not prevayling therein with your Majesty as they expected have by their Letters and instruments labored with many leading Members of the Parliament there to give stop and interruption thereunto and likewise transmitted unto your Majesty and some of the state of England sundry misconstructions and misrepresentations of the proceedings and actions of your Parliament of this your Kingdom and thereby endeavoured to possesse your Majesty of an evill opinion thereof and that the said Parliament had no power of Iudicature in Capitall causes which is an essentiall part of Parliament thereby ayming at the impunity of some of them and others who were then impeached of high Treason and at the destruction of this Parliament But the said Lords-Iustices and privy counsell observing that no art or practise of theirs could be powerfull to withdraw your Majesties grace and good intentions from this people and that the redresse granted of some principall grievances was to be passed as Acts in Parliament The said Lords Iustices and their adherents with the height of malice envying the good union long before setled and continued between the Members of the house of Commons and their good correspondency with the Lords left nothing unattempted which might raise discord and disunion in the said house and by some of themselves and some instruments of theirs in the said Commons house private meetings of great numbers of the said house were appointed of purpose to raise distinction of Nation and Religion by meanes whereof a faction was made there which tended much to the disquiet of the house and disturbance of your Majesties and the publicke service And after certaine knowledge that the said Committees were by the waterside in England with sundry important and beneficiall Bills and other graces to be passed as Acts in that Parliament of purpose to prevent the same the said faction by the practise of the said Lords-Iustices and some of the said privy Counsell and their adherents in tumultuous and disorderly manner on the seventh of August 1641. and on severall dayes before cryed for an adjournment of the house and being over-voted by the voyces of the more moderate part the said Lords-Iustices and their adherents told severall honorable Peeres that if they did not adjourne the Lords house on that day being Saturday that they would themselves prorogue or adjourne the Parliament on the next Monday following by meanes whereof and of great numbers of proxies of Noblemen not estated nor at any time resident in this Kingdom which is destructive to the liberty and freedome of Parliament here the Lords house was on the said seventh day of August adjourned and the house of Commons by occasion thereof and of the faction aforesaid adjourned soone after by which meanes those Bills and graces according your Majesties intention and the great expectation and the longing desires of your people could not then passe as Acts of Parliament Within a few dayes after this fatall and inforced adjournment the said Committees arrived at Dublin with their dispatch from your Majesty and presented the same to the said Lords-Iustices and Councell expressing a right sense of the said adjournment and besought their Lordships for the satisfaction of the people to require short heads of that part of the dispatch wherein your Majesty did appeare in the best manner unto your people might be suddainly conveyed unto all the parts of the Kingdom attested by the said Lords-Iustices to prevent dispayre or misunderstanding this was promised to be done and an instrument drawn and presented unto them for this purpose and yet as it seemes desiring rather to adde fuell to the fire of the subjects discontent than quench the same they did forbeare to give any notice thereof to the people 8 After this certain dangerous and pernicious petitions contrived by the advice and Counsell of the said Sir William Parsons Sir Adam Loftus Sir Iohn Clotworthy knights Arthur Hill Esquier and sundry others of the malignant party and signed by many thousands of the malignant party in the City of Dublin in the province of Vlster and in sundry other parts in this kingdom directed to the Commons house in England were at publick Assizes and other publick places ' made known and read to many persons of quality in this kingdom which petitions contayned matters destructive to the said Catholicks their Religion lives and estates and were the more to be feared by reason of the active power of the said Sir Iohn Clotworthy in the Commons house in England in opposition to your Majesty and his barbarous and inhumane expressions in that house against Catholick Religion and the professors thereof Soon after an order conceived in the Commons house of England that no man should bow unto the name of IESVS at the sacred sound whereof all knees should bend came to the knowledge of the said Catholicks and that the said malignant party did contrive and plot to extinguish their Religion and Nation hence it did arise that some of the said Catholicks begun to consider the deplorable and desperate condition they were in by a Statute Law here found among the records of this kingdom of the second yeare of the raigne of the late Queen Elizabeth but never executed in her time nor discovered till most of the Members of that Parliament were dead no Catholick of this kingdom could injoy his life estate or libertie if the said statute were executed whereunto no impediment remained but your Majesties prerogative and power which were indeavoured to be clipped or taken away as is before rehearsed then the plot of destruction by any Army out of Scotland and another of the malignant party in England must be executed the feares of those twofold destructions and their ardent desire to maintain that just prerogative which might encounter and remove it did necessitate some Catholicks in the North about the two and twentieth of October 1641. to take Armes in maintenance of their Religion your Maiesties rights and the preservation of life estate and liberty and immediately thereupon tooke a solemne Oath and sent severall Declarations to the Lords-Iustices and Counsell to that effect and humbly desired they might be heard in Parliament unto the determination whereof they were ready to submit themselves and their demands which Declarations being received were slighted by the said Lords-Iustices who with the swaying part of the said Counsell and by the advice of the said two impeached Iudges glad of any occasion to put off the Parliament which by the former adjournment was to meet soon after caused a Proclamation to be published on the three and twentieth of the said Moneth of October 1641. therein accusing all the Catholicks of Ireland of disloyalty and therby declaring that the Parliament was prorogued untill the six and twentieth of February following within a few dayes after the said three and twentieth day of October 1641. many Lords and other persons of rank and quality made their humble addresse to the Lords-Iustices and counsel made
from the Lords Justices Notification to be given to the Countrey of your Majesties goodnesse and bounty intended and shewed to the people which might have tended to their great satisfaction Whereas the Lords Justices never denyed them any such thing But De facto did forthwith write to all the Ports in the Kingdome with briefes of those graces concerning matters of Customes which that season most required Commanding the Officers punctually to obey those his Majesties directions They also published Proclamations for the sending away of Wooll and what Customes was to be paid for the same And sent severall Letters to all the Ports of the Kingdome to publish the same And sent warrants for free entries of all Tobacco brought in or to be brought in at all the Ports and what Custome to be paid They gave order for drawing a Bill for repeale of the preamble of the Act of Subsidies They also desired Sir Iames Montgomerie and Sir William Cole two of the Committee then returned if they could overtake the Assises in the Counties of Vlster to give publicke notice to all the undertakers what your Majestie had graciously granted and intended to them which they undertook to doe They had formerly sent over the Bill for the generall pardon which was all that for that short time could be done specially the Terme and the next Session being so neere aswell for passing the Acts then newly come over as upon deliberate consultation in the meane time to prepare for an orderly execution and publication of the rest of those graces Most of the rest of the graces being to be executed there in Dublin and in the Courts The Committee also and the few others of the Members of the House remaining then in Dublin being very urgent to goe to their houses which they suddenly did But it appeared soone after that those Remonstrants and their party had other intentions and determined to be their owne carvers aswell of your Majesties Rents and Subsidies then in the Collectors hands as of all the goods substance and estates of your Majesties Brittish and Protestant subjects which intenon they within a few dayes after fully put in practise As to the prodigious tale mentioned in the eight Article of dangerous 8. Article and pernitious Petitions to the Parliament in England pretended to be contrived by the foure persons named in this Article and signed by many thousands of a malignant party which Petitions they say were made knowne at Assizes and other publicke places containing as they pretend matters destructive to the Catholiques their Religion lives and estates This allegation exceeds all the rest in malice and untruth and certainly if ever there were such a Petition as there was not it is wonderfull being signed as they say it was by many thousands that to this houre no Copy thereof can be shewed by any But these Remonstrants care not what detractions how untrue and improbable soever they print or publish against those they hate for the truth is those foure persons never contrived or advised joyntly or severally and such Petitions or indeed any Petitions to that Parliament But to open this Trojane Hourse the truth is That about the thirteenth of August 1641. The Lords Justices and Counsell having intelligence out of the County of Tyrone that a Petition to the Parliament of England framed as it after appeared by some Protestants in Dublin was carried up and downe in those parts to gather hands their Lordship 's not knowing what it was and doubting it might be some such thing that might breed distemper in those Inhabitants Did by their Letter dated the said thirteenth of the same August pray and require the Lord Bishop of Clogher to take that Petition and carry it to the Justices of Assize then in the Countrey and to wish them to proceed thereupon as they should thinke fit according to law And after the Assizes ended to send it up to the Lords Justices and Counsell All which was done and the Petition then sent up and ever since remaines in the hands of the Clerkes of the Counsell Now lately in the yeare 1643. it was discovered to the Commissioners for Ecclesiasticicall causes That one Partington of Dublin had a Petition framed in the name of severall Inhabitants in and about the Citie of Dublin and some few parishes within the Diocesse of Laughlyn whereupon he being cited and examined produced the draught of that Petition which upon view appeared to be the same in substance with that which remaineth in the Clearke of the Counsells hands which Petition contained no matter destructive to the said Catholiques their Religion lives or estates but doth rather lay accusations of some disorders and remissnes in the Protestant Clergie as appeares by the Copie of the said Petition which followeth in these words To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament assembled in England The humble Petition of severall the Protestants inhabiting and now residing in and about the City of Dublin and in some few Parishes within the Diocesse of Laughlin and Fearnes in the Realme of Ireland In all humblenesse sheweth THat whereas the Protestant Religion was generally received in the said Realme of Ireland in the beginning of the raigne of our late Soveraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie as by severall good Lawes and Statutes then made and established by Parliament for restoring the Crowne to the Antient Iurisdiction over the estate Ecclesiasticall and Spirituall for abolishing all Forraigne power and authoritie out of the said Realme and for uniformity of Prayer and administration of the Sacraments within the said Kingdome may appeare By which Lawes all Ecclesiasticall persons and Officers Iudges Iustices Mayors and temporall Officers are enjoyned to take the Oath of Supremacie and all persons mhatsoever required on Sundayes and Holidayes to repaire to Church upon the severall paynes therein limited and expressed And whereas ever since the making of the said Statutes it hath beene the care of our dread Soveraigne the constant Defender of the Faith and his most noble Predecessors tohave his people governed according to those and other the laudable Lawes of England and Ireland And whereas both the Protestants Clergie and Laitie have heretofore contributed to his Majesties occasions towards the free Gifts of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds and likewise by an other gift of one hundred and twenty thousand pounds more during the Government of the Lord Viscount Fauckland as largely as the Papists and after in or about the next ensuing Government of Lords Iustices to the Gift of forty thousand ounds and the Protestant Laytie likewise contributed to the six intire Subsidies in the tenth yeare of his Majesties reigne which Subsidies in the Collection amounted to two hundred and fiftie thousand pounds besides the eight intire Subsidies of foure shillings in the pound granted to his Majestie the same yeare by the Protestant Clergie In all which payments as in all other publike charges
punishment even to the losse of life liberty and estate all such as shall either by force practise Counsells Plots Conspiracies or otherwise doe or attempt any thing to the contrary of any Article clause or any thing in this present vow Oath and Protestation contained So help me God AND as for the place of holding the Parliament your Majesties Protestant Subjects cannot imagine why the Remonstrants should desire any other place then Dublin it being the place of the residence of the State unlesse those Remonstrants would draw your Majesties Governours and the remainder of your Majesties Protestant Subjects into some remote place where they might inforce them to comply with them in their desires And your Majesties Protestant Subjects doe conceive that this present Parliament is continued before a person of honour and fortune And by the repealing or suspending of Poyings Law it plainly appeares that the Remonstrants desire to bereave your Majestie of the advice of your Privie Councels both of England and Ireland It is not agreeable to reason that your Majesty who is the head should not be acquainted with the making of those Lawes which perhaps may bind your Majestie and Posterity your Prerogatives and Revenues yea perhaps alter the whole frame of that your Government If this Law be suspended they may repeale the Statute made in the second of Queene Elizabeth for restitution of Jurisdictions of the Crowne in causes Ecclesiasticall and the abolishing the Popes usurped Jurisdictions out of that Kingdome and all Lawes which doe concerne the worship of God or the jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall whereby your Majesty will lose above the one moyty of your Regall Authority and God be bereaved of his honour and all good people be enforced to forsake that Kingdome It being most unreasonable at this time for that would make themselves their owne Judges and they being the parties criminous should not onely have the power of their owne acquitall in their owne hands but also of the condemnation of your Majesties British and Protestant Subjects who persecuted them for their disloyalty against your Majestie It is also dangerous for that the Remonstrants have erected that Idoll of popular Government We meane their Councels called the supreame Councels Provinciall Councels and County Councels and all other their usurped judicatures both by Sea and Land which if they should settle by Parliament they would thereby give countenance to their past actions and for ever exclude the honourable and just Lawes of England which for these 400. yeares have governed that people Also your Majestie is already intituled to a great part of that Kingdome by Attainder of many of the Remonstrants in this Rebellion which by this meanes they will be sure to deprive your Majestie of And so to disable your Majestie to raise any yearely Revenue out of their lands or to make your Majesties Protestant Subjects any satisfaction for their losses thereout This Statute was held so sacred and inviolable that notwithstanding that the Committee from the Parliament made suite to your Majesty that an Act might passe for the further explanation of the same Statute which your Majesty upon mature deliberation did not think fit to give way unto And for the suspension made in the 11 year of Queen Elizabeth It was with those cautions and restrictions as can neither give expedition to the present affaires or be applyed to these times or occasions And your Majesties Protestant Subjects doe humbly crave leave to informe your Majesty that whereas by the late Articles of Cessation of Armes in Ireland It was amongst other things agreed That your Majesties Protestant Subjects and their adherents should injoy all their severall possessions and quarters as they stood the 15 of September 1643. at twelve of the clocke of the said day without interruption of the said Confederate Roman Catholickes and their adherents And that restitution should be made of any things taken after the said time as may appeare by the said Articles yet the said Confederate Roman Catholickes have since the said 15 of the said September as well by fraud as by force of Arms taken from divers of your Majesties Protestant Subjects several holds and places of strength and divers lands and goods amounting to a very great value and refuse to make restitution of the same and have burnt and wasted many places to the ruine of divers Families and to the great terrour of your Majesties said Protestant Subjects And whereas also upon the Conclusion of the said Cessation it was agreed by the said Lord Viscount Muskery and others on the behalfe of the said Confederate Roman Catholickes that thirty thousand pounds should be paid by them at certaine dayes agreed upon which was intended and declared should be imployed to the maintenance of your Majesties Army then much distressed for want of meanes yet neverthelesse although the times are long since expired that the most part of the thirty thousand pounds should have been paid the far greatest part thereof is detained and what was paid was paid so unseasonably as that your Majesties Army that relyed thereupon have been reduced to very great extremities and your Majesties Protestant Subjects forced to pay taxes and contributions towards their reliefe farre above their ability which failer of payment by the Remonstrants your Majesties Revenues being in the hands of the confederate Roman Catholikes necessitated the souldiers to pillage and plunder thousands of your Majesties good Subjects to their utter ruine and destruction in manifest breach of their undertakings and to the great disservice of your Majestie And by these former and continued evill actions knowne untruthes and scandalous aspersions cast on your Majestie and your Royall government and Protestant Subjects of that Kingdome in their said Remonstrance all men may judge that they intend nothing but the absolute extirpation of your Majesties English government and Protestant Subjects there All which your Majesties Protestant Subjects doe most humbly desire may be redrest by your Sacred Majestie for the continuation of your Majesties English Governours and government in that Kingdome and for the encouragement of your Majesties loyall and obedient Protestant Subjects A TRVE NARRATION OF ALL The Passages concerning the Petition of the Protestants of Ireland presented to his Majesty at Oxford the eighteenth day of Aprill 1644. Together with The Reasons inducing the said Protestants to Petition the proceedings and successes thereof in Ireland and afterwards in England from the beginning untill the Protestant Agents were dismissed by His Majesty from Oxford the thirtieth day of May 1644. Collected in obedience to the Order and Command of the Honourable House of Commons of the Parliament of England for the manifestation of the Truth the vindication of the Protestants the satisfaction of the Well-affected and prevention of the Popish party whose daily practice it is to represent untruths to the world and under specious shews to delude and blind the people ABout the sixt of October 1643. diverse of the Protestant
with instructions from His Majesties protestant subjects of Ireland and had exhibited a petition and propositions to his Majesty who had promised them a gracious hearing and that they heard that the Rebells Agents were somewhat neare a dispatch and therefore entreated them who as they understood were to be admitted to attend the Lords of the Committee for Irish affairs that afternoone that they would move their Lordship that the protestant Agents who had diver a things of great consequence to offer to their Lordships might be admitted to a full hearing before matters proceeded too farce His Majesty having promised them a gracious hearing and they having attempted many other meanes to obtaine the same and that their Lordships would admit the said protestants Agents to see a copy of what was moved by the rebells being also ready to deliver a Copy of the Protestants Agents propositions The next day Sir George Radcliff sent for the Protestant Agents and in the presence of Sir William Stewart and the rest of the Gentlemen aforenamed he told them that they had acquainted the Lords of the Committee with their desires and that their Lordships commanded them to returne this answer that their Lordships tooke it ill that the said Agents were so forward in prejudicating the Kings Justice and their Lordships and that they should be heard at large before any conclusion were and said further that themselves were thought too forward to present such a request but as to the Protestants Agents desire of having a coppy of the rebells propositions they received no answer The first of May the Protestant Agents were commanded to attend the said Committee for Irish affaires at the audit Chamber in Oxford which accordingly they did The Lords of the Committee then present being the Lord Cottington the Earle of Bristol the Earle of Portland the Lord George Dagby Sir Edward Nicholas Sir Iohn Culpepper and Sir Edward Hade At which time their Lordships caused to be read the Protestants Petition and their propositions presented to His Majesty and the Instructions from the Protestants of Ireland and the order of the Commons house of the Parliament of Ireland of the 17 of February 1643. Declaring the concurrence of that house to the said petition but the Collections made in answer of the Remonstrance of the Irish which would have disproved their untrue pretences was not read Then the E. of Bristol told the said Agents that both the King and themselves were sensible of the prejudicate opinion which the said Agents had of their Iustice by their pressures to be heard and by their beliefe of vulgar reports That the said Agents could not be more carefull of the Protestants and Protestant Religion then their Lordships were To which the said Agents answered that if they had erred in pressing to be heard it was but out of their zeale to the service and for the preservation of the remnant of the poore Protestants of Ireland who intrusted them and out of a desire that His Majesty and their Lordships might be rightly informed of the past sufferings and present deplorable condition of the Protestants there which the said Agents humbly desired might be no otherwise represented to his Majesty and that they might be admitted to the proofe of the particulars contained in the said Protestant Petition which they humbly conceived to be of greatest concernment to them in discharge of their trust whereupon the said Agents were bidden to withdraw and soone after were called in againe and commanded to subscribe the propositions which they had formerly presented to His Majesty and were that day read before their Lordships which they did and the same day they were appointe in the afternoone to attend the Lord Priimate the Lord Bishop of Downe Sir Geo. Radcliff and others and there Sir George Radcliff cold them that they were commanded by the Committee for Irish affaires to let them know how ill they tooke the height and unreasonablenesse of their said Propositions and to deliver them this ensuing message First that their Lordships did not think that the Propositions presented by the pretestant Agents to His Majesty and that morning read before their Lordships were the sence of the Protestants of Ireland Secondly That those Propositions were not agreeable to the Instructions given the said Agents by the protestants of Ireland Thirdly That as those Propositions were drawn they would lay a prejudice on His Majesty and His Ministers to posterity these remaining on record if a Treaty should go on and a peace follow which the Kings necessity did enforce and that the Lords of the Committee apprehended the said Agents did flatly oppose a peace with the Irish Fourthly That it would be impossible for the King to grant the Protestant Agents desires and grant a Peace to the Irish Fifthly That the Lords of the Committee desired the protestant Agents to propose a way to effect their desires either by force or treaty considering the condition of His Majesties affaires in England To which Message the Protestant Agents gave Answer to this effect TO the first that they humbly conceived that the Propositions which they had presented to his Majesty were the sense of the Protestants of Ireland To the second that the propositions were agreeable to the Instructions given to the said Agents by the protestants of Ireland and conduced to the well settlement of that Kingdome To the third that they had no thought to draw prejudice on His Majesty or their Lordships by putting in those propositions neither had they so soone put in propositions had not his Majesty by his Answer to the Protestant petition directed the same To the fourth the said Agents humbly conceived that they were imployed to make proofe of the effect of the protestants Petition to manifest the inhumane Cruelties of the Rebells and then to offer such things as they thought fit for the security of the protestants in their Religion lives liberties and fortunes That the said Protestants had no disaffection to peace so as punishment be inflicted according to law as in the propositions are expressed and that the said pretestants might be repaired for their great losses out of the estates of the rebells not formerly by any Acts of this present Parliament in England otherwise disposed of which the said Agents desired might be represented to his Majesty and the Lords of the Committee accordingly To the fifth that the said protestant Agents were strangers to his Majesties affaires in England and conceived that part more proper for the advice of his Councells then the said Agents and therefore desired to be excused from medling in the Treaty further then the manifesting of the truth of the protestant petition and proposing in the behalfe of the protestants according to the Instructions given them which the said Agents were ready to preforme whensoever they should be admitted thereunto And having read them before their Lordships c. Sir George Radcliff told the said Agents that while they continued so
Letters under his privie Signet for the passing and securing of the estates of his subjects here by Letters Patents under the great Seal and Letters Patents accordingly were thereof passed fines payed old rents increased and new rents reserved to the Crown And the said late King was further graciously pleased at severall times to send divers honorable persons of integrity knowledge and experience to examine the grievances of this kingdom and to settle and establish a course for redresse thereof And whereas your Majesty was graciously pleased in the fourth yeare of your raign to vouchsafe a favourable hearing to the grievances presented unto you by agents from this kingdom and thereupon did grant many graces and favours unto your subjects thereof for security of their estates and redresses or remove off those heavy pressures under which they have long groaned which acts of Iustice and grace extended to this people by your Majesty and your said Royall Father did afford them great content yet such was and is yet the immortall hatred of some of the said Ministers of Sate and especially of the said Sir William Parsons the said impeached Iudges and their adherents to any welfare and happinesse of this Nation and their ambition to make themselves still greater and richer by the totall ruine and extirpation of this people that under pretence of your Majesties service the publike faith involved in those grants was violated and the grace and goodnesse intended by two glorious Kings successively to a faithfull people made unprofitable 4 The illegall arbitrary and unlawfull proceedings of the said Sir William-Parsons and of the said impeached Iudges and their adherents and instruments in the Court of Wards and the many willfull erroneous decrees and Iudgements of that Court by which the heires of Catholick Noblemen and other Catholicks were most cruelly and tyranically dealt withall destroyed in their estates and bred in dissolution and ignorance their Parents debts unsatisfied their Sisters and younger brothers left wholy unprovided for the Ancient and appearing Tenures of Mesne Lords unregarded estates valued in Law and made for valuable considerations avoyded against Law and the whole Land filled up with the frequent swarmes of Escheators Feodaries Pursevants and others by authority of that Court. 5 The said Catholicks notwithstanding the heavy pressures before mentioned and other grievances in part represented to your Majesty by the late Committees of both houses of Parliament of this kingdom whereunto they humbly desire that relation be had and redresse obtayned therein did readily and without reluctation or repyning contribute to all the Subsidies Loanes and other extraordinary grants made to your Majesty in this kingdom since the begining of your Raign amounting unto well neer on Million of pounds over and above your Majesties Revenue both certain and casuall And although the said Catholicks were in Parliament and otherwise the most forward in granting the said sums and did bear nine parts of ten in the payments thereof yet such was the power of their adversaries and the advantage they gained by the opportunity of their continuall addresses to your Majesty to increase their reputation in getting in of those Moneys and their authority in the distribution thereof to your Majesties great disservice that they assumed to themselves to be procurers thereof and represented the said Catholicks as obstinate and refractary 6 The Army raised for your Majesties service here at the great charge of the kingdom was disbanded by the pressing importunity of the malignant party in England not giving way that your Majesty should take advice therein with the Parliament here alleadging the said Army was Popish and therefore not to be trusted And although the world could witnesse the unwarrantable and unexempled invasion made by the malignant party of the Parliament in England upon your Majesties Honour Rights Prerogatives and principall Flower of your Crown And that the said Sir William Parsons Sir Adam Loftus Knight your Majesties Vice-Treasurer of this kingdom and other their adherents did declare that an Army of ten Thousand Scots was to arrive in this kingdom to force the said Catholicks to change their Religion And that Ireland could never doe well without a Rebellion to the end the remain of the Natives thereof might be extirpated and wagers were laid at generall Assizes and publike meetings by some of them then and now imployed in places of great profit and trust in this kingdom that within one year no Catholick should be left in Ireland that they saw the ancient and unquestionable priviledges of the Parliament of Ireland unjustly and against Law incroached upon by the orders Acts and proceedings of both houses of Parliament in England in sending for and questioning to and in that Parliament the Members of the Parliament of this kingdom sitting the Parliament here And that by speeches and orders Printed by the authority of both houses in England it was declared that Ireland was bound by the Statutes made in England if named which is contrary to known truth and the Laws here setled for four hundred yeares and upwards And that the said Catholicks were throughly informed of the protestation made by both houses of Parliament of England against Catholicks and their intentions to traduce Laws for the extirpation of Catholick Religion in the three kingdoms and that they had certain notice of the cruell and bloudy execution of priests there only for being priests and that your Majesties mercy and power could not prevail with them to save the life of one condemned priest and that the Catholicks of England being of their own flesh and bloud must suffer or depart the Land and consequently others not of so neer a relation to them if bound by their Statutes and within their power These motives although very strong and powerfull to produce apprehensions and feares in the said Catholicks did not prevail with them to take defensive Armes much lesse offensive they still expecting that your Majesty in your high wisdom might be able in a short time to apply seasonable cures apt remedies unto those evils and innovations 7 That the Committees of the Lords and Commons of this Kingdome having attended your Majesty for the space of nine Moneths your Majesty was graciously pleased notwithstanding your then weighty and urgent affaires in England and Scotland to receive and very often with great patience to heare their grievances and many debates thereof at large during which debates the said Lords-Iustices and some of your privy Counsell of this Kingdom and their adherents by their malicious and untrue informations conveyed to some Ministers of state in England who since are declared of the malignant party and by the continuall solicitation of others of the said privy Counsell gone to England of purpose to crosse and give impediment unto the justice and grace your Majesty was inclined to afford to your subjects of this Realm did as much as in them lay hinder the obtaining of any redresse for the said grievances and
it evidently appear unto them that the said prorogation was against Law and humbly besought the Parliament might sit according to the former adiournment which was then the only expedient to compose or remove the then growing discontents and troubles of the land And the said Lords-Iustices and their party of the Counsell then well knowing that the Members of both houses throughout the kingdom a few in and about Dublin only excepted would stay from the meeting of both houses by reason of the said prorogation by proclamation two dayes before the time gave way the Parliament might sit but so limited that no Act of grace or any thing else for the peoples quiet or satisfaction might be propounded or passed and thereupon a few of the Lords and Commons appeared in the Parliament house who in their entrance at the Castle-bridge and gate and within the yard to the Parliament-house door and recesse from thence were invironed with a great number of Armed men with their match lighted and Muskets presented even to the breasts of the members of both houses none being admitted to bring one servant to attend him or any weapon about him within the Castle-bridge yet how thin soever the houses were or how much over-awed they both did supplicate the Lords-Iustices and Counsell that they might continue for a time together and expect the coming of the rest of both houses to the end they might quiet the troubles in full Parliament and that some Acts of security granted by your Maiesty and transmitted under the great Seale of England might passe to settle the minds of your Maiesties subiects To these requests so much conducing to your Maiesties service and the settlement of your people a flat denyall was given and the said Lords-Iustices and their party of the Counsell by their working with their party in both houses of Parliament being then very thin as aforesaid propounded an order should be conceived in Parliament that the said discontented Gentlemen took Arms in rebellious manner which was resented much by the best affected of both houses but being awed as aforesaid and credibly informed of some particular persons amongst them stood in opposition thereunto that the said Musquetiers were directed to shoot them at their going out of the Parliament house through which terrour way was given to that order Notwithstanding all the before mentioned provocations pressures and indignities the far greater and more considerable party of the Catholicks and all the Cities and Corporations of Ireland and whole provinces stood quiet in their houses whereupon the Lords-Iustices and their adherents well knowing that many powerfull Members of the Parliament of England stood in opposition to your Majesty made their principall application and addressed their dispatches full fraught with calumnies and false suggestions against the Catholicks of this kingdom to them and propounded unto them to send severall great forces to Conquer the kingdom those of the malignant party here were by them armed the Catholicks were not only denyed Arms but were disarmed even in the City of Dublin which in all successions of ages past continued as loyall to the Crown of England as any City or place whatsoever all other ancient and usuall Cities and Corporate Townes of the kingdom by means whereof principally the kingdom was preserved in former times were denyed arms for their money to defend themselves and expresse order given by the said Lords-Iustices to disarme all Catholicks in some of the said Cities and Towns others disfurnished were inhibited to provide Arms for their defence and the said Lords-Justices and Counsell having received an order of both houses of Parliament in England to publish a proclamation of pardon unto all those who were then in rebellion as they tearmed it in this kingdom if they did submit by a day to be limited The said Sir William Parsons contrary to this order so wrought with his party of the Counsell that a proclamation was published of pardon only in two Counties and a very short day prefixed and therein all free-holders were excepted through which every man saw that the estates of Catholicks were first aimed at and their lives next The said Lords-Iustices and their party having advanced their design thus far and not finding the successe answerable to their desires commanded Sir Charles Coot Knight and Baronet deceased to march to the County of Wickloe where he burnt killed and destroyed all in his way And in a most cruell manner man woman and child persons that had no appearing wills to doe hurt nor power to execute it soon after some foot-companies did march in the night by direction of the said Lords-Iustices and their said party to the Town of Sawntry in Fingall three miles off Dublin a Country that neither then nor for the space of four or five hundred yeares before did feel what troubles were or war meant but it was too sweet and too neare and therefore fit to be forced to armes in that town innocent husband-men some of them being Catholicks and some Protestants taken for Catholicks were murthered in their Inne and their heads carried triumphant into Dublin next morning complaint being made of this no redresse was obtained therein whereupon some Gentlemen of quality and others the inhabitants of the Country seeing what was then acted and what passed in the said last march towards the County of Wickloe and justly fearing to be all murthered forsook their houses and were constrained to stand together in their own defence though ill provided of Arms or Ammunition Hereupon a proclamation was agreed upon at the Counsell board on the thirteenth of December 1641. and not published or printed till the fifteenth of December by which the said Gentlemen and George King by name were required to come in by or upon the eighteenth of the said Moneth a safety was therein promised them On the same day another proclamation was published summoning the Lords dwelling in the English-pale near Dublin to a Grand-Counsell on the seventeeth of the said Moneth but the Lords-Justices and their party of the Counsell to take away all hope of Accommodation gave direction to the said Sir Charles Coote the said fifteenth day of the said Moneth of December to march to Clontarff being the house and Town of the said George King and two miles from Dublin to pillage burn kill and destroy all that there was to be found which direction was readily and particularly observed in manifest breach of publike faith by meanes whereof the meeting of the said Grand-Counsell was diverted the Lords not daring to come within the power of such notorious faith-breakers the consideration whereof and of other matters aforesaid made the Nobility and Gentry of the English-pale and other parts of the province of Leinster sensible of the present danger and put themselves in the best posture they could for their naturall defence and imployed Lieutenant Colonel Read to present their humble Remonstrance to your Sacred Majesty and to declare unto you the state
