The tears of IRELAND wherein is lively presented as in a Map, a List of the unheard off Cruelties and perfidious Treacheries of bloodthirsty Jesuits and the Popish Faction. As a warning piece to her Sister Nations to prevent the like miseries, as are now acted on the Stage of this fresh bleeding Nation. Reported by Gentlemen of good Credit living there, but forced to fly for their lives, as jobs Messengers, to tell us what they have heard and seen with their eyes, illustrated by Pictures. Fit to be reserved by all true Protestants as a Monument of their perpetual reproach and ignominy, and to animate the spirits of Protestants against suchbloudy Villains. LONDON, Printed by A. N for John Rothwell, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard at the sign of the Sun, 1642. Courteous Reader: IT is my hearty prey- for thee which was the last desire of Luther for his friends, that thou mayest be filled with the love of Christ, and hatred of the Pope; He that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed, he that hates not the Pope, loves not Christ; a Abbot Downham, Sharp, &c. de Antichristo. The Pope is that Antichrist; This indeed is questioned by some Factors for Rome, but determined by the Apostle. Who is Antichrist, but b 2 Thess. 2. the man of sin, and son of perdition? who is this man of sin & son of perdition but the Pope? There were never seen greater monsters, and prodigies in the World for all kind of accursed abominations, than they were that have sat in that chair of pestilence, as their own c S●egedin. Spec. Pontificum Rom. Platina relates▪ In which there are reckoned ten Sodomites, fourteen infamous for adulteries; nine simoniacs, twelve Tyrants, three and twenty Necromanticks, that gave themselves to the devil, ten Traitors, fifty in an ordinary succession unworthy that name, d Seln●ccer v. ●ae Pontif. many that have justified the vilest of the Heathen Emperors in the most abominable of their excesses. There were never any that so pulled up the floodgates to open a way for the inundation of wickedness as the popes; e Idea reform. antichrist. tom. 1. part. 2. sect. 2. c 7. by dispensations for sodomy, Incest, murder, fornication, &c. f Espens. in tit. 1. dig. 1. mus●. loc. come. and by indulgencies, g Bellar. de pont. Rom. lib. 4. c. 5. by doctrine. If the pope should declare that virtue is vice, and vice virtue, the Church is bound to believe it to be so, and practice accordingly. There was never such a son of perdition; he is that Apollyon, or destroyer of whom Saint John, a destroyer of souls, and shedder of blood; but especially drunk with the blood of Saints. It is credibly h Idaea refor. Antichrist vide supra c. 6. related that in the space of eight hundred years, he hath been the death of twelve Millions, one alone pope i Baleus de acts Rom. Pontif. l. 7. Julius the Second in seven years of his papacy destroyed 200000 Christians. But their outrageous fury against the Saints who can relate? How bloody were the persecutions raised against the Waldenses, in which there was no k Hist. walden's. mercy showed to any age, sex, condition, their rage extended itself to the destruction of the brutish beasts, and senseless trees? l Sleidanus. what internecine wars were stirred up against the Hussites in Bohemia? what Country or kingdom cannot produce instances of cruelty more than barbarous? The Low-countries lament the death of eighteen thousand executed by the Duke of Alva in the space of three thousand years in the cause of Religion. m Thuanus. Bartholomy's slaughter will be for ever infamous in France? where by a prodigious Treason and unparalled cruelty, the Rivers did run with the blood of Huguenots; England hath still in fresh remembrance Queen Mary's fires; Italy, Spain, &c. do yet groan under the merciless inquisition. The report of these cruelties doth astonish the Readers and relators, but not quench the thirst, glut the never to be satiated ravine of these bloodthirsty Monsters, whose delight is that of the o Idaea reform. Antich. tom. 1. part. 2. c. 6. Cardinal Farnesius to see Rivers of the blood of Lutherans to his horse bridle. But thou wilt say what is this to the pope, that he should be hated? Consider this blood was shed by his instigation, by his approbation. It was he that granted a Croisado against the p Hist. walden's. Waldenses, and q book Martyrs tom 1. Bohemians, promising pardon of sins to all such as should die in the expedition for their extirpation; It was he that hearing of the Massacre in Paris skipped for joy, and commanded a solemn triumph, and panegyrics for that cause; But what is that to us? What? Have we never heard of the Pope's good will to England? r Bulla Pii 5●●. against Queen Elizabeth How long we have stood proscribed, exposed to the fire, and sword of a Catholic invader? have we never heard of those many horrid treasons hatched, and furthered against our Kings, and State, by that bloody Moloch and his instruments, and sworn Vassals? What treason was ever intended against our Church, or State, in which a priest, or Jesuit hath not had a hand? And as a learned Bishop hath showed s B. Carleton. : that most devilish, and hellborn plot of the gunpowder Treason, by whom should it have been acted? by whom was it invented? t Prideaux Serm. on the Gunpowder Treason. It hath found an apology from Eudaemon, approbation from Claudius Aquaviva, excuse from Bellarmine, absolution from Hamon; all Jesuits. But yet there is nothing done against us? And papists amongst us abhor this bloodiness; What intentions, and desperate machinations are against us the Lord discover, and disappoint; but consider. That in their account we are heretics, and declared to be so by the pope; Now consider of their doctrine; u Azorius instit. moral. li. 8. de poenis heretic. A heretic loseth all right to all that he hath; And being w Symanch. instit. lib. 23. 5. 11. Saunders de visibil. Monarch. l. ●. c. 4. declared to be such, any one may kill him though a King, nay, though the pope should be willing to suffer him x Bannes in 2 2. q. 12. artic. 2. yet may not the people, nay, y Symanch● ubi supra. though he would change his Religion, and leave his heresy, that can give him no safety. Witness Henry the Fourth of France, who after he was turned papist, was stabbed in the mouth by one John Castille, and to the heart by Ravilliack; z Azor. inst. mor. l. 8. c. 13. By heresy all bonds and obligations of nature, of covenant, of oath, of duty are dissolved, witness the practices of these Irish Rebels: heretics may be slain by sword, by treason, a Eudaem. Apol. pro Garnet. cap 4. Collect for Gunpowder treason. D. Davenan. determ. qu 17. D. Prideaux. sex. Higgajon and Selab. even with the destruction of many innocent Catholics. O devilish! Upon these, and such like grounds, our liturgy justly censured their religion rebellion, and the sometime worthy professors of our two famous Universities concluded, that it was impossible, but that an absolute Papist living under a Protestant Prince, and standing to his own gounds, should be an absolute traitor. And that we feel not the effects of this Romish doctrine, it is God's providence, in them not want of will, but want of power; b In 32. ●. ●ide suprà. Bannes speaks plainly. The English and Saxon Catholics are to be excused for not rebelling, because they want strength sufficient to make their party good; I pray God they may always want it; c Abbor. Antilog. c. 6. p. 85. The Pope sent a Breve or Bull against our blessed Queen Elizabeth, with this limitation; that it should be always in force against her and the heretics, but should not oblige the Papists as matters did then stand, but should oblige them when it might be put in execution; so they wait for a time, and I pray God their eyes may sink in their heads while they wait; But Reader do not think there is nothing done against us; Is not Ireland our sister Nation? Do not our flesh and our blood suffer there? Do we not hear of their threatenings breathed against us? That when they have finished their work there, they intend England for the Aceldama, the seat of war, and field of blood; I will not stay thee longer still in the porch; Enter in and behold, the miseries of Ireland, and if thou findest cruelties unexampled, remember they are Papists, and have, as I am informed, ten thousand Priests in the head of their armies, who besides their tyranny towards our bodies would (was it in their power) send our souls in fiery chariots into hell! So Hoffeus the Jesuit. Well read, and bestow some pity, prayers, relief on poor Ireland, praises for England, increase in the love of Christ, and