Ireland's Sad Lamentation: Discovering its Present DANGER, in Some Remarkable Passages Which have happened since the Discovery of the Horrid POPISH PLOT. In a Letter from a Person of Honour to his Friend in London, upon the Dissolution of the Late Parliament.  
MY Pen is not able to represent to your view the Dusky Scene, which the Dissolution of the Parliament hath drawn on the Hearts and Countenances of all Loyal Protestants in this Kingdom; from this great Sessions, we hoped some Commiseration would have been had of us, considering the great and eminent dangers we now lie under: But these hopeful Joys being frustrated, and expecting neither Redress from or by the assistance of our present Governor, nor any other part of the Government here, we do, as Men in a General Wreck, give up ourselves to the Protection of God Almighty, and the Mercy of those incessant Billows that threaten us with Death.  
We have little hopes, if at all any, of being secured from that Popish Cruelty which most of us have felt in this Age. You of England may object, Your Danger is equal to ours, that our Governor and other Magistracy are all Protestants, the Arms ours, (or at least ought to be so) and all other strengths. This indeed, were it so, might abate our Jealousies, but I shall make a Collection of some remarkable Passages, such as at present will occur to my Memory, and then I leave you to be the impartial Judge.  
In the year 1677. at the height of the Plot, the Duke of Ormond, by the interest of the Duke of York, received his Commission to supersede the Earl of Essex in the Government of Ireland, and accordingly, on the 24 th' of August, in the same year, made his Entrance with great Solemnity.  
The next Spring (being a time when the grand Consults were held for putting an end to their Infernal Designs) he takes a Progress over the whole Kingdom, to see in what posture the same lay, (for what design I know not;) in which Journey he was much attended by Popish Gentry, freely conferring (I will not say to make Proselytes) the Honour of Knighthood on many undeserving Persons, as he passed through the Country.  
The Plot being discovered in September 1678, there was little or no notice taken of it here at Court, though it was proved those of the Plot of England held a Correspondency with some in Ireland, and that many Black Bills, etc. were, or was to be sent over for the Massacre intended, yet no means were used by the Lord Lieutenant, with assistance of the Council, for the security of the Nation, or prevention of that Horrid Design; but the vigorous Protestant Magistracy of this City raised their Militia, both Foot and Horse, part of whom were ordered to guard every night in their turns, but in the outward part of the Town, so intolerable was the usage we received, they would not suffer our Companies to guard in the City, (which must be the refuge in time of extremity) alleging the King's Guards were appointed to defend the same; so that upon any Attempt, our Volunteer Inhabitants must certainly have perished, before the King's Soldiery, who receives Pay, had entered into any dangerous Engagement. Of this City the Earl of Arran, Son to the Duke, is Governor.  
Thus were we all exposed every man to provide for his own Safety: the first vapour of Popish Venom which might give us occasion not to doubt what they intended for us, was this, The Lord Mayor went in person, with some of his Brethren, to demolish the Mass-Houses of this City, by removing the Altars, and other Idols, locking up the Doors, and committing the Keys to the Churchwardens of the respective Parishes: It happened that at one of those obnoxious Houses an Officer of the Mayors, a waggish Fellow, taking some of their Popish Trumpery, (and in derision of that Superstitious Religion) began to act the Priest; then taking their Holy-water, and sprinkling part of it on some of his Fellows, the rest on the Floor, like a Shopkeeper's Apprentice to lay the Dust, he was told by one who stood by, He should dearly repent those direful Actions. And that very Night going to his own house, about Ten a clock was set upon by four or five persons, who stifling him, threw him down, then wounded him in several places, crying, Kill the Rogue, Kill the Rogue; which they had certainly done, had he not had Armour on, which he always wore for his own safety in the execution of his Office: Yet this Assassination had no more effect at Court, than a sport to laugh at, how the poor Catchpole was served in his kind.  
When the Duke received a Command to seize Colonel Talbot, the Colonel was Revelling at the Duke's Table, sitting with him at Dinner; and most people think if he had not been there at the Duke's receipt of the Commands, he had not been Apprehended. The Reasons which induced them to that Opinion, is, when the Colonel attained his Liberty upon Surety, the aforesaid Earl of Arran was his Bail.  
Not long after the Discovery, upon several Suggestions of the Protestants against the Insolence of the Popish Clergy and their Assemblies, the Lord Lieutenant and Council issue forth a Proclamation, For the Apprehension of Priests and Jesuits; therein inserting a Reward of Five Pounds for a Priest, and Ten Pounds for a Jesuit.  