of their affaires and humbly to beseech relief and redresse therein the said Lieutenant Colonel though your Majesties servant and imployed in publike trust in which case the Law of Nations affords safety and protection was without regard to either not only stopped from proceeding in his imployment but also tortured on the racke at Dublin 10 The Lord-president of Munster by direction of the said Lords-Iustices that province being quiet with his accomplices burnt preyed and put to death Men Women and children without making any difference of quality condition age or sex in severall parts of that province The Catholicks Nobles and Gentlemen there mistrusted and threatned and others of inferior quality trusted and furnished with Armes and Ammunition The province of Connaght was used in the like measure whereupon most of the considerable Catholicks in both the said provinces were inforced without Arms or ammunition to looke after safety and to that end to stand on their defence still expecting your Maiesties pleasure and alwayes ready to obey your commands Now the plot of the said ministers of State and their adherents being very ripe applications were incessantly by them made to the malignant party in England to deprive this people of all hopes of your Majesties justice or mercy and to plant a perpetuall enmity between the English and Scottish Nation and your subjects of this kingdom 11 That whereas this your Maiesties kingdom of Ireland in all successions of ages since the raign of King Henry the second sometimes King of England Lord of Ireland had a Parliament of their own composed of Lords and Commons in the same manner and forme qualified with equall liberties powers priviledges and immunities with the Parliament of England and only dependant of the King and Crown of England and Ireland and for all that time no prevalent Record or authentick president can be found that any Statute made in England could or did bind this kingdom before the same were here established by Parliament yet upon untrue suggestions and informations given of your subiects of Ireland an act of Parliament intituled An Act for the speedy and effectuall reducing of the Rebells in his Maiesties kingdom of Ireland to their due obedience to his Maiesty and the Crown of England and another Act intituled An Act for adding unto explaining the said former Act was procured to be enacted in the said Parliament of England in the 18. yeare of your Maiesties raign by which Acts and other proclamations your Maiesties subiects unsummoned unheard were declared Rebels and two Millions and a halfe of Acres arrable meadow and profitable pasture within this kingdom were sold to undertakers for certain sums of money and the Edifices Loghes Woods Bogs wastes and their appurtenances were thereby mentioned to be granted and past gratis which Acts the said Catholicks doe conceive to have been forced upon your Maiesty and although voyd and uniust in themselves to all purposes yet continue matters of evill consequence and extreame preiudice to your Maiesty and totally destructive to this Nation The scope seeming to ayme at Rebels only and at the disposition of a certain quantity of Land but in effect and substance all the Lands in the kingdom by the words of the said Acts may be distributed in whose possession soever they were without respect to age condition or quality and all your Maiesties Tenures and the greatest part of your Maiesties standing Revenue in this kingdom taken away and by the said Act if it were of force all power of pardoning and of granting those Lands is taken from your Maiesty a president that no age can instance the like against this Act the said Catholicks do protest as an Act against the fundamentall Laws of this kingdom and as an Act destructive to your Maiesties right and prerogatives by colour whereof most of the forces sent hither to infest this kingdom by Sea and Land disavowed any authority form your Maiesty but doe depend upon the Parliament of England 12 All strangers and such as were not inhabitants of the city of Dublin being commanded by the said Lord-Iustices in and since the said Moneth of November 1641. to depart the said city were no sooner departed then they were by the direction of the said Lords-Iustices pillaged abroad their goods seized upon and confiscated in Dublin and they desiring to returne under the protection and safety of the state before their appearance in any action were denyed the same and divers other persons of ranke and quality by the said Lords-Iustices imployed in publick service and others keeping close within their doores without annoying any man or siding then with any of the said Catholicks in Arms and others in severall parts of the kingdom living under and having the protection and safety of the state were sooner pillaged their houses burnt themselves their Tenants and servants killed and destroyed then any other by directions from the said Lords-Iustices and by the like direction when any Commander in cheif of the Army promised or gave quarter or protection the same was in all Cases violated and many persons of quality who obtained the same were ruined before others Others that came into Dublin voluntarily and that could not be justly suspected of any crime if Irishmen or Catholicks by the like direction were imprisoned in Dublin robbed and pillaged abroad and brought to their tryall for their lives The city of Dublin and Cork and the ancient Corporate Townes of Drogheda Yeoghell and Kinsale who voluntarily received garrisons in your Majesties name and the adjacent countries who relieved them were worse used and now live in worse condition than the Israelites did in Aegipt So that it will be made appeare that more murthers breaches of publick faith and quarter more destruction and desolation more cruelly not fit to be named were committed in Ireland by the direction and advice of the said Lords-Justices and their party of the said Counsell in lesse then eighteen Moneths then can pe paraleld to have been done by any Christian people 13 The said Lord-Justices and their adherents have against the fundamentall Lawes of the Land procured the sitting of both houses of Parliament for severall Sessions nine parts of ten of the naturall and genuine Members thereof being absent it standing not with their safety to come under their power and made up a considerable number in the house of Commons of Clerks Souldiers Serving-men and others not legally or not chosen at all or returned and having no manner of estate within the kingdom in which sitting sundry Orders were conceived and dismisse obtained of persons before impeached of Treason in full Parliament and passed or might have passed some Acts against Law and to the prejudice of your Majesty and this whole Nation and during these troubles Tearmes were kept and your Majesties Court of chief place and other Courts sate at Dublin to no other end or purpose but by false and illegall Iudgements Outlawries and other Capitall proceedings to
yeares which were staid by the then Lord Deputy and Counsell upon great and waighty reasons of state as they then represented to your Majesty till your Majesty might be well informed of the truth of the case yet afterwards by your Majesties command Bills for Acts of Parliament to resettle all those lands in the Natives and other possessours and their heires were sent over under the great Seale of Ireland and returned under the great Seale of England according to Poynings Act and were ready to passe by Parliament there at the then next session and three other Acts parcell of those graces if the confederate Catholiques had not raised this fearfull Rebellion before the beginning of that Session which was appointed to be in November following And where in one of those graces it was desired that all distinctions betweene the Natives and Brittish might be taken away That was a thing most desired by the Brittish and Protestants But these Remonstrants have now shewed that they never so intended They were so farre from that as they have to their uttermost extirpated all the Brittish and Protestants although the English Governours in the Raigne of your Majesty and your royall father had by Statutes repealed thirteen severall old Statutes against Irish many of which were penall to them in a high degree and tended to destruction Touching the Complaints of false Inquisitions taken upon faigned titles and no traverses or petition of right admitted It is a faigned and scandalous information for when any particular Inquisitions were found either for tenures or title of land no traverses or petition of right as farre as Law would allow Vide the statute of 10 Caroli Cap 3 for the benefit of plantations were ever denied to the subject But where generall Inquisitions were found for Plantations in Irish Countries in respect they were for setling the people in a full peace And because the Deputy many of the Counsell your Majesties learned Counsell and chiefe Officers of eminent trust were Commissioners and alwayes present And that the lurors were alwayes the prime men in each Territory and the Offices most publiquely found by their free consent all parties fully heard And that those people had neither legall title nor evidences whereon to to ground traverses And by reason of the great difficulty to obteine indifferency of tryall for the Crowne In these cases which could at best but breed disturbance contrary to the true intent of those publique and beneficiall workes It was thought fit for quieting of those estates by Patents that traverses should not be admitted unto those graund Officers upon every light surmise but only upon good just and legall causes first made knowne and well considered of by your Majesties Counsell neither were ever Jurors sentenced for not finding any of those Offices except in the County of Galway in the Province of Connaught where the Iurors upon only willfullnesse would not find upon just and full evidence as appeared after in the Starrechamber And upon the same evidence Informations being filed in the Exchequor for those lands the prime Lawyers and many of the Gentry of that Countrey in their answers upon oath confessed your Majesties Title and so Judgment passed for your Majestie and seizures issued And afterwards in a Petition signed and preferred by all the Prime Inhabitants in that County your Majesties Title was acknowledged and a plantation desired besides in the Lord Faulklands time many of the prime men Lords and others in three other Counties of that Province tendred to your Majesty a Plantation upon certaine conditions appearing under their hands they well knowing the benefits arising by plantations and your Majesties just Title to those lands and being conscious to themselves of their unjust intrusion into them And touching the illegall avoyding 150 Patents in a morning by underhand working It is an untruth and as to their naming Sir William Parsons in this Article he was none of the Committee that considered of the Patents in Connaught or Munster where this must be meant neither had any thing to doe in that part of the proceedings neither were any thing neere so many Pattents ever questioned in Connaught and the Territories in Munster lately found for your Majestie which must be the places intended by this Article the debate wherof continued several moneths neither was any such course continued or intended to avoid other Patents except what was done by the means of one Iames Cusack Esquire on of his Majesties Counsell at law and Clark of the Commission for defective tytles A Papist Lawyer now a Remonstrant but where the parties in that intended Plantations brought in their Pattents as was required A Committee of some of the prime Judges your Majesties learned Counsel were appointed by the E. of Straford late Lord Lievtenant to view them And where they found them good as many were they were allowed where they conceived them void in law Counsel was fully heard where they confessed the same it was so agreed where they doubted they were left to tryall if they would stand upon it as few did This was done for avoiding of trouble needlesse charge neither was it a new course for in the Vlster Plantation the like course was found fittest and books of the Cases sent to his then Majestie and by him referred to the Judges of England and by them agreed unto and certified back and so the lands passed and in many other cases aswell for pretended grants of Customes Franchises and other things in former times the Cases were ruled by opinion of the Judges directed by the Deputies and in this Parliament both Houses required the Judges opinions on certaine Queries concerning the Government tendred to the House of Lords by the House of Commons but in most of all the other Plantations all Pattents whether void or otherwayes being not many were allowed and the Pattentees had regraunts for the most part of the same lands or if the necessity of the service so required it of others of like quantitie and value as neere as might be sometimes of better value paying only the old Pattent Rents and services except in some cases when generall Pattents being void in themselves were in Queene Elizabeths time made to Irish Lords of whole Countries upon false surrenders where possession did never runne according to their Pattents And in those cases also so much as they were possessed of were repassed unto them at the former rents and services And if these confederates had had as much care of the honour of the great Seale the publique Faith and just duty and service to your Majestie and your Crowne as those Governours Counsellours and Officers alwayes had they would never have broken out into this unnaturall and horrid rebellion having no just ground or cause for any such act Neither were the Ministers of State like to be advanced or like to be benefited by what was done or to be done towards that Plantation of Connaught and the
them to introduce law for the extirpation of Catholique Religion in the three Kingdomes at any time before these Remonstrants openly entred into this actuall Rebellion and bloudy assacination though those Remonstrants draw it in amongst their provocations to take up Armes Neither indeed did those Remonstrants feare any violence or sharpe prosecution from their quiet Neighbours the Protestants in Ireland there having been very great and as now appeares very dangerous patience used towards the Remonstrants aswell by Governours as all Officers and Protestants who would have beene glad to live among them in peace if the Remonstrants could have endured their company Lastly whereas they seeme grieved That the Parliament of England encroached against law and unjustly upon the Priviledges of Parliament in Ireland in sending for and questioning too and in the English Parliament the members of that Parliament They do wel now to expresse sence of it amongst the rest of their pretexts for their wicked acts But when Protestant members of this Parliament against whom that pretended encroachment most extended were sent for they imploring the aid of the Parliament of Ireland to defend them and their priviledges were not holpen therin by the Commons house but were answered by a leading Member of the Cōmons house now a Remonstrant that the House should do well not to take notice thereof least any variance should arise betweene the two Parliaments so unwilling they were to assist the Protestants or maintaine that right which now they so stoutly challenge though a good while afterwards both Houses tooke occasion to write to their Committee in England to sollicite concerning that particular And so little feare had they then of any pernicious purposes in that Parliament against them though they now make mention of that Parliaments unwarrantable invasion since made on your Majesties Rights and Prerogatives as a pretence for their wicked and abominable actions long before that begun In the seventh Article Those Remonstrants doe justly acknowledge your Majesties grace and Princely patience in hearing their grievances 7. Article which would have wrought upon any loyall or dutifull heart to returne love and obedience to so gracious a Soveraigne and at least neighbour-like demeanour towards your Majesties faithfull Subjects the Brittish and Protestants which how they performed their then immediately ensuing acts doe demonstrate But in this Article also they continue their untrue and malicious calumniations against your Majestie in your Governours and Officers who did never give any of them just cause of offence It cannot appeare that the Lords Justices and Counsell did give any untrue Information against them or the Committees of that Parliament neither is it true that any such thing was done for that they know the Counsell of whom the Lords Justices then were gave all the furtherance they could to the going of that Committee Hoping that what your Majestie should be pleased to grant might redound to the common benefit of your people Neither did any Privie Counsellours goe into England of purpose to crosse or give impediment to your Majesties Justice and graces But it is true that the late Lord Dillon afterwards Earle of Roscomon and Sir Adam Loftus your Majesties Vice-Treasurer were about that time sent for by your Majestie upon the motion of your Parliament of England as it seemed to testifie in the cause moved in that Parliament against the Earle of Strafford And if in their attendance there their advice or knowledge concerning any thing there propounded or handled by the Committee were required by your Majestie doubtlesse those Counsellours did faithfully discharge the duty of good servants to your Majestie and true wel-wishers to that Kingdome being both Natives thereof and members of that Parliament Neither did your Majesties Justices and Counsell transmit unto your Majestie or any of the State of England any misconstructions or misrepresentations of the proceedings and actions of that Parliament but rather it may justly be beleeved that those Remonstrants doe worke upon their owne evill imaginations in this as in the former Articles they have presumed to avouch severall knowne untruths Nay the Lords Justices were so farce from any such malevolence to that Parliament or any Members thereof as when they received your Majesties Commission dated the sourth of Ianuary 1640. authorizing them to continue prorogue or determine the Parliamnent as they thought fit They in confidence that the intent of all the Members of the Parliament was for the generall good of the Kingdome and your Majesties service did willingly continue it and gave all countenance and assistance to it which well appeares by a motion made by a noble Peere in the Lords House That the Lords Justices had alwayes chearfully received their requests and Messages and were ready to comply with them desiring it might be entred to the end it might remaine to posteritie It is also conceived that when your Majestie had given direction that all Letters from thence should be kept apart to the end the Committee might have recourse unto them if any such misrepresentations could have appeared to them they would have instanced the same in this Remonstrance and not have offered to your Majestie suppositions for certainties And touching the Parliament of Irelands power of Judicature in matters Capitall there was nothing written from thence concerning that matter untill your Majestie being advertized of the impeachment of the Lord Chancellour and others in the Lords House required the Lords Justices to search and certifie whether any presidents might be found there for such a proceeding Your Majestie then also graciously declaring that as your Majestie intended not to prejudice the Rights of the Lords House so your Majestie did expect that they should nto introduce any new president for that cause Thereupon the Lords Justices having searched and demanded of the two Houses of Parliament if any such presidents they could shew none were produced which the Lords Justices certified backe to your Majesties principall Secretarie as in duty they ought And it is beleeved that those Remonstrants would not now more earnestly presse for that power in Judicature then heretofore was done were it not by the exercise or terrour thereof if their partie could have prevailed to rid themselves of your Majesties English Judges and Officers whom they cannot endure to beare rule amongst them though they clearly saw the Kingdome prospered above any former times under their great labour and travell It is most untrue that your Majesties Protestant officers or subjects did envy the good union betweene the two Houses But the truth is they did labour to cherish and confirme it by their uttermost skill and industry And if your Majesties servants or your Protestant subjects did happen to oppose those Remonstrants in any their undutifull motions and projects either concerning Religion or your Majesties Protestant Clergie or concerning the derogation of your Majesties Prerogatives Rites and authories or malicious practise against your Majesties Officers Those Remonstrants did and now
of Lords and others aswell Protestants as Papists and to make a guard for them in their passage to and from the house and have held the same course ever since when those houses have consisted in a manner wholly of Protestants and all done without any intent or designe to offend affront or terrify any of them which the Remonstrants did and do well know if they would deale sincerely in the matter And certainly any of the members of either house then present could not from such a civility rendred to them take up the least apprehension of terror in some inward guilt did not beget in them a feare or jealousie of what was never intended or thought of The same course for ornament being held by the late Lord Leivtenant the Earle of Strafford in the former Parliament and by the now Lord Lievtenant at the last Session Neither did any thing then hinder the Lords Justices from seizing on their persons if they had beene willing to take strong presumptions and probability of guilt for a ground against men whom indeed they desired to thinke better of and hoped they would employ themselves better for your Majesties service It is also an untruth that the Lords Justices and their partie of the Counsell what is meant by that partie is not understood for there was not so much as a shadow of any partaking or siding there in any matter But the Lords Justices and Counsell unanimously concurred in all things did cause an order to be propounded in the Parliament to declare That the Irish had taken up Armes in rebellious manner For the Lords Justices and Counsell did not conceive that there was any necessity for their attestation so that too well knowne a truth the bleeding testimonies of many miserable spectacles men women and children unable to resist who escaped those cursed blood-suckers in Vlster daily comming to the Citie of Dublin and to other Garrisons stripped robbed wounded and spoiled then gave sufficient evidence of then Rebellious and tyrannous acts But the truth is the sitting was permitted two dayes at their owne suite as appeares by Proclamation after published That they might draw up some Declaration of their owne loy alties as they said and their detestation of the abominable acts of the Rebells yet seeing they have the confidence to move in that passage sinisterly to your Majestie your Royall Majestie may please to know that when the Houses had appointed certaine Committees to draw up that Ordinance and those Committees had dutifully expressed those Rebells by the just tearmes of Traitours and Rebels Many of these Remonstrants then of the House much contested it and would not have them so called being privie to what themselves had formerly with those Rebells contrived to be done and fearing it might move the Rebells to recriminate Howsoever the Declaration passed by Votes and was agreed on But that any such menaces to such as should oppose that Declaration were by any man uttered though they say it is a thing that was credibly informed is a most false scandall the orders of the Houses shewing plainly that it was done in the Houses no way urged or enforced upon them There were never any such provocations pressures and indignities as in this Article are mentioned offered to the considerable partie of the Catholiques And although the Remonstrants say That at the time of that Session all the Cities and Corporations and whole Provinces stood quiet yet at the apprehension of Hugh Mac Mahon on the 23. of October aforesaid The said Hugh being demanded by the Lords Justices and Counsell whether he thought that though they had taken Dublin the rest of the strong Townes in the Kingdome which were the Kings would yeeld to them he boldly answered that he and the rest were well assured that none of those Townes would stand against them as did fully after appeare for they all joyned with them except very few where your Majesties forces lay strong and except the Protestant townes which kind of defection was never so in any former Rebellion those townes being in all times places of refuge for your Majesties forces and good subjects and a great bridle to the Rebells And the same Mac Mahoun also declared the privitie and consent to the foresaid Conspiracy of all the Catholiques in both Houses of Parliament in the Summer Session before as is before mentioned The same Mac Mahoun also declared That twenty men out of each County in the Kingdome were appointed to be at Dublin the said 23. of October to execute the Plott on your Majesties Castle and Citie of Dublin and indeed thither they did come at the time in very great numbers of whom very many were apprehended which proves the generall Combination And the Lord Magwire upon his examination declared that in Summer before the conspiracy and action was agreed on amongst the Irish which the event proved to be true Besides it is testified upon oath by a very credible person sometimes prisoner with the Rebels in Cavan That Collonel Richard Plunkett late of Donsaghly in the County of Dublin within the pale who should have been one at the taking of the Castle comming into that County of Cavan about the twenty sixth of October 1641. said openly that he had a contract under the hands of all the Lords in Ireland that were Catholiques to stand firme in this insurrection wherein although the said Plunkett cannot bee believed as to all the Lords seeing some of them have even in this Rebellion manifested their loyaltie to your Majestie in opposing the Rebells yet hee may be beleived as to all of them except very few their owne actions also afterwards concurring therein The same Collonel Plunkett also by his Letters written to the Titular Abbot of Mellifont whom hee stiled Lord signified that hee had beene a meanes to incite the Lords and Gentrie of the Pale to appeare in the Blessed cause then in hand meaning the Rebellion and that hee would use his best endeavours night and day to accomplish Ad majorem Dei gloriam those are his owne words The above mentioned Contract or Covenant was also spoken of usually by the Vlster Rebells before many Protestants then prisoners and was declared by some Rebells afterwards taken prisoners upon examination It is observable also that notwithstanding your Majesties Warrant stood good for foure Collonels viz. Collonel Iohn Barry Collonel Taaf Collonel Garrett Barry and Collonel Porter for transportation of foure thousand men And that the Lords Justices and Counsell gave them all Warrants and other helps for their passage And that the three Collonels that were there had gathered their men yet it being neere the time of execution of the foresaid great Designe and conspiracy their transportation was deferred and pretences made partly of the adversaries of that Parliament in Ireland and partly of want of money and other impediments their men were kept in Bodyes the one in Munster not farre from Kinsale another in Connaught towards Gallway and the
of Leinster and many in the Pale were in open Rebellion as shall herein further appeare True it is that about the later end of November 1641. The said Luke Nettervile without any Warrant for the same caused Proclamation to bee made in the Market place at Luske about twelve miles from Dublin That all the Gentrie of the Countrey upon paine of death should within three or foure dayes after meet at Swoards within six miles of Dublin which was before the killing at Santry which meeting was held and there the said Nettervile of his owne authoritie made everall Captaines viz. Richard Golding Thomas Russell Francis Russell Robert Travers Christopher Hollywood Peter Cruâ—â— and Michael Murphy and others many of them men of estate and the rest branches of the Gentrie and there commanded them to bee with their Companies armed at the same Towne of Swoards on the seventh day of December following which was a short time for such a levie if they had not beene formerly combined and prepared to that Summons They observed it as fast as they could many of them comming thither on the seventh day of December aforesaid and on the eighth day of the said moneth they were there gathered together in bands about one thousand two hundred men armed as was informed to the Lords Justices and Counsell Their Lordships therefore on the ninth day of December aforesaid sent a Warrant to the said Nettervile and the rest in milde manner signifying to them the unseasonablenesse of the time chosen for such an act that howsoever a construction might be made thereof to their disadvantage yet their Lordships were unwilling to make an indulgent interpretation of their actions in regard of their good opinion they had of their loyaltie and conceiving there was some mistake in that enterprize they did choose rather to command them on their dutie of allegiance forthwith to separate themselves and no more to unite in that manner without direction from their Lordships And that the said Nettervile and six others of the principall of them should appeare before their Lordships the then next morning to shew cause for their so assembling and thereof not to faile at their extreame perils All which notwithstanding the said Nettervile and the rest did neither separate nor any of them appeare as was commanded but holding the Messenger as in restraint that night did on the enxt day write a mutinous Letter to the Lords Justices and Counsell acknowledging the receipt of the said Warrant and setting forth their feares by reason of the said killing at Santry and other rumours of unexpected attempts and desired to be secured of their lives which security was also granted them but they despised it Their intention being from another roote and of a higher nature then to meet in merriment in a Market towne and shake hands These men continued at Swoards and other Villages thereabouts till about the tenth of Ianuary following robbing spoyling and imprisoning all your Majesties Subjects that either lived thereabouts or that offered to passe that way being the roade to Drogheda then straitly besieged and soffering no provisions to be brought to Dublin that way threatning also daily to assault Dublin on the North side from thence and from other great Companies of the same confederacie out of Wickloe and Kildare setled on the South side of the Citie performing like hostile acts and giving out on all sides that they would have Masse in Christ-Church of Dublin on Christmas day next after All which time the Lords Justices and Counsell were nor able to send sufficient forces against them About the fourteenth day of that December those Rebells being encreased in numbers from other parts sent two severall strong parties to Santry and Finglas where they continued till the twenty second of the same December when they were beaten thence by your Majesties Forces Neither of which two places are above three miles from Dublin there to bee the more ready to annoy and set upon the Citie when the rest of the parties to the designe might bee ready which neere approaches much straitned all things in the Citie On the same fourteenth day of December those Rebells at Swoards sent another partie to Clantarffe about a mile and halfe from Dublin which Village belonged to George King who lay in garrison with the said Nettervile at Swoards and whose hand was to their Answer formerly mentioned And there gathering together from the other Villages on the Sea side about three hundred men they shewed themselves on a high ground neere Clantarfe to the open view of the Citie those Inhabitants being furnished with store of strong fisher-boates and having a few dayes before robbed and spoyled two English Barkes lying at Anchor neere Clantarfe in the roade of Dublin and threatning by themselves and other Rebells which lay on the South side of the harbour where Irish Boats also were to seize on all the shipping in the harbour and either burne them or make use of them to block up the harbour so to cutt off all accesse to that Port which the Lords Justices and Counsell much feared having then no shipping of strength there Thereupon their Lordships found it of necessity to adventure on some of those parties to trie if they could disperse them And therefore they considered that those at Santry and Finglas came thither by open force That those lands belonged to honest subjects who had not then offended That the forementioned outragious act was committed by those at Clantarfe And that the lands belonged to one in open hostilitie who had given assistance or countenance to the aforesaid rebellious act of robbing the Barkes and of robbing other your Majesties Protestant subjects passing that way and judging that that place and party threatned most danger in respect of the harbour And lest other Fishermen on that coast who for the most part joyned with the Rebells should take encouragement to come and strengthen their designe against the shipping and harbour considering also that by the assistance of those Coasters the Rebells of the County of Dublin had formerly on the third day of December 1641. robbed an English Barke at Skirries about twelve miles from Dublin and that the goods were divided amongst the Gentrie thereabouts the principall part thereof being magazined at the Castle of Master Barnewell of Brimore a prime man and some of the English carryed prisoners to the Lord of Gormanston who sent them Prisoners to Balrothry Thereupon the Lords Justices and Counsell did order that the Lievtenant generall of the Army should and men against them at Clantarfe who accordingly did on the fifteenth day of that December send out Sir Charles Coote with such a party as could bee spared to fall on those men at Clantarfe with direction that if they could beat them to burne that Village and either destroy or bring away all the Boats This was well performed by Sir Charles who killed some of the Rebells in the place and put the rest to flight
themselves Rebels and of the Conspiracy They blocked him up in the Castle of Athlone by the helpe of the Conspirators of Westmeath They burnt his Towne of Roscomon and the Bishops Towne of Elphin and many other English mens habitations They surprized severall Castles of the Earle of Clonrickards in the County of Galway notwithstanding that on their surmise that they doubted they should not have the benefit of the graces his Lordship wrote to your Majestie and received assurance in their behalfes of the same which he published together with severall other Declarations of your Majesties And so the Lord President continued in Athlone till your Majesties Lieutenant Generall of your Army carryed downe 2000. foot and some Troopes of horse by all which appeares that neither the Lords Justices and Councell nor the Lord President nor any other in that Province did any thing to provoke them much lesse to put them to defence till they had murthered robbed and spoyled all the Brittish and Protestants and committed all other Rebellious and hostile Acts that lay within their lust or power To the eleventh Article IT is confessed that Parliaments have beene held in Ireland very many yeares often for the benefit of the King Art 11. and the good people of the Kingdome But how long Parliaments have beene held there or whether with equall liberties powers and immunities with the Parliament of England and how farre lawes made in England may bind in Ireland will best appeare in the Records Rowles and Authentick Presidents of both Kingdomes and will be fittest for the dispute and judgement of such learned in the Law and other Antiquities as your Majestie in your high wisedome shall appoint thereunto Neither is it true that untrue suggestions and informations out of Ireland moved the Parliament of England to make such Lawes as in this Article are mentioned neither can it be conceived the words or intent of those Acts if they have force in Ireland doe ayme at or can reach unto any the lands or possessions of any your Majesties good Subjects in that Kingdome but onely to the lands and rights of those that have most disloyally lifted up themselves against their most gracious Soveraigne Lord their lawfull and naturall King and committed the most detestable treasons against your person Crown and Dignity and the most sanguinolent outragious and abominable Acts upon the persons and estates of your Majesties obedient peaceable and innocent Subjects so farre as possibly they could that ever were read or heard of without provocation or the least motive neither can those Acts in any respects be the occasion or grounds of those hideous perpetrations Those Acts in their first conception being derived onely from fearefull rebellion raised by the Confederates and long after the horrible Acts of that rebellion by your Majestie and your Parliament advised of and considered in England as the most speedy and effectuall way to raise meanes for the releefe of the remnant of your Majesties miserable despoyled Subjects ready every day to be swallowed up by the deluge of that universall rebellion and to maintaine some being in your Majesties just Soveraingty rights and interest in that Kingdome wholly despised and troden under foot by the Confederates as before appeares Neither can it be beleeved that your Majestie was inforced thereunto it being your owne cause and the cause of your beloved and ever loving people And if any losse should thereon happen to your Majestie which is not beleeved yet would your Majestie be largely recompenced in setling those lands except where your Majesty shall find cause to shew mercy in the hands of a peaceable and faithfull people who will not repine or be slow to straine themselves every way to your Majesties profit and honour who will be willingly taught that rebellion is Treason and so hate and abhorre it and who will for ever free your Majestie and your posterity from those dangers travels and expences which have in many ages lien heavy upon the Kings and Kingdome of England by meanes of the undutifull behaviour and strange seducements of many of the Inhabitants of that Kingdome of Ireland and for which your Majesties gracious and pious provision for your Majesties good people both your Kingdomes will now and in all succeeding ages blesse and pray for your sacred Majestie and your Royall posterity and for ever acknowledge your Majesties rare piety and Princely goodnesse Neither is there any truth in that malicious traducement that your Majesties forces in Ireland disavowed any authority from your Majestie all their authority and command being intirely derived from your Majestie and your immediate Ministers and they wholly disclaiming any other service the contrary whereof could never be heard out of the mouthes of any of them To the twelfth Article IT is true that the Lords Justices and Councell in just and lawfull grounds Artic. 12. and for great and weighty reasons of State for common safety published severall Proclamations as shall here appeare but not with wicked intent or evill event as in this Article is with malice insinuated On the 23 of October 1641. when the houre approached which was designed for surprizing your Majesties Castle of Dublin great numbers of strangers were observed to come to towne in great parties severall wayes who not finding admittance at the gates stayed in the Suburbs and fields and there grew numerous to the terrour of the Inhabitants Insomuch as the Magistrates of the City came to the Councell board with much feare and astonishment declaring that those mighty numbers in the fields and Suburbs still increasing did threaten high present danger in respect whereof and considering the great numbers of desperate and loose persons who were the night before and that morning stolne into the City and Suburbs from severall parts of the Kingdome who were secretly harbored amongst the Papist Inhabitants the Lords Justices and Councell first caused as many of them so harboured in town as could be readily found to be apprehended and secondly sought for the rest considering also that in so sudden and great a distemper and confusion something of extraordinary was of necessity to bee done for terrour to disperse those multitudes so to rid the Town of them and to resettle in some degree the mindes of the terrifyed and distracted inhabitants which the Lords Justices and Councell did chuse rather to do the same by some sharpe Proclamation then by falling upon them by violence which must needs have increased the tumult and therefore the Lords Justices and Councell did then instantly publish a Proclamation in your Majesties Name Commanding all persons not dwellers in the City or Suburbs to depart within one houre after publishing by Proclamation and that upon paine of death This Proclamation did not so much as intend or aime at any known Inhabitants of the Pale or Countries adjacent or any of known credit or good subsistence neither did any such qualified persons then take the least ill apprehension
