Irelands Lamentation, For the Deſtructive Ceſſation.
ALthough the ſad face of Ireland hath appeared often in ſable colours to the publique view of the true hearted Proteſtants of England, whoſe dolefull ſtory by patheticall expreſſions by men of eminence and others, hath been already moſt amply and lively deſcribed: Yet I preſume (though no Mercurialiſt) being a ſpectator of the prodigious Tragedies acted on the bloody Theater of that Kingdome, to preſent unto your ſerious thoughts the deplorable condition, and preſent ſtate of the languiſhing Proteſtants there, which I conceive, I am many wayes bound to diſcover, as both in duty to Almighty God, ſo in zeale and faithfulneſſe to my Country.
And becauſe I neither deſire nor dare to adventure the inlarging my preſent Relation with the flouriſhes of Rhetorick, having been bred a Souldier, and not verſt that way, I ſhall make the moſt plaine, ſpeedy, and true Demonſtration that I may, and ſhall enter into the particulars.
And firſt, I ſhall give a touch of one circumſtance, that hath been a great occaſion of the Proteſtants miſery in that Kingdome; and that hath hapned through the falſe, and treacherous government of thoſe, who have lately been2 ſet as Rulers and Governours over them. And in relation of this, it will not be neceſſary for me, to uſe over much prolixity, for even ſince my repaire to this City, I well perceive my Lord Marqueſſe of Ormond, and moſt of his Complices, have been truely Characterized unto this whole Kingdom. Onely I ſhall offer this unto the conſideration of all men, whether or no it can be juſtly conceived, that the Proteſtants have been, or can bee juſtly dealt withall, as long as my Lord of Ormond, my Lord Chancellor Boulton, my Lord of Roſcomon, my Lord Lambert,Taaffe and Barry, obſtinate Papiſts, the two Poores kinſmen to my Lord Marqueſſe, and Papiſts likewiſe, and thoſe by whom he is moſt led &•nled. my Lord Brabazon, my Lord Taaffe, Sir Morris Euſtance, Colonell Barrey, and the two Poores have had, and ſtill have, the ſway of that Kingdome, and I doubt not but that the true conſideration of this, cannot but induce you to beleeve, that the greateſt Juſtice the Proteſtants can expect is injuſtice in the very abſtract, and the greateſt mercy, moſt ſuddain, and inevitable cruelty, and deſtruction, if not through Gods infinite mercy and care of the Honourable Houſes of Parliament, timely prevented.
For truely, this I will confidently affirme upon my own knowledge, and ſhall by Gods gratious aſſiſtance never bee afraid,Witneſſe the chooſing theſe above named Papiſts for Rulers of the kingdome, and impriſoning Sir William Parſons Sir Adam Loftus, Sir Iohn Temple, and Sir Robert Merideth, Doctor Harding, and divers others that were impriſoned and have beene enforced to flye. to ſeale the Truth of my affirmation with my blood, that if countenancing the Papiſts, diſcountenancing the Proteſtants, bee juſtice, the Proteſtants have an adminiſtration of juſtice, in this kind, to the very full. If countenancing Jeſuites, and ſetting up in the Pulpits, pratling Miniſters, diſcountenancing and impriſoning honeſt and zealous Preachers of the ſacred Word of God, be Juſtice, the Proteſtants of that Kingdome have no cauſe of complaint.
If looking with a gratious aſpect on thoſe who are rotten, and lukewarme, in the ſervice againſt the Rebels, and beholding thoſe who were honeſt in the ſervice, with a threatning and malignant b•ow, be a ſigne of Juſtice, the3 Proteſtants need not complaine of the want of Juſtice. In a word, to end this circumſtance, I do hereby declare before God, and the whole world, that the beſt juſtice diſtributed amongſt the Proteſtants of Ireland, hath been moſt deſtructive, both to Church and Common-wealth, and ſhall heartily wiſh, that the unjuſt Rulers of that Kingdome may be removed from among the poore languiſhing ſoules, that lye groaning under their cruelty.
