IRELANDS Complaint Against Sir GEORGE ratcliff Knight now Prisoner in the Gate-house at Westminster.  
Delivered in PARLIAMENT there by captain AVDLEY MERVIN.  
Wherein is declared the Grievances of that kingdom, occasioned by him, and the late earl of Strafford.  
The principal cause, why these late troubles are fallen upon them.  
Whereunto is annexed the Depositions and Articles exhibited against him in Parliament.  
LONDON, Printed for JOHN THOMAS. 1641.   

Irelands Grievances, and the complaint of that kingdom against Sir George ratcliff Knight, and now Prisoner in the Gate house, 1641.  
IT is an ancient saying, that every man knows best, where his own show wrings him, England knows best itis own Grievances, but is scarce sensible of its neighbours, wherefore it is my intent at this time, with as much brevity as may be, to make England sensible of the sufferings and Grievances which of late Ireland hath been partakers of, groaning under the Tyranny and oppression of the two great Jncendiaries of this our kingdom. Thomas late earl of Strafford the principal Author, who lately suffered for hisS deserts, and Sir George ratcliff, now at this time Prisoner in the Gate-house at Westmin. the principal Jnstrument, that acted his traitorous & wicked designs within these 3. kingdoms, consider gentle Reader, Irelands miserable cries and complaints against the wicked practices and insulting power of this man, in prose cutting the natives and inhabitants even to blood.  
Consider what affinity and Relation he had to the late earl of Strafford in his Combinations, who was the Executioner of all these wicked and Traterous practices, the other contrived, such was their confederacy in Tyranny and oppression, that the lives, estates, and liberties of his Majesties subjects in this kingdom was violated and ruinated, these were those wicked Hamans, that would make havoc of all poor Mordecays, to advance their own greatness, if God of his goodness had not prevented them, by a happy Parliament. But I shall 〈◇〉 be 〈◇〉 spark any 〈…〉 one, in regard he hath suffered the Law for it, but I return to him who is little inferior in wickedness, and who expects his trial for it every moment, Sir George ratcliff, the unhappy subject of my discourse, he intending the destruction of the realm of Ireland, traitorously conspired to subvert the fundamental laws and Government of the kingdom, and in pursuance thereof he hath traitorously continued and exercised an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government against Law, throughout the kingdom, he also assumed to himself regal power over the goods, persons, Lands & liberties of his Majesties Subjects of this realm, and likewise maliciously, perfidiously, & traitorously published false opinions, unjust judgements and sentences, in extrajudicial manner against Law, and practised unlawful Acts, whereby as well divers mutinies, seditions, and rebellions, have been raised, as also many thousands of his Majesties Liege people have been ruined in their goods, lands, liberties, and lives, and many of them being of good quality and reputation, have been utterly defamed by Pillory, Mutilation of members, and other infamous punishments, by means whereof his Majesty and the kingdom, have been deprived of their service, injuries, & other public employments, the general Trade and traffic of this iceland, for the most part destroyed, and his Majesty highly damnified in his customs and other Revenues.  
And his policy to escape from being found out in these his traitorous enterprizes, did labour by all the means he could to stop Parliamentary proceedings, and to subvert the rights thereof.  
This Sir George ratcliff also conspired with the late earl of Strafford, to bring in an Army from Jreland, to subdue the Subjects of England, which traitorous fact, should all surviving Chronologies of times be searched, is not to be parrallel'd in any age, had that wicked intent of theirs taken effect, which makes me view the Records amongst the infernal Spirits, to find it matched, there I might extenuate their facts, where first he appears like the false spirit, sent into the mouth of the Prophets of ahab, to speak delusions to subvert the Host of God.  
Nor must I stay here to accuse him, but go further according to the Articles which are exhibited against him.  
He joined likewise with the late earl, to take 80000 pounds out of the Exchequer in Ireland, and bought Tobacco therewith, and converted the profit to their own uses.  
He also cuntenanced Papists. and yielded to the building of monasteries, to alienate the affections of the Irish, from the subjection of England.  
And he Confederated to draw the subjects of Scotland from the King.  
Let this man be judged according to his acts, cry the Commonalty of Jreland, also the Commons of England are of the same opinion. It is a common maxim in these times, for men to do what they can, to enjoy greatness let goodness seek entertainment where it will, Victa Jacet pietas, probitas laudatur &c. Piety alas: it is hard to be found, honesty is Commended, but few give it acceptance. in what a miserable condition are all those, who strive to be great, and not good, was it not the case of Sir George ratcliff, who now for his liberty( I am persuaded) would exchange his dignity, for to whom much is given, much will be required, J have heard many, who having understood the crimes afore-mentioned, committed by this Iudas( for so may J term him) ready to curse him, which is Jmpiety, for wee ought rather to pray for our Enemies. Neither was he alone the sole actor, in the forenamed Grievances, for he was assisted by Sir Richard Bolton Knight, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, John Lord Bishop of Derry, and Sir Gerrard Lowther Knight, Lord chief Justice of his Majesties Court of Common Pleas, who are likewise accused of the said Facts.  
