AN Alarum to Warre.

THough the countenance of Warre be horrid and formidable to all Nations, in regard of the inevitable ruine, and certaine deſtruction which it carries along with it (for nulla ſalus bello, there's no ſafety, but all vaſtation and deſolation in the time of Warre) yet when the matchleſſe tyranny of Popiſh Rebells ſhall exalt it ſelfe over the liberties, conſcien­ces, and lives of our deare brethren in Ireland, who pro­feſſe the Proteſtant Religion, when their horrible out­rages have been there committed, are ſtill perpetrated and continued, to the ſtupifying even of Amazement it ſelfe, to the hazard of that Kingdome, and perill of this; in ſuch a caſe, the aſpect of Warre is both ami­able and acceptable.

De nobis narratur, The caſe is our owne. Thoſe ne­farious miſcreants, have not only unlawfully ſurprized many Townes and Cities in that Iſland, but their cur­ſed rage hath been ſo implacably bent againſt the poore Proteſtants (their ſelves being violently tranſported beyond all bounds of nature and humanity) that they have moſt unmercifully and unchriſtianly fired divers places which they have invaded, and ſavagely ſacrificed the inhabitants to their miſchievous malice, and inſati­ate inſolency. Never were Tartars, Turkes and Mahu­metans ſo bloodily minded, as theſe villaines have been. Thoſe Monſters of nature (for men I will•ot terme them) have not onely ſacked and pillaged whereſoever they have come, but they have taken delight to torture the Proteſtants without any bowells of compaſſion. They have raviſhed, and deflowred chaſte women, and virgins, throwne ſmall children into R••ers with Pitchforkes; they ſtripped 1500 ſtark-naked, driving them (like Dogges) towards Dublin, drowned and killed many of them by the way, cutting off Pious, Proteſtant Miniſters and their wives in pieces. I tremble to ſpeake it, they have ſearcht Womens privities for money, and in a moſt horrid and ſtupendious manner, they have ript up their wombes great with childe, and ſlaine with the ſword, both them and their infants.

The Cruell enemie (whoſe very mercies have been cru­elties) hath powred out their blood in every ſtreet, and there hath been no friend to helpe them: but in much mercy of late, it hath pleas'd the Almighty to conſider their diſtreſſe. Hee will not ſuffer the rod of the wicked alwayes to lie upon the back of the righteous. Vengeance (though ſlow) is ſure: And God will be ávenged for the blood of his Saints, their blood being in conſpectu Domini, in the ſight of the Lord, as precious as their death.

Sinne has a crying voice, and the effuſion of innocent blood is of all other ſinnes peccatum clamans: It cryes a­lowd from the bortome of the earth, to the top of heaven. As the ſinnes of Sodome were great, and the cry of them came up before the Almighty; So the Sanguinean ſinne of curſed Caine cryed unto heaven, to the God of Heaven for vengeanc. In like manner, the blood of thoſe poore Proteſtants, ſo undeſervedly and lamentably ſpilt, hath made ſuch a clamour in the All-hearing eares of the Al­mightie, that hee hath been graciouſly pleaſed in pitty and compaſſion of their manifold miſeries, and moſt grie­vous maſſacres, by a coeleſtiall voice, to ſpeake to the heart of his deare Anointed, our dread Soveraigne, and to his heavenly-minded Parliament, to commiſerate their deplorable calamities, and forthwith releive them with a powerfull (heaven-proſpering) Army.

Hereupon the voice of Warre is proclaimed, a ſtatute for it by the King, and the high and Honourable Aſſem­bly of Parliament, hath been enacted, the Commiſſion to his Maieſties Officers to preſſe both land and Sea-men, hath iſſued forth.

The Lord of Hoſts goe along with our hoſts, guide and direct them in all their wayes, proſper their cauſe, grant them a propitious ſucceſſe, and glorious victory over his and their blood-thirſty enemies: And I pray God ſend more auxiliary Forces to them who are already there ar­rived, that in ſo iuſt a quarrell they may be the better co•­ſolated, and animated, that the Rebells may with more fa­cility be quelled and conquered, and that the Kingdome of Ireland may be the ſooner reduced to their due ſubie­ction, and awfull obedience to the Crowne of England, and to the lawe and ordinances made by his Maieſtie, and his States of both Kindomes.

There was never any King that had more iuſt and weighty cauſe to warre againſt a people at any time, then his Maieſtie hath againſt the Rebells at this time. And as the cauſe is urgent, ſo the expedition of it is as important. There was never a more requiſite neceſſitie of a ſpeedy ſupply, then at this preſent; For the Rebellion there is ſo generall, that it is not the force of a ſmall Army from hence that can ſuppres them. Though there are no ſpiders in the Kingdom of Ireland (as many have averred & main­tained) yet the Romiſh Spider hath ſpun ſo fowl a web in that faire Iſland, that it hath need of a great beeſome to ſweep it out again. And for the better confirmation here­of, It is not only publikely rumor'd, but credibly reported, that neighboring Princes have taken up Arms, the one of Spaine, & the other of France, both of them at this preſent very potent at Sea; and it is generally ſuppoſed, that they are intended for Ireland, to aſſiſt theſe Aſſaſſinates againſt the Proteſtants.

