person will believe the Subscribers are more like to find it than the Refusers I desire to know who have already subscribed since your arrival in this Kingdom and who have refused to subscribe And so I rest Your very affectionate Friend Ormonde XLIII Soon after the Procurator had return'd to Dublin from this meeting at Multifernan and the Bishop of Meath Anthony Mageoghegan led wholy by those Fathers had on pretence of the sharpness of the season excused himself by Letter from another meeting with him in his return and when he considered there was no more to be done with or expected from the Generality of the Irish Church-men at least for some time or until they had a general Congeregation by advice of some persons of quality he desired the prime Noblemen and Gentlemen then at Dublin and who had not been at London when the Remonstrance was agitated and subscribed there by such as at that time were there to meet at my Lord Clanriâ—kards of purpose to receive satisfaction in that business whereof there was so much talk amongst all people and to discharge their own duty what ever the Ecclesiasticks did Being met the Lord Birmingham as a most rational and most candid person obiected all he had from others to the Procurator as if all had proceeded from him only But the Earl of Tirconel being present as he was most instrumental both in this meeting and in so many others held at London formerly about the Remonstrance to forward it cleared the Procurator fully for what was done at London declaring that the concurrence of the Nobility and Gentry was wholly and solely their own act originally mentioned by the Earls of Glancarty Carlingford and himself and seconded in very good earnest home by the Earl of Inchiquin some English Catholick Noblemen having of purpose come to their meeting where they declared the joynt approbation of the Catholicks of England and that were the case of the Irish theirs they would most freely and heartily subscribe that very individual Remonstrance with the Preamble and Petition without any change And for the Procurators endeavours to perswade the Clergy in Ireland since his arrival the above Letter of His Grace produced there to my Lord Birmingham and the â—eâ—â— did satisfie them no less fully that he did herein but what he ought and was his Majesties and Lord Lieutenants desire and was both expediâ—â—â— and necessary for all concern'd
â—â—â—â—ives with them therein As to those distrusts and jealousies of the People occasioned as you say for want of success in services the sense of their Sufferings and their apprehensions for want of redress of their Grievances we answer That both the want of Success and the sense of their Sufferings whether from the Enemy or the Souldier cannot so reasonably be attributed to any humane cause as to the want of Garrisoning the Army in principal Towns and Cities Wherein We cannot yet are vail nor ever could till by the Enemies lying at one 〈◊〉 of a Town We were not without articling and conditioning permitted to put such men as We could the get in at the other end For for want of Garrisoning the Army and by being forced to quarter it at large it was not possible to have them exercised their Arms kept in order nor they under necessary Discipline Which when they were to be brought together rendred them worse than so many new raised men by how much they had contracted a licentious liberty and habit of rapine and disobedience Nor could We prevent the fraud in Musters or reasonably exact a strict accompt from Officers of men so scattered who when they should be employed upon service were forced or pretending a necessity wherein We could not disprove them to range the Countrey to get in the means that should enable them to serve As to their apprehension for want of redress to their Grievances We understand not what Grievances are thereby meant unless those delivered unto Us by the Archbishop of Tuam on the first of April For other Grievances though We long expected and desired them We never saw save a Paper given to Us on the 13th of March at Lymerick which for the forgery false calumny and other misbecoming passages contained in it was as such disavowed by the Clergy then met And to those given us on the first of April we return herewith such Answers as considering the generality of them is possible for Us to give We have already with the advice of the Commissioners and as we believe with the approbation of such of the Bishops as were present appointed the Earl of Castlehaven to command the Forces in Leinster And in Munster with like advice and approbation We have employed Colonel David Roch to command for a necessary Expedition besides there alwayes is upon the place one general Officer that will readily receive and employ any that shall be prevailed with to take Arms as is promised And in case We find fitting obedience and reception from the City of Lymerick We shall in person be ready to receive and conduct such Forces in the said Province In Vlster We have in pursuance to the Agreement made with that Province given Commission to the Bishop of Clogher and in Connaught the Lord Marquess of Clanricard commands the Army We know no use to which any money raised upon the People hath been employed but to the maintenance of the Forces if you do We shall desire to be therein informed to the end that any past misapplication thereof may be examined and punished and the like prevented in future To conclude We seriously recommend to your consideration the wayes of procuring such obedience to His Majesty and His Authority in the general and particularly from the City of Lymerick as may enable and encourage Us with honour and hope of success according to Our desire to use Our utmost industry and encounter all hazards for the defence of this Kingdom and Nation against the Tyranny that will certainly be exercised upon them and the unsupportable slavery they will be subject unto if the Rebels prevail And so We bid you heartily farewell from Loghreogh May 1. 