hatred of the Pope; I rest Thine I. Cranford. Ireland's warning to England. LOok on me (your sister Nation) and pity me, I am your bone and your flesh, I am wounded by them that I have too long trusted and harboured in my bosom (I mean bloody Papists) rather then better friends, take warning by me on sad experience: Was there ever sorrow like my sorrow? Look on me, Repent, Amend, let my sins be your summons, my judgements be your fear, and learn righteousness by them. When thy judgements are on the earth, the inhabitants thereof shall learn righteousness. Look on me, pray and fight, my enemies are yours, my cause is yours, we have one God, one Christ, one Gospel, one Religion, united under one King, if we fail one another now, the proud enemy will blaspheme our God, dishonour our royal King, scorn our Religion. Hold out faith and prayer, surely the victory is yours, you pray, and the enemy blasphemes, up and be doing, and the Lord shall be with you. Shall we be less zealous for the Lord of hosts, than they are for their wooden Idols. Solicit my Cause to his Majesty, to the Parliament, make my case yours, be with me as in the body, stir now or never, help the Lord against the mighty, your work will be glorious▪ You shall be called the repairers of our breaches. Look on me and adventure you that are God's Stewards, who knows but God entrusted thee with an estate for this design. The design is honourable, your purchase a kingdom for Christ. Back yourselves with friends, weaken the bloodthirsty enemies, secure yourselves better, try God if he will not be your Ensurer double and treble. Cast thy bread on the waters, and after many days thou shalt find it. They are bloody men, The bloody men shall not live out half their days. They are cruel to the faint, to the weary, cruel to women, to poor children, mark what God threatened against Amaleck for the same thing. Remember what Amaleck did unto thee, &c. how he smote the hindermost, even all that were feeble behind thee when thou wast faint and weary, and he feared not God. Therefore when the Lord thy God shall give thee rest from all thine enemies round about in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amaleckfrom under heaven, thou shalt not forget it, Deut. 25. 17, 18, 19 To confirm the truth of these ensuing tragic Stories, you may be pleased to read this Letter, the Copy whereof was read the fourteenth of December, in the Honourable House of Commons, and also read again before the right honourable the Lords at a Committee of both Houses, and desired to be entered into the journals of both Houses. It was also read in a public Congregation in London, by an eminent Minister on the Fast day for Ireland to stir up bowels of pity towards them. SIR, ALL I can tell you is the miserable estate we continue under, for the Rebels daily increase in men and munition in all parts, except the Province of Munster, exercising all manner of cruelties, and striving who can be most barbarously exquisite in tormenting the poor Protestants, wheresoever they come; Cutting off their privy members, ears, fingers, & hands, plucking out their eyes, boiling the heads of little Children before their mother's faces, and then ripping up their mother's Bowels; stripping women naked, and standing by them being naked, whilst they are in travel, killing the Children as soon as they are born, and ripping up their mother's bellies, as soon as they are delivered; driving men, women, and children, by hundreds together upon Bridges, and from thence cast them down into Rivers, such as drowned not, they knock their brains out with poles, or shoot them with Muskets, that endeavour to escape by swimming out, ravishing wives before their husband's faces, and Virgins before their Parents faces, after they have abused their bodies, making them renounce their Religion, and then marry them to the basest of their fellows. Oh that the Lord, who hath moved the kingdoms of England and Scotland, to send relief to these afflicted Protestants, would likewise stir them to effect their undertaking with all possible expedition, lest it be too late. Some of the persons particularly mentioned to have suffered, who are known unto you, are, Master Jerome Minister of Brides, his body mangled, and his members cut off. Master Fullerton Minister of Lughall, Simon Hastings his ears cut off, Master Blandry Minister, hanged, his flesh pulled off from his bones, in the presence of his wife, in small pieces, he being hanged two days before her, in the place where she is now prisoner. Abraham James of Newtowne, in the diocese of Clohor, cut in pieces, and it is reported that the Bishop of Clohor is turned to the Rebels, thus moving pardon in presuming to trouble you at this time in your public employments, do with humble remembrance of his best respects to you, and your virtuous Lady, remain Novemb. 27. 1641. Your Servant to command, Thomas Partington. A true Relation of the bloody Massacre and damnable Treason of the cruel Papists intended against Dublin, October 23. 1641. desperately acted in most parts of the Kingdom of Ireland, tending to the utter ruin and extirpation of all the Protestants there: With a list of the several tortures, cruelties, outrages, on the bodies of poor Christians, related by persons of good credit, who are fled from those bloody men, to tell us what they have seen with their eyes and heard with their ears, on examinattions of divers of the Actors in this Tragedy illustrated by Pictures. BEhold, as in a Map of blood, the unwearied plottings, and restless contrivements of bloody men only skilful to destroy, whose Religion is founded in blood, whose obedience will not be bounded with oaths, asseverations, nay execrations, as the ensuing Story of cruelty relates, who are true (as steel) to their damned Principles, Nulla fides cum Haereticis whose principles are steeped blood, tolerating Rebellion against King and kingdom, murdering of Princes, blowing up of Parliament, sowing seeds of division between Confederate kingdoms, England, Scotland. as those two Handfasted and Troth-plighted Nations in a League of love, indissoluble (blessed be God) can testify: blowing up coals of Division, hotter than coals of iuniper in the same kingdom, where they live in too much peace. witness Germany, that field of blood, as a book of their miseries called the Lamentation of Germany●●ely printed ●elates. witness England, who hath had woeful experience of their plottings to break Union between King and people, King and Parliament. But now behold, these bloody Papists with their Vizard pulled off, and now acting their plots like incarnate Devils (as our Saviour called their brethren the Scribes and Pharisees. For the works of their father they do) I say now acting their devilish design on the State of Ireland our sister Nation, aiming no lower than the death and ruin of the whole kingdom at one blow. For had their plot on Dublin Castle taken (which they had laid with so much subtlety and secrecy) as in probability it had, had not the keeper of Israel which slumbers not prevented it, in a most miraculous manner, they had been by the morning light at work, cutting off man, woman and child, till they had not left one remaining among them that bore the name of a Protestant. Blessed be God their snare was broken, and that poor City designed to destruction, delivered, the relation of which tragedy now begins: Oh that our ears may tingle! and our bowels yearn at the relation of this horrid design: and at the relations of those cruelties and tortures exceeding all parallel, unheard off among Pagans, Turks, or Barbarians, except you would enter into the confines of Hell itself, to see the Devils (those Engineers of cruelty) acting of their parts: I know not where you will find their fellows, making it their sport to torture and to vex those poor distressed Protestants, he that is most cruel merits most of their bloody Jesuits. Those firebrands of Hell preach to them in their Massings and Conventicles, as is truly related by Gentlemen of Ireland of good worth, who like Jobs Messengers are escaped their merciless hands, relating nothing but what they have heard with their ears, upon examination of witnesses, or seen with their eyes, that so men might not be deluded with false and idle Pamphlets, but read and see the truth of things that all men may behold what bloody tigers and Vultures these Popish Spirits are, how perfidious and basely treacherous to those Nations that succour them; never any Kingdom being long at peace where they were tolerated, as this fresh bleeding Nation of Ireland can sadly relate you in this ensuing