The Vnanimous Declaration of HIS MAJESTIES Proteſtant Subjects of the Province of of MƲNSTER.
IF in the undertaking of a juſt deſigne, it were only requiſite that the hearts, and conſciences of the undertakers were ſatisfied, we ſhould not need to publiſh this Declaration. But leſt our Enemies ſhould traduce the candor of our actions, and intentions, we have made this manifeſtation of them, which will acquaint the world with their malice, and our innocence.
Wee are confident that all Chriſtendome hath heard of the bloudy Rebellion in Ireland; And we are as confident the Rebells, and Popiſh Clergy have ſo palliated and diſguiſed it, That many are fully perſwaded they had reaſon for what they did; but we believe all men of judgement will change that opinion, when they ſhall know that though they were a conquered people, yet the Lawes were adminiſtred unto them with aſmuch equity as to the Engliſh; That they enjoyed their Religion, though not by Toleration, yet by Connivence; That their Lords (though Papiſts) ſate in Parliament. And that the election of the Knights of the Shire and Burgeſſes was free, and though of a contrary Religion were admitted into the houſe of Commons, yet for all5 theſe, and many other vaſt favours and priviledges, when every one was ſitting under his Vine and Fig-tree, without any provocation, they reſolved upon a generall extirpation both of the Proteſtants, and their Religion, which without doubt they had effected, had not God beene more mercifull then they were wicked, and by a miracle diſcovered this diveliſh deſigne; Whereof, though we had notice juſt time enough to ſecure our maine Magazine at Dublin, yet we could not prevent the butchery of multitudes of innocent ſoules, which ſuffered at the firſt in the Province of Ʋlſter, and ſince they have continued this Rebellion with ſuch perfidiouſneſſe, and bloudineſſe, that though we had been as guilty, as we are innocent; yet the proſecuting of the VVar with that barbarouſneſſe, had rather been a ſinne then Juſtice. But by Gods great providence, when the Rebellion brake out firſt, the Parliament of England was ſitting, unto whom His Majeſty communicated ſo much of his power over this Kingdome, as we ſhall hereafter mention, and gave them great encouragement to proſecute the VVar againſt the Rebells by granting lands unto ſuch as ſhould adventure money for the maintenance of the VVar. Whereupon the Parliament (who were moſt willing to advance ſo good a cauſe) ſent us at firſt large ſupplies, which had ſo good ſucceſſe that the Divine aſwell as humane Juſtice did proclaime them Rebells, for indeed God Almighty (ſince the deliverance of the children of Jſrael from the Egyptians) never appeared to viſibly as in this VVar. But the unhappy miſunderſtanding betweene the King and Parliament did ſo hinder the continuance of thoſe ſupplies for this Kingdome, that all we received in nineteene moneths amounted not to five weeks entertainement, ſo that the Army which was ſent to relieve us, lived upon us. And truly we may with Juſtice profeſſe, That the forces of this Province did feed as miraculouſly as fight, being never able to preſcribe any certaine way of ſubſiſtence for one moneth together; But when the poore Inhabitants were abſolutely beggered, and no meanes for the forces to ſubſiſt on, left, a ceſſation of Armes was made for a twelve moneth with the Rebells, which our neceſſity (not inclination) compelled us to beare with, and the rather out of a firme hope that the Almighty out of his infinite goodneſſe would within that yeare ſettle a right underſtanding6 betweene the King and Parliament, That then they would unanimouſly revenge the crying bloud of ſo many thouſands of innocent ſoules; And untill God bleſſed us with the ſight of that happy Union, we might keep our Garriſons (which otherwiſe we could not) the better to enable them to proſecute ſo juſt, and honorable a deſigne. But the Ceſſation was as fatall to us during the time of Treaty, as afterwards it was ill obſerved; or they knowing what agreement they would enforce us to condeſcend unto, did privately ſend one or two perſons to every Caſtle that we had demoliſhed, which under pretence of being by that means in their poſſeſſion, they ever ſince detaine, though it be contrary to the Articles. And which is more injurious, they have at all times ſince entered upon what Lands they have thought fit, and detained them alſo; and their deviliſh malice having no bounds, they•id place guards upon the high wayes to interrupt our Markets, and puniſhed divers of their owne party for comming with proviſions to us, thereby to deter all from bringing any reliefe to our Garriſons ▪ that ſo they might ſtatue us out of thoſe places, that neither their fraud, or force could get from us; which that they might the better accompliſh, they murthered divers of the poore Engliſh, that preſuming on the Article of free commerce, went abroad to buy victualls, which certainly would have cauſed them to have declined that courſe of ſeeking food, if hunger threatning them with more certaine death had not forced them thereunto. And whereas we truſted that theſe notorious infidelities in them and infinite ſufferings in us, would have been ſo viſible to His Majeſty, that nothing could have induced Him to make a peace with ſo perfidious a people, who through their fawning and inſinuating with His Majeſty, and by the counſell of ſome who repreſent, that there is no way left for the ſecuring the remainder of Engliſh, but by a peace. We find His Majeſty being deluded by the firſt, and believing the laſt to be conducing to the preſervation of His Majeſties Proteſtant Subjects, is concluding of a Peace which will againe admit thoſe Iriſh Rebells to be members of Parliament; ſo that that Court which ſhould afford reliefe for our grievances, will by their overſwaying Votes be our greateſt grievance.