1650. Your very loving Friend ORMOND Since the writing hereof We have received a Message by a Committee and delivered by our very good Lord the Lord Viscount Taaffe whereunto We cannot return unto you other Answer than what is contained in this Letter till we shall receive your resolution thereupon which We desire may be with expedition For the Archbishops Nobility Bishops the Commissioners authorized by Vs in pursuance of the Articles of Peace and others assembled at Loghreogh These May it please Your Excellency WE find by Your Lordships Letters of the first of this instant in answer to ours of the last of April that Your Excellency conceives we did endeavour by applying the expression of the word misunderstanding to the deportment of the City of Lymerick to excuse them which no way was our intention Although we may not deny but in so distracted a condition as the Kingdom is at present we would be glad to avoid exasperating a City so considerable and of that importance for carrying on of His Majesties service as is Lymerick and to interpose our selves to conserve so useful a place in Your Excellencies good opinion whiles there were hope left us that they might be brought to a clear apprehension of the danger hanging over them and a due sense of the benefit they are to expect from the offers made unto them as well towards their own preservation as the advancement of His Majesties service Neither can any man more feelingly than we resent their personal disrespects towards Your Excellency whil'st You were lastly in that City whereof we have in our Letters now ready to be sent by a Committee employed by us to that Corporation taken notice and do hope they will by their deportment hereafter merit to have it understood that it proceeded from ignorance rather than malice And concerning the garrisoning that City such of the Clergy as have here met of late and the Commissioners of Trust have written very effectually to them and employed two of the said Commissioners thither to sollicite their compliance to Your Excellency and to represent unto them the danger and prejudice that would ensue their refractoriness And though it hath not taken that effect with them which was expected yet we humbly offer unto Your Excellency That a second Essay is to be made and Your Excellencies further positive Commands sent thither for the garrisoning of that place as shall be judged necessary to be seconded by our Letters and some of the Clergy and Commissioners to be sent thither Whereunto if they will not listen we will as much as in us lies in our respective degrees and qualities and according to our respective powers so far as shall be thought fit and necessary upon consideration had of what hath been proposed hitherto and past between Your Excellency the Commissioners of Trust and them concerning the garrisoning of the said City co-operate to reclaim them and bring them to a perfect obedience humbly desiring That what resolutions soever shall be taken by that City yet that Your Excellency would be pleased not to impute it to any disaffection in us or want of zeal in this Nation to advance His Majesties service And in regard the transacting of this business may take up some time it
Navigation the great support of Ireland quite beaten down his Excellency disheartning the Adventurers Vndertakers and Owners as Captain Antonio and others favouring Hollanders and other Aliens by reversing Judgments legally given and indefinitely concluded before his coming to Authority By which depressing of maritime affairs and not providing for an orderly and good Tribunal of Admiralty we have hardly a Bottom left to transmit a Letter to His Majesty or any other Prince ANSWER Here again VVe are charged in general with disheartning Adventurers Undertakers and Owners and no man named but Captain Antonio nor the particular wherein he was disheartned set down We are further charged with reversing of Judgments legally given and definitively concluded before Our coming to Authority but no particular Judgment so reversed is or indeed can be instanced So that all VVe can answer to this part is That it is not true and for what remains That VVe placed the power of Admiralty in this Kingdom according to the Assemblies instance and from time to time gave Commissions to such persons as the Commissioners desired in several parts to hear and determine maritime causes Sixth Article of the Declaration The Church of Cloine in our possession at the time of making the Peace violently taken from Vs by the Lord Inchiquin contrary to the Articles of Peace no Justice or Redress was made upon Application or Complaint ANSWER For Answer to this VVe refer you to Our Answer to the first Article of the pretended Grievances which Article and Answer are as followeth Article viz. The first of those called the Grievances First