Narration. Here begins the bloody attempts upon the kingdom of Ireland in the general, and on Dublin in particular. UPon the three and twentieth day of October last 1641, the Castle of Dublin, should have surprised (as at that time it might easily have been) for there was no fear or suspicion of Treachery, there being at that time four hundred Irish Papists elected out of most parts of Ireland, desperate persons designed and appointed for that bloody and desperate attempt, all lodging and skulking in several places of the City and Suburbs, waiting and expecting the time and watchword, when to give the onset. But that God that keepeth Israel saw their bloody intentions to overthrow and ruinate all the professors of the true Religion, disappointed their wicked hopes, and (to their own shame and confusion) discovered and laid open their hellish plot to succeeding ages, that the Lord alone might be admired, and they confounded. And this he did by moving in the heart of one of their own countrymen at that time, an abhorring of so foul and detestable a Treason, and to reveal it to Sir William Parsons Knight and Baronet, Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries, and Sir John Borlase Knight, Master of the Ordnance, both Lords Justices of the kingdom of Ireland. The party who discovered the plot had been formerly a servant to Sir John Clotworthy, a godly and religious Gentleman, but at time (when he revealed their design) he served one captain Mack-Mahowne an Irishman, who lodged at the sign of the artichoke, vulgarly called Saint Mary's Abbey in the Suburbs of the City of Dublin, The servant's name was Owen Mack-Connel, who being with his Master Captain Mack-Mahown, in a house in Cookstreet, at the Lodging of the Lord Mack-Gueere, also and Irishman in the City of Dublin. Upon the two and twentieth of October, being the night afore; his Master did then and there reveal the whole plot unto him in the presence of the Lord Mack-Gueere, and others. Owen Mac-onell, who discovered the plot of taking Dublin, had a pistol Charged with too Bullets▪ the pane primed with powder & Brimstone twice offered against him took not fire▪ so the rebels said God will not suffer him to be killed & he will be on our side▪ I warrant you, Owen Mac-onell leaping over a wall escaped & was sent to our parliament with letters & was rewarded 500 lb & 200 per Annum. At the first the Lord Parsons did seem to slight it, but Owen Mack-Counel, confidently affirmed the thing to my Lord in the hearing of his servants to be true, and withal told him thus: viz. My Lord, my Lord, I have discharged my duty and my conscience, look you to it; I will go back to my Master, because neither he nor the rest shall suspect me. Your Lordship shall find my Lord Mack-Gueere at Master Cadowgans' house in Cookstreet, and captain Mack-Mahown, at the Artichoke in the aforesaid Mary's Abbey, to which place I am going now. This Owen Mack-Connel going homewards to his Master's lodging, takes up dirt in his hands and besmuts and dirties his face that he might appear to them to have tumbled over and over in the dirt, whose approach and entrance into the room (where a great many of them were assembled together, drinking and making merry, for they intended not to go to bed) was so ridiculous that the company burst out into such a loud and sudden laughter with shouting and hollowing that the place rung of them round about, and to welcome him home the company fell to their old course to make him drink more, but at last he told them that he must needs go down into the yard, so they suffered him to go, but commanded two of his companions to attend him and bring him up again, but they let him go into the yard by himself, not suspecting what he had done; nor what he meant to do: no sooner was he in the yard, but knowing the place, leaped over the pale, and so escaped from them. Great search they made in the yard for him, and up and down the house, thinking he had been crept to bed, or hid himself in the barn of stable, so that they were amazed to think what should become of him, because they generally believed him to be so drunk and in such a pickle, they refrained looking any further after him, conceiving that he was past care to tell tales wheresoever he was, and so fell to their mirth and jollity again. But not long after, in the midst of their mirth, came some of the Guard belonging to the Lords Justices, entered the House, where there was little or no resistance, apprehended Captain Mack-Mahowne, and one Rory Magennis, being the chief in that place at the artichoke, and brought them bound before the Lords, about five of the clock in the morning, being upon the Saturday, which was the three and twentieth day of October last. At the same time and hour the rest of the Guard apprehended the Lord Mack-Gueere in Cookstreet, in the house of Master Cadowgan where they found him under a bed with a case of Pistols charged and a Skeene by his side, but did not offer to shoot. Captain Mack-Mahowne upon his examination confessed the whole plot, how that morning the Castle of Dublin should have been surprised by forty Irish Papists desperate Villains in this manner following. First, they should have gone into the Castle (to avoid suspicion) one by one, some at the water-gate, and some at the Castle-gate, each man with his Skeen, and so to have met in the great Court, and suddenly to have rushed upon the Warders, and to have murdered them, and so to have possessed themselves of their Halberds and other weapons, and then to have stood in the entrance of both Gates to let in the rest being three hundred and sixty more, appointed for the execution of that Hel-hatcht Design●; they could not have wanted help, the odds was so great on their side, I mean the bloody Romish party, and I am of opinion there would have been but little or no resistance, their party would have been so strong, there being at that time one hundred Papists to five Protestants within the very City of Dublin▪ to my knowledge, and so they are generally throughout the whole kingdom, what a combustion had there been in Dublin that day? what a distraction had our poor countrymen, I mean the English Protestants been in? and I myself being then one belonging to the crown Office in Dublin, and an eye witness of their passages amongst the rest? I dare be bold to say, that if they had taken that Castle, being so richly furnished with all manner of Munition, as powder, shot and arms being also strengthened with above one hundred pieces of Ordnance of all sorts with their carriages, that all Ireland had been before this day an Acheldama, or a field of blood, and I am of opinion that of all the English Plantators in Ireland, there would not have been living one Family. Some of those Villains that should have surprised the Castle, to wit, Rory Mack Mahowne, William O Neale, Thady O duff, and others, have been taken and examined before the council, and upon their examinations have confessed, that upon the Sabbath day night after they had surprised the Castle (being the day following) their intent was to have marked all the Irish houses with a cross, to have distinguished them from the English, and so to have murdered them by entering forcibly and treacherously upon them, and also to have seized all the shipping at the Rings end near Dublin, that there had been no way or means left for man, woman, or child to have escaped their fury, nor any place of refuge left to have found mercy. Stand and pause a while and consider the depth of this horrid treason to have cut off all the Protestants! Oh the cries, the shrieks, the tears of poor souls flying, this way and that way, still into the mouth of these ravenous Lions, and this would have been their Sabbath days work, a fit sacrifice for him whose servants they were. But praised be the Lord, their net is broken, and we have escaped. What man so blind as may not herein behold the handy work of God, and how the hands and hearts of those malicious furies and firebrands of Rome are bent to shed innocent blood, that notwithstanding they have so often failed in their wicked & bloody purposed and intents both private and public, which they have secretly attempted in darkness will not see although they live in the light nor take warning, but still run on in their blood-thirstiness to extirpate whole States, to suppress the Truth, and to shed the blood of God's Saints, but I trust they shall fall into the pit that they digged for others. It was concluded by the Lord's Justices and council of Ireland, that the aforenamed Owen Mack-Connel, who had discovered this Treason should be sent with