A BRIEFE DECLARATION OF THE BARBAROVS And inhumane dealings of the Northerne Irish Rebels and many others in severall Counties up-rising against the English that dwelt both lovingly and securely among them WRITTEN TO EXCITE The English Nation to relieve our poore Wives and Children that have escaped the Rebels savage crueltie and that shall arive safe among them in England And in exchange to send aid of men and meanes forthwith to quell their boundlesse insolencies with certaine encouragements to the worke By G. S. Minister of Gods word in Ireland Volanti calamo dolenti à nimo In mundo pressuram JOHN 16. 2. The time commeth that whosoever killeth you thinkes that hee doth God good service Published by direction from the State or Ireland LONDON Printed by A. N. for Abel Roper at the blacke spread Eagle against St. Dunstans Church in Fleet-street 1641. They that are Recusants in the Wane still prove Rebellants in the full of the Moone AS Popery and Treachery goe hand in hand while Popery is kept under so Popery and Tyranny are inseperable Companions when Popery gets the upper hand A briefe declaration of the Barbarous and inhumane dealings of the Northerne Irish Rebells and many others in severall Counties uprising against the English that dwelt both lovingly and securely among them THere was a blessed Vnion betwixt God and man till mans sin broke the Peace since which time wee are all up in Armes against his Majesty and having mustered up all our forces our rebellious and corrupt affections we still march on in a course of sinning as if wee would stand out with an Arme of flesh and bid battell against the highest And this generall Rebellion of ours against our gracious God hath much occasioned this particular Rebellion of the envious Papists in Ireland against us which now I shall plainly lay open to the view of the world that all good Christians in the world may see hate and detest their worse then Scythian dealings On Friday the 22. of Octob. 1641. A notable Treason was discovered how that the Castle of Dublin by a plot of the Lord Mac-Guiers Captaine Mac-Mahon and other Papists their adherents should be taken and the City of Dublin surprized of which you may expect a larger Treatise hereafter out of expectation thereof the Papists in the North his Confederates who confidently perswaded that the City and Castle would be then taken resolved upon a generall Massacre of all the Protestants throughout divers Counties in the Countrey had the Sunday before every where directions given them at Masse by the Priests as they tendered the Catholique cause and expected the Popes benediction and desired to avoide his curse that they would observe three things whereupon they gave all their people the Sacrament enjoyning them great secrecie First that on Saturday following they should disarme all the English whereupon many borrowed weapons of their English neighbours upon severall pretences some that had beene servitours against Rebels in former times under pretence of doing more service against Rebels of whose places of Rendevous they alledged they had certaine notice given them On Sunday they were ro drive away the English goods and Cattell And on Monday upon the watch-word Skeane a dangerous weapon which they use they were to cut all the English throats Now the two former of these things were accordingly executed the third only they failed in because they were disappointed by Gods infinite mercy who watcheth for us when we sleepe in that Dublin was safe the Castle not taken and the Traytors were caught in the pit that they had privily hid for others wherein they justly deserve to suffer as Haman who was hanged upon his owne Gallowes or as Perillus who was tormented in his owne engine Nec enim Lex justior ulla est Quam necis artifices arte perire suâ But leaving them in the hands of Authoritie whiles we passe on in the truth of our Tragicall storie those rebellious Tyrants and tyrannicall Rebels persisted and still goe on in their most bloudy outrages animated thereto by their Popes pardoning Bull a few particulars of their cruelties amongst innumerable others we here present unto your most Christian considerations On Saturday the 23. of October that day the Calender notes with Romanus Episcopus that day wherein Titus slew 80â—0 of the Iewes that day the Mac-Guiers began to murther first at the House of Christopher Coates an out seat in the County of Farmannagh killed the Gentleman slew his wife his sonne and daughter and so went on and in this their furie they spared neither widowes nor children nor any Protestant they met with and comming soone to Shannogge Castle that day they brought two Rogues whose hands were bound with witthes that they might be the lesse suspected before Master Arthur Champion a Iustice of the Peace but after some few words passing on both sides one Redmund Mac Guier Tenant to the said Master Champion told him he was his prisoner and so stabbed him to the heart and afterwards slew his brother Thomas Champion Mr. Midleborrough sub-Sheriffe of Farmannagh and Mr. Thomas Ironmonger Clerke of the peace for the Countie of Cavan in all nine men who were there and lodged that night An Irish youth was faine to give five shillings for to have leave for to burie Mr. Champion and Mr. Ironmonger his Master in old sheetes of Mr. Champions or such things as he could get but the other seven they threw into a ditch to bee meate for the fowles of the ayre and the beasts of the field killing their Doggs and throwing them on their dead corps in despite not suffering any to bury them And round about in the Countie of Farmannagh within a little compasse were about three hundred English persons that day cruelly murthered the particular manners after which they were slaine we cannot yet fully learne but to some they would not give leave to say their prayers before their end others had their noses and eares cut off being cruelly tortured before they dispatched them Some women had their hands and armes cut off yea joynted alive to make them confesse where their money was But above all others Ministers excepted they were most fierce against the Kings Officers Such as were Clerkes of the Peace Sheriffs Coroners and Pursevants That monster and mercilesse wight Captaine Rorie Mac Guier tooke Mr. Eleazer Middleton Clerke of the Peace for the Countie of Farmannagh and servant to the Lieutenant of the Tower of London carried him three miles in great derision with a Piper playing before him and nigh Donagh Church they hanged him wishing his master Sir William Belphore there in his roome threatning death to him that should take him downe or bury him c. Divers outrages most bloudy and past expression they used towards Henry Crosse Iames Whitewood Iohn Maynes Thomas Smith William Ogden Maximilian â—ibbs Richard Butler and Steven Wrixon their wives and Children sparing none male nor female young nor old But in the
County of Cavan at the first they were more sparing till at length they being hardned came to learne of their neighbours and being fleshed in bloud came little or nothing short of them the bloud of Abraham Iames Roger Loftas and goodman Deere with his two sonnes and many others cry out against them What shall we say of the ravishing of women before their owne Husbands faces yea some greene women lying in child-bed burning Churches lately built at the great expences of the English downe to the ground making other Churches slaughterhouses and others Masse Houses pulling downe the Kings Armes and defacing them time would faile me to reckon up all their outrages in this kind Mr. Edward Aldridge a man of great hospitalitie high Sheriffe of the Countie of Monohan with his sub-Sheriffe Mr. Iohn Scarlet having notice that his house and Wife were taken and five hundred pounds of the Kings Subsidie money seized upon and that inquirie was made for himselfe and indeed it was discovered after that they had a speciall aime and direction to take away his life by Gods providence fled to the County of Cavan where he gave notice of the Rebels sudden rising to all wheresoever hee came whereby some were preserved and the Enemy perceiving it was put to a stand for a while so that on Saturday little was done in the County of Cavan only the high Sheriffe of that Countie Molmory O Rely rose with fourescore Rebels more and gave out that hee had the Kings warrant to disarme all the English and so came to Farnam Castle thence tooke armes for himselfe and all his followers and so posted to Clogh-water Castle a Castle scituated in an Iland which is of great strength There he imprisoned Arthur Culham Esquire his wife and children and what usage they have had since God only knoweth After the said master Aldridge had done this service in forewarening the County whereby the Lord Burlasse his troope gathered most of them together and got their horses and armes which otherwise would have beene all surprized in their beds and their horses and armes converted to their enemies use He tooke along with him Doctor Teate of Balliheyes and some other friends who resolved that night to passe as farre as they could towards Dublin to save themselves and to give notice to the state as soone as they could and these came twelve or thirteene miles from the Cavan before they met any that withstood them But a little on this side Virginia a Towne so called in the foresaid County three or fourescore armed men suddenly compassed them in and knocked them off their Horses stripped the said Master Aldridge and his sub-Sheriffe starke naked they knocked the said Doctor thrice to the ground wounded him dangerously in the head and so left them to travell barefoot all that cold night through those rough wayes The said Doctor having nothing on his slashed head but a cap of blood and with much adoe they scaped with their lives upon the Doctors naming some of them by their names who afterwards forbore and so dismist them sore repenting after they had so done as one relates that since heard them and passed through their mercilesse hands But since then all that have come from among them have beene monstrously abused More then two thousand men women and children came from Bellturbet and thereabouts in one flocke but those Wolves false in their word having promised they should part in peace with their clothes on their backs and to this end two hundred of them went along with this armelesse harmlesse people eight or nine miles pretending to preserve them from other Assasinates but meeting there with a multitude of their associates men women and boyes joyning altogether they stript them all starke naked except some few lovely women whom they tooke backe as is supposed to Bellturbet An hundred of those poore naked soules in frost and snow perished for want of food before they came to Dublin Some sixteene women fell in Labour by the way and so miscarried Some with sudden terrour fell distracted the Lord be their comfort yea they have throwne some sucking Infants on the snowie ground and stripped them starke naked to search for money which they thought was hidden in their swadling clothes and that for twenty miles and more together And if any clothes were given to these naked ones by the way they were sure to be rifled afresh within one five miles either by the men which were bad or by the women which were worse or by their children which would follow them with greatest insultation and scorne none daring to resist their insolencies Yet to some of his servants the Lord hath extended marvellous great grovidence and mercy and as Acts 27. 44. some came to land on plankes some on broken peeces of the Ship so some have passed these pikes some with torne clothes and rags some with roules of Hay about their middles some with sheep-skins and goat-skins and some of the riflers themselves exchanged their tattered ragges for the Travellers better cloathes But above all Gods extraordinary providence towards Doctor Teate is not to be forgotten who being spent with travell and effusion of bloud prayed the Lord to put an end to his miseries either by life or death it pleased God that presently after day breake he being strayed from the rest in the darke came to an house where accidentally an Irish Chirurgion was who formerly never had resorted thither and hee washed his head and applied a soveraigne Balsome to his wound and bound it up with a little Linnen clout wherein he found great comfort and so got a horse to Kells where he met his company and was refreshed The like or greater providence did the same bounteous hand extend to his sucking babe who after he had fasted twenty foure houres by reason that his mother who came up towards Dublin a weeke after her Husband had no Milke left through fasting and extraordinary feare and griefe it pleased God as she laid her downe under the cleft of a Rocke to be sheltered all night from the sharpe wind she found a little Irish Mader full of Butter-milke or Bonny-clabber whereby the babe was preserved alive And a common marke of providence is to be observed in that the enemy did not meddle with Master George Creighton of Virginia Minister who relieved all commers boyling barley and beefe and other necessaries night and day for that end In other Counties they have killed divers Ministers Scots and English after they have tortured them and dragg'd them about Yea they have hewen some of them asunder as Master Madder neere Donganan a Scottish Minister and Master Drayton of Turneredge an English Minister and a good house-keeper Some are their prisoners as Master Hudson and others If zealous and painfull Master Robinson or honest Master Mors late Minister nigh Bellturbet with many others be now alive they may justly cry out and conclude Nunquam bellabonis nunquam
certamina desunt But to hasten In the County of Monnohan Master Richard Cope his Wife and Sonnes Walter Cope Esquire his wife and children Anthony Cope Richard Blany Master Branthwait master Ralph Secum his wife and children with divers others Esquires Ministers and Gentlemen of all sorts have they carryed away into Monnohan goale and there keepe them close prisoners in the nasty and stinking Dungeon threatning every day to hang them or otherwise to deprive them of their lives And their Masse-priests those sowers of Tares working upon the extremities of forlorne men doe by all meanes possible seeke to turne weake Christians to their superstitions both by threats and promises and prevaile with too many But oh yee false seducers Quae vos dementia coepit Will yee not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord Helpe Lord deliver the oppressed to celebrate thy praise and power Rescue such as are appointed to dye and in life endure worse things then the most bitter death Lay no more on them then what they are able to beare and in death let Christ be their advantage And you our friends in England our owne flesh and bloud especially you of the honourable and high Court of Parliament and the house of Commons the representative body of the Kingdome be pleased to yeeld your joynt assistance in relieving the poore exiled that commit themselves to your wings for protection And be as ready to relieve us in Ireland as the Saints were to succour the Brethren in Judea Our need is no lesse then theirs was It will bee an heavy indictment one day when Christ shall say to some who have neglected his poore members I was hungry and ye fed me not naked and you clothed me not c. Goe yee cursed c. And for this your owne Backdoore of Ireland for your owne sakes have a care now in most needfull time They are guilty of much innocent bloud and have broken the oath of their God I meanethe oath of Alleagiance towards our Soveraigne King God in his wrath towards us hath remembred mercy If he would have destroyed us to Desolation he would not have discovered the Plot nor shewed himselfe so marvellous on the behalfe of some of us as he hath done God hath promised his Church that they who begin to make warre with the Lambe shall bee overcome by the Lambe Then reward them even as they have rewarded us give them double according to their workes and in the Cuppe that they have filled to us fill them double Reward them we pray as Iehu did Baals priests Or deale with them as Samuel dealt with Agag Hew these trayterous Agags in pieces before the Lord Severity is but Iustice when Lenity puts all in hazard Sometimes to omit the punishment is to commit the offence There is a cruelty in some kind of mercy though there be no mercy in crueltie Our goods by them forcibly taken and detained together with their goods and estates in justice will become a prey to you And feare not them for they shall even be bread for you Their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us Their sinnes are full ripe it is time for God to put in his sickle Religion is the greatest motive to a Christian mind Let them not ever insult and say we have prevailed Bring not that curse upon your soules denounced Iudges the 5. and Verse 23. Curse yee curse yee them bitterly that came not to the helpe of the Lord against the wicked who have in a trice laid wast those hopefull Plantations in the County of Cavan Farmannagh Tyrone Ardmagh Longford Letrim Monehans with divers others which have beene thirty yeares in Planting and now for the greatest part utterly supplanted They are also out in Rebellion in the Counties of Derry Donogull Downe Louthe and Antrim and the greatest part of the English in all these Counties utterly impoverished by them Also in the Counties of Sligo Resecoman Westmeath East-meath the King and Queenes Counties the English are much spoyled by them So that the Goods and treasure which those Assassinates have taken from the English in the three Provinces of Vlster Lynster and Conaught amounts to a very great invaluable summe True it is that in severall Counties many of the best sort are in restraint with them as Sir Edward Travers Captaine Smith the Lord Bishop of Killmors Blanys Lady and his Sisters the Lord Cafield Edward Philpot Esquire Mistresse Moynes the elder Roger Moynes Esquire his wife and children and very many others And hereupon many thinke if any forces proceed against them that then they will wreake their utmost malice on these But others conceive that in regard they knowing that they cannot possibly now since their plot is discovered long hold out The consideration of this that Lex talionis may be rendred to them And that as they deale with these and others our friends and children the like may befall their owne wives and children will restraine them from laying violent hands on such as are in durance And we know that a haire cannot fall from the head of any one of us without the providence of our Father in Heaven to whom wee leave them that can shew mercy by life or in death in whose hands are our times and not in theirs that may have the custody of our bodies who hath bidden us not to feare them that can kill the body but to feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell To whom be honour and glory now and for ever Amen FINIS Acts â—â— Iudges 13 Revel. 17. Revel. 18. â— Kings 10. 25.