They have not been suffered to enjoy the Churches and Church-livings which in the time of the perfection of the Articles of Peace they possessed but were after the said Articles made and perfected put forth expelled and still kept out of possession of divers Parish-Churches and their Tythes and Livings and even of some of the Cathedral Churches and many of the Prelates and Pastors hindred from exercising of their respective Jurisdictions and Functions amongst their Flocks and Grants made of some of their Bishopricks and their Livings which sithence the War or the greatest part of it hath been and yet is in the possession of the Catholick Bishops to Protestant Bishops and notwithstanding the Prelates and Clergy in the Counties of Cork and Waterford where chiefly those Grievances happened have made suit for remedy yet have they obtained no redress in their suits nor have they say the Commissioners of Trust in whom the last General Assembly of the Confederate Catholicks of this Nation which concluded the said Peace put their confidence for procuring an effectual compliance with the said Articles and seeing in no point they should be violated or broken in this so important a point concerning the Church given effectual furtherance for recovering their right to the said Prelates and Clergy Answer viz. To that first Article of those called the Grievances First We deny that they if thereby be meant the Roman-Catholick Clergy were not suffered to enjoy the Churches and Church-livings which at the time of perfecting the Articles of Peace they possessed or that by the Articles of Peace they ought to possess And as to the instances made in the Margent the composers of this Article do very well know That their possession of those Churches and Church-livings were flatly denied by the Protestant Clergy And it is very well known to the Commissioners who followed that business with diligence and earnestness enough That We never refused nor delayed to afford them any just means of bringing that Controversie to a final end till at length by Treachery and the Rebels power the Things controverted were lost to both Parties Nor was there any Complaint made unto Us since the conclusion of the Peace till now that the Romish Prelates or Pastors or any of them have been hindred from exercising their respective Jurisdictions and Functions amongst their Flocks except one Complaint made of the Governour of Dungarvan wherein We were ready to have given such Redress upon hearing all Parties as should have been found fit if the said Complaint had been prosecuted We know of no Grant made by His Majesty of any Bishoprick whatsoever since the conclusion of the Peace nor can We find any Article of the Peace that restrains His Majesty from making such Grants so the Roman-Catholick Bishops be not thereby dispossessed of what they were possessed of upon conclusion of the Peace until His Majesty declare His pleasure in a Free Parliament in this Kingdom And whatever His Majesty might intend to declare the making of Protestant Bishops could be no anticipation thereof to the prejudice of the Roman-Catholicks since Bishops are held essentially necessary to the exercise of the Religion of the Church of England Seventh Article of the Declaration That Oblations Book-monies Interments and other Obventions in the Counties of Cork Waterford and Kerry were taken from the Roman-Catholick Priests and Pastors by the Ministers without any redress or restitution ANSWER For this We answer That it was conceived by the Ministers herein mentioned that where they had possession of the Church-livings the Obventions here mentioned were also due to them But whether it were or not sure We are there was never any Complaint made to Us in this particular till Our coming to Tecroghan after the loss of Droghedagh and that within a very little time after before the truth of the Allegation could be examined the Towns of Munster revolted and the business was so decided at least if any difference of this kind continued in the County of Kerry which was longer held We never after Our being at Tecroghan heard of it that We remember Eighth Article of the Declaration That the Catholick Subjects of Munster lived in a slavery under the Presidency of the Lord Inchiquin those being their Judges that before were their Enemies and none of the Catholicks Nobility or Gentry admitted to that Tribunal ANSWER To this VVe answer That no complaint of any such slavery imposed by the said Lord President or Presidency was made to Us but on the contrary That upon his Lordships instance VVe directed Our Letters to him to swear and admit of the Council of that Province the Lord Viscount Roch of Fermoy the Lord Viscount Muskery Major General Patrick Purcell Lieutenant Colonel Gerard fitz Morrice and others all which were written unto by the Lord President to come to him to be sworn accordingly whereof the Lord Muskery Major General Patrick Purcell and Lieutenant Colonel Fitz Morrice were sworn but the rest not coming according to the Letters could not be sworn Ninth Article of the Declaration The conduct of the Army was improvident and unfortunate nothing happened in the Christianity more shameful than the disaster at Rathmines near Dublin where his Excellency as it seemed to ancient Travellers and men of Experience who view'd all kept rather a Mart of Wares a Tribunal of Pleadings or a great Inne of