Letters to the Parliament here in England, the King being at that time in Scotland, who at his coming was rewarded with a gratuity of five hundred pounds in money, and an allowance towards the maintenance of himself, his wife and children of two hundred pounds a year, until his Majesty find out some better gift to bestow upon him, I am verily persuaded that his discovery of this Treason hath preserved the lives of a hundred thousand men, women and children and many more, in the several Provinces and Counties of Ireland. Now to enter into this direful Tragedy, every step being a step in blood. Here followeth a true description or relation of sundry sad and lamentable collections, taken from the mouths of very credible persons, and out of Letters sent from Ireland to this city of London, of the perfidious outrages and barbarous cruelties, which the Irish Papists have committed upon the persons of the Protestants, both men, women, and children in that kingdom. Anno Dom. 1641. THe Irish Nation is well known to be a people both proud and envious. For the comonalty (they are for the most part) ignorant and illiterate, poor, and lazy; and will rather beg or starve, than work: & therefore fit subjects for the Priests and Jesuits to spur on upon such bloody actions and murth'rous designs. Ignorance is their Mother, which is devoid of mercy: God deliver all good Christians from the cruelty of such a Mother and Children. It is too well known, (the more is the pity and to be lamented) that the Irish have murdered of the Protestant party in the Provinces of Ulster, Lempster, Connaght and Munster, of men, women, and children, the number of fifty thousand, as it is credibly reported by Englishmen, who have been over all parts of the kingdom, and do protest upon their oaths that there are above five thousand Families destroyed. The kingdom of Ireland hath four Provinces, wherein there are contained two and thirty Counties, besides Cities and County towns, in all which places the English are planted up and down in all parts, where the Irish have most murtherously and traitorously surprised them upon great advantages, and with out respect of persons either of age, youth, or infancy, of youngmen or maids, or of old men or babes, stripped all to their skins, naked as ever they were borne into the World, so they have gone out of the World, many hundreds having been found starved to death in Ditches for want of food and raiment, where the rebellious Irish have showed them no more mercy or compassion, no, nor so much as they would do to their Dogs. Thus much for the general, now I come to particulars. At one Master Atkins house, seven Papists broke in & beat out his brains, then ripped up his Wife with child, after they had ravished her, and Nero-like viewed nature's bed of conception, they then took the child, and sacrificed it in the fire. They have flayed the skin from the bones of others like Butchers: the principles of whose Religion is blood. Witness our Books of Martyrs those Chronicles of blood. Witness those thousands of butchered Protestants in France, or Germany. They burned others, firing their Houses, Towns, Villages, those sons of the coal, as if their habitation were in Hell. At one Mr Atkins house 7 Papists broke in & beat out his brains, than riped upe his wife with child after they had ravished her & Nero like viewed natures bed of conception than took they the child & sacrificed it in the fire English Protestants striped naked & turned into the mountains in the frost, & snow▪ whereof many hundreds are perished to death▪ & many liing dead in diches & savages upbraided them saying now are ye wild Irisch as well as we▪ They have vowed to root out all the English Nation out of this kingdom. They have turned all the Protestants out of Kilkeny. At Belturbal● in the County of Cavan, the Popish Rebels demanded the Town on promise, that if they would surrender they should pass free with bag and baggage, they backed their promise with oaths and execrations, cursing themselves, if they did not let them go withal. On serious considerations of the inhabitants and, the governor, they were persuaded to yield it up, which when they had done, and drawing away their goods and moneys, they like treacherous Villains sent about twenty or thirty to guard them, when they had guarded them seven miles from the Town, they with more of that desperate forsworn rabble seized on them, robbed all the Protestants, being between five hundred and a thousand persons, men, women, and children; who submitting themselves to their mercy, found no quarter but cruelty: they stripped them all naked, and turned them out of their houses into the open fields in bitter cold weather, in a most vile and shameful manner, not affording them one of their lousy rags to hide those parts which should be covered. Take notice of the faith of a Papist, who for his own advantage, casts off all bonds of fidelity and common honesty. They are remarkable for perfidiousness and treachery, as you may behold in that Master of misrule, the arch-rebel Sir Philem-Oneal, basely pretending to be a Suitor to the old Lady Cawfield being a Widow, and made fair promises of his respects to her, and when he had his advantage of possession of her house and goods, turned them out of all, and bound them prisoners, and made her whom he intended his nearest Companion to be his lowest vassal. In the town of Lurgon, in the County of Armagh, the Mac-kans skirmishing with the Englishmen, slew divers of our men, whereupon they entered parley demanding the town: Sir William Brunlow being governor of the Castle, on some considerations thought good to yield thereupon they promised and backed it with oaths & great protestations, that they should have fair quarter, and pass without prejudice to their lives: yet behold the perfidiousness of these brutish creatures, as men not fearing God or devil, whose practice they imitate, who was a liar from the beginning. Notwithstanding all these fair pretences they knew no mercy, killed men, spoiled women, nay, in their boundless rage, slew and massacred, and sript helpless Ministers, whose calling might have pleaded pity. But what speak we of pity to men, that have no bowels? In London Derry, at the town of Belly-hagh belonging to the Londoners. Sir Philem-Oneal, promised under hand and seal to let the poor Protestants to pass with bag and baggage, only to part with their Town, which was a fair goodly place: yet this perfidious rebel, as if it was not enough to make these poor souls harborless, to lay them open to wind and weather, but to add to all their misery, stripped man, woman and child, took their clothes for a prey, and sent them out naked, without a shirt or smock to their backs, left them not worth a groat, this was one of their works of mercy, if they scaped with their lives: but how many lives might be lost by this immodest and inhuman act, judge. The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Will you behold another merciful act and record it. Captain Rory Macquire, the Lord Macquires brother at the beginning of the rebellion for the first fortnight commands his soldiers to give quarter to women and children, but to massacre all the men to spare none. Woe to him that makes the wife a widow and the children fatherless, but after they began to resist, and to gather into Companies: then hear the Charge of this bloody man, Give no quarter, no not to women, though tears and prayers interpose, yet know no pity: no not to harmless babes, though it was death enough to kill their parents, nor spare neither man, woman, or child. It is reported by an eminent Gentleman, that hath long dwelled among the Rebels, but it's thought fit to forbear the names of those that give intelligence of the barbarous cruelties of these savage beasts, because they threaten to be the death of them that shall unmask them. It is reported by this Gentleman that the Handlowans came to Town-regis, divers of them assaulted the Castle, of which Captain Saint John was Commander, he with his son got away with some difficulty, leaping over the wall, they fearing they might fetch supplies to recover their lost Castle, most inhumanly took the captain's wife, (Poor Gentlewoman) and set her on the wall having stripped her to her smock, who was big with child (and within an hour of her delivery) that in case the Captain and his son should have assaulted the town, his Wife should have been the white at which he must have leveled: oh extreme and unheard of cruelty! As for the Protestant Ministers whom they surprise, their cruelty is such towards them, as it would make the hardest