Spencer and Gaveston, who have left their names monumentally odious, for the evil council they fed the Kings care with, yet did possibly advance their own friends, whilst these dart their envy; and Treason for a common Centery, equally touching the bounds of every superficies, for as concerning the valid estates; they have illegally overthrown them.  
J must confess, that humanum est errare, and the Law allows writs of error, and arrests of judgement, but where there is crassa ignorantia, against their oaths, and known laws of the kingdom, nay where it is rather praemeditata malitia, an emulating policy, seeking onely to be glorious in a national destruction, as if their safety were onely involved in our ruin, there J must pity, but not excuse them, Innovations in Law, and so consequently in government, creep in like Heresies in Religion, slowly and slily pleading, and in the end a saucy and corrupt Legitimacy by uncontrolled prescription.  
The Benjamites flung stones with their left hands, yet they would not miss● a hairs breadth; these extrajudicial proceedings are flung with the left, I mean they are sinisterous, and imprint their black and blew marks more certain and more fatal, so that they may say; queen Regio in terris nostri non plena laboris, though these things be familiar unto us, yet 〈◇〉 cannot but admire how this unproportionable body of Judicature, should swell up into such a vaste and ulcerous dimencion.  
But yet that I may return again to this unworthy Knight Sir George not S● G●orge, I cannot but admire his constan 〈…〉 put in him, to persecute both with rigour and wicked menaces, his unjust and illegal commands, which( if plously and justly given, & virtuously addicted) would have been an eternal monument, of glory and happiness, but the children of this world, are onely wise in their conceits, and where falsity and injustice is upholden, how can equity flourish.  
I am forced to cry out, O ratcliff, ratcliff, thou didst seek rather to obey thy master but a Viceroy, or Debuty King, then the King himself, and by so doing, didst thou violate the laws of that unhappy kingdom,( by the and thy complices made so) for which now there is nothing left unto thee, but shane and repentance.  
what glass hath this unhappy divided kingdom, from his Majesties presence and audience to contemplate the faire & ravishing form of his royal intentions in, but in the clear and diaphanous Administration of his Justice, and what do these traitorous and Jllegall practices aim at, but in Affront to his majesty, and discontent to his subjects, to multiply as by a magic glass, the royal dispensation of his favours into the ugly & deformed usage of their suppression of the liberties, devastation of estates, and deprivation of his loyal Subjects, so that it may be said, Regali capiti cervicem consul equinam jungere sic velvet variasque inducere plumas.  
in conclusion, all that J can say, is this, that he which but lately( Sir George ratcliff J mean) lived so Tryumphantly, and in pomp, is now but Civiliter mortuus, for his answer speedily must be put into the Articles, now in the High Court of Parliament exhibited against him, that further proceedings may be expedited, as may be suitable to Justice, and the prefidents of Parliaments, to his Majesty appear in his magnificent goodness, and indulgency to his people, that his people may bee ravished in their their dutiful obedience and loyalty to his majesty.  
So shall this Parliament, live in records to Posterity, as the instrumental reformers of these corrupted times, and that the kingdom and Common-wealth, may pay an amiable Sacrifice in retribution and acknowledgement of his Majesties multiplied providence, for our preservation herein, to this J know, all but Trayters both to King and country, will with an unanimous consent say Amen.   

The Accusation and Impeachment of Sir GEORGE ratcliff, by the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, charging with high Treason, and other misdemeanours, as ensue.  
IMprimus, that he hath conspired with the earl of Strafford, to bring into Ireland an Arbitrary Government, and to subvert the fundamental laws, and did join with the earl to bring in an Army from Ireland, to subdue the subjects of England.  
2. That he hath joined with the earl to use regal Power, and to deprive the subjects of their liberties and proprieties  
3. That he hath joined with the earl to take 80000 Pounds out of the Exchequer in Ireland, and bought Tobacco therewith, & converted the same profits to their own uses.  
4. That he hath traitorously confederated with the earl to countenance Papists, and build monasteries, to alienate the affections of the Irish subjects from the subjection of England.  
5. That he traitorously confederated with the earl, to draw the subjects of Scotland from the King.  
6. That to Preserve himself and the said earl, hath laboured to subvert the liberties and privileges of the Parliament in Ireland.  
FINIS.