Play Drinking and Pleasure than a well ordered Camp of Souldiers Drogheda unrelieved was lost by storm with much bloodshed and the loss of the flower of Leinster VVexford lost much by the unskilfulness of a Governour of a young man vain and unadvised Rosse given up and that by his Excellencies order without any dispute by Colonel Luke Taaffe having within near upon 2500 Souldiers desirous to fight After that the Enemy made a Bridge over the River of Rosse a wonder to all men but understood by no man without any lett or interruption our Army lying within 7 or 8 miles to the place where Two hundred Musqueteers at Rosse Bercken being timely ordered had interrupted this stupendious Bridge and made the Enemy weary of the Town Carrick being betrayed by the Protestant Ward there our Army afterwards appearing before the place the Souldiers were commanded to fight against Walls and armed Men without Guns Ladders Petards Shovels Spades Pick-axes or other necessary materials being killed upon the place 500 Souldiers valiantly fighting Yet near Thomas-town our Souldiers being of tryed Foot two to one and well resolved were forbidden to fight in the open Field having advantage of ground against the Enemy to the utter disheartning of the Souldiers and People After this the Enemy came like a Deluge upon Callan Fethard Cashell and other Corporations within the Province of Leinster and Munster and the Countrey about rendred Tributary Then followed the taking of Leighlin and Kilkenny then that of Clonmel where the Enemy met with gallantry loss and resistance Lastly Tecroghan and Catherlagh two great Pillars of Leinster shaken down that of Tecroghan to speak nothing for the present of other places was given up by orders VVaterford blocked is in a sad condition Duncannon the Key of the Kingdom unrelieved since the first of December is like to be given up and lost ANSWER For the improvidence of the conduct of the Army VVe shall only answer That it was as provident as VVe had means and skill to conduct it And for the misfortune VVe ascribe that to the good pleasure and justice of God But how far forth the disaster at Rathmines was shameful beyond any thing that ever hapned in the Christianity as they express themselves VVe refer you to the relation of what VVe have said upon that Subject in Our Answer thereunto in what concerns the same in the pretended Grievances and to the testimony of divers now there that were upon the place with Us. The Article of those Grievances and Our Answer are as followeth Article viz. the ...... of the pretended Grievances That the defeat of Rathmines given by the Rebels to His Majesties Army being far more numerous than the Rebels is by the People generally ascribed to the faithlessness ignorance and Cowardize of some of tht Officers of His Majesties said Army and that the People are the rather induced to believe the same sithence no search or inquiry was made by Court or Council of War of the deport of the said Officers of His Majesties said Army in their respective duties at Rathmines aforesaid Answer viz. To this Article of the said Grievances Concerning the defeat at Rathmines It is with that as with all misfortunes of that nature in VVar every man at his pleasure making himself Judge of the causes of them and many times without looking into or having knowledge of the true condition of the beaten Party deliver their judgments upon mistaken grounds and for the most part are guided by their passions either of Envy or Self-conceit of their own abilities to judge superciliously or maliciously of those actions whereunto they are willing strangers And this being a disadvantage whereunto all Commanders have been and ever will be subject VVe have no reason to expect an exemption from it and might therefore pass by this Grievance reserving Our Self for an accompt of Our actions till it were required from Us by him to whom only in this case VVe are obliged to render one But such is Our desire to satisfie those that are faithful to the Cause VVe have laboured in and may have been stumbled at that chance of VVar that VVe shall give them the reason and grounds of Our undertaking and of the supposed omission recited in what remains of these Grievances And first it is necessary it should be understood That a little before the time of that defeat the condition of affairs in this Kingdom stood thus The Province of Leinster Munster and Connaught were entirely reduced to His Majesties obedience except the City of Dublin and Ballysonnan which was block't up with a small number of Our men But in Vlster the Rebels there by the assistance of Owen O Neil and the interruption given to the Lord Viscount Mountgomery by the Scottish Clergy had raised the Siege of Londonderry and were become Masters of the Field About the same time also VVe had certain intelligence That Cromwel with a very strong Army a vast Sum of money and great plenty of all Provisions was ready shipt for this Kingdom And it was from good hands intimated unto Us That he purposed his descent in Munster and that he had there intelligence with some Governour of the Sea-Ports there Hereupon it was taken into consideration at a Council of VVar whether the blocking up of Dublin should be continued or whether VVe should not retire from thence to Drogheda Trym and the Garrisons adjacent and prepare Our Self for securing of Munster and making a defensive or offensive VVar as occasion should afterwards