heart to melt into tears. Their manner is first to strip them, and after bind them to a tree or some post where they please, and then to ravish their wives and daughters before their faces (in sight of all their merciless rabble) with the basest Villains they can pick out, after they hang up their husbands and parents before their faces, and then cut them down before they be half dead, then quarter them, after dismember them, and stop their mouths therewith. They basely abused one M. Trafford a Minister in the North of Ireland who was assaulted by these bloody wolves of Rome's brood, that know not God, nor any bowels of mercy. This poor distressed Minister desired but so much time to bethink himself before he took his farewell of the World to call upon God: but these merciless wretches would admit no time, but instantly fell on him, hacked and hewed him to pieces. Doctor Tate Minister of Belly-Hayes they stripped stark naked, and then wounded him dangerously in the head, and then let him go towards Dublin, where he lay long sick. Sir Patrick Dunston's Wife ravished before him, slew his Servants, spurned his Children till they died, bound him with rolls of Match to a board, that his eyes burst out, cut off his ears and nose, teared off both his cheeks, after cut off his arms and legs, cut out his tongue, after run a red hot iron into him. Multitudes of herrings driven into Dublin, 20 a penny. Sr: Patrick Dunsons' wife ravished before him▪ slew his servants, spurned his Children tell they died, bound him with Rowles of match to a board that his eyes bursted out cut of his ears & nose teared ofe both his cheeks after cut of his arms & legs, cut out his tongue after run a red hot Iron into him Many Gentlewomen have they ravished before their husband's faces, stripping them first naked to the view of their wicked companions, taunting and mocking them (after they have spoiled them) with bitter and reproachful words, sending them away in such a shameful, or rather shameless manner, that most of them have died with shame and grief, or else have starved with want and cold. Base cruelty unheard of, exceeding the brute beasts, and so much the worse because they are reasonable, which makes them skilful to destroy. One Master Luttrell dwelling within three miles of the burrow of Cavan, a Gentleman worth by report, two or three hundred pounds a year, with a very great stock of Cattle, was basely betrayed by an Irish Boy that he had bred up in his house. See the baseness of the Popish brood, who when he was at Dinner (being upon the thirtieth day of October last) was surprised by threescore of those Irish unmerciful Villains, with a company of dirty whores and Bastards that followed them, which this Boy let in at a back door, where pulling him and his virtuous Wife from the Table, and four small children, the eldest of them being not six years of age, and one sucking at her breast without pity or humanity stripped them naked, notwithstanding their prayers and tears to have let them kept their clothes, and then thrusting them in a cruel and violent manner out of doors, threatened to kill them if they went not speedily away. Take notice how uncertain all our outward comforts are. So they departed (for fear) away, being ashamed to be seen of their servants, some of them running one way, and some another to shift for themselves, but the distressed Gentleman with his Wife and Children, and a little youth, directed their course towards Dublin, hoping to find some of their friends in the way to relieve them, but the farther they came the more miserable they were, meeting their loving Friends robbed (by others) in the same manner, which struck in them such amazement and fear, that their hearts failed them, so that being naked and hungry, helpless and hopeless, the poor Infants crying in their ears, which must needs kill their hearts, they went not far but sat down under a Hedge or Ditch, and there died: being not (at that time above six miles from his own house, for this little youth that he had bred up (being an English boy) forsook not his Master when the rest ran from him, but continued with him till death, the same day, some Horsemen or Troopers riding that way to coast the Country, me this youth, unto whom he told this sad story, and being not far from the place led them to this lamentable sight, where they beheld the true love of Man and Wife, embracing each other in their death, the three eldest children dead, but the sucking child was alive preserved through heat, being between them both, and grabling and gaping for the dead mother's breast. So the Troopers took up the child, carrying it to a Nurse, for they knew the Parents well, and bestowed some clothes upon the English youth, who came to Dublin within few days after, and related the story in my hearing. In the County of Roscommon, near the Town of Roscommon, there fled into the Parish Church, eleven score of the English, men, women, and children, where they remained three days and nights without any sustenance, till they were almost starved, so that at last (what with the cries of their children and their own wants) they were forced to commit themselves to the cruelty of the Irish, who according to their usual manner first stripped them naked, after drove them through the Town like so many harmless Sheep and Lambs over a Bridge at the town's end, having before broke down one of the middle arches where a strong water runneth, so that either they must leap in or come back, their intent being there to murder them, as they did. For the poor wretches being sick, weak and faint for food and sleep (yet unwilling to hasten their own ends) some returned back whom they killed without mercy, others they thrust into the water who were drowned, some that could, did swim towards the shore, and there inhuman villainies, brutish furies, ran and met them before they could get to land, and knocked them in the head in the water, some few escaped that did swim to the other side of the River, where the Irish could not come at them, having before broken down the Bridge themselves, and so escaped to Dublin, to be sad witnesses of this lamentable Tragedy. Master Blandry a Minister they hanged, after pulled his flesh from his bones in his wife's sight. Drivinge Men Women & Children by hundreds upon Briges & casting them into rivers, who drowned not were killed with poles & shot with muskets Mr Blandry Minister hanged after pulled his flesh from his bones in his wiffes' sight There was one Gentlewoman which was wife to Master King a Deane (Brother to the Bishop of Clogue) and Parson of Dundalke, in the County of Lowth, who having three thousand inhabitants in his Parish, had but thirty Communicants of the Protestant Party, the rest being all Irish and Papist, and although this Gentleman did for many days together (by his own Relation to me) solicit his wife to go to Dublin, and to remove his goods thither living at a place about two miles from Dundalke, she being great with child, yet would not be persuaded, although she knew the Rebels were at the Newry within eight miles of Dundalke, whereupon he left her and his Family, and going to a Friends house within two miles of his own (for fear of the multitude of the Irish, that lived about his own House) he remained there but two days when tidings was brought him, that the Irish had seized upon his wife and all that he had, so that he was forced to fly away for his life with his friends, who was pursued by the Rebels above twelve miles, but through God's mercy he escaped with his precious life (which they hunted after) with the loss of his whole estate, and wife whom they turned out of doors (having first abused her) where she was delivered in straw, without the help of any woman, and so perished. She was a charitable Gentlewoman, and in her life time had relieved many hundreds of the poor Irish, and this mercy they afforded her for her charity. The Lord Blany escaped their cruelty, being forced to ride fourteen miles upon a poor carrion jade, without either bridle or saddle to save his life, his virtuous Lady being surprised by these Villains, the same day and his children, who use her most ignobly and cruelly, neither regarding her nobleness of birth, nor her Lord, but forced her to lodge in straw with a poor allowance of two pence a day to relieve her and her children: and to add affliction to the good Lady's misery, slew a Kinsman of hers, and caused him to be hanged up before her face two days and two nights in the room where she lay to terrify her, telling her withal, she must expect that end. the Lord Blany forced to ride 14 Miles without