gf V I lette FROM iBufet ^cljomberses C A M Giving an Account of the Condition Of the Englijh and Irifb ARMY. AND A True Account of all the Papifts in their Number and Eftates, with Reafons' for declaring them forfeited, and the feveral Parties amongft them. With all the Material Circumftances that relate to that Kingdom. From the Camp at Dundalke, November 4. 1685*. r^T r- hf sli *— - i • • ■ V i >- v. i mo ~i - T' ' . * V I $1 X' f • t \ i $•■ .- 4- ¥ . - ■ ;f~ «*a» >• ' \ Jl x- ?*._v noi5:I 0 exii"0 jriuc ,j\ m - J . .Yiir A A.- ' ■: A .3 1 A lb{Jj « ■ .b iVti 'pi ■ .0 \ msrtt idAfcc:.ii / : ' ' ■ : • t 7 r% r~\ "» * f im'< | x;-V '»A it *»iij ..vJ . t • •• ' .HK.bsmM i^nr'oj 4# r . ,\ v:.kttfrJA ■ .1 };; q ."0x1 .. , - r"A;f ::•! J. 1 - •A ■ ■ ■ ■ - ro ~mww<§www§ww which is the Cen¬ ter of Ireland ^ fome are fent to Dublin, and about Five choufand continue Encamped at Jrdee. 1 fuppofe you have heard of the death of fome of our Soldiers, for 'tis impoffible for an Army, at this feafon, to keep the Field in any ,part of the world, and that fome fliould not drop off 5 but the Companies are in fome meafure recruitedWith Nor¬ thern Proteffants who are feafoned to and acquainted with the Country. Since I wrote the former, we have a ftrong report that King James his Forces that Marched towards jithlone continued their March to James Town and Sligoe, and have cut off fome of our men in each of thofe places ( whofe lofs we fenfibly lament)jhe reft retreated, fome to Ballyjhanon, fome to Enishillin. Our General intended as foon as our Forces fliould joyn us that were detatched to\vardsCharlemcnr,to have marched forward towards Dublin. But the wretnefsand immoderatenefs of the fea¬ fon will peceflkate our drawing into Winter Quarters, it being almoft impoffible for our men to contend any longer with the Extremity of the Weather- As to what concerns the feveral Parties in King James his Army, the whole body of the Fapifrs in this Kingdom, their Number, Eftates, and what may be fit to do with them, and how they may be made to pay the Charge of their Reduction, you will find in the Anfwer to the following Query. An N (3) An Anfiter to that Seasonable and Important Oueftion, Which Party of the Rebels may be invited by a fecond Declaration, or Offer of Pardon, with moft Advantage to His Majefty, to England in of Charge, and to the Proteftant Interejl in Ireland. ALL the Papifts in that Kingdom, as well thofe of Engliili Extraction, as the Natives, are joyned in this Rebellion; this being noted, it is expedient (for refolving the Qye- ftion) to confider the feveral Parties amongft them, and the diftinCt Intereft of each of thefe Parties, which will open the matter, fo as it will be ealie to obferve which of them are like- lieft to be charm'd to any Advantage. The Popifh Clergy and Lawyers have a right to the Van, for they are the Contrivers and Incendiaries to Rebellion,fwornVaf- fals to Rome and France, reftlefs in their Endeavours for Extirpa¬ ting the Proteftant Religion, and regaining the Church Lands: Should His Majefty offer them any of thofe Lands, to buy them off, it would be refented worfe tlian the taking away of Mag¬ dalen Colledge, for our Clergy think them little enough for themfelves, and will not confent that a third or half lliould be given their Brethren of the Church of Rome, yet lefs than the whole (nor that) will not fatisfie, for thefe pant after the Lives as well as the Livings of the Hereticks. And that this work may be done effectually, both thefe forts of men are now commiffioned, and actually in Arms: The Bi- fhops, Priefts, &c. (according to their degrees) are Colonels, Captains, Lieutenants, and Ring-leaders of the People ; to the greateft Mifchiefs of their Secular and Regular Clergy, there are four Titular Arch-Bifhops, 23 Bifhops, 2328 Parifli Priefts. Next comes the moft numerous part of the Gentry and No¬ bility, who by their Rebellion in 1641. forfeited their