THE DISCOURSE AND SAD COMPLAINTS BETWIXT The FRENCHMAN and the IRISHMAN: EVIDENTLY Declaring, that the KING was the only cause of the progress and continuation of the wars in Ireland, to be brought over into England; And that the Queen was the only occasion of the Recruits and Monies which have been levied, to be transported over from France.  
With a true Narration of the sad success that hath followed His Majesty's Armies and doth still keep them company; not only in the West, but in divers other places, and the great possibility wherein the Parliaments Forces are of putting a speedy period to these long and unnatural Wars.  
With a full Account of the s●v●rall remarkable Victories which it hath pleased God of 〈◊〉 divers places to confer on the Army of the Parliament.  
April 〈◊〉 L●●●●●, Printed by ●●nard Alsop, 1646.   

A Discourse betwixt the Frenchman and an Irishman.  French. 
STand! and give the word!  Irish. 
'Tis life.  French. 
Villain thou liest; 'tis death.  Irish. 
Then life for life or death for both: Take to thy arms; give me the lie: I'll drive that lie through thy heart; of what Nation art thou? speak.  French. 
A Frenchman and Ensign to the Regiment of Colonel Ian●u●ats.  Irish. 
The same Regiment that plundered all about Lanceston that lived only upon Rapine and Ruin whose Religion was profaneness, whose life intemperance and whose end damnation, whose honest recreation was Sodomy and the ravishing of wives, and maids: It was your common Exercise, to force the women from their husband's Arms and before their faces to ravish them to death; neither could you be satisfied in this your villainy, until unto your Lust you added Murder: Is not this true?  French. 
Yes, the murder of their husbands, and that was mercy; for what a grief of heart would it be to them, to remember what was done and with a tame patience to look on us that did it; have you done?  Irish. 
The same French you are whose seared consciences will admit of any impiety, and entertain it with delight and greediness, whose discourse is altogether oaths and lies; oaths as high as Heaven, and lies as deep as Hell who after you have sworn a prayer for the King, at the next word with a curse will damn yourselves into Hell and like a Legion of Devils and not a Regiment of Men, turn all t●e houses you come to into Stows, and the Churches into Stables?  French. 
Have you done yet?  Irish. 
The same French you are one of whose Officers being quartered lately at a Widow's house in Torrington had all the Dainties provided for him that the country could afford; but this bold and unruly monsieur would not be satisfied, but so tormented the miserable poor woman that she was altogether weary of her life and having endeavoured to the utmost of her power to content him in all things she came one day unto him, beseeching him to be more patiented & assuring him that any viands that could be had for money should be prepared for him: The Frenchman fuming and swearing in great choler did fling away: she came unto him again with a chi●d in her arms, and with tears in her eyes, and with much importunity desired to know what his pleasure was promising him that if it lay within the compass of her ability, and complied either with reason or with honesty that he should have it. The inhuman Monster commanded her to ro●st her child, and said that it was only that that would please him for his supper. The miserable mother amazed at the horror of the injunction did fall down dead at his foot, and could never again be awakened or recovered unto life.  French. 
'tis like enough; it shows how true a Cannibal is war where one devours another: but say, of what country art thou?  Irish. 
Ask my sword; see how the Crimson-die dwells on the blade, I am a natural Irish.  French. 
Natural: unnatural Irish; the shame of Heaven, the scourge and plague of Nature: 'twas you that first let war and fury lose, where at the foot of peace they sat on arms, on cruel arms, their hands bound behind them fast with a thousand brazen chains, and roaring forth with bloody mouths destruction: 'Twas you who as inhuman as you are blind make no distinction at all betwixt things sacred and profane; but as if you would fight with Heaven as well as Man, with most impious hands have broke open the Temples of God and tore to pieces the Records of his sacred Truth, have fling them in the charnels and sca●●●red them before the wind who have heard your blasphemies, and carried the sound thereof into every corner of the world.  Irish. 
