The state of the Protestants of Ireland under the late King James's government in which their carriage towards him is justified, and the absolute necessity of their endeavouring to be freed from his government, and of submitting to their present Majesties is demonstrated.

SECT. VIII. 7. The preparations made by the Earl of Tyrconnel to ruin the Estates and Fortunes of the Protestants, by taking away their Arms.

1. 'TIs Property that makes Government necessary; and the immediate end of Government is to preserve Property; where therefore a Government, instead of preser∣ving, intirely ruins the Property of the Subject, that Govern∣ment dissolves it self. Now this was the State of the Prote∣stants in Ireland: the Government depriv'd them contrary to Law and Justice (nay, for the most part, without so much as the pretence of a Crime) of every thing to which persons can have a Property; even of the necessaries of life, Food and Rayment. To lay this more fully before the Reader, I will shew First, That King James took away the Arms of Prote∣stants. Secondly, That he took away their personal; and Thirdly, their real Estates.

2. When his present Majesty made his descent into England, King James had an Army of Papists in Ireland, consisting of between 7 and 8000, of which, near 4000 were sent over to him into England; there remain'd then about 4000 behind, scattered up and down the Kingdom; which were but a hand∣ful to the Protestants, there being Men and Arms enough in Dublin alone, to have dealt with them: When therefore the News came, that K. J. had sent Commissioners to treat with the Prince of Orange, it was propos'd by some to seize the Ca∣stle of Dublin▪ where the Stores of Arms and Ammunition lay; the possibility of this was demonstrated, and the Success ex∣treamly probable; insomuch that the persons who offer'd to undertake it, made no doubt of effecting it; they considered that the Papists, besides the 4000 of the Army, were gene∣rally without Arms; that those who were in Arms, were raw and cowardly, and might easily be supprest; that to do it effectually▪ there needed no more but to seize the Deputy Tyr∣connel,

who had not then above 600 Men in the City to guard him, and secure it; that their hearts were generally sunk, and they openly declar'd themselves to be desirous to lay down their Arms; proposing to themselves no other Conditions, but to return to the station in which they were when K. J. came to the Crown. This was so universally talk'd of by themselves, that if any one could have assured them of these terms, there was no doubt but they would readily have comply'd, and have left the Lord Tyrconnel to shift for himself; nay, it is probable, the wiser sort amongst them would have bin glad that the Protestants had seiz'd him; and he himself a 1.1 commanded some Protestants to signifie to their Friends in England, that he was willing to part with the Sword on these terms, so he might have leave to do it from K. J. But the Protestants had bin educated in such a mighty veneration to the very name of Authority, and in so deep a sense of Loyalty, that notwith∣standing the many provocations given them, and their fear of being serv'd as in 1641, the memory of which was still fresh to them, they yet abhorr'd any thing that look'd like an In∣surrection against the Government; and generally condemn'd the design of medling with the Lord Deputy, tho they knew he was no Legal Governour, and uncapable by the Law of that Trust. Especially the Lord Mountjoy laboured for his safety, and prevented the forementioned proposal of seizing him and the Castle, with as much industry as if he himself had bin to perish in it.

The truth is, it was an unanimous resolution of all the Pro∣testants of the Kingdom, that they would not be the Aggres∣sors; and they held steadily to their resolution. None offered or attempted any thing, till they saw the whole body of the Papists in Ireland forming themselves into Troops and Com∣panies, and these new rais'd Men permitted, nay, put under a necessity to rob and plunder for their subsistence. They pitied the hard Fortune of K. J. and notwithstanding they were half ruin'd themselves when he came into the Kingdom; yet if he had carried himself with any tolerable moderation towards them, and his designs to ruin them had not bin so apparent,

he might have prevail'd on them in a great measure. But his behaviour was such, as shall appear in the sequel of this discourse, that it left no room for them to expect or hope for any safety under his Government; of which such Protestants as had fol∣lowed him from England were generally so sensible, that many of them repented too late their having stuck to his interest, and heartily wished themselves at home again: openly pro∣fessing, that they could not have believ'd that he was such a Man, or his designs such as they found them: nay, several of the English Papists that came from France with him, abhorr'd his Proceedings; and us'd to alledge, that he not only hated the English Protestant, but also the English Man. The very Ambassador d'Avaux, if he might be believ'd, was dissatisfied with K. J's Measures, and condemned them; alledging that he had intirely given himself up to the conduct of the bigotted Irish Clergy, and of Tyrconnel; who in earnest was the only Minister he trusted, and would effectually ruin him and the Kingdom: Whatever the Ambassador thought, it is certain he has discours'd in this manner, and the event has answer'd the prediction.