Protestant Religion in Ireland according to the Laws and Statutes in the said Kingdome now in force 2. That the Popish titular Archbishops Bishops Jesuits Friers and Priests and all others of the Roman Clergy be banished out of Ireland because they have been the stirrers up of all rebellions and while they continue there there can be no hope of safety for your Maiesties Protestant Subjects And that all the Laws and Statutes established in that Kingdome against propery and popish Recusants may continue of force and be put in due execution 3. That restitution may be made of all our Churches and Church-rights and revenues and all our Churches and Chappels re-edified and put in as good estate as they were at the breaking out of the rebellion and as they ought to be at the charge of the confederate Roman Catholiques as they call themselves who have been the occasion of the destruction of the said Churches and possessed themselves of the profits and revenues thereof 4. That the Parliament now sitting in Ireland may be continued there for the better settlement of the Kingdome And that all persons duely indicted in the said Kingdome of Treason Felony or other heynous crimes may be duely and legally proceeded against out-lawed tryed and adjudged according to Law And that all persons lawfully convicted and attainted or to be convicted and attainted for the same may receive due punishment accordingly 5. That no man may take upon him or execute the Office of a Major or Magistrate in any Corporation or the Office of a Sheriffe or Justice of peace in any City or County in the said Kingdom untill he have first taken the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance 6. That all popish Lawyers who refuse to take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance may be suppressed and restrained from practice in that Kingdome the rather because the Lawyers in England doe not here practice untill they take the Oath of Supremacy and it hath been found by wofull experience that the advice of popish Lawyers to the people of Ireland hath been a great cause of their continued disobedience 7. That there may be a present absolute suppression and dissolution of all the assumed arbitrary and tyrannicall power which the said confederates exercise over your Majesties subjects both in causes Ecclesiasticall and Temporall 8. That all the Armes and Ammunition of the said Confederates be speedily brought in to your Majesties stores 9. That your Majesties protestant Subjects ruined and destroyed by the said Confederates may be repaired for their great losses out of the estates of the said Confederates not formerly by any Acts of this present Parliament in England otherwise disposed of whereby they may the better be enabled to reinhabit and defend the said Kingdome of Ireland 10. That the said Confederates may rebuild the severall plantation houses and castles destroyed by them in Ireland in at good state as they we eat the breaking out of the rebellion which your Majesties protestant subjects slave beene bound by their severall Patents to build and maintaine for your Majesties service 11. That the great arreares of rent due to your Majesty out of the estates of your Majesties protestant subjects at and since Michaealmas 1641 may be paid unto your Majesty by such of the said Confederates who have 〈…〉 the said rents to the uses of the said Confederates or dessroyed the same by disabling your Majesties protestant subjects to pay the same and have also destroyed all or the most part of all other rents or meanes of support belonging to your said protestant subjects And that your said protestant Subjects may be discharged of all such arreares of rents to your Majesty 12. That the said Confederates may give satisfaction to the Army for the great arreares due unto them since the rebellion and that 〈◊〉 Communcers as have raised forces at their owne charges and laid forth great famines of money out of their owne purses and engaged themselves for money and provisions to keepe themselves their holds and souldiers under their commands in the due and necessary defence of your Majesties right and Laws may be in due sort satisfied to the encouragement of others in like times and cases which may happen 13. That touching such parts of the said Confederates estates as being forfeited for their Treasons are come or shall duely come into your Majesties hands and possession by that Title your Majesty after due satisfaction first made to such as claime by former acts of Parliament would be pleased to take the same into your own hands and possession and for the necessary encrease of your Majesties revenue and better security of your said Kingdome of Ireland and protestant Subjects living under your gracious government thereto plant the same with Brittish and Protestants upon reasonable and honourable tearmes 14. That one good walled Town may be built and kept repaired in every County of the said Kingdome of Ireland and endowed and furnished with necessary and sufficient meanes of legall and just government and defence for the better security of your Majesties Lawes and rights more especially the true Protestant Religion in times of danger In any of which Townes no papist may be permitted to dwell or inhabit 15. That for the better satisfaction of justice and your Majesties honour and for the future security of the said Kingdome and your Majesties Protestant subjects there exemplary punishment according to Law may be inflicted upon such as have there traiterously leavyed warre and taken up Armes against your Majestles protestant Subjects and Laws and therein against your Majesty especially upon such as have had their hands in the shedding of innocent blood or had to doe with the first plot or conspiracy or since that time have done any notorious murder or overt act of Treason 16. That all your Majesties Townes Forts and places of strength destroyed by the said Confederates since the said rebellion may be by them and at their charges re-edified and delivered up into your Majesties hands to be duely put into the government under your Majesty and your Laws of good Protestants and that all strengths and fortifications made and set up by the said Confederate since the said rebellion may be slighted and throwne down or else delivered up and disposed of for Protestant government and security as aforesaid 17. That according to the presidents of former times in cases of generall rebellions in Ireland the attainders which have been duely had by Outlary for Treason done in this rebellion may be established and confirmed by act of Parliament to be in due forme of Law transmitted and passed in Ireland and that such Traitors as for want of Protestant and indifferent Jurors to indict them in the proper County are not yet indicted nor convicted or attainted by Outlary or otherwise may upon due proofe of their offences be by like act of Parliament convicted and attainted and all such offenders forfeit their estates as to Law appertaineth and your Majesty to
be adjudged and put in possession without any Office or Inquisition to be had 18. That your Majesties protestant Subjects may be restbred to the quiet possession of all their Castles Houses Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments and Leases and to the quiet possession of the rents thereof as they had the same before and at the time of the breaking forth of this rebellion and from whence without due processe and judgement of Law they have since then been put or kept cut and may be answered of and for all the meane profits of the same in the interim and for all the time untill they shall be so restored 19. That your Majesties said protestant subjects may also be restored to all their Moneys Plate Jewels Houshouldstuffe Goods and Chattels whatsoever which without due processe or judgement in Law have by the said Confederates been taken or detained from them since the contriving of the said rebellion which may be gained in kind or the full value thereof if the same may not be had in kind and the like restitution to be made for all such things which during the said time have been delivered any person or persons of the said Confederates in trust to be kept or preserved but are by colour thereof still withholden 20. That the establishment and maintenance of a competent Protestant Army and sufficient Protestant souldiers and forces for the time to come be speedily taken into your Majesties prudent just and gracious consideration and such a course laid down and continued according to the tules of good government that your Majesties rights and Laws the Protestant religion and peace of that Kingdome be no more endangered by the like rebellions in time to come 21. That whereas it appeareth in print that the said Confederates amongst other things ayme at the repeale of Poynings Law thereby to open an easie and ready way for the passing of acts of Parliament in Ireland without having them first well confidered of in England which may produce many dangerous consequences both to that Kingdome and to your Majesties other Dominions your Majesty would be pleased to recent and reject all propositions tending to introduce so great a diminution of your Royall and necessary power for the confirmation of your Royall estate and protection of your good protestant Subjects both there and elsewhere 22. That your Majesty out of your grace and favour to your Protestant subjects of Ireland would be pleased to consider effectually of assuring them that you will not give order for or allow of the transmitting into Ireland any act of generall Oblivion release or discharge of Actions or Suits whereby your Majesties said Protestant Subjects there may be barred or deprived of their legall remedies which by your Majesties Laws and Statutes of that Kingdome they may have against the said Confederates or any of them or any of their party for or in respect of any wrongs done unto them or any of their ancestors or predecessors in or concerning their lives liberties persons lands goods or estates since the contriving or breaking forth of the said rebellion 23. That some fit course may be considered of to prevent the filling or overlaying of the Commons house of Parliament in Ireland with popish Recusants being ill affected members and that provision be duely made that none shall vote or sit therein but such as shall first take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance 24. That the proofes and manifestations of the truth of the severall matters contained in the Petition of your Majesties Protestant subjects of Ireland lately presented to your Majesty may be duely examined discussed and in that respect the finall conclusion of things respited for a convenient time their Agents being ready to attend with their proofes in that behalfe as your Majesty shall appoint Which Remonstrance Answer and Propositions His Majesty received from the said Agents the 27 of Aprill 1644. and the same delivered to Master Secretary Nicholas and then the said Agents desired him to move his Majesty that nothing might be concluded with the Irish Agents untill the said protestant Agents were fully heard and that they might have a Copy of the Propositions of the Irish The next day after Master Secretary Nicholas told them that his Majesty had referred the protestants petition their answer to the rebells Remonstrance and their propositions to the Committee for Irish affaires The 29th of April the protestant Agents were told by one of the Committee for the Irish affaires at Oxford that such of the Committee who were at the reading of the Answer to the Rebells Remonstrance and the Propositions of the protestant Agent said That those Propositions were drawne by the close Committee of London and that they wondered that His Majesty would receive so mutinous a Petition The same day the Protestant Agents being informed by divers persons of quality that the rebells Agents were upon dispatch they waited on the Lord Cottington chiefe of the Committee and desired his Lordship to be a meanes that they might have a Copy of the Rebells Propositions to His Majesty his Lordship seemed a stranger to the businesse and said he knew not any Propositions the Rebells had made and said further that he conceived they meant the Irish Remonstance whereunto they answered that the same was long since printed and that they were not strangers thereunto To which his Lordship replyed that if any such Propositions were made it were fit the same should be made knowne unto them but that he knew of none such Notwithstanding the said Lord Cottington was present at the Committee appointed by His Majesty for Irish affaires the 19 of April when the said Propositions from the Rebells of Ireland were read and by his Lordship and the rest on inviolable secrecy delivered unto Sir William Stewart and Sir Gerard Lowther Sir Philip Percivall and Mr. Justice Donuelland who were sent for out of Ireland and appointed by His Majesty to advise with him upon the Treaty and who received command from their Lordships not to communicate the said Propositions to any body which Injunction of secrecy was a great prejudice to the Protestant cause that those persons being persons of ability and integrity should be restrained from a free communication of all occurrences concerning that affaire with the said Protestant Agents and both they and the Agents were thereby prevented of satisfying severall persons that on false grounds and misinformation of the Rebells and their party who tooke liberty to discourse of the reasonablenesse of the Rebells desires and of the motives inducing the same were deluded with an opinion of the moderatnesse of the Rebells propositions and other their proceedings The same day the Protestant Agents being much troubled with the said Lord Cottingtons answer repaired unto Sir William Stewart Sir Gerard Lowther Sir Philip Percivall and Justice Donuellan and unto Sir George Radcliffe and Sir William Sambach who were added to them for that affaire and acquainted them that they were attending
high and unreasonable in their propositions they must expect nothing but War To which the Agents answered that they were ill furnished for a War but had rather undergoe the hazard of a War then consent to a dishonorable and destructive peace and they further answered that they should betray the trust reposed in them by the Protestants of Ireland if they did admit of any further alterations of the said propositions then as is hereafter mentioned which the said Agents were resolved upon no terms to doe Then Sir George Radcliffe said that he was sure that if the said Agents would fall three parts of foure of the said Propositions that the fourth part would not be consented unto And afterwards Sir George Radclieffe seeing he could no way further prevaile with the said Agents to alter their propositions told them that they were sent over by the Protestants of Ireland to preserve them ☞ and unlesse the said Agents consented to a peace His Majesty being in no condition to send them any reliefe the Irish upon their Agents returne home would destroy the remnant of the Protestants of Ireland and therfore desired the said Agents to consider of some way to secure them To which it was answered by the Protestant Agents that there were five more he yet to come to the end of the Cessation within which time meanes might be found for their reliefe and that it were better that the Protestants should quit Ireland for a time then consent to a destructive peace Then Sir George asked how they could get the Protestants from thence To which it was answered by one of them that His Majesty might make stay of the Irish Agents in England untill the protestants were brought out of Ireland Sir George Radcliff replied that be had rather advise the King to lose that Kingdom then that he should violate his word with the Irish Agents who were come to Treate with His Majesty and had his Majesties promise for their safe returne And the said Sir George said further ☞ that if the Irish had not good conditions it was not likely that they would forbeare Armes untill the end of the time limited by the Articles of Cessation The next day the Protestant Agents delivered the aforesaid propositions unto Secretary Nicholas to be presented to his Majesty or to the Lords of the Committee which he thought fittest which propositions follow in haec verba The humble Propositions of Your Majesties Protestant Agents of Ireland in pursuance of the humble Petition of Your Majesties Protestant subjects aswell Commanders of Your Majesties Army there as others presented to Your Majesty the 18. day of April 1644. and answered by Your Majesty the 25 of the same 1. WE most humbly desire the establishment of the true Protestant Religion in Ireland according to the Lawes and Statutes in the said Kingdome now in force 2. That popery and popish recusants may be suppressed according to the lawes and statutes established in Ireland 3. That the Parliament now sitting in Ireland may be continued for the better setlement of that Kingdome for if that Parliament should be dissolved there would be few or no protestant freeholders found in that Kingdome they being either killed or banished by this rebellion to elect or chuse any of Your Majesties protestant subjects to sit in Parliament hereafter which by consequence may be destructive to Your Majesties rights and prerogatives and protestant subjects in their lives liberties and fortunes 4. That all such lawyers who refuse to take the Oathes of supremacy and alleageance may be suppressed and restrained from practise in that Kingdom the rather because the lawyers in England doe not here practise untill they take the Oath of supremacy And it hath beene found by wofull experience that the advice of the popish lawyers to the people of Ireland hath been a great cause of their continued disobedience 5. That there may be a present absolute suppression and dissolution of all the assumed arbitrary and tyrannicall power which the said confederate Roman Catholiques as they call themselves exercise over Your Majesties subjects both in causes Ecclesiasticall and Temporall 6. That all the Armet and Ammunition of the said confederates may be brought into Your Majesties hands when any conclusion shall be made 7. That Your Majesties protestant subjects ruined and destoyed by the said confederates may be repaired for their great losses out of the estates of the said confederates not formerly by any Act of Parliament in England otherwise disposed of in such manner and measure as Your Majesty in Your high Wisdome shall think fit whereby they may the better be enabled to reinhabit and defend the said Kingdome of Ireland 8. That the said confederates may rebuild the severall Plantation Houses and Castles destroyed by them in Ireland in as good state as they were at the breaking out of the rebellion which Your Majesties protestant subjects have beene bound by their severall patents to build and maintaine for Your Majesties service or otherwise that Your Majesty will discharge Your said protestant subjects of that Covenant or condition in their severall patents and that an Act be passed in this present Parliament to that purpose And whereas severall Castles and Houses were surrendered upon Quarter upon Articles under their hands with solemne Oathes or otherwise to preserve the said Castles and houses from being defaced or demolished That the said confederates who have so Articled with any of Your Majesties protestant subjects may rebuild the said Castles or Houses in as good state as they were at the time of surrendring up of the same upon Articles as aforesaid or such a considerable fine may be levied out of the Estates of the said confederates as may rebuild the said Houses as Your Majesty in your high Wisdome shall think fit 9. That the great arrears of rent due to Your Majesty out of the Estates of Your Majesties protestant subjects at and since Michaelmas 1641. may be paid unto Your Majesty by the said confederates who have either received the said Rents to the uses of he confederates or destroyed the same by disabling Your Majesties protestant subjects to pay the same and have also destroyed all or the most part of all other rents or meanes of support belonging to Your said protestant subjects or that Your said protestant subjects may be discharged of all such arrerages of rents to Your Majesty And that Your Majesty will be further graciously pleased to give an abatement of the great yearly rents payable from Your protestant subjects for some reasonable time as in Your Majesties high wisdome shall be thought fit for their encouragement and enablement to replant that Your Kingdome in respect the said lands for the most part depopulated by the said confederates will not be worth Your Majesties rents for a long time 10. That Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to take into Your Majesties hands so much of the confederates estates as are necessary to be planted
in that Kingdome for the encrease of Your Majesties revenues towards the defraying of Your Majesties necessary chage of that Kingdome the satisfying in some measure the arreares of Your Army in Ireland especially those who have laid great sums of money out of their owne purses and deeply engaged themselves for money and provisions to keepe themselves their holds and Souldiers under their commands in the necessary defence of Your Majesties rights and lawes and for the encouragement of others in like times and cases which may happen who otherwise will be totally ruined by their great engagements which we humbly submit to Your Majesties consideration And likewise that Your Majesty will be graciously pleased in the said plantations to erect and build some walled Townes in the said Kingdome of Ireland and endow and furnish them with necessary and sufficient meanes of legall and just government and defence for the better security of Your Majesties lawes and rights more especially the Protestant Religion in time of danger 11. That for the better satisfaction of Justice and Your Majesties honour and for the future security of the said Kingdome and Your Maiesties protestant subiects there exemplary punishment may be inflicted upon such of the principall offenders as have had their hands in the shedding of innocent blood or had to doe with the first plot or conspiracy or since that time have done any notorious murthers 12. That Your Maiesties Townes forts and places of strength destroyed by the said confederates since the said rebellion may be by them and at their charge reedified and delivered up into Your Maiesties hands to be duly put into the government under Your Maiesty and Your lawes of good protestants and that all strengths and fortifications made and set up by the said confederates since the said rebellion may be slighted and thrown down or else delivered up and disposed of for Protestant government as aforesaid 13. That Your Maiesties Protestant subiects may be restored to the quiet and peaceable possession of all their Castles Houses mannors lands Tenements hereditaments and leases as they had the same before and at the time of the breaking forth of this rebellion and from whence without due processe and Judgement in law they have since then been put out and kept 14. That Your Maiesties said Protestant subiects may also be restored to or satisfied for all their monies plate Jewells houshold Stuffe Goods or Chattells whatsoever which during the Rebellion have been delivered to any person or persons of of the confederates in trust to be kept and preserved which are yet detained from them without colour of law or Justice 15. That the establishment and maintenance of a compleat protestant Army and sufficient protestant Souldiers and forces for the time to come in Ireland be speedly taken into Your Majesties Prudent Just and Gracious confideration and such a course laid down and continued therein according to the rules of good government that Your Majesties rights and lawes and the protestant Religion and Peace of that Kingdome be no more endangered by the like Rebellion in time to come 16. That whereas it appeareth in print that the said confederates amongst other things aime at the repeale of Poynings Act thereby to open an easie and ready way for the passing of Acts of Parliament in Ireland without having them first well considered of in England which may produce many dangerous consequences both to that Kingdome and to Your Majesties other Dominions Your Majesty would be pleased to recent and reject all propositions tending to introduce so great a Diminution of Your royall and necessary power for the conservation of Your royall estate and protection of Your good protestant subjects both there and elsewhere 17. That Your Majesty out of Your abundant grace and favour to Your Protestant subjects of Ireland will be pleased to consider effectually of assuring them that if your Majesty shall thinke fit for the furtherance of your service to grant to the said confederates an Act of oblivion that your Majesty will not allow of discharge or release any actions suites debts or interests whereby your Majesties protestant subjects of Ireland may be barred or deprived or any of their party in respect of any wrongs done unto them or any of their ancestors or predecessors in and concerning their lands goods or estates since the contriving or breaking forth of the said rebellion 18. That some fit course may be considered of to prevent the filling or overlaying the Commons house of Parliament in Ireland with popish recusants and unlesse some course shall by due meanes be settled the popish faction may at some time or other get such an over-ruling power in that house as may endanger both your Majesties rights and royall prerogatives and the Protestants of that Kingdome And that provision may be made that none shall Vote or sit in any Parliament there but such as shall first take the Oaths of Supremacy and Alleageance 19. That the proofs and manifestation of the Truth of the severall matters contained in the Petition of your Majesties protestant subjects of Ireland and the collections made to disprove the scandalous aspersions cast on your Majesties gracious government and on your good and loyall protestant subjects by the confederates may be duly examined and discussed The seventh of May Sir William St Leger came from His Majesties Army to Oxford and being with the protestant Agents told them That that party of the Army that came out of Munster in Ireland were much discontented to heare that the protestant Agents received no better countenance and that he had told the Lord Digby so much and that the Lord Digby on discourse with the said Sir William said That The greatest favour he could doe the Protestants Agents was to call them mad men that he might not call them roundheads for that the said Agents had proposed mad propositions and wished him to prevaile with some of the Agents to come to him that he might confer with them which the said Agents did not the L. Digbies expressions then and before so little encouraging them thereunto The same day there was a report in Oxford grounded upon a letter that came out of Ireland signifying that it went for currant newes in Dublin that the Irish Agents were dispatched at Court and that they staid to procure the protestants pardons This being told to the L. Digby by the said Sir William St Leger his Lordship answered That the Protestant Agents had raised that report of purpose to cast an aspersion upon the King The eighth of May the Protestant Agents waited on Mr. Secretary Nicholas desiring to know what resolution was taken upon their second propositions who told them That the Lords sate not that day according to their appointment And the said Agents heard by others that some of the Lords desired to avoid sitting in counsell when the businesse of Ireland was debated The ninth of May the protestant Agents were commanded to wait at the
be a great tenour and discontent to all your Majesties protestant Subjects of that Kingdome and may be also a meanes to 〈◊〉 many of your Majesties subjects to quit that Kingdome or peradventure to adhere to some other party there in opposition to the Roman Irish confederates rather then be lyable to their power which effects may prove of most dangerous consequence And we humbly offer unto your Majesties consideration your owne gracious expression mentioned in the grounds and motives inducing your Majesty to agree to a Cessation of Armes for one whole yeere which the Roman Catholiques of Ireland printed at Oxford 19 Octob. 1643. viz. And let all Our good subjects be assured that as we have for these reasons and with this caution and deliberation consented to this preparation to peace and to that purpose doe continue Our Parliament there so we shall proceed in the accomplishing thereof with that care and circumspection that we shall not admit even peace it selfe otherwise then as it may be agreeable to conscience honour and justice We also humbly desire that such Lawes as your Majesty shall thinke fit to passe may be transmitted according to Poynings Law and other Laws of explanation thereof or of addition thereunto now in force with great contentment and security to your Majesties protestant Subjects But if the present Parliament be dissolved we humbly represent unto your Maiesty that so many of your ablest and best protestant Subjects have been murthered or banished by this rebellion that few or no protestant Free-holders will be found in the Counties Citles and Burroughs to elect and choose Knights Citizens and Burgesses which will be most dangerous to your Majesties rights and prerogatives and good subjects and may begēt great disputes in after-tmes For the repealing of Poynings act notwithstanding their feigned expressions of their loyalty yet it plainly appeares they doe not repose so much trust in your Majesties Justice as it becommeth loyall Subjects to doe and such they pretend themselves to be for that they seeke thereby to prevent your Majesty and your Councell of England and Ireland of so full a view and time of mature consideration to be had of Acts of Parliament of Ireland before they passe as in prudence is requisite and hath been found necessary by the experience of well neere 200 yeeres and if their intentions were so cleare as they professe we know not why they should avoyd the strictest view and try all of your Majesty and Councels of both Kingdomes this their desire tending to introduce a great diminution of your Royall and necessary power for the conservation of your Regall State and protection of your good protestant Subjects there and elsewhere And what speciall use they aime at in seeking such repeale your protestant Subjects as they know not the particulars so can they coniecture of none unlesse the said confederates have some designe by way of surprize to obtrude upon your Majesty in their new desired Parliament some Acts in justification of their ill done actions and for condemning such of your protestant Subjects as have in their severall degrees most faithfully served your Majesty there which we the rather believe seelng they have vowed by their Oath of association and the Bull lately published in Ireland since the cessation the destruction of the Protestants there when they have their Swords in their hands to put the same in execution 3. Proposition That all Acts and Ordinances made and passed in the now pretended Parliament in that Kingdome since the seventh day of August 1641. be clearely annulled and declared voyd and taken off the file Answer We humbly desire that they may particularize those Ordinances which may prejudice your Majesties service for we are well assured that the Parliament now sitting in Ireland on signification of your Majesties pleasure therein will either give your Majesty full satisfaction or repeale any unjust Orders or Ordinances whatsoever which may be prejudiciall to your Majesty And there may be some Orders or Ordinances which may concerne particular persons in their lives liberties or fortunes that may suffer unheard by the admitting of so generall a Proposition which is meerly proposed as we humbly conceive to put a scorne on your Majesties Parliament now sitting there and to discourage your Majesties Protestant Subjects who have faithfully served your Majesty in that Parliament 4. Proposition That all Indictments Attainders Outlaries in the Kings Bench or elsewhere since the said seventh day of August 1641. and all Leters Patents Grants Leases Custod Bends Recognizances and all other Records Act or Acts depending thereupon or in prejudice of the said Catholiques or any of them be taken off the file annulled and declared voyd first by your Majesties Proclamation and after by Act to be passed in a free Parliament Answer This we conceive to be a very bold Proposition not warranted as we also conceive by any example and tending to introduce an ill president in after times for it was never seene that Records were taken off the file but where there was some corruption or fraud or some illegall or unjust carriage used in and concerning the procuring or making up of such Records and the same first well proved upon due examination And it may not onely conceale but in some sort seeme to justifie their abominable treasons murthers cruelties massacres and plunders acted against your Majesties Person Crowne and Dignity upon the persons of your Majesties most loyall protestant Subjects in that Kingdome and encourage the papists there to doe the like againe besides the discouragement it may beget in your Majesties Officers and Subjects to doe their duties in the like insurrections which may happen hereafter which also may prove very prejudiciall to your Majesties rights and revenues if the Records to support the forfeitures wherein many of them are or may be grounded should be taken off the file and cancelled 5. Proposition That inasmuch as under colour of such Outlaries and Attainders debts due unto the said Catholiques have been granted levyed and disposed of and of the other side that debts due upon the said Catholiques to those of the adverse party have beene levyed and disposed to publique use That therefore all debts be by Act of Parliament mutually released or all to stand in statu quo notwithstanding any grant or disposition Answer We humbly conceive that in times of peace and most setled government when the course of Law and Justice is most open and best observed that the debts due to the Crowne and actually levied and payd in to your Majesties use ought not to be restored though the Records of the forfeitures should be legally reversed which is farre from the present case and this proposition tendeth to crosse that just right of your Majesty and to make the disposition by the confederate popish Rebels of debts due to Protestants and by the said Rebels by fraud and force levyed and disposed in maintenance of their Rebellion which cunningly they
call by the name of publique uses to be in equall degree to the debts owing by the Rebels and by them all forfeited and many of them by Law duely levyed which is a most unequall and unjust thing and the said Proposition cannot nor doth make offer to have the popish Confederates cut off from the debts due to them which they have justly forfeited but onely for a colour of consideration to have the Protestants lose such debts justly due to them as have been unjustly taken from them who have done no act at all to forfeit them 6. Proposition That the late Offices taken or found upon feigned or old titles since the yeere 1634. to entitle your Majestie to severall Countreys in Connaught Thomond and in the Counties of Typperarie Limrick Kilkenny and Wickloe be vacated and taken off the file and the possessors setled and secured in their ancient estates by Act of Parliament And that the like Act of limitation of your Majesties titles for the security of the estates of your Subjects in that Kingdom be passed in the said Parliament as was enacted in the 21 yeere of His late Majesties Raigne in this Kingdom Ans Wee know not of any Offices found on feigned Titles nor what the Confederates may demand in respect of any graces promised by your Majestie which we intend not nor have any occasion to dispute but wee humbly conceive that all those who have committed Treason in the late Rebellion subsequent to your Majesties promise of those graces have thereby forfeited the benefit thereof together with the Lands to which the said graces might else have related and so their whole estates are now justly fallen to your Majesty by their Rebellion which wee conceive is of great importance for your Majesties service to be taken into consideration As first with regard to the Statutes made in the present Parliament of England Secondly by the necessary encrease of your Revenue decayed by the present Rebellion Thirdly the abolishing of the evill customes of the Irish and preservation of Religion Laws and Government there Fourthly the satisfaction of your Protestant Subjects losses in some measure Fiftly the Arrers of your Majesties Army and other debts contracted for that warre and for preservation of that Kingdome to your Majestie Sixtly the bringing in of more Brittish upon the Plantations Seventhly the building of some walled Towns in remote and desolate places for the security of that Kingdome and your good Subjects there Eightly the taking of the Natives from their former dependencie on their Chieftains who usurped an absolute power over them to the diminution of your Regall Power and to the oppression of the Inferiours 7. Propos That all marks of incapacity imposed upon the Natives of that Kingdome to purchase or acquire Lands Leases Offices or Hereditaments be taken away by act of Parliament and the same to extend to the securing of Purchases Leases or Grants already made And that for the education of Youth an Act be passed in the next Parliament for the erecting of one or more Inns of Court Vniversities Frée and Common Schools Ans This we conceive concerneth some of the late Plantations and no other part of that Kingdome and that the restriction herein mentioned is found to bee of great use especially for the indifferencie of Trialls strength of the Government and for Trade and Traffique And we humbly conceive that if other Plantations shall not proceed for the setling and securing of that Kingdome and that no restraint be made of Papists buying or purchasing of the Protestants out of their former Plantations where they were prudently setled though now cast out of their estates by the late Rebellion and unable to Plant the same again for want of meanes and therefore probably upon easie termes will part with their estates to the Confederates that those Plantations will be destroyed to the great prejudice of your Majesties service and endangering of the safety of that Kingdome Touching bearing of Offices wee humbly conceive that their non-conformity to the Laws and Statutes of that Kingdome is the onely mark of incapacity imposed upon them and wee humbly conceive that they ought not to expect to bee more capable there then the English Natives are here in England in like case For Schooles in Ireland there are divers setled in all parts of that Kingdome already by the Laws and Statutes of that Realme And if any person well affected shall erect and endow any more Schooles there at their own charges so that the School-master and schollers may be governed according to the Laws Customs and orders of England and the best of Free-schools here wee cannot apprehend any just exceptions thereunto But touching Universities and Inns of Court we humbly conceive that this part of the Proposition savoureth of some desire to become Independant upon England or to make a separation in the Religion and Laws of the Kingdome which can never bee truely happie but in the good unitie of both in the true Protestant Religion and in the Laws of England For as for matter of charge such of the Natives as are desirous to breed their sonnes for learning in Divinity can bee well contented to send them to the Universitie of Lovain Doway and other Popish places in Forraign Kingdomes And for Civill-law or Physick to Padua and other places which draws a great treasure yearly out of your Majesties Dominions but will send few or none of them to Oxford or Cambridge where they might as cheaply be bred up and become as learned which course we conceive is holden out of their pride and disaffection towards this Kingdome and the true Religion here professed And for the Laws of the Land which are for the Common-law agreeable to England and so for the greatest part of the Statutes the Innes of Court in England are sufficient and the Protestants came thither without grudging And it is a means to civilize them after the English Customes to make them familiar and in love with the Language and Nation to preserve the Law in the purity when the Professours of it shall draw from one originall fountain and see the manner of the practise of it in the same great Channells where his Majesties Courts of Justice of England do flow most clearly whereas by separation of the Kingdoms in the places of their principall instruction when their foundations in learning are to be laid a degenerate corruption in Religion and Justice may happily be introduced and spread with much more difficulty to be corrected and restrained afterwards by any discipline to be used in Ireland or punishments there to be inflicted for departing from the true grounds of things which are best preserved in unity when they grow out of the same root then if such Universities and Innes of Court as are proposed should be granted All which we humbly submit to your Majesties most pious and prudent confideration and judgement 8. Propos That the Offices and places of Command Honour Profit