be offered And of this opinion VVe were the rather that it was there also concluded That the Lord President of Munster with a good Party of Our best Horse should go into Munster to secure it and that the very day VVe rose from Finglasse and marched to Rathmines Reynolds landed with 600 Horse and 1500 Foot Hereunto it was strongly objected That if VVe sent away Our heavy Cannon which VVe proposed should be done the more to facilitate an orderly Retreat the People would despair of the taking of Dublin That they would accompt all that was done as good as nothing unless that City were reduced That they would not consider that the City was to be reduced by distressing it by blocking up which might have securely been done the way VVe proposed but taking the matter to be given over and consequently despairing of the ease they expected by the total reduction of the Kingdom would grow more and more backward in their contribution and perhaps be seduced to a conjunction with Owen O Neil and a rejection of the Peace and His Majesties authority thereby established over them which even then We found was though underhand privately and under other pretences aimed at by some that since have taken advantage of the time to declare themselves without disguise It was also objected That unless Dublin were reduced before Cromwels landing with the Force and Treasure We were sure he had in readiness at the Water-side that
the People should be deprived of the King's authority and the benefit of the Articles of Peace is apparent by this Declaration and Excommunication wherein they direct the People to return to their Association which is inconsistent with both and by the Answer of the Bishops at Galway to the Commissioners whereof We shall have occasion to speak hereafter And where they charge Us with Envy to the Nation for doing Our Duty to the King VVe hope to have given such proof of the contrary as hath satisfied the most interested men in the Nation And VVe conceive We could not have manifested Our affection to it by a more signal instance than by offering to leave His Majesties authority in the person of the Lord Marquess of Clanrickard and to withdraw Our Self to sollicite for Supplies when it was most probable they might be got finding that Our being a Protestant gave these Declarers some advantage to withdraw the People from their obedience to Us. Twelfth Article of the Declaration That his Excellency and the Lord Inchiquin when Enemies to the Catholicks being very active in unnatural execution against us and shedding the blood of poor Priests and Churchmen have shewed little of action since this Peace but for many months kept themselves in Connaught and Thomond where no danger or the Enemy appeared spending â—heir time as most men observed in Play Pleasure and great merriment while the other parts of the Kingdom were bleeding under the Sword of the Enemy This was no great argument of sense or grief in them to see a Kingdom lost to His Majesty ANSWER We are not willing to look back so far as to the time when by His Majesties Command and Commission We bore Arms in the War against the Confederates but must justifie Our Self That We were never active in unnatural execution against them but have many times suffered much Calumny for Our desire of preserving many of them that fell into Our hands as some in that Assembly can witness who were by Our means preserved and if they think fit may testifie as much But if the Declarers oppose Our being active then to Our unactivity this last Summer as an argument of Our want of desire to oppose the Enemy We answer That in the time they mention We had free Election of Officers the absolute power of Dublin and other Garrisons where We caused the Souldiers to be continually exercised their Arms kept in order and could in a short time when We pleased have drawn the Army together and marched with it where We pleased Advantages which rendred the Victories We gained full as easie as those gotten by the Enemy against Us have been upon the like advantage on their part It is true That all this last Summer We and the Lord Inchiquin have continued in Connaught and Thomond where there was no Enemy But it is also true That We were not suffered to have the means of preparing an Army fit to seek or oppose an Enemy as We have set down in Our Letter of the second of August to the Bishops at Jamestown recited formerly upon another occasion And since they here mention the Lord Inchiquin with Us We think fit to mind divers in that Assembly to whom it is well known that many of the Bishops did long since upon several occasions declare That all their suspition and the suspition the People held of Us was by reason of the power the Lord Inchiquin had with Us. And that during his continuance in employment or the continuance of any of his Party in the Army it was not possible for them to remove that suspition out of the minds of the People But that if his Lordship were once out of Command and his Party removed they doubted not full and chearful obedience would be given Us. Hereupon his Lordship voluntarily withdrew himself from having to do with the conduct of the Army yet is he by these men charged for want of activity When his Lordship had thus waved his employment and his Party were gone off and that they had wrought the like distrust of the remainder of the Party that came off to Us from Dublin and other parts so that now We