A copy of a letter from the Earle of Essex, by order of the pretended Houses of Parliament, to Prince Rupert with His Highnesse answer thereunto. Essex, Robert Devereux, Earl of, 1591-1646. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A38652 of text R8995 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing E3310). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 13 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A38652 Wing E3310 ESTC R8995 13274503 ocm 13274503 98707 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A38652) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 98707) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 453:20) A copy of a letter from the Earle of Essex, by order of the pretended Houses of Parliament, to Prince Rupert with His Highnesse answer thereunto. Essex, Robert Devereux, Earl of, 1591-1646. Rupert, Prince, Count Palatine, 1619-1682. [2], 6 p. Printed by Leonard Lichfield ..., Oxford : 1645. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. eng Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Sources. A38652 R8995 (Wing E3310). civilwar no A copy of a letter from the Earle of Essex, by order of the pretended Houses of Parliament, to Prince Rupert: with His Highnesse answer ther Essex, Robert Devereux, Earl of 1645 2293 6 0 0 0 0 0 26 C The rate of 26 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-09 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-10 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A COPY OF A Letter from the Earle of ESSEX , By Order of the Pretended Houses of PARLIAMENT , TO PRINCE RUPERT : WITH HIS HIGHNESSE ANSWER THEREUNTO . OXFORD , Printed by Leonard Lichfield , Printer to the Vniversity , 1645. For his Highnesse PRINCE RUPERT GENERALL . SIR , THE two Houses of Parliament have received Information , that , because the Committee at Shrewesbury caused Thirteen Irish Rebels , taken in Hostility against the Parliament , to suffer Death , according to an Ordinance of Parliament herewith sent , Therefore by your expresse Commands , Thirteene English Protestants who had Quarter given them by your Officers that took them Prisoners , were notwithstanding murthered upon coole bloud , and that you have resolved to proceed in the same manner for the future . A Relation and Resolution so strange , that the truth thereof might justly be suspected , were it not verified by letters from that Committe of the 24th of March last , to the Speaker of the House of Commons , and by a Letter of the 23. of March , sent to the same Committee by your direction , and subscribed by one Ralph Goodwin your Secretary , ( as is informed ) which doth own & avow the Fact . And therefore the two Houses of Parliament , being deeply affected with such cruell Massacres committed upon their Protestant Brethren , whose Lives they value as their owne , have commanded me to acquaint your Highnesse , that it is evident by undoubted Proofe , that the Rebels of Ireland ( what ever they pretended to some on this side the Sea ) did really intend by that odious Rebellion , to wrest that Kingdom for ever , from the Crowne of England , to the utter disherison of the King & His Posterity ; And to extirpate the English Nation and Protestant Religion , and for that purpose have sollicited by their Agents , the bringing over of Powerfull Aydes from Forraigne Parts , to assist them in this their intended Conquest ; And have set vp the Spanish Colours publiquely , both at Wexford , and Gallway ; Have caused their Captaines , Officers and others , to make Oath before their Titular Clergy , That they shall not suffer any English , or Protestant , to live in that Kingdom . That they prosecuted this horrid designe , by murthering , hanging , drowning , burning * alive , and starving within few Months , in one Province , one hundred fifty four Thousand of harmles Brittish Protestants , Men , Women , and Children , without distinction of Age or Sexe , without any provocation given , but living securely by them in a full and setled Peace . That the King first by Proclamation attested by His own Royall Signature , and Privy Seale , hath Procl●●ed them Traytors and Rebels ; and since that time , both King and Parliament , by foure severall Acts of Parliament , have declared and stiled them in the same manner ; And further His Majesty by Act of Parliament , hath consented , That all Pardons granted to them or any of them , before Attaindor , shall be voyd . Now that such bloody , barbanous Miscreants , so odious both to God and men , so obnoxious to Law and Iustice , ( even by the Judgment of both sides ) comming out of Ireland , ( where they neither did give nor receive Quarter ) to burne and lay wast this Kingdom , as they have done that , should after all this , be admitted to receive Quarter here ▪ and consequently be made equall in Exchange with the English Nation , and Protestants ; The Lords and Commons of the Parliament of England , cannot with Religion , Honour , or Justice , in any sort consent unto it . And have commanded me to let your Highnesse , and all other Commanders on that side know , That if hereafter , upon executing the Irish Rebels , in pursuance of that just Ordinance , any unjust Pretext shall be made , to murther in coole blood any Officer , Souldier , or Seaman , in the service of the Parliament ; That the two Houses have resolved , and do hereby declare , that for every Officer , Souldier , and Seaman so causelesly massacred , they shall and must ( though with deep sorrow and reluctancy ) cause so many of the Prisoners remaining in their Power , to be put to Death in the same manner . And therefore do earnestly desire your Highnesse , and all other your inferiour Commanders , to forbeare by such prodigious Cruelty to embase the value of the English Nation , which they are confident will be resented with indignation , even by those English Protestants , who are for the present , deceived into Armes against the Protestant Religion , and the Parliament of England , To whom they shall be ready to allow Quarter , and equall exchange as before , and for whom they daily pray , That Almighty God would open their eyes , and reduce them into the right way . Sir , this being all I have in Command , I take my leave , and remaine Your humble Servant ESSEX . Westminster the 4th of April , 1645. The Copy of the Order mentioned in the foregoing Letter . Die Iovis , 24. Octob. 1644. THe Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England , doe declare , That no Quarter shall be given hereafter , to any Irish-man , nor , to any Papists what soever , borne in Ireland , which shall be taken in Hostility against the Parliament , either upon the Sea , or within this Kingdom , or Dominion of Wales ; And therefore doe Order and Ordaine , That the Lord Generall , Lord Admirall , and all other Officers and Commanders , both by Sea and Land , shall except all Irish-men and all Papists borne in Ireland , out of all Capitulations Agreements and Compositions , hereafter to be made with the Enemy ; And shall upon the taking of every such Irish-man , or Papist borne in Ireland , as aforesaid , forthwith put every such Person to death . And t is further ordered and Ordayned , That the Lord Generall , Lord Admirall and the Committees of the severall Counties , doe give speedy Notice hereof to all subordinate Officers and Commanders by Sea and Land respectively , who are hereby required to use their utmost Care and Circumspection , That this Ordinance be duly executed . And lastly , the Lords and Commons doe declare , That every Officer and Commander by Sea or Land , that shall be remisse or negligent in observing the Tenor of this Ordinance , shall be reputed a Favourer of that bloody Rebellion of Ireland , And shall be lyable to such condigne punishment , as the Iustice of both Houses of Parliament shall inflict upon him . Io. Browne Cleric . Parliamentor . For the Earle of ESSEX Generall . MY LORD , I Received your Lordships Letter , of the fourth of this Moneth , on the eleventh ; and cannot but wonder that it should seem strange to the two Houses , that I should cause those Prisoners , which were taken in Armes against His Majesty , to be used in the same manner , and by the same measure , as His Majesties good Subjects , taken Prisoners in the act of their duty , are used by those that take them . Those Souldiers of mine that were barbarously murthered in cold bloud , after Quarter given to them at Shrewsbury , were those , who , during the time they were in Ireland , served His Majesty stoutly , constantly and faithfully against the Rebels of that Kingdome , and after the Cessation , they were by His Majesties Command transported to serve Him in this , where they honestly performed the duty of Souldiers ; and therefore I were unworthy of the Command I hold under His Majesty , if upon so high a provocation , and so unheard of an act of injustice , as the putting those poore honest men to death , I had not let the Authors of that Massacre know , that their owne men must pay the price of such acts of Inhumanity , and be used as they use their Brethren : and therefore I caused the like number ( to whom Quarter was no otherwise given , then to the former ) to be put to death in the same manner as had been done at Shrewsbury . How the Rebellion in Ireland began , and with what circumstances of Bloud and cruelty it hath been carryed on , ( the odiousnesse whereof , and of all other Rebellions is apparent , and all good men must abhorre , ) is not applicable to this Argument , ( I wish the temper of this Kingdome had been , or yet were such as might be applyed to the composure of that ; ) your Lordship hath in that Army many Souldiers , who served His Majesty in that Kingdome of Ireland , yet to those Souldiers when taken Prisoners , Quarter is given , and observed on this side , the like must be expected from you : And if it should be otherwise , and that Quarter should be denyed to all those who have been proclaimed Traytors and Rebels , or who by Act of Parliament are such , this Warre will be much more mercilesse and bloudy then it hath been , or then any good man , or true English-man can desire to see it ; I am sure such rigour shall be prevented by all the Interest and Power I have . Neither can that threat & menace in your Lordship's Letter of the resolution to use such Prisoners as shall be taken of His Majesties Army for the future , make any other impression in me , then of griefe and sadnesse of heart , to see so much injustice and inhumanity , a proceeding contrary to the Lawes of Nature and Nations , contrary to the rules and customes of Warre in any part of the Christian World , so deliberately and solemnely resolved , declared , and published . If there should be an Ordinance made , that there should be no Quarter given to any Souldiers under my Command , and an expectation that those under yours should receive Quarter , would your Lordship expect I submit to such an Ordinance ? This is the case . I have taken Prisoners of those , who have taken Armes against His Majesty , of all Nations , English , Scotch , Irish , French , Dutch , Walloones , of all Religions and opinions that are avowed by Christians , and have alwayes allowed them Quarter , and equall Exchange ( how unequall soever the Quarrell and Contention is , and what Iudgement soever the Law hath determined upon such Persons ) and shall doe so still , hoping that Almighty God will open the Eyes of those who have been strangely deceived into Armes against , and to the scandall and destruction of the Protestant Religion , ( in which all men know I have been borne , and for which they have reason enough to believe I will dye , ) and the Parliament of England , Assembled by His Majesties Command , and of which His Majesty is the Head , and will recover and reduce those , who out of ambition or malice have made those pathes , in which the other have trod to their Piety towards their Maker , and their Allegiance towards their Soveraigne : But if the contrary course shall be held , and any Prisoners , under my Command , shall be taken , executed , and murthered in cold bloud , under what senselesse and unjust pretence soever , for every Officer and Souldier so causelessely and barbarously murthered , I will cause so many of the Prisoners remaining in my Power , to be put to death in the same manner ; and I doubt not but the bloud of those miserable men , who shall so suffer by my order , as well as of those who shall be butcher'd by that Ordinance your Lordship mentions , shall be requi●ed at their hands , who by their cruell examples 〈…〉 upon other men to observe the rules they lay downe . And I cannot but expresse a great sense to your Lordship , that since His Majesties gracious Offers and importunity for Peace will not be hearkned unto , by these prodigious resolutions expressed in your Lordships Letter , the Warre is like to be so managed , that the English Nation is in danger of destroying one another ▪ or ( which i● a kind of extirpation ) of degenerating into such an animosity and cruelty , that all elements of Charity , Compassion , and brotherly Affection , shall be extinguished . I hope they , whose opinions and vesolutions your Lordship hath imparted to me , will take these animadversions into their serious consideration , from Your Lordship's Servant RUPERT . April , the 15th , 1645. Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A38652e-110 *