Bridle or saddle to save his life his Lady Lodged in Strawe being allowed 2 a day to relieve her & her Children, slew a kinsman of hers and hanged him up before her face 2 days telling her she must expect the same to terrify her the Moor Mr Davenant and his Wife bound in their chairs Striped the 2 Eldest Children of 7 years old roasted them upon spits before their Parents faces. Cutt heir throat and after murdered him. At the Borough of Kello, or, as some Letters report, at the Borough of Trim, being both in the County of Meath, in the Province of Ulster, the Rebels surprised the house of one Arthur Robinson, he himself being at that time in Dublin, which was upon the sixt day of November last, about some suits he had in law, being in the last Michaelmas term, he not knowing that the Rebels were risen in those parts there, he intending to have gone home to his wife and family, five or six days after, hoping by that time to have ended his business, and indeed when he came from his house to Dublin, which was on the twentieth day of October, the Rebellion was not begun in any part of Ireland, but before his appointed time to return home, a Messenger prevented him with heavy tidings, even his only Daughter whom he quickly knew, though she were much disguized, for the Rebels have slain most of his Family, robbed and pillaged the house, after they had stripped his wife and ravished her, they sought aught for this young Virgin (being about fourteen years of age) who had hid herself in a barn, where the Villains quickly found her: but she made what resistance she could to preserve her Chastity, and with a Knife she had (unseen to them) wounded one of them, which the rest perceiving seized upon her violently, stripped her, and then bound her with her arms abroad, in such manner as she could not help herself any way, and so like hellhounds deflowered her one after another, till they had spoiled her; and to show their unheard off malice, were not herewith content, but pulled the hair from her head, and cut out her tongue: because she should not report the truth and their cruelty, but the maid could write, though she could not speak, and so discovered their inhuman usage to her and her mother. The maid was sent with a letter from her Father in Dublin to Mynhead in Somersetshire, to her Uncle William Dyer, her mother's Brother living within three miles of Mynhead, which letter I have seen here in town▪ containing the contents above-written, being dated at Dublin, the twentieth of November last. About the eighth of January last a distressed Minister came to Dublin, that had 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, but she went and when she came where her goods were (as if that were too little to lose her estate, but her life must go also) they hanged her up. Was there ever such barbarism among the Heathen? Arthur Robinson's daughter 14. years old the rebels bound her arms a broad, deflowered, her one after an other tell they spoiled her then pulled the hair from her head and cut out her tongue that she might not tell of their Cruelty, but she declared it by writing A Minister and his wife came to Dublin Jan: 30. 1641. left behind him some goods with a supposed friend, sent for them but could not be delivered unless he or his wife come for them she came and presently they hanged her upe, In the county of Fermannagh, in the Province of Ulster, they murdered one Master Champion a Justice of Peace, and a burgess of the Parliament for the Borough of Iniskillin in the said County, who was betrayed by an Irish villain his Tenant, whom he had saved himself twice before from the gallows. The Rogue's name was Patrick Mack-Dermot, who finding one of his Companion, brings him to Master Champion's House, and tells Master Champion that he found this thief stealing of his cattle, The Gentleman knowing this Mack-Dermot, said unto him before one Master Iremonger an Attorney, I am glad thou art turned from a thief to catch a thief, whereupon he returned him this peremptory answer, That he was no more thief than himself. No sooner had he uttered these words in the Court before his house, but there rushes in upon them a great number of these rebels, who without respect of mercy stabbed Master Champion, instantly before he could get into his house: so that he fell down immediately, but their fury went further than death, for they wounded him with their Skeins in thirty places after he was dead, and then cut off his head to make sure work, while the rest ran into the house after Master Iremonger, whom they followed so close that he had not time to lay hold on his sword to help himself, but falling down upon his knees and calling upon God for mercy, they fell upon him, and ran him thorough and thorough, and so he died. One of Master Champion's servants escaped to Dublin, and reported this in my hearing in December last. A third was likewise slain, than the Rebels entered the House and killed more: his wife's sister and her brother in law, with two others in the house they keep prisoners to this day, taking possession of all they had within the house and without, his wife was down on her knees to beg a sheet to put her hubands' dead body in. And another Gentleman with other Friends that came to visit him over night, lost their lives next morning. Mr: FFordes house rifled and to make her confess where her money lay they took hot tongues clapping them to the souls of her feet & to the palms of her hands so tormented her that with the pain thereof she died They have set men & women on hot Grideorns to make them confess where there money was They have set up Gallows five miles distant in divers places on purpose, to hang up the Protestant Spies, which they have done accordingly, they have likewise cruelly set women & men one red hot gridirons to make them confess where such coin, and money, and goods as they had, or whether they have hid or sold any. And all these cruelties are not done without the advice and animation of the friars, Priests, and Jesuits, and their religious men, or rather Firebrands of Hell; who at their Masses, and their incendiary Sermons, stir up the people to the committing of these Massacres, promising them pardon for the same, and assuring them the more merit, by how much the more they exceed in their villainous cruelties: they themselves being still in the first of these executions. For no stratagem of war, nor other horrid action or design whatsoever, is there undertaken, without them. They going on with their soldiers in the head and front of every battle, and by their mischievous advices and counsels do make them mad, tiger-like, with fierceness and cruelty, assuring them that to imbrue their hands in the blood of us Protestants (which they term heretics) shall add to their merits and Canonization of Saints, and gain them higher place and reward in Heaven. Master Jerome Minister they basely abused who lived near Dublin sometimes: but when he was thus murdered, he lived near the Borough of Athie, in the County of Kildare, they hanged him then, mangled his body, cut off his members, stopped his mouth with them, then quartered him. This is reported by a Citizen of Dublin now in London to bear witness to this Truth. A Proclamation was made that neither English nor Irish should either sell or keep in their houses any powder upon the loss of goods and life: except with licence, and at two shillings the pound. Ministers they hate and breath out cruelty against cruelty, massacring their bodies, burning their books, and tearing them in pieces, and it is likely where they can light on them they use them accordingly. Having ravished Virgens & wives they take there Children & dase there brains against the Walls in sight of there weeping Parents & after destrored them likewise Mr Jerome Minister of Brides his Body mangled & his members cut of They rob all English Protestants, stripping them stark naked, and so turn them into the open fields and mountains in frost and snow, where hundreds have perished. They destroy the English breed of cattle out of malice to the Protestants, that the poor dumb creatures fare the worse and are spoiled, though one of ours is worth four of theirs. They have cut off men's privy members and stopped their mouths with them (like cruel savage beasts) that they might commit such horrid villainies without noise and lest their pitiless bowels might be moved with the cries of those so cruelly massacred Protestants. At Waterford, some poor Protestants ready to be starved, came to the town for relief, and their charity threw them some bread over the wall: it is likely the Dogs should have had the same entertainment. The Papists curse the Jesuits and friars that have been the cause of all this, this gives hopes their kingdom being divided cannot stand. These bloody Papists forced the Protestants to pull off their clothes, and then killed them on purpose, that they might have their clothes without holes. After they had knocked a man down dead, they fearing he might counterfeit they do run their swords twenty times into his body lest he might revive again. They have stripped Ladies and Gentlewomen, Virgins both old and young stark naked, turning them into the open fields. Many hundreds have been found dead in ditches with cold and want of food and raiment, esteeming them no better than Dogs. They labour what they can to make death appear more dreadful than it is in itself: they hang up Husband, Kindred, Children, before the faces of their living wives and tender mother's ready to die for grief, a death worse than death itself, and this they do on purpose to increase their dolorous pain and anguish. They have forced (as is reported) some to turn to their cursed bloody Religion, and then persuaded them that they were fittest to die, and then treacherously kill their bodies and do what in them lies to damn their souls. Debtors basely murdering their Creditors. Tenants sheathing their swords in their landlord's bowels, servants unnaturally slaying their Masters, others possessing themselves of their lands, goods, plates, money, jewels, householdstuff, corn, and cattle, and thrust them out of doors naked. Oh inhuman cruelty! Many great men's servants being Irish ran away from their Masters with their best Horses to the Rebels. Many of the Protestants usually took into their houses, Irish boys, as Servants and those did basely betray their Masters like Judas, into the hands of these bloody Wolves. A good caveat to look to our servants before we take them, and to instruct them in the fear of God when we have. Others they have wounded to death, and then left them languishing, their bellies being ripped up & guts issuing out, they poor wretches lying on dunghills (see the charity of cruel Papists) all this lest they should be out of their misery too soon. It seems it was their delight to linger out their cruelties (like men that wanted Bowels) for whereas the primitive persecutions were exquisitely cruel yet they made a quick dispatch of them: but these sons of Belial found new ways of persecution by extreme cold and hunger to starve (which aggravates their cruelty) tender women with child, poor helpless infants and sucklings. An Irish rebel (as a credible friend reports) snatched an innocent babe out of the arms of the mother, and cast it into the fire before her face, but God met with this bloody wretch: for before he went from that place, he broke his neck. The Rebels have burned all the Plantation towns in the County of London Derry. One hundred and twenty they threw into the water by force, drowning some that could not swim, others that could they knocked on the head. Many rich and great men have fled into England, carrying their estates with them, they have left no relief for the poor distressed people that came hither. thousands are thus fled into Dublin, many hundreds starved to death with hunger and cold, the poor Citizens relieve them beyond their abilities the charge lying on the poorer sort. Many of their wives they have ravished in their sights before the multitude like bruit beasts, stripping them naked to the view of their wicked companions, taunting them, scoffing them, and then sending them away shamefully, that they have died with grief, or been starved with cold. One Master Wells Minister losing his notes, went back to look them, and as he returned he met the Rebels crying, Kill all, Kill all, the head Rebels command. Thereupon he fled over a Mountain, was up to the breast in cold snow water and so scaped to Dublin very hardly with his life. Three thousand six hundred poor souls fled naked into Dublin, and starved with hunger, came to eat something and died with eating, twenty in a day lay dead in the open streets, as men smitten with the plague. Sir James Crag being in his Castle, having many with him was besieged with the Rebels, and almost famished the Knight was constrained to put forty out of the Castle which else must have been famished with the rest: behold the crnelty of these bloodsucking Papists, when they were turned out, and left to their mercy, they made quick dispatch set on them, and slew every man. Another as savage of that bloodhound Rory Macqueere, at the beginning of the Rebellion, who came into an English gentleman's house, and found him in his bed, and there began to cruciate and torture his naked body, that he might extort of him a Confession where his treasure lay, which when this poor distracted Gentleman acknowledged in hopes to be eased, they cruelly killed him, and then stripped his wife naked, and turned her out of doors, as if they would make all savage like themselves: and lastly, Makqueere took his daughter being a proper Gentlewoman and satisfied his beastly lust on her deflowering her, as if this was too little to kill her father, turn her mother out of doors, and abuse her himself, but like an inhuman Villain cut off her garments by the middle, and then turned her to the mercy of the common soldiers, to be abused at their pleasure. The priests & Jesuites anoint the rebels with there Sacrament of unction before they go to murder & robe ashuringe them that for there meritorious service, if they be killed he shall escape Purgatory & go to heaven immediately. They do usually mangell there dead carcase laying wagers who shall cut deepest into there dead flesh with there Skeyns. they destroy our English sheep in detestation of us, although one is better than 4 of theirs. they have vowed to root out the name of the English. They do usually mangle their dead carcases laying wagers, who shall cut deepest into their flesh with their skeins. At Carvagh, near Colerant, the Rebels came to begirt the. Town, Master Rowly Brother to the worthy Knight Sir John Clotworthy, came forth with a small Company about three hundred men to prevent them, they came upon them with a very great company, and slew all but eight of the Protestants, base cowardice where they want courage, they make it up with heaps and multitudes of frighted Hares, and the more fearful and cowardly, ever the more cruel upon any advantage. All their cruelties have been usually on disarmed men in small Villages, where was no strength to resist them, there they have tyrannizd over the weaker sex, women, & they have basely triumphed over little children their rage hath been exercised. Oh base cowardice if they have ventured sometimes on pur men, it hath been when they were naked, as they have been flying from those Furies which their party have newly stripped naked: by and by they met with more of those White-livered villains in companies. They would likewise abuse those poor naked Protestants like Dogs, adding to their misery beating them and bruising their naked bodies with cudgels, breaking the heads of some and wounding others that if they have not died, they have been dangerously sick with the inhuman usage of those merciless wretches: nay, rather than they will be (nobody) they will show their manhood in abusing dead bodies, as this story declares by very credible testimony from their own countrymen. Here I shall acquaint you with a remarkable Story, which I received from a Citizen of Dublins testimony of good repute there and here: wherein you may behold the promise made good to the Protestant side, which the Lord himself made to his People Israel, that five should chase a hundred. It pleased God by one man and few with him to outdare about thirty thousand of those cowardly Rebels, whose cause is base, whose Religion is but a mere pretence for their bloody designs, and thus it was as that Citizen related. A very great Army of about thirty thousand Rebels besieged Drohedah, wherein was that valiant and religious Commander Sir Henry Tichbourn, with a few of the Protestant party with him in comparison of those multitudes of Rebels, trusting to their great Army, boldly demanded the town, if they would yield, no question, but they should have fair quarter: but Sir Henry knowing them (its likely) very well how perfidious they were, and the less to be believed, the more they swore and execrated themselves, resolutely replied, and sent the Rebels this Answer. Be it known to you I am a soldier bred, and will never yield but upon three conditions: 1 Before I surrender I will kill all the Papists in the Town. 2 I will destroy all the Nunneries. 