were forced likewise to send them away then they judged it a fit time for them to declare also against Us. Then divers Bishops and other Churchmen changed their note and dealt underhand with the Lord Inchiquin to stay in the Kingdom though We should go saying That the distrust and dislike of the People was only against Vs and not against him Then they fell first to call their meeting at Jamestown and then to publish this Declaration from which they were with-held for fear all the time the foresaid Parties were with Us. This We suspected would be the issue of their working away the Protestant Party and of all their promises Yet to leave them wholly without excuse and to satisfie some that believed better of them We consented to part with those men of whose courage and fidelity to His Majesty and affection to Us We had good experience and cast Our Self wholly upon the assurances these Bishops and others had so often and so solemnly made to Us of giving Us and procuring for Us all possible compliance and obedience the result whereof appears in their Declaration Yet it is very well known That whenever the Enemy drew towards the Shannon side We drew together all the men We could to the defence of the passages which otherwise the Enemy had gained And whatever Our play and merriment was We had certainly as great cause to grieve at the loss of a Kingdom to His Majesty as these Declarers who have not carried themselves so towards him as to expect a greater proportion of His favour than We. Thirteenth Article of the Declaration That his Excellency when prospering put no trust of places taken in into the hands of Catholicks as that of Drogheda Dundalk Trym c. and by this his diffidence in Catholicks and by other his actions and expressions the Catholick Army had no heart to fight or to be under his Command and feared greatly if he had mastered the Enemy and with them the Commissioners of Trust or the greater part of them and many Thousands of the Kingdom also feared he would have brought the Catholick Subjects and their Religion to the old slavery ANSWER In answer to this Article VVe say that Drogheda was put into the hands and trust of Sir Arthur Ashton a Roman-Catholick and that of the Souldiers and Officers of that Garrison the greater part were of that Religion That for Trym it was governed by Mr. Daniel O Neil who though a Protestant was yet a Native of this Kingdom and one that had manifested great affection to the Nation That the greater part of the Officers and Souldiers with him were Roman-Catholicks and that the Lord Viscount Dillon a Roman-Catholick had Command over the said Daniel O Neil For Dundalk it is known that place was given up
the Kingdom and no demonstration could be made how the Kingdom could be preserved under Our Government that then the said Declaration should be published It is further expressed in the said Order That VVe being sollicited to the effect aforesaid with urgent reasons absolutely denied to consent thereunto and that VVe neither did nor could demonstrate unto them any way of preserving the remainder of the Kingdom under Our Government and therefore according to the Trust reposed in them by the said Congregation they did publish the said Declaration denouncing to all Archbishops Bishops c. This is all VVe observe in this Order of Publication more than is contained in the Declaration at Jamestown VVhat We have to answer in this Order for Publication is briefly this They held it fit VVe should quit the Kingdom and depute the King's Authority with some person or persons of Trust that is pleasing to them We refuse so to do upon their advice giving them some reasons why We refuse and promising them more if they would at a free Conference hear them For not following this advice without refuting the Reasons We gave for Our not going and without hearing or so much as asking what other reasons those were which We were unwilling to write and yet would tell them at a free Conference by which caution they might imagine they were of moment they proceded to their Declaration and Excommunication Here though We have formerly touched it let it be observed That having several times and upon several occasions offered to leave the Kingdom and to depute the Kings authority not to disparage the Nation with the onely person in all respects fit for it and a Roman-Catholick This was not accepted of but We are made believe the Lord of Inchiquin being removed from any charge of the Army and the Protestant Party gone there remained no further distrust or dislike of Us and that then all obedience would be given Us. All this and whatever else they advised being done on Our part Our Frigat which lay in Ire-Connaught whence We might have securely gone being sent away and the Harbours blocked up by the Rebels ships they impose upon Us to effect an impossibility namely to go out of the Kingdom without means of Transportation or else as far in them lies We are rendred infamous throughout the world and to all Ages by their defamatory Libel Whatever Our demerit had been and if We were the faithless the negligent the every way unworthy person they have described Us to be certainly they cannot free themselves from the guilt of so mean and base a Treachery Let it be next considered That if when a company of Bishops or a Congregation of Archbishops Bishops c have a mind to set up themselves or any others as Governours over the Kingdom and this power they assume at least in the interval of Assemblies and have now twice practised it and the Governour appointed by Royal Authority or when that is absent which should never be supposed by a just Representative of the Nation will not give them room by quitting the Government he is placed in at their desire without direction from the Power whence he derives his Authority or without unavoidable necessity inforcing him if We say for his not doing a thing so contrary to the Trust reposed in him to the sense of those intrusted by the People as the Commissioners of Trust were and contrary to the sense of the most interested persons of the Kingdom the foresaid company of Bishops or Congregation may therefore with impunity deliver all men to Satan that shall feed help or adhere to him it is in this case easie to discover that Bishops or a Congregation thus doing do aim at and will if so permitted easily compass the Supreme Temporal Power If it be said They only do it upon evident necessity for the preservation of the People in apparent hazard of being lost and that in this case only of so absolute necessity they pretend to such power and when informed or convinced will lay it down to the King or Assembly We believe no King or State careful of their own preservation will allow they have this power even in this case For instance if the Bishops or Congregation of both Clergies of the Kingdom of Naples or of any Signiory under the State of Venice should pretend to a power upon any necessity whatsoever whereof the said Bishops and Congregation to be Judges of discharging the Subjects of the King of Spain from obeying the Vice-Roy of Naples or the Subjects of any Signiory under the State of Venice from obeying the Governour of any such Signiory appointed by the State directing them in the mean time to observe and obey such Form of Government as the said Congregation should prescribe till it should be otherwise ordered by the said King or State VVe suppose it would not pass for Orthodox Doctrine in that Roman-Catholick Kingdom or State That a Congregation is qualified with such power Nor would the necessity of their so doing nor yet the sanctity of their function or persons protect them from severe punishment That Our Kings Prerogative in that particular is as great in this Kingdom as the King of Spains in Naples or that of the State of Venice in any Signiory of theirs it is Treason to deny as it is to affirm That in this particular such a Congregation here hath more authority than a like Congregation in that Kingdom or State But these men have not only in this case exceeded whatever at any time or in any place was pretended to by any of their Function but had less ground if less might be for such a pretension than any others For here in a solemn Assembly of the Nation a Peace was concluded most of the Bishops signing this Declaration were actually there consenting to the Peace and all the Congregation either at or after the conclusion of the Peace subscribed to it So that by the general consent of the Congregation first or last Thomas Lord Viscount Dillon Donnogh Lord Viscount Muskery c were to look to the performance of the Articles of Peace and thereby had greater pretence to be proper Judges of the violation of the said Articles than this Congregation Yet without consulting them they publish this Declaration and fulminate their Excommunication against any that should adhere to Us among other things for pretended violations of the Peace and would not by the said Commissioners be persuaded to retract it VVhere they say We neither did nor could demonstrate unto them any way of preserving the remainder of the Kingdom under Our Government it was a question never asked of Us either by the Bishop of Dromore and Dr. Charles Kelly who brought Us the message or by the Bishops of Cork and Clonfert that were sent to Us for Our Answer or indeed by any other If such a question had been moved to Us VVe should doubtless have answered That the most probable
find no succour or countenance from any Catholick Prince of the Church or Laity he governing but reproach and disgrace Answer We believe that no Prince or State that could not be induced to succour or countenance this Nation being under obedience to their natural King will succour or countenance it if it suffer it self to be seduced into Rebellion upon the motives suggested by these men and their Brethren which were to give evil example to their own Subjects and hazard the quiet of their Kingdoms or States Sixth Reason That the Souldiers by the ill success of his conduct have not the heart to fight under him and so we shall be lost if we come to fighting Seventh Reason We find the People generally in great fear to be lost under his Government and are of opinion That the greater part of the People will agree with the Parliament if the Authority were continued in him despairing of defence under him Answer To these We have answered elsewhere * * From page 109. to page 115. in this Discourse Eighth Reason That we declared against him having the King's Authority out of no spleen or malice against his person so save us God but for the fear we had upon good deliberation of the utter ruine and destruction of the Nation under his Government and that now finding no reasons or wayes of preservation by him we may not with reason be induced to alter our opinion especially the Kings authority being