Eftates, of which the Proteftants are feized, thefe having gain'd fome Mili¬ tary Experience in foreign parts, are the flower of the Rebels Army, their condition cannot be made worfe by any improfpe- rous event of War; dig they cannot, and rhey will not eafily be perfwaded to return to beggary, nothing left than a good part,or the whole of the Eftates they forfeited will be a bait for them. B As (4) As to the common Soldiers, part of them have been dragoon¬ ing the Proteftants in France,the refidue have from their Cradles lived by Theft and Robbery, are incapable of labour or induflry;. did thefe and the former fubmit being disbanded, protected and difperft, they would be more dangerous than now together in Arms, for they would fill that Kingdom with particular Mur¬ ders, Rapes and Robberies, render the Planting of it dangerous or impracticable : Thefe cannot be faved to any good ule, nor tranfported, but they'l run to France, toftrengthen that Enemy of Mankind. As to the Nobility and Gentry that were reftored to their Eftates by Charles the lid's Court of Claims,they were as bloody Rebels as the former (fuch as theMarquefs of Antrim,&c) yet had better luck, for thefe were rewarded with better Eftates for their Murder's, than they loft by their Rebellion: And good reafon,if they were commiffion'd to that Villany by Charles the Firft, as they alledge,and Charles the Second feemed to coun¬ tenance in the cafe of that Marquefs, who was proved by many credible Witnefles to have been in the fir ft contrivance of the Rebellion in 1641. and to have perpetrated many horrid Mur¬ ders, yet that King commanded his Eftate to be reftored,giving for reafon that he acted nothing in that matter but by Commit fion from his Father Charles the Martyr, and by order of his Mother, purfuant to the Royal Commands (lie received from his Father. Of eight millions of Acres profitable Land in Ireland, thefe Popifli Proprietors pofiefs about three millions, or a little more than one third of the whole 3 they are neither perfons of Con- dud nor Intereft 5 'tis certain they have little influence on the common people; for by their Oppreflions and Exadions, they have fo far loft their hearts, that where Proteftant Landlords will receive them, they will not live under thofe of their own Nation and Religion : 'Tis not there as here in England, where Tenants have Leafes for Lives, long Terms of years," or fuch Tenures as lays them under many tyes of Intereft and Obliga¬ tion to venture for, orbefwayed by their Landlords, but the quite contrary 3 for the Popifli Landlords fett their Lands but from year to year, that they may the oftner rack their poor Jenants 3 and hence it is, that tho' thofe people live in the moft plentiful plentiful Countrey in Ae world, yet they feed almoft wholly upon Milk and Potatoes, only now and then, they have a little Barley or Oaten-bread. ... This party are as deeply concerned in the Rebellion, difpoihng and plunder of the Proteftants as the former, fhould any of thefe fubmit, it will be but fingly, or with very few, probably with confent of the reft, that they may fave their Eftates, prefer ve an Intereft for the Papifts in future, that they may give private Intelligences to their brethren, that England may be at the whole Expenfe of the War, the difpolled Proteftants of Ireland be left without reprize for their Lofles, and his Majefty lefs capable to profecute the War againft France 3 fhould thefe be pardoned, they will be in a better Condition for a future Rebellion than yet they have been, being difciplind and now inriched with the fpoils of the Englijh. The only party that remains to be fpoken of is theHusbandman and Labourer wnich conftitutes the body of that people, and are Nineteen parts of T wenty of the Papifts in Ireland. For the whole of them, Men, Women and Children? are but one Million, of which we fuppofe 40 or 50000 in Arms unfit to be pardoned or tranfported (except to the