3 I will fire the town, and march in the light of it, by the help of God to Dublin. Nay, rather than I will give up, I will feed on a piece of a dead horse, and if that fail, I will eat the shoulder of an old Popish Alderman. This bone he threw among those hungry wolves, and you may imagine how they relished it. And that remarkable instance which was published by order of the Right honourable the House of Lords concerning this Noble and Religious Knight Sir Henry Tichbourn, how it pleased God to honour him with a successfully victory against the Rebels now very lately, they being driven in Drohedah, to eat horse flesh for want of other provision. The Rebels having chained up the River in hope to keep out provision by Sea, that no relief might come from Dublin, it pleased God to raise such a storm that broke the chain, and scattered the enemy's boats, and opened a free passage from Dublin, whereby they were relieved, blessed be God. Thus the Lord fought for them by winds and Seas. As the winds and Seas obey him, and he rules in them, so on the land he rules. It is Deut. 32. 30. not by many but by few, one shall chase a hundred when God sights for his people. Pulling them about the streets by the hair of the head, dashing the children's brains against the posts saying these were the pigs of the English sows. Droghedah so bloked up that a bushel of wheat was fold for 23. Shill, & meat scarce to be had at any rate▪ Jan▪ 4. 1641. Here take notice of their cowardice again attempted on a noble Lady by a Letter sent from seven of the grand Rebels, with her resolute and undaunted answer to them as follow●. 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 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 ladyship upon submission, shall have a safe convoy to secure you from the hands of your enemies, and to lead you where you leave. A speedy replyis desired with all expedition, and thus we surcease: Henry Demsy. Charles Demsy. Andrew Fitz Patrick. Conn Dempsy. Phelim Demsy. 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 assaul; 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. These stories I relate that all true-hearted Protestants may take heart, and likewise take notice that God is vindicating his own glory against these desperate Atheists that began to insult, and to ask (as we are credibly informed) what is become of the God of the Protestants, and likewise what spirit and courage God is able to put into the hearts of those that fight for him, and for his cause against his bloodthirsty enemies. And therefore be not dismayed you Protestants, 'tis a great honour to fight under the Banner of Christ, they fight under the Banner of Antichrist, the Lord is with you while ye are with him. See the blasphemies and cruelties of these bloody men: it is that their names (as Amalek) may be blotted out from under Heaven, for surely the day of recompense is coming, that God will make his arrows drunk in their blood, they love blood, and therefore God will give them blood in great measure. As for instance. I shall relate you a bloody story of one of those cruel beasts. The Protestant Troopers about the beginning of February last, marched out of Dublin, as they use to do, to view the Coasts, they espied a cruel rebel hewing and mangling a woman in so horrid a manner that it was not possible to know her, having acted his devilish part he triumphed over her dead corpse, and washed his hands in her blood, whereupon the Troopers apprehended this barbarous villain in the very act of cruelty, and brought him to Dublin with his hands all bloody, and was adjudged to be hanged immediately, he ascended the Ladder, and would not stay till the Executioner turned him off, but desperately leapt off and hanged himself. This was in the beginning of February last, and is credibly reported by a Citizen of Dublin, who saw him thus hanged with his hands all bloody. It is remarkable to take notice of the rice of this bloody act, it was thus. A friar and this villain was drinking together in a Village, the friar hearing of a poor English woman, there he commanded this rebel to murder her which he did, as you have read attested by a Gentleman of Ireland, of good credit. A Woman mangled in so horrid a manner that it was not possible she should be known & after the villain washed his hands in her blood was taken by the Troopers adjudged to be hanged leaped of the lader & hanged himself like a Bloodey tiger. Companies of the rebels meeting with the English flying for their lives falling down before them crying for mercy thrust their Pichforkes into their children's bellres & threw them into the water. Would any man believe that these Villains should take children and toss them with pitchforks like dung into Rivers● one was an eye witness (who lost a great estate there, and since have received relief from the Parliament) who saw a cruel wretch, throw a woman crying with tears one way, and her child with a pitchfork another way. They have cruelly murdered women great with child, and then left them in ditches, to the fury of their dogs, who learned to be cruel from their bloody Masters, for they have eaten the Children out of the bowels of the mother. At Lesgoole Castle in the County of Four managh, they have burned fifty Scots, men, women, and children. Sixteen Scots more they have barbarously hanged at Cloynes in the County of Monaghan. Thirty Scots they burned in Tolagh. It is remarkable that they deal thus cruelly with those Noble Scots, who have been renowned through the Christian World, for their zeal against that Antichristian Rabble, that these Rebels would wish they had but one neck, that they might cut them off at one blow, but the Protestant Cause shall stand in England and Scotland, when they and their Babel shall be cast into the bottomless pit. Rory Mackqueere at New town in the County of Fourmanagh, above four hundred poor Protestants fled in the Church to shroud themselves under its roof, for safety from the rage of those men of blood, where they might have been famished, but the mercy of this merciless Beast affords them quarter to go away with their clothes to Dublin, and vows he will not hurt them: before they got out of the Town, his soldiers stripped some and killed others like base perfidious wretches. The Iresh lieutenant pretending they came for the King perfidiously come under favour, pretends to borrow the arms of the inhabitants, as they say, to quell the Rebels, then break into their houses, and turn their weapons against themselves, make havoc taking their featherbeds, & throw out their feathers, and in the tikes put up what precious things they can find in the house, and carry all away, and so turns them out of doors, the next company takes away their clothes, and clothe them with their rags. The next company thinking they may have money in those rags, they will take them also, search their mouths, and those parts which modesty will not admit of an expression: if they can find none, they set their Skeins at their breasts, that if they can extort any thing when the poor Protestants are naked. Blush! O Sun, to behold the inhuman cruelties and beastly usages of these unheard of Cannibals. George Ford hanged on a tree in his own ground, cut his flesh a peace's carrying it up & down, say this is the flesh of one of the traitors against our Holy Father the Pope. a Proclamation that nether English nor Irish should either sell or keep in their houses any Powder upon the loss of goods & life nether any 〈◊〉 mos whatsoever, except with a liconse & then but five pound at most at 2 Shill: the pound. Some Ministers they whip, others they set in the stocks, and make others go to mass against their wills, then tell them now they have saved their souls, they would hang their bodies. A Minister seeing his Wife abused, & his children roasted, desired them to put him out of his extremity of anguish, to see such cruelty on those so near him, they most inhumanly cut his tongue out of his head. And for a conclusion of this dreadful Tragedy. It is related from one of the last Letters from Ireland, that seventeen of those barbarous Monsters came to a Ministers house, where they violently fell on him and his wife, stripped them naked, bound them back to back, then cut off the Ministers privy members, afterward ravished his wife on his back, and then inhumanly cut their throats: transcendent cruelty exceeding Pagans and Atheists. For the oppression of the poor, and for the sighing of the needy: now will I arise, saith the Lord, and set him at liberty from him that puffeth at him. Psal. 12. 5. FINIS.