integrity and credit They are all upon Oath as all the other Examinations concerning cruelties before mentioned likewise are I shall leave the severall particulars to the consideration of such as shall please to take the paines to read them over And I may well say of them in respect of the former cruelties inserted as was said to the Prophet Ezekiel in another case Turne thee yet againe Ezek. 8.13 and thou shalt see greater abominations then these A generall REMONSTRANCE of the distressed PROTESTANTS in the Province of MUNSTER SEting forth from the gasping condition of thier most sad and distressed souls That wheras the Province of Munster through the vaste expence of English treasure and blood was reduced from the height of Barbarisme to such a degree of Civility that the power and dignitie of the English Crown was much advanced and extended by the surest and noblest bonds of a florishing people those of Religion Civilitie and Profit Of Religion witnessed by the enlarged Congregations both in Cathedrall and Parochiall Churches Civility by the many costly Plantations fair strong Buildings plentifull Markets and bountifull Hospitality And Profit by the free Trade and Commerce throughout Christendome Lands fully improved abounding with heards and flocks of all sorts of the best English Cattell which enabled us to advance great sums to his Majesties Customes contribute large Subsidyes and to supply the West of England with such a considerable proportion of Wooll and Cattle that a great part of the Trade of those parts subsisted therby And this begun at the great charge of the EnglishVndertakers in the time of Queen Elizabeth of famous memory since when few parts of Christendome from their beginning in so short space had such a Rise and growth which was not alone to our selves but the very Natives must confesse that their Estates were hugely augmented by our improvements And therfore let it not be wondred at that when we consider from what we are falne to what we are faln if the pain of losse strive to equall that of sence and if the depth of our Miseries have not sunke our soules to stupidity we may compare our Woes to the saddest paralell of any Story Our Temples demolished or worse prophaned by sacrifices to Idols our Houses and Castles become ruinous heaps our Nation extirpated destroyed No quality age sexe priviledged from Massacres and lingring deaths by being robbed and stript naked through cold or famine Passages of a notable peece of Clemency and Mercy The famished Infants of murdered Parents swarm in our Streets for want of Bread perish before our faces and many of our yet miserable remnant which lived plentifully and relieved others are forced to aske relief and those they ask of constrained by want to refuse them So as undoubtedly our present Miseries are not farre distant of those of Samarias Siedge and all those cast upon us by this unparalelled Rebellion at a time when we were most confident and secure more and greater Jmmunities and Bounties being granted by his Majestie that now is then ever was by his Royall Progenitours for what cause offence or least seeming occasion of provocation our Soules could never imagine Sinne excepted save that we were Protestants and his Majesties loyall Subjects and could not endure their poysonous breaths to belch out such prophanenesse as in a deepe measure pierced and wounded the sacred fame of our King and to colour this wee must goe under the notorious names of first Puritans and later of Round-heads For particular instances time would faile and length weary the Reader But we all together confident to make it manifest by abundant instances That the Depopulations in this Province of MUNSTER doe well and neere equall those of the whole KINGDOME The particulars whereof as of the multitude of inhumaine cruelties were collected and reduced to severall instances with ample proofe by the many Moneths indevours of a reverend Divine one Arch-Deacon BISSE thereunto authorized by vertue of a Commission under the Broad-Seale of this Kingdome who was most barbarously murthered by the Jrish expressing that to be the cause And because it may be thought requisite to touch something of the Demeanours of the Jrish since the Cessation as well as before many English have beene murthered as they travelled with other expressions of that utter detestations of the English that if any remaine which few doe nor surely will doe that can but breath but elsewhere then must they be in a degree worse then any knowne slavery And likewise for other parts of the Cessation they have beene totally broken and our Quarters being of large extent universally taken from us even to the wals of our Garrisons wherein we have often called to the chiefe of them for justice which being denied or which is worse delayed want of meanes to justifie our selves leaves us without remedy All which we poure forth our griefes and Supplications above to God alone and here on earth to our Dread Soveraign The EXAMINATION of Anne the late Wife of John Sherring late of the Territory of Ormond The Province of Munster neere the Silverworks in the County of Tipperary aged about 25. yeeres