4. But to return to the Lord Tyrconnel's dealing with the Protestants: When he found himself so very weak, and so much in the power of the Protestants, that nothing but their own Principles of Loyalty secur'd him against them, he betook himself to his usual Arts, that is, of falshood, of dissimula∣lation, and of flattery; which he practis'd with the deepest Oaths and Curses; protesting that he would be rid of the Go∣vernment very willingly, so it might be with Honour; that it was easie for him to ruin and destroy the Kingdom, and make it not worth one groat, but impossible to preserve it for his Master. Every body wondred to find so great a Truth come so frank∣ly out of the mouth of one they usually stil'd Lying Dick Tal∣bot, and who had bin known, not without reason, many years by that name. Some believed that in earnest he intended to part with the Sword, and perhaps if it had bin demanded be∣fore K. J. went into France, it had not bin denied; There wanted not several to second the same Truth to him, with all earnestness and application, both in writing and by word of

mouth, which the Deputy seem'd to approve; all that he an∣swered to their perswasions to surrender and save the Kingdom was, that he could not do it with Honour, till it was demand∣ed; and sometimes he ask'd them in Raillery, if they would have him cast the Sword over the Castle-Walls. What he desired the World should at that time believe concerning his intentions, may be best collected by the Letters he procur'd to be written and sent into England. I have in* 1.2 the Appendix given the Copy of one written by his Command, and perused by him before it was sent; it was from a Protestant of good sense and interest in the Kingdom, to another in London: Several were written by his order to the same purpose. 'Tis observable in this Letter in the Appendix, 1st. That the Lord Deputy owns the Robberies then committed, but would have it believ'd, that the members of the Army were not the Robbers; which sufficiently shews the falshood of the Allegation whereby the Papists would ex∣cuse themselves, as if they had not begun to Rob till the Pro∣testant Associations were set on foot; whereas those were some while after this Letter, and occasion'd by the Robberies men∣tioned in it.

2ly. He would have it believ'd that the Papists fear'd a Mas∣sacre from the Protestants, as much as the Protestants from the Papists, which had no ground; The Arms, Forts, Magazins, &c. being in the Papists hands, and a vast number of Men every where enlisted by their new Officers; it is true, that the Priests did by order of their Grandees, endeavour to spread such a Rumour, to make their own people arm the faster; which if it were at all credited by some few of them, was look'd on as ridiculous by all others.

3ly. He would have the people in England believe, that he and the Roman Catholicks were willing to give up the Sword, and return to the Condition in which they were before the death of King Charles the Second. This is plainly the main de∣sign of the Letter; and some think he was sincere in it, till the coming over of Coll. Richard Hamilton altered his Measures; but that is not at all probable, his actions all along signifying his resolution to destroy the Kingdom rather than part with his

greatness. However he made a shift to perswade some Pro∣testants that he meant it; their own earnest Desires that it might be so, helping to impose on them; amongst whom the Writer of this Letter happened to be one, but was not sin∣gular, many of good Sense being deceived as well as he. Last∣ly, it appears from the Letter, that the Roman Catholicks as well as the Protestants were of opinion, that the Kingdom must be ruined, if not yielded up to the Prince of Orange: And if so, had not the Protestants in the North reason to do that which in the opinion of all could only save the King∣dom? The case then stood thus with them, if they joined with King James or sate still, they were certainly undone; if he perished they must perish with him; if he conquered, he would then be in a capacity to execute his destructive In∣tentions against them which he had entertained long be∣fore: But if they joyned with their Present Majesties, they were sure of Safety and Protection as long as England is a∣ble to Master Ireland, which in probability will be for e∣ver.

But whatever the Lord Tyrconnel profest of his being de∣sirous to give up the Sword, 'tis certain he meant nothing less, and the generality of Protestants believed, that he only de∣signed to gain time and delude them, till he had gotten some∣thing like an Army to Master them; and they had the more reason to believe it, because whilst he profest the greatest In∣clinations to Peace and Accommodation, he was most intent on providing for War, and gave out about Five Hundred Commissions of one sort or other in a day; which yet he did in such a manner, as to make the least Noise, not passing them in the regular forms, or entring them in the usual Offi∣ces, but antedating them, the more to delude and amuse the Protestants; which put the Muster-Masters Office out of Or∣der ever after, most of these Commissions being never entred in it: Nor was it ever able to fur∣nish* 1.3 a perfect List of the very Field Officers, as will appear from the List it self in the Appendix.