and Trust within that Kingdome be conferred upon Romane Catholiques Natives in equallity and indifferencis with your Majesties other Subjects Answ We humbly conceive that the Romane Catholique Natives in Ireland may have the like Offices and Places as the Romane Catholiques Natives of England here have and not otherwise Howbeit we conceive that in the generallity they have not deserved so much by their late Rebellion Therefore wee see not why they should be endowed with any new or further Capacities or Priviledges then they have by the Laws and Statutes now in force in that Kingdome 9. Propos That the insupportable oppression of your Subjects by reason of the Court of Wards and respit of homage be taken away and a certain Revenew in lieu thereof fetled upon your Majestie without diminution of your Majesties profits Answ We know of no oppression by reason of the Court of Wards and we humbly conceive that the Court of Wards is of great use for theraising of your Majesties Revenews the preservation of your Majesties Tenures and chiefly the education of the Gentry in the Protestant Religion and in civility of learning and good manners who otherwise would be brought up in ignorance and barbarisme their estates be ruined by their kindred and friends and continue their dependencie on the chief Lords to the great prejudice of your Majesties service and Protestant Subjects And there being no colour of exception to your Majesties just Title to Wardships we know not why the taking away of your Court concerning the same should be so pressed unlesse it bee to prevent the education of the Lords and Gentry that fall Wards in the Protestant Religion For that part of this Proposition which concerneth respit of Homage we humbly conceive it reasonable that some way may be setled for that if it stand with your Majesties good pleasure without prejudice to your Majestie or your Protestant Subjects 10. Propos That no Lord not estated in that Kingdome or estated and not resident shall have Vote in the said Parliament by proxie or otherwise and none admitted to the House of Commons but such as shall be estated and resident within the Kingdome Answ Wee humbly conceive that in the year 1641. by the graces which your Majestie then granted to your Subjects of Ireland the matter of this Proposition was in a fair way regulated by your utter abolishing of blank Proxies and limitting Lords present and attending in the Parliament of Ireland that no one of them should bee capable of more Proxies then two and prescribing the Peers of that Kingdome not there resident to purchase fitting proportions of Land in Ireland within five years from the last of July 1641. or else to lose their Votes till they should make such purchases which purchases by reason of the troubles happening in that Kingdome and which have continued for two years and a half have not peradventure yet been made And therefore your Majestie may now bee pleased and may take just occasion to enlarge the time for five years from the time when that Kingdome may again bee setled in a happy and firme peace And as to Members of the House of Commons the same is most fit as wee humbly conceive to be regulated by the Laws and Statutes of that Kingdome 11. Propos That an Act bée passed in the next Parliament declaratory that the Parliament of Ireland is a frée Parliament of it self independent of and not subordinate to the Parliament of England And that the Subjects of Ireland are immediatly subject to your Majesty as in right of your Crown And that the Members of the said Parliament of Ireland and all other the Subjects of Ireland are independent and no way to bée ordered or concluded by the Parliament of England and are onely to bée ordered and governed within that Kingdome by your Majestie and such Governors as are or shall be there appointed and by the Parliament of that Kingdome according to the Laws of the Land Answ This Proposition concerns your Majesties high Courts of Parliament both of England and Ireland and is beyond our abilities who are not acquainted with the Records and Presidents of this nature to give any answer unto and therefore we humbly desire your Majesties pardon for not answering unto the same 12. Propos That the assumed power of jurisdiction in the Councell boatd of determining of all manner of Causes be limitted to matters of State and all Pattents Estates and Grants illegally and extrajudicially avoyded there or elsewhere bée left in state as before and the parties grieved their heirs or assignes till legall eviction Answ The Councell-Table hath alwaies exercised jurisdiction in some cases ever since the English Government was setled in that Kingdome and is of so long continuance in cases of some natures as the beginning thereof appeareth not which seemeth to be by prescription and hath always been armed with power to examine upon Oath as a Court of Justice or in nature of a Court of Justice in Cases of some natures and may bee very necessary still in many Cases especially for the present till your Majesties Lawes may more generally bee received in that Kingdome And we conceive that Board is so well limitted by Printed Instructions in your Majesties Royall Fathers time and by your Majesties graces in the 17. year of your Reign that it needeth for the present little or no further Regulating at all howbeit they humbly refer it to your Majesties great wisdome and goodnesse to do therein as to Law and Justice shall appertaine Propos 13. That the Statute of the 11.12 and 13. yéer of Quéen Elizabeth concerning Staple commodities be repealed reserving to his Majesty lawfull and just poundage and a book of Rates to be setled by an indifferent Committée of both Houses for all Commodities Answ The matter of this Proposition is setled in a fitting and good way by your Majestie already as we conceive amongst the graces granted by your Majesty to your people of Ireland in the 17 year of your Majesties Reign to which we humbly refer our selves Propos 14. That in as much as the long continuance of the chief Governour or Governours of that Kingdome in that place of so great eminency and power hath béen a principall occasion that much Tyranny and oppression hath béen exercised upon the Subjects of that Kingdome That your Majestie will be pleased to continue such Governours hereafter but for thrée years And that none once imployed therein be appointed for the same again until the expiration of six years next after the end of the said thrée yéers And that an Act passe to dis-inhable such Governour or Governours during their Government directly or indirectly in Vse Trust or other wise to make any manner of purchase or Acquisition of any Manners Lands Tenements or Hereditaments within that Kingdome other then from your Majesty your heirs or successors Ans We humbly conceive that this Proposition tendeth to lay a fals and scandalous
aspersion upon your Majesties gracious government over Ireland and that it trencheth very high upon your Wisdome Justice and Power and under colour of supposed corruptions pretended to be in the greatest Officer that Commandeth under your Majestie there if he continue so long in his government as may well enable him to finde out and discover the true state of that Kingdome and the dangerous dispositions and designes of the Popish party there to prevent him therein and to turn him out from doing service before or assoon as he is throughly informed and experienced how to do the same and then to hold him excluded so long that in all likelihood he shall not live to come to that place the second time which we humbly conceive will be a great discouragement to any person of honour and fortune to serve your Majesty in that high trust And for their purchasing Lands in that Kingdome your Majesty may be pleased to leave them to the Lawes and punish them severely if they commit any offence or exercise any oppressions under colour of purchasing of any lands or estates whatsoever Prop. 15. That an Act may be passed in the next Parliament for the raising and setling of Trained Bands within the severall Counties of that Kingdome aswell to prevent forraign invasions as to render them the more serviceable and ready for your Majesties occasions as cause shall require Answ The having of Trained bands in Ireland for the present cannot under favour be for your Majesties service or the safety of that Kingdome for that the Protestants by the sad effects of the late Rebellion are so much destroyed that the said Bands must consist in effect altogether of the confederate Catholiques and to continue them in Armes stored with Ammunition and made ready for service by mustering and often Trayning will prove under colour of advancing your Majesties service against forraign invasion a meet guard and power of Popish Forces alwayes in readinesse to protect the Popish confederates and by force and Armes according to their late oathes and Protestations to execute all their cruell designs for extirpation of the Protestant Religion and English Government both which they mortally hate howsoever in cunning they dissemble it and to prevent the setling an Army of good Protestants without which your Majesties good Subject cannot live securely there Propos 16. That an Act of Oblivion be passed in the next frée Parliament to extend to all your Majesties said Catholique Subjects and their adherents for all manner of offences Capitall Criminall and Personall and the said Act to extend to all Goods and Chattels Customes Measne Profits Prizes Arrears of Rents taken received or incurred since these troubles Answ We humbly pray that the Laws of force be taken into consideration and do humbly conceive that your Majesty in honour and Justice may forbear to discharge or release any Actions Suits Debts or Interests whereby your Majesties Protestant Subjects who have committed no offence against your Majestie or your Laws should be barred or deprived of any of their Legall remedies or just demands which by any of your Majesties Laws and Statutes they may have against the Popish confederates who are the onely delinquents or any of their party for or in respect of any wrongs done unto them or any of their Ancestors or Predecessours in or concerning their Lands Goods or Estates since the contriving or breaking forth of Rebellion The said confederates having without provocation shed so much innocent blood and acted so many cruelties as cannot be parallel'd in any story And we conceive it to be high presumption in them upon so weak grounds to propound an Act of Oblivion in such generall termes some of the confederates having been contrivers or Actors of such cruell Murthers and other Acts of Inhumanity as cry to God and your Sacred Majesty for Justice and they having of your Majesties Revenues Customes Subsidies and other rights of your Crown in their hands or destroyed by them to the value of 200000. l. and more Propos 17. Forasmuch as your Majesties said Catholique Subjects have béen taxed with many Inhumane cruelties which they never committed Your Majesties said suppliants therefore for their vindication and to manifest to all the world their desire to have such hainous offences punished and the Offenders brought to Austice Do desire that in next the Parliament all notorious murthers breaches of Quarter and Inhumane cruelties committed of either side may be questioned in the said Parliament if your Majesty so think fit And such as shall appear to be guilty to be excepted out of the said Act of Oblivion and punished according to their deserts Forasmuch Dread Soveraign as the ways of our addresse unto your Majesty for apt remedies unto our grievances were hither to debarred us but now at length through your benign grace and favour laid open We do humbly present these in pursuance of the said Remonstrance which granted your said subjects are ready to contribute the 10000. Men as in their Remonstrance is specified towards the suppressing of the unnaturall Rebellion now in this Kingdome and will further expose their lives and fortunes to serve your Majestie as occasion shall require Answer We conceive this Proposition is made but for a flourish and if the confederates be so desirous to try their innocency as they pretend they need not stay for another Parliament in Ireland but submit to that which is now in being which is an equall and just Parliament as in some of our reasons touching that point is expressed And the offering to draw it to a new Parliament is in effect to desire that they may be their own Judges for as that Kingdome is now imbroiled and wasted the chief delinquents or their confederates will be so prevalent a faction in the next Parliament that they will be able and doubtlesse will clear all the Popish party how guilty soever and condemn the Protestants how Innocent soever These Answers to the High and unexpected demands of the confederate Rebels we have framed in humble obedience to your Majesties directions but being very sensible as of the weight and great importance of the businesse so also of our own weaknesse and want of time and well knowing that some of your Majesties Privy Councellours Judges and Officers of that Kingdome are now in Town sent for over and here attending by your Majesties command who by their long observation and experience of the affairs and state of Ireland are better able to give your Majesty more full and satisfactory answers touching the premisses then we can and conceiving that the Collections in answere to the said confederates Remonstrance which we humbly presented to your Majesty the 29. of the last Moneth of April may in many things give your Majestie more light then these our Answers do or can We humbly beseech your Majestie that the said Privy Councellours Judges and Officers as occasion shall require may be called upon and heard to give your
The False and Scandalous REMONSTRANCE OF The Inhumane and Bloody Rebells of Ireland DELIVERED To the Earl of St. Albans and Clanrickard the Earl of Roscomon Sir Maurice Eustace Knight and other His Majesties Commissioners at Trim the 17. of March 1642. to be presented to His Majesty by the Name of The Remonstrance of Grievances presented to His Majestie in the behalf of the Catholicks of IRELAND Printed at Waterford nine Moneths after by Tho Bourk Printer to the Confederate-Catholicks and untill then concealed from His Majesties good Protestant Subjects Together with an ANSWER thereunto on the behalf of the Protestants of Ireland Also a true Narration of all the Passages concerning the Petition of the Protestants of IRELAND presented to His Majesty at Oxford the 18. of April 1644. With the Reasons inducing the said Protestants to Petition The Proceedings and Successes thereof in Ireland and afterwards in England untill the Protestant Agents were dismissed by His Majesty 30. Maii 1644. Collected in obedience to the Order and Command of the Honorable House of Commons of England For the manifestation of the Truth and Vindication of the Protestants August 27. 1644. IT is this day Ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning Printing That the Books intituled An Answer presented to His Majestie at Oxford unto the false and scandalous Remonstrance of the Inhumane and Bloody Rebells of Ireland Together with A Narration of the proceedings at Oxon be forthwith printed and published JOHN WHITE London Printed for Edw. Husbands in the Middle-Temple 1644. A Remonstrance of Grievances Presented to his most Excellent Majestie in the behalfe of the Catholicks of IRELAND To the Kings most Excellent Majestie MOst gratious Soveraigne We your Majesties most dutifull and loyall subjects the Catholicks of your Highnesse kingdom of Ireland being necessitated to take armes for the preservation of our Religion the maintenance of your Majesties rights and prerogatives the naturall and just defence of our lives and estates and the liberties of our country have often since the beginning of these troubles attempted to present our humble complaint unto your Royall view but were frustrated of our hopes therein by the power and vigilancy of our adversaries the now Lords-Iustices and other ministers of State in this kingdome who by the assistance of the malignant party in England now in Arms against your Royall person with lesse difficulty to attaine the bad ends they proposed to themselves of extirpating our Religion and Nation hither to debarred us of any accesse to your Majesties justice which occasioned the effusion of much innocent bloud and other mischiefes in this your kingdom that otherwise might well be prevented And whereas of late notice was sent unto us of a Commission granted by your Majesty to the right honorable the Lord Marques of Ormond and others authorizing them to heare what we shall say or propound and the same to transmit unto your Majesty in writing which your Majesties gracious and princely favour we find to be accompanied with these words viz. Albeit we do extreamly detest the odious rebellion which the recusants of Ireland have without ground or colour raised against us our Crown and dignity which words we do in all humility conceive to have proceeded from the misrepresentations of our adversaries and therfore do protest we have been therein maliciously traduced to your Majesty having never entertained any rebellious thought against your Majesty your Crown or dignitie but alwayes have been and ever will continue your Majesties most faithfull and loyall subjects and do most humbly beseech your Majesty so to owne and avow us and as such we present unto your Majesty these ensuing grievances and causes of the present distempers 1 In primis the Catholicks of this kingdom whom no reward could invite no persecution inforce to forsake that Religion professed by them and their ancestors for thirteen hundred yeares or thereabouts are since the second year of the raigne of Queen Elizabeth made incapable of places of honor or trust in Church or Common-wealth their Nobles become contemptible their Gentry debarred from learning in Vniversities or publick Schooles within this kingdome their younger brothers put by all manner of imployment in their native country and necessitated eyther to live in ignorance and contempt at home or to their great discomfort and impoverishment of the land to seek education and fortune abroad misfortunes made incident to the said Catholicks of Ireland only their numbers quality and loyalty considered of all the Nations in Christendome 2 Secondly that by this incapacity which in respect of their Religion was imposed upon the said Catholicks men of mean condition quality for the most part were in this kingdom imployed in places of greatest honor and trust who being to begin a fortune built it of the Ruines of the Catholick Natives at all times lying open to be discountenanced and wrought upon and who because they would seem to be carfull of the government did from time to time suggest fals malicious matters against them the said Catholicks to render them suspected odious in England from which ungrounded informations their many other ill Offices these mischeifs have befallen the Catholicks of Ireland First the oppositions given to all the graces and favors of your Maiesty or your late Royall Father promised or intended to the Natives of this Kingdom Secondly the procuring of false inquisitions upon fained Titles of their estates against many hundred yeares possession and no travers or petition of Right admitted thereunto and Iurors denying to find such Offices were censured even to their publicke infamy and ruine of their estates the finding thereof being against their consciences and cleere evidences and nothing must stand against such offices taken of great and considerable parts of the Kingdom but Letters-patents under the great Seale And if Letters-patents were produced as in most cases they were none must bee allowed valid nor yet sought to be legally avoyded So that of late times by the underhand working of Sir William Parsons now one of your Lords-Iustices here and the arbitrary illegall power of the two impeached Iudges in Parliament and others drawne by their advice and counsell one hundred and fifty Letters-patents were avoyded in one morning which course continued untill all the Patents of the Kingdom to a few were by them and their associates declared voyd such was the care those ministers had of your Maiesties great Seale being the publick faith of the Kingdom this way of service in shew only pretended for your Maiesty proved to your disservice and the immoderate and too timely advancement of the said ministers of state and their adherents and too neere the utter mine of the said Catholicks 3. That whereas your Majesties late Royall Father King James having a princely and fatherly care of this Kingdom was graciously pleased to grant severall large and beneficiall Commissions under the great Seal of England and severall instructions
attaynt many thousands of your Majesties most faithfull subiects of this kingdom they being never summoned nor having notice of those proceedings and Sheriffs made of obscure mean persons by the like practise appointed of purpose and poore Artificers common souldiers and mecanicall servants returned Iurors to passe upon the lives and estates of those who came in upon protection and publick faith 14 Therefore the said Catholicks in the behalfe of themselves and of the whole kingdom of Ireland Do protest and declare against the said proceedings in the nature of Parliaments and in the other Courts aforesaid and every of them as being heynous crimes against Law destructive to the Parliaments and your Majesties prerogatives and authority and to the rights and just liberties of your most faithfull subjects Forasmuch Dread Soveraign as the speedy application of apt remedies unto these grievances and heavy pressures will tend to the settlement and improvement of your Majesties revenue the prevention of further effusion of bloud the preservation of this kingdom from desolation and the content and satisfaction of your said subjects who in manifestation of their duty and zeale to your Majesties service will be most willing and ready to imploy 10000. men under the conduct of wel-experienced Commanders in defence of your Royall rights and prerogatives They therefore most humbly beseech your Majesty That you will vouchsafe gracious answers to these their humble and just complaints And for the establishment of your people in a lasting peace and security The said Catholicks do most humbly pray that your Majesty may be further graciously pleased to call a free Parliament in this kingdom in such convenient time as your Majesty in your high wisdome shall think fit and the urgencie of the present affaires of the said kingdom doth require and that the said Parliaments be held in an indifferent place summoned by and continued before some person or persons of honour and fortune of approved faith to your Majesty and acceptable to your people here and to be timely placed by your Majesty in this government which is most necessary for the advancement of your service and present condition of the kingdom in which Parliament the said Catholicks doe humbly pray these and other their grievances may be redressed and that in the said Parliament a statute made in this kingdom in the 10. yeare of K. Henry the 7. commonly called Poynings Act and all acts explayning or inlarging the same be by a particular Act suspended during that Parliament as it hath been already done in the 11. yeare of Q. Eliz. upon occasions of far lesse moment then now do offer themselves And that your Majesty with the advise of the said Parliament will be pleased to take a course for the repealing or further continuance of the said Statutes as may best conduce to the advancement of your service here and peace of this your Realme and that no matter wherof Complaint is made in this Remonstrance may debarre Catholicks or give interruption to their free votes or sitting in the said Parliament And as in duty bound they will ever pray for your Majesties long and prosperous Raign over them FINIS THis Remonstrance was delivered by the Lord Viscount Gormonstown Sir Lucas Dillon Knight Sir Robert Talbot Baronet and John Walsh Esquire thereunto authorised by the Confederate Catholicks of Ireland to His Majesties Commissioners at the Town of Trim in the County of Meath on the 17. of March 1642. to be presented to His most Excellent Majestie Printed at Waterford by Thomas Bourke Printer to the Confederate Catholicks of IRELAND Anno Dom. 1643. To the Kings most excellent Majestie YOur Majesties most loyall and obedient Protestant Subjects of Ireland groaning under the heavy pressures of the confederate Romane Catholiques of Ireland who to adde to all their other injuries have printed a booke intituled A Remonstrance delivered by the Lord Viscount Gormanstowne and others authorised by the said confederate Catholiques to Your Majesties Commissioners at Trym the 17. of March 1642. which came not to the knowledge of Your Majesties Protestant Subjects of Ireland till of late wherein they have endeavored by confounding of times and by other subtile conveyances to put a shew of reason upon their wicked and unnaturall acts We therefore beseech Your most sacred Majestie to cast your eye upon the ensuing Collection of some passages and unknown truths wherein will appeare part of the grievances of Your Majesties said Protestant subjects and part of the many untruths and scandalous aspersions by the said Remonstrants cast upon Your Majesties gracious government and upon Your said Protestant subjects And although these Collections in some measure answer the Remonstrance and come attired in round and plaine expressions as the wofull case requireth the just vindication of Your Majesties gracious government pressing also that all vizards and palliations be laid aside yet it is humbly prayed that nothing herein may be construed as to proceed of malice or desire of aggravation against any person therein concerned how intollerable soever the projects and actions of many of them have been or to be contrived to avert foreclose or shorten Your Majesties grace or clemencie which Your Majestie shall extend to any of them in Your Majesties abundant indulgence as a Princely parent to your people and may stand with Your Majesties honour and soveraignty and the peace and future security of Your Majesties Kingdome and good people of Ireland First to the Preface THat the Remonstrants were no way necessitated to take Armes for the preservation of their Religion for which long time before their taking arms they were not troubled nor so much as questioned having also in their actions varied from the rules of all Christiā Religion nor for maintenance of your Maties rights prerogatives there being no opponents in the kingdom of Ireland in that matter except the Remōstrants themselves who knew that Governours and Officers there have with all zeale and constancy from time to time maintained and with extreame hazard of their lives to maintaine the same and that none in the said Kingdome hath offered to oppose or diminish them save what these Remonstrants have done by laying aspersions on your Majesty in your Goverement and striving to abridge both your profit and Authority under that popular and specious pretence of grievances which is one of their maine ends in all their unruly actions and now having possessed themselves almost of all your Majesties Revenues both certaine and casuall and also of the estates of your Protestant Subjects doe undutifully assume unto themselves and exercise a Papall Iurisdiction in that Church and a tyrannicall power in that Common-wealth as well by sea as by land a presumption never adventured upon in any former rebellious times and which can be nothing but a ground-plot of insurrections hereafter They publish new Lawes for Government erect new Courts and Tribunalls of all kind of Iudicature they ordaine Magistrates Iudges and Officers of all
sorts as well of State as Civill and Marshall they make War and Peace at pleasure they punish with death and all other corporall punishments they pardon and protect at pleasure they publish Proclamations as well in paine of death as otherwise in their owne names they convoke generall Assemblies out of all Counties in nature of Parliaments they have Assembled and held Synods and Convocations of their Titulary Arch-Bishops and Bishops and other Popish pretended Clergy and therein made Canons and Constitutions for the government of the Church they have excommunicated many of your Majesties Subjects and thereby inforced them to joyne with them in their confederacy they have taken possession of the Churches and seized the whole meanes of the Protestant Clergy into their owne hands and exercise the whole Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction and function they have received and yet entertaine a Nuncio from the Pope and two Agents from France and Spaine as themselves give out they treat with forraigne States in matters of the Kingdome they annoy the seas and hinder traffique they coyne money make it currant and advance and Decree Coynes already currant they settle and alter Possessions and in summe by way of exclusion to all Your Majesties Prerogatives Rights and Authorities they published an Act in print that no temporall Government or Jurisdiction shall be assumed kept or exercised within that Kingdome or any Province or County thereof during the troubles other then what is approved or instituted by their generall Assembly or supreame Counsell and have in this and other acts shewed themselves in the highest degree to be Antimonarchicall and contemners of Your Majesties Royall Scepter and Soveraignty neither were they necessitated to take up Armes for the defence of their lives estates and liberties of their Country they being in no feare of their lives or estates by any violence or illegallity so much as offered or intended by Your Majesties Governours or Protestant Subjects neither can it be instanced than at any time since the Reformation of Religion either Your Majesties Governours or Protestant Subjects ever offered any open violence against the person or estate of any Papist quatenus a papist nor otherwise except in case of Rebellion wherein there was necessity to desend Your Majesties good people or represse the Rebells unjust insolence by way of just chastisement Your Majesties Governours and Officers there using all their skill and labour to preserve the happy peace of that Kingdome which they well knew Your Majesty esteemed the highest blessing of Almighty God upon earth and for just Liberties of Subjects it equally concernes Your Majesties Protestant Subjects with the Papists and each of them have so freely enjoyed them during the gracious Raigne of Your Sacred Majesty and Your most illustrious Father untill this present Rebellion as no Nation in Christendome hath exceeded them in that blessing as it will best appeare if comparison be made with former times when for many ages there was in Ireland absolute tyranny in the Chieftaines ruling in an Irish manner and direct slavery in the inferiours which it seemes these Remonstrants doe rather affect then the legall peaceable regiment of Your sacred Majesty and the wholsome Lawes of England and since that Rebellion began Your Majesties people of Ireland have by the confederates been wholly subjected to illegall Ordinances oppressions and Arbitrary powers and indeed to the will of a raging and sinisterly incensed multitude and therefore those Figg-leaves of their faigned excuses are ill put together pretending the murther robbery and destruction of Your Majesties Protestant Subjects should be for the preservation of the said confederate whereas in truth Religion might teach them to discerne that the innocent blood they have thus cruelly and wantonly spilt would cry to Heaven and to Your Sacred Majesty Gods Vicegerent within Your Dominions for a just revenge against them Touching the frustrating of these Remonstrants attempts to present complaints to Your Majesty since the Rebellion began there will appeare no truth in this suggestion when all things are duely examined nay it will appeare that the Lords Iustices and Counsell have not concealed or debarred them or any thing that came from them to their Lords hands but have furthered the same to Your Majesties view or knowledge so fast as they could As first about the sixt of November 1641. the Rebells of the County of Cavan sent up a presumptuous Proposition to the Lords Iustices and Counsell which their Lordships answered with all the moderation and satisfaction that could stand with their duty as may appeare by the same and forthwith certified the one and the other to the late Lord Lieutenant to whom Your Majesty had expresly commanded them to send all addresses for the affaires of Ireland after that when about the 23th of December 1641. certaine Lords of the Pale had declared by a former Letter that they would stand on their guard and after they had joyned with the Northerne Rebells in the siege of Drogheda the Lords Iustices received a Letter from seven Lords of the Pale wherein after some unjust Challenges made to the Lords Iustices and Counsell they signified they would not come to them though before they the Lords Iustices and Councell had sent them security for their persons and published the same by Proclamation and desired that the Lords Iustices and Councell would send them certaine Commissioners to conferre concerning the Common peace and other things This the Lords Iustices and Councell thought not good to discend unto considering their former great undutifullnesse And hereof they forthwith certified the late Lord Leiutenant also but the truth is that for severall moneths in the beginning of this Rebellion they little regarded any thing the Lords Iustices could say or doe while they hoped to carry all before them by surprize or open force And indeed untill your Majesties Armies by accesse of succours sent out of England had redeemed such of your protestant Subjects as with life only escaped from that overwhelming destruction by these confederates prepared against them and enabled your Majesties distressed subjects to make head against their bloudy cruelties and that they felt their owne weaknesse to maintaine their disloyalty against so potent a Monarch as your Majestie is Neither indeed had they any colour of complaint the cause of griefe being intirely on our side And at the beginning of this Rebellion they had lesse reason then ever having lately received so much grace And satisfaction in all their pretended greivances though they had not he duty and patience to forbeare force and humbly to reape the fruits thereof The second overture which any of them made unto the Lords Iustices and Councell was by a Letter written to the Earle of Castlehaven dated the 16th of March 1641. signed onely by the Lords Gormonstowne Netterville and Slane in the stile of united Lords wherein they desired to have a meeting in some convenient place and that in the meane time there might be a Cessation of
Armes This the Earle sent to the Lords Iustices the 23th of the same moneth which was long after the Irish Army was beaten from Drogheda and that your Majesties Army was fully Master of the field in all parts of the Pale And then the Lords Iustices and Councell thought not fit of themselves to harken unto it but forth with certified the same to the then Lord Lieutenant desiring your Maiesties directions therein And for their further proceeding on the 23th of March 1642. the Lord Montgarret sent to the Earle of Ormond then Lientenant Generall of your MaiesTies Army a paper of the grievances aswell concerning things done in England as Ireland and desired it might be shewed to the Lords Iustices and Councell that redresse might be given which lay not in their Lordships powers yet this also they sent to the then Lord Lieutenant to be shewed to your Maiestie About August one thousand six hundred forty and two the Remonstrants sent to the said Lieutenant Generall of your Maiesties Army a Petition directed to your Maiestie which his Lordship presented to the Lords Iustices who forthwith sent it away to your Maiesties principall Secretary and since then no other complaint hath beene heard of except that Remonstrance and except some particular motions hereafter mennoned By all which it fully appeares the Lords Iustices and Councell did no way frustrate any of their attempts to complaine to your Maiestie For the sense these Remonstrants seeme now to have of the late effusion of innocent bloud there T is well if they now beginne to be sensible of the effusion of the innocent bloud whereof indeed themselves only are guilty which will more plainely appeare by distinguishing the times which they causelesly confound Your Maiesties subiects being in full peace and trusting only to the protection of your Maiesties lawes these confederates and their bloudy instruments did in many parts of the Kingdome suddenly and treacherously assault and glut their long contealed malice in cruelly murthering by sundry kinde of tormenting deaths some hundred thousands of your Maiesties harmelesse Protestant subiects and dispoiling both them and all the rest of all their esTates and substance as is too manifest to the world nothing limiting their outragious aymes but professEd to all extirpation of all Brittish and Protestants All which time neither your Maiesties Governours nor your surprized subiects were able to make any considerable resistance And when afterwards your Maiesties forces out of England enabled your subiects to stand upon their defence and by your Maiesties Princely direction and authority to take due vengeance on their unparraleld wickednesse no man no not the confederates in their owne consciences can iustly charge your Maiesties Governours or protestant Subiects with bloud undeservedly shed in that necessitated way of their own defence and iust punishment of those former heynous acts But the confederates ought to bewayle the bloud of your Maiesties officers and servants fighting in your iust quarrell as an addition of waight to their former guilt Vid. Proclamation Octob. 3. 1641. Whereas on the other side aswell your Maiestie by your Princely Proclamation under your royall signature and privy Signer commanded them to lay downe Armes Vid. Proclamation 1 Novēa 1641. with intent doubtlesse to have mercy on them in a fit measure And your Maiesties Governours there partly by Proclamations promising in your Maiesties name mercy to all that should desist from force as hereafter is set downe And partly by imploying unto them a committee of Parliament there whom they scornefully reiected by tearing aswell the Committees Letters sent to them from Drogheda as the order of Parliament therewith sent And at another time by sending unto them certaine of their owne Clergy to treate and perswade with them whom they abused And partly by letters and faire messages moving them to cease and stay violence by appointing the Lord Moore and others to treate with them By appointing Sir Richard Barnwell and Patrick Barnwell to treate and perswade with them Did their utmost to induce them to returne to due obedience To come and submit their discontents to your Maties known Clemency and stop the issue of bloud which they so willfully had opened enraged And which gives further evidence of your Maties servants subjects peaceable inclination Your Majesties Iustices and Counsell did in the beginning of this Rebellion give severall Commissions to Lords and prime Gentrie of the Natives in the Pale and all the adjacent Counties authorising them to gather the Forces of the Countrey and to governe and command them for preservation of the Subjects in peace authorizing them in those Commissions to parley with Rebels protect and promise mercy to all that would returne to obedience so much confidence had the Lords Iustices in those old English and did desire to make them assured of their trust As the Lord Gormanston in Meath Lord Montgarret in Kilkenny Nicholas Barnwell in Dublin Walter Bagwell in Catherlagh Lord of Lowth in Lowth Sir Thomas Nugent in Westmeath Sir Robert Talbot in Wickloe Sir Iames Dillon in Longford and severall others as well in Munster as Conaught All which Commissions so issued even to so many of of the Remonstrants themselves were issued after the 23 of October and before the last of November 1641. In all which time or afterwards if they pleased they might have staid the spreading of the Rebellion if promise of mercy could have done it besides severall Commissions of Martiall Law to the Natives in each County But they contrary to all hope not only forbare to protect or reduce any but they soone after joyned with the Northerne and other Rebels to the confusion of the State and Government and destruction and banishment almost of all British and Protestants and as for those few Roman Catholicks who stood firme in loyaltie in those unseasonable times they have been embraced and used with that love and affection by your Majesties Governours and Protestant subjects which the Protestant subjects formerly shewed to them and as the Protestants have been As to their undutifull Challenge to your Majesties Princely and deeply merited expressions in your gracious Commission to your said Lieutenant Generall of your Army granted in compassion to these Remonstrants Your Majesties loyall subjects cannot observe their presumption without griefe of heart but doe in all humilitie leave the same to Your Majesties most discerning judgement Your Majesties Protestant subjects doe not beleeve nor ever could observe that any of Your Governours or Protestant subjects there have either directly or collaterally in adverse affection towards the Confederates advertised against or otherwise represented those Confederates to Your sacred Majestie then the truth urged and their bounden duty to Your Majestie and your service pressed them to doe To the first Article Artic. 1. It runneth upon generalls and is in substance generally untrue yet in further dutifull care to give Your Majestie satisfaction Instances herein are humbly offered to maintaine the