It was a zeal that did become us; for which our Priests have praised us, & the Pope hath sent us many ben●●●●● 〈◊〉.  French. 
'twas you that spared neither Sex nor person, the old, the infants and the middle aged must all die together.  Irish. 
An act of justice on the Heretics.  French. 
The woman great with child you have ripped up ●nd thrown their offsprings in the fire before their faces. There is not such another Legend to be read in Hell, as what you have acted.  Irish. 
Yours is much like it.  French. 
It is: And since we are so near of kin in sin, we will agree in affection; put up your sword, and give me your hand: For Vice in friendship shall with Vice do●● dwell. And Devils amongst themselves agree in Hell: What Spell brought you hither?  Irish. 
The desire of Honour, and the hope of Gain, that which courts all the world pleasure: you may add to this the conscience of my Allegiance, and the ambition which I nourished to stand high and fair at Court in the eye of Majesty.  French. 
How can that be and you so strong a Catholic: the King hath often made imprecation upon imprecations, that God to deal with Him and His Posterity, if He will not maintain the Protestant Religion, how can He countenance and employ us Catholics, yet swear to his last to defend the Religion of Geneva.  Irish. 
Friend you are not so ignorant, but you know that ●●te is no conscience to be made in keeping oaths with Heretics; especially for the promotion of the Church of Rome, and how easily pardons are not only granted, but promotions gained from his Holiness for such who in this nature shall adventure to advance the Catholic Faith is most apparent; And this hath not only been practised by Kings and Prelates, and divers others of all Degrees, but the Pope himself hath given an Example for it: For the Pope who hath taken his oath for the advancement of the Church of Rome hath given a special prohibition to the Catholics in England not to take the Oath of Allegiance: And yet on the beginning of the Parliament it being found that this Oath would conduce much to the good of the Catholics in England the Pope himself dispensed with his former Orders and with his Bulls that were sent 〈◊〉 to give 〈◊〉 right unto th●m, And the English Re●●s … were all permit●● 〈◊〉 take the Oath of Allegiance; which the storm being gone, would again be forbidden to them: so that Religion of Rome, and the ●ing looketh only upon expediency, and depends more upon policy then conscience. A King (as I have heard) was the Author of this Verse: 
Religion is the Righ● of Kings.  
And they know best what good it brings.   
At the peace of Sens in France, King H. 3. made an Oath with the Protestants, and allowed them in some places the free exercise of their Religion; but this being but a mere Art of State to draw from them his brother Duke of Alenson, the Oath immediately after was broken, And this was done by the counsel of no less than three Bishops, the B. of Lions, the B. of Valenciennes, and the B. of Ambrum, and they received this counsel from the Sea and Bishop of Rome, who at this time was a favourer to this Prince, and afterwards a great Agent in the murder of him, and an applauder of it. So that we see in these mysteries of State-affairs, that Popes and Kings do no more regard an Oath than we soldier do. And this is one reason why we of the Irish Nation have been induced to side with his Majesty, and although we are Catholics, to adhere to him who is a Protestant; For should we have prevailed against the Parliament, it were no difficult matter to bring the Religion of Rome into England the King being so much obliged to us for our assistance, and in acknowledgement of it having given us in Ireland the free exercise of our Religion so that so much favour being showed to us, who would not fight for such a Kin●, we being induced thereunto by a Nuntio from Rome, and that whosoever shall lose his life in this service shall be sure to go to Heaven and be numbered in the Catalogue of the Saints. We also hear that the Pope's Holiness doth call the King of England his beloved Son, and doth always give him his Apostolical Benediction. But alas! to the great grief of our Nation and myself I speak it, the Parliaments Army do prevail; all our hopes are frustrate; our Saints grown deaf; and our fears grown strong: we see the Enemy before us, the Sea behind us and on each side Destruction with outstretched arms ready to receive us the vengeance aswell as the horror of our gu●lt doth pursue us; and despair from below doth hollow to us, to descend into that Lake.  French. 
