T H E . riT, u. 3
Mantle Thrown oiF:
OR, THE
Jfrifljman JDtCfttttU*
I N A
LETTER
From a Gentleman to his Friend in
LONDON
L I C E N S'D,
siugitft the 2 16S9
LONDON,
Printed for Richard Baldwin near the Black Bull in
the Old Baily.M DC LXXXIX.
(?)
^—p—
— —
THE
Mantle Thrown off:
j ? r . .... , v- , . • . • \ .. j
O R, THE
SIR,
I Have heard that it hath been the Imployment
of fome days among the Exiles of Ireland, to
.frame a Proclamation for Pardoning the Irifh
Rebels.
Both the Subject and Authors, I confefi, to me
feem Novel. I hardly thought thofe men that are
up to the Elbows in EngliJhSfhould be treat¬
ed like Children, whopettifbly quambat each others
.Intereli in:their Father, whole Emulous Contenti¬
ons deferve a linaller Chaiiilement. Nor did: I ex-
pe£t to fee lb great Condefcention in ,a as
to advife with every individual man of that King¬
dom, how he may feciire himboth is demonftra-
iion of what we all believed.
God hath fent him to do his own work;, and gi¬
ven him his own Spirit, wonderful in Power, yet
illadowed with Mercy.
A % Which
The Mantle thrown off]
Which however the Irijh can little eithe'r efteem,
or deferve, is well enough known to the
Proteflants of that Kingdom, as perhaps it would
be to thole of England^ if conlidered by them.
I will here in Ibrne few Inftances, give my
thoughts, why it is lb, as briefly as the fubjedt will
admit, referving what more fhould be faid, to a
larger Dilcourle, which I defign on this fub-
jedh
The innate Averfion the ever had to the
glifb, even when Religion and Intereft were the
lame, Hiftory witnefleth.
That when the English were called over by their
own Kings, and fought their. Battles; yet at the
fame time were they murdered by thole whom they
had delivered.
And no Indulgence could ever prevail with them,
to be true to the Crown of , no not Titles
of Honour, Marriages with Grants, and
Imployments from the Crown: ail was (upon the
leaft opportunity) trampled under foot by them,
whole Venom covered all the Antidotes of Clemen¬
cy, Honour, and Profit.
Luft fbmetimes prevailed lo with them, as to oblige
their Grandees, When they could not by indirect
means obtain their latisfaftion, to gain it by Mar¬
riage with the Englijh; and though their delight in
the Beauty and Humour of their Loves was great,
yet could it not reftrain their Inhumane Barbarity
to the Parents of the Child they had in their Bo-
fom. It becomes not the eyes of a Chriftian to fee
the Cha^a&er of thfir Beftiality but they who
are inquificive nfiay -read fame of it in the Hiftory
of Ireland;but greater Examples were in the Re¬
bellion of Forty One. I
smf
J*
Or, the Irifli-tmn Di/fietted
I need nor mention their Legends in that War,
they are fb frefh in the memories of all, who are
concerned in th^t Kingdom; but I fliall cpme near¬
er the fcope of my defign, which is to fhew, That
Pardon and Lenity to them, however it carries the face
ef mercyy is really the contravy.
And then, that it will not attain the end defigned,
(viz!) the more eafie reduction of tliat Kingdom.
For the firft, Mercy in its proper frgnificationand
intent, is a work of deliverance, and prefervation, and
muftatleaft bear the majority whereever it extends,
in preferving the Rights of men.
Now the giving pardon to the Irijb, is not fb, un¬
less it be granted, that the Englj(h of Ireland haye
been Ufurpers of their Rights.
It is obvious to every Eye, that by the prefent
Rebellion of Ireland, the whole Kingdom is ruined,
Thoufands of Proteftants murdered, ftarved, and o-
therwife deftroyed. The Queftion then is, by whom
hath all this been done ? Was it by the Irifh ? That is
Indubitable. But was not there provocation from the
Englijh f That may be a queftion from Strangers to
that Kingdom, and therefore I will anfwer it by a
fhort Narrative of the condition that Kingdom ftood
in, when this laft ravage was committed by the
Tyrconnel was in the Government a bitter Enemy
to the Enolifb, and Brittifh Proteftants, the Englifh
Militia had been two years before difarmed.
The Englifh Army Disbanded, and an Infb Army
in the room.
The Corporations new modell'd, the Proteftants
turned out, and the Papifts put in the Government
of them.
fopifto
J
The Mantle thmm 9ff:
■PopifbJudges, Jufticesdf the Peace, Sheriffs, Co¬
roners, and Couftahles, through the Kingdon.
This {hews they could be under no har ifhips
from the Protejlaritb.
And far from Fear of them, that were indeed little
better than Prilbners, ever fmce the Acceflion of King
Jamerto the Crown.