5. These new made Officers were set on Foot, partly on the first noise of the Prince of Orange's descent, and partly in the

beginning of December, 1688, and were without Mony, E∣state, or any other visible means, to raise their Troops and Companies, and to subsist (so they term'd maintaining) them for Three Months, from the First of January; a thing impos∣sible, without allowing them to Steal and Plunder. It was this struck so much terror into Protestants, and made them so jealous and apprehensive of Danger, that they fled into England in great numbers, especially when they found that the New Raised Men, as they surmised, began to make ha∣vock of all things. It was this gave Credit to a Letter dated December the Third, 1688, sent* 1.4 to the Lord Mount Alexander, whether true or counterfeit I cannot determine, intimating a design to De∣stroy the Protestants on Sunday the Ninth of the same Month, which Letter was spread over the whole Kingdom. The People of Derry had beside this, several Letters and Intima∣tions of Mischief designed against them, and against the Pro∣testants of Ireland. And though that directed to the Lord Mount Alexander, may not seem of great weight, yet who∣ever considers the circumstances of the Protestants of Ireland at that time, will acknowledge that it was not to be despised. In the Year 1641, the Seizing of Dublin by the Lord Mac Guire, was prevented by as improbable a discovery as this Let∣ter; while the Protestants in the rest of the Kingdom were Massacred through the incredulity of some who could not be perswaded to give ear to such intimations of the Design, as were brought before them. In England the Gun-powder Trea∣son was revealed, and the destruction of the Three Kingdoms prevented by a Letter as insignificant as that directed to the Lord Mount Alexander. About the very time intimated in the Letter for the Massacre, a new raised Regiment belonging to the Earl of Antrim, appeared before the Town without the King's Livery, without any Officers of Note, or the least warn∣ing given by the Earl of their coming; lastly, without any Arms besides Skeans, Clubs, and such other Weapons as Kearnes and Tories used.

6. The People of the Town were frightened at the Sight, and refused them entrance into the City; this was the First

rub or provocation the Lord Deputy met with; it was a meer accident, and proceeded from his own Ignorance or Negli∣gence, who had left that Garrison, the only one of any con∣siderable strength in Ulster, where most Protestants lived, without one Soldier to Guard it; and then sent such a pack of Ruffians to take Possession of it, many of whose Captains and Officers were well known to the Citizens, having lain long in their Jails for Thefts and Robberies. When there∣fore such a Body of Men came to demand entrance at the very time that they expected a Massacre, what could they imagin but that these Men came to execute it; and who could blame them for shutting their Gates? They were well assured that these were Men fit for such an Execution and that they were ready on command to do it; and perhaps would not stay for an Order. The Lord Deputy bethought himself too late of his Error, but could never retrieve it; though by means of the Lord Mountjoy he did all in it that was possible, having brought the City to accept of a Pardon, and receive a Gar∣rison of Soldiers; but then it was such a Garrison as they were able to Master, and no more by the Articles were to be admitted into it before the ensuing March.

7. We ought to remember the reason of Building London∣derry, and 'tis plain from its Charter granted by King James the First, that it was Founded to be a Shelter and Refuge for Protestants against the Insurrections and Massacres of the Na∣tives, who were known always to design and be ready to exe∣cute their malice on their Conquerors: To keep them there∣fore in awe, and secure the Plantation, was the Design of Building the City; it was upon this condition, and by these Covenants the Proprietors of the City held their Estates; and the Inhabitants had been false to the very design and end of their Foundation, if they had given up the City, with the keeping of which they were intrusted, into the Hands of those very men against whom by the Charter it was designed to be a Security and Bulwark. At this rate the Lord Deputy might give away any mans Estate, and have bestowed it on his greatest Enemy, and that with much less injury to the Publick.

The People therefore of Londonderry had good reason to refuse to deliver their City to the Kearnes and Tories of Ul∣ster, though inlisted under the Earl of Antrim, by a Com∣mission from a pretended Lord Deputy; these were excluded by their very Charter, and by the design of Building the Place from possessing it: much less had they reason to deli∣ver it to a parcel of men of whose Commission they knew nothing, and whose Errand they had reason to believe was to cut their Throats.

8. 'Tis to be considered, that Londonderry was under a fur∣ther provocation to lay hold on the first opportunity to do themselves Justice, and that was the wicked▪ and illegal In∣vasion made on their Charter, Liberties, Priviledges and E∣states by a most unjust and oppressive Sentence given by an unqualified Lord Chief Baron, on a Quo Warranto, for which there was not the least pretence in the World, as may ap∣pear to any one that will be at the pains to view the Pro∣ceedings in Court: By this Sentence grounded on a foolish nicety objected to the Plea, the whole English Interest and Plantations in that County were ruined, and the whole De∣signs of them destroyed and perverted; and therefore it was not to be wondered if they took the first opportunity to save themselves from imminent Destruction. They concluded that a Government, who on a nicety could take away their Charter, their Priviledges, their Estates, and subvert the de∣sign of Building their City, might as easily and unavoidably find another nicety to take away what remained, together with their Lives; and therefore they cannot be much blam∣ed, if they had been under no other Temptation but this, that they were willing to withdraw themselves from a Go∣vernment whom they durst not trust, and which took all advantages against them to destroy them.

9. The shutting up of Derry against the Earl of Antrim's Regiment, was all that was done by any Protestant in Ire∣land in opposition to the Government, till King James de∣serted▪ England; except what was done at Enniskillin, where the People were under the same circumstances with those of Derry, having about the same time refused to quarter two

Companies sent to them by the Lord Deputy. They were not so much as summoned by him, nor did they enter into any Act of Hostility or Association, or offend any till assault∣ed, being content to stand on their Guard against such as they knew to be Mortal Enemies to the English Interest; to subdue whom, they were planted in that wild and fast Country. But as soon as the News of King James's deserting the Govern∣ment came into Ireland, all Protestants look'd on themselves as obliged to take care of their own Preservation; and find∣ing that continual Robberies and Plunderings were committed by such as the Lord Deputy, against the Laws of the Kingdom and the Interest of the Nation, had intrusted with Arms and Employments, and that no Care was taken by him to prevent those Mischiefs, (but on the contrary the Robbers were secret∣ly cherished and encouraged,) the Gentlemen in the North to prevent their own Ruin, and the Ruin of all the Prote∣stants of Ireland, which they saw unavoidable, entred into Associations to defend themselves from these Robbers; their Associations did really reach no farther than this, nor did they attempt any thing upon the Armed Robbers, except in their own Defence, when invaded and assaulted by them: Insomuch that I could never hear of one act of Hostility committed, wherein they were not on the Defensive. Their crime then if any, was only this; they were not willing to suffer themselves to be robb'd and plundered as their Neighbours were, with∣out opposition, but disarmed some of those who under co∣lour of being King James's Soldiers, destroyed the Country: This was all the reason the Lord Deputy and Council had to call them Rebels, and to charge them in their Proclamation dated March the 7th, 1688, with actual Rebellion, and with Killing and Murdering several of his Majesties Subjects, and with Pillaging and Plundering the Country; whereas it was notorious they never killed any whom they did not find actu∣ally Robbing, to kill whom, the Laws of the Kingdom not only indemnified them, but likewise assigned them a Re∣ward; and for Plundering, it is no less notorious that they preserved the whole Country within their Associations from being Pillaged, when all the rest of Ireland was destroyed:

And their great care of themselves and their Country was the Crime which truly provoked the Lord Deputy, and made him except from Pardon Twelve of the principal Estated Men in the North, when he sent down Lieutenant General Hamilton, with an Army which he tells us in the same Procla∣mation would inevitably occasion the total ruin and destruction of the North.

10. And lest there should be any Terms proposed or ac∣cepted by the People in the North, and so that Country es∣cape being Plundered and Undone, he made all the haste he could to involve the Kingdom in Blood: King James was e∣very day expected from France, and landed at Kinsale, March the 12th, but no Perswasions would prevail with the Lord Deputy to defer sending the Army to the North, till the King came, though he had good assurance given him by several who knew their Minds and Tempers, that in all probability if King James himself appeared amongst them and offered them Terms, they would have complyed with him, at least so far as to submit quietly to his Government: But it was the Lord Deputy's design to destroy the Protestants there as well as in the rest of the Kingdom; and therefore he hasted to make the Parties irreconcilable, by engaging them in Blood, and by letting loose the Army to Spoil and Plunder. The War therefore was entirely imputable to him, and the Protestants were forced into it, having no other choice than either to be undone without offering to make any De∣fence for themselves, or else with their Arms in their Hands, to try what they could do in their own Preserva∣tion.

11. But it must be considered that Ireland is a Kingdom dependent on the Crown of England, and part of the Inhe∣ritance thereof, and therefore must follow its fate, which it cannot decline without most apparent ruin to the English In∣terest in it. Now King James having abdicated the Govern∣ment of England, and others being actually possessed of the Throne, it was the business of the Protestants of Ireland to preserve themselves rather than dispute the Titles of Princes; they were sure it was their Interest and their Duty to be

subject to the Crown of England, but whether King James was rightly intitled to that Crown, is not so easily determi∣nable by the common People: No wonder therefore they declared for King William and his Queen, whom they found actually in the Throne of England, and own'd as rightful Possessors by those who had best reason to know, rather than for King James who indeed pretended to it, but with this disadvantage amongst many others, that he was out of Posses∣sion; and he had not used the Power when he was in pos∣session so well, that they should be desirous to restore him to it, with the danger of their own ruin.

12. They considered further, that their defending them∣selves and those Places of which they were possest would in all probability very much contribute to save not only them∣selves, but likewise the Three Kingdoms, and the Protestant Interest in Europe; to which it did certainly in some Mea∣sure contribute. King James and his Party believed it, and declared themselves to this effect; and some of them were very liberal of their Curses on the Rebels in the North, as they called them, for this reason; had (said they) the Re∣bels in the North joined with King James, he had such a Party in England and Scotland, which (together with the Succours he might then have sent from Ireland, and the as∣sistance of the French King,) would in all probability have shaken the Government of England before it had been settled; but the opposition of Enniskillin and Derry lost the opportunity, that will not easily be retrieved. How far this Conjecture of theirs was probable, I leave it to the Rea∣der; what has happened since, shews that it was not alto∣gether groundless; if the Design had taken, the condition of Europe, especially of the Protestants, had been most de∣plorable; but it pleased God to spoil all their Measures by the opposition made by a small Town, Mann'd with People before that time of•• no extraordinary Reputation in the World, for Arms, Valour or Estates, and who perhaps had never before seen an Enemy in Arms: King James was plea∣sed to call them a Rabble, but it must be remembred to their Honour, that they outdid in Conduct, Courage and

Resolution all his Experienced Generals. To a Man that se∣riously reflects on it, the thing must almost seem miracu∣lous, all Circumstances considered; the rest of the King∣dom, except Enniskillin, had yielded without a Blow; most of the chief Officers, Gentlemen and Persons of Note, Cou∣rage or Interest in the North, had deserted their new rais'd Troops without Fighting; the Succours designed for them from England came at the very time when the Town was ready to be invested, and the Officers that came with those Succors, as well as their own Officers, were of opinion that the Place was not to be defended; that they had neither Provision nor Necessaries to hold out a Siege: The Officers therefore privately took a resolution to return for England, and carried along with them most of the Gentlemen and Leaders of the Town, without leaving any Governor or In∣structions for the People what they were to do, and with∣out offering to make any conditions for them; but neither this nor their extream want of Provision, to which they were at last reduced, nor the consideration of their Friends whom their Enemies treated barbarously in their sight, could prevail with them to give up themselves or their cause; but by patience and resolution they wearied out their Enemies, and instead of letting them make approaches to their Walls, they enlarged their Out-works upon them, and made them confess after a Siege of Fifteen Weeks, that if the Walls of Derry had been made of Canvas, they could not have taken it.

The same may be said of the People of Enniskillin, who lived in a wild Country, and untenable place, surrounded with Enemies on every side, and removed from almost all possibility of Succour, being in the heart of Ireland; yet they chose to run all Hazards and Extremities, rather than trust their Faithless Enemies, or contribute to the ruin of the Pro∣testant Interest by yielding. After almost all their Gentry of Estates or Note had left them, or refused to joyn heartily with them, they formed themselves into Parties, and though in a manner without Arms and Ammunition, yet by meer Resolution and Courage, they worsted several Parties of the

Enemy, and almost naked, recovered Arms and Ammunition out of their Hands, and signalized themselves in many En∣gagements, by which they not only saved themselves, but likewise did considerable Service to the Protestants that were under the Power of King James; for this Handful of Men, by their frequent Incursions and carrying off Prisoners in e∣very Engagement, terrified even the Papists of Dublin into better Humour, and more moderate Proceedings, as to the Lives of Protestants that lived amongst them, than perhaps they would otherwise have been inclined to: They saw from this, that their Game was not so sure as they imagined, and the Prisoners taken by those of Enniskillin, were Hostages for their Friends that lived in Dublin; and the Humanity with which the Prisoners were used there, was a Reproach on the Barbarity exercised by the other Party. In short, it appeared that it was neither Malice nor Factiousness that en∣gaged them in Arms, but meer Self-preservation and the Ob∣ligation of their Tenures and Plantations, by which they were bound to keep Arms, and Defend themselves and their Country from the power of the Popish Natives which were then Armed against them.

13. But to return to the Lord Deputy's Proceedings in his new Levies, in order to gain time and delude the Prote∣stants, he sent for the Lord Mountjoy out of the North, after he had compounded the business of Derry, and perswaded him to go with Chief Baron Rice to King James into France, to represent to him the weakness of the Kingdom, and the necessity to yield to the Time, and wait a better op∣portunity to serve himself of his Irish Subjects. The Lord Tyrconnel swore most solemnly that he was in earnest in this Message, and that he knew the Court of France would op∣pose it with all their Power; for said he, that Court minds nothing but their own Interest, and they would not care if Ire∣land were sunk to the Pit of Hell, (they are his own Words▪) so they could give the Prince of Orange but Three Months diversion; but he added, if the King be perswaded to ruin his fastest Friends to do himself no Service, only to gratify France, he is neither so Merciful nor so Wise as I believe him to be. If

he recover England, Ireland will fall to him in course, but he can never expect to Conquer England by Ireland; if he attempts it, he ruins Ireland to do himself no kindness, but rather to ex∣asperate England the more against him, and make his Restora∣tion impossible; and he intimated, that if the King would not do it, he would look on his Refusal to be forced on him▪ by those in whose power he was, and that he would think himself obliged to do it without his Consent.

14. Every body told the Lord Mountjoy, that this was all sham and trick, and that the design was only to amuse the Prote∣stants, and get him, who was the likeliest Man to head them, out of the way: But his Answer was, that his going into France could have no influence on the Councils of England, who were neither privy nor Parties to it; and if they had a mind to reduce the Kingdom, it was easy to do it without his Assistance; that he must either go on this Message, now the Deputy had put him upon it, or enter into an actual War a∣gainst him, and against such as adhered to King Jame's Interest; that he did not think it safe to do the latter, having no order or encouragement from England; but on the contrary all the Advice he received from thence, was to be quiet and not to meddle; that he was obliged to King James, and neither Ho∣nour, Conscience, nor Gratitude would permit him in his pre∣sent Circumstances to make a War on his own Authority a∣gainst him, whilst there was any possibility of doing the bu∣siness without one. Upon these considerations, against the general Opinion of all the Protestants in Ireland, he under∣took the business, and went away from Dublin about the Tenth of January, 1688, having first had these general Con∣cessions made him in behalf of the Protestants: 1. That no more Commissions should be given out, or new Men raised: 2. That no more of the Army should be sent into the North 3. That none should be questioned for what was passed. And 4. That no Private House should be garrison'd or disturb'd with Soldiers; these he sent about with a Letter which will be found in the Appendix. But he was* 1.5 no sooner gone, but the Lord Deputy, according to his usual Method of Falshood, denyed these Concessions,

seemed mighty angry at the dispersing the Letter, and refused to observe any of them. The first News we heard from France, was that the Lord Mountjoy was put into the Bastile, which further exasperated the Protestants against King James, and made them look on him as a Violater of Publick Faith to his Subjects. As for the Lord Deputy, this clearly ruined his Credit (if ever he had any) amongst them, and they could never after be brought to give the least belief to what he said; on the contrary they look'd on it as a sure sign that a thing was false if he earnestly affirmed it.

15. But it was not yet in his power to master them; he had not sufficiently Trained and Exercised his Men; but as soon as he found that nothing was to be feared from England before the End of Summer, and that he was assured King James would be with him soon, he laid aside his Vizour, and fell upon disarming them: It was no difficult matter to do this, for in the very beginning of King James's Reign, the Protestant Militia had been dissolved, and though they had bought their own Arms, yet they were required to bring them into the Stores, and they punctually obeyed the Order: Such of the Protestant Army as remained in the Kingdom after their Ca∣shiering, were likewise without Arms, being as I shewed be∣fore, both disarmed and strip'd upon their being turned out. It was therefore a wonder that the Protestants had any Arms at all, especially when it is to be remembred, that during King James's Reign, they durst not be seen to buy or import them, being under the jealousy and suspicion of the Govern∣ment: However some they had, enough to make the Papists afraid, and to Beat them too, if they had had a little Assist∣ance and Encouragement of Authority to attempt it. The Lord Deputy was therefore resolved to have their Arms, and in order to get them, he drew Nine or Ten Regiments to Dub∣lin, and a proportional Party to every place where the num∣ber of Protestants was considerable; and without the least Notice or Declaration premised, on the 24th of February, 1688, he took away their▪ Arms and Horses throughout the whole Kingdom, except in the North where he durst not yet attempt it. The method of doing it in Dublin was this, he filled all

the Streets and Lanes with Foot and Horse; and then for so much of the City as lies within the Walls, he sent the City Officers to signify to every House, that if they did not send in every Sword and Bayonet, as well as Fire-Arms in their possession into the Churches, (which were generally seized for this use and filled with Soldiers,) they should be left to the Mercy and Discretion of the Soldiers, both as to their Lives and Goods: This was perfect Dragooning to the Protestants; nor is it easie to express what a Consternation it caused a∣mongst them; the preparation at first looked like a design to put in execution (what they long feared,) a general Mas∣sacre, and which had never been out of their Minds since the Lord Mount Alexander's Letter was dispersed. While they had their Arms in their Hands, it gave them some Heart, resolving to sell their Lives dear; but when they saw these now taken from them, this support failed, and they had no prospect of Defence, but generally imagined that their Arms were taken away in order to the more easie execution of the designed Massacre. They knew themselves to be the on∣ly Persons qualified by Law to keep or carry Arms; they knew the malicious designs of the Irish against them; they considered how necessary their Arms were at this time, not only to preserve their Goods, which were every day robb'd, and their Houses that were every night broken open, but likewise to secure their Persons, that were daily assaulted; and yet to avoid this terrible Dragooning, they were forced to part with them, and immediately delivered in near 3000 Fire-Arms, besides Swords, Bayonets and Pikes in Dublin on∣ly. At the same time some Hundreds of Horses were like∣wise taken, without any other reason than that they belong'd to Protestants. Without the Walls it was much worse than in the City; the Inhabitants there were not so much as re∣quired to bring in their Arms, but generally the Soldiers came and searched for them, on pretence of which, Five or Six Parties after one another, without method or order, rifled the Houses: In many Places they pull'd up the Boards of the Floors, brake down the Wainscots, Stealing and Plundering

whatever they could lay their Hands on, and sometimes tor∣turing the poor People to make them confess their Arms.

16. The next day after this disorderly Dragooning, came out a Proclamation dated February 25, 1688, signifying that this disarming and taking away Horses, was done by order of the Government, throughout all Ireland, there being only a Verbal Order for it before, of which the Protestants knew nothing, and which the Proclamation contradicted; for wear∣ing Swords were excepted in it, whereas the Verbal Order is said to have mentioned them, and they were delivered with great exactness before the Proclamation came out; for no body could hope to conceal them, it being known that every Gentleman had a wearing Sword, yet none were redelivered to them though demanded; and a second Proclamation pub∣lished by King James himself, dated July 20, 1689, did ex∣pressly forbid all Protestants to wear or keep any Swords, under the penalty of being counted Rebels and Triators, and used as such; and lest some should wear them and not be discovered, they beset all the Church Doors on Sunday Morning, February the 23d, 1689, whilst the Protestants were at their Devotion, to their great terror, being ignorant of the Design; and the Soldiers searched every one whether he had a Sword or no.

17. But to return to the general disarming, though the Protestants lost in it thei•• Horses and Arms, the Kings Stores gained little by them; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Soldiers who received the Arms, imbezel'd all that were better than ordinary amongst them, conveying them away privately, and converting them to their own use. The Arms of the Citizens were generally fine, and the Gentlemens Swords were Silver, and the Sol∣diers that got them were wiser than to return such to the Stores. The Lord Deputy seemed angry that so few Arms were returned, imputed it to the Citizens as an effect of their Obstinacy; and an Order was ready drawn for him to sign, wherein it was declared, that all Protestants with whom any Arms were found, should be given up to the Mercy of the Sol∣diers; so that there needed only some ill Fellows to come into a House and drop a Bayonet or Sword in a Corner, and

pretend to find it there, for the Soldiers to have rifled whom they pleased; besides which, all Protestants were to be re∣quire•• upon Oath to discover their Arms. This Order had been signed and put into Execution, if the Bishop of Meath had not come in seasonably to the Lord Deputy, and by discoursing him calmly, prevailed to have it laid aside: The Reasons and Proposals that he made use of to divert this inconveniency from the City, may be seen in the Appendix; by them he got leave to enquire* 1.6 into the number of Arms taken away; and found upon examination, that more had been taken from one Parish, than had been returned into the Store from the whole City. The talk of putting the Citizens to their Oaths on this occasion, did mightily alarm them; they knew not where it would end, if once the Government got into the Method of imposing Oaths on them; and therefore the Bishop took care to caution them against it, and they unanimously determined to take no Oaths at all, whatever hardships they suffered; and it is certain, they might have eased themselves of many, if they would have engaged themselves by Oaths; but the remedy was counted worse than the Disease; and in many Places of the Kingdom they chose to lye in Jail, rather than take some new invented Oath that was put to them without any Law to enjoyn it.