In Obedience to which, a Captain of the Trained-Bands, took several in one Saints Eve, privately Celebrating Mass in their Popish Vestments, and the next morning brought them before the Duke; where, upon Examination, some of them produced the Duke's own Protection, some Protected by Colonel Fitz-Patrick, and other Eminent Popish Gentry.  
In fine, They were all dismissed, as well those who were Protected, as those who were not, as was all who were afterwards taken, the Apprehenders being gratified with no other than a Reproof for their too much diligence, by which means the Papists have found no discouragement nor obstruction in their Proceedings; and I do believe their Hopes are raised to as great an Ecstasy as ever, having so much influence on the present Government of this Kingdom.  
When the Irish Plot broke forth, and Bourke Accused the Earl of Tyrone, all Endeavours possible were used for the Vindication of the Earl; but when he was cleared at Waterford, and Bourke did not appear, than had the Papists got Cock-a-hoop again, and no man durst say within the Castle of Dublin, (or anywhere else, if it came to the Duke's Ear) That there was any such thing then on foot, or lately designed, as a Plot to invade this Kingdom, extirpate the Protestant Religion, and subvert the Government thereof. I say, no man under pain of gaining the Duke of Ormond's displeasure, durst speak his Apprehension of such a thing as a Plot in this Kingdom.  
The Inclinations of the Duke hath been more visible of late, by the Actings of his Son, (who, without doubt, did nothing without his Father's permission) in the Trial of the Lord Stafford, basely pledging his Honour, to Acquit that most Culpable and Undeniable Traitor; which hath given so great a wound to his Reputation, that the Name of the Butlers is grown a Load to almost the Generality of this Nation.  
When Complaint was made against the Duke in England for his Misbehavior in this Government, he applied himself to the Council for a Certificate, That he had Acted nothing unjust in his Station: But 'twas refused by several Privy-Counsellors, who are good and just men, valuing the Protestant Interest, and Abhorring all Foreign Jurisdiction or Authority from or under the See of Rome.  
I shall say little of our Chancellor, who, by the Duke of York's Interest, was made Primate also of this Kingdom, the two only Places that can sway the Government, and, without doubt, will not be so ungrateful to his Promoter, but, when occasion shall serve, he may command his Service either as to Ecclesiastical or Civil Matters, or what else will best tend to his advantage; part of his Injustice hath already appeared before His Majesty in Council, which would seem but a Grain or Drachm, were it weighed with his other insulting Oppressions.  
By this you may see the tender Care that hath been taken of us; what strength the Protestants can have in a Conscientious War, I mean, against the Papists or Foreign Enemies; when we can judge no less but our Leader is our Opposite; when we cannot enjoy the presence of our Dread Sovereign to awe those Rebels who daily combine against us. We want an Essex again, whose Judgements and Justice were so equally Balanced, that even his worst of Enemies without shame to themselves cannot calumniate his Honourable Proceedings. I must tell you again, we want an Essex, a Shaftsbury, that is to say, A Good and Zealous Protestant that will stand up for us in this time of Eminent and scarcely-to-be-avoided Danger. I can assure you, here's no man harbours an evil thought of his King, no man doubts of his Excellency and Compassion towards us; but rather are given to think He is under the same misfortune of some of His Predecessors, lead by evil Counsellors, which God of his mercy grant may not prove fatal: We only, with sufficient cause, reflect on his Ministers and Officers here, and unanimously say, with the Prophet Isaiah, His Watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are dumb Dogs that cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber; yea, they are greedy Dogs that can never have enough; they are Shepherds that will not understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. And now that His Majesty, with the Assistance of his great Council of Parliament, would purge the Officers of his Dominions, and those who shall be found defiled and unclean, to cast out; and those who are pure and clean, prone to the advancement of His Honour, to Establish, aught to be the Prayers of you and all good Protestants, as 'tis of,  
Sir, Your faithful humble Servant, F. L. Dublin, January 1680.  
POSTSCRIPT.  
WE hear that Colonel Fitz-Patrick, a Manager of our Kingdom, and who married the Duke of Ormond's Sister, is of late turned Protestant, and now in England: I like no such Masquerade, turning upon an Exigent. One whose Generation hath been counted Primitives of the Romish Church, cannot surely forget his Ancestors Fame: His Father a heinous Rebel, and his Mother Hanged for making Candles of Englishmen Grease in the time of the late Rebellion.   

LONDON: Printed in the year 1680.