were so Elevated with the Hopes of shaking off the English Yoak neither of the two Kingdoms being now in a Capacity to Relieve Ireland that the Romish Clergy thundered out Excommunication against any that should Acquiesce in the said Peace and Agreement and with an Army of 17000 Horse and Hoot resolved to Besiege Dublin which so startled the Protestants that the Lord Lieutenant was obliged to Resume the former Treaty with the Parliaments Commissioners and the King finding that all his Secret Transactions with the Earl of Glamorgan were Discovered by the Letters taken at Nasâ—by Fight to the great Disgust of the People in general and that all the Assurance he had from the Lord Lieutenant and the Lord Digby were Disappointed by the Falsness and Treachery of the Rebels He though with much Reluctancy consented that all manner of Treaty with the Enemy should cease the Earl of Glamorgan being for a pretence Imprisoned the Lord Lieutenant being prest with the Danger of a Seige from the Roman Catholick Confederates in 1647. Delivered up Dublin to the Parliaments Commissioners he having Articled for his passing freely to the King on whom he waited while the Army carryed him about and afterwards put him to Death and from thence passed to France from whence about September 16â—8 The Cathedral Confederates dreading a Storm from England by Letters to the King had importuned him to send for the said Marquess of Ormond late Lord Lieutenant and ordered him to return again into Ireland upon their Ingagement and Protestation of Plenary Submission to his Majesties Authority and to him as his Lieutenant as being the only proper Person for that Imployment The Marquess accordingly undertook it and making an agreement with the Lord Inchequeen and his Forces and likewise with those of the Marquess of Clan-riccard and the Earl of Castlehaven and the Confederate Catholicks who had proclaimed the Nuncio's Party Rebels and Traytors being all joyned under his Command they designed to Reduce Dublin then possest by the Parliaments Forces but differences soon arose about the Exercise of the Popish Religion and upon points of Command whereby Owen O Neal that had a considerable Party of Irish was Disobliged who thereupon makes an agreement with Collonel Monk in the Name of the Parliament though they afterwards disclaimed it but acknowledged his Faithfulness and Well-meaning therein by a Vote of Parliament considering how odious it would be to have Assistance from Irish Rebels However he Aided them all he could and releived London-Derry then Besieged by the Confederate Forces At length the Marquess of Ormond comes before Dublin with his Army and obliges Collonel Jones the Governor who had drawn out some of the Garrison to interrupt them to retire into the City which was indifferently Fortified and plentifully Mann'd both with Horse and Foot and therefore he durst not venture his Army upon a Desparate Assault since the Garrisons of Drogheda and Trim lay so convenient to Attempt upon them Commanded by Collâ—nel Monk and O Neal So that the Marquess wanting Money and Provisions and the English and Irish Forces Murmuring against each other he was almost resolved to have Marched away but O Neals Party being soon after Defeated and a Convoy of Arms and Ammunition which were sent him by Collonel Monk being taken by the Lord Inchequeen Drogheda was Surrendred together with Dundalk the Garrison Compelling Collonel Monk to deliver it and the Souldiers took up Arms for the King the Garrison of Trim was soon after taken from the Parliament after which the Lord Inchequeen brings up his Forces now much increased to Assist the Marquess at the Siege of Dublin who Designed to shut up the Garrison within their works and hinder them from getting Forrage or to graze their Cattel without the Line which was drawn round the Town The Besieged perceiving the Danger of being thus closely confined whereby they would have been prevented of all Succour both from Land and Sea and knowing the Marquesss want of Horse to Guard the New Forts resolved by a desperate Sally to disturb them which they made accordingly Aug. 2. 1649. about 8 in the Morning with 1200 Foot and 4000 Horse and finding the New Fortification slight and the Resistance weak they soon were Masters of it from whence seeing the Irish fly in great Disorder they contrary to the first intentions pursued the Besiegers even to the Avenues of their Camp and being Animated by Collonel Jones their Governor who had newly received a Supply of 3000 Men from England they fell with such fury upon the whole Army at Rachmines consisting of 19000 Men that in a short time they put them to the Rout killing 4000 on the place and making 2517 Prisoners many of them Persons of quality taking all their Cannon and a Rich Camp to reward the Souldiers Most of the Lord Inchequeens Foot that at first made some Resistance seeing the Day lost changed sides and joyned with the Parliaments Forces All this was done in so short a space and with so little noise that the Lord Dillon and the rest of the Marquess's Forces on the other side the River Liffy knew nothing of it till some run-aways brought the News the Irish making such hast home in so pannick a fear that the Lord Lieutenant could not possibly rally them and therefore fled with a considerable Perty to Kilkenny and there endeavoured to draw together as many of his Dispersed Troops as possible with which he speeds away to Trim and Drogheda where he had notice that Oliver Cromwell the Parliaments General was Landed with considerable Forces upon on which he put a Garrison of 300 Horse and 2500 Foot into Drogheda which was thought sufficient and having furnisht it with what Provisions he was able and made Sir Arthur Aston Governor went from thence to Trim and Terrogan About this time London-Derry possest by the Parliament and Besieged by Ormonds Forces was relieved and the Siege Raised and not long after a Ship from