7Moreover we are too truely enformed by divers of their owne party (whoſe names if we ſhould publiſh, would be as great an ingratitude as folly; The firſt, in betraying thoſe that obliged us, The laſt, in depriving our ſelves of all future intelligence by them) that they have vowed never to ſubmit to an Engliſh, or Proteſtant Government, except they have liberty to exerciſe their Religion in Churches; That the Forces of the Kingdome may be Trained-Bands of their men; And that likewiſe thoſe of their owne Religion may be admitted to places of truſt in the Common-Wealth, which they call modeſt, and moderate demands, though we hope they cannot ſeeme ſo to any but themſelves, and their Clergy, who, we find doe not thinke them enough, being they may not have all the Churchlivings. For we have certaine intelligence that they have made a ſtrong Faction, as well among my Lord of Caſtlehavens Souldiers, as in all other parts of the Kingdom ſo that they are five parts of ſix, who will fly out into a new action, when they ſee a convenient time to execute, their deſign, which as yet they determine to forbeare, untill they ſee a peace concluded, ſuppoſing that then the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will intermix Iriſh and Engliſh without diſtinction, to oppoſe the Scots, and that by that meanes there wil be a ſufficient number of their party in our garriſons to maſter them, which, when they find an opportunity for, they will certainly ſeize into their owne hands; Upon notice whereof the Faction abroad will with all expedition apprehend the Engliſh in all parts, and having accompliſhed this part of their deſigne, they will manifeſt that they are weary of the King of Englands Government, and that they will truſt none of his Proteſtant Subjects among them; For we are certainly enformed that they will invite a forraigne Prince to take them into his protection, Unto whom they will deliver poſſeſſion of what he pleaſes, and will become his Subjects.
And leſt that Princes Treaſure ſhould be exhauſted by warres in other places the Clergy have with the Popes aſſiſtance, rayſed amongſt thoſe of their owne calling, and divers of the Gentry in Italy, one hundred thouſand pounds in money, and a quantity of Armes, and Ammunition, that are now ready to be〈◊〉hither•, And they have imployed one Doctor Daye•to goe forthwith thither for it, As alſo to get his holineſſe to ſettle a courſe for the rayſing8 of more money, to be imployed for the advancement of that which they call Catholique cauſe.
Therefore out of a true ſence of our injuries already ſuffered, and unredreſſed, with a right apprehenſion of inevitable ruine, not only to our lives, and eſtates, but likewiſe to the Engliſh Nation, and Proteſtant Religion, we have reaſſumed our Armes, according to our duty to God, our King, and Country, with inviolable reſolution to dye, or fruſtrate this diveliſh deſigne.
And ſince thoſe that dye acting for the Goſpell, are as perfect Martyers, as thoſe that dye ſuffering for it, Wee cannot but with joy embrace any effect that proceeds from ſo glorious a cauſe.
Neither can this act be eſteemed a crime in us, ſince his Majeſty upon the Rebels firſt inſurrection his treaſure being exhauſted, gave his Royall aſſent for the paſſing of an Act of Parliament, wherin he granted (to all his Subjects that would adventure mony towards reducing of the rebells) Lands proportionable to the ſum adventured, which would fall to the Crowne when the conqueſt ſhould be finiſhed; and the better to ſecure the adventurers, his Majeſty obliged himſelfe to make no peace with the Rebels, but with the advice and approbation of the Parliament of England; And by that Act communicated to the Parliament that power, which before was ſolely in himſelfe, So that they not condeſcending to this peace, Our imploying of their Aids, and reaſſuming of thoſe Armes put into our hands by King and Parliament joyntly, cannot be eſteemed contradictory to his Majeſty, in regard that their joynt Act is ſo abſolutely binding, that neither of them ſeverally can annull it, as is evident in the Lawes of the Realme.
Therefore if this war were only offenſive, yet even ſlander it ſelfe muſt acknowledge us innocent, having ſo juſt a cauſe, ſo pious an intention, and ſo lawfull an authority, much more it being defenſive and the Law both of God and nature allowing every one to defend himſelfe from violence and wrong.
Moreover, the King muſt never expect any obedience from the Iriſh, but what proceeds either from their Intereſt, or fear. Through the firſt of theſe, neither His Majeſty, or we can hope for aſſurance, for not granting them all their deſires, their Intereſt (which is more powerfull with them then their loyalty) will make them throw off their ſubjection and to become abſolute, not ſcruple to deſtroy us:9 then to expect any ſecurity by their feares, were frivolous; for though we have found their hearts as ill as their cauſe, yet they cannot be apprehenſive of two or 3000 ill armed, and unprovided men, having all things neceſſary, and ſo numerous a people at their devotion.
And leſt our Enemies ſhould ſcandalize us with breach of faith, in violating the pretended Ceſſation, or with cruelty in expelling the Iriſh Papiſts from our Garriſons, who hitherto ſeemed adhering to us.
Concerning the firſt, we declare, That although our neceſſities did induce us to ſubmit, ſuppoſing the Coſſation would have produced other effects, as is before mentioned; yet that we had no power, (without authority from King and Parliament joyntly) to treat or yeeld to it; or if it had been in our powers, yet by the Rebels daily breaches of it, we are diſengaged from it.
Concerning the ſecond, We declare, That our Garriſon cannot be ſecured, whilſt ſo powerfull and perfidious Enemies are in our boſomes; Powerfull, being foure to one in number more then the Engliſh; Perfidious, in their conſtant deſignes to betray us, ſome whereof we will inſtance, to convince their owne conſciences, and ſatisfie the world of our juſt proceedings.
One Francis Matthewes, a Franciſean Fryer (being wonderfully diſcovered in an enigmaticall Letter, and as juſtly executed) before his death confeſſed, that he had agreed to betray the City of Corke to the Lord of Muskery, which muſt neceſſarily inferre, that the chiefeſt and greateſt part of that City were engaged in this conſpiracie, for otherwiſe he could not ſo much as hope th'accompliſhment; And if this had taken effect, it had conſequently ruined all the Proteſtants in the Province of Miniſter, that being our chiefe Magazine, and greateſt Garriſon; Beſides upon this occaſion, other Fryers being examined upon Oath, confeſſed that in their daily Maſſes within that Towne, and all other of our Garriſons, (where Papiſts did inhabite, they prayed for the advancement of the Catholique cauſe; which they believed the Rebels fought for.
And laſtly, Wee have lately diſcovered, that the now Major, and Corporation, had conbined with the Rebells to betray the Towne to them and for that purpoſe an Army was drawne to all the parts adjoyning to our Garriſons. In the three chiefeſt whereof, we are10 confident, the Rebells had their partie; but by divine providence, before the Plot could be executed, the Major preſuming on his ſpeedy ſucceſſe, contemned the Lord of Inch•quins authority, by oppoſing the levying of the monyes granted by the Engliſh, for the maintenance of the Souldiers, juſt about the nick of time that the treachery was to be effected.
And he being committed upon this occaſion, The Rebels apprehending their deſigne to be diſcovered, with drew their Forces, And leſt this ſhould be judged as an act of the Major onely, as a private perſon; Wee deſire the world to take notice, that as ſoone as our Army, which forced their obedience, was removed into England, the Papiſts generally reſiſted what ever could be propounded for our ſecurity, and would have diſenabled us to continue our Garriſons had not the poore ſtript Engliſh taken all that burthen upon themſelves.
Nay, they were ſo inſolent, that they laboured to get Armes into their hands, and to cauſe us to disband our Souldiers, which they affirmed to be kept as an unneceſſary charge upon the King, that ſo they might with more facilitie receive the Iriſh and ruine us.
In a word, ſince they pretend the ground of this Warre to be for Religion, and that this is confeſſed by thoſe who ſeemed to adhere to us; what faith can be expected from ſuch a people, whoſe Religigion permits them to hold none with us?
By this preceding Relation, it is evidently ſeene, that unleſſe we reaſſume our Armes, we betray the truſt committed to us by God, the King and Parliament, and become ſlaves both of bodies ſoules. And therefore we have reſolved to performe our dutie though with apparent hazard of our lives: And likewiſe maintaine that which is a thouſand times more deare unto us, our Religion, and alſo defend our Garriſons for the Kings juſt uſe.
Theſe we take God to witneſſe are our Intentions, and we beſeech him to puniſh us as ſtrangely as his〈◊〉he hath preſerved us, if we decline at all from theſe loyall and religions reſolutions; And we firmely hope that the world will by this declaration, be as fully ſatisfied of the juſtineſſe of our proceedings, as we our ſelves are; Then though we all loſe our lives in this cauſe, we ſhall give o•friends occaſion to rejoyce; and our Enemies to envie at ſo bleſſed an and.