Thus the Hydra of the Romiſh Faction doth dayly mul­tiply, their Army doth encreaſe, yet God be thanked, ſome of their Men and Ammunition have been of late intercep­ted and prevented; and I pray God, in this particular, con­tinue his goodneſſe ſtill unto us. Their Forces are very ſtrong, their Aſſiſtants and adherents for the preſent being potent, their inſolencies are grown to the utmoſt height of impious impudence & impudent impietie: They are reſol­ved, no more to be ſubiect to the Crowne of England, and the Lawes & Statutes of the Kingdome; but their unreaſo­nable demand is, to have ſuch a Vice-Roy, or Gubernator, as may be well accepted of by them, and no other.

Thus as they have caſt out of their hearts Chriſtian com­paſſion to the K. ſubiects, ſo they have caſt off from their necks the yoke of due ſubiection to the King himſelfe. Re­bels they have proclaim'd themſelves to the whole world, and that in ſummo gradu, in the higheſt degree, of as high a nature, as ever Hiſtories have recorded, or age of man can cōmemorate. Never did the wildfire of their hideous Con­ſpiracies ſo circumvolve it ſelfe into one violent flame, the actors thereof being ſo unanimous in their Diabolicall de­ſignes, (that Helliſh Gunpowder-Plot of Treaſon onely excepted) as this laſt yeere hath bin attempted by them.

'Tis not long ſince a Roman Prieſt was ſent from the Pope, who was landed here in England, and hath cunningly and cloſely wrought with diverſe Engliſh Catholiques a­mongſt us, to prepare themſelves to put in execution ſuch determinations and reſolutions as ſhall be propounded to them, for the defence of their Religion, and ruine of our Broteſtants: which Prieſt (as we are really informed) h•th had frequent acceſſe to an expert Romaniſt, who is very skil­full in making Gra••does, and all forns of Fire-works; with whom the aforeſaid Prieſt hath privately dealt, and con­ſtantly perſwaded to practiſe his Art, and to put the ſame into execution againſt the chiefeſt Cities of England, for the better overcomming them, ſo ſoone as thoſe diſſolute and resolute Rebels had conquered Ireland, & landed their Forces here in England. Thus you may evidently ſee, that their exorbitant offences have bin ſo haynous and, facino­rous, and their crimes are ſtill ſo capi•all, that that ſaying of the Lyrick Poet (one word inverted) is verified of them:

But what mean ye, O ye beſotted ſonnes of Inſurrection? Will ye, through your Rebellion, deſperately periſh? Fooles & mad men as ye are, Quae vos dementia cepit? How long will ye abuſe the divine Patience? What, or who hath deluded & bewitched you? for Rebellion is as the ſinne of Witchraft. Hath Ambition, the Pope, or the Devill in­ſtigated, and ſeduced you thereunto? Or rather, have not all theſe three bin Agents (though one of them were ſuffici­ent) for your confuſion? To theſe three, take three more to your conſideration; which if they doe not worke in your hearts an impreſſion of contrition, they will ſerve for an addition of horror and aſtoniſhment to your wretched ſoules. Is there not a ſevere Iudge above you, that can con­demne you? Is there not a gnawing Conſcience within you, that wil terrifie you? And laſtly, Is there not a tormenting Tophet below you, that gapes for your obſtinate Rebellion? Know thus much (ye unfortunate ſonnes of miſchiefe) that as ſoon as ye have made up the full meaſure of your iniqui­ties, as the Amorites did then the Sicle of Gods Iudgement will cut you all off. For God is righteous, the Truth of God is eternall, Hell is where it was, and your damnation without contrition, will be iuſt.

And now brave Souldiers, that have already encounter•d with theſe Rebells, your and our enemies, and ye valiant ſpirits that are preparing to meet them, Sun Theo, in Gods Name, for Gods cauſe, go on, & proſper: undantedly ſtand, and couragiouſly fight the battells of the Lord, for the defence of his people, the propagation of his Goſpel, and preſervation of his Religion. If there were no other argu­ment, but the effuſion of the poore Proteſtants blood, who were worried to death by theſe Wolviſh Rebells, it were ſufficient to animate you; blood requires blood: but there are many more mo•ives to induce you to this War: Piety to God (whoſe honor and Goſpel are entereſſed therein) Allegiance to the King, whereby ye expreſſe your loyall hearts to his Maieſties honour, peace, crowne, and dig­nitie; Love to your native Countrey; for the ſafety of our perſons, and ſecurity of our preſent and future eſtates de­pends upon the happy ſucceſſe of this war. There's no aſ­ſurance of peace or tranquility, without the rebells be re­duced. Remember 'tis for Religion, your King and Coun­trey that you fight. Beſides all theſe, Providence and Pru­dence for your ſelves: If ye live, ye ſhall be ſure not to looſe, but to get what will be worth the keeping; and if ye dye, yet ye have no cauſe to be disheartned, but rather great ground to be conſolated: For as there is no bleſſed­neſſe in this life, ſo there is all happineſſe after death. 'Twas the ſaying of a Heathen, Dignum & decorum eſt pro p•tria mori. 'Tis a worthy and comely thing to dye for a mans Countrey: And the Roman Orator was of this opi­nion, that there cannot come an evi•l death to a valiant man, nor an untimely death to a wife man. To conclude all, whether ye ſtand or fall, ye are certaine of a famous victory, or a renowned death; ſo that come what will come, conqueſt, or the loſſe of life, an Eternity of Fame attends you on earth, an immortality of glory expects you in heaven.