Eaft-indies) and that thefe fhould perifh in their Rebellion, and that His Majefty and the wifdom of the Parliament think good to fpare fuch of the common people as are not guilty of Murder, the body of that people will remain intire tho'all the former parties fhould be deftroy'd. Thefe (to fay the truth of them ) are leaft dangerous, being inthemfelves a well-naturd people, and may by eafy methods be made ufeful, if freed from their Clergy and great men, the generality of them fpeak or under/tend Englijh, which the twentieth man did not in 1641. They willingly yield their Children for Servants to Proteftants, and are content they become fuch, their Clergy have of late been fo extreamly burthenfom to them, that they are more than ever difpos'd to admit a Reformation, and to part with them and their Irijh Landlords, and indeed fuch is the Afcendant that the Prieftshave over the Confciences of that bigotted people, that it will be difficult and very chargeable, if not impoffible (whileft thefe remain amongft them ) to keep them from rebellion on the leaft Forreign incouragement, as 130 years fad experience verifies beyond Contradiction. They natu- B 2 rally («; rally love Learning for their Children, and were there Free Schools fet up to inftrudt them, they would (without compulfi- on ) infenfibly become Proteftants. For which great and good works the prefent Rebellion, and their Redudfion willfurnifti their Majefties with a fit Opportunity. All that this part of that Nation can expedt or defire is Pardon and Indempnity, which His Majefty and both Houfes of Parlia¬ ment, may extend as they think fit, but ifany of the former par¬ ries be comprehended with them, it will render them dangerous and formidable to the Englifij there. Thus I have fet down the leveral Parties and Interefts of the Papifts in Ireland, whereby it plainly appears that there is danger in fparingany of them, tho3 leaft (according to my fence) in tak¬ ing the Pefants, or (in that Countrey language) the Skulloges into Protection, as for the Clergy, Lawyers and thofe who loft their Eftates in 1641. we have no bait for them } if they muft live, they would be leaft mifchievous in the Eaft-Indks 5 were they charmed at prefent,thefe Cockatrices would in a little time bring forth Scorpions; which is true alfo of their landed men. The Common Souldiers are lefs mifchievous in open hoftili- ty than under our Protection 5 their Nobility and Gentry who poflefs about one third of that Kingdom are as deep in guilt and rebellion as the reft, have little influence on the other parties, the receiving them to mercy will not fhorten the War, but give heads to, and ftrengthen the Papifts for the future, Subjedt us to innumerable mifcbiefsftmpoverilh England by bearing the charge of the War at prefent, and keeping up a numerous ftanding Ar¬ my in future to keep thefe from rebelling^ all which by their Forfeitures may be prevented •, the defpoiled Proteftants in part reprized for their Loflfesy and His Majefty reimbursed, which money imployed again ^France would expedite the bringing down of that Chriftian Turk. Let itnotbe forgotten that King James and the fuppofititious Prince of Wales pretend Title to the Crown. And that both their Tides have been recognized by Adtof Parliament in Ire- Und- That not only the Papifts in thefe three Kingdoms, but a numerous party that declare for Paflive Obedience and Non-re- uftarcce long for and- are rnduftrioufly endeavouring his Reftau- ration, and the deftrudtion of the Proteftant Intereft, the par¬ doning \ 1 J WMll jnn;ne the Eft a ted Papifts in /re W wilt ftrengden and in- courage thefe, furnifh the French Kmg with the means to diltratt us at pleafure, intail dangers on pofteritv dilcourage the n anting of that Kingdom 5 for the Proteftants whofe heufes and Fftates are ruined will not in that cafe repair them, becaufe they know that the pardoning of one Rebellion in Ireland, isalwaies the preludiumto