A short view of the late troubles in England briefly setting forth, their rise, growth, and tragical conclusion, as also, some parallel thereof with the barons-wars in the time of King Henry III : but chiefly with that in France, called the Holy League, in the reign of Henry III and Henry IV, late kings of the realm : to which is added a perfect narrative of the Treaty at U[n]bridge in an.

CHAP. VIII.

IN this time the Rebellion in Ireland break∣ing* 1.1 forth, it will not be improper to say somewhat thereof: wherein, though I shall not charge our grand Conspirators here with having any hand, as to matter of council or contrivance with the Ring-lea∣ders of that barbarous Insurrection: yet can I not at all excuse them from giving great occasion for it, and not without suspicion of Design, if all be true that I have seen in a brief discourse thereof publish'd in print in an. 1644. Which I shall leave to the better judgment of such as then lived, and well observed the Actions of those times.

The substance of which Narrative is this; viz. That the Irish being a people born and bred in the Romish Re∣ligion, which they did glory to have derived from their Ancestors for no less than Thirteen hundred years, and wherein they had connivence ever since the Reforma∣tion, it could not be imagined, when they saw such a Storm approach them, by the harsh proceedings of the Parliament, then sitting at Westminster against those of their profession in England, who were daily cavill'd withall; charg'd with sundry forged Conspiracies and Plots, to render them odious and distastful to the

world; the wardship and education of their children voted * 1.2 to the disposal of others, their votes* 1.3 as Peers in Par∣liament endangered, and the large Progress made in England and Scotland towards the extirpation of the Protestant Religion, as it then stood establish'd by Law in both Realms, under which they had enjoyed their e∣states, though upon certain penalties, with the charge whereof they were well acquainted; but they had cause enough to fear, that their own misery was not far off; especially discerning, that the Insolency of the Scots did daily increase toward them, whose large footing in their Kingdom, having an inveterate hatred towards the Natives, might endanger their shouldring them out. Considering likewise the frequent Reports* 1.4 given out in that King∣dom to extirpate their Religion and Nation: as also, that Orders were made by the Houses of Parliament in England, incroaching upon their priviledges of Parliament in Ireland; and that their Committee, after nine months attendance on his Majesty (who was graciously pleased to hear their grievances) being referr'd to the Houses of Parliament here (up∣on his departure from London to∣wards Scotland 10 Aug. 1641) was constrain'd to return without any redress, through the prevalency of some leading Members; who before had (all they could) mis∣interpreted to his Majesty the proceedings and Actions of the Parliament in Ireland.

It was therefore not a little fear'd by some, that those provocations were purposely exercised to exaspe∣rate the Irish to take up Arms; that so, under colour of suppressing them as Rebels, they might be utterly destroyed and eradicated. Nor was it without suspi∣cion by others, considering how eagerly that Act for confiscation of their Lands was prosecuted by those Members at Westminiter at the very beginning of that Insurrection: Also how his Majesties going over in person, after the same brake out, was hinder'd (which in probability might have quencht that flame.) More∣over,

how they ingrossed that war into their own hands, thereby to have the power to employ any forces raised or levied for it, to assist in pursuance of their design upon this Kingdom, as they should see cause, as was evident* 1.5 by those under the command of the Lord Wharton and others, which were in the Battel of Kineton against the King. And lastly, how averse they were to any peace or cessation with them, though never so necessary, as appears by those earnest and bitter in∣citements* 1.6 used by their Commissioners in the Treaty at Uxbridge, for the prosecution of that war.

It is likewise farther to be noted, that these high provocations, met with a concurrent opportunity of those eight thousand disbanded Irish, not permitted to be transported into Spain, and other parts, though desired by that King's Ambassador, and assented to by his Ma∣jesty;) who, being out of employment, were ready for any desperate enterprize: As also with the want of a Lieutenant in that Kingdom, by reason that the Earl of Strafford was so cut off, who had kept them in such exact obedience.

And lastly, what an Example they had from their Neighbours the Scots, who sped so well by their own Insurrection; that they, not only obtained their full de∣mands, even to the introducing a new Religion, and new moulding the whole form of their Government, both in Church and State: but when they rebelliously inva∣ded England with an Army, were treated as good Subjects, had three hundred thousand Pounds given them, with an Act of Pacification and Oblivion to boot.

Whereunto I shall add what a late Writer, in his Short view* 1.7 of the life and reign of King Charles the First, hath expressed.

Of this Rebellion saith he; for it must be call'd a Rebellion in the Irish, though not in the Scots; the King gives present notice to the Houses of Parliament, re∣quiring their Counsail and assistance for the extinguish∣ing of that flame, before it had consumed and wasted that Kingdom. But neither the Necessity of the Prote∣stants there nor the King's importunity here could per∣swade them to levy one man towards the suppression of those Rebels, till the King had disclaimed his power of

pressing Souldiers by an Act of Parliament, and thereby laid himself open to such acts of violence as were then hammering against him. Which having done, they put an Army of Scots (their most assured friends) in∣to the Northern parts of Ireland, delivering up into their hands the strong Town and Port of Carick-Fergus, one of the chief Keys of that Kingdom; and afterwards sent a small Body of English to preserve the South. Which English Forces, having done notable service there against the Rebels, were kept so short, both in respect of pay and other necessaries, by the Houses of Parliament (who had made use of the money rais'd for the relief of Ireland to maintain a war against their King) that they were forced to come to a Cessation, and chearfully returned home again to assist the King in that just war, which he had undertaken for his own de∣fence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  23 Oct. The Rebel∣lion in Ire∣land.
• * 1.2

  22 Junii.
• * 1.3

  3 Julii.
• * 1.4

  Sir William Parsons, one of the Lords ••ustices in that Kingdom, and Sir Adam Loftus Vice-Treasurer there (persons ex∣perimentally known to have much adhe∣red to, and furthered the designs of these Rebellious contrivers in England) that an Army of a thousand Scots was to ar∣rive in Ireland, to force the Catholicks to change their Religion; and that Ire∣land could never do well without a Re∣bellion, to the end the remnant of the Natives might be extirpated: wagers be∣ing laid at the general Assizes, by divers of them that within one year no Catho∣lick should be left in Ireland.
• * 1.5

  See his Ma∣jesties Answer to the two Papers con∣cerning Ire∣land, printed with the full and perfect Narrative of the Treaty at Uxbridge. p. 212.
• * 1.6

  See the full Relation of the Treaty at Uxbridge. p. 133. & 136.
• * 1.7

  Impr. Lond¦an 1658. p. 86.