and other Natives of fit capacitie and breeding have been trusted and imployed in all Commissions from the Courts or otherwise in all matters as well concerning the King as other subjects in equall degree with Protestants the Gentry also from time to time even till this Rebellion were appointed Sheriffes Iustices of the Peace high Constables Marshalls upon occasion and all other Officers in the Country that the Law appoints They were also allowed chiefe Officers and Iudges in Corporations and other Liberties and Franchises their sonnes also admitted Clarkes in the Courts and other under Officers which are graces and favours rarely allowed to the pretended Catholiques in England though Natives of this Kingdome so as very few of that Kingdome have been observed to seeke fortunes in other Countries except some that doe passe into this Kingdome for their preferment and except such as do voluntarily travell beyond Seas to the warres and to become Clergy-mer and some students in the Arts as natives of England doe the same their Lawyers also to our deare experience notwithstanding different in Religion are and have been admitted to the Bar and all other practice as Protestants are by which they grow popular and in short time farre richer and greater purchasers then the Protestant Lawyers or Iudges now imployed can doe in many yeares a favour not allowed to like natives here in England which hath been an extreame mischief to that Kingdome of Ireland as hereafter shall appeare many of the prime Gentry have by suite to Your Majesty and Your most blessed Father been advanced to honour of severall degrees have been dignified with titles of Baronets and Knights and for preferment in the Church It is apparant that after the Statute of Secundo many of that Nation were then continued Bishops and other Dignitaries and many newly created upon the yeelding to the externe part of the Reformation though it is to be remembred what is declared of some of them by Statute in that Kingdome enacted in the eleaventh yeare of Queene Elizabeth Cha. 6. In which is this expression viz. Where the right honourable sir Henry Sidney Knight of the honourable Order now Lord Deputy of Ireland hath in his late progressE into Munster and Connaught found amongst other experiences the great abuse of the Clergy therein admitting of unworthy Personages to Ecclesiasticall dignities which hath neither lawfulnesse of Birth Learning English habit or English Language but discended of unchast and unmarried Abbots Priors Deanes Chaunters and such like getting into the said digniries either with force symony friendship or other corrupt meanes to the great overthrow of Gods Holy Church and the evill example of all honest Congregations Be it therefore c. Yet they were continued during their lives howsoever afterwards none were admitted to those places but such as were knowne Protestants and therein the Natives of that Kingdome being so conditioned were freely entertained and many of them so dignified as they are at this day it being not thought fit to put that charge into the hands of Recusants because it hath been since observed as it is now clearely manifest that they are in that Kingdome of Ireland the Seeds-men and wombe of all the distempers and miser able sufferings of the now deplorable Common-wealth which is by many of considerable quality now lamentably acknowledged neither indeed are the Recusants capable of that charge by the Lawes of the Land and if they take offence at those Laws supplications not Murthers Rebellions and depredations were a proper way to sue for the repeale of them but the Nobles that they are become contemptible is a strange affirmation they have been graced by Your Majesty and Your Governours from time to time with all the respects of Honour and Priviledge that is any way due to them and in no lesse measure then the Protestants have been besides it is well knowne that since the Protestant subjects Brittish and others became their neighbours and Tenants and inhabited their now desolate estates the Rents and Revenues of those Lords were so raised as they were brought into a condition to livel ike Noblemen in a civill Common-wealth which they were not before able to doe nor it is beleeved will ever be againe if some as perillously credulous as the Protestant Subiects now ruined have been do not make such adventures as they have done to their cost Lastly where those confederates doe boldly and untruely affirme that their Gentry were debarred from Learning in Universities and publique Schooles first their children though themselves and their Parents Papists were freely admitted into all publique Schooles as well of Your Maiesties foundation as other waies without question of Religion wherein they attained to the knowledge of the Latine and the Greeke Tongues and full introduction into the Arts and all other humane learning And for Universities they know there is but one only Colledge in Ireland founded by Queene Elizabeth and endowed by Your Maiesties most blessed Father for the education of the youth of that Kingdome That Colledge is of smal capacity yet can it not be instanced that any the son of a noble man or Gentleman were refused to be admitted thereunto if they would conforme to the Lawes of the Land and Statutes of that Society neither are they there pressed with the Law till they come to be Graduates and it is well knowne that as well from that University as Innes of Court here in England very many of them have gained learning and knowledge which in many of them now is imployed to the extream annoyance and harme of Your Maiesty and Your Kingdome and though they were not so freely admitted into those Societies and in Corporations because they would not conforme to the Lawes of the Land and Charters Orders and Customes of that society yet many of those lived there and here with greater freedome from those Lawes then the Natives of England of the Popish Religion did in England and yet it is humbly conceived that if their numbers quality and loyalty be rightly weighed and considered there will not be found any good cause or found reasons why the Native Papists of Ireland should have more freedome in Ireland then the Native Papists of England have in England and whereas they so needlesly presse for the free admittance into the Schoole of the Kingdome as they have clearely received that freedome as is above mentioned which also well appeares in the men of this age educated sarre beyond all former times so they should have laid their challenge with all hample acknowledgment and thankefulnesse to Your sacred Majesty and the famous ProresTant Princes preceding Your Muesty and Your English Government For first in the 28th yeare of King Henry the 8th it was enacted that every incumbent should keepe a Schoole in his Parish to teach English Secondly Queene Elizabeth by a Statute in the 12th yeare of her Reigne ordained that there should be a Free Schoole kept in every Diocesse of that Kingdome to
will of those usurping Chieftaines And that Kingdome in a manner from age to age infested with continuall bloody insurrections and intestine commotions In which case it continued even unto the end of the Reigne of Queen Elizabth notwithstanding all that the English Governours sent by her coulde doe being assisted for the most part all that time with Irish Counsellors Iudges and Officers as is herein formerly metioned The Kingdom being held in great poverty and barbarisme notwithsTanding the vast expence of English bloud and treasure spent there by that gracious Queen and some of her Royall predecessors Neither could the Revenues and Profits of the Crowne in any of those times be advanced to above 11000 l. per annum and many times far lesse yea sometimes nothing at all And all it was advanced to was spent there besides the continuall exhaust of treasure out of England even to keep life in the few English that continued there obedient to the Crown and Lawes of England whereas on the other side since the beginning of the Reigne of the blessed King James and Your sacred Majestie successively Vid. Statute 11 Iac. c. 1. in Ireland for the benefit of Law and English government by His and Your wise and pious couduct and direction the English Governours with the assistance of English Iudges and officers have wholly abolished and removed all those Irish powers and jurisdictions and placed the dependencie of the people entirely on the Crown setled and secured a Legall property in every subject of their lands and goods bringing them absolutely into the state of free subjects utterly rased out the Irish Gavelkinde and Tainstry the very pest of the Nation the Farmers and Yeomanry being formerly scarce able out of the earth to gaine meat and sustenance for themselves and for idle Gentry and unimployed youth They introduced Civilitie peace and legall obedience to your Majestie throughout that Kingdome dispersed English habitations and manurance in all parts and Provinces even formerly the most rude Irish and uninhabited who built and erected Corporations and civill societies set up Markets and Faire for Commerce built and placed Churches bridges cawsies and passages gaoles Session houses Schooles for education of youth and thousands of Castles and houses of stone and brick for habitation and defence as did also then by their example many of the old English and Irish which were civilized besides foure walled Townes built in necessary places now since that Rebellion begun maintained for your Majestie by Garrisons They caused inclosures of lands planting of Orchards and Gardens and drayning of Bogs in all places as farre as time could permit They also brought in English habit language and usage and the full and universall exercise of the English lawes in all parts of the Kingdome turning all not formerly turned into Shire grounds setting known limits to all the Counties and Baronies thereof Into all which Iustices of Assize and Gaole delivery were halfe yearely sent for the happy and orderly administration of Justice and setling mens properties Whereas before the Reigne of King James the Iudges could travell no where but in the Pale and that not ordinarily because of Rebellions They placed Sheriffes Iustices of Peace and all Officers of Law in each County well instructed to execute their offices They caused estates for lives yeares and otherwayes to passe between Lord and Tenant for comfort and settlement of the people who were before generally Tenants at will in all parts And by commixture of new English and old English with Irish established indifferencie of Tryall by Iurie in most parts which before by reason of combined Irish Septs and the power of Irish Lords could not be They caused the Irish and others to live in Town-Reads not wandring with their cattell and creates dispersedly and barbarously in mountaines and wastes as formerly They enchartered the Townes and Corporations with enlarged and necessary Franchises Liberties and Jurisdictions aswell for government as ornament and benefit to the great enriching of those Inhabitants and increase of Merchandise they setled a learned Protestant Clergy of all degrees in all the parts of that Kingdom and Ordained the Consistories in a Legall form They caused to be enacted Laws for the course of Justice and quieting mens Estates and Interests agreeable as far as was necessary to the Laws made in England since the 10. of H. 7. They reformed the exorbitancy of Sheriffs who after the Captainships were taken away did in many places succeed them in extortion and oppression They had setled an Army of 2000 foot and 1000 horse intended to be English who tooke nothing of the Country without ready money and a competent Navy to guard the Coast all paid there without charge to England And lastly they had advanced your Majesties Revenues certain and casuall from under 8000 l. per annum as it was when King James began to above 85000 l. per annum besides a great gaine the Farmers of the Customes had for a few yeares to come and all this done with little or no charge to England And as an addition of blessing to all this the people generally by this meanes did wonderfully increase in riches and substance far beyond all other times Rents raised as high as in many parts of England where before lands yeelded little or nothing The breed of Cattell of all sorts wonderfully enlarged bettered and prized and infinite numbers of cowes horses and sheep with very great quantities of wooll yearely sent into this Kingdome and corne multiplied in all parts which redounded to the benefit of the Natives equally if not more then to the English as may appear as by many other things so particularly by the large mariage portions given by the Lords Gentry and others with their daughters ten times above the rates of former times dowries and joyntures of wives and purchase of lands proportionably encreased Mony let at Ten in the hundred at most whereas formerly it was at 15 l. 20 l. and 30 l. and sometimes higher And lastly whereas in all Queen Elizabeths time they could give her but one Subsidie and that but a meane one of 13 s. 4 d. out of every plough-land occupied or manured to continue for ten yeares very few Subsidies having beene granted in Ireland to any former Kings that Subsidy of Queene Elizabeth by reason that the Townes and Corporations were by a Statute freed and that divers exceptions of Gentlemens estates and other waies were incerted and that great quantities of the Kingdome were in the hands of the Irish not till then divided into Plow Lands much whereof was never so done and lastly by reason of the Rebellions of those times did never amount to any considerable summe now in the happy and plentifull Raigne of Your Majesty they were able to raise and grant unto Your Majesty ten Subsidies of one and forty thousand pounds each Subsidy and some of them 45000. l. besides Lords and Clergy over and above great contributions
rest of those Territories but only subjected to great travell and paines for your Majesties service and common benefit of the Kingdome and people And in the then intended Plantation of Connaught so much complained of by the Remonstrants the same course was observed for avoyding the Pattents of Protestants which were many and for taking part of their lands as of the Roman Catholiques without any difference at all Which course was by the Parliament of Ireland represented to your Majestie as a generall grievance in the Remonstrance sent over by a Committee of Protestants and Papists and redresse obtained in that point In the third Article doth plainly appeare 3. Article contrary to the intention of the Remonstrants and the Princely Fatherly care of blessed King Iames for the generall good of that Kingdome both by sending Commissioners for setling estates and often renewed and enlarged and after Statutes made by your Majestie to confirm all those Graunts And also in sending Cōmissioners to examine grievances and instructions for the general ease of the people All which by the Governours and Officers there was most wililingly obeyed performed so farre as was possible or might any wayes stand with your Majesties service and the general happinesse of the Kingdom as is more particularly expressed in part in the answer to the precedent Article and shal hereafter herein appeare at full All which should have wrought love and obedience in their hearts to so gracious a King and thankfulness to his Ministers who bestowed daily labour for their benefit as appeared wel in the encrease of the Kingdom in all riches and worldly substance far beyond all former times there being no such pressures as might occasion such outcry and should have restrained their unjust malice to the English Government But their desperate hatred to Protestants in general and to English Governours Ministers of State how beneficial soever to them far beyond any of their own working or endevours was so uncessant and prevalent as brought forth all these cursed events and heathenish cruelties And in particular for officers named in this Article and other English officers if particulars may come to an exact examination it will be most cleare That they have done more for the generall peace and prosperitie of the Kingdome then any of these Remonstrants ever offered to doe or could doe And if the English Governours and Officers would have concurred or connived with these Remonstrants practises for setting up Popery and the Abridgement and Diminution of your Majesties Prerogatives Authorities Rights and profits to which end most of their pretended grievances and complaints are framed and devised they might have enjoyed their more tollerable reports and approbation the contrary whereof they deserved not neither will it appeare that they have been questioned for any particular injustice oppression or private disaffection unlesse they be charged with the just detestation of the Remonstrants perfidious breach of faith to your Majestie and undeserved cruelties committed upon your Majesties faithfull Ministers and innocent Protestant subjects who could be no way guilty of the pretended terrours and mis-behaviours of your Majesties Governours and Ministers if any such were neither is this reluctation and hatred in those of the Irish and such of the old English as after degeneration joyned with them against the New English and English Government vernours and the desire to root them out any new thing for it was the same in the raigne of King E. the 3. as appeares by Record and good story It was the same in the raigne of King H. the 8. as appeares by the Statute made 28. H. 8. cap. 1. It was the same in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth as is evident and in all other times when the Kings of England endevoured reformation or reducement there To the 4th Article 4. Article The parts of this Article consisting of Generalls are untrue and unjustly devised to traduce your Majesties gracious Government in all the parts thereof as farre as these Confederates can invent First there are no adherents or instruments who have dealing in the Court of Wards other then the three sworne Judges and the sworne Officers thereof which are not many against whom in particular no just complaint did in twentie years appeare not in the times of the most strict Governours who would have been as was thought apt to give ready eare unto them neither can it appeare that any wilfully erronious Decrees or Judgements were ever given in that Court in which point the Confederates would not have beene wilfully silent if they had had just cause to complaine of any such as they never had neither were the heires of Roman Catholiques Noblemen or others cruelly and tyrannically dealt withall which are scandalous and to your Majestie undutifull tearmes and sinisterly devised But on the contrary it is evident by the records orders and proceedings of that Court ever since the Erection thereof That all Decrees and Judgements there given were grounded on an orderly proceeding in a Chauncery course according to your Majesties Commission in that behalfe Counsell on both sides freely heard and all parties convinced of the justnesse of every Decree or judgement there given and all tollerable respect and moderation used in executing the same so as no man could justly complaine All which part of that Judicature was wholly governed by the Attorney of that Court who is well able to answer for it It also appeares by the Records and Entries in that Court that since the Erection thereof in favour to all your Majesties Subjects aswell Papists as Protestants above two hundred Wardships were granted to the friends of the Ward or unto others of their nomination who in some cases might better be trusted to the use of the heire for payment of their debts preservation of their houses sustentation and preferment of younger Sons and Daughters if not provided for by the Ancestor and their lands leased to their most responsible friends to the same uses and good security given for accompt Most of all which if the Judges of that Court had been regardlesse of the heires and other children or carefull to raise profit to themselves or their friends they might have granted to others by force of their Commission and instructions yet none were granted to strangers to their owne use except by your Majesties immediate Warrants or in some few cases where the parties neglected many Tearms or refused to prosecute or where they obstinately opposed the Kings Tytle and so of necessity it was prosecuted at great charge and travell by others by allowance of the Court which could not otherwise be done and this manner of granting was the safest way for the heire for it being in a strangers name to the use of the heire and strict bonds taken for accompt every friend or kinsman of the heire or younger Children espying any abuse of their estates would be apt to informe often without cause or ground Wheras on the other
side if the same had been left to the order of the friends there would have been none to informe against them The Judges of that Court also did take order actually to pay many of those heires debts out of the heires estate in some cases 1000. pounds if the Wardship continued any time in other cases lesser summes as they could enforce the money received out of their friends the trustees hands who would often endure imprisonment ere they would pay it in They also often appointed portions for Daughters and younger children many times also by labour and suite preserved their estates from encroachment of friends and neighbours and secured for them their Leases Chattels and Debts if they could discover any And lastly tooke care of their Marriages as farre as they could and specially of their Evidences It is also manifest that the Compositions taken for Marriages of Wards Lyveries ouster le maynes Allienations and other contempts were very easie and moderate the values of the estates and the charges and incumbrances thereupon duly considered your Majestie alwayes receiving but a small part of what was justly due to your Majestie and in many cases lesse then by your Majesties instructions the graces was ordained It is also most apparant that if the heires were so under age as any way fit for schooling 6. and other good learning for which purpose by the care of that Court of Wards speciall houses honest and religious Overseers Schoole-masters and Ushers were waged and ordained many of the Wards sent to the Colledge when they were fit for it whereby they were all in the view of the Master brought up and instructed in the true Religion and in all other good literature and knowledge fitting their qualitie and by this meanes severall Noblemen and Gentrie are at this day good Protestants and loyall Subjects and for those that afterwards forsooke the Religion and became Papists if they be compared with any of their qualitie in the Kingdome their abilitie and behaviour will testifie their education farre surpassing the others bred in the Countrey All which severall cares as well for education as ordering their estates were in former times neglected and forborne and never any such course held And as to the disallowing of Tenures of mean Lords and avoyding of estates valid in law by unjust judgement It is a causelesse imputation for it is most apparant by the Acts of that Court that whatsoever could in law or conscience bee allowed unto them was done Nay whereas in former times when that part of your Majesties businesse had a kind of being in the Exchequer That Court did usually seize lands upon one De quo or an Ignoramus found of a Tenure of lands But when the Court of Wards was erected those Judges did never seize untill the second De quo which gave the Subject much time and libertie to collect and find out evidences or other matter if any were to helpe himselfe And if any losse and damage happened by those Judgements it fell on your Majesties part through tendernesse towards the parties so farre as the oathes of the Judges could permit In all which the Attorney of the Court is able to give good accompt on whose judgement in law the rest relyed And in cases where the Barre yeelded not to the opinion of the Attorney the Master by your Majesties gracious instructions called others of the most learned and grave Judges who upon arguments on both sides resolved the question and so the judgement passed Besides if differences at any time happened betweene the Judges of that Court They had by your Majesties instructions a resort to the Court of Chancery where they were to sit with the Lord Chancellour and other Judges and there was to be the finall determination where the Judges of the Court of Wards did only once sit on that occasion there being cause for it no oftner And there those Catholique Natives might have sought reliefe daily if they could have justly complained of any erronious and unjust Judgements and as to the swarming of Escheators Feodaries and Pursevants there are but five Escheators and eight Feodaries in the whole Kingdome which is farre lesse then the lawes of the Land doe appoint being all men of knowne judgement moderation and integritie And whereas in the Kingdome of England the heires friends doe with all earnestnesse sollicite those Officers for timely obtaining due discharges against the Crowne In that Kingdome such is the refractorinesse and disobedience of many of those pretended Catholiques as those Officers were driven to expresse them and attend severall disappointed dayes to their no small travell and losse and at last content themselves with bare fees And for Pursuivants there are but two belonging to that Court and their necessary servants And those never used but in cases of contempt And those contempts many times multiplied and in case of non-payment of your Majesties moneys the use of whom the Court were necessitated unto and could not forbeare unlesse they would contrary to their oathes suffer your Majestie to lose your Majesties legall and just profits And truly aswell may these Remonstrants charge the government with multitude of Sheriffs Sheriffs men Bailiffs other Officers by reason that men would not willingly obey the law deale justly and pay their debts and just duties by occasion whereof many were disquieted and attached many outlawed which concluded with their great losse damage But when these Confederates have summoned their inventions to infame that necessary and orderly Court they forbeare to expresse the true grounds of their grievances which are first the education of the Wards as well in civilitie as true Protestant Religion and other good literature which they generally abhorre Secondly that the Uncles and friends might not freely take into their hands the Childrens Evidences Lands Rents and goods and wast them without accompt as they had formerly done tending to the ruine of many heires Thirdly because the just and legall dependancie of the Gentrie is rightly settled in your Majestie whereof the Irish Lords and Chieftaines did in former times unjustly deprive your Majestie and your Predecessors and so labour still to doe Lastly because by the blessing of peace and good order your Majesties rights interests and iust profits were by your Majesties Judges and Officers more carefully looked unto and brought in which also is one true reason why these confederats doe so much hate peace and the government of the Laws because their licentious appetites are thereby somewhat restrained and your Majesties rights and iust Prerogatives maintayned as appeares by their actions In the fift Article the Remonstrants doe still inculcate pressures of purpose to scandalize that government 5. Article where in truth none such were of any moment other then that which was for the service of the Crowne and benefit of the Kingdome which they call greivances or where the publike necessities of the Kingdome iustly required it or the irregular carriage of
some officers in the Country and some Courts might bring upon some perticulars those officers or their servants being for the most part some of the new Remonstrants which officers of whatsoever condition or profession were punished so often as they could be discovered neither did any of those burthens whatsoever they were fall other waies on the Remonstrants then on the Protestant Subjects and whatsoever they were the happy and rich peace setled amongst them by your Majesty and your blessed father which they never before enioyed did more then abundantly recompence them if they could have endured peace and the iust lawes of England And as to their vaunts of the great gifts they say they have bestowed on your Majesty first they did but their dutyes in whatsoever they gave as a part of retribution for the great and inestimable benefits they received by your Majesties gracious government and by your great bounties neither was your Majesty made the richer by any of those guifts for they were all disbursed amongst themselves partly to the old army placed among them for their own safety and quiet if they could have beene content with that happinesse which army would have been sufficient to represse any perticular disorder or insolence if the Remonstrants had not by generall conspiracy suddenly and at once cast of all obedience to your Majesty and the Lawes and surprised your Majesties stores and forts and almost all the armes of the Brittish and Protestants Those guifts were also bestowed in the other necessary occasions of the Kingdom and in truth the new army which consisted for the most part of themselves received the greatest part of those guifts And whereas they affirme that they were the most forward in granting those contributions and subsidies over and above your Majesties Rents and Reveneus which is an expression savouring of some repining at your Majesties receipts in rents which is your Majesties legall due and which they well know comes not to your Majesties privat purse and that they paid Nine parts of tenne of those Subsidies it is most untrue that those Remonstrants were either most forward in granting them or paid such large quantities thereof for first as to the contribution towards the maintenance of the Army your Majesties Protestant Officers and Subjects were the first movers thereof and when they came to be agreed on and paid those Remonstrants were the mayne opposers thereof both in Ireland and in England as doubtlesse your Majesty may remember and is well knowne to many yet living and when they were paid it was with great luctation and clamour amongst them and yet they rested not till they drew from your Majesty under the title of graces matters of more losse to your Majesty then those contributions were worth and as to the Subsidies it is most true that they were first moved by your Majesties Protestant Officers and Subjects not without some difference in alacritie at least in those Remonstrants neither would they have been so granted as there is iust cause to conceive had not these Remonstrants seene the unanimous propention of your Majesties Protestant Subjects and that by a tryall in the House of Commons before that motion made they found that your Majesties Protestants subjects then exceeded them in number would carry it by voices And this may with the more confidence be affirmed in certaine knowledge and upon a second probate which is that when afterwards by occasion of the Lord Straffords troubles in England and of the new Armies lying at Knockefergus and in those parts many Protestant members were absent most of whom upon severall pretences they discharged them and brought in Papist members whereby the Remonstrants partie were growne farre the greater in the Commons House then partly by complaining in England and partly by orders made in the house the Subsidies formerly granted were drawne downe from 41000 l. certaine each Subsidie to little above 12200 l. as appeare by the Subsidy Roll last returned which is farr below the subsidy granted in the tenth yeare of King Iames when the Kingdome was but in growth And as to the proportion paid by the Protestant Subjects it well appeares by the Rolles extant that they paid above a third part of the whole besies the Clergy though neither the quality or quantity of the Lands of Inheritance holden by them in the Kingdom do amount to more then to the fift part nor is the truth thus vouched which desire to arrogate any thing to your Majesties Protestant Subjects in prejudice of the others whom they would rejoyce to see as forward as themselves in all subject duties the rather to merrit in some measure your Majesties princely favours But to give your Majesty and all others a true view as neare as they can of both parties in their actions seeing the Remonstrants presume to stand before them so farre in professions howsoever it is most notorious how the said Protestant Subjects stand in sufferings and here it is desired that the affections and duty of the Protestant Subjects in Ireland may be measured by their actions which have beene and alwaies will be such towards your Majesty your Crowne and posterity as if those Remonstrants would really performe the like your Majesties Revenews and the bounties of your people might wholly come to your Majesties purse without any men of warre to maintayne peace there and then should your Majesty enioy competent benefit of a fruitfull Kingdome which hitherto hath beene made unprofitable to your Majesty and highly chargeable and mischeivous to your Royall Predecessors And lastly as to the distribution of the summs of money given which these Remonstrants would insinuate to have beene to your Majesties diservice and to the profit of their adversaries whom they seeme to designe to be your Majesties Protestant servants and officers the vanity and inconsideratnesse of this imputation will easily appeare upon veiw of your Majesties Officers accompts there extant which will sufficiently cleare that point and manifest the falshood of that scandall To the sixth Article 6. Article It is to be answered that what pressing Importunity was offered to your Majesty by any whom they call the Malignant party in England touching the disbanding of the new Army is best knowne to your Majesty But it is not true that the Lords Justices and Counsell there went about to disband that Army till they received your Majesties warrant so to doe and soone after for doing it received your Majesties gracious approbation and indeed it was of absolute necessity to disband them they having spent all the victualls provided for them and there being no money in your Majesties treasure in Ireland to pay them or the old Army then in charge thereupon and farre in arraere neither was that Kingdome able in a peaceable way to maintaine such an Army as those Remonstrants themselves amongst others openly professed in this Parliament being therein moved by your Majesties direction only to give some helpe thereunto for a
time But it is now plainly seene that the secret reason why those Remonstrants so distasted and in Parliament laboured against the disbanding of that Army was because by their disbanding they saw themselves like to be disappointed of such a helpe and of those Armes with a more fall hand to execute their bloody designe upon your Majesties Brittish and Protestant Subjects which it seemes was consented unto by many of these Remonstrants members of both houses in the May session of Parliament before as was declared by Hugh Mac Mahon upon his examination Those Remonstrants well knowing that the greatest part of that Army aswell the common souldier as many of the Commanders were ready to be imployed by them in that exploit as since more fully appeared And that this their confederacy seems to be begun at that time or before doth somewhat more appeare in that at the next Session in Iune and July when that Army was disbanded and that your Majesty for good reasons had commanded by your severall warrants that they should be sent over sea to serve other Princes in amity with your Majesty those Remonstrants tooke great paynes to frame reasons to stay them which by their meanes the Lords Justices were then pressed to transmit to your Majesty And that they were unwilling to supply those Princes whose aide they so undutifully soone afterwards sollicited against your Majesty and your Majesties true Subjects and servants not that they beleived the kingdome could not well spare those men being then loose and noe way setled but that they intended shortly to make an other use of them to the utter destruction of your Majesties good Subjects as lamentable experience now evinceth besides it was then made knowne to the Lords Justices and Councell That the Priests and Jesuits diswaded the Colonels Captains and Souldiers all they could from going over which was on the same grounds to open which secret a little further It must be also remembred that in that Session upon a pretence that some of the Lord Straffords servants had placed powder under the Parliament House with purpose to blow them all up which was a meere fiction They moved the house to send certain Committees of Lords to the Lords Justices wherein the lord Magwier a chief conspirator as himselfe confessed was a most busie man to require search for the powder which they curiously performed and veiwed every corner on purpose to see what Armes were brought in that being a place where Arms had been in former times kept though the Officers of the Ordnance assured them that noe powder had been laide there for some yeares before neither was there any at that time And when they had seene what there was they adventured and drew the other Lords of that Committee then and now good Subjects to renew their motion to the Lords Justices to be admitted to see the stores of powder and armes placed in other parts in and about the Castle to whom the Lords Justices then answered that those were the Kings precious Iewels not to be without speciall cause shewed and so refused them whereat they seemed discontented as being left in uncertainty in what state your Majesties stores stood which they desired much to know especially whether the powder Armes were all there where they lay that if they were not come in they might find them elsewhere or if there then by the intended surprize to be sure of them and to know where on the suddaine to find them As for that strange Chimera of bringing a 10000 Scots into that Kingdome to force the Catholiques thereof to change their Religion and that Ireland would never be well without a Rebellion to the end the Natives might be extirpated It is little marvile that those Remonstrants in whose braines exterpation of Brittish and Protestants did so much runne which they to their uttermost power soone after executed had their hearts full of Rebellion which they wickedly practised soone after could easily fancy such thoughts in other men as one colour of excuse amongst others for their own evill intents But that those persons named in this Article should declare or advise such an act to the disturbance of that blessed peace in setling whereof they have beene principall actouts and in that Kingdome where their whole subsistance is and where their children are matched to Natives knowing also as they doe that such an action cannot be without great meanes and authority to support it it is incredible neither can they conceive that it will gaine more credit with any intelligent man then the tale of wagers mentioned in this Article the true particular whereof is That at an Assizes at Wexford a little before the Rebellion certaine Papists and Protestants being at the Sheriffs table at dinner a Protestant and a Papist had some conference about Religion The Protestant at last wished the Papist to come to Church as most of them had done formerly whereto the Papist answered he would never go to Church the Protestant said I wil give you 5 l. you shal give me 50. l. for it if you come not to Church before this time Twelve-Moneth he well knowing that the Papist would not come to Church whereat the Papist seeming startled was very earnest to understand the secret of that wager which at last the Protestant discovered and so it proved a merriment to the whole table as is well knowne to the Remonstrants And these are some of the grounds whereon these Remonstrants pretend to found their bloody Massacre which soone after ensued to the destruction of your Majesties Brittish and Protestant subjects What the Parliament in England protested or intended concerning the Catholiques in Ireland The Protestants in Ireland were not much moved with the rumours thereof being strangers thereunto and presumed those Remonstrants were better setled in the assurance of your Majesties Protestant subjects love to them and your Majesties gracious favours and care shewed to their security It is true that some Prints have been seene here seeming to averr that Lawes made in England will bind in Ireland if Ireland named This is a power that may equally concerne your Majesties Protestant subjects as those confederates But it being a matter yet farre from determination might have been thought more fit to be disputed in peaceable and civill Assemblies then canvased by Armes in open hostilitie against your Majestie and your obedient Subjects and the resolution written in the blood of so many thousand innocent Protestants unable to resist and that by treacherous surprize without the least notice of force intended especially seeing therein they say truly and that in all respects only truly hitherto in their Remonstrance that your Majesties high wisedome was able to apply seasonable cures to any such evils or innovations neither can it be beleeved that those Remonstrants or Catholiques of Ireland as they call themselves could be truly informed of any Protestation made by both Houses of Parliament in England or an intention in
doe ascribe it to malice against them and the Nation which is a most unjust obloquie And though your Majesties Protestant subjects of the Commons House saw and knew that there were then daily and nightly meetings of those Remonstrants and their party then members of both Houses Insomuch as it was in the former Session 1641. moved in the Lords House that an order might be entred against such meetings And though your Majesties Protestant subjects found that from those meetings proceeded daily motions in the Commons House touching the above-mentioned particulars in prejudice of your Majesty your government whichin a manner tooke up all their time to moderate contayn them yet your Majesties said Protestant Subjects of that house did for their parts forbeare any such course of meetings fearing to under goe suspition of siding or inclination to disunion at last finding the continued inconvenience of that practise in the Popish party and hearing also that it was muttered amongst many of the now Remonstrants that they intended to impeach divers of your Majesties principall Officers who could not be drawne to vary from their iust duty to your Majesty and your rights and against some other your Maesties Brittish Protestant Officers who had either given opinion or any waies laboured towards the clearing of your Majesties title to the Lands in Connaught the obstructing frustrating whereof was the Remonstrants darling care all the rest of their pretended greivances both in the fourth yeare of your Majesties raigne and those lately being gathered up and for the most part strained out of particulars and subservient to countenance and support the importunity concerning that businesse which plantation if it had proceeded they knew would have beene a full ground of peace to that Kingdome which they laboured to retaine from your Majesties knowledge Then and not till then some of your Majesties Protestant Subjects of that house in these respects did only once meete in which meeting there were some Papists also of purpose to become in some measure prepared to free themselves and the house from those unreasonable attempts in which meeting nothing was done or agreed that ever gave offence or iust distast to the house or any member thereof which may appeare in that the Remonstrants can mention no disturbance thereby which they would not spare if any such thing they could speake of though they have not trembled to present to your Majesties royall veiw many as strange inventions neither were the Lords Justices so much as acquainted with the meeting It is utterly untrue that during that Session of Parliament which was very long from the 11 of May to the 7 of August there was any certaine knowledge there of the Committees being at the waterside in all which time of the Session little was done to the good of the Common wealth or advancement of your Majesties service for most part spent in Protestations Declarations Votes upon the queries the stay of souldiers from going over seas and private petitions About the 14 day of Iuly 1641. the Lords Justices finding nothing of moment for the generall good or your Majesties service then in doing in the house sent to both Houses to consider of a reasonable time of prorogation or adjournment of that Session the rather because the harvest drew on many members were gone home and the house grown thyn as in some orders appeares in the Lords House Vpon the 30 of Iuly the Commons House desired the Lords House that the adjourning might be staid till the saturday seavenight after which was the 7 of August On the second of August the Lords house ordered that in respect the Judges were very shortly to goe their circuites and some of them already licensed the rest of them should be that day licensed to depart and no more to attend that Session on the same day the Commons house sent to the Lords HOuse that they conceived the prorogation or adjournment was fit to be on saturday the 7 of that moneth and to meete againe the ninth of November following on the 5 of August the Lords House ordered that a Committee of that House should ioyne with a Committee of the Commons whereto the Commons House also assented to acquaint the Lords Justices that both Houses had agreed that a prorogation or adjournment should be on saturday aforesaid and to meete againe on the said ninth of November and desired their Lordships approbation thereof To this the Lords Justices answered them that there were three severall wayes of recesse one by writte-of adjournment for which no president was found in that Kingdome another by adjournment to be entred in the bookes of the Houses as done by the Lords Justices consent and the third by prorogation which their Lordships intended But because the Houses enclyned to an adjournment their Lordships consented thereto by order to be entred in the Houses as by their consent On the 6 of August the Lords House ordered that the adjournment should be on the satturday aforesaid according to their resolution sent to the Lords Justices On the same 6 day the Lords House ordered that a Message should be sent to the Commons House to let them know that they saw no cause to alter their former resolution for the adjournment finding no cause in the letter that day received from the Committee in England nor by what they otherwise understood at the late conference and from the said Earle of Roscommon who late then landed there and who brought the letter from the Committee to expect the Bill desired in any short time for indeed they were then at London undispatched and the Letter said they were then busy about their dispatch And accordingly the next day being the 7 of August their Lordships adjourned the House till the 9 of November following All which being the very truth in this particular it is hardly credible that the Lords Justices and their adherents whosoever is meant thereby would take occasion to use those menacing words to severall Honourable Lords in the Article mentioned viz that if they did not adjourne the Lords House on that day being saturday they would prorogueon Munday following or whether it be likely that by the practises of the Lords Justices and some of the Privy Counsell and their adherents that faction as those Remonstrants injuriously tearme them did or could in such tumultuous and disorderly manner cry out for the adjournment with purpose to prevent the passing of those acts and graces that Session which were expected from your Majesties goodnesse But those Remonstrants having broken faith with your Majesty and all your faithfull people do take liberty to asperse your Majesties Governours and well affected Officers whom they desire for ill ends to make odious to the people of both Kingdoms And as a fatall perclose to this Article they subioyne another palpable untruth That after the artivall of that Committee who came not thither till towards the end of August That Committee could not obtaine
remisenesse in the Protestant Clergie the said Partington was dismissed in that Court upon hearing therof neither were the Lords Justices and Counsell or any of the parties being of the Counsell mentioned in this Article acquainted with the framing of the said Petition And whether the Petition was delivered to the Parliament in England or no was not knowne there only the said Partington saith that that Petition was about the 22. of October 1641. presented by him to the Parliament in England which could not be a motive to this Rebellion which began that very same day at night neither did any thing ever ensue thereof What Sir Iohn Clotworthie did or expressed in that Commons House against Catholiques was not knowne to the Protestants of Ireland nor is it materiall neither is it beleeved that any thing was there moved plotted or contrived against those Remonstrants or that that Parliament resolved any such destructive course against them till they had declared themselves in the late horrid Rebellion and massacred robbed and spoyled your Majesties peaceable and conformable Brittish and Protestant Subjects But the Remonstrants doe practise by confounding of times to gaine some cover for their inhumane perpetrations For their other fearfull speculation of the deplorable and desperate condition they were in by the above mentioned Statute of 2. Eliz. which they seeme to wonder at as a thing lately found amongst the Records there but never executed in that Princesse time nor discovered till most of that Parliament were dead By the danger of which Statute they say no Catholique in that Kingdome could enjoy his estate life or liberty if executed To this it is to be answered that severall Statutes were enacted in that second yeare of that glorious Queene And which State it is that those Remonstrants do to much tremble at is not here understood But it is beleeved that those Remonstrants pretend to find themselves so much greived with the first Chapter of those Statutes first for that it was made principally to repeale the Statutes made by Queene Mary wherein that Queene repealed all Lawes made by King H. 8. against usurped forraigne power iurisdiction and authority and to sett up some other authorities and judicatures in the Church the mischeifs and inconvenience whereof are in that Statute of secundo declared whereunto is to be added that the continuance of such a forraigne power in matters Ecclesiasticall would utterly banish all Protestant Subjects out of that Kingdom and leave your Majestie few good Subjects there for that the Popish party being dissolved from their iust dependancy on your Majesties authority in matters Ecclesiasticall which in true consideration concernes the halfe of your Majesties Royall Soveraigne will apply themselves for all matters of spirituall cognizance to the Pope in whose power it may be to discharge them from alleigeance in civill causes as he hath often done to other Princes which he will not spare to doe for his advantage and to keepe on foot his old claymes And in the second place to restore to the Crowne the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction which of right belongeth thereunto And to authorize apt Ministers for ordering and dispensation thereof for the better eschewing those mischeifes both to Prince and people and to revive certaine Acts repealed by Queene Mary And for the penall part thereof against such as shall maintayne and defend the authority preheminence power or jurisdiction spirituall or Ecclesiasticall of any forraigne Prince Prelate Person State or Potentate It is to be answered That that Statute is not introductive or maketh any new cryme for that offence was formerly Treason by the law for the first offence But that Statute mittigateth the severity of punishment and maketh it not Treason till the third offence committed after the second conviction and attaynder and giveth a great releife to the offendors touching the time of prosecution so that the Subjects terror is lesse then it was before The residue of that law appointeth what manner of persons shal be fit for promotion in the Church or imployment under your Majestie in civill affaires and how Liveries shall be sued by your Majesties Tennants the restriction whereof is in your Majesties hands to moderate at your gracious pleasure wherein they have of late had good experience of your princely clemency And have little cause so to exclaime against your Majesties Lawes as destructive to their lives estates and Liberties If those Remonstrants do so startle at the second Chapter of that Session It may well be said here is a great noise of danger but little hurt done and concerning these two Statutes they were no such concealed things for they were printed amongst all the Statutes of the Kingdome then printed about the 16 yeare of Queene Elizabeth when few of those Parliament men were dead and they were put in execution severally soone after the Statutes were made and long before that Queene died as appeares by the Records extant Only for the second Chapter it may be said that it was not so frequently put in execution for certaine yeares after the Statute made because all men for the most part in that Kingdome when there were any intervalls of peace did come to Church though many of them went to Masse also Recusancy was little then heard of or in many yeares after as is before declared But when Recusancy began over boldly to looke the Government in the face and that not only but many euill effects of Popery began to be dangerous to the safety of the Kings Majesties good people and government Then that Statute was at severall times put inexecution yet without danger to any mans life or estate neither is there any thing in that Statute that may threaten any mans life or estate the most binding part of that Statute being but to settle and maintaine the booke of Common prayer and other Orders Ornaments and Ceremonies in the Church and Churchmen and requires all subjects aswell Protestants as Papists to come to Church every Sonday and Holy day having not lawful cause of absence upon paine to forfeit 9d for every such daies absence And that limmited to an indictment to be found at the next Sessions or Assizes after the offence committed unlesse men would wilfully abuse themselves aswell towards God as the authorized Church and government In which cases other penalties are appointed not reaching to life In which Statute also are other favourable clauses for the ease of the people farre from provoking those Remonstrants to enter into the late hatefull conspiracy against your Majesty your Lawes and iust prerogatives or to commit such outragious cruelties upon your Majesties Brittish and Protestant subjects as they have done The same Lawes being now in force here in England and much more sharpe against Papists and these Lawes in Ireland have now bin in force above fourescore yeares yet no man ever lost his life or estate upon either of these Lawes nor Liberty for any long time yet do those Remonstrants from this
and the other wilde fiction of 10000 Scots then not so much as thought on to come thither but long after agreed on after your Majesty under your owne royall signature had appointed and authorised severall persons of quality to be Collonels to prosecute Rebells and sent upon necessity to preserve your Majesties Crowne and Kingdome against those confederats most unnaturall and horrid attempts take the boldnesse to avow the Acts of the Northerne Rebels on the 23 of October 1641 as necessitated thereto for preservation of their Lives Liberties and Estates for maintenance of their religion and for your Majesties rights which none there except themselves ever moved or offered to oppose or impeach which Northerne rising is by Declaration made by many of themselves in Parliament in November 1641 and by their advice printed professed and published to be a traiterous and rebellious taking up of Armes against your Majesty they then seeming to detest and abhorre their abhominable and inhumaine actions of murthers and other outrages therein specified therein also protesting to maintaine the rights of your Majesties Crowne and Government against the said Rebels whom they then acknowledged to be Rebels and to fight against your Majesties Rights and Government and whom now they palliate with the attribute of discontented Gentlemen Neither was that Declaration enforced from the Parliament as they suggest but by due course passed as well appeares by the passages thereof appearing in the bookes And in further presumption those Remonstrants affirme that those Northerne Traitors did send Declarations to the Lords Justices and Counsell humbly desiring to be heard in Parliament which is most untrue there never comming any Declaration or other motion from any of them to the Lords Justices and Counsell other then a presumptuous proposition from those of Cavan which their Lordships answered and certified to the then Lord Leivtenant as is before mentioned Neither is it to be wondred at that these consederats passe over so slightly the cruell murders and massacres acted upon your Majesties Protestant Subjects in Vlster and else where in time of full peace your Majesties Protestant Subjects not being in any posture of defence by reason of the suddennesse of their surprise considering the little defence the confederats are able to make against those knowne massacres And as to the Proclamation on the 23 of October 1641 published by the Lords Justices and Counsell to make knowne the preservation of your Majesties Castle and City of Dublin and to publish the discovery of the conspiracy of some evill affected Irish Papists wherein all good Subjects are admonished to take comfort to stand one their defence and preserve the peace There is in that Proclamation no mention at all of any Prorogation and whereas afterwards divers of the pale and other old English petitioned the Lords Justices and Counsell taking offence at the words Irish Papists wherein there being no distinction they might doubt themselves involved The Lords Justices and Counsell being tender least they in whose fidelity their Lordships then rested confident should take umbrage at any their expressions did by their printed Declaration dated the 29 of the same October publish and proclaime That by the words Irish Papists they intended the meere old Irish in the Province of Vlster and none of the old English of the Pale or other parts True it is that on the 27 of October 1641. The Lords Justices by advice of the Counsell and for the necessity of the time many members of those houses being then in Rebellion and many slayne or hanged by the Rebels and some imprisoned and some beseiged in their houses by them did proclaime a prorogation of the Parliament from the dayes of the former adjournment in November 1641 till the 24 of February following yet that Proclamation not to stand for a prorogation as conceived not fully warranted by Law but was done in those dangerous times to prevent concourse at Dublin to preserve the members of the houses from danger of travaile and to the end they shall not be drawne from defence of the Country In which Proclamation there is no word of Irish Papists or of the Catholiques of Ireland or of the Rebellion raised for which prorogation the Lords Justices received your Majesties expresse command because your Majesty desired the Lord Leivtenant should be then there And the Lords Justices act was therein approved by your Majesty as concurring with the advice of your Counsell And to shew that it was not intended for the full prorogation when afterwards before the day of the former adjournement some of the houses came to the Lords Justices and Counsell and seeming to doubt of the legality of that manner of prorogation desired that the houses might meete and for clearing of all doubts might fit on the 9 day of November and adjourne to the 16 day of that November and at the 16 day of November might sit for a day or two to make some publike Declaration of their loyalties and that a shorter time for their next meeting then the 24 of February aforesaid might be appointed The Lords Justices and Counsell-freely-yeilded unto them in all their requests and on the 17 day of Nouember towards night the Parliament was prorogued in the houses but till the 11 of Ianuary after though your Majesties warrant was till the end of February It is most untrue that the Lords Justices and Counsell limmited them that no Acts of grace or other thing for the peoples quiet and satisfaction should passe For the houses during those two daies did make and publish the Declaration above mentioned and some other ordinance for the provision security and comfort of the Country as farre as might be But they neither did nor could then at the very beginning of of the rebellion move or offer to passe any acts of grace The Lords iustices by his Mjesties directions did make knowne to the Parliament that his Maiesty would not depart frō any his former favours promised to them for setling their estares to such as should remain faithfull and loyall or were denyed the same many of their intentions being fixed as soone after appeared to come by their end another way which proceedings of the Lords Justices and Counsell in that businesse doth appeare by Proclamation then published by the Lords Justices and Counsell with the privity of the houses And as to their being invironed with a great number of armed men in their accesse and recesse to and from the house with their matches lighted and Muskets presented even to the breasts of the members of both houses First they should tell that those guards were put into your Majesties Castle where before none were except the ordinary retinue of a few warders under the Constables Command for guard and preservation of the said Castle against the said confederats wicked plots and conspiracies then discovered And that those guards did but stand in their Armes in the Castle yard meerely as in observance to that eminent assembly
horrible acts of hostilitie which put them out of the Lords Justices power to receive them without further allowance and direction from your Majestie which they writ for and desired to receive Touching Sir Charles Cootes journey into Wickloe who with such a small force of English and Irish as the Lords Justices and Counsell could then raise set forth from Dublin on the 27. of November 1641. the designe being to relieve your Majesties Castle of Wickloe and one other only Castle kept by a subject but both besieged by Rebells All the Irish of that Countie having many dayes before risen in open Rebellion surprized your Majesties Fort of Cairis Fort Arckloe Fort Chichester and all the houses of the English in that Countie The Lord Esmonds house and the adjacent parts of Wexford robbed all the Brittish Protestants threatned to assault Dublin having robbed and preyed within two miles thereunto and committed all amnner of acts of hostility as is before particularized Hee had also direction to kill and spoile by fire and sword those Irish Rebells so farre as he could But it is not true that any there dicd by his command save one woman one whose backe certaine of the Protestants spoyles were found and twelve or thirteene men who were proved to have committed the same rebellious acts and such as fought with him in open field with Banners displayed where the Rebells being as hee conceived a thousand strong were by him routed and put to flight Neither could that journey any way terrifie those of the Pale or give them occasion of suspition of any violence intended against them being principally intended to prevent incursions and spoyles of the Irish to bee committed on them as they had in former times often done and against whom they had with much effusion of blood often defended themselves yet now so plainely appeares their preceded generall conspiracie in this Rebellion as they are not abashed despising the honour of their birth and loyaltie to your Majestie to professe sence of those Rebells sufferings and to mention your Majesties just vengeance taken on those antient and in all former and later ages and now declared Rebells and Traitours as one of their motives to take up Armes or at least to stand on their guard as they call it Touching the Act of Santry three miles from Dublin seeming to worke so much upon the Remonstrants as to put them into open rebellion against your Majestie as if they could resolve of a generall Rebellion in all the Kingdome in twentie foure houres It is fit to open the truth of this supposed fearfull and as may be said miraculous accident being of force almost to raise a whole County into Armes in one day against your Majestie and your peaceable subjects though the said County during six weekes after the conspiracie against the Castle of Dublin and the state was discovered and prevented did not seeme able or rather being unwilling by all faire perswasions of the Lords Justices and Counsell used to them to put themselves into a posture of defence against the Rebells of Vlster to find any Armes to arme their men or agree upon Captaines to command them notwithstanding they had upon the twenty two of November after severall invitations thereunto received out of your Majesties stores Armes and all other Munition for three hundred men And not withstanding that the Lords Justices and Councell in October 1641. wrote Letters to the severall Counties of the Pale to name their Captaines gather their men and fetch out their Armes which they deferred sometimes seeming desirous to have all things agreed on in Parliament which they knew could not then meet and sometimes upon other pretences And notwithstanding that they saw the inferiour people of those Counties formerly to rise in multitudes to murther rob and spoile the Brittish and Protestant Inhabitants amongst them without resistance or controll And in particular they had murthered Derrick Hubbert a Protestant Gentleman in his owne house and some others of his familie in the County of Dublin And about ten miles from Dublin besides many other so used in other parts and had spoyled Protestants in severall Villages within three or foure miles of Dublin in Fingall where the Remonstrants doe say the Inhabitants had felt no warres or troubles for foure hundred yeares before yet could Luke Nettervile sonne to the Lord Nettervile who dwelt but seven miles from Dublin in that County of Fingall and the other Gentrie of that County Arme and Muster at Swoards about six miles from Dublin about twelve hundred men on the seventh day of December 1641. to affront your Majesties Authoritie upon this only accident as they alledge to the killing of foure Catholiques or supposed Catholiques because called Catholiques as they would have it and for no other cause or reason at Santry aforesaid On Tuesday at night the fifth day of December by some Troopes of horse and foot Companies marcht out of Dublin by direction as the Remonstrants pretend of the Lords Justices and Counsell and their supposed partie which partie the Remonstrants would aswell have named if any such they had knowne for no such party was then heard of unlesse they meane your Majesties Counsell And before that time they suffered the Rebell Collonell Hugh Birne and many of the mountaine and Wickloe Rebells to enter into that Countrey and spoile the Brittish and Protestants which they had power to hinder and might have done if they had not beene of the Confederacy Whereas the truth of that accident is That on the said fifth day of December intelligence being brought to a Lievtenant in Dublin That his informer could bring him upon some of those that had murthered the said Derrick Hubbert and robbed and spoiled other Protestnats as aforesaid Hee by allowance of his Captaine as he afterwards upon examination declared without the privity or command of the Lords Justices or any of the Counsell or any other Commander authorized to that purpose tooke with him fourtie souldiers that night in pursuit of those murtherers and other Malefactors and comming to Santry hee found there foure persons lately come thither with such Armes as they could get in the Country whom he slue in the place and who as hee was informed were offenders And after this done hee passed somewhat further into the Countrey Note there were many Papists then dwelling in that Towne whom he did not hurt in search of the rest of the Malefactors but could not find them there having issued no other Troopes of horse or foot This rash act was the next day voyced in Dublin and the Lords Justices and Counsell hearing of it sent for the said Lievtenant who upon examination justified the Act affirming them to be Rebells And no man prosecuting the matter against him it there rested And as to the rest of the particulars in this Article pretended to bee motives to the Rebellion of the Pale and the other parts of Leinster whereas before that severall parts
according to their rebellious beginnings and so necessitated their Lordships to attempt them at Clantarfe as is before related and this as is conceived will appeare sufficient to vindicate the Lords Justices and Counsell from any just cause given of such malicious and scandalous imputation of faith breaking and otherwayes as in their remonstrance is pressed and from the guilt of such provocations to the said Nobility and Gentry of the Pale and other parts of Leinster to put themselves in posture of defence against the State and other your Majesties Protestant subjects Whereas on the other side those Lords and Gentry had most apparant cause to doe the same against their Confederates of Vlster who as they pretended so much terrified them yet being most true that while they joyned with the State in former times the Earle of Tyrone in all his strength durst never attempt them besides is hath been since made evident partly by discoveries made and examinations taken of notorious acts committed and partly in that many of the Inhabitants in severall parts of the Pale and other adjacent Counties and generally all the Irish inhabitants in Vlster and many in some Counties of Connaught had declared themselves Confederates or committed open rebellious acts and cruelties against your Majestie and your Protestant Subjects before the above mentioned killing at Santry which was the first act favouring of force offered and that but pretended to be offered by the Lords Justices and Counsell to those of the Pale or any of them viz. on the 23. of October 1641. and so daily after all the Irish of the Province of Vlster viz. in the Counties of Cavan Fermanagh Donegall Tyrone London Derry Ardmagh Monaghane and most part of the County of Downe and the County of Leitrim with part of the County of Sligo and many of the County of Roscomon in Connaught declared themselves in open rebellion and committed the acts of murthers and cruelties else-where mentioned And to shew that the common people aswell as the chiefe Conspirators were acquainted with the maine plot in the cheife part thereof it now appears by very many examinations that on the twenty three of October 1641 the Rebels of Vlster and in Leytrim generally told the Protestants whom they robbed that the Castle of Dublin was taken howsoever they formerly concealed the plot on the thirtieth of October 1641. the Irish of the County of Longford next adjoyning to Meath and Westmeath began to murther and rob and spoile all the Brittish and Protestants among them the Sheriff also of that County a prime man of the Farrels soone after ioyned in the action and on the second of November the Lords Justices and Counsell did write to Sir Iames Dillon uncle to the Lord of Costilo to imploy against those Rebels of Longford and others in Cavan 2000 men which he had gathered together under pretence to carry them into Spaine he liked not of that motion notwithstanding he had by former letters offered the service of those men but soone after imployed them against your Majesty and your forces notwithstanding he had lately at his owne suite received Arms and Ammunition for fifty men foote and horse for his own defence On the last day of October 1641 the towne of Dundalke in the County of Lowth in the Pale wherein was a Company of the old Army was yeilded up to the Rebels without stroke and your Majesties Armes lost against which neither Shane O Neale with whom all the Irish of Vlster and many other Irish ioyned could prevaile by assault nor the Earle of Tyrone with all his strength being other wayes provided then Sir Phelomy O Neale both in numbers of trained men and armes durst ever attempt it seldome gayne a few Cattle from it though he lay often within two miles of it their faith then sufficiently arming them against the stoutest Rebels and Drogheda had bin yeilded up within few dayes had not Sir Henry Titchburne come thither about the fourth day of November about that time also was the town of Atherdy in the County of Lowth so yeilded up to the rebells before the end of October and about the beginning of November 1641 many of the inferior inhabitants in the bordering parts of the County of Meath in the Pale especially the inhabitants of Kells robbed and spoiled the Brittish and Protestants with whom also some of the gentry ioyned the rest looked on about the same time also they did the same about Trym in the heart of Meath in the County of Westmeath also in the Pale they did the same about the same time Vpon the tenth day of November 1641 the Lord of Lowth having formerly received Commission from the Lords Justices and Counsell to command the forces in the County of Lowth came and delivered up his Commission pretending offence that Sir Christopher Bellew was ioyned with him in command and soone after went into Rebellion On the twelfth day of the same November all the Irish of the County of Wickloe which adjoyned on the South side to the County of Dublin entred into open Rebellion and murthered robbed and spoyled all the Brittish and Protestants in that County burnt and pulled downe all their faire English buildings and preyed and robbed within two miles of the City of Dublin on the sixteenth day of the same November they surprised and forced your Majesties fort called Carisfort in the County of Wickloe On the one and twentieth of the same November the Irish of the Counties of Wexford and Catherlagh entred into rebellion and ioyned with those of Wiikloe they seized on the Lord Esmonds house and all other the late undertakers buildings in Wexford and murthered robbed and spoiled al the Brittish and Protestants on the hither side of that County of Wexford and spoiled the Brittish and Protestants in most parts of the County of Catherlagh Before the fifteenth of November the Irish in some parts of the Queens County and Kings County robbed and spoiled the Brittish and Protestants there and defaced their houses from which time forwards they proceeded to growt o great numbers robbing and spoiling the Brittish and Protestants wheresoever they came On the twenty fourth of the same November all the old English and other inhabitants in the County of Lowth one of the five shires in the Pale ioyned with the Northern rebels in pen rebellion and with them also ioyned the Sheriffe Iohn Bellew who was formerly sent into England privately in some negotiation concerning the Parliament of Ireland and returned thither again in February 1640 many of the Inhabitants of that County had also formerly spoiled and robbed most of the Brittish and Protestants in that County of Lowth and defaced their houses which Country being full of old Castles was formerly defended against all Irish insurrections and the Inhabitants might now easily have done the like against those barbarous and raw men of Vlster if the former confederacy had not wrought amongst them and if their old fidelity had remained
in them about that time was Sir Phelomy Oneale made generall of the Catholique Armies as they then called them in the Provinces of Vlster and Meath a County of the Pale On the same four and twentieth day of November 1641 was the house of the Lord Moore called Mellifont three miles from Drogheda surprised and taken by those rebels and many men murthered there in cold blood About the same time also intelligence came from severall parts to the Lords Justices and Counsell that many more younger brothers and sonnes of the gentry and their servants and most of the inferior Inhabitants of the County of Meath beyond the river of Boyne and many on this side that river and many in the County of Dublin on that side the County next Meath had robbed and spoiled all the Brittish and Protestants amongst them and many such acts were freely done within few miles of Dublin the prime gentry most of them Justices of the peace looking on in all places and giving way to those hatefull actions and no course taken to resist or represse any of those insolencies notwithstanding the Commissions of government and of Marshall Law given to many of themselves as is before mentioned On the 22 of the same November great numbers of the Northerne Rebels having without touch passed the County of Lowth shewed themselves on the North side of Drogheda On the 26 and 27 of the same November great number of the Northern Rebels were lodged in Slane the Mansion of the Lord of Slane in the heart of Meath and possessed themselves of that bridge the chiefe passage into the hither part of that County and the County of Dublin by examination it appeareth that on the same 27 of November at night the Lord of Gormanstons Groome was sent and raised those Rebels out of their beds to encountrr the six hundred Foot sent by the Lords Justices and Councell towards Drogheda for further strengthening of that Towne with whom the 28 day of the same November the same Northern Rebells and others met and defeated the said six hundred men neere Julianstowne being undisciplined men newly aaised and took their Armes about the end of that November great numbers of the Irish and some of the old English of the Counties of Wexford Kilkenny and Catherlagh passed over in boates into the County of Waterford in Munster and there committed murthers and great spoiles and rapin on the British and Protestants in that County and sent over great numbers of Cattell and other spoile about the beginning of December 1641. And in part of November before many of the inferiour Inhabitants and some of the Gentry made the like spoile of the British and Protestants in the County of Kildare About the same time very many of the old English and Irish were in rebellion about Rosse and Wexford in the County of Wexford Before this time also they had publike Masse in many Churches in the Counties of Meath and Dublin And about the 27 of November aforesaid the walled Towne of Trym in the heart of Meath was seized on by the Rebels and many of your Majesties Subjects murthered there About the beginning of that December were the British and Protestants in the County of Kilkenny robbed and spoiled by the Gentry and Irish Inhabitants Papists of that County and in the same moneth the Lord Mountgarret having drawne a strength of Irish Armed into the City of Kilkenny stood by while the English there dwelling and such as came thither for safety were spoiled and pillaged On the 1 and 2 day of December aforesaid the Northerne Rebells in great numbers were lodged and entertained in the strong Castle and Village of Platten in Meath on this side the Boyne about two miles from Drogheda belonging to Nicholas Darcy Esquire About the last of November or the first of December aforesaid the Northern Rebels and those of the Lowth and Meath in the Pale who assisted them were set downe in Leaguer round about Drogheda on both sides the River against whom the Inhabitants of Meath or Dublin made no manner of resistance About the 4 day of the same Dublin met with the Northerne Rebels at the Hill of Crofty al' Grofty not farre from Drogheda the manner of whose entercourse was this the Lords and Gentry of the Pale being on the said Hill of Crofty the Northern Rebels lay in great numbers neere the Hill and espying the said Lords Gentry some of the Northerne Commanders came to them thereupon the Lord of Gormanston in the Name of the Lords and Gentlemen demanded of the Rebells wherefore they came in that hostile manner into the Pale whereunto answer was made by Rowry O Moore called a Colonell among the Rebels in name of the rest that they came for the free exercise of the Catholick Religion to restore the King to his Prerogative and to give the Subjects of Ireland the like freedome as the Subjects of England had thereupon the Lord of Gormanston said if those were the true grounds of their warre they meaning the Lords and Gentry of the Pale would joine with them and so the said Lords and Gentry and the said Rebels strooke hands It is also testified that certaine dayes before this generall meeting divers prime Gentry of Meath and the chiefe Officers of the Rebels had a meeting at Duleeke on this side the Boyne in Meath and that a few dayes after this meeting at Crofty aforesaid all the Lords and Gentry of Meath and divers of the Northerne Rebells had another meeting at the Hill of Taragh in Meath where they determined on the maintenance of the Northerne Rebells during the Siege and what provision of Beeves and Corne should bee raised on the Country for every hundred of the said Rebels which was done accordingly by their Warrants the Sheriffe of that County called Nicholas Dowdall who was with them in Rebellion obeying them in all things And soon after another meeting the said Lords and Gentry made choice of new Generals of Foot and Horse and other Officers of the Field and Captaines in that County and appointed who should be chiefe Commanders in each Barony and what number of men should bee raised and maintained out of each Plow land in that County of Meath aswell to joine in the Siege as to fight with any other your Majesties Armies which were conceived to amount to two thousand men whereas in six weekes before at the instance of the Lords Justices and Councell they could or would not raise five hundred men for the defence of the County against the Rebells which with seeming great forwardnessE they at first promised to doe and for whom five hundred Armes with Munition answerable was appointed by the Lords Justices and Councell and the Armes sent as farre as Gormanston and there kept till upon notice of the Rebells comming into the Countrey the Lords Justices and Councell suddenly convaied them to Drogheda which the Lord of Gormanston pretends to be done by his monition Though