Sworne and Examined Deposeth and Saith THat about Candlemas was two yeers the said John Sherring her then husband going from his Farme which he held from Master John Kenedy Esquire neer to the Silverworks one Hugh Kenedy one of the brothers of the said John Kennedy a cruell Rebell together with a great multitude of Irish rebellious Souldiers then and there fiercely assaulted and set upon her said husband and upon one William Brock William Laughlin Thomas Collop and eight more English Protestant men and about ten women and upon some children in their company and then and there stript them of their cloaths and then with stones poleaxes skeines swords pikes darts and other weapons most barbarously massacred and murdered her said husband and all those Protestant men women and children In the time of which Massacre a most loud and fearfull noise and storme of thunder lightning wind hailstones and raine began The time being on a Sabbath day about an hour before night the former part of that day being all very faire but that thunder lightning and tempest happening suddenly after the massacre was begun much afrighted and terrified this Deponent and many others insomuch as those murtherers themselves confessed it to be a signe of Gods anger and threatning of them for such their then cruelty yet it deterred them not but they persisted in their bloody act untill they had murdered those said English Protestants and had hackt hewed slashed stab'd and so massacred them that many of them were cut all to pieces and her husband for his part had thirty grievous wounds then and there given him viz. some through or neer his heart ten mortall wounds in his head three in his belly and in either arme four and the rest in his thighes legs back and neck and that murder
amongst the British Protestants being beaten from their owne Lands and were never satisfied with their blood untill they had in a manner seen the last drop thereof affrighting Sir Phelim O Neale every day with their numbers and perswading him That whilest they meaning the Protestants lived there would neither be roome for them nor safety for him It was easie to spur on the cowardly and bloody Rebell yet no sooner were the Protestants cut off but contrary to their expectation the meere Irish tooke present possession of their Lands and Houses whereat the Pale English much grumbled and said Sir Phelim had not kept promise with them howsoever they were forced to swallow those and many other injuries And further saith that he knew one Boy that dwelt neere unto himselfe and not exceeding fourteen yeers of age who killed at Kinnard in one night fifteen able strong men with his Skeine they being disarmed and most of their feet in the Stocks Another not above twelve yeers of age killed two women at the Siedge of Augher Another that was a woman and Tenant to this Deponent killed seven men and women of her fellow English Tenants in one morning And it was very usuall in all parts for the Rebels children to murther the Protestants children and sometimes with Lath-swords heavie and well sharpned they would venture upon people of riper yeers cruelties not to be beleeved if there were not so many eye-witnesses of them Deposed 22. of August 1642. Henry Brereton William Aldrich The EXAMINATION of Dame Anne Butler The Province of Lemster wife unto Sir Thomas Butler of Rathealin in the County of Catherlagh Knight duly sworne Deposeth THat after Walter Baggnall of Dunlickny in the County of Catherlagh Esquire Walter Butler with a great number of men had in a violent manner entred this Deponents House they not able to resist they set strict guard over this Deponent her husband and family and brought them from their setled dwelling unto Loghlin-Bridge where they kept her selfe her husband and children in restraint for two weekes and from thence conveyed them with strict guard to the towne of Kilkeny and there were brought before the Lord Mount Garro where Walter Bagnall James Butler brother to the Lord Mount Garrot did use all meanes possible to move the said Lord to put this Deponent her husband and family to death and torture alledging that they were rank Puritan Protestants and desperately provoking used these words saying There 's but one way we or they meaning Papists or Protestants must perish To which malicious provocation the said Lord did not hearken And this Deponent further deposeth that Walter Baggnall with his rebellious company apprehended Richard Lake an English Protestant and his servant with his wife and foure children and one Richard Taylor of Loghlin-Bridge his wife and children Samuel Hatter of the same his wife and children an English-woman called Jone and her daughter and was credibly informed by Dorathy Renals who had severall times bin an eye-witnesse of these lamentable spectacles that she had seen to the number of five and thirty English going to execution and that she had seen them when they were executed their bodies exposed to devouring Ravens and not afforded so much as burial Another English-woman who was newly delivered of two children in one Birth they violently compelled her in her great paine and sicknesse to rise from her childe-bed and tooke the infant that was left alive and dashed his braines against the stones and after threw him into the River of the Barrow and having a peece of Salmon to dinner Master Brian Cavanaghs wife being with her she the said Mistris Cavanagh refused to eat any part of the Salmon and being demanded the reason she said she would never eat any Fish that came out of the Barrow because she had seen severall infants bodies and other Carkases of the English taken up in the Weare And this Deponent saith that Sir Edward Butler did credibly informe her that James Butler of Finyhinch had hanged and put to death all the English that were at Gorane and Wells and all thereabouts And further Deposeth that she being in Kilkeny a prisoner in restraint and having intelligence that some of her owne Cattle were brought thither by Walter Bagnall she petitioned being in great extremity to the Lord of Mount Garrot to procure her some of her own Cattle for her reliefe whereupon he recommended her suit to the Major and Corporation of Kilkeny who concluded because she and her family were Protestants and would not turne to Masse they should have no reliefe Jane Jones servant to the Deponent did see the English formerly specified going to their execution and as she conceived they were about the number of five and thirty and was told by Elizabeth Homes that there were forty gone to execution Anne Butlar Jurat 7. Septemb. 1462. John Watson The EXAMINATION of Joseph Wheeler of Stancarty in the County of Kilkenny Esqu Elizabeth The Province of Lemster the relict of Lieutenant William Gilbert of Captaine Ridgwayes Company Rebecca Hill the relict of Thomas Hill late Lieutenant to the said Captaine Ridgway Thomas Lewes late of Kilkenny Gent. Jonas Wheeler of Stancarty aforesaid Gent. and Patrick Maxwel of the Graige in the same County Gent. sworne and examined depose and say THat about Easter 1642. one Richard Phillips and five others who were old Garrison Souldiers then under the command of Captaine Farrell a Captaine on his Majesties party were by the command of the Lord Mount Garrot at the end of a house in Kilkenny hanged to death by that cruell and bloody Rebell and Provost Marshall Thomas Cantwell of Cantwell-court Esquire or some of his servants or Souldiers in his presence who would hardly suffer them to say their prayers after they were taken out of the prison before they were put to death those poore men dying very patiently and resolutely in the maintainance of the Protestant Faith but one of them because he was an Irish man was offered his life if he would turne Papist but he chose rather death which he quickly had with the other five And further saith that a little before Christmas 1641. Master William Hill of the Abby of _____ in the Queenes County Esquire and the said Lieutenant Thomas Hill his sonne comming to Kilkenny to fetch home Mary Hill the wife of him the said William Hill and the said Rebecca one of these Deponents were then and there sent for by the Lord Mount Garrot and by him committed prisoners to the Goale of Kilkenny where they continued in a dark dungeon bolted for two moneths but were offered freedome if they would joyne with the Rebels and become Papists but they refused and after the said Lord Mount Garrot was gone into Munster with his Forces which was an example to call the rest of the wicked Irish there to rise into Rebellion one Florence Fitz Patrick of Castletowne in the Queens County Esquire a Captaine
him upon his knees And howsoever before this glorious work was fully accomplished it pleased God to put a period to her dayes yet lived she long enough to see just vengeance brought down upon the head of that unnaturall disturber of the peace of the kingdome himself in a manner wholly deserted his country most miserably wasted and a generall desolation and famine brought in mightily consuming what was left undevoured by the sword It is very easie to conjecture in what a most miserable condition Ireland then was The miserable condition of Ireland when K. Iames came to the Crown of England the English colonies being for the most part barbarously rooted out the remainders degenerated into Irish manners and names the very Irish themlelves most mightily wasted and destroyed by the late wars and thereby much of the kingdome depopulated in every place large monuments of calamity and undiscontinued troubles King James of blessed memory found it at his first accession to the Crown of England in this deplorable estate whereupon he presently took into his care the peaceable settlement of Ireland and civilizing of the people And conceiving that the powerfull conjunction of England and Scotland would now overawe the Irish and contain them in their due obedience His lenity towards the Irish rebels and his endeavours for a civill reformation He resolved not to take any advantage of those forfeitures and great confiscations which he was most justly intitled unto by Tyrone's rebellion but out of his Royall bounty and Princely magnificence restored all the Natives to the entire possession of their own lands A work most munificent in it self and such as he had reason to believe would for the time to come perpetually oblige their obedience to the Crown of England And in this state the Kingdom continued under some indifferent terms of peace and tranquility untill the sixth year of his raigne Then did the Earl of Tyrone take up new thoughts of rising in arms and into his rebellious designe he easily drew the whole province of Vlster then entirely at his devotion But his plot failed and he finding himself not able to get together any considerable forces he with the principall of his adherents quitting the kingdom fled into Spain leaving some busie incendiaries to foment those beginnings he had laid for a new rebellion in Ireland and promising speedily to return well attended with forraigne succours to their aid But by the great blessing of Almighty God upon the wise Councels of that King and the carefull endeavours of his vigilant Ministers the distempers occasioned by the noise of that commotion were soon allayed and Tyrone never returning the peace of the kingdome much confirmed and setled King James hereupon being now so justly provoked by the high ingratitude of those rebellious traitours caused their persons to be attainted their lands to be seized and those six Counties within the Province of Vlster which belonged unto them to be surveyed and all except some small parts of them reserved to gratifie the well-affected natives to be distributed in certain proportions among British undertakers who came over and setled themselves and many other British families in those parts By this meanes the foundations of some good Towns soon after encompassed with stone wals were presently laid severall castles and houses of strength built in severall parts of the country great numbers of British inhabitants there setled to the great comfort and security of the whole kingdome And the same course was taken likewise for the better assurance of the peace of the country in the plantation of severall parts of Lemster where the Irish had made incursions and violently expelled the old English out of their possessions But howsoever the King was by due course of law justly intitled to all their whole estates there yet he was graciously pleased to take but one fourth part of their lands which was delivered over likewise into the hands of British undertakers who with great cost and much industry planted themselves so firmly as they became of great security to the country and were a most especiall means to introduce civility in those parts so as now the whole kingdome began exceedingly to flourish in costly buildings K. Charles great readinesse to redresse the grievances presented unto him by the Irish Commissioners 1640 The Lords L. Vicount Gormanstone L. Vicount Kilmaloc L. Vicount Costeloe L Vicount Baltinglas Commons Lemster Nic. Plunket Digbie Richard Fitz-garret Nic Barnewall Esq Munster Sir Hardresse Waller Io. Welsh Sir Donnogh Mac Cartie Conaght Robert Linch Geffrie Browne Thomas Burke Vlster Sir William Cole Sir Iames Mongomerie and all manner of improvements the people to multiply and increase and the very Irish seemed to be much satisfied with the benefits of that peaceable government and generell tranquility which they so happily enjoyed ANd now of late such was the great indulgence of K. Charles our Soveraign that now reigneth to his Subjects of Ireland as that in the year 1640. upon their complaints and a generall Remonstrance sent over unto him from both Houses of Parliament then sitting at Dublin by a Committee of foure temporall Lords of the upper house and twelve Members of the house of Commons with instructions to represent the heavy pressures they had for some time suffered under the government of the Earl of Strafford He took their grievances into his royall consideration descended so far to their satisfaction as that he heard them himself and made present provisions for their redresse And upon the decease of Mr. Wandsford Master of the Rols in Ireland and then Lord Deputy here under the said Earl of Strafford who still continued Lord Lieutenant of this kingdome though then accused of high treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London by the Parliament of England His Majesty sent a Commission of Government to the Lord Dillon of Kilkenny west and Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet Master of the Wards in Ireland Yet soon after finding the choice of the Lord Dillon to be much disgusted by the Committee he did at their motion cause the said commission to be cancelled and with their consent and approbation placed the government upon Sir William Parsons and Sir Iohn Borlace Knight Sir Will. Parsons and Sir Iohn Borlace made L. Iustices Master of the Ordnance both esteemed persons of great integrity and the Master of the Wards by reason of his very long continued imployment in the State his particular knowledge of the kingdome much valued and well beloved among the people They took the sword upon the 9. of Febr. 1640. And in the first place they applied themselves with all manner of gentle lenitives to mollifie the sharp humours raised by the rigid passages in the former government They apply themselves to give contentment to the people They declared themselves against all such proceedings lately used as they found any wayes varying from the Common Law They gave all due encouragement to the
was set on fire or smothered not above two or three escaped is appeares in their Examinations jurat Jan. 12. Anno Dom. 1641. Lisgool within that County above 150. men women and children almost all consumed by fire At the Castle of 2 Thomas Wenslaw further deposeth that at the Castle of Moneah there were ninety Protestants more slaine and murdered And that from the 3 Castle of Moneah the Rebels marched to the Castle of Tullah where by their owne confession they promised those Protestants that were there faire quarter But when they had delivered up their Armes and the Castle those Rebels in the Bawne of the Castle first stripped them all of their cloaths and then and there most cruelly murthered them Moneah neere 100. British there slain altogether And the same bloody company of Rebels were no sooner admitted into the Castle of Richard Bourke Batchelour in Divinity of the County of Fermanagh deposeth that he heard and verily beleeveth the burning and killing of one hundred at least in the Castle of Tullah and that the same was done after faire quarter promised jurat Jul. 12. 1643. Tullah which was delivered up into the hands of Roury Mac Guire upon composition and faithfull promises of faire quarter but that within the very court they began to strip the peopl most cruelly put them to the sword murthering them all without mercy 4 Rowry Mac Guire upon the 24. of Octob. 1641. came with his Company unto Lissenskeah and desired in a friendly manner to speake with Master Midleton who had the keeping of the Castle The first thing he did as soone as he was entred therein was to burne the Records of the County whereof Master Midleton was the keeper being Clerke of the Peace which he enforced him to deliver unto him as likewise one thousand pounds he had in his hands of Sir William Balfoures which as soone as he had he compelled the said Midleton to heare Masse sweare never to alter from it and immediately after caused him his wife and his children to be hanged up and hanged and murdered one hundred persons besides at least in that Towne These particulars and severall other set down at large in a Relation sent me in by Sir John Dunbarr Knight one of the Justices of Peace within the County of Ferminagh At Lissenskeah they hanged or otherwise killed above 100. persons most of them of the Scottish nation for after once they had the English in their power they spared none of them but used al the Scots with as much cruelty as they did the English This County was very well planted by the British undertakers and all of them and their Tenants in a very short space after a most horrible manner quite destroyed or utterly banished from their Habitations In the Counties of Armagh and Tyrone where the British were much more numerous and Sir Phelim O Neale and his Brother Turlagh O Neale the principall actors the murders of the British were much more multiplied and committed with greater cruelty if it were possible then in any other places 1000. men women children drowned in one place There were 5 This number is deposed in Doctor Maxwels Examination taken the 22. of Aug. 1642. one thousand men women and Children carried out at severall times in severall troops and all unmercifully drowned at the Bridge of Portnedowne which was broken downe in the midst and so driving and forcing them on threw them into the River And as other Relations give it in 6 This number of so many persons drowned within the County of Armagh is deposed by Thomas Green and Elizabeth his wife as appeares by their Examinations taken Nov. 10. 1643. four thousand persons were drowned within the severall parts of that County 7 William Clerke of the County of Armagh Tanner saith that he with 100. men women and children or thereabout were by the Rebels driven like hogs about six miles to a River called the Band in which space the foresaid Christians were most barbarously used by forcing them to goe fast with Swords and Pikes thrusting them into their sides and they murthered three by the way and the rest they drove to the River aforesaid and there forced them to goe upon the bridge which was cut downe and with their pikes and swords and other weapons thrust them downe headlong into the said River and immediatly they perished and those who assayed to swim to the shore the Rebels stood and shot at Jurat January 7. 1641. The Rebels in a most barbarous manner drove on many of those miserable stripped Christians unto the place of their sufferings like Swine and if any were slack in their pace they sometimes pricked them forwards with their swords and pikes often hastening on the rest either by killing or wounding some of their fellowes in the way 7 Mary the wife of Ralph Corne deposeth that 180. English were taken by the Irish and driven like Cattell from Castle Cumber to Athy 8 Elizabeth the Wife of Captaine Rue Price of the Towne and County of Armagh deposeth That five of her Children together with 110. other Protestants out of the Parishes of Armagh Laugaule and other places were sent away with passes from Sir Phe. O Neale with promise to be safely conveyed over to their friends in England That their Conductor was Captain Manus O Cane and his Souldiers who having brought or rather driven them like Sheep or Beasts to the Bridge of Portnedowne there forced or threw all those poore prisoners into the water together with the Deponents five children and then and there drowned most of them 9 And those who could swim and come to the shore they either knocked them on the head and so after drowned them or else shot them to death in the water Jurat Jan. 29. 1641. Other companies they carried out under pretence of giving them safe conduct out of the Country and so got them to goe cheerfully on by vertue of Sir Phelim O Neales Passe untill they came at some place fit for their execution 9 Christian Stanhaw the relict of Hen. Stanhaw of the Parish of Laugalle in the County of Armagh deposeth That upon the drowning of 140. Protestants one time at Portnedowne-Bridge after they had thrown them in some of them swimming to the shore the Rebels with their muskets knocked out their braines Jurat July 23. 1642. And if they drowned them then they had some prepared to shoot or knocke downe with Poles any such as could swim or used any other meanes to escape out of the water 10 James Shaw of Merket-hill in the County of Armagh deposeth the manner of Mistresse Cambels pulling the Rebel into the water and how he was drowned with her Jurat Aug. 14. 1642. Amongst many others a Gentlewoman whose name was Mistris Cambell being forcibly brought by them to the River and she finding no meanes to escape their fury sodainly clasped her armes about one of the chiefe rebels that was most forward to thrust her
jurat Jan. 4. 1641. 66 Edward Slacke of Gusteen in the County of Fermanagh Clerke deposeth that the Rebels there took his Bible opened it and laying the open side in a puddle of water leaped and trampled upon it saying A plague on it this Bible hath bred all the quarrell and that he hoped within few weekes all the Bibles in Ireland should be used as that was or worse and that none should be left in the Kingdome jurat Jan. 4. 1641. with what indignation and reproach did they teare trample under their feet the sacred Word of God How despightfully did they upbraid the profession of the truth to those blessed soules whom neither by threats nor terrours paines nor torments they could draw to forsake their Religion But I shall not here touch any further upon those who dyed thus gloriously this will be a worthy work for some more able pen to undertake and indeed fit for a Martyrology If we shall take a survey of the primitive times and look into the sufferings of the first Christians that suffered under the tyranny and cruell persecutions of those Heathenish Emperours we shall not certainly find any one Kingdome though of a farre larger continent where more Christians suffered or more unparaleld cruelties were acted in many yeers upon them then were in Ireland within the space of the first two moneths after the breaking out of this Rebellion And howsoever 67 Alexander Creighton of Glaslough in the County of Monaghan Gent. deposeth that he heard it credibly reported among the Rebels aforesaid at Glaslough that Hugh Mac O Degan a Priest had done a most meritorious act in drawing betwixt forty and fifty English and Scottish in the Parish of Ganalley in the County of Fermanagh to reconciliation with the Church of Rome and after giving them the Sacrament demanded of them whether Christs body was really in the Sacrament or no and they said Yea And that he demanded of them further whether they held the Pope to be supreame head of the Church They likewise answered He was And that thereupon he presently told them they were in a good Faith and for feare they should fall from it and turne Hereticks he and the rest that were with them cut all their throats jurat March 1. 1641. some by outward inflictions and tortures were drawne to professe the change of their Religion and had presently their reward for many of those they suddenly despatched with great scorn saying it was fit to send them out of the world in that good mood 68 John Glasse of Montwrath in the Queens County sworne and examined saith that Florence Fitz Patrick of the said County Esquire having received Master John Nicholson and his wife Anne Nicholson under his protection did endeavour all he could to turne them to Masse or the present Rebellion but they both professed that rather then they would either forsake their Religion or fight against their Countrymen they would dye the death the husband professing how much they abhorred it and his wife even shewing greater resolution They would have had her burnt her Bible but her answer was before she would either burne her Bible or turne against her Countrymen she would dye upon the poynt of the sword which was made good by them for on a Sabbath day in the morning before Masse they were cruelly butchered and murdered by the command of the said Florence Fitz Patrick The instrument that acted the villany was one John Harding who since hath been beyond all expression tormented in his conscience and with continued apparitions of them as he conceived in such lively manner as he murdered them so as he is even now consumed away with the horror of it as is most frequently reported among the Rebels jurat April 8. 1642. yet I dare say we shall find many thus cruelly put to death equall to some of those ancient Worthies for their patience constancy courage magnanimity in their sufferings not accepting deliverance but triumphing and insulting with their last breath over the insolency rage and malice of their most inhumane and cruell persecutors We shall finde in the Roman Story during the severall cruell contestations betwixt Marius and Scilla when their factious followers filled the whole City of Rome with streames of blood Strange and most incomparable passages of friendships one exposing himselfe to all manner of dangers for the preservation of his friend of a contrary faction servants willingly sacrificing themselves to save the lives of their beloved Masters But here on the contrary what open violation of all bands of humanity and friendship no contracts no promises observed quarter given in the most solemne manner with the greatest oathes and severest execrations under hand and seale suddenly broken The Irish Landlords making a prey of their English Tenants the Irish Servants betraying their English Masters and every one esteeming any act wherein they could declare their hatred and malice most against any of the British Nation as gallant and truly meritorious It is not to be denied but that the first and most bloody executions were made in the Province of Vlster and there they continued longest to execute their rage and cruelty yet must it also be acknowledged that all the other three Provinces did concurre with them as it were with one common consent to destroy and plucke up by the roots all the British planted thorowout the Kingdome And for this purpose they went on not onely murdering stripping and driving out all of them Men Women and Children but they laid waste their Habitations burnt their Evidences defaced in many places all the Monuments of civility and devotion the Courts and places of the English Government nay as some of themselus expresse it they resolved not to leave them either Name or Posterity in Ireland How they proceeded on in this worke or how farre they co-operated each with other will be a taske of a large size and more proper for another place in this Story I shall here conclude this Discourse concerning the cruelties exercised upon the British and Protestants with these following Examinations There follows severall Examinations taken upon oath of several horrid murders most abhominaable cruelties acted with in the foure Provinces They are eight in number two Witnesses as it were taken out of each Province to declare their bloody proceedings I shall begin with Munster from whence we have yet very few Examinations brought up the chiefest of them having been most unhappily carried another way Therefore I have thought fit for the more full expressing their Miseries to insert their generall Remonstrance made upon the conclusion of the late Cessation in the yeer 1643. The two next ensuing are concerning the Province of Conaght then those of the Province of Vlster and lastly two Examinations taken of some acts of cruelty committed within the Province of Lemster I have made choyce for the most part of them of such as have been put in by persons of good quality of known
would not consent to marry a beastly Trull Mary Ny Neile a neer Kinswoman of Sir Phelim's He was proffered his life without the Blouse if he would have gone to Masse but he chose rather to dye then to doe either There was made the like proffer of life for going to Masse to Robert Eckline a child of eleven or twelve yeers of age but he also refused it saying he saw nothing in their Religion for which he would change his owne And this Deponent further saith that very many of the British Protestants the Rebels buried alive and took great pleasure to heare them speak unto them as they digged downe old ditches upon them except those whom they thus buried they buried none of the Protestants neither would permit any who survived to performe that duty for them And further saith that the Rebels would send their children abroad in great troops especially neer unto Kinard armed with long wattles and whips who would therewith beat dead mens bodies about their privy members untill they beat or rather thrashed them off and then would returne in great joy to their Parents who received them for such service as it were in triumph And further saith that if any women were found dead lying with their faces downwards they would turne them upon their backs and in great flocks resort unto them censuring all parts of their bodies but especially such as are not fit to be named which afterwards they abused so many wayes and so filthily as chast ears would not endure the very naming thereof Many of the Protestants the Rebels would not kill out-right but being halfe dead would so leave them entreating for no better favour at their hands two or three dayes after but to kill them