18. The management of taking up Horses was yet more disorderly; whoever pleased took 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and was not so much as obliged to tell his Name; the Proclamation mentioned only serviceable Horses, but the Verbal Order that went be∣fore, and on which they were taken, made no distinction; so all were taken that could be found: At the best, it was left to the discretion of a Dragoon, what he would count a Ser∣viceable Horse, and what he would do with them when he had taken them; so that of 10000 Horses at least that were taken from the Protestants at that time, the King received not 100, nor had he one Troop raised out of them, but whoever could get a Horse, whether he were Officer or Soldier, from a Pro∣testant, went away with it, and converted it to his private use; of which the Lord Deputy complains in a Proclamation,

dated March the 1st, 1688; but this Proclamation though dated the 1st of March, was not published till the 12th; the reason of the delay was this, the Proclamation ordered Horses that were not fit for Service to be restored, and if it had come out according to the date thereof, many Protestants that knew in whose Hands their Horses were, would have claimed them: To defeat them therefore, some that had interest with the Deputy, got the Proclamation delayed till those that took them might have time to convey them far enough from being found. And this was their usual Method, they first did the mischief they intended to the Protestants, and then they published some antedated Proclamation, forbidding it to be done; and sometimes when a Proclamation came out, before they had gone through with what they intended, they deny∣ed to be concluded by it, alledging it came out surreptitiously; as it happened in this very case of Searching for Arms.

19. Now Arms are the Hedges that secure and preserve our Goods and Lives, especially in a Conquered Country, such as Ireland is; and it was but reason that the Law did allow none but Protestants to have them; though they ne∣ver hindred any Man from arming himself so far as was neces∣sary for his own Defence: When therefore they saw the keep∣ing of Arms was made penal to them in the highest degree, (King James's Proclamation having made it Treason and Re∣bellion, as I shewed before,) and some would needs perswade them it was really so, to which opinion the Lord Chief Justice inclined, when he gave charge to the Jury concerning one Wolf, who was indicted for keeping some Arms, and fined for it as a Misdemeanor,) when I say, they saw that which the Law required them to do, made so highly criminal, (for the Law requires every Freeman of Dublin to keep Arms,) and those Arms put into the Hands of Tories and Ruffians, who had already robb'd them of a great part of their Sub∣stance, had they not reason to believe that they were disarm'd purposely, that they might be the more easily Robb'd or Mas∣sacred? and that it was as easy for a Government, that in one day disarmed them through the whole Kingdom, against Rea∣son, Law and Justice, to find a pretence at another time to take

away their Lives? they could neither doubt their inclinations, nor question their ability to do it. If one should tye a Mans Hands, and turn him naked amongst Wild Beasts, all the World would believe he designed they should devour him; and sure we had reason to suppose the same of our Governours; and they that treated us thus without provocation, and against the Laws, could not expect that we should be unwilling to change our Masters if a fair opportunity offered. By the Law we have as much property in our Arms and Horses that we buy with our Mony, and in a conquered Country such as Ireland is, where every Forty Years we constantly have had a Rebel∣lion, they are as necessary for us as our Cloathes or Estates, which indeed can signify nothing without them. And the King might as justly pretend that he had occasion for them, and take them from us without consideration, as our Horses and Arms; the oppression to us in our circumstances was real∣ly equal.

20. It may perhaps be imagined by those who are Strangers to our Affairs, that we had abused our Arms to oppress and wrong our Neighbours, or to oppose the King, and there∣fore deserv'd to lose them; but it is observable, that it doth not appear that any one Protestant in Ireland before this Dis∣arming, had used his Arms to injure any R. C. nor did they hurt any that was not either actually robbing them of their Goods, or assaulting their Persons, no not in the North, where they refused to give up their Arms; they kept even there on the defensive, and offended no Man but when first Assaulted: So that there was not the least reason or colour to disarm us, except that we might be Plundered and Robb'd, without be∣ing able to make resistance. Our crime for which we lost our Arms, for which we were exposed naked to our Enemies, and for which the best Gentlemen in the Kingdom were obliged to walk without a Sword, was because they suspected that we would not otherwise tamely part with our Goods, or suffer our selves to be abused and affronted in the Streets by every Ruf∣fian, which was the condition of the best amongst us.

21. 'Tis true King James could not carry on a War for the advancement of Popery, without our Goods, and he could

not be secure of them whilst we had Arms; but I hope all the World is convinced, that it was not our Counsels nor Actings that brought him to these Straits; nor was it to be expected that we should be content to be undone, to repair the errors and faults of those Wicked Counsellors, who put him on those desperate courses which lost him his Crown. All our crime is, then, that we could not be content to be undone with him and by him, and rather chose to desire Protection, Liberty and the restitution of our Priviledges and Arms from their present Majesties than to be in the condition of the Vilest of Slaves under King James; a crime for which I am confident no Papist condemns us in his Conscience, however he may rail at us and call us disloyal.

Notes

• a 1.1

  See Appendix, N^o 14.
• * 1.2

  Appendix, N^o 14.
• * 1.3

  Appendix N^o 11.
• * 1.4

  See Appendix.
• * 1.5

  Appendix.
• * 1.6

  See Appendix, N^o 15.