Spain brought the Plague into Galloway whereof a great number of the Irish dyed Cromwell having refresht his Men at Dublin Marches to Besiege Drogheda and made himself Master of it in a little time after a stout Resistance from the Garrison putting most of the Officers and every Tenth Souldier to the Sword to terrifie others from making Opposition against his Victorious Arms Sir Arthur Afton and several other principal Officers and Gentlemen with near 3000 Souldiers being Slain after this Cromwell Besieges the Town of Wexford and soon reduced it even before the Lord Lieutenants Eyes with the loss of 2000 of the Irish upon this the Marquess makes an Agreement with Owen O Neal whereby the Ulster Army were to joyn with his under the Command of Luke Taaf who was made Governor of Ross but soon forced to surrender it to General Cromwell after which the Garrisons of Bandon-Bridge Yough-Hall Cork Kingsale and all the English Towns in Munster declared for the Parliament and Cromwell marched to
are perswaded that whatever Intelligence Correspondence or Actings the said Marquess had with the Confederate Irish Catholicks was directed or allowed by the said Letters Instructions and Directions and that it manifestly appears to them that THE KING OUR FATHER WAS WELL PLEASED WITH WHAT THE MARQUESS DID AFTER HE HAD DONE IT AND APPROVED THE SAME This being the true State of the Marquess his Case and there being nothing proved upon the first Information against him nor any thing contained against him in your Letter of March 18 but that you were informed he had put in his Claim before the Commissioners appointed for executing the Act of Settlement and that if his Innocency be such as is alledged there is no need of Transmitting such a Bill to us as is desired and that if he be Nocent it consists not with the Duty which you owe to us to transmit such a Bill as if it should pass into a Law must needs draw a great prejudice upon so many Adventurers and Soldiers which are as is alledged to be therein concerned We have considered of the Petition of the Adventurers and Souldiers which was transmitted to us by you the Equity of which consists in nothing but that they have been peaceably in Possession for the space of seven or eight Years of those Lands which were formerly the Estate of the Marquess of Antrim and others who were all engaged in the late Irish Rebellion and that they shall suffer very much and be ruined if those Lands should be taken from them And we have likewise considered another Petition from several Citizens of London near sixty in number directed to our self wherein they desire that the Marquess his Estate may be made liable to the payment of his just Debts that so they may not be ruined 〈◊〉 the Favour of the present Possessors who they say are but a few Citizens and Soldiers who have disbursed very small Surns thereon Upon the whole matter no Man can think we are less engaged by our Declaration and by the Act of Settlement to protect those who are Innocent and who have faithfully endeavoured to serve the Crown how unfortunate soever than to expose to Justice those who have been really and maliciously Guilty And therefore we cannot in Justice but upon the Petition of the Marquess of Antrim and after the serious and strict Inquisition into his Actions declare unto you That WE DO FIND HIM INNOCENT FROM ANY MALICE OR REBELLIOUS PURPOSE AGAINST THE CROWN and that what he did by way of Correspondence or Compliance with the Irish Rebels was in order to the Service of our Royal Father and warranted by his Instructions and the Trust reposed in him and that the Benefit thereof accrued to the Service of the Crown and not to the particular Advantage and Benefit of the Marquess And as we cannot in Justice deny him this Testimony so we require you to transmit our Letter to our Commissioners that they may know our Judgment in this Case of the Lord of Antrim and proceed accordingly And so we bid you heartily farewel Given at our Court at White-Hall July 10. in the 15th Year of our Reign 1663. By his Majesty's Command HENRY BENNET To our Right Trusty and Right intirely well-beloved Cousin and Counsellor James D. of Ormond our Lieutenant General and General Governour of our Kingdom of Ireland and to the Lords of our Council of that our Kingdom Entred at the Signet Office July 13 1663 Soon after the following Answer of the D. of Ormond and the Irish Privy Council to the foregoing 〈◊〉 was sent to Sir Henry Bennet Principal Secretary of State On the 20. I the Lord Lieutenant received His Majesty's Letter of July 10. concerning the Marquess of Antrim which I imparted to the Council upon reading whereof at this Board we observing that though in several other matters relating to the proceedings of His Majesty's Commissioners appointed for executing the Act of Settlement his Majesty vouchsafed to direct this Letter to the Commissioners Yet that those Letters concerning the Marquess of Antrim are directed to us the Lieutenant and Council requiring us to Transmit the same to the Commissioners that they may know His Majesties Judgment in the Case of the Lord Antrim as it stands stated in those His Majesties Letters and proceed accordingly We hence gathered that His Majesty did judge it fit that those His Letters for the Marquess of Antrim should be directed to us to the end that if we his Majesties Servants here upon the place should find more in the Marquess of Antrims Case than are in those Letters taken notice of either in relation to his Majesty or his Affairs then in such Case we might Humbly Represent the same to His Majesty And as it was the Use and Custom here in former Times and particularly in the Times of his Majesty's Royal Father of Blessed Memory That if any Directions came from the King which in the Execution thereof might occasion inconveniencies to his Majesties Service the same was stay'd until the matter was by the Chief Governor here Humbly Represented to the King So it is also agreeable to his Majesties Instructions to me the Lord Lieutenant particularly in things relating to his Majesty's Revenue which likewise is the present Case For his Majesties Revenues are like to be hereby much lessened and moreover it is agreeable likewise with his now Majesties gracious pleasure signified thither by the Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council by their Letters of Aug. 12. 1661. directed to the late Justices and Council wherein it was declared That his Majesty and the Lords of the most Honourable Privy Council were well assured of a Demur the said Justices and Council had made upon Letters from His Majesty and their Forbearance to proceed thereupon till they should receive His Majesties further pleasure And therefore upon full consideration thereof had at this Board we humbly conceive that it is our Duty to His Majesty to defer for some time the Transmitting the said Letters to the said Commissioners till we shall have Represented to His Majesty that which appears to us here which it seems was not made known to His Majesty or those Lords of the Privy Council to whose consideration his Majesty refer'd the Marquess of Antrims Petitions mentioned in his Majesties Letters We observe that his Majesties said Letters seem to be grounded on these particulars 1. That after many Months Attendance here and as his Majesty is pleased to declare that he presumes that after such examinations as were requisite the Marquess of Antrim was dismissed hence without any Censure and without Transmitting any Charge against him to his Majesty and nothing proved against him on the first Information nor any thing contained against him in our Letters of March 18. 2. The Report made by these Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council to whom his Majesty refer'd the Consideration of the Lord of Antrims Petitions 3. That the Marquesses
Case as it stands flated in those Letters is the true State of his his Case As to the first we find that the Lords of his Majesties Privy Council by their Letters of Dec. 19. 1660. directed to the Justices of this Kingdom signified that the Marquess of Antrim then Prisoner in the Tower of London Petitioned His Majesty to be heard as to his being Criminal in the Aspersing the Memory of the late King our Soveraign and their Lordships by these Letters required the Justices with all convenient speed to send their Lordships Authentick Copies of all Papers whatsoever under his own Hand or any other which may any way relate to the said Marquess his being guilty of so foul a Crime as the Defaming his late Majesty and that the Justices should cause all such Witnesses reside in this Kingdom who can alledge any thing to the proving thereof to be examined and the Examinations to be returned to their Lordships attested by us and the Justices appointed to take the same and in pursuance of those Letters the Justices caused a Commission to issue under his Majesties Great Seal to several Persons some of them Members of this Board and some of His Majesties Judges and some of his Learned Council to call before them and examine Witnesses upon Oath concerning the Lord of Antrims Aspersing the Memory of his late Majesty That those Commissioners having examined several Witnesses and returned their examinations to the Justices with their Letters of Feb. 20. 1660. directed to the Lords of his Majesties Privy Council Transmitted the same to their Lordships That March 29. 1661. it was ordered by his Majesty in Council that in order to a farther proceeding here against the Lord Antrim the Examinations and other Papers should be returned hither Thus far the matter proceeded before the Arrival of the Lord Lieutenant in this Kingdom Aug. 18. 1661. the Lord Chief Justice Santry made a report at this Board of the Examinations taken concerning the Marquess and upon his Petition it was ordered That the Chief Justice should Cancel the Recognizance acknowledged by the Marquess and his Sureties and as to his being Criminal in Aspersing and Defaming the Memory of his Majesties Royal Father we Humbly crave leave to send herewith the said Examinations and other Papers concerning the same which we Humbly Submit to his Majesty's Consideration and we confess we are not willing upon these Examinations and Papers to aggravate any thing against him and therefore it was that there was no censure nor any Transmission of charge against him to his Majesty and as to our Letters of March 18. we confess there is nothing contained therein against him nor indeed under favour did we conceive it proper in these Letters to object any thing of Crime to him Our work in those Letters being but to inform his Majesty only of the particulars then under consideration and what occurred upon occasion of two Petitions exhibited the one by the Lady Marchioness of Antrim the other in the Name of several Adventurers and Soldiers and their Assignes and Tenants for we did not imagine the Lord Marquess would have attempted to put His Majesty upon a difficulty of giving a Rule contrary to the Act of Settlement but would have abiden the Tryal in the proper way prescribed by the Act wherein it is provided that the said Marquess shall be restored to his Estate in such Manner and Form and according to such Order and Method and no other as the Lord Viscount Nettervile and the Lord Viscount Gilmoy ought by vertue of the Act to be restored and besides we had no notice from thence that the matters relating to the said Marquess were under Debate or Consideration there which might give us occasion humbly to Represent to his Majesty those things which now for his Majesties Service we are necessrated to do To the Second namely the report made that those of the Lords of the Council to whom his Majesty refer'd the Marquesses Petition we must acknowledge the justice of their Lordships proceedings upon what appeared to them But there are some which we do verily believe were not made known to them and which do appear to us here wherein we may not be silent without breach of Justice to his Majesty For I the Lord Lieutenant do well know that the Peaces made by me in 1646. and in 1648. in this Kingdom and both derived by Authority from his Majesties Royal Father was both opposed by the Lord Marquess of Antrim who continually served with the Popes Nuncio and his Adherents against his Majesties authority then intrusted with me the Lieutenant and appeared active in all Assemblies and Councels wherein he was present in open opposition to all Members of those Assemblies and Councils who endeavoured to incline the People to Submission to the Peace when I the Lord Lieuterant laboured earnestly by all Just and Honourable ways and means to Reduce his Majesties Subjects in this Kingdom to their due Obedience to his Majesty and to give him assistance whereof he stood in need in the greatest and most imaginable necessity and when the Marquess of Antrim and the Popes Nuncio and Clergies Party and their Adherents laboured industriously to withdraw them from their Obedience and Assistance to his Majesty and so far prevailed that when things were in a tendency towards sending Ten Thousand Men to his Majesties Assistance the Lord of Antrim declared openly in the Confederates great Assembly that not a Man should go out of the Province of Ulster and in the end both these Peaces were by that Disloyalty to his Majesty and by the Countenance and Continuance of the said Marquess Rendred Fruitless and what great and general Evils followed thereupon to his Majesty and all his Kingdoms we need not now repeat whence it was that in the Act of Settlement it is enacted that such as at any time adhered to the Nuncio's or Clergy's Party or papal power in opposition to the Kings Authority shall not be restored as Innocent Papists And this being the Marquess of Antrims Case how far it may be fit for his Majesty in the greatest Humility we mention it to direft contrary to the said Act of Parliament that the ommissioners upon these His Majesties Letters should proceed to find him Innocent for so the Letter seems to imply and that as we humbly conceive without giving any Latitude of power to the Commissioners to examine matter of Fact pursuant to the said Act of Parliament We humbly submit to His Majesties Great Wisdom and as we humbly conceive it is not to be imagined that his late Majesty a Prince of most Eminent Honour and Prudence would privately intrust the Marquess of Antrim to oppose the conclusion of those Peaces for the obtaining whereof his Majesty had given publick authority to the Lieutenant or that he ever gave any Subsequent approbation which tended to his said Majesties utter reine and if it should be supposed that the Marquess his compliance
with the Nuncio's and Clergies Party though most irreconcileable Enemies to the English Crown and Interest might have been allowed of by his said Majesty upon the Marquesses undertaking to imploy the Credit he should thereby gain amongst them to dispose them at least to forbear that violent opposition to all Overtures tending to the Reduction of the Irish Confederates to their Obedience and to the Assistance of his late Majesty It cannot be rationally supposed as we humbly conceive but that the Reason and End of the Marquess's Compliance would either by his late Majesty for the better Management of the affair or by the Marquess himself for his Security and Exeneration have been made known to me the Lord Lieutenant the Marquess having frequent opportunity to do it The conclusion of this point is that as the Marquess his constant opposition to all the Motions of Peace set on foot by virtue of authority derived from his late Majesty hath been made apparent to us by sufficient proofs So it is clearly manifested by his taking the Oath of Association a Copy whereof is here inclosed and that by the Administration of those who when they had by his Assistances prevailed in the Breach of the Peace and of the publick Faith of the Confederates assumed to themselves in the year 1646. the Government of that Party under the Name of a Supream Council as also by his becoming one of that Council and Signing severe Letters and Instruments whereof some were directed to me the Lieutenant and all this without any Correspondence with me or the least private intimation that his purpose in those his proceedings had any Authority from his Majesty or any respect to his Service And as to the third the two last mentioned particulars do seem to us to manifest that the Marquess's Case as it stands stated in these Letters is not the whole state of the Case seeing those Material things are omitted therein which wâ— have before expressed which indeed we should willingly have forborn if our silence could have consisted with the Duty which we owe to his Majesty and to the Settlement of this Kingdom and to that which we humbly conceive is expected from us by his Majesty For there is now and hath been for above a Month last past under our Consideration here the Draught of a New Act to supply those Defects in the present Act of Settlement which experience hath manifested to become absolutely necessary to be remedyed in order to the General Settlement of this Kingdom and it is most evident that if the said Marquess shall be declared Innocent and that in so extraordinary a way as it would be contrary to the Act of Settlement being the Publick and Fundamental Security of Mens Estates so it would have this further operation that the end of that intended Act for gaining of Reprizals for the Estates of justly Restorable Persons such as his Majesty by his Gracious Declaration was pleased to acknowledge himself obliged to provide for will become in an high Degree disappointed and what general Mischiefs and Inconveniences may hereupon follow to the Settlement of the Kingdom ingeneral is very apparent When we had thus far proceeded in Our Letter a Petition of the Adventurers and Souldiers and their Assigns concerning the Estate formerly belonging to the said Marquess was exhibited at this Board which being read before us we find it to contain such matters concerning the Marquess of Autrim as we humbly conceive are necessary upon this occasion to be made known to his Majesty and therefore do esteem it our Duty to exhibit it to his Majesties Review and Royal consideration all which we Humbly submit to his Majesties excellent Judgment and we desire you to move his Majesty for a Signification of his good pleasure herein to us his Servants as speedily as with convenience may be if his Majesty in his Wisdom shall so judge fit and so we remain from the Council Chamber at Dublin July 31. 1663. Your assured loving Friends Ormond Maurice Eustace Chancellor James Dublin Ossory Shannon Dungannon Hen. Midensis Mich. Cork William Lawfield Rich. Coot Hev Tickburn Rob. Forth James Ware George Wentworth Robert Merideth Theoph. Jones Thomas Clergiss To the Right Honourable Sir Hen. Bennet Knight his Majesties Principal Secretary of State But what effect this Letter had and what the Marquess of Antrims true Case was appears by the following Letter which fully states the same Dublin Aug. 22. 1663. EVer Honoured Sir Last Thursday we came to Tryal with my Lord Marquess of Autrim but according to my Fears which you always surmised to be in vain he was by the King 's Extraordinary and Peremptory Letter of Favour restored to his Estate as an Innocent Papist We proved eight Qualifications in the Act of Settlement against him the last of which made him uncapable of being restored as Innocent We proved 1. That he was to have a Hand in Surprizing the Castle of Dublin in the Year 1641. 2. That he was of the Rebels Party before the 15th of September 1643. Which we made appear by his hourly and frequent Intercourse with Renny O Moore and many others being himself the most notorious of the said Rebels 3. That he entred into the Roman Catholick Confederacy before the Peace in 1643. 4. That he constantly adhered to the Nuncio's Party in opposition to his Majesty's Authority 5. That he sate from time to time in the Supreme Council of Kilkenny 6 That he signed that execrable Oath of Association 7. That he was commissionated and acted as Lieutenant General from the said Assembly at Kilkenny 8. That he declared by several Letters of his own penning himself in conjunction with Owen Ro Oneal and a constant Opposer to the several Peaces made by the Lord Lieutenant with the Irish We were seven hours by the Clock in proving our Evidence against him but at last the King's Letter being opened and read in Court Rainsford one of the Commissioners said to us That the King's Letter on his behalf was Evidence without exception and thereupon declared him to be an Innocent Papist This Cause Sir hath tho' many Reflections have passed upon the 〈…〉 more startled the Judgments of all Men than all the Tryals since the beginning of their sitting and it is very strange and wonderful to all of the Long Robe that the King should give such a Letter having divested himself of that Authority and reposed the Trust in Commissioners for that purpose And likewise it is admired that the Commissioners having taken solemn Oaths to execute nothing but according to and in pursuance of the Act of Settlement should barely upon his Majesty's Letter declare the Marquess Innocent To be short â—â—ere never was so great a Rebel that had so much Favour from so good a King And it is very evident that the Consequence of these things will be very bad and if God of his extraordinary Mercy do not prevent it War and if possible greater Judgments
Voted the Restoration of K. Charles II. and upon notice thereof the like was done in Ireland and several of the most Eminent of that Nation were upon the Kings Arrival at White Hall sent by the Convention to wait upon him in the Name of that Kingdom with a tender of their Allegiance and a Present of 4000 l. to the Duke of York and soon after the King was proclaimed and universally acknowledged throughout the Kingdom But it was not long ere the great Inclinations to the Popish Partie in Ireland were made apparent in the Court of England and several Disputes arose about the Settlement of that Kingdom which were Debated before the King and Council where the Lord Chief Justice Santry in an Excellent Speech Represented to the Board the Horrid Rebellion of 1641. with the Barbarous and Inhuman Massacres which he had been eye witness of In Opposition to which Sir Nich. Plunchel one of the Popes Knights endeavoured to defend the Irish but so weakly having a bad Cause to Manage that the Lord Santry clearly carryed the point in the Judgment of the Auditors he desiring that they might be Tryed by the Common Law where they would meet with a fair and indifferent Tryal by Juties of their Neighbours and thereby could have no wrong done them But the King having Dissolved the Convention and called a Parliament in Ireland he prevailed so much upon them that an Act of Settlement was pressed and a Court of Claims thereby erected who were to Determine all Differences between the English and Irish Proprietars of the Lands there and to declare who were Nocent and who Innocent Papists These Commissioners being Nominated by the King he had so great an influence over them that they commonly gave their Opinions according to his Direction which was oftentimes very favourable to the Irish Rebels particularly in the Case of the Earl of Antrim one of the chief of them as by the following Letter to 〈◊〉 of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant and the Privy Council there doth appear CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and well beloved Cousins and Counsellors c. We greet you well How far we have been from interposing on the behalf of any of our Irish Subjects who by their miscarriages in the late Rebellion in that Kingdom of Ireland had made themselves unworthy of our Grace and Protection is notorious to all Men and we were so jealous in that particular that shortly after our return into this our Kingdom when the Marquess of Antrim came hither to present his Duty to us upon the Information we received from those Persons who then attended us by a Deputation from our Kingdom of Ireland or from those who at that time owned our Authority there that the Marquess of Antrim had so misbehaved himself towards us and our late Royal Father of Blessed Memory that he was in no degree worthy of the least Countenance from us and that they had manifest and unquestionable Evidence of such his Guilt Whereupon we refuse to admit the said Marquess so much as into our Presence but on the contrary committed him Prisoner to our Tower of London where after he had continued several Months under a strict restraint upon the continued Information of the said Persons we sent him into Ireland without interposing the least on his behalf but left him to undergo such a Trial and Punishment as by the Justice of that our Kingdom should be found due to his Crime expecting still that some heinous Matter would be objected and proved against him to make him uncapable and to deprive him of that Favour and Protection from us which we know his former Actions and Services had Meritest After many Months attendance there and wâ—presume after such Examinations as were requisite he was at last dismissed without any Censure and without any transmission of Charge against him to us and with a Licence to Transport himself into this Kingdom We concluded that it was then time to give him some instance of our Favour and to remember the many Services he had done and the Sufferings he had undergone for his Affections and Fidelity to our Royal Father and our Self and that it was time to redeem him from those Calamities which yet do lye as heavy upon him fince as before our happy Return And thereupon we recommended him to you our Lieutenant that you should move our Council there for preparing a Bill to be Transmitted to us for the Re-investing him the said Marquess in the possession of his Estate in that our Kingdom as had been done in some other Cases To which Letter you our said Lieutenant returned us answer That you had informed our Council of that our Letter and that you were upon consideration thereof unanimously of Opinion that such a Bill ought not to be transmitted to us the Reason whereof would forthwith be presented to us from our Council After which time we received the inclosed Petition from the said Marquess which we referred to the Considerations and Examinations of the Lords of our Privy Council whose Names are mentioned in that our Reference which is annexed to the said Petition who thereupon met together and after having heard the Marquess of Antrim did not think to make any Report to us till they might see and understand the Reasons which induced you not to transmit the Bill we had proposed which Letter was not then come to our Hands After which time we have received your Letter of the 18th of March together with several Petitions which had been presented to you as well from the Old Soldiers and Adventurers as from the Lady Marchioness of Antrim all which we likewise transmitted to the Lords Referees Upon a second Petition presented to us by Lord Marquess which is here likewise enclosed commanding our said Referees to take the same into their serious consideration and to hear what the Petitioner had to offer in his own Vindication and to report the whole matter to us upon a third Petition herein likewise inclosed we required them to expedite with what speed they could By which deliberate Proceedings of ours you cannot but observe that no Importunity how just soever could prevail with us to bring our self to a Judgment in this Affair without very ample Information Our said Referees after several Meetings and perusal of what had been offered to them by the said Marquess have reported unto us That they have seen several Letters all of them the Hand-writing of our Royal Father to the said Marquess and several Instructions concerning his Treating and Joining with the Irish in order to the King's Service by reducing to their Obedience and by drawing some Forces from them for the Service of Scotland That besides the Letters and Orders under his Majesty's Hand they have received sufficient Evidence and Testimony of several private Messages and Directions sent from our Royal Father and from our Royal Mother with the Privity and with the Directions of the King our Father by which they
to be wasted and destroyed by the Enemy and Deserted by those you came to relieve But K. James had no power to help himself or them having by his Degenerate and Mean Spirit Truckled his Authority and became Subject to the power of France and contented himself to be a King in Name only April 6. 1690. Collonel Woolseley with a Detached Party of 700 Men Attackt the Castle of Killishandra with such Briskness that the Enemy Surrendred it they being 150 Men On the 10th Collonel Tiffen sent out a Party from Bellishannon who brought of a Prey from the Neighbourhood of Sligo and killed about 16 of the Enemy as they pursued them April 12. Sir Clovesly Shovel came to Belfast as Convoy to several Ships that brought over necessaries for the Army and having notice of a Frigat at Anchor in the Bay of Dublin with other small Vessels Loaden with Hides Tallow Wooll and some Plate and other Goods designed for France he Sailed thither and leaving the great Ships in the Bay with the Monmouth Yatch and 2 or 3 more and several Long-Boats he went to Polebeg where the Frigat lay of 16 Guns and 4 Pattereroes being a Scotch Ship taken the year before in the Channel When K. James heard of it he said It was some of his Loyal Subjects of England returning to their Duty and Allegiance But when he saw them draw near the Ship and heard the firing he rid out towards Rings End whither gathered a vast Croud of People of all sorts and several Regiments were drawn up if possible to kill those bold Fellows at Sea who durst on a Good-Fryday as this happened to be perform so wicked a deed as they said Captain Bennet that Commanded the Frigat run her aground and after several firings from her and some other Ships when they saw a Fire-Ship coming in which Sir Clovesly had given a sign to they all quitted the Frigat being at first 40 but lost 6 or 7 in the Action Sir Clovesly was in the Monmouth Yatch in going off one of the Hoys run aground and was dry when the Tide was gone and the rest of the Boats were not far off being full of Armed Men and a Frenchman of King James's Guards coming nigh the Boats to fire his Pistols in a Bravado had his Horse shot under him and was forced to fling off his Jack-Boots and run back in his Stockins to save himself some of the Seamen went on Shoar and took his Saddle and Furniture when the Tide came in they went off with their Prize to the Ships below K. James went back very much dissatisfied and it was reported should say That all the Protestants in Ireland were of Cromwells Breed and deserved to have their Throats Cut However all the Protestants that walked that way during the Action were imprisoned and 2 made their escape to the Boats Monsieur Callimot with his French Regiment had some time before Attempted the strong Castle of Charlemont setting fire to the Bridge and killing about 20 Men and then Retreated May 2. The Irish put Relief into the place which was conveyed with a Detachment of 4 or 500 Men and Collonel Callimots Regiment who were quartered at Blackwater knowing the Convoy must return resolved to intercept them and as they were Marching back fell upon them with such Courage that he forced them again into the Castle and this they did 2 or 3 times which Teague O Regan the Old Irish Governor perceiving he Swore If they could not get out they should have no Entertainment nor Lodging within And was as good as his word for they were forced to make little Huts within the Palisadoes so that between Teague and the English the poor Fellows were in a lamentable Condition After this the General sent several Regiments to block up Charlemont with Cannon to force Old Teague out of his Nest if possible having Summoned him to Surrender some time before who returned the Messenger with this Answer Go tell thy Master from Teague O Regan that he 's an Old Knave and by St Patrick he shall not have the Town at all when God knows there was no Town standng but an Old Castle The Duke only smiled and said He would give Teague greater Reason to be angry in a short time and accordingly those Irish that had a mind to go out being kept in soon made Victuals very scarce and no hopes of Relief appearing the Old Governor sent to Treat about a Surrender and the Terms being soon agreed to this strong place was delivered up about 400 Men and 200 Irish Women and Children Marching out of it the D. stood to observe them and Teague O Regan appeared Mounted upon an Old Stone Horse very lame with Spavin and Scratches and so vitious that he would fall a Squeeling and kicking if any Body came near him Teague himself had a great bunch upon his back a plain red Coat an Old Weather-beaten Wig hanging down at full length a little narrow white Beaver Cockt up a yellow Gravat-string tyed all on one side his Boots with a 1000 wrinkles and though it was very hot a great Muff hanging about his back and for uniformity he was almost fudled with Brandy In this Equipage he approached the Duke but had not made his Compliment ere the Jade fell to work so that the D. had scarce time to make a Civil return The Duke smiled afterwards and said Teagues Horse was very Mad and himself very Drunk The Officers and Soldiers made the Duke a great many Legs and stared upon him to see whether he was a Man or some other strange Creature for the Irish usually asked one another what is that Shambear that all this talk is of The Duke inquired why they kept so many Women and Children in their Garrison which must needs consume their Provisions He was told that the Irish are naturally very Hospitable and that they all fared alike but that the Soldiers would never be perswaded to stay in Garrison without their Wives and Mistresses The Duke replyed There was more Love than Policy in it The Irish were to be guarded to Armagh and among them were 2 Priests one of whom in the way fell into discourse with a Dragoon about Transubstantiation but being baffled was so angry that he fell a beating the Dragoon who not being used to blows thrasht the Priest severely of which complaint being made to Teague he replyed I be very glad of it What te Deal had he to do to Dispute Religion with a Dragoon King William being concerned that the War in Ireland should divert his Forces from going into France resolved if possible to reduce the Kingdom this Summer by going thither in Person and every one knew his Majesties Industry Courage and Resolution to be so great that he would endeavour to make a quick dispatch and accordingly having left Kensington June 4. Ten days after he Arrived safe at Carickfergus with his Highness Prince George the D. of Ormond the Earls
of Oxford Manchester Scarborough and several other Persons of Quality and was received by the Officers Soldiers and People with all manner of Demonstrations of Joy the latter looking on His Majesty as their good Angel who was come to deliver them from worse than Aegyptian Bondage Next day several of the Nobility Officers Gentry and Clergy presented a very Loyal Address to the King which he graciously accepted His Majesty was not idle and seeing things did not go on so fast as he desired exprest some Dissatisfaction saying That he did not come there to let grass grow under his Feet he made his word good for having taken a View of his Army which with the great Recruits lately sent from England amounted to about 36000 Compounded of English Dutch Danes Germans and French His Majesty advanced toward Dundalk The certain News of K.W. Landing coming to Dublin it was moved by some Irish in K. James's Council That the Protestants should be shut up in Churches and Hospitals and then if they lost the day to set fire to all and destroy the People and City together But the Irish Papists both in the City and Army applyed themselves to the King and told him They should then be as much sufferers as the Protestants and that they would not draw a Sword in his Defence unless all thoughts of burning the City were laid aside and declared further that as soon as they heard of any appearance of Fire they would Desert his Service and fly to K. Williams Mercy which manaces put a stop to this Horrid Project Before this a Camp had been laid out by the Irish about Ardee and K. James had ordered his Army to Rendevouze there from several parts of the Kingdom and June 16. he Marched out of Dublin to joyn them with about 6000 French Foot most old Soldiers well Armed and Clad The whole Irish Army incamped made about 27000 all well Clothed and in good Heart both Horse and Foot besides 15000 more that remained in Garrisons and the same day 6000 of the Country Militia cameto quarter in the City The Protestants expected the Irish would have been much dejected upon K. Will Arrival but on the contrary they Triumpht and Rejoyced as if they had got him in a Pound and the day were their own assuring themselves That either the French Fleet would prevent his return to England or that an Insurrection would be made there boasting that an Hundred Thousand Men were ready to Rise and declare for a Common-wealth The Protestants knew not what to believe for they were kept as Prisoners of War and could know no more than they please to tell them but they were more afraid that some desperate Persons had undertaken to destroy K. William because their confidence was so great that some told their Protestant Friends They would be glad to go to Mass within a Twelvemonth When K. James was gone Collonel Lutterel who was left Governor Ordered all Persons that walkt in the Streets without Swords or Bagonets to be taken up and secured whereby all Protestants who were suffered to wear none were put into Custody After which followed a Proclamation That not above 5 Protestants besides the Family should meet together in any place upon pain of Death So that now they durst not go to Church as they had hitherto done the Churchmen still remained with them though they had lost all their Maintenance by the Irish Parliament except what was given them by the People Dr. King was sent Prisoner to the Castle and few Protestants durst walk the Streets the method that K. James and the French proposed to deal with K. Williams Army was To make good the Passes upon the Newry Mountains and at Dundalk To spin out the War and dispute their ground without coming to a General Battel till they came to the Boyn and there to Defend the Pass but still without a Battle if they could help it much hoping for some Extraordinary thing from a Party in England c. But K. William soon broke all their Measures for resolving to lose no time he came to the Camp at Lough-britland where having taken a Critical Review of every Regiment His Majesty and Prince George had their moving Houses set up and never after lay out of the Camp during their-stay in Ireland The King ordered a Party to go out to discover the motions of the Enemy and heard they were Marching off from Dundalk toward Ardee Upon which the English Army advanced to Newry and from thence to Dundalk and so forward to Ardee the Irish still retiring and at length passing over the Boyn upon which the whole Army move in 3 Lines toward the Boyn and by the way some Dragoons found in an Old House about 200 Scythes stretcht out upon Beams which the Enemy had either forgot or left behind for hast and one of them being brought to the King he smiled and said It was a Desperate Weapon The Irish Incamped on the other side the Boyn and the King from an Hill took a view of them and then rid along the River side to make more strict Observations during which a Cannon Ball from the Enemy kill'd 2 Horses and a Man about 100 yards from the King and instantly comes another which had like to have been a fatal Bullet for it grazed upon the Bank of the River and in the rising slanted upon the Kings right shoulder and tore out a piece of his Coat and also the Skin and Flesh and afterward broke the Head of a Gentlemans Pistol A Gentleman seeing his Majesty struck rid up and put his Handkerchef upon the place his Majesty took little notice of it but rid on about 40 yards further the Enemies Cannon firing upon them all the while and killed 2 of the Guards and 9 Horses disturbing the rest which the Irish perceiving set up a prodigious shout all over the Camp as if our Army had been destroyed The King went to change his Coat and get his Shoulder drest and then rid about to see the Army After which a Council of War was called and his Majesty declared That he was resolved to pass the River next day and accordingly all things were provided every Man having a green Bough or Sprig in his Hat the Enemy wearing pieces of Paper in theirs the word that Night was Westminster and about 12 at Night rid with Torches quite through the Army The next Morning July 1. the Dutch Blew Guards took the River first some 8 or 10 a breast being presently almost up to the middle the Enemy stood on the other side but did not fire till our Men were toward the middle of the River and then a whole Peal of shot came from the Hedges Brest-works Houses and all about but only one Man fell and another staggered a Lieutenant of Granadeers was the first that got footing on the other side who instantly drew up 2 Files of Men then stoopt and the Enemy fired over him from the next