another- For Cambden truly obferyes, that by lone ufe it was grown ^mifchievous Cuftom m Ireland, That Rebels might with part of the money they got by Pillage and Plunder, (ofthe Englilh) proem e thcmfelyes pardon and pro- te&ion, and efcape without punifhmenr, and that the Coffly re¬ bellions of Ireland fpread under pretext of Religion, were cherifh- ed and nourifked by contempt, lenity and parfimOny in EneUnd. m As alfo that ereat Sums of money w ere fpent about Ireland, but >: a: •■■■ to little purpofe, for that by a certain infelicity, common as well fat- to England as to Inland, where for the molt parr to facb publick " • Work, fuch men thruft themfelves forward,and are admitted, as fordidly prefer their own private, before the publick good,I hope thefe paffiges, were Hiftorical and nor Prophetical. Five hundred years have net furnifned one inftaoce of the Irilh, being reduced, when in Rebellion, by kind Offers, (unlefs made them at the la ft extremity) but there are innumerable of their growing infolent, and obftinate thereby. He that knows notthis,underftandsnotan Jrijh man, nor how rightly to deal with him. If we imagine, that Liberty for their Religion, a (bare in the Civil Ju face, will oblige and reftrain them from violence andtreafon, we fhall bemiftaken 5 for in 1641. the Papifts in that Kingdom had their Titular Arch-bishops, and Biftiops, their Frieries and Nunneries, their Secular and Regular Clergy, they were Juftices of the Peace, Sheriffs of Counties, Mayors and Bay- jiffs of Corporations, &c. they were feized of three fourths of the Lands there, all the Lawsagainft them (which are but few in Ireland to what they are in England ) were iufpended, as to their Execution. There was then a Parliament fitting in that Kingdom moftly of Papifts wherein they remonftrated all their imaginary Grievances; the .Government concurred that they (hould fend tWir Deputies into England to reprefent them to the King, whereupon they had many forfeitures (feme of whole. Coun¬ ties ties) releafed to them, and all the reft of their grievances re- dreffed, which only put them into abetter condition to rebel. For npt with handing all thefe Conceflions, in a few Months after, ( being ftirred up by their Clergy ) they broke out into that bar¬ barous and horrid Rebellion, wherein 150000 Proteftants were maflacred in cold blood (without any provocation,) befides as . many more that perilled by Famine and Sword, in the profe- cation of that Rebellion 5 which is degaonftration to all the World, that thefe people are not to be retained in obedience by Immunities, Priviledges and Kindnefs, nor reftrained from Murders and Maftacres any longer than they are kept under by a -powerful handing Army. In 1650. o/iwr being in Ireland the growth ofCharles 2d par¬ ty in Scotland calling him into England, he was put to it how in a little to divide, and break the power of the Irijh 5 as the beh expedient he elected to hold a folemn debate for three days fucceftively, whether that Nation fhould not be wholly ex¬ tirpated, which had the defired Effedl: For on notice thereof they inhantly were terrified, divided and hampered, and many iubmitted on condition tp be tranfported- Let it be remembred that the Tragedy which for three years paft, and now is acting in Ireland, was intended alfo for the Theatre of England, God forbid that by weaknefs, good nature, or out of good husbandry, we fhould be prevailed on to bring ruin on England alfo, by preferving the Inftruments of our deftrudlion; If they abide among us, they will certainly prove goads in our fides, and thorns in our Eyes- The Lives of the Proteftants in Ireland can never be fecured whilft thefe remain among the Natives- If (as Sir Walter Rarvleigh relates) the wife State of Fenice, when their Senate is met, will not enter on any Confutation, until folemn Pro¬ clamation be made that all Priefts fhall depart (becaufe they know them pernicious Councilors of