Now I muſt turne my diſcourſe from the many miſeries the Proteſtants of Ireland have ſuſtained, by thoſe who ſhould have been their beſt friends, and will make as briefe a Relation as I may, of the ſuddain deſtruction, our too too well known enemies would fain bring upon us, and what wayes they have prepared to effect the ſame. The firſt way they fell upon, is by this time notifyed to all Nations, which was to cut off man, woman, and childe at one blow, without diſtinction of either deſcent, age, or ſex, and not onely to kill their bodies, but their ſoules alſo, as farre as in them lay, forcing many weak Chriſtians to deny their Redeemer, and then telling them, they were in the ſtate of Grace, and that they could never dye in a better time, and ſo hanged them up; and their raging malice was not ſufficiently ſhewed, as they ſuppoſed, by killing the Soules of the Proteſtants, and murthering their bodies,This kind of death the Relator can the better teſtifie, becauſe one Maſter Watſon a Divine and Chaplaine unto his Father ſuffered in this kinde. but they muſt aggravate the malignity of their malice, by inflicting not onely death, but ſtrange kindes of death upon them, as ſtabbing, hanging, drowning, which is known unto all men, ſtarving the Engliſh, untill they forced them to eate pieces of their own fleſh, cut off and broiled on the coales, and many ſuch like horrid deaths as theſe. And becauſe they did not abound enough in malice, as yet, to the Engliſh Proteſtants, the Papiſts in Ireland muſt be inforced to kill their own wives,The Relater is ready to affirm this upon oath. that they had marryed of the Engliſh, great with childe, becauſe4 they had Engliſh blood in them, as they ſaid, and all thoſe Engliſh allyed unto them by their wives.
Neither did their rage extend onely to the living, but moſt inhumanely conveyed it ſelfe to the dead; for it is a maxime in their diabolicall Divinity, that it is unlawfull to ſay Maſſe, where Hereticks have been buryed: upon which ground they have diſ-interred the bodies of the innocent Proteſtants ſleeping in their graves, and have expoſed them to be a prey either to beaſts or birds: witneſſe their practiſe in this kind at Galway, Limerick, and in divers other places. As Doctor Webbe Biſhop of Limerick, Maſter Lee, &c.
Againe, their barbarous immanity ends not with the reaſonable creature, but diffuſeth it ſelfe to the ſenſitive and vegetable, for they revenge themſelves on the very Engliſh Beaſts,To wit becauſe they had Engliſh bloud in ſheepe. commonly called by the name of Engliſh breede, for the ſame reaſon before mentioned, and would not when they were deſigned for ſlaughter, kill them, as they did the Iriſh breede, but the beaſts being alive, cut off great peeces of fleſh out of them, skinne and fleſh together, and ſo broyling that fleſh upon the coales, eate the ſame; and if the beaſts chanced either to roare or groan for miſery and paine, they would in deteſtation and mockery of the Engliſh, cry out that they underſtood not their Engliſh language. But hitherto they have not launced out farre enough into the Sea of their malice, and cruelty, but they muſt proceed further yet. They muſt be revenged of all manner of things, that either pleaſed or belonged unto the Engliſh. Trees that the Engliſh planted muſt be cut up, roote and branch, there was too much of an Engliſh man in them; All herbes, plants, odoriferous flowers, ſet and planted by the Engliſh, and pleaſing to them, muſt therefore no longer grow but be pluckt up. All ſtately houſes, and all manner of coſtly Ornaments and furniture belonging to the Engliſh, muſt be (out of the5 raging heat of their malice) conſumed by the fire.
So that it may clearely appeare, by the cruelty of theſe devouring Woolfes, that their malice was ſo inveterate to the Engliſh, that they fully intended to make ſuch a deſtruction of them, as there ſhould not appeare ſo much as one Monument of an Engliſh man in the whole kingdom of Ireland, nor any one thing that ſhould ever be a ſigne unto the ſucceeding Poſterity of the Rebells there, that ever there was an Engliſh man in that Kingdome: and this likely had come to paſſe, had their helliſh Plot taken effect, & had not God in his infinite mercy & goodneſſe prevented the ſame.
The Treachery of the Governors & Officers.And although they have by their more then heatheniſh Cruelty, (with other unexpected and unlawfull helps which they had) very much advanced their deviliſh defignes, yet it hath pleaſed the All-powerfull God, in ſome meaſure to fruſtrate their long expected hopes, and to ſhew them they neither can nor ſhall ſo farre prevaile over us by force, but that we ſhall be able to enjoy the Inheritance which God Almighty hath beene pleaſed to beſtow upon us in that Kingdome, mangre all their power and malice.
And therefore now, what they ſee they are not able to doe by force, they will ſtrive to doe by deviliſh ſubtilty and craft: An inherent quality of that Nation.
The meanes to effect this, is by a ſtratagem called by the name of a Ceſſation, which ſome ſelfe-ended Counſellors have obtained by their inſinuation into his Majeſty, and by theſe falſe Informations that the onely way to ſave the Kingdome of Ireland, was by making a Ceſſation with the Rebels there, which indeede may eaſily appeare unto every wiſe man, is, and ſhall prove, if not timely prevented, the very high way to loſe it.
For how can it otherwiſe be? for before the Ceſſation was made, what foode had the Engliſh to ſubſiſt on,6 but what they forced from the Rebels? Now the Ceſſation being concluded, and the Rebels having all the eſtates and livelihood of the Proteſtants, and all the food of the Kingdome in their own hands, and ſuffering none of the food to be ſold, for any rates whatſoever, to the Engliſh, of purpoſe to ſtarve them out of the Kingdome, and ſo to get poſſeſſion of it themſelves; how can it be thought, but that this ceſſation was brought to paſſe by evil Counſellors to the end the Papiſts ſhould get poſſeſſion of the whole kingdome, as they have already the greateſt part thereof?
From all theſe places following, the Rebels have for the moſt part ſtarved out the Engliſh ſince this Ceſſation, and that meerely by ſtopping proviſions, and ſuffering none to be ſold unto them. The names of the places are theſe, and all theſe places in the chiefeſt province of the kingdome, the province of Lemſter, viz. Carloe, Athy, the Fort of Leaſe, Neaſe, Trymm, and Dundalk, with many more Caſtles and Garriſons. And the certainty of this plot they have in hand, will prove the more apparent, by a Declaration of grievances, ſigned and atteſted by all the Proteſtant Officers of the whole province of Conought, ſent unto my Lord Marqueſſe of Ormond, ſome five weeks ſince. Wherein amongſt ſundry grievances, they expreſt, that there was an abſolute plot amongſt the Rebels to ſtarve them out of that province, for that the Papiſts would have no manner of commerce, or buying, or ſelling with them, either victuals or any thing elſe. And moreover the Proteſtants complained in that Declaration, that they found that the County Councels (which were the head rebels of thoſe Counties) had iſſued out Warrants to ſeize on all mens goods and eſtates of their own deviliſh Confederacy, that ſhould offer to have any manner of buying or ſelling with the Engliſh.
And therefore what other terme can rightly be given7 to this Ceſſation, then a trap for Proteſtants? which indeed all the Proteſtants of Ireland are moſt ſenſible of, and how great a yoake of tyranny they are inforced to lie under. And in that part of the kingdome (as in Ulſter) where they were ſo powerfull, as not to feare the ſhewing their true ſenſe of what ſwiſt deſtruction was plotted to bee brought upon them; they have to the number of 30000. men united themſelves to reſolutions of falling upon the Iriſh againe, as ſoone as ever ſupplies of victualls commeth unto them, which I doubt not through the mercies of God will redound much to the ſervice of that kingdome and of this, for I hope the united forces will bee ſtronger ere long, and will give the Rebels ſo much to do in Ireland, as they ſhall have either little time or mind of imbrewing their wicked hands in the innocent blood of the Inhabitants of England, which truely otherwiſe they will bee moſt eager to doe, and I ſhall ever wiſh that this kingdome in generall may truly diſcerne how pleaſing it will bee to Almightie God, that there may bee aſſiſtance by them given unto the Proteſtants of Ireland to proſecute the warre in that kingdome, and to take a juſt revenge of the heatheniſh Canibals there, for the many thouſands of Innocents they have murthered. And likewiſe how advantagious it will bee for the ſervice of this kingdome, ſince I dare confidently affirme, that the malice of the Iriſh Rebels pointeth at all the Proteſtants, nay at all the Engliſh in this kingdome likewiſe.
And that doth appeare by the great preparations there made both by Sea and Land for the ſending over a rebellious Army into this Kingdom, upon hopes and conjectures that the Proteſtants here are in no condition of any wayes enabling the Proteſtants of that Kingdome to withſtand them.
For I beſeech you judge, if the Proteſtants there ſhould8 for indigence and want bee enforced to deſert that Kingdome, and that the Iriſh ſhould ſwarme here, what mercy could the Engliſh here expect from them, who have beene ſo bloody upon us, that had ſo many ties of friendſhip and gratitude upon them? truly I know not how people may flatter themſelves, but I am perſwaded murthering and maſſacres without mercy, rapes, and rapines, burnings, devaſtations, and all manner of ſpoyles will be the greateſt mercy received from them.
And by ſufficient teſtimonies I am perſwaded that if the Papiſts may once have a concourſe into this Kingdome, the very perſon of his Majeſtie would not bee free from the danger of being murthered by them, if their fucceſſes here ſhould not meet with their hopes, or if his Majeſtie ſhould any way decline at any time, (which I hope in Gods due time hee will) from an eager purſuit of the miſchievous deſignes they ſhall at all times ſeeke to bring his Majeſtie unto.
And indeed, I have a ſtrong argument to inforce me to this beliefe; for not long before my departure from Dublin, certaine newes came to the Citie of my Lord Duke Hammiltons flying out of Scotland to his Majeſtie, which newes did not a little deject ſome there, for that they did conjecture that there was no partie to bee raifed in Scotland for the hindering the advance of the Scotch Army into this Kingdome; many whiſpers and conſtructions were concerning his comming away at that time and in that manner, among many others this was the conſtruction my Lord Taaffe made of it, who freely ript up his minde to thoſe of ſo unblemiſhed reputations (whom although for ſome cauſes I will not name at this time, yet in due time I ſhall both name them, and prove by them, that hee expreſt himſelf) in theſe words.
My Lord Duke Hammilton is reported to bee fled out of9 Scotland to the King, and pretends hee fled from thence, becauſe hee could not raiſe a partie for his Majeſtie; But truely for my part, I take him to bee as notorious a Traytor as ever hee was, and that hee is fled to the King meerely to trie, whether or no, with his great power, hee can perſwade the King to a peace, and by that meanes deſtroy the good cauſe his Majeſtie hath in hand. But for my part, I ingenuouſly declare my ſelfe, that if the King bee ſo weake as to bee prevailed upon by him, I thinke it is pitie hee ſhould bee ſuffered to live.
So that by this you may well perceive, what a high eſteeme ſuch traytorous Papiſts as theſe have of the cauſe diſputed for by the Kings evill Counſellors: And by conſequence, how little reaſon the Proteſtants have to conjecture, that this good cauſe the Papiſts ſo much adore is the Proteſtant Religion, though 6. or 700. of thoſe who joyning with the Proteſtants that came over to ſerve the King, made oath in my hearing to maintaine the Proteſtant Religion with their lives and eſtates. As likewiſe, how much reaſon all honeſt men have to grieve and mourne at the great danger his Majeſtie is in, when ſuch threatners of his life as theſe ſhall ſo neerely approach unto him; The truth of all which I doe hereby engage my ſelfe to prove, whenſoever called upon, and no ſufferance or death whatſoever, by Gods powerfull aſsiſtance, ſhall ever make me deny any one tittle of what I have here declared and ſubſcribed unto.