But it maybefaid, the Protejlapts were for King
William, then Prince of Ovange. Nodcrubt all good
men were'for him that would reftore the Kingdoms
to their Laws, and Religion; but yet the were
under tooftri&a Guard, and had no power in their
hands to fecure thertrfelves; fb that there was not (I
may (ay) a Man in the/Kingdom, declared for the
Prince until February, and moft of their Rapin and
Tievaftation was committed befpre.
This I prefume, is enough to fatisfie any indifferent
man, that without the leaft provocation or pretence
of right, the itifb Papi/h have committed thefe lace
Maflacres, Burnings, and Devaluations on the
jlants oU Ireland.
Now had thefe mifchiefs been reciprocal injuries
done on both fides, though they that were in the right
had been fufferers for the King's Service; yet there
might have been room for the Kjȣs Mercy: But
where all the fury of a malicious enemy, fell upqnan
innocent and quiet people, for no realbn that they can
pretend unto, but that they believed they were for
Kjng William in their hearts: This feems a ftrange
warrant forthem, as it is happily without precedent,
if in all its Circumftances it be confidered, that fLicii
monfters of men fhould have pardon 5 the impunity
of whom as the Latin Phrafe hath it, is an injury to
all good and honeft men.
And
Or, ffo'Irifh-man Dijjecled;
And now I come to {hew, that thisProcIamation of
Pardon cannot be thought mercy ; I muff remember
that I am confined to a Letter, and therefore bounded
in my Dilcourfe.
I prefume then, that feems not an a£t of mercy,
which prote&s Offenders in their invading the Lives
and Properties of Honeft men.
Becaufe, according to my firft Pofition,mercy muff
be circumlcribed within the limits of common right;
otherwife the peaceable man would have no fecurity ;
Government would become an Out-law, and Bandit-
ties, our Minijlers of State.
But to come nearer the matter, it is the Maxim of
Princes to carry an equal hand in Government.; and a
General Pardon is a mutual good; now at leaft may the
King's Ffiends(pardon the familiarnefsofthe exprefli-
on) put in for as great a /bare in his as his
The Prote/lants pray, let us be included in your Par¬
don for our Eftates: It would be thought impoflible
that the Champion of the Ref, and Proteftant
Religion, {hould return.- No, I have given them to
your, and my Enemies.
This would feem feverer, than that ha fly judgment
of David, Let Ziba and thou divide ;for here the Irifh
have all, without the pretence of that Sycophant
who met the King on tne way.
I would not reftrain the Fountain of our King's mer¬
cy, but if the Stream be turned from his Inclouires in¬
to the Common, I think we may complain of thole
Avaritious hands that do it.
We have Invincible Evidence, that iiis Royal
Thoughts are for us; in that he lets us, nay, bids us,
fpeak ; and fince we fee his mercy, like the Divinity
that guides him, is over all his anions: His bleeding
Subjects, that have liiffered fo much in the Caule he
owns.
The Mantle thrown off:
owns, only pray they may not be excluded from the
benefit of his Grace and Favour: they defire not the
property of their Enemies, but pray for their own;
not for Lolfesin War, which our pretended Friends,
but fecret Enemies would infinuate; but for Robbe¬
ries, and Outrages committed in time of Peace ; and
fiichas had their own Government and King been a-
ble toaffertbut part of the Laws,! verily believe would
have, in a great meafure, been recovered.
I have heard fome bring his Majefty's Proclamation
of Pardon in Scot land, as an Argument againft us : I
confefs, to me Rich inftances, eipecially from men of
underftanding, only confirm the apprehenfions many
have, which is not my bufinefs here to mention ; this
I will fay, in my Inquiries, I find it not in our Mini-
fters of State, butafmall Fry that hope to fat them-
felves in the troubled Waters of Ireland. They have
heard the Irijh can bribe, and they are loth to fee the
En^hfb Treafure they have got, taken from them ;
but that it may be left to be offered at their Altars.
But to return, it feems eafie to anfwer that of Scot¬
land, which is in no point Parallel with that of Ire¬
land: They of Scotland, a few milled People that run
on, under pretence of their Religion, and under their
Lords : thefe of frclancthtid no fuch pretence, for they
were under their own Government, had no reflraint
in their Religion.
They of 6Vtf//Wcommittedno Murders, or Robbe¬
ries, at their firfl going out, but were in their own
defence.
They of Ireland; began with both, when no man op-
pofed them.
They of Scotland, fuch as it is, had a pretence, at
lead perfwaded to it by their Leaders, for King James
and his Commiffion,
But
/
x
Or, the Iriffiman ViJfeSled. $
But they of Ireland, had not fo much as that, when
they committed their Barbarity in Ireland. And to
make them more evidently notorious, their own Go¬
vernment made Proclamation againfi: it, though no
doubt their chief Men fet them under hand upon it,
though it was too lavage, and cruel to own.
But to end this Argument, relating to Scotland,
they are of one Nation, and Intere(l; and his Majeftie's
Mercy when given to fuch, may be laid to extend to
all : For their Religion, Friends and Relations are
in a great meafure univerfal among them, and what
thofe Rebels do, is under a pretended Commiffiony
and may fo be under the Conftru£tion of War, and
then more proper for pardon.
