A true and exact RELATION OF The chief passages in IRELAND, Since the first rising of the Rebels. Sent by an Alderman of Dublin to his son now resident in London, dated 14. of January, 1641. As also a Letter of the Rebels, subscribed with divers of their hands, written to the Lady Offalia, mother to the Lord Digby, to deliver up her Castle of Geshel, she with the Lord Digby's children and others being therein. With her resolute and modest Answer thereunto.  
London, printed by T. H. for Rich. Royston, 1642.   

A true & exact relation of the chief passages in Ireland, since the first rising of the Rebels, sent by an Alderman of Dublin, to his son now resident in London.  
Son:  
I Have received your Letter by Mr. Portington, whereby I see you do not as yet understand how the case stands with us in this poor kingdom of Ireland, which that you may the better do, I will relate in brief, beginning from the discovery of the plot to take the Castle and City of Dublin, which should have been the 23. of October, 1641. upon which day the Rebels came to Master Arthur Champions house, some 60. miles from Dublin, where one of his own tenants came ●o him very early in the morning, desiring to speak with him about some serious business as he pretended, only to betray him; when he had drawn him without the walls of his house, (for he had a very strong house, and well fitted for defence, had he known of their devilish treachery) presently there came a company with two rogues which were pinioned as thieves, for stealing of his cattle; Master Champion bid them that brought them, to carry them before the next justice, for he would not meddle with them; whereupon these rebels set them lose, and fell upon the good man, stabbed him with their skenes to death presently, before he could give the least warning to those in his house. His brother seeing many people there, went to see what the matter was, he was served in the same manner, and a third likewise: and then the Rebels went into his house, and killed two more: his wife, and her sister, and her brother in law, with two others that were in the house, they took and keep prisoners to this day, taking possession of all they had, both within the house and without. She was down upon her knees to beg a sheet to put her husband in for his burial, and another Gentleman which came but over night, with some other friends, in love to visit him, and the next morning lost their lives. And this they have done to many in those parts, robbing all the English Protestants, stripping them stark naked, and so turning them out to the fields and mountains, in the frost and snow, whereof many hundreds are perished to death. They spare none, Ministers nor people, of what sort soever, they are so maliciously bent against us and our profession, that they will not spare our Ministers books, but burn and tear them in pieces. They destroy our English breed of cattle and sheep in detestation of us, although one of ours is better than four of theirs; and they have vowed to root out the name of the English out of this kingdom, and thus they go on from the beginning almost all this kingdom over. And if the Lord in mercy prevent them not, it is like to be so, for we hear daily new rising of them in other places, which at first were quiet; as the County of Wicklow, all the pale are out, not withstanding their protestation in the Parliament there last meeting, which was since this rebellion begunn● King's County and Queen's County rob and spoil all. The good Lady the Lady Offalia, and the Lord Digby's children and your brother, are besieged in the Castle of 〈◊〉, having robbed them and all thereabouts without the Castle. These Rebels have turned all the Protestants out of Kilkeny, only with the clothes on their backs by the Lord Mongarat, and keep the Countess of Ormond prisoner. This Lord promised them a convoy to Waterford, which went with them some 8. miles out of town, and then left them, and a company of rogues met them, and stripped them. When these poor people came to Waterford, hoping for succour, the town would not suffer them to come in, but keep them starving without the town; all the favour they showed them, they threw them some bread over the wall, so that you may see how Waterford stands affected. These Rebels have great advantage of us, for they have their spies daily with us, that nothing is said or done but they have notice presently sent to them; but we can have none to inform us of any particulars, for they meet with our spies, and hang them up with the rest of any English they meet with; and for that purpose have set up gallows 5. miles distant one from another. At the first they spared the Scots, telling them their Commission was only to root out the English, but now they rob and kill the Scots, not sparing any. One hundred and twenty they stripped stark naked, and drove them upon a bridge, and forced them into the water, drowned those which could not swim, and those which could swim they knocked in the head when they came to land. Their cruel murdering of men before their wives to increase their grief. Your brother writ unto me, that a rebel in those parts took an infant out of the mother's arms, and cast it into the fire before her face; but the just judgement of God fell upon him, before he went from the same place he broke his neck.  
The last week a Minister which came to this City, left some goods with a supposed friend, sent for them, the goods could not be delivered, unless he or his wife came for them; he would not go; she went, and when she came where the goods were, they hanged her for her pains.  
They rob close to this City; Beggatrath, Collen wood, Ramynes, phoenix, Ashtowne, Newtowne, Finglese, Sauntry, Drumconran, Clantarffe, Hoth, all which border upon our City. Sir Charles Coote, our noble and brave governor in this City, sallied out one night, and drove them from Clantarffe, and set it on fire. Another night to Sauntree and another village, and set them on fire: and the Earl of Ormond and Colonel Crafford, with Sir Charles Coote, drive them from Finglese and set it on fire.  
Sir Charles Coote, and Sir Simon Harcotte sallied out to Swords, six miles from Dublin, where the enemy had their camp and ●here had entrenched themselves. By break of day our men set upon them, drove them out of their Trenches, and put them to rout, they ran away, about 120. were slain 〈◊〉 taken prisoners, four of their Colours, drums, and arms our men brought away, who are safely come again, blessed be God, only we lost 4. men; whereof the chief was Sir Lorenzo Cary, brother to the Lord Faulkland, shot in the head, as it is thought, by one of his soldiers; he was brought to Dublin on horseback, his footman behind him holding him up in the saddle, which an Irishwoman on the Key seeing, said it was pity that no more were served so, which the soldiers hearing, in a rage threw the woman into the river where she was drowned.  
The Rebels have burned all the plantation Towns in the County of London Derry, but Derry and Coltaine stand out stoutly.  
The last night they went out towards the mountains beyond Tallow, and burned two or three Villages, whereby those Rebels should not have any shelter so near us, 〈◊〉 when our men came, they ran away, and would not abide above two 〈◊〉, so that till we have supply from England and Scotland no good is to be done with them, whereby we may follow them to the full; notwithstanding many Papists 〈◊〉 the Jesuits, Priests and friars, and say in plain terms they have been the cause of all this, and no question to the contrary, the Lord in mercy convert or confound them.  
We are all much bound to God for our Gracious King, the Honourable Parliament of England, the merciful and pious City of London, and the whole kingdoms of England and Scotland for their care and pity upon us, although as yet we have but little help to this great work, but of that which we have received we are much comforted, and we do not doubt of the rest, which doth not a little strike to the hearts of our enemies as we hear, by this you may see in part our calamities; but blessed be God, our Lord's justices and council have provided for this City, that under God we hope to be as safe as you in London, and so we hope of Drohedah where a worthy governor Sir Henry Tichborne holds out valiantly, although the rebels have made many asssaults upon the town. Provision is sent by sea to Drohedah, and we trust in God it will be safely delivered to them, but if not, they will be hard bestead, but if it please God to send us more strength, we make no question by God's assistance but to clear the passage by land to succour them.  
These miseries are great the Lord be merciful unto us; but this is not all, the most of our rich men and great men are fled from us into England, and have carried their estates with them, they have not left one penny to succour the poor distressed stripped people who are come hither for relief, whereof we have at this present near three thousand, besides many hundreds are starved to death since they came only with want, for we are not able to do more than we do, we do relieve them far beyond our abilities; for my own part, I pay much weekly for billiting money, besides what I give to the poor; the rich being gone, lest their houses without any help at all unto us, not so much as common charges for the safety of this City, but all lieth upon the poorer sort: The Lord in mercy forgive them this sin, this great sin, that the blood of so many hundreds which have perished by want be not required at their hands: Thus with my prayers to God to bless you I rest,  
Your loving Father, W. Bladen.  
IF you think fit you may have this Relation Printed, for I have written nothing but 〈…〉 so many false Pamphlets 〈…〉 printed at London.   

The rebel's Letter to the Lady Offalia, in her Castle at Geshel.  
To the Honourable and thrice virtuous Lady, the Lady Digby these give.  
Honourable,  
We his majesty's loyal subjects being at the present employed in his highness' Service for the taking of this your Castle, you are therefore to deliver unto us free possession of your said Castle, promising faithfully, that your Ladyship, together with the rest in the said Castle restant shall have a reasonable composition; otherwise upon the not yielding of the Castle, we do assure you that we will burn the whole town, kill all the Protestants, and spare neither man, woman nor child upon taking the Castle: consider (Madam) of this our offer, and impute not the blame of your own folly unto us, think not that here we brag, your Ladysship upon submission shall have a safe convoy to secure you from the hands of your enemies, and to lead you where you please, a speedy reply is desired with all expedition, and thus we surcease:  


Henry Dempsy.  
Charles Dempsy.  
Andrew fitz Patrick.  
Conn Dempsy.  
Phelim Dempsy.  
John Vicars.  
James m' Donel.     

The Lady Offalia her answer to the rebels.  
For my x Henry Dempsy and the rest.  
I Received your Letter, wherein you threaten to sack this my Castle by his majesty's authority; I am and ever have been a loyal subject, and a good neighbour amongst you, and therefore cannot but wonder at such an assault; I thank you for your offer of a convoy, wherein I hold little safety, and therefore my resolution is, that being free from offending his Majesty, or doing wrong to any of you, I will live and die innocently, and will do my best to defend my own, leaving the issue to God; and though I have been and still am desirous to avoid the shedding of Christian blood, yet being provoked your threats shall no whit dismay me.  
Lettuce Offalia.