The Distressed Estate of the City of DUBLIN IN IRELAND at this present.  
Which is besieged by many thousands of the Rebels, who commit most Barbarous and bloody outrages and Murders against the Protestants inhabiting about the City.  
With the Copy of a wicked and bloody Letter which was sent from one of the chief of the Rebels in Ireland, to an English Merchant of London, and a Papist.  
Full of bitterness and cruelty.  
LONDON, Printed for john Thomas, 1641.   

A True Relation of the Estate of Ireland.  
DIvers strange Reports and Rumours have been spread and diffused about this Kingdom, few of which Reports have been true, but false suggestions fomented by idle fellows, who for some small fragments of Silver think it no crime to abuse the Ears of the world with strange and unheard of untruth, therefore I have thought good to give to the world a true and real Satisfaction of the estate of the Kingdom of Ireland, which I confess is very deplorable, and deserves our pity, for great is their calamities, their enemy's increasing daily, as touching the City of Dublin, whereas it was reported that it was taken, it was untrue, for since the first Conspiracy against the Lord chief Justices, and the surprisal of the Castle they never attempted any thing against the City, it being but a vain attempt by reason that the Castle can command the City in despite of their resistance, and for all the old Irish that went into Dublin, as soon as the Plot was discovered, they left the City and joined with Mackqueres, for Tyrone arrived not till above 3. weeks after the Conspiracy was discovered, and they had gathered to a head, and plundered many places; and done divers outrages and murders being animated on by Macqueres who is of a bloody disposition, but after Tyrones' arrival being made General he restrained them from such bloody erterprises, making Policy his chief engine to usher mischief, and where Policy prevails not, force makes a passage, for great men he will entreat with courtesy, but if that be not of force to draw them to his party, then doth he seize of their estates, and learn them to seek a grave of rest rather than a life so despiacble, many places have they surprised, many murders have they committed, great are the outrages that are daily done by them, many slight skirmishes there hath been between the Irish parties and the Protestants, Captain Digby on the 4. day of December happened to meet with Captain Oneale, marching towards a little Village in the County of Monno, betwixt whom was a bloody salutation; but Oneales' forces being greater than Digbies; the Protestants retreated with the loss of some men, many other times there hath been skirmishes too tedious at this time to be related, great are the fears of the Protestants which causes many to leave the Kingdom, and many have been shipwrackt by reason of the late tempestuous storms, divers women and children drowned at Sea in the same ship that the Gentleman came in that made this Relation, who was miraculously preserved, by God's omnipotence and all commanding power, thus leaving all true Protestants to pray for their deliverance, and with their Prayer good Lord deliver them and preserve us, and though our troubles be great yet the Lord will deliver us out of all, Save us good Lord we beseech thee.   

The true Copy of a wicked and bloody Letter which was sent from Ireland to an English Merchant of London, Decem. 19 1641  
Worthy Sir,  
I Can do no less but let you understand the affairs that we have now undertaken, by reason that we were suppressed in the exercise of our Religion, which we always have professed, and there is no alteration of it to be had by force, but by the will of God, if it doth please the Almighty God to alter our hearts, than no doubt but we shall be changed.  
As yet we do stand to maintain the Roman Catholic Church to be our true Church, whom we do now sight under; Therefore we do not any thing but what our consciences is bound to do.  
I pray you, do but consider how stiffly the Protestants did stand to maintain their Religion in Q. Mary's days, when she prosecuted them to their lives, and did put so many to death both by fire and other torments, yet they would not alter their Religion that formerly they professed, because it was grounded in them by faith in Christ, as they did believe, therefore no force could prevail with them, but they had rather suffer all the afflictions that possibly could be invented against them, then to alter their Religion the which they had been formerly grounded in.  
Worthy Sr. Consider our Estates, for the same is our Case at this time, you cannot but know, how that we are deprived of all our Liberty, and some of our Religion which are in England is so Persecuted, even to the Banishment of their Estates, and others of their lives, the which doth move us to consider of their Sufferings, and to make us to prevent the same occasion to ourselves in time, and whilst that we have opportunity for fear their distressed cases should be ours, the which doth move and stir us up to maintain and defend that which we have begun, and to go on freely to Redeem ourselves from that Bondage  
For I dare be bold to say, if we could but enjoy the same Liberty of conscience as formerly we have done that neither I nor any other would have taken up Arms against the King, for it hath been our desire to have lived in peace, and to have hazarded our Lives and Estates to have done him service, if his Majesty had Commanded us thereunto, But seeing it otherwise we must maintain that which is already on foot for better had we die in the field, then to endure the miseries that would have happened to us, for professing that Religion, which our Predecessors from antiquity hath lived, and died in the defence thereof.  
But as we are now in the field for the freedom of our conscience, so will we undantedly proceed on for the perfecting of that good work we have begun, neither are we possessed with the terror or fear of our enemies the Heretics, who threaten our destruction, for out of a little strength at first, have we increased to many Thousands, and do daily still increase, both of our own Country men, and divers others of our Brethren in England, France, Spain, and the Low Countries, which continually come to assist us, there is a great sight of English, and I do believe most of them are Protestants, which doth side with us, and that doth encourage us the more, for we do march on boldly without fear as a man may say, for there is but a few which doth oppose us, and we are to march into Dublin, as we suppose on the 21. of this Instant Month, for the major part o● the best of them which lives in the City will assist us therein, and they have sent to us, to bid us not be dismayed, but to come on freely and with courageous Spirits, for the Town shall be delivered up to us, as soon as we come to it, and the City Gates should be Opened at our approach unto the Walls, for there is but few to oppose & with stand us, only some certain number of English would put us hard to it at the first entrance, but they made no doubt but they should subdue them, and then the Town should be theirs,  
Vale, Your friend P. T. From our Camp near Dublin Decemb. 17. 1641.   
FINIS.