State, even amongft thofe of their own Religion ) why lhould it be thought rigorous, that we fhould remove fuch Inftruments of mifchief, to fuch diftanceas may fecure us from dangers by them. If againft what has been faid, that vulgar Objection be ftarted, That His Majefty muft deal tenderly with the Papifts at home, elfehe willpoflibly difobligehisPopilh Allies: Ianfwer, this Objection fp") * objection is foppifh, arenotallthe Papifts in thefe Kingdoms W. in the French Interefc ? Have they not contributed moft to tiiat Kings prefent Greatnefs and Tyranny ? Are not all the jrln, an(i feveral of the Englijh Papifts now in Arms againft ; v3 6:; tjieir Majefties ? Therefore the Rooting out or fuppreflion 0f tiiefe is as ferviceable to the Confederates (at prefenc 5®*it- and in future) as the taking of or Bonn, for thefe are they that direct their Majefties Arms from invading ffitfflntj. france, yet were the Rebels Eftates in Ireland by the Par- ]lament declared forfeited as in i<$4i. It is demonftrable that money may be raifed to reimburfe His Majefties pro- : o!fe;. kakje charge in that War, which imploy'd againft wiH fave much to this Kingdom, gratify the Confederates, •Mai and expedite the bringing down that French Tyrant. «sar. 'tis certain there is a very ancient Prophecy in the Fa- -jKiiiikjji tiCan at Rome, which faith, That that Mother Church fal- busitt leth when in Ireland the CatholickFaith is overcome; if it be duly pondered, there is very much in it; were thefe three Kingdoms once intire, being free d from the Effeds k: vi of the Plots and Treafons of the Papifts, Popery would ■'jskfEi foon tumble in the World; 'tis pity we fhould be fo ftu- ififiii j pid as to fupport that Chair by cherilhing thofe vipers in our Itptdi bofoms. ; 4 Mns May their Majefties _ that have been the Inftruments of fo drink much good to thefe Nations, have the Eternal honour to give this V blow alfo to that Interefti JffcSirfi mob tt, gaff FINIS. / - - j .< '-in *j ■ 1 i -«vi ■ j .; ■ * . . i . > , ' , . ;• * • : • , 1 ' ■ . i' 1 • ! ' • , ; ■ ' ' V * - J. ■ i: ^ ^ • ;. : ■ ' f -■/' " '• • •{:. ■ " : ' ' - : j 1 I , i ... • > •: : : 33 ' 1 ;i 'ii ? 3.T yio rtjisTa !< ifc ... j- 3 i■... 7 T!i ! Jit SfDiU £a:il.' - tt \ j 3 * uj -a? f. . . " . . s zinoffiU'iflnl srffc r" :J ^vsd jraj, ■- j ...... '■3 r/£ri - /i 3 biff - * n ■, . * . • . ! I 1 ■ I "1 i 1 NEAR THE ft*®6 149. ISCHOMBERGE, Duke| A Letter from Dr*' Condition of the English and Irish Army. And aT#" and Estates, with Reasons for declaring them forfeitseven Material Circumstances that relate to that Kingdo*1^211 London, Parkhurst, 1689. 4to. pp. [ii], 9. Paper flp^m imprint. Occasional foxing. Exceedingly rare. Wing L 1478 Sweeney 2832 Not in Gilbert Bradshaw716 In August 1689 William of Orange sent over the Dukeo^10'1^ 15,000 men, over half of which were foreigners, excelledJ™xture Prussians or Brandenbergers. Carrickfergus Castle sunt remarkable leniency towards the enemy. Schomberg f«an e; international reputation, and a veteran of the Thirty Years -aMH was English. He advanced south to Dundalk and occupied®w threatened his right flank, and King James, with about 3t«spostei James had Schomberg in a cul-de-sac, his retreat cut off, lotngbysi James himself with a superior army in the front. He madfa«teri! treachery, and even then when the opportunity was ripeIha^lu Lisburn, Co. Antrim: "The Irish being informed that their Isvered.th the sixth of October set fire on their Camp, and retreated ft Jposted They had not the courage in all that time to make any Atti '[lies Winter-Quarters, a good part of them are at Drogheda, skblenun Center of Ireland; some are sent to Dublin, and about FiveuaEnc When William landed at Carrickfergus in June, Schombciiiirem council of war, held on the night of the 30th of June, befcABo crossing the river. It was at his suggestion that a detachmersnikthi horse, on the right wing, on the morning of the battle, and*: