The Kings Majesties last gracious message for peace sent to the two Houses of Parliament examined, and several observations from the same concerning Ireland: vvith a copy of the Lord Digbies letter, the Kings Majesties commission, and the articles of peace.

IN the first place it is to be observed, what authority the Earl of Glamorgan had to Treat with the Irish Rebels, under the Kings Signet; (for it cannot be rightly called a Commission (had it been under the Great Seal at Oxford) because that is declared Null by the Parlia∣ment.) The Warrant Signed was in these words. A Copy of the Kings Warrant to the Earl of Glamorgan.

Charles Rex.

CHarles by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To Our trusty and right welbeloved Cosen Edward Earl of Glamorgan greeting. We reposing great and especial Trust and Confi∣dence in Your approved Wisdom and Fidelity, Do by these (as firmly as under Our Great Seal to all Intents and Pur∣poses) Authorise and give you power to Treat and Conclude with the Confederate Roman Catholiques in Our Kingdom of Ireland, if upon necessity any thing be to be condescended un∣to, wherein Our Lieutenant cannot so well be seen in, as not fit for Vs at the present publikely to own; Therefore We charge you to proceed according to this Our Warrant, with all possible secrecy, and for whatsoever you shall engage your self upon such valuable considerations, as you in your judgement shall deem fit; We promise in the word of a King and a Chri∣stian, to ratifie and perform the same that shall be granted by you, and under your Hand and Seal; the said Confede••ate C••tholiques having by their Supplies testified their zeal to Our Service; and this shall be in each particular to you a sufficient Warrant.

Given at Our Court at Oxford under Our Signet and Royal Signature the 12. day of March, in the 20. yeer of Our Raign, 1644.

In the next place it is very requisite to know what this Treaty of the Earl of Glamorgan, with the Irish Commissi∣oners did produce, and that was this. He Treats with the Irish Commissioners for the raising of 10000 men for the King, to be sent into England, the Earl of Glamorgan imme∣diately to bring over 4000 of them, they to be sent to Dublin, and from thence to be transported. This they agree to do on their part.

The Earl of Glamorgan by vertue of his Authority from the King, grants to the Commissioners (in lieu thereof) these Articles following.

A Copy of the ARTICLES of PEACE agreed on with the Irish Commissioners.

1. IMprimis, It is granted, accorded and agreed by the said Earl, for and in the behalf of His most Excellent Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, That all and every the Professors of the Roman Catholique Religion in the Kingdom of Ireland, of whatever state, degree or quality soever he or they be or shall be, shall for evermore hereafter have and enjoy within the said Kingdom, the free and publike use and exercise of the said Roman Catholiques Religion, and of the respective function therein.

2. Item, It is granted, accorded and agreed by the said Earl, for and on the behalf of His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, That the said professors of the Roman Catholique Religion, shall hold and enjoy all and every the Churches by them enjoyed within this Kingdom, or by them possessed at any time since the 23. of October, 1641. and all other Churches in the said Kingdom, other then such as are now actually en∣joyed by His Majesties Protestant Subjects.

3. Item, It is granted, accorded and agreed by the said Earl, for and in the behalf of His most Excellent Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, That all and every the Roman Catholiques Subjects of Ireland, of what estate, condition, degree or quality soever, shall be free and exempted from the Jurisdiction of the Protestant Clergy, and every of them; and that the Roman Catholique Clergy of this Kingdom shall not be punished,

troubled or molested for the exercise of their Jurisdiction over their re∣spective Catholique flocks, in matters Spiritual and Ecclesiastical.

4