But they of Ireland, not to enumerate particulars,
are in every one of thefe circumftances foreign to the
Brittifh Proteftants there.
I will now trouble you with the reafons that
are perfwafive with one, that this General and Free
Pardon will not prevail, to the end defigned, that
is, for the fpeedy reduction of Ireland. We that
know th<z genius of the Ir/fb, are not ignorant, that
they were never prevailed with by Civilities, and
Indulgence; they are like their Boggs, never to be
trufted to by going gently over, nor fafely but
by cutting your way to the bottom.
If you offer to them either, in War, or Peace, terms
of Accommodation, they think themfelves of the
ftronger fide, and will never fubmit.
I could give feveral Inftances in this prefent Rebel¬
lion, where Gentlemen have fent to fome of their
Grandees upon the alTurance of forme r Friendfhip,
and promifes, of returning whatever kindtiefe was
fhew% at this time .* but their return was nothing:
but infultings, and commanding their Horfesaway ;
B when*
The Mantle thrown off:
when in two or three days after upon a Meflage from
the fame Englijh Gentleman , threatning the lnjh
Don, he had them lent back.
I cannot fee how it will affe£t them to the
general laying down of Arms, but to the contrary
incourage them , in their Rebellion for thefe Rea-
fbns,
Fir ft, If it be an Argument on our fide to haften
the Conqueft, for fear of the French affiftance, or
our other imbroyls, it is the fame on theirs. For
incouragement to hold out, in expe£tation of it.
The Ir/jh Underftanding and Courage is obferved
to be by themlelves underftood, and depended upon,
by negatives: the Enemy fay they are afraid of us,
therefore they know we are wife in Council
and ftrong in Arms; if not, they would never offer
us fuch terms, they have a Proverb, ;
and they conclude he is in that doth.
The next ground for my opinion, is, That the giving
pardon to all that lay down Arms, &c. will be
means to enlarge the War. For no doubt, moft of
the men of Eftates will come in, and be thereby
the more ferviceable to their Party, both as to
giving them Advice, and Intelligence, and alfoMony
which they may receive out of their Eftates, in the
Englijh Quarters, and their Friends of that in the
Irijh.
It feemsa great miftaketo believe, that by taking
away the Men of Eftates from the lnjh, will oblige
the reft to lay down Arms : it will have the quite
contrary effect, and I verily believe^ that the
defire no better than to have them in the Englijb
Quarters.
It makes them confiderable in the Opinion of their
own Party, that they fhould be fo courted, and gives
affurance
Or, the Irifli-man Vijfetted.
aflurance to the common People, that when the worft
is upon them, they have them to go to.
It may be thought a Maxim of War, from the
World of the Moon, that upon a Rebellion the men of
Eftates, and Leaders into it, as foon as they have form¬
ed an Army and headed them, until they had got ait
the Ehgl/fb Eftates, fhould then be invited to Pardon,
and fo wait not only the prelent fuccefs of this, but
for another Rebellion.
And this hath been too much the pra&ice of the En-
glifh Conqueft of Ireland, which proving fo often fatal
to the Englifh, 'tis wonderful the fame meafures fhould
be taken again : It really feems a Licence for the Irtfk
to rebel, thus to pardon them that are only able to call
them to it.
The Populace could never make a head, but by the
afliftance of their Grandees ; but when they are once
in a body, then they are better commanded without
them ; and it is a favour to their common intereft, to
receive them into protection, and prelervation againft
another attempt.
To me it feems more reafbnable to believe the par¬
doning the Populace, and excluding their Command¬
ers, would be a readier way to have the Kingdom gi¬
ven up; for though the lrtfb heads of Clanns influence
the common people, whilft the Lands and Herds fol¬
low them;yet that ceafeth when they are ftript of both*
It was a true Aphorifm of the Bell wether, Neagle, in
his Letter from Coventry, That the Natives of Ireland
followed the Lords : you, and I know it in our own ex¬
perience, how carelefs, and unnatural the common
Irifh of our Province are to their old Lords, when they
often refuled a days labour to them; and however the
common Vogue runs of the command of the old Irifh
Proprietors have over the bchohgues, I never law it but
B 2 where
The Mantle thrown ojf7 See.
where they had (bine immediate dependance upon
them as under-Tenants..
And it would be loon found in this cafe, if the Pro¬
clamation only extend to their private men, or at leaft
none exceeding the degree of a Captain.
The ordinary people affefl not travelling, no not fo
much as out of one Province into another, let them
have but liberty to return to their own Cabins, and be
protected there,and they will account themfelves happy.
I will not-trouble you farther with my thoughts on
this matter, only conclude with this, that befidesthe
miftake of bringing the Irifh to lay down their Arms
by this General Pardon.; this way would put a poffi-
bility in their hands (if they fhould at anytime) to
aflame the fame Rebellion again.; which God avert.
Tunbridge
Auguft.zo, Tour Affectionate Servant,
K B,
FINIS.