not in him Answer We cannot sufficiently wonder That men having no spleen or malice to our person have yet been so Transported by their desire to have a Governour to their mind as to asperse us with so many untruths as they have been detected of in this Discourse Or why if their charity be such as they speak of they chose not rather to deal freely with Us in private when VVe so often provoked them to it than to join with others to keep Us here against Our inclination as if it were on purpose to send Us away irrecoverably blasted in Honour and Reputation by their publick Declaration Ninth Reason That those two considerable Corporations remaining are at great distance with his Excellency for giving Commissions to take away their Goods and other Reasons and are thought to be resolved not to submit to him though they resolve to appear as in their intentions and actions they conceive they are faithful to the Crown and to the Kings authority obedient if placed in another person Answer As to the Commissions here mentioned to be given by Us against Lymerick the many provocations disobediences affronts and challenges of dues by the Commissioners applotted on them required much more at Our hands than VVe did VVhich you will find by the ensuing Discourse though therein VVe are necessitated to re-assume in part what VVe formerly said of the demeanour of that City That VVe having for a long time observed the great disadvantage His Majesties service in the conduct of the VVar hath been subject unto for want of Garrisoning the Army in the principal Cities and Towns of this Kingdom whereby the Army could not but be undisciplin'd and unfit for action the Countrey where VVe have been forced to quarter them at large burthened and destroyed and the said Cities and Towns on the defence whereof depended the preservation of the Kingdom with the lives liberties and fortunes of all His Majesties good Subjects therein in apparent hazard of being lost upon the approach of an Enemy as by sad experience hath been verified in the loss of some places of importance for the want of the seasonable admitting into them of fitting Governours and Garrison Souldiers VVe did on the 14th of January last propose unto the Commissioners authorized by Us in pursuance of the Articles of Peace That then immediately Lymerick and other places should be strongly Garrison'd and Fortifi'd and in pursuance of the said Articles VVe offer'd unto them the names of three persons of the Roman-Catholick Religion that out of them they might choose one for the Command of Lymerick But the Plague increasing at Kilkenny together with the necessity of dissolving the meeting then there and for other important Reasons the Election of a Governour of the said City of Lymerick was deferred to the end that at Our coming thither VVe might in the manner prescribed by the Articles of Peace make choice of such a Person and Garrison as might be at once fit for so important a Charge and beyond all possibility of being lyable to just Exception from that Corporation We leave it to the Commissioners and others that then attended Us to witness what pains We there took to satisfie those of that City in the necessity of their speedy receiving a Governour and Garrison in relation to all the interests that can be of value with any people what Our patience was in passing by many disrespects and marks of an unworthy distrust put upon us there as particularly the Officer commanding the City Guards neither came to Us for orders nor imparted any to Us That no Officer of the Army nor any other person could without special leave and that hardly obtained from the Mayor be admitted to come to Us to receive Our commands and directions for resisting the Rebels than by this means prevailing in the County of Lymerick and other places and That the Lord Viscount Kilmallock a Peer of the Realm and an Officer of the Army was We being upon the place restrained of his liberty for no other reason than for quartering by Our orders for one Night some few Horse under his Command in the liberties of the City When thorough such their deportment We despaired of persuading them to the wayes leading to their proper safety and also judged it far beneath the honour of Our Master to remain any longer in a place where such Affronts were put upon His Authority intrusted with Us We determined to remove from thence to Loghreogh appointing the said Commissioners and as many of the Roman-Catholick Bishops as were within any convenient distance to meet Us there on the 19th of March Where being met We declared unto them the necessity of Garrisoning that City and gave them some notice of Our resentment of Our usage there yet sparingly in hope that by their means they might be brought to consent to what was so necessary for their own preservation and in time to a better understanding of their duty to His Majesties Authority Whereupon the said Commissioners by two of their number directed very pressing and rational Letters to that Corporation to the effect proposed by Us offering to them their choice of five persons for the Martial Government of that City all of the Roman-Catholick Religion of considerable interest in the Kingdom and of unblemished Reputation And the Bishops do affirm That they accompanied those Letters with others from themselves persuading that obedience should be given to what was required by Us with the advice and consent of