THE BLOODY PERSECUTION OF THE PROTESTANTS IN IRELAND, BEING The Contents of several Letters brought by his Majesty's Post from Ireland, November the 21. 1641,  
Wherein is related, how the Rebels forces do daily increase, and how the Protestants still are destroyed by fire and sword, without any Mercy.  
Also, how many good Towns and Castles in the County of Monno, have been consumed by fire.  
With a true Relation of the cruelty which the Rebels used to Sir Patrick Dunson, by ravishing of his Lady before his face, spurning of his Children to death, and slaying his Servants and himself after an unheard of bloody manner. And how his Lady was Rescued by Sir Thomas Moor.  
London, Printed for Richard Melvin, and are to be sold in Grubstreet, near to the Flying Horse. 1641.   

THE Bloody Persecution of the Protestants in Ireland.  
O What a bloody age is this! Nothing almost but news set forth in a red character, comes abroad to be divulged unto the eye of the whole world. Trochery only upon the Irish Stage doth act its part, Treason daily hath a proceeding offspring, begot upon the bloodthirsty bodies of Jesuitical Papists, Peace is exiled, and Prorestants in Ireland seek comfort, but cannot find it. Much News hath been brought over into England, and all hath been nothing but a packet of cruelty: many times hath godliness been expected, but the event hath been bad, which doth cause great lamentation, and horror to all well-affected Protestants, whose unhappy estate, it is our piety to condole. Shall the Irish Seas be made partakers for ever of Egypt's Curse; shall the effusion of Protestants blood bring it into a sanguine hue; shall Crimson never be converted into a snowy dye, the great God of heaven forbidden it.  
Take comfort, take comfort, you which are of the house of juda: for although the Gentiles boast and brag for a time, they shall not do it for ever: God suffers you to be afflicted to try you, he lets you be wounded, but he will not suffer you to be eternally slain. but Oh! ye miserable happy men of Ireland, give me licence to make your woeful fortunes known unto the well-affected English, that they may haste to your Rescue, and manger the maliee of the Babylonish Whore, and set a period to your sorrow: and thus I begin.  
Upon the 27. day of Novem. 1641. came this News unto England by his Majesty's Post: how that the Papists in Ireland do daily excrease their forces, and from other foreign Nations do ho rely receive aid.  
Upon the 21. of the last month, being Novem. the Re●els hearing of the Red-shanks approach, seemed much perplexed, but were encouraged still to continue in their broudy restitutions, by that Aruckhile, Sir Hugh Oneale, who hath stained his Father's former service, which he did for the prosperity of the renowned Queen Elizabeth: who although he were a Recusant, yet was he never known to be a Traitor unto her, but a true and loyal Subject: but this Sir Hugh Oneale, his Son being chief Commander of the Rebels, desired nothing but the sinal destruction of true Christian Protestants.  
He gathered all his Companies together in the woods, and as the Redshanks entered into one place, they issued out into another, and having an Army of about 15 thousand, divided them into four parts, and so whilst one part was resisted, th' other were doring mischief: their aim hath always been at the destruction of the County of Monno, there have they depopulated the Inhabitants, and destroyad fifteen Towns and three Castles by fire, the Protestants which have been taken there, have been put to unheard of torments, women have been slain in their husband's arms, and husbands embracing of their wives, the brains of children they daily dash out, and in a most damnable manner trample them under their feet, & he accounts himself happy that can get a limb to show what he hath done, their skeanes they never sheathe, unless it be in the body of some piout Protestants. And then do they bear them up towards the Heavens, as if the King thereof would accept them as pleasing Sacrifices.  
But oh! Now must I come to relate the bloodiest Tragedy that ever eye beheld.  
Upon the 22. of Novemb; the Rebels made a privy search in the City of Armagh, that they might in a moment destroy all those which were true Protestants there.  
And in the first place, they beset the house of Sir Patrick Dunson, who was always known to be an upright man, and a worshipper of the living God.  
This Sir Patrick Dunson perceiving how his house was surrounded, and knowing what would presently ensue, called all his servants to prayers, the Rebels in the mean while being in number about five hundred, broke down the Gate, which led unth his house, and as the said Knight was making his supplication to the Almighty God, they seized upon him, his wife, children, servants, and goods, ask Sir Patrick if he would do as they did. else should he be sure to die, who answered them thus.  I had rather be a Doorkeeper in the house of my God, then to live in the richest tents of the wicked. 
Which when the Rebels heard, they took his wife and ravished her, perforce, before his face, slew his servants, spurned his children until they died, and then swore to do the like to his wife, if that speedily be would not recant his former words: but he laughed them to scorn, saying, that their cruelty would be the means to bring them to eternal felicity.  
When they perceived, how he had derided their proffer, they did run upon him, and bound him with rolls of match fast to a board, so fast, that his eyes bursted out of his head, than did they cut of his ears, than his nose, then seered off both his cheeks; after that they cut off his arms, after that his legs, and yet (a wonderful thing to hear) was not this good Knight dead, although he were in body so inhumanly mangled: will, eye and vital spirits remain; then did they cut out his tongue, and afterward to put him out of his pain, they ran a red hot Iron into his bowels, and so he died.  
His Lady they killed not; but because she was a fair woman, did intent to keep her, that they might abuse her delicate body when they pleased: but God which bringeth all things to light, revenged the cause of this good Lady thus.  
Sir Thomas Moor having intelligence, how that the Rebels were in the city of Armagh, with a thousand men marched to the Protestants rescue, breaking down the City gates, which were barred against him: which the Rebels hearing, prepared themselves for fight, but before they would settle their ranks, and foils, they were all surprised by Sir Thomas Moor, and many of them were slain, and the Lady redeemed; whom Sir Thomas Moor carried home to his own house.  
But yet do the Rebels commit very much slaughter both by fire and sword: no sooner are they driven out of one place, but they arise in another.  
Wherefore let us all with an unanimous consent pray unto God, that he would be pleased to weaken their enemies, and confound their foes, that the pure milk of the Gospel may have its free passage amongst them: to which, let all true Protestants say, Amen.   
FINIS.