the truth is the Lords Justices had that morning before hee declared it sent away to have it done that night otherwise they had been taken and hee thinking that the Lords Justices and Councel could not so soon remove them and presuming besides in case they were so removed to have them within a few dayes in Drogheda whether hee moved they might bee convayed by taking that Towne whereof hee little doubted About the beginning of November aforesaid Arms and Munition for three hundred men were by the Lords Justices and Councell delivered to three Captaines appointed for the Guard of the County of Kildare And on the 2 of December aforesaid the whole Company of Mr. Nicholas White eldest Sonne of Sir Nicholas White did run away with their Armes to the Rebels and so did the other two Captaines and their Companies soon after and then did the Gentry and Inhabitants of the said County of Kildare appoint Officers of the Field and Captaines for the Catholique Army All which particulars are here specified together with the times of each action as many others might bee mentioned to the end that it appearing in what ease the Pale and other parts of Leinster stood before the killing at Santry and burning at Clantarfe your Majestie may the more clearly see the vanity and malignity of the Confederates in pretending to be terrified into Armes by those acts which they well know were subsequent to their taking Armes and by their other devised Provocations in England and Ireland no truer then the former And it is observable that in the beginning of the Remonstrance they in expresse and plaine termes doe affirme that they at first were necessitated to take Armes for preservation of their Religion the maintenance of your Majesties Rights and Prerogatives and defence of their Lives Estates and Liberties of the danger whereof there was not then so much as a shadow beside their generall avowment of their acts in Vlster in the beginning of the rebellion as done by authority which was most false and so afterward acknowledged by them and to the end it may appeare to all the world that the Lords Justices and Councell did not draw your Majesties sword upon jealousies or presumptions till the highest extremities and acts committed compelled them nor till the innumerable murthers spoiles and outrages comitted on the British and Protestants in so many places without stop or restraint by any of the Lords or Gentry nor till the horrid defamation of your Sacred Majestie nor till it fully appeared that all was done by Conspiracy and Designe there being a wide difference betweene malicious designe and Profession to doe evill and confession of acts done perhaps necessitated or by seducement And as to the Remonstrants unjust complaint of stopping Lieutenant Colonell * Note that this Read is now Sir John Read For hee being examined in Ireland by the State there as a plotter of that Rebellion was after-ward sent over hither and committed for High Treason Who to escape his Condigne punishment broke prison went to Oxford and was there Knighted and is now gone back into Ireland Read whom they say they imployed to your Majestie with Remonstrance of the state of their Affaires The truth of the matter stands thus In the foresaid moneth of December foure Lords and three Gentletlemen of the County of Meath framed a Petition to your Majestie of some particulars concerning them intending as they told Lieutenant Colonell Read to send him with it to your Majestie but deferred it for that time presuming on their strength to winne their ends another way and on the weake estate of your Majesties Forces to oppose And when severall times the said Lieutenant Collonell Read moved them to bee sent away They whiled it off it is Reads own phrase and the Lord Gormanston said that there would bee time enough for that matter all which the said Lieutenant Collonell Read declared on his Examination after his comming to the Lords Justices and Councell in the beginding of March 1641. when hee delivered the draught of the Petition amongst other papers but did not say hee was then sent by them or desired to bee sent on that businesse And to make this more manifest the said Licutenant Collonell Read on the tenth day of January 1641. wrote to the Lords Justices for their passe into England not mentioning any imployment from the Remonstrnats or any of them to whom their Lordships wrote that they desired to confer with him before his going into England and wished him to repaire unto them to the end they might conferre with him and consider of his request but hee would not come nor any other wayes make known any other imployment or trust hee had for the said Remonstrant By all which it is manifest their abusive tax on the Lords Justices and Councell in stopping or hindering their Petition by Lieutenant Collonell Read or his pretended imployment for them And for the racking of the said Lieutenant Collonell Read it was not without president it being for the discovery of things that might highly concern the safety of your Majesties Kingdom and good people there To the tenth Article THe Lords Justices did never give any such direction to the Lord President of Munster Art 10. as in this Article is most untruely offered much lesse would they do it while the Province stood quiet the peace whereof they by all meanes sought to provide for neither would hee have obeyed any such unrighteous and halfe command himselfe being a Native of the Kingdome allyed amongst the old English and Irish and in all things lovingly affected to the people so long as they by any means could bee contained in duty neither was hee provided wantonly to make a warre being soon after driven to great extremity by their unprovoked disloyalty True it is that from the 23 of October 1641. till about the end of November following that Province of Munster stood in appearance quiet whereof hee from time to time advertized the Lords Justices and Councell and from them hee received severall expressions by many Letters of their great joy and comfort to finde that people so well disposed and as the Lord President signified to them the constancy or merit of any particular person the Lords Justices and Councell wrote Letters of thanks and incouragement to them specially they wrote to the Lord of Muskery whom the said Lord President had used with all civility trust and respect from time to time acknowledging his zeale in your Majesties service and giving him thanks for it in your Majesties behalf praying and requiring him to apply himselfe to the Lord President and bee advised and directed by him for his own future good and the safety of the Countrey whose concurrence if hee had continued loyall as hee stood obliged by his severall corporall oathes to the said Lord President would have availed much to the generall peace The same was done to others both to the Nobility and Gentry of that
Province so farre was it from the Lords Justices to irritate or grieve any of them with passionate or needlesse cruelty neither was there any violence offered to any person of what profession sex age or condition soever in all that time in that province The Lord President rather blamed the Lords Justices and Councell for their milde course towards the Rebels of other parts not thinking the Conspiracy to bee such as they found it and thinking a sharpe persecution would soon quell it wherein hee both mistook their generall combination which hee after found and the Lords Justices inability to set upon it with that vigour that had been requisite The Lords Justices and Councell also sent him directions to authorize prime men in each County to Command the forces of the County and sent him Commissions for martiall Law to bee given to men of quality of the Natives and others of purpose to settle the peace of the Country and prevent rebellion if it might bee The first occasion that necessitated him to use force was about the beginning of December 1641. when the Rebells of Wexford Kilkenny and Katherlagh came over the River to prey and spoile in the County of Waterford before mentioned whither he made hast to encounter them and whom though he was farre inferiour in number he discomfited and slew many of them and executed others and recovered much of the spoile which he caused to be restored to the owners In this action he found many of his Provincialls to whom hee suffered no hurt to bee done supposing they came thither for saving their goods not then beleeving the Conspiracy to bee such as soon after hee found it The second disturbance which hee heard of was in the County of Tipperary where Mr. Purcell called the Baron of Loghmo had stirred and set on the Irish in great numbers to rob and spoile the British and Protestants which they arrogantly did thither he went the ninth of December aforesaid with such small forces of the English as he then had for hee then wrote he found cause to trust very few Papists and there finding where the spoiles were made he pursued therebels and such as he found in the act and the Protestants Cattle in their hands he slew and executed and burnt two or three Villages hoping by that quick course to stay and terrifie others There hee rescued great store of Cattle of all sorts to the owners soon after did the Inhabitants of all sorts rise into rebellion in severall parts of the Provinces and before the end of that December did all the Irish and Old English Papists in the County of Tipperary and Limberick forsake their Allegiance and with them joyned many prime men and others our of Ostery and other parts of Leinster and murthered spoiled and ransacked all the English and Protestants upon these extremities he had by warrant of the Lords Justices and Councell raised a thousand Foot and some Troopes of Horse but wanted Armes for most of them which the Lords Justices were not able to furnish having delivered to the Lords and Gentry of the Pale and others in Leinster for their defence as many as possibly could be spared so as he was in a very ill condition till some forces arrived there out of England which was in February 1641. And then and not before did the Lords Justices and Councell require the Lord President to prosecute those wilfull Rebels with fire and sword as was fit so farre as he was able The Rebellion afterwards increased upon him in all parts and when about the end of February he published and shewed to so many prime men as he could your Majesties gracious Proclamation under your Royall signature and Privie Signet for laying downe Armes they rejected it some saying it was counterfeit others that it was done by coertion By all which fully appeares both that noble Gentlemans moderation and the Lords Justices and Councels avoiding all unjust Provocation at least that they were not set upon those wayes of unreasonable cruelty unjustly charged on them by the Remonstrance and that those Inhabitants were not forced to stand on their defence his case being onely to defend himselfe against them if he could which with great hazzard of himselfe and your Majesties affaires in that Province he was driven unto considering his weaknesse in men and other meanes and their excessive numbers rebelliously gathered together and armed by a long Provision underhand and furnished with the wealth of all the British and Protestants being very great in that Province which they suddenly and traiterously seized upon Touching Connaught the report must bee farre different from that of Munster although the Remonstrants say it was used in the like measure which shewes that they are the same in bold affirmation howsoever the probability or case differeth When this Rebellion began the Lord President of that Province was in Dublin and saw the moderate and winning course used and intended towards those of the Pale and Leinster by the Lords Justices and Councell about the beginning of November following hee went towards Connaught where at his comming to Athlone hee found much disorder in the Province hee found very many of the inferiour Irish and some of the Gentry in rebellion in the Counties of Roscomon and Sligo and that they had murthered robbed and spoiled the British and Protestants dwelling among them hee entred into a faire course of Treaty and perswasion with the prime men of the severall Counties not then in rebellion presuming in some alliance and former private friendship and interest amongst them which prevailed little as hee after found Hee had no strength to resist them there being but one Troope and a halfe of Horse most Irish in the Province whereof hee could make little or no use And six halfe Companies of Foot whereof one was surprized and lost their Armes and one drawn away to Dublin and the rest so dispersed and ingaged in Leytrim then totally in Rebellion as hee could make little or no use of them by which appeares hee was in no case to use cruelty against the people or put them to defence nor so much as rescue the poore British and Protestants in their goods out of the hands of the ravenous Rebelst neither were the Protestant Inhabitants of that Province any way able to defend themselves being not armed against such swarmes as assaulted them The Lords Justices and Councell sent down Commissions of government to the prime Natives in the severall Counties viz. to the Earle of Clanrickard to the Lord of Mayo Lord of Costilo and others and Commissions of Martiall Law to other Natives of best choyce of purpose to prevent disturbance as much as might bee and to stay the people But so little prevailed all the Lord Presidents lenity and swasory courses and the care of the Lords Justices and Councell to avoid any offence or rigid usage towards them as within the Moneth of December most of the prime men of the Province declared
thereat but such of them as applyed themselves to the Lords Justices were friendly entertained on the 28 of the same October it being complained to the Lords Justices and Councell by the Magistrates of the City that many like formerly qualifyed persons as formerly assembled to the terrour of the City did still resort to the City and Suburbs and others notwithstanding the former Proclamation did still lurk there whose company they much feared as threatning some sudden violence The Lords Justices and Councell therefore on the same grounds as formerly did the second time by Proclamation command all such to depart forthwith on pain of death and the like pain to such as wilfully harboured them And that the Inhabitants should forthwith bring in the names of all such strangers and the Officers to apprehend such Inhabitants as should further harbour them which no way was intended towards men of quality or known credit as aforesaid neither did any of them stirre or take any misapprehension at it afterwards on the 11 of November following the Lords Justices and Councell having intelligence from severall parts of the insolent proceeding of the Rebels against the British and Protestants in the borders of the Pale The Lords Justices and Councell then not fearing disloyalty in the prime Inhabitants thereof as in some other Counties adjacent and finding that divers men of quality and countenance in the Countrey and very many others were then come into the City whereby the Countrey was deprived of defence and left open to the rapine of the Rebels then in Armes And considering that in the beginning of so great distractions as then began to shew themselves in many parts the inferiours might bee terrified or disturbed in the absence of the prime men the Lords Justices and Councell therefore then unanimously thought it necessary and so did for those reasons only and in duty to their then present charge under your Majesty on the said eleventh day of November Proclaime and Command on paines in the said Proclamation mentioned That all persons not having necessary cause of residing in the said City and the Suburbs thereof or in places within two miles about the same their said cause of residing to bee approved of by the Earle of Ormond and Ossory then your Majesties Lieutenant generall of the Army and the Councell of warre there for the time being or such other persons as should bee by them appointed for examination thereof should within foure and twenty houres after publication of that Proclamation repaire to their severall dwellings in which Proclamation there are other Cautions Prescripts and reservations which shew that no unfitting rigour was offered or so much as intended This Act of the Lords Justices and Councell did soon after appeare to agree with your Majesties Royall sense of that necessary retyring of such kind of men in that time of danger and trouble in the Countrey expressed in your gracious Letters written to the Lords Justices in December after concerning the proroguing of the Parliament notwithstanding this Proclamation such of the Parliament as were come to the Towne and their retinues and great numbers of others did continue in Towne many dayes after and those of them that were Members of Parliament did sit and many of the rest of the Lords and Gentry did remain in Town as their occasions moved them and did come and go at their pleasure neither was there inforcement or so much as menaces used to any man that did not willingly go or saw not good reason on the said Publique warning to depart for the good of the Country and safety of their families and neighbours And it is observeable that although that Proclamation did expressely provide for such to stay as having cause and making the same known would desire to stay yet those of them that had a mind to joyn with the Rebels and did joyn with them did chuse rather to depart then to make use of the Liberty given them to stay and yet now would seem to bee constrained to depart which shews apparently the vanity and untruth of that their subterfuge and seeing the unnaturall conspiracy stands so discovered as now it doth it may not bee forgotten that within the space of five weekes after severall Gentlemen of the Pale who had sojourned in Town and intended so to doe that Winter and some of them who had been dwelling in the City no way concerned by that Proclamation and likewise some Citizens of good substance as is above-mentioned did freely depart the City with some of their substance of value doubting the sudden assault and taking of the City which seemed to bee upon underhand intelligence betweene them and those of the Pase then beginning to shew their formerly secret Confederacy till the discovery whereof none of them had impediment or interruption by the Lords Justices and Councell or any command from them to come and goe at their pleasure neither was there any pillaging all that while heard of in the City or of any of these Gentry in the Countrey It is most untrue that after the said discovery which was fully made immediately after the before mentioned rebellious Assembly at Swords any of those that formerly departed out of Dublin or any others of quality in the Pale except a few that continued loyall who from time to time resorted to the Lords Justices and Councel and were gladly entertained by them did offer to returne untill the Northerne forces and the forces of the Pale were beaten from Drogbeda and your Majesties Armies become full Masters of the field in all the parts of the Pale and then the Lords Justices and Councell could not with their duty deale otherwise with them then as is before mentioned Another Proclamation was published on the 28 of December 1641. requiring all persons other then such as had necessary causes to Dublin such as the Lords Justices or the said Lievtenant Generall of the Army or the Governours of your Majesties forces in the City of Dublin should approve and other then such as should bring provision to the City to be sold should forbeare comming to the City or Suburbs thereof This was done in time of high necessity The Lords Justices and Councell seeing that none offered themselves to them openly but hearing that divers being now discovered Traitors presuming on friends within did secretly come to the City partly to furnish themselves partly to eat up and exhaust our victuals and partly to gaine intelligence and understand in what case the City stood which had been a most unwise and unfaithfull thing in the Lords Justices and Councel to permit yet could it not be totally prevented notwithstanding all their care diligence so great intelligence had they amongst the Papist Inhabitants of the City It is as untrue that any of those mens goods who first departed the City intended in this Article or any other mans goods were pillaged seized or confiscated by warrant command or direction of the Lords Justices neither were
themselves and that not upon particular quarrels or pretended grievances which your Majesty could easily have redressed whatsoever they could bee but upon prepensed resolution and designe to extirpate all the British and Protestants If these bee the Liberties that they fight for doubtlesse they are not justifyable by the Laws of God or Man but utterly inconsistent with the loyalty of Subjects to a Religious Monarch now by the mercy of God granted to that Nation They complaine of persons impeached in Parliament to bee dismissed by the Parliament now sitting This wee conceive to bee a just act they having fully answered their charge and no crime appearing against them And it is upon good reason believed that the same was set on foote against those impeached Judges rather out of dis-affection to the Government and because they were observed carefull Servants to your Majesty then out of any crime that could bee truely objected and proved against them It is confessed that the Parliament since the beginning of that Rebellion have made divers Orders and Declarations for the advancement of your Majesties Service and the Publick good and declaration of the Truth and if there had been any Acts ready which might have been good for the Kingdome they might have beene passed with as much authority as at any other time neither can it appeare that ever the Protestants did or ever offered to passe any Acts prejudiciall to your Majesty or harmefull to the Nation wherein themselves by Gods Providence were incorporated both in habitation alliance and interest Nay rather their ill requited love to the Nation will appeare in that as is before herein set down they freely joyned as well in this Parliament as in the last Parliament and in that held in the Reigne of the blessed King James to repeale all Acts that were offensive or penall to the Nation It is confessed that since the beginning of Hillary Terme 1641. Termes have been kept in Dublin as legally and justly they ought to bee and in the Kings Bench many known Traytors and Rebels have been upon just and full evidence indicted and many outlawed by a legall and due course but no known faithfull Subjects were then indicted nor ever intended to bee neither were any Sheriffes appointed but men of known-credit and subsistence competent for such a trust as now the State of the Kingdome standeth most of the Sheriffes formerly appointed having openly joyned in the conspiracy and action of rebellion against your Majesty your Government and Laws And where these Remonstrants seeme offended that Souldiers are members of the Parliament and have been Jurors on those indictments and some tryals They should have considered that their Rebellion forced many of those men to forsake their Estates and undergoe that honourable profession to stand in your Majesties just quarrell against the Remonstrants and to defend the residue of your Majesties distressed Subjects and the Government and Laws of the Kingdom Those Confederates well knowing that many of those men had and yet have full interests in as good estates as themselves and aswell in point of Interest as other abilities of education are as fit as any of them were to bee partakers of the best trust in the Common-wealth And whereas they say that divers who came in upon protection and publick faith were so tryed for their Lives and Estates It is a most notorious untruth and can onely befit the Remonstrants to averre but can never gaine credit with any that know Ireland or will duly weigh what is here before truely specified And for their Protestation against the Parliament and the Acts of it and of other your Majesties Ministers it can be of no better value And for the Remonstrants desire that your Majesty would bee graciously pleased to call a free Parliament in Ireland in such convenient time as your Majesty in your High Wisdome shall thinke fit and the urgency of the present affaires of that Kingdome doth require and that the said Parliament bee held in an indifferent place summoned by and continued before some Person or Persons of Honour and Fortune of approved faith to your Majesty and acceptable to your people there By this their desire your Majesties Protestant Subjects doe evidently perceive that the Remonstrants thereby intend the dissolving of that Parliament which your Majestie hath now sitting and which hath on weighty reasons been continued thus long and how dangerous this may prove to your Majestie and your Majesties Protestant Subjects they most humbly beseech your Majestie in your High Wisdome to judge First they being Parties criminous will gaine the acquitall of their owne ill done actions and the management of the most weighty affaires of the Common-wealth and wholly exclude your Majesties Protestant Subjects who with all reall fidelity have served your Majesty this present Parliament and they seeme not willing to have any of your Majesties Protestant Subjects amongst them assuring themselves that if any thing shall bee there propounded to the dishonour of God the prejudice of your Majestie or any of your good Subjects there that your Majesties Protestant Subjects will stand in opposition to their intentions The Remonstrants well knowing that by their cruell actions they have either murthered or banished most of your Majesties Freeholders so as no votes are left either in Counties or Corporations for the electing of your Majesties Protestant Subjects by which they intend no other then a Parliament of Roman Catholiques who we doubt not will take care to vindicate themselves And as for those of your Majesties Protestant Subjects that these Remonstrants have left undestroyed by the Sword they now desire to destroy or banish them out of that Kingdome by colour of Justice as may appeare by this following Oath by them generally taken The oath of the Confederate Romane Catholiques of IRELAND c. I A. B. Doe in the presence of Almighty God and all the Angels and Saints in Heaven promise vow sweare and protest to maintaine and defend as farre as I may with my life power and Estate the publike and free exercise of the true and Catholique Romane Religion against all persons that shall oppose the same I further sweare That I will beare Faith and Allegiance to our Soveraigne Lord King CHARLES his Heires and Successors And that I will defend him and them as farre as I may with my life power and estate against all such persons as shall attempt any thing against their Royall Persons Honours and Estates or Dignities And against all such as shall directly or indirectly endeavour to suppresse their Royall Prerogatives or do any act or acts contrary to Regall Government as also the power and priviledges of Parliament the lawfull Rights and Priviledges of the Subject And every person that makes this Vow Oath and Pretestation in whatsoever hee shall doe in the lawfull pursuance of the same And to my Power as farre as I may I will oppose and by all wayes and meanes endeavour to bring to condigne
Nobility Gentry Officers of the Army and other Protestant Inhabitants in Ireland taking into serious consideration their sad condition the great necessity they were reduced unto and their extream sufferings by the late Conspiracy and horrid Rebellion there and finding by the Articles of Cessation and his Majesties Proclamation thereupon that the Rebels of Ireland were allowed to send Agents to his Majesty who would doubtlesse watch all opportunities to prejudice the Protestants and to indevour to cleare themselves of their ill-done actions the Protestant Petitioners met together at the Earle of Kildares house in Dublin where they framed a Petition to the then Lords Justices and Councell which they presented at the Couneell board and received their Lordships answer the twelfth day of the same Moneth which Petition and Answer follow In haec verbo TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lords Iustices and Councell The humble Petition of diverse of his Majesties Protestant Subjects of IRELAND Humbly sheweth THat your Petitioners being pressed by extream necessities and their great sufferings in the present Rebellion for remedy thereof desire to addresse themselves to his Sacred Majesty by their Agents and because they understand by his Majesties Proclamation and the Articles of Cessation lately published in Print that the Romish Catholicks are admitted to send Agents to his Majesty who will doubtlesse watch all opportunities to prejudice your supplicants They humbly pray that your Lordships will bee pleased to bee a meanes that they bee not admitted to his Majesty untill your supplicants Agents may bee present which shall bee with all convenient speed And to that end they humbly desire that your Lordships will bee pleased to grant licence unto such as your supplicants shall from time to time appoint to attend his Majesty touching the premisses And in regard that your supplicants conceive that the dissolving of this Parliament which by the alteration of the late Lords Justices will shortly determine unlesse by speciall Commission the same bee continued may prove of very evill consequence to his Majesties good Subjects They humbly pray that your Lordships will bee pleased to recommend the same effectually to his Majesties pious consideration that timely direction may arrive for continuance thereof Octobris 12. 1643. VPon consideration of this Petition Wee think fit to let the Petitioners know that his Majesty out of his gracious care of his affaires and good Subjects here hath been pleased already to signifie hither his Royall intention to call into England some such able and fitting Ministers or servants of his Majesty on this side as are fit to bee sent into England to assist in the treaty there when the persons to bee imployed to his Majesty from the Irish shall go over and his Majesties Royall purpose therein is already so farre advanced as the names of fit and able persons of eminent quality free from any exception and well experienced in the affaires of this Kingdome are already transmitted to his Majesty that so hee may make choyce of such as hee shall think fit so as all that could bee thought of necessary for the good of his Majesties Protestant Subjects his Majestie hath already provided for with great piety and wisdome Yet wee who well know his Majesties abundant care and tendernesse of his Protestant Subjects here being desirous to give the petitioners all needfull satisfaction in their desires so farre as may confist with the duty wee owe to his Majesty and looking into former times do finde that when Agents were sent from this Kingdome to attend his Majesty by the approbation of this board it was by his Majesties gracious Licence first obtained wherefore wee hold it our duties at this time also to reserve that part for his Majestie And therefore wee doe forbeare of our selves to give any direction therein but doe intend humbly to transmit a Copy of this their Petition to his Majesty which also answers the Petitioners request concerning the Parliament And wee will labour to obtain a signification of his good pleasure therein with all convenient speed which wee shall readily obey And if in the mean time there bee any matter of grievance offered by the petitioners to us which is in our power to redresse here Wee do let the petitioners know wee shall bee ready to heare it and to interpose his Majesties authority intrusted with us towards their just reliefe therein Ormonde Jo. Borlase Cha. Lamberte Tho. Lucas Roscomon He. Tychborne Fra. Willoughbie Ja. Ware Edw. Brabason Ant. Midensis VPon the receit of the aforesaid Answer the Protestants met againe at the Earle of Kildares house and conceived such persons as the Lords Justices and Councell mentioned in their Answer to bee called into England were to assist by their counsell in the Treaty and to advise in what should bee proposed and for ought known to the Protestants not to represent the bleeding and miserable condition of that Kingdome or to make proofe of the unparalleled cruelties of the Rebels neither did the Petitioners then know who those persons should bee And notwithstanding the Lords of the Councell pretended they had no precedent for the giving of approbation to Agents to attend his Majesty without his Majesties speciall Licence yet it was recent in many mens memories that there were severall precedents for it and that in very late times wherefore the Protestant Petitioners conceived that these delayes were put upon the Protestants by some ill affected meerly to gaine the Rebels advantage of time to work their ends at Court and to discourage the poore Protestants in the prosecution of their intendments And the Protestant petitioners being not satisfied with the Lords of the Councels Answer proceeded to the choyce of Agents and prepared a petition which afterwards was presented to his Majesty And on the foureteenth day of October 1643. the Protestants presented another petition to the Lords Justices and Councell and delivered their Lordships a Copy of the Petition that was prepared to bee sent to his Majesty which was answered by the Lords the nineteenth of the same Moneth which Petition and Answer follow In haec verba To the Right Honourable the Lords Iustices and Councell The humble Petition of divers of his Majesties Protestant Subjects as well Commanders of his Majesties Army as others Humbly sheweth unto your Lordships THat wee have received your Lordships Answer in writing to our Petition whereby wee perceive his Majesties abundant care and tendernesse of us which wee shall with all humble thankefulnesse ever acknowledge together with your Lordships readinesse therein And whereas wee finde in your Lordships said Answer your willingnesse for redresse of any manner of grievance which is in your Lordships power Wee doe humbly herewith offer unto your Lordships a Copy of our most humble Petition which wee prepared to present to his Sacred Majesty wherein wee set down part of our grievances Humbly desiring your Lordships to take the same into your grave consideration and so farre to condescend to our just
Kingdome of Ireland By His MAjESTIES Command Edward Nicholas After the receipt of which letter the Protestant Petitions proceeded and the 26 of Ianuary made choise of Sir Charles Coote Knight and Baronet and Captaine William Parsons to be added over and above the foure persons formerly nominated for agents and presented their names unto the L. Marquesse of Ormond then L. Lieutenant of Ireland to be transmitted to his Majesty Soone after viz on the 17 day of Febuary 1643 the said Petition of the Protestants was read in the Commons house of the Parliament of Ireland yet continuing who declared their concurrences therein and that the same day the Parliament was prorogued to a further time Shortly after the Protestant Petitioners humbly moved the Lord Lieutenant and Councell for a recommendation to His Majesty both of the cause and persons of their Agents And they were answered by the said Lord Lieutenant and Councell that by His Majesties letter of the sixth of November the Agents were to have fittting Instructions concerning their grievances and their desires mentioned in the petition of the Protestants unto His Majesty and therefore they were required by the Lords of the Councell to shew their Instructions without which they could not recommend the Agents or their cause Thereupon the 4th of March the Protestant Petitioners tendred a Copy of their Instructions for their Agents to the L. Lieutenant and Councell which followeth in haec verba Instructions for the Agents who are to attend His most Sacred Majesty on the behalfe of His Majesties Protestant Subjects of Ireland FIrst most humbly to represent unto His Sacred Majesty the Remonstrance or Petition of his truly obedient and loyall subjects the Protestants of this His Kingdome of Ireland intituled To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The humble petition of divers of Your Majesties Protestant subjects in Your Kingdome of Ireland aswell Commanders of Your Majesties Army here as others whose names are subscribed in the behalfe of themselves and others Your protestant subjects in this Your Kingdome and to manifest by all good wayes and meanes the truths thereof in every particular and to solicite the obteyning the humble desires therein requested and to refell and disprove the untruthes of the scandalous aspersions laid by the confederate Roman Catholiques c. of Ireland upon the most gracious Governments of Our most royall late Soveraignes Queene Elizabeth and King James of ever blessed memory and also of our most Gracious and dread Soveraigne King CHARLES and also the extreame falsehoods by the said confederate Roman Catholiques published and imposed upon His Majesties said protestant subjects of this Realme 2. And also to offer unto His Majesties royall and most tender confideration the barbarous usage inhumanity cruell tortures and bloudy murthers committed done upon His Majesties protestant subjects in the severall parts of the Kingdome without provocation and that commonly after quarter given passes promises and oaths for security or safe convoy especially in that glorious plantation of King James of ever blessed memory in the province of Vlster which terrible effusion of innocent blood cryeth to Almighty God and his sacred Majesty for Justice 3. In like manner to present unto his sacred Majesty the true and entire faith and alleageance of his Majesties protestant subjects of this Kingdome unto his royall person Crowne and Dignity their cheerefull and constant acknowledgement of his Supremacy in all causes and over all persons their universall obedience to all his Lawes and gracious government and their continued desires and endevours even to the uttermost hazard of their lives and fortunes for the preservation of all his rights and just prerogatives and to present to his Majesty in what estate and condition the Kingdoms was in at the time of the breaking out of this horrid Rebellion 4. And most humbly to desire the preservation and establishmant of the true protestant Religion in this Realme and the suppression of popery according to the lawes and statutes to that end established 5. Most humbly to desire His sacred Majesty that the great losses of his protestant subjects now utterly ruined by the Rebellion of the said confederate Roman Catholiques c. may be repaired in such manner and measure as his highnesse in his Princely wisdom shall think fit whereby his Majesties said protestant subjects may be enabled to subsist and re-inhabit in the said Kingdom 6. Most humbly to present to his Sacred Majesty all other things that may conduce to the glory of God to the advancement of the true Protestant Religion according to the Lawes the honour and profit of His Majesty the just prerogatives of his Crown the preservation of the Lawes and just Liberties of the subject the securing of this Kingdome to his Majesty and his royall posterity and future safety to His Majesties protestant subjects in their Religion Lives and Fortunes that they may no longer nor hereafter be liable to such and the like evills and destructions on them committed as they have now suffered from those who sell upon them spilt their blood and destroyed their estates unprovoked and even when they lived together in full peace 7. And for avoyding mistakes that you present or propound nothing to his Majesty but what shall be first well debated amongst your selves and maturely considered of and agreed upon in writing by the major part of you and subscribed with your hands 8. That from time to time you give an accompt of your proceedings unto those who are here appointed to negotiate this affaire 9. Which said Instructions being read the protestant petitioners were required to withdraw who after debate had on the Instructions at the Councell board were called in againe and exceptions were taken to the 1 2 3 4 6. Articles of the instructions and they were told by the Lords of the Councell that they could nor would not recommend them as the Instructions were now drawne and while the third Article of the Instructions remained In respect that they knew that there were many protestants in the Province of Vlster in Ireland that were not obedient to His Majesties Laws and the Lord Chancellor moved that these words in the second Article aforementioned might be omitted out of the Instructions viz. commonly committed after quarter given passes promises and oathes for security of fase convoy especially in that glorious plantation of King James of ever blessed memory in the Province of Vlster which effusion of innocent bloud cryeth to Almighty God and his sacred Majesty for justice And the Lord Lieutenant and Councell further gave the Protestant petitioners the particulars in writing which they would have added and omitted in the said Instructions otherwise they would not recommend the protestant Agents nor the Cause to His Majesty By reason whereof the Protestant petitioners were necessitated to the alteration of their Iustructions as hereafter followeth In the second Article of the first Instruction quarter given is lest out In the former part of the third
