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.

Mr. Burridge's Affidavit about Robbers, Sept. 27. 1690.

THen came before me Ezekiel Burridge Clerk, and saith, That about the beginning of the late Earl of Tyrconnel's Government, he was set upon by three Men near Glas∣neven, within a mile of Dublin, who gave this Deponent four Wounds with their Swords, and tore his Gown, so that he could never afterwards wear it: They likewise attempted to rob him, had they not been prevented by the coming in of Company. Two or three days after, he heard that a Fellow was seen on the same Ground who looked suspiciously; and being pursued, was taken in the Suburbs: Whereupon the said Deponent went to him in a Disguise to Newgate, and took him into a private Place, and made large Promises to him, if he would discover any of the Robberies, and be an Instrument of bringing in the Rogues who infested the Roads about the Town, and robbed almost every Night. To effect this, he spoke Irish, and wore the ••arb of a considerable Irish Officer, and call'd himself Mac-Carty.

The first time he could do but little good with him, but he bid him come to him the next day; and after he had seen a Friend, he would do something. Accordingly he went to him the next Morning, and renewing and enlarging his Promises to him; af∣ter some time he told him, if he would make my Lord Chief Ju∣stice Nugent his Friend, and perswade him to remit his Punish∣ment, which was to be burnt in the Hand, and stand his Friend in other things, he would do more Service than any Man in Ire∣land was able to do. He thereupon ventur'd upon large Promises to him, and used all the Rhetorick he could to bring him to an ingenuous and full Confession. Whereupon he told the Depo∣nent, that he knew all the Robberies that were committed the three Years last past in the Counties of Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Long∣ford and Louth: That he would engage to clear all those Counties of Rogues; that he knew all those that rob'd in the Roads about Dublin; that there were four several Companies of them; that the great Company were at that time robbing about Kilkenny, and that they would be at Dublin within a Week, for they were withdrawn thither only to be out of the way here in the Term time; that there were 26 of them in all besides Souldiers (whom, he said, he durst not discover); but all the rest, he said, he would engage to take in Ale-houses, where he would appoint them to meet him, if my Lord Chief Justice would allow him Men to assist him: This he told the Deponent he would do, and shewed him what Methods he would use; and he said, he would willingly be hang'd if he did not succeed: Besides, he knew (he said) where Rogues might be found in Dublin, who were proclaimed, and had Money offered for their Heads. He knew likewise where two Men were who murdered a Broguemaker at Kil••ock a little before, but was loth to hang one of them, he said, because he thought he then lived honestly in his own House. He knew likewise, he said, a House that was to be robb'd at Stephens-green, by some Acquaintance of his, within a Week; and told the Deponent what Method they design'd to use in robbing it. He knew likewise who robb'd a House at Killmain∣ham that very Week whilst be was in Prison. He knew where a Silver-hilted Sword was, which was taken from a Gentleman a little before; and could go directly to abundance of Goods

taken by Robbery. He knew where several pieces of the Gold which was taken from Mr. Starling the Minister in the County of Longford, then lay; and said, that he himself had changed one of the Pieces since his Committal: All this he said he would prove, and would give his Head if he miscarried in any Parti∣cular. And when the Deponent told him, that perhaps he only pretended those things, that he might have an opportunity to escape; he thereupon said, that they might, to prevent that, set Guards over him; and besides, he would procure my Lord Gor∣manstowne, and several Gentlemen, to be bound for him. The Deponent having received this Encouragement from the Priso∣ner, (whose Name was Patrick Launan) he went to my Lord Chief Justice Nugent; told him what he had suffer'd himself, and what the Country suffer'd daily; and gave him an account of his conferring with the Prisoner, and shewed him in writing the above-named Particulars, which he wrote from his Mouth in Prison; which my Lord presently was pleased to call, Extraor∣dinary great Service, and said, that the Government ought to take notice of it. My Lord was likewise pleased to promise the Deponent he would pardon the Fellow, and make the best use he could of him to bring in the Rogues. Afterwards my Lord sent for him, and had him private two hours; and when the Deponent afterwards waited upon him, my Lord told him, he had found out an extraordinary useful Man, and that he was well satisfied all he said was true, and he believed he could do more service than the Account he gave the Deponent; and withal, my Lord shewed the Deponent a List of the Rogues he had from Launan the Prisoner: But either my Lord did not read the List fairly to the Deponent, or Launan made some omission; for the Deponent remembers there was one Naugle, or one or two Nugents in his List, which my Lord omitted in reading. After the Deponent had managed the Fellow thus far, he asked him concerning particular Robberies, and he gave him a very satisfactory Answer to all. He asked whether he heard of a Gownman that was assaulted between Dublin and Glassneven? he thereupon turned his Head aside and blush'd, and said, that he knew of it, but could not be perswaded to discover the Men:

What he said upon this Head, made the Deponent suspect that my Lord Chief Justice had discovered him to the Prisoner, for he found not that freeness of discourse with him, after he had been with my Lord, that he had before: Neither after all his Pains, could he do any good with my Lord; but he deposes, that after he was importunate with him, three or four times, to bring in the Rogues, yet nothing was done, and the Prisoner was afterwards sent away to Trim Goal, which this Deponent verily believes was to avoid his importunity. He believes, my Lord thought those Rogues might be afterwards serviceable, and therefore had no mind to bring them to Justice.

Jurat coram me 27 Septembris 1690.

Dud. Loftus.