The same great Argument which embarked you in this bloody and unfortunate service, did at the first encourage me: The King persuaded you; and the Queen persuaded us: The King prevailed in Ireland, and the Queen in France; And her Agents told us that it was a religious and loyal War: religious for the honour of God, and loyal for the safety of the Crown, I remember our Priests and jesuits would preach unto us, that the late war with Scotland was Bellum Episcopale; but this war against the Parliament was Bellum Papale; wherein if the Forces of the Parliament should prevail the ruin of the Roman Religion would ensue; for what likelihood was there, but that those who were so violent against the seats of Bishops, would be more eager against the Chair of Rome. Hereupon by the solicitation and importunity of the Queen of England, the Pulpits in France became as Prostitutes, all complexions and conditions of men were wrought upon. To the young men, the pleasures of Beauty were commended which were said to flourish no where more than in this Kingdom. To the Covetous, treasures of gold. To the Ambitious, hopes of honour and preferment. Had not so many recruits arrived from France and Ireland, the war had not continued so long; But tell me what shall become of these Recruits: Instead of hopes we are now full of despair; for riches we enjoy poverty; for plunder nakedness; and whatsoever the iron hand of war can inflict we are sure to partake off: Our health, our strength, our joy is turned into sickness weakness, sorrow, and confusion of face: Having made such spoil in this, what other Kingdom will receive us; whither shall we carry the burden of our shame: is there no hope left?  
Is there no remainder of hope depends on the Lord Hoptons' Army?  French. 
None at all! you see the Horse are all disbanded: first our own Brigade and then afterwards the other 8. England is a place too hot for the Caveleires of the King, therefore they fly into France not so much for secure as for safety, and to be out of the power of these who are to mighty for them.  
In the mean time his Majesty's Forces in the North, West about Worcester are utterly routed and the Lord Ashly, on whoes courage and Experience his Majesty depended so much upon is taken prisoner, he was heard to say to the Parliament soldiers as he sat upon a Drum-head, and was invirouned with them round about: Gentlemen you may now sit down and fall to play, for you this morning have done all your work, meaning that he being beaten the King had no Army in the field. You see our own soldiers with us are ashamed of their own cowardis, and timorous hearts, and much magnify the civility, the resolution, and the temper of their Adversaries, and confess them to be an Army invincible, and not to be fought with.  Irish. 
But are there no Forces that can come to our assistance from Oxford, and the Garrisons of the Kings in those parts? Alas! poor ouldiers: whither shall we go?  French. 
Not a man. In the last Defeat given to the Lord Astley: there were taken, The Lord Astley Commander in chief. 3 Colonels, 3 Majors, one Lieut-Colonell 17 Captains, 16 Lieutenants, The Marshal General, 5 Cornets, 11 Ensigns, 3 quarter-masters, The Chirurgeon, and Sir William Vaughan; Chaplain, 2000 Arms; All their Ammunition, Bag and Baggage.  Irish. 
In the mean time the recruits expected from France move not at all, they are employed upon another Design: the Numbers that are going into France are many; those that are coming out of France into England are very few.  French. 
This is not all; for from Newark it is certain, that all things are in preparation for a sudden storm, and Sir Thomas Fairfax being marched Eastward (as he will lose no opportunity) I cannot see how Oxford will be able long to hold out; so that of those many Countries, Cities, Towns, and Garrisons, which the King was master of not long since, all now are contracted into a short, a weak, and a most inconsiderable Number: And Sceptres devolved from Age to Age which did promise themselves to know no period; do find all strength is vain that fights against GOD.  Irish. 
Since this, Exeter is summoned, and in great hope they are that it is by this time surrendered: The only strength of the King's Horse in the field is beaten, 300 Horse taken, and almost as m●ny prisoners: 3000 of their horse are commanded Eastward, at the news of which Oxford gins to tremble: Its time to be gone from thence, And so they say the King is; for the report is, that the King mistrusting himself in England, is secretly gone into Wales.   
FINIS.