A DECLARATION OF THE Lord Lieutenant OF IRELAND.  
For the undeceiving of deluded and seduced People, which may be satisfactory to all that do not wilfully shut their eyes against the light. In Answer to certain late Declarations and Acts framed by the Irish Popish Prelates and Clergy in a Conventicle at Clonmae-Noise.  
Licenced by the Secretary of the Army.  
Printed at Cork, and now reprinted at London by E. Griffin. and are to be sold in the Old-Baily. March 21. 1650.   

A Declaration of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.  
HAving lately perused a book printed at Kilkenny in the year 1649. containing divers Declarations and Acts of the Popish Prelates and Clergy, framed in a late Conventicle at Clonmae noise the 4 day of December in the year aforesaid; I thought fit to give a brief Answer unto the same.  
And first to the first, which is a Declaration wherein (having premised the reconciliation of some differences amongst themselves) they come to state their war upon the interest of their Church, his Majesty, and the Nation; and their resolution to prosecute the same with unity: all which will deserve a particular survey.  
The meeting of the Archbishops, Bishops, and other Prelates at Clonmac noise is by them said to be proprio motu: By which term they would have the world believe that the secular power hath nothing to do to appoint or superintend their spiritual conventions (as they call them) although in the said meetings they take upon them to intermeddle in all secular affairs; as by the sequel appears.  
And first for their Union they so much boast of: If any wise man shall seriously consider what they pretend the grounds of the differences to have been, and the way and course they have taken to reconcile the same; and their expressions thereabout, and the ends for which, and their resolutions how to carry on their great design declared for; he must needs think slightly of it. And also for this, that they resolve all other men's consents into their own, without consulting them at all.  
The subject of this reconciliation was (as they say) the Clergy and Laity: The discontent and division itself was grounded on the late difference of opinion happening amongst the Prelates and Laity. I wonder not at differences in opinion, at discontents and divisions where so Antichristian & dividing a term as Clergy and Laity is given and received: A term unknown to any save to the Antichristian Church, and such as derive themselves from her, ab initio non fuit sic. The most pure and primitive Times as they best know what true Union was; so in all addresses to the several Churches they wrote unto, not one word of this. The members of the Churches are styled Brothers & Saints of the same household of faith, although they had orders & distinctions amongst them for administration of Ordinances (of a far different use and Character with yours); Yet it no where occasioned them to say contemptim and by way of lessening in contra distinguishing Laity to Clergy. It was your pride that begot this expression, And it is for filthy lucre sake that you keep it up, that by making the people believe that they are not so holy as yourselves, they might for their penny purchase some Sanctity from you; And that you might bridle, saddle & ride them at your pleasure; And do (which is most true of you) as the Scribes & pharisees of old did (by their Laiety,) keep the knowledge of the Law from them, And then be able (in their pride to say) This people that know not the Law are eursed.  
And no wonder (to speak more nearly to your differences and union) If it lie in the Prelate's power to make the Clergy and the Laity go together by the ears when they please; but that they may as easily make a simple and senseless reconciliation which will last until the next Nuncio comes from Rome with supermandatory advices, And then this Gordian knot must be cut, and the poor Laity forced to dance to a new tune. I say not this as being troubled at it; much good may do you with it; by the grace of God we fear not, we care not for your union: your covenant is with death and hell: your union is like that of Simeon and Levi, Associate yourselves and you shall be broken in pieces; take council together and it shall come to nought. For though it becomes us to be humble in respect of ourselves, yet we can say to you, God is not with you. You say your union is against a common enemy; & to this If you will be talking of Union, I will give you some worm wood to by't on, by which it will appear God is not with you. Who is it that created this commonenemy? I suppose you mean Englishmen. The English ● Remember ye Hypocrites, Ireland was once united to England; Englishmen had good Inheritances, which many of them purchased with their money; they or their Ancestors from many of you and your Ancestors. They had good leases from Irishmen for long time to come, great stocks thereupon; houses and plantations erected at their cost and charge. They lived Peaceably & honestly amongst you; You had generally equal benefit of the protection of England with them, And equal Justice from the Laws, saving what was necessary for the State (out of reasons of State) to put upon some few people apt to rebel upon the instigation of such as you. You broke this union; you unprovoked, put the English to the most unheard of & most barbarous massacre (without respect of sex or age) that ever the Sun beheld; And at a time when Ireland was in perfect peace, And when, through the example of the English industry, through commerce & traffic, that which was in the Natives hands, was better to them then if all Ireland had been in their possession; and not an English man in it. And yet, than I say, was this unheard of villainy perpetrated by your instigation, who boast of peacemaking and union against this common enemy. What think you by this time, is not my assertion true? Is God, will God be with you? I am confident he will not. And though you would comprehend old English, new English, Scotch, or who else you will, in the bosom of your Catholic charity; yet shall not this save you from breaking. I tell you and them, you willfare the worse for their sakes; because I cannot but believe some of them go against; some stifle their Consciences. And it is not the fig leaf of pretence, that they fight for their King will serve their turn, when really they fight in protection of men of so much prodigious blood: And with men who have declared the ground of their union and fight (as you have stated it in your Declaration) to be Bellum Prelaticum & Religiosum, in the first and primary intention of it; especially, when they shall consider your principles. That except what fear makes you comply with (viz.) that alone without their concurrence you are not able to carry on your work, you are ready when ever you shall get the power into your hands to kick them off too; as some late experiences have sufficiently manifested. And thus we come to the design, you being thus wholesomely united, intended to be prosecuted by you. Your words are these, That all and every of us of the above Archbishops, Bishops & Prelates, are now by the blessing of God, as one body united. And that we will as becometh charity and our Pastoral charge, stand all of us as one entire body for the interest and immunities of the Church, and of every the Prelates and Bishops thereof; and for the honour, dignity, estate, right, & possessions of all and every of the said Archbishops, Bishops, and other Prelates. And we will as one entire & united body forward by our counsels, actions, and devices, the advancement of his Majesty's rights, and the good of this Nation in general, and in particular occasions to our power. And that none of us in any occasion whatsoever concerning the Catholic Religion, or the good of this Kingdom of Ireland, will in any respect single himself, or be, or seem opposite to the rest of us: but will hold firm and entire in one sense, as aforesaid, etc. And if there were no other quarrel against you but this, which you make to be the principal and first ground of your quarrel, to wit, as so standing for the rights of your Church (falsely so called) and for the right of your Archbishops, Bishops and Prelates, as to engage People and Nations into blood, therefore. This alone would be your confusion. I ask you, is it for the Lay fee (as you call it) or revenue belonging to your Church, that you will after this manner contend? or, is it your jurisdiction, or the exercise of your Ecclesiastical authority? or is it the faith of your Church? Let me tell you, not for all, nor any of these, is it lawful for the Ministers of Christ as you would be thought to be, thus to contend. And therefore we will consider them a part.  
For the first, if it were S. Peter's patrimony as you term it, that is somewhat that you lawfully came by, although I must tell you, your Predecessors cheated poor seduced men in their weakness upon their death beds, or otherwise unlawfully came by most of this you pretend to. Yet Peter, though he was somewhat too forward to draw the sword in a better cause; if that weapon not being proper to the business in hand, was to be put up in that case, he must not, nor would he have drawn it in this. And that blessed Apostle Paul, who said the labourer was worthy of his hire chose rather to make tents, then be burdensome to the Churches. I would you had either of those good men's spirits, on the condition your reveneves were doubled to what the best times ever made them to your predecessors.  
The same answer may be given to that of your power and jurisdiction, and to that prehemenencie of Prelacy you so dear love; only consider what the Master of the same Apostles said to them; So it shall not be amongst you who ever will be chief shall be servant of all, For he himself came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. And by this he that runs may read of what Tribe you are. And surely if these that are outward things, may not thus be contended for; how much less may the Doctrines of faith (which are the works of grace, & the spirit) be endeavoured by so unsuitable means. He that bids us contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints, tells us that we should do it by avoiding the Spirit of Cain, Core, and Balaam; and by building up ourselves on the most Holy faith, not pinning it upon other men's sleeves, praying in the Holy Ghost, not mumbling over matins, Keeping ourselves in the love of God, Not destroying men because they will not be of our faith, waiting for the mercy of Jesus Christ; not cruel but merciefull. But alas why is this said? why are these Pearls cast before you. You are resolved not to be charmed, from using the instrument of a foolish shepherd. You are a part of Antichrist, whose Kingdom the Scripture so expressly speaks should be laid in blood, yea in the blood of the Saints; you have shed great store of it already; And ere it be long you must all of you have blood to drink; even the dregs of the cup of the fury and wrath of God, which will be poured out unto you.  
In the next place you state the interest of his Majesty as you say; And this you hope will draw some English and Scots to your party. But what Majesty is it you mean? Is it France or Spain or Scotland? speak plainly! you have some of you lately been harping (or else we are misinformed) upon his Majesty of Spain to be your Protector. Was it because his Majesty of Scotland is too little a Majesty for your purpose? We know you love great Majesties. Or is it because he is not fully come over to you in point of Religion? If he be short in that, you will quickly find out upon that score, an other Majesty. His Father who complied with you too much, you rejected; & now would make the world believe, you would make the Son's Interest a great part of the State of your quarrel. How can we but think there is some reserve in this? and that the Son is agreed to do somewhat more for you then ever his Father did. Or else tell us whence this new Zeal is? That the Father did too much for you, in all Protestants Judgements; instead of many instances let be considered what one of your own Doctors, Dr. Enos of Dublin, who (writing against the agreement made between the Lord of Ormond and the Irish Catholics) finds fault with it, and says it was nothing so good as that the Earl of Glamorgan had warrant from that King to make, but exceeding far short of what the Lord George Digby had warrant to agree with the Pope himself at Rome, in favour of the Irish Catholics.  
I intent not this to you; but to such Protestants as may incline to you & join with you upon this single account, which is the only appearing inducement to them, seeing there is so much probability of ill, in this abstracted: And so much certainty of ill in fight for the Romish religion against the Protestant; And fight with men under the guilt of so horrid a massacre; from perticipating in which guilt, whilst they take part with them, they will never be able to assoil themselves, either before God or good men.  
In the last place you are pleased, having after your usual manner remembered yourselves first, his Majesty (as you call him) next, like a man of your Tribe, with Ego & Rex me●s, you are pleased to take the people into consideration, lest they should seem to be forgotten; or rather you might make me believe they are much in your thoughts. Indeed I think they are. Alas poor Laity! That you and your King might ●ide them and jade them as your Church hath done, and your King hath done by your means almost in all ages. But it would not be hard to prophesy that the beasts being stung and kicking, this world will not last always; Arbitrary power, men begin to be weary of in Kings & Churchmen; their juggle between them, mutually to uphold Civil and Ecclesiastical tyranny gins to be transparent. Some have cast off both, and hope by the grace of God to keep so. Others are at it. Many thoughts are laid up about it; which will have their issue & vent. This principle, that People are for Kings and Churches, and Saints for the Pope or Churchmen (as you call them) gins to be exploded; and therefore I wonder not to see the Fraternity to be so much enraged. I wish the people wiser, then to be troubled at you, or solicitous for what you say or do. But it seem notwithstanding all this, you would feign have them believe, that it is their good you seek. And to cousin them indeed and in much is the scoap of your whole Declaration, & of your Acts & decrees in your foresaid printed book. Therefore to discover and unveil those falsities, and to let them know what they are to trust to from me, is the principal end of this my Declaration: That if I be not able to do good upon them which I most desire (and yet in that I shall not seek to gain them by flattery, but tell them the worst in plainness, and that which I am sure will not be acceptable to you. And if I cannot gain them) I shall have comfort in this that I have freed my own soul from the guilt of the evil that shall ensue. And upon this subject I hope to leave nothing unanswered in all your said Declarations and Decrees at Clonmacnoise.  
And because you carry on your matter somewhat confusedly, I shall therefore bring all that you have said into some order: that so we may the better discern what every thing signifies; and give answer thereunto. You forewarn the People of their danger, which you make to consist. First in the Extirpation of the Catholic Religion. Secondly in the Declaration of their Lives: Thirdly in the ruin of their fortunes.  
To avoid all which Evils, you forewarn them first, That they be not deceived by the Commander in Chief of the Parliaments forces; And in the next place (having stated your War as aforesaid) you give them your positive advice and Council to engage in blood; and lastly bestow upon them a small Collation in 4. Ecclesiastical decrees or orders, which will signify as little being performed by your spirit, as if you had said nothing, and the obligation to all this you make to be your Pastoral relation to them over your flocks. To which last a word or two. I wonder how this relation was brought about; if they be Flocks, and you ambitious of the relative Term; You are Pastors: but it is by an Antiphresis a minime pascendo; you either teach them not at all, or else you do it, as some of you came to this Conventicle who were sent by others tanquam Procuratores, or as your manner is by sending a Company of silly ignorant Priests, who can but say the Mass & scarcely that intelligibly; or with such stuff as these your senseless Declarations & Edicts. But how dare you assume to call these men your Flecks, whom you have plunged into so horrid a Rebellion by which you have made both them & the Country almost a ruinous heap, and whom you have fleeced and pol'd and peeled hitherto, and make it your business to do so still; You cannot seed them, you poison them with your false abominable & Antichristian doctrine and practices; You keep the Word of God from them, and instead thereof give them your senseless Orders and Traditions, you teach them implicit belief: he that goes amongst them may find many that do not understand any thing in the matters of your Religion. I have had few better Answers from any since I came into Ireland, that are of your flocks then this, That indeed they did not trouble themselves about matters of Religion, but left that to the Church. Thus are your flocks fed: and such Credit have you of them. But they must take heed of losing their Religion. Alas I poor Creatures! what have they to lose? concerning this is your grand Caveat; and to back this, you tell them of Resolutions and Covenants to extirpate the Catholic Religion out of all his Majesty's Dominions. And you instance in Cromwell's Letter of the 19 of October 1649. to the then Governor of Rosse, repeating his words which are as followeth, viz. For that which you mention concerning Liberty of Religion, I meddle not with any man's Conscience, but if by liberty of conscience, you mean a liberty to exercise the Mass, I judge it best to use plain dealing; and to let you know where the Parliament of England have power, that will not be allowed of.  
And this you call a Tyrannical resolution; which you say, hath been put in execution in Wexford, Rosse, and Droghedah.  
Now let us consider. First you say, that the design is to extirpate the Catholic Religion. Let us see your honesty herein. Your word extirpate is as ill collected from these grounds and as senseless as the word Catholic, ordinarily used by you, when you mention Catholic Roman Church. The word Extirpate supposes a thing to be already rooted and established; which word, made good by the proof of Covenants, your Letter which expresses the Non Toleration of the Mass, wherein it seems you place all the Catholic Religion (and therein you show some ingenuity) and your instance of what was practised in the three Towns aforementioned; Do these prove, either considered a part, or altogether, the Extirpation of the Catholic Religion? By what Law was the Mass exercised in these places, or in any the Dominions of England or Ireland or Kingdom of Scotland.  
You were Intruders: you were herein open violaters of the known Laws. And yet you will call the Covenant, that in the Letter, and these practices, Extirpations of the Catholic Religion thus again set on foot by you by the advantage of your Rebellion and shaking off the just Authority of the State of England over you; whereas I dare be confident to say, you durst not own the saying of one Mass above these eighty years in Ireland; and through the troubles you made, and the miseries you brought on this Nation and the poor people thereof, (your numbers which is very Ominous increasing with the Woolves, through the the solations you made in the Country) you recovered again the public Exercises of your Mass: And for the maintenance of this, thus gained, you would make the poor people believe, that it is Ghostly Council, and given in love to them as your flocks; That they should run into War and venture lives and all upon such a ground as this; But if God be pleased to unveil you of your sheep's clothing that they may see how they have been deluded and by whom, I shall exceedingly rejoice; and indeed for their sakes only have I given you these competent Characters (if God shall so bless it) for their good.  
And now for them I do particularly declare what they may expect at my hands in this point; wherein, you will easily perceive, that as I neither have nor shall flatter you, so shall I neither go about to delude them with specious pretences, as you have ever done.  
First therefore, I shall not where I have Power, and the Lord is pleased to bless me, suffer the exercise of the Mass where I can take notice of it; nor suffer you that are Papists: where I can find you seducing the People, or by any overt act violating the Laws established; but if you come in my hands I shall cause to be inflicted the punishments appointed by the Laws (to use your own Term) secundum gravitatem delicti upon you, and to reduce things to their former state on this behalf.  
As for the People what thoughts they have in matters of Religion in their own breasts I cannot reach; but think it my duty, if they walk honestly and peaceably, not to cause them in the least to sulfer for the same, but shall endeavour to walk patiently and in love towards them to see if at any time it shall please God to give them another or a better mind. And all men under the power of England within this Dominion, are hereby required and enjoined strictly and religiously to do the same.  
To the second which is the destruction of the Lives of the Inhabitants of this Nation. To make it good that this is designed, they give not one reason; which is either because they have none to give, or else for that they believe the people will receive every thing for truth they say; which they have too well taught them, and God knows the People are too apt to do. But I will a little help them. They speak indeed of rooting out the Commons, and also by way of consequent, that the extirpating of the Catholic Religion is not to be effected, without the Massacring, destroying or banishing the Catholic Inhabitants; which how an allogicall an Argument this is, I shall easily make appear by and by. Alas the Generality of the Inhabitants are poor Laiety (as you call them) and Ignorant of the grounds of the Catholic Religion. Are these then so interwoven with your Church Interest as that the absence of them makes your Catholic Religion fall to the ground? We know you think not so; you reckon yourselves (and yourselves only) the pillars and supporters thereof, and these as far as they have the exercise of club Law, and like the Ass you ride on, obey your commands. But concerning these relation of your Religion enough hath been spoken in another place; only you love to mix things for your advantage.  
But to your Logic, here is your Argument. The Design is to extirpate the Catholic Religion. But this is not to be done; but by the massacring, banishing or otherwise destroying the Catholic Inhabitants; Ergo it is designed to Massacre, banish and destroy, the Catholic inhabitants.  
To prove this no concluding Argument (but yet well enough agreeing with your learning) I give you this Dilemma, by which it will appear; That whither your Religion be true or false, this will not follow; If your Religion be the true Religion, yet it a Nation may degenerate from the True Religion and apostatiz (as too many have done) through the seducements of your Roman Church: than it will not follow, that men must be massacred, banished or otherwise destroyed, necessarily, no not as to the Change of the true Religion in a Nation or Country. Only this argument doth wonderfully well agree with your principles and practice, you having chief made use of fire and sword, in all the changes in Religion that you have made in the world. If it be change of your Catholic Religion so called, it will not follow, because there may be found out another means then Massacring destruction and banishment, to wit the word of God, which is able to convert, (a means that you as little know as practise which indeed you deprive the People of,) Together with humanity, good life, equal and honest dealing with men of a different opinion, which we desire to exercise towards this poor people (if you by your wicked Council make them not uncapable to receive it, by putting them into blood.) And therefore, by this also your false and twisted dealing may be a little discovered.  
But well, your words are Massacre, destroy and banish, good now, give us an instance of one man since my coming into Ireland, not in arms, massacred, destroyed or banished; concerning the two first of which, justice hath not been done or endeavoured to be done: But for the other of banishment, I must now speak unto the People whom you would delude (and whom this most concerns) that they may know in this also what to expect at my hands.  
The Question is of the destruction of life; or of that which is but little inferior to it, to wit banishment.  
I shall not willingly take or suffer to be taken away the life of any man not in arms, but by the Trial to which the People of this Nation are subject by Law, for offences against the same. And as for the banishment, it hath not hitherto been inflicted upon any; but such who being in Arms upon the Terms they were taken might justly have been put to death, as those instanced in their declaraion to be sent to the Tobacco Islands. And therefore I do declare, that If the people be ready to run to Arms by the instigation of their clergy or otherwise such as God by his providence shall give into my hands, may expect that or worse measure from me, but not otherwise  
Thirdly, to that of the ruin of their fortune you instance in the act of subsctiption whereby the estates of the Inhabitants of this nation are sold, so as there remaineth now no more but to put the purchasers in possession, and that for this cause are the forces drawn out of England.  
And that you might carry the Interest fare to engage the common sort of People with you, you further say to them, that the moderate usage exercised to them is to no other end but to our private advantage, and for the better support of our Army: intending at the close of our Conquest (as you term it) to root out the Commons also, and to plant the land with Colonies to be brought hither out of England.  
This consisting of divers parts will ask distinct Answers.  
And first to the act of Subscription; It's true, there is such an act and it was a just one. For when by your execrable Massacre and Rebellion you had not only raised a bloody war to justify the same, and thereby occasioned the exhausting of the treasure of England in the prosecution of so just a war against you; was it not a wise and just act in the State to raise moneys by escheating the Lands of those who had a hand in the Redellion; was it not fit to make their estates to defray the charge who had caused the trouble? the best therefore that lies in this Argument is this (and that only reaching to them who have been in Arms, for further it goes not) you have forfeited your estate, and its likely they will beescheated to make satisfaction, and therefore you had better fight it out then repent, or give off now, or see what mercy you may find from the State of England: and seeing holy Church is engaged in it, we will by one means or other hook in the Commons, and make them sensible that they are as much concerned as you, though they were never in arms or came quickly off. And for this cause doudtlesse are these two coupled together, by which your honest dealing is manifest enough.  
But what? was the English Army brought over for this purpose as you allege? Do you think that the State of England will be at five or six Millions charge merely to procure purchasers to be invested in that for which they did disburse little above aquarter of a million; Although there be a Justice in that also which ought, and I trust will be seasonably performed to them. No, I can give you a better reason for the Armies coming over then this; England hath had experience of the blessing of God in prosecuting just and righteous causes, what ever the cost and hazard be. And if ever men were engaged in a righteous cause in the World, this will be scarce a second to it; we are come to ask an account of the innocent blood that hath been shed, and to endeavour to bring them to an account (by the blessing & presence of the almighty, in whom alone is our hope and strength) who by appearing in arms seek to justify the same. We come to break the power of a company of lawless Rebels, who having cast of the authority of England, live as enemies to humane society, whose Principles (the world hath experience of) are to destroy and subjugate all men not complying with them. We come (by the assistance of God) to hold forth and maintain the lustre and glory of English liberty in a Nation where we have an andoubted right to do it; wherein the people of Ireland (if they listen not to such seducers as you are) may equally participate in all benefits to use liberty and fortune equally with English men, if they keep out of arms. And therefore having said this to you, I have a word to them; That in this point which concerns them in their Estates and fortunes, they may know what to trust to.  
Such as have been formerly, and are not now in Arms, may (submitting themselves) have their Cases presented to the State of England; where no doubt the State will be ready to take into consideation the nature and quality of their actings, and deal mercifully with him.  
For those that are now in Arms, and shall come in, and submit, and give engagements for their future quiet and honest carriage and submission to the State of England, I doubt not but they Will find like merciful consideration, excepting only the leading persons and principle contrivers of this Rebellion, whom I am confident they will reserve to make examples of justice, whatsoever hazards they incur thereby.  
And for such private Soldiers as lay down their Arms and shall live peaceably and honestly at their several homes, they shall be permitted so to do.  
And for the first two sorts, I shall humbly and effectually represent their cases to the Parliament, as fare as becomes the duty and place I bear.  
But as for those who notwithstanding all this persist and continue in arms, they must expect what the Providence of God (in that which is falsely called the chance of War) will cast upon them.  
For such of the Nobility, Gentry, & Commons of Irel. as have not been actors in this rebellion; they shall and may expect the protection in their goods, Liberties, and Lives that the Law gives them and in their husbandry, merchandizing, manufactures & other trading whatsoever, the same; They behaving themselves as becomes honest and peaceable men, testifying their good affections upon all occasions to the service of the State of England; equal Justice shall be done them with the English, They shall bear proportionably with them in Taxes. And if the Soldiery be insolent upon them, upon complaint and proof, it shall be punished with utmost severity, and they protected equally with English men.  
And having said this, and purposing honestly to perform it: If this People shall headily run on after the Counsels of their Prelates and Clergy and other Leaders, I hope to be free from the misery and desolation, blood and ruin, that shall be fall them, and shall rejoice to exercise utmost severity against them.  
FINIS.