Article these words are left out viz. in like manner to present unto His sacred Majesty the true and entire faith and allegiance of His Majesties Protestant subjects of this Kingdome unto His Royall Person Crowne and Dignity their cheerfull and constant acknowledgement of His supremacy in all causes and over all persons their universall obedience to all His Laws and gracious Government and their continued desires and endeavour even to the uttermost hazzard of their lives and fortunes for the preservation of all His Rights and just Prerogatives In the fourth is added in Doctrine and Discipline In the sixth is added and Statutes in this Kingdome established and now of force And about the same time the Lord-lieutenant sent for the Protestant Agents and declared unto them that it would be for their better reception at Court that they should prepare their severall Companies under their commands to goe into England to serve His Maiesty Sir Charles Cootes excepted whose command lay in another Province And soone after Captaine Parsons Troope was casheered because they refused to goe into England Captaine Bridgeway and Sir Francis Hamiltons Companies notwithstanding divers of them refused to goe and that the Lord-lieutenant on his first motion promised not to impose that on them and that Captaine Bridgeway and Sir Francis Hamilton were desirous that their Companies might remaine there for their suture hopes of settlement there were ordered to goe with their Lieutenants which was very prejudiciall to the said Agents and souldiers most of the Souldiers being Lessees or under Farmers unto them and persons who expected satisfacton from the rebels for their losses and injuries sustained by them which course was the cause as Major Iones another of the said Agents declared that he declined the said imployment After which Captaine Ridgeway and Sir Francis Hamilton were imployed to the Lord Lieutenant and desired his Lordship that Sir Charles Coote and Captaine Wil. Parsons who were chosen and added as Agents by the Protestants might have liberty to goe along with them into England They received answer from his Lordship that he would acquaint the Board therewith The eighteenth of March the Protestant Petitioners petitioned the Lord-lieutenant and Councell for licence for Sir Charles Coote and Capt. Parsons to repaire into England to joyne with their other Agents in the behalfe of the Protestants in regard the petition limited the negotiation thereof to three or more of them and that Major Iones had formerly declined the Agency and that Mr. Fenton Parsons then at London was not acquainted with the choice of him made therefore it was doubtfull whether he could attend the same or no. Which request being denied by the Lords did very much discourage the Protestants untill they were revived by the arrivall of His Majesties Letter of the 27 of February 1643. which came to Dublin the 29 of March 1644. signifying his Majesties pleasure in approbation of Sir Charles Coote and Captaine William Parsons for their comming into England which followeth in haec verba CHARLES REX RIght trusty and right entirely beloved Cousin and Counsellor Right trusty and right wel-beloved Cousins and Counsellors and trusty and wel-beloved Councellors We greet you well We are very well pleased to observe in your Letter to Secretary Nicholas of the third of this moneth how dutifully the Earl of Kildare and the rest of our good Protestant subjects in Ireland acknowledged before you the confidence We gave them of Our Grace and Favour which We hope they will give Us cause more particularly to make good to every of them as occasion shall be offered And whereas they have further proposed the addition of Sir Charles Coote and Captaine William Parsons to those Gentlemen designed to attend Us We are well contented to give way to that addition and that you licence them accordingly to come over hither to attend Us with the rest for which these Our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant Given at our Court at Oxford the twenty seventh of February 1643. To Our right trusty and entirely beloved Cousin and Councellor James Marquesse of O mond Our Lieutenant-Generall and generall Governour of Our Kingdom of Ireland and to the rest of Our Councell there By His Majesties command EDW. NICHOLAS whereupon the said Agents received Letters which were delivered them as Letters of recommendation from the Lord Lieutenant and Councell to Mr. Secretary Nicholas but what was the effect of the said Letters or of former Letters delivered to those agents formerly appointed neither the Protestant petitioners nor their Agents did ever know being refused to be communicated to the said Agents though they earnestly desired the same On the second of April 1644. the Protestant Agents tooke shipping at Dublin and on the seventeenth of April came to Oxford and that day they delivered to Mr. Secretary Nicholas the said Letters from the Lord Lieutenant and Councell formerly mentioned and desired him to let them know what time he thought fittest for the said Agents to waite upon His Majesty to present unto Him the petition from the Protestants of Ireland who appointed them the next day at nine of the clocke in the Garden at Christ-church in Oxford and then they were by him presented to His Majesty where after kissing His Majesties hands they presented unto Him the said petition to which afterwards they received an answer which petition and answer follow in haec verba To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The humble Petition of divers of your Majesties Protestant Subjects in your Kingdome of Ireland as well Commanders of your Majesties Army here as others whose names are subscribed in the behalfe of themselves and other your Protestant Subjects in this your Kingdome Sheweth THat this your Highnesse Kingdome reduced with the vast expence of Treasure and much effusion of Brittish blood to the obedience of the Imperiall Crowne of England hath beene by the Princely care of your Royall progenitors especially of Queen Elizabeth and of your Royall father of ever blessed memory and your sacred Majesty in many parts happily planted great sums of money disbursed in buildings and improvements Churches edified and endowed and frequented with multitudes of good Protestants and your Customes and Revenues raised to great yeerely summes by the industry of your Protestant subjects especially and great summes of money by way of Subsidies and Contributions cheerfully paid unto your Majesty by your said Subjects In which happinesse this your Kingdome hath flourished in a long continued peace and under your Highnesse most glorious and happy government untill that by the present generall conspiracy and rebellion raised out of detestation of your blessed government and for rooting out of the Protestant religion and so for the dispossessing of your Majesty of this your said Kingdome without the least occasion offered by your Majesty or your Protestant subjects And notwithstanding that your Majesty immediately before had enlarged beyond president your Royall favour and bounty to them in granting all that
their and and our joynt Agents did desire of your Majesty And we continuing amongst them in all love and amity without distrust your Petitioners and others who laboured to oppose those damnable designes and practices have been driven from their dwellings estates and fortunes their houses and Churches burnt and demolished all monuments of civility utterly defaced your Majesties Forts and places of strength throwne downe and the Common and Statute lawes of this your Kingdome utterly confounded by taking upon themselves the exercise of all manner of authorities and jurisdictions Ecclesiasticall and Civill both by Land and Sea proper and peculiar to your sacred Majesty being your just Prerogatives and the Royall flowers of your Imperiall Diadem to the disherison of your Crowne and your royall Revenues brought to nothing and the Protestant Clergy with their revenues and support for the present destroyed This your Kingdom in all parts formerly inhabited with Brittish Protestants now depopulated of them and many thousands of your Protestant subjects most barbarously used stripped naked tortured famished hanged buried alive drowned and otherwise by all barbarous cruell sorts of death murthered such as yet remaine of them are reduced to that extremity that very few of them have wherewith all to maintain a being and all of them so terrifyed and afflicted with those barbarous and inhumane cruelties the true report whereof being now spread abroad into the Christian world you Suppliants conceive feares that your Majesties Brittish subjects will be discouraged from comming againe to inhabite this Kingdome and the remnant of the Brittish left here will be forced to depart All this being done by the conspiracy of the Papists who did publiquely declare the utter extirpation of the Protestant Religion and all the Brittish professors thereof out of this your Majesties Kingdom And to the end it may the better in some measure appeare your Suppliants have made choice of Captaine Mr. William Ridgeway Sir Francis Hamilton Knight and Baronet Captaine Michael Iones and Mr. Fenton Parsons whom they have imployed and authorised as their Agents to manifest the truth thereof in such particulars as for the present they are furnished withall referring the more ample manifestation thereof to the said Captaine Mr. William Ridgeway Sir Francis Hamilton Captaine Iones and Fenton Parsons or any three or more of them and such other Agents as shall with all convenient speed be sent as occasion shall require to attend your Majesty from your Protestant Subjects of the severall Provinces of this your Kingdome We therefore your Majesties most humble loyall and obedient Protestant subjects casting downe our selves at your Royall feet and flying to you for succour and redresse in these our great calamities as our most gracious Soveraigne Lord and King and next and immediately under Almighty God our protector and defence most humbly beseeching your sacred Majesty to admit into your Royall presence from time to time our said Agents and in your great wisdome to take into your Princely care and consideration the distressed estate and humble desires of your said Subjects so that to the glory of God your Majesties honour and the happinesse of your good Subjects the Protestant Religion may be restored throughout the whole Kingdome to its lustre That the losses of your Protestant subjects may be repayred in such manner and measure as your Majesty in your Princely wisdome shall thinke fit and that this your Kingdome may be so setled as that your said Protestant Subjects may heareafter live therein under the happy government of your Majesty and your Royall posterity with comfort and security Whereby your Majesty will render your selfe throughout the whole world a most just and glorious Defender of the Protestant Religion and draw downe a blessing on all other your Royall undertakings For which your Petitioners will ever pray c. Subscribed by the Earle of Kildare the Lord Viscount Montgomery the Lord Blany and many others At the Court at Oxford the 25 of April 1644. HIs Majesty being very sensible of the Petitioners losses and sufferings is ready to heare and relieve them as the exigencie of His affaires will permit and wisheth the Petitioners to propose what they thinke fit in particular for His Majesties information and the Petitioners remedy and future security Edw. Nicholas And His Majesty looking upon the petition and the names of the subscribers commanded the same to be read and after the reading thereof His Majesty was pleased to expresse himselfe that he knew the contents of the Petition to be truth and that the same could not be denyed and required the Protestant agents to reduce the generals of the Petition into particulars And His Majesty then further said to the said Agents That the Agents for the Irish tooke it upon their salvation unto him that the Conspiracy in Ireland at first was not generall and that the English pale of Ireland were forced into Rebellion by His Governours of Ireland and that if his Parliament of England had permitted Him to have gone into Ireland when He desired He doubted not but He should soon have suppressed that Rebellion His Majesty having directed the Protestant Agents by His answer on the said petition to represent what they should thinke fit in particular for His Majesties information and the petitioners remedy and future security the said Agents likewise taking into consideration a scandalous and most false Remonstrance of the Irish rebels presented to His Majesties Commissioners at Trymme in Ireland the 27 of March 1642. which afterwards was printed at Waterford by Thomas Bourke printer to the Confederate Roman Catholiques of Ireland whereunto he affixed His Majesties Armes many of which bookes were published and dispersed by the rebels not onely in Ireland but at Oxford and other parts of this Kingdome and in forraigne parts of purpose to asperse the late government there and His Majesties good and faithfull Protestant subjects and to put a shew of reason upon the barbarous and inhumane cruelties which the said Rebels had acted on the Protestants of Ireland unprovoked in time of full peace The Protestant Agents for vindication of the late government and of the Protestants of Ireland and for the satisfaction of all good people conceived themselves bound in duty to God and His Majesty to present to His Majesty some collections of knowne truths in answer to the said Remonstrance of the Rebels of Ireland Which Remonstrance and the copy of the said Collections in answer thereunto were presented to His Majesty together with their first propositions in the behalfe of the Protestants of Ireland which first propositions follow in haec verba The humble Propositions of your Majesties Protestant Agents of Ireland in pursuance of the humble Petition of your Majesties Protestant Subjects aswell Commanders of your Majesties Army there as others presented to your Majesty the 18 day of Aprill 1644. and answered by your Majestie the 25 of the same 1. WE most humbly desire the establishment of the true
Councell board which they did and His Majesty being present told them That they were sent over by his Protestant subjects to move him in their behalfe and desired to know in what condition the Protestants were to defend themselves in case a peace should not be concluded which was answered by the Protestant Agents That they humbly conceived they were imployed first to make proofe of the effect of the protestants petition and disprove the scandalous aspersions which the Rebells had cast on His Majesties government and the protestants of Ireland The King said that needed not for to what purpose is it to prove the Sun shines this day when we all see it The Agents said they found not His Majesty satisfyed but that the five severall Counties called the English Pale were forced into Rebellion by his governours To which His Majesty answered That that was but an assertion of the Irish Then the King againe defired to know in what condition the protestants were in to defend themselves in case he should not make a peace with the Irish The said Agents desired some time to make an answer to that Question but His Maiesty answered That he thought they had come prepared to declare the whole condition of that Kingdome And further asked whether they would have Peace or no. To which it was answered by the Agents That peace was the thing they had been bred up in and that they were not against peace so it might stand with His Majesties honour and safety of his protestant subjects in their Religion Lives Liberties and Fortunes Then the Lord Digby told His Majesty That they desired Peace The Duke of Richmond and the Earle of Linsie replied it is true the Agents have expressed that they are not against Peace so that it may be with honour to His Majesty and safety to His Majesties Protestant Subjects of Ireland Then the King said he had rather they should have their Throates cut by Warre then that they should suffer by a Peace of His making And that hee would take a care that the Protestants of Ireland should be preserved His Majesty told the said Agents that they should have a Copy of the Propositions of the Irish and wished them to make an answer to them And the said Agents being wished to withdraw and being sent for in againe His Majesty told them That for the cleering of the matter he must tell them two things the first was That he could not relieve his Protestant subjects in Ireland either with Men Money Armes Ammunition or Victuals And secondly That he could not allow them to joyne with the new Scots or any others that had taken the Covenant with them And on the same day about one of the clocke the Protestant Agents received a copy of the Rebels high and destructive propositions from Secretary Nicholas who wisht them from His Majesty to put in their answers thereunto within two daies On which the Agents desired two daies longer which was granted And on the 13 of May 1644. at the Councell-board the King Prince and Duke of Yorke with many of the Lords there sitting the Protestant Agents presented unto His Majesty their answers to the Rebels propositions both which hereafter follow in haec verba The Propositions of the Roman Catholiques of Ireland humbly presented to His sacred Majestie in pursuance of their Remonstrance of grievances and to be annexed to the said Remonstrance Together with the humble Answer of the Agents for the Protestants of Ireland to the said Propositions made in pursuance of your Majesties directions of the ninth of May 1644. requiring the same 1. Proposition THat all acts made against the Professors of the Roman Catholique Faith whereby any restraint penalty mulct or incapacity may be laid upon any Roman Catholique within the Kingdome of Ireland may be repealed and the said Catholiques to be allowed the freedome of the Roman Catholiqus Religion Answer To the first We say that this hath been the pretence of almost all those who have entered into rebellion in the Kingdome of Ireland at any time since the Reformation of Religion there which was setled by Acts of Parliament above 80 yeeres since and hath wrought good effects ever since for the peace and welfare both of the Church and Kingdome there and of the Church and Kingdome of England and Protestant party throughout all Christendome and so hath been found wholsome and necessary by long experience And the repealing of those Laws will set up Popery againe both in jurisdiction profession and practice as it was before the Reformation and introduce amongst other inconveniences the Supremacy of Rome and take away or much endanger your Majesties supreame and just authority in causes Ecclesiasticall a diminution of honour and power not to be endured the said Acts extending as well to seditious sectaries as to popish recusants so as by the repeale thereof every man may seeme to be left to choose his owne Religion in that Kingdome which must needs beget great confusion and the abounding of the Roman Clergy there hath been one of the greatest occasions of this late rebellion Besides it is humbly desired that your Majesty will be pleased to take into your gracious consideration a clause in the Act of Parliament passed by your Majestis Royall assent in England in the seventeenth yeere of your Reigne touching punishment to be inflicted upon those that shall introduce the authority of the See of Rome in any case whatsoever 2. Proposition That your Majesty will be pleased to call a free Parliament in the said Kingdome to be held and continued as in the Remonstrance is expressed And the Statute of the tenth yeere of King H 7. called Poynings Act and all Acts explaining or enlarging the same be suspended during that Parliament for the speedy settlement of the present affaires and the repeale thereof to be there further considered of Answer Whereas they desire to have a free Parliament called reflecteth by secret and cunning implication upon your Majesties present Parliament in Ireland as if it were not a free Parliament we humbly beseech your Majesty to resent how dangerous it is to make such insinuation or intimation to your people of that Kingdome touching that Parliament wherein severall Acts of Parliament have already past the validity whereof may be endangered if the Parliament should not be approved as a free Parliament and it is a point of so high nature as we humbly conceive it not properly to be discussed but in Parliament and your Majesties said Parliament now sitting is a free Parliament in law holden before a person of honour and fortune in that Kingdome composed of good loyall and well affected subjects to your Majesty who doubtlesse will be ready to comply in all things that shall appeare to be pious and just for the good of the true Protestant religion and for your Majesties service and the good of that Church and State That if this present Parliament should be dissolved it would
Majesty the better satisfaction in these Particulars and that to the same purpose the book of the said Collection may be perused and considered of as your Majestie shall finde most requisite After reading of which Propositions and Answers thereunto the King asked the Protestant Agents Whether they had Answered unto the Rebels Propositions as they were to be granted by him in Law and Justice and fit for the security of the Protestants of Ireland or prudentially as the times were Who humbly made answere to his Majesty That they looked upon the Rebels Propositions as they appeared to them destructive to his Majestie his Laws Government and Protestant Subjects of Ireland Then the Earl of Bristoll said That if they asked what by law and Justice was due from the Rebells their Answers were full But now the King expected from the said Agents What prudentially was fit for his Majestie to do seeing the Protestants were not in a condition to defend themselves and that the King would not admit the Protestants to joyn with the new Scots or any other that had taken the Covenant The Lord Digby upon motion of the Protestant Agents for further time to answer said It was good to set down those questions in writing and expect their answers to them Then the King asked them What would become of the Protestants in Ireland if the Rebels Agents should break off their Treaty which was to be feared they would do if they had not their Propositions for the most part yeelded unto The Protestant Agents Answered his Majesty That they conceived that the Rebells Agents might be brought to better terms if they were held unto it and that they were confidently assured before their comming out of Ireland that the Lord Muskery refused to come into England with limited Instructions but would be at liberty to do as he should see cause Then the Protestants Agents were commanded to with-draw And since that time were no further called upon And the said Protestant Agents knowing by experience how that the said Rebels had in all parts of the Kingdom broken the Articles of Cessation having begun that course within 3 days after the said Articles of Cessation were published by taking away forceably and detaining notwithstanding many complaints thereof made 369 head of choise English Cows or there-abouts from the poore Inhabitants of the Suburbs of the City of Dublin and by like proceedings in all parts of the Kingdome in taking of divers Castles Forts and Houses and great quantities of Corn and Cattle some by force and some by fraud and by burning divers others and by with-holding divers contributions in all parts of the Kingdome yelded to the Protestant Forces untill the Cessation to the utter destruction of the Protestant Party in divers parts of that Kingdome The said Protestant Agents in the conclusion of the Collection which they had made and presented to his Majestie in Answer of the said Remonstrance did make mention of the said breaches and also of the failers of payment of the far greater part of the 30000. l. by them agreed on to be paid by the Rebels to his Majesties use upon the conclusion of the said Cessation to be applyed towards the maintenance of the Army there and also of their extream bad and unseasonable payment of that small part thereof which they had paid in manifest breach of their undertaking the said failers having occasioned heavie Taxes to be laid upon the poor Protestant Inhabitants and necessitated the Souldiers through want to pillage and plunder thousands of his Majesties good Subjects And the said Protestant Agents did offer to make proof thereof and also that the said confederate Romane Catholiques had broken all the said Articles of Cessation humbly expecting reparation therein but not hearing any further thereof and observing that the said Sir William Stewart and the rest of the Gentlemen above-named which were sent for out of Ireland had by Authority from the Lord Lieutenant and Councell informed his Majesty of 20 severall complaints of notorious breaches made by the said Rebels of the said Articles whereof no right or reparation could be had there notwithstanding many complaints there made They the said Agents delivered to the said Sr Will. Stewart and the rest above named about the 10th of May 1644. a brief of many more great injuries done by the Rebels to the Protestant Party contrary to the said Articles of Cessation especially in Conaght where many of the Souldiers were forced there by to disband desiring them to acquaint the Lords with the same to the end that some course might be taken for redresse and afterwards they understood by them that they had acquainted the Lords of the Committee therewith and that the Lords said that they would acquaint the Agents of the Rebels therewith but heard no more thereof neither were the said Protestant Agents ever called to make proof thereof or of any other their Allegations or to receive hearing therein One particular instance of a notorious breach of the Articles of Cessation which we produced at Oxford we have here inserted being from one of the bloodiest Rebels who exercised the place of Governour of the County of Fermanagh Com. Fermanagh FOrasmuch as the dayly resort and concourse of Catholiques since the Cessation into English Garrisons might bring a great deal of Inconveniency unto our proceedings I do therefore hereby by Vertue of the Lord Generalls Authority given me in that behalf and especially to avoid the eminent perill that hereafter might arise thereof straightly charge and command all manner of persons of what ranke quality or condition soever they be of the Irish Nation of this County not to visit confer talk or parly to or with any person or persons of in or belonging to the Garrison of Eniskillen upon pain of death and of forfeiting all the goods and Chattels belonging to every such offender or offenders And likewise that none of the Inhabitants of this County on the West side of Loghern live dwell or inhabite no nearer to Eniskillen then the River of Arny untill further directions be given to the contrary upon pain of the foresaid forfeiture and penalty Dated the 25 November 1643. Signed Rory Maguire The 12. of May Sir Robert Talbot and Dermot mac Teag ô Bryan two of the Rebels Agents went away out of Oxford towards Ireland The 22. of May 1644. the Lord Viscount Muskery and the rest of the Rebels Agents went away from Oxford towards Ireland but what dispatch they had the Protestant Agents do not know The 26. of May the Protestant Agents seeing the Irish Agents were gone waited on Mr. Secretary Nicholas and desired him to know his Majesties pleasure and commands and whether they should expect any further answer concerning their Agency from his Majestie And the next day Mr. Secretary Nicholas told them That his Majesty commanded him to know of the Committee for Irish affairs Whether they had any thing more to say to the Protestant Agents And the same day Mr. Secretary Nicholas told the said Agents That the Committee saw no reason to detain them any longer and that he would move his Majesty for their dispatch The 30. of May M. Secretary Nicholas presented the Protestant Agents to his Majesty to kisse his hand who told them That he had written to the Marquesse of Ormond concerning the Protestants of Ireland That he would use his best endeavours for them there if he were able as he did for himself here And he said That he meant his good Protestants and not such as did either take or adhere to such as had taken the Covenant By all this which hath been faithfully Related and severall other Circumstances it plainly appears that the Rebels of Ireland intentions are and have been for the extirpation of the Protestants and Protestant Religion and how far forth they have been countenanced therein FINIS ERATA PAge 6. lin 30. for traduce read introduce p. 17. l. 12. for unknown r. known p. 19. l. 32. for Lord r. Lordships p. 21. l. 8. for causelessy r. cautelously ibid. l. 17. for to all r. to tall p. 26 l. 44 for school r. schools p. 27. l. 44. for many r. any p. 28. l. 5. for the r. their p. 39. l. 12. for effecting r. affering p. 40. l. 26. for officers r. offices p. 42. l. 7. after the word point r. before the Rebellion began p. 45. l. 22. for expresse r. presse p. 46. l. 13. for new r. now p. 48. l. 3. for luctation r. reluctation ibid. l. 28. for which r. with p. 53. l. 33. after service r. and the time p. 54. l. 25. for who late then r. who then p. 61. l. 4. for state r. statute ibid. l. 5. for to r. so ibid. for Soveraign r. Soveraignty p. 62. l. 36. after prosecute adde the p. 65. l. 1. for in r. if p. 74. l. 16. for their r. the p. 80. l. 24. for half r. rash p. 81. l. 7. for persecution r. prosecution ibid. l. 34. for rescued r. restored p. 39. l. 38. after Majesty r. Protestant p. 95. l. 20. for persecuted r. prosecuted p. 102. l. 7. for petition r. protestation ibid. l. 11. p. 103. l. 1. for petitions r. petitioners p. 104. l. 34. dele 9. p. 105. l. 22. for Bridgeway r. Ridgeway ibid. l. 24. p. 108. l. 5. for Mr. r Mack ibid. l. 9. p. 112. l. 42. after examined r. and p. 115. l. 43. after his r. Majesties p. 118. l. 1. for he r. the p. 119. l. 4. for compleat r. competent p. 123. l. 27. after those r. orders or p. 124. l. 14. for wherein r. whereon p. 125. l. 14. for or r. for p. 126. l. 46. dele of p. 129. l. 11. for meet r. meere
to the notice of all Our will and pleasure is that any whatsoever Copies or Transumpts whether written or printed that are subscribed with the hand of a publick notary and which have the seale of some eminent Person in Ecclesiasticall dignity affired thereunto be of the same force power and authority and have the like credit in every respect given unto them as would be to these our principall Letters if they were shewen and exhibited Dated at Rome in the Vatican or St. Peters Palace the 25 of May 1643 and in the twentieth year of our Pontificat M. A. Maraldus THe Recusant Lawyers on the other side secretly infusing into the credulous Irish and many old English pretended grievances and quarrells against your Majestie and your Government and the English Iudges and officers which pretended grievances even those Lawyers themselves knew to be of no importance towards any prejudice to the Kingdome in generall and which they well faw the English Iudges and Officers were most earnest to redresse and did it as fast as could be being to strive against such irregularities and reluctances as they found when they began And to prepare for this Rebellion they did in the present Parliament declare that killing in rebellion was no forfaiture of lands though the Law was heretofore held other wayes and much of your Majesties revenew stands upon that Title And for petitionary wayes and some other illegall parts in the Government the Popish Lawyers now chief leaders of the Remonstrants were the chiefe practizers at Councell board and most solicitous to lead the people into those wayes to flatter the Governours All which they did of purpose as it now appeares to poyson the minds of the people and to heape up matter whereout to gather discontent in them against your Majesty and your Government that when the Clergy could worke in them a grounded hatred to the Protestants and gaine in their hearts a further loathing of English Government how just and profitable soever both might meete towards destruction of the Kingdome in a Warre as they have now brought to passe And yet if a thorough Scrutiny were made and the state of that Realme with other Kingdomes notwithstanding their loud clamors of pretended Grievances no such enormities or abuses will be found to have been there when the Rebellion began as do exceede others in forraigne Kingdomes but rather farre lesse and not any such as might stirre up such implacable malice and hatred against your Majesty and the English Government and nation as now they shew Besides it is observable that in the Protestation and Declaration of the Lords and Comons in this Parliament of Ireland they do protest and declare that that Kingdome at the Earle of Straffords first comming to that Government was in a flourishing wealthy and happy estate and that for many yeares past before his coming the Government was Laudable Mild and Legall and yet in some Prints they now call it Tyrannicall for forty yeares past Touching the opposing of the graces this is as untrue as the rest for as to the graces in the fourth yeare of your Majesties raigne they were allowed the benefit of them for the most part as in particular THe placing of the Souldiers in Garrisons and ordering them so as they were no burthen to the Country neither were they from thenceforth used to collect Your Maiesties rents other then those graces allowed and that rarely The licences for retailing Ale and Beere were called in and so remained till setled by Law Orders were made for regulating the Clarke of the Market The imposition upon the short Plowes ceased untill a Law was made for it and the penalty of that Law also forborne at the motion of the Lords in Parliament Limitation for Tanning of Leather quite taken away Free Libertie given for Transportation of Corne Tallow Hides Beefe and other Commodities Bishops and Abby Liberties in Townes did contribute with the Townes Creation money allowed to Lords who had it graunted to them by Patent Liveries Ouster Lemaines c. past without Oath of Supremacy notwithstanding the Lawes then and now in force otherwayes ordeyned Divers Lands in Connaught put out of charge on those graces Rates of Compositions observed Commissioners of the Country appointed to ioyne with officers for inquiry and all other directions mentioned in the graces concerning the Court of Wards were obeyed The ordering of Fees of Officers in Court was left to the Parliament who tooke paines in it through not fully finished Estates of undertakers in Vlster were confirmed according to the graces and no man denied it that sued for it The Recusant Lawyers without taking the Oath of Supremacy admitted to the barre and all others to practize as Protestants were The Plantations of Longford Leytrim c. had their allowance of two years for performance of Covenants as was required The towne of Athlone had time given them as in the graces was commanded The Iudges were required to take order for summoning of convenient numbers of Iurors at Assizes and Kings Bench Not to allow accusation and testimony of infamous persons convicted of treason for evidence Not to bind over Iurors in case of tryall betweene subiects To dispatch poore mens causes in Courts Not to assesse Recompence upon robberies Not to bind over Witnesses upon Tryalls and to forbeare Reprivalls except upon case of necessity All which were observed by the Iudges as farre as might be The Bishops were required to take care that Pluralities should not be bestowed on unqualified or unworthy persons which was observed generally Provost Marshalls were forborne in all places except upon rare occasions of necessity and commonly at the suite of the Country while the necessity required and then to cease The Scottish men were generally made Dennizens either by Patent or Act of Parliament and none were refused it and now lately all the residue naturalized by Act of Parliament Strict course was taken to recover Vicaridges out of Impropriators and Laymens hands many recovered and where no Vicars were the Impropriators compelled to give good maintenance to Curates Protections against Iudgments in Courts and Decrees in Chancery very rarely graunted Corporations were Assessed towards contributions and other Country charges Order was given for Sherifes Fees as well in Leets as for removing possession and for effecting their Fines by Iustices of peace which was observed so as it was not complained of The Exchequer was commanded to proceed touching Custodiaries as was required by the graces and not to compell possessours to plead to charges upon Patents graunted to strangers All which was observed Warrants of Assistance to the Clergie were wholly forborne only in one Diocesse of Downe foure yeares since or thereabouts which was called in And in effect all those graces were yeilded unto and allowed as fast as the times could permit Except the enrolling the surrenders of Connaught and granting away those lands and Tenures and except the limitation of Your Majesties Titles above sixty
the Popish Clergie contribute nothing notwithstanding that they have their duties from all the people duly payd them with great summes of moneys left unto them by the death of such as are Papists and by their doctrines of penance and Purgatorie and such like grow farre richer then the Protestant Clergie Yet so it is may it please your honours That after the payment of the said summes of One hundred and fifty thousand pounds and one hundred and twenty thousand pounds the popish partie only was advanced by stay of Execution of the aforesaid Lawes contrary to his Majesties pious intention as your supplicants verily beleeve And whereas in the Government of the said Lords Iustices when the Iudges of Assize in their severall Circuits twice had put the said Lawes in execution against the Papists and thereby brought multitudes to Church who were glad of that occasion to bee freed from the intollerable exactions of the popish Clergie even then about the time of payment of the said forty thousand pounds the said proceedings against the Papists were againe stopped since which time during the Government of the late Lord Lievtenant notwithstanding the said Subsidies both of the Clergie and Laitie Poperie hath beene countenanced farre more then the Protestant Religion they having libertie in the said Citie and in all other parts of the Kingdome to Marry Burie Baptize Communicate after their owne wayes professe their orders we are their severall habits meet in great numbers exercise all manner of Forraigne jurisdiction and Superstitious Ceremonies wthout giving any accompt for the same they having divers Fryaries and Masse-houses that were formerly suppressed by precedent Governours restored to the pretended owners which with other publike Masse-houses newly erected and furnished with Images and Altars are imloyed in the exercise of popish Religion both in the Citie and Countrey And likewise by their Titulary Bishops Dignitaries and numbers of parish priests farr exceeding the number of the Protestant Clergie with many thousands of Iesuites and Fryers the Emiscaries of Rome that swarme through all parts of the Citie and Kingdome especially since the late Proclamation of England against the Papists they have not only impoverished the Kingdome but amongst other their pernicious Doctrines that there is no salvation but in Communion with the Church of Rome and subjection to the Bishop of Rome have so seduced the people and insnared their consciences That no Papist that is made Iustice of Peace Mayor Sheriffe or other Officer will take the Oath of Supremacie And yet they are in all parts of the Kingdome admitted to the said Offices without any such Oath administred unto them and thereby the principall meanes provided for the execution of the said Lawes is taken away And your Supplicants likewise shew that the flourishing estate of the true Protestant Religion hath not beene ecclipsed by the popish Clergie only but by reason that in most parts of the said Kingdome there is many Parishes that have no Minister to read Service others that have no Preaching Minister others that have such Preachers as are very scandalous in their lives and many of the Clergie that suffer their Wives and Children to goe to Masse Besides in most places there is no sufficient maintenance for the Ministrie Yea and some of the Protestant Clergie advance to places of Dignitie in the Church instead of opposing Popery have brought divers popish superstitions into the Protestant Churches Turning Communion Tables into Altars bowing before them worshipping towards the East exhorting the people to confesse their sinnes to a Priest as a matter necessary to salvation with other such like Innovations for which there is no low nor Connon and alsouncharitably if not cruelly prosecuted divers of the Protestants both Clergy and Laity in the high Commission and other Ecclesiasticall Courts and Iudicatures for pretended non-conformity thereby causing some religious Ministers and people to flye the Kingdome others to take the Oath Ex officio against Law and equitie committed others to close prison who refused put downe Lectures discouraged some that kept them or that preached on Sundayes in the Afternoone So that betwixt the Popish faction and those of the Protestant Clergie ill affected as aforesaid being both incouraged under the late Government many Protestants have beene seduced some to popery others to superstitious practices and many others discouraged and full of feares of a change in Religion and not a few unstable in Religion become Newters or Atheists while the Papists thoronout the said Citie and Kingdome have and still doe not in corners only but publikely flocke to and from Masse as ordinarily openly securely and in as great yea greater numbers in some places by fourty to one then others goe to and from the Protestant Churches to the great dishonour of Almightie GOD the derogation of his Majesties Lawes and Authoritie the danger of those poore soules that are either seduced to or hardned in Idolatrie whereby it may appeare that the Papists in all things have bad that freedome for the time past that the Protestants could not obtaine And for the future the Protestants have just cause of feares that the Papists of the said Kingdome though in themselves peaceable yet by the instigation of their Clergie with the multitudes of discontented Iesuites Priests Fryers and others That since the said Proclamation came to them out of England are now more then ever labouring to advance their owne partie depresse the Protestants and hinder Reformation In tender consideration of the Premisses and to the end of the Lawes enacted against Poperie may for the time to come be duly executed throughout the said City and Kingdome the Popish Clergie banished the Masse houses seized or abolished the poore seduced people reformed and all unlawfull designes of the Papists against the Protestants prevented And to the end that all non-preaching and scandalous Ministers in the Protestant Church may be cast out all Innovations suppressed a speedy course taken for time to come that every parish may have an able and painfull Ministrie with meanes sufficient provided for their maintenance that such of the Clergie as are orthodox painfull and unblameable in life may be encouraged and preserved from contempt That all uncharitable prosecution of the Protestants as aforesaid may be stayed And the causes of all the aforesaid evils so searched into that they may for ever be prevented throughout the said Citie and Kingdome May it please this Honourable House for the glory of GOD the honour of our dread Soveraigne and welfare of the said Citie and Kingdome to take the Premisses and every circumstance thereof into consideration So that the poore Kingdome of Ireland may be made partakers of a blessed Reformation with the Kingdome of England by such meanes and in such manner as this honourable House and happy Assembly shall conceive to be most meete And your Supplicants will ever pray c. Copia vera Exem per Jo. Pue No. public Re. And of some disorders and