out-right which sometimes were granted sometimes denied A young youth having his back-bone broken was found in a field having like a Beast eaten all the grasse round about him the Deponent could not learne that they killed him out but that they removed him to a place of better Pasture so that in those most bloody and execrable wretches that of the holy Ghost is cleerly verified The very mercy of the wicked is cruelty And further saith that the Rebels themselves told him this Deponent that they murdered 954. in one morning in the County of Antrim and that besides them they supposed that they killed above 1100. or 1200. more in that County They told him likewise that Colonell Bryan O Neile killed about one thousand in the County of Downe besides three hundred killed neere Killeleigh and many hundreds both before and after in both those Counties At Sir Phelims return from Lisnegarvy some of the Souldiers forced about 24. British into a house where they burned them alive whose terrible out-cryes they desired very much to imitate and expresse unto others And saith that he heard Sir Phelim likewise report that he killed 600. English at Garvagh in the County of Derny and that he had left neither man woman nor Child alive in the Barony of Munterlong in the County of Tyrone and betwixt Armagh and the Newry in the severall Plantations and Lands of Sir Archibald Atcheson John Hamilton Esquire the Lord Canfield and the Lord Mount Norrice and saith also that there were above two thousand of the British murdered for the most part in their owne houses whereof he was informed by a Scotch man who was in those parts with Sir Phelim and saw their houses filled with their dead bodies In the Glenwood towards Dromore there were slaughtered as the Rebels told the Deponent upwards of twelve thousand in al who were all killed in their flight to the County of Downe The number of the people drowned at the Bridge of Portadowne are diversly reported according as men staid amongst the Rebels this Deponent who staid as long as any and had better intelligence then most of the English amongst them and had best reason to know the truth saith there were by their owne report 190. drowned with Master Fullerton At another time they threw 140. over the said Bridge at another time 36. or 37. and so continued drowning more or fewer for seven or eight weeks so as the fewest which can be supposed there to have perished must needs be above 1000. besides as many more drowned betwixt that Bridge and the great Lowgh of Montjoy besids those who perished by the sword fire and famine in Coubrassill and the English plantations adjacent Which in regard there escaped not 300. out of all those quarters must needs amount to many thousands Neere unto the Deponants House thirty six persons were carryed to the Cure-bridge at one time and drowned At another time six and fifty Men Women and Children all of them being taken out of the Deponents House and at severall other times severall other numbers Besides those that were drowned in the Black-water at Kinnard In which Towne and the Parish of Tinon whereof the Deponent was Rector there was drowned slaughtered and dyed of Famine and for want of Cloathes about six hundred The Deponent might adde to these many thousands more but the Diary which he this Deponent wrote amongst the Rebels being burned with his House The numbers of British destroyed within the Province of Ulster Bookes and all his Papers he referreth himselfe to the number in grosse which the Rebels themselves have upon inquiry finde out and acknowledged which notwithstanding will come short of all that have been Murdered in Ireland there being above one hundred and fifty foure thousand now wanting of the British within the very precinct of Vlster And this Deponent further saith That it was common Table-talke amongst the Rebels that the Ghost of Master William Fullerton Timothy Jephes and the most of those who were throwne over Portadowne-Bridge were daily and nightly seene to walke upon the River sometimes singing of Psalmes sometimes brandishing of naked Swords sometimes scrieching in a most hideous and fearefull manner The Deponent did not beleeve the same at first neither doth he yet know whether to beleeve it or no but saith that divers of the Rebels assured him that they themselves did dwell neere to the same River and being daily affrighted with those apparitions but especially with their horrible scrieching were in conclusion inforced to remove further into the Country Their owne Priests and Fryers could not deny the truth thereof But as it was by the Deponent Objected unto them said it was but a cunning flight of the Devill to hinder this great worke of propagating the Catholicke Faith and killing of Heretickes or that it was wrought by Witchcraft The Deponent himselfe lived within thirteen miles of the Bridge and never heard any man so much as doubt of the truth thereof Howsoever he obligeth no mans faith in regard he saw it not with his owne eyes otherwise he had as much certainty as morrally could be required of such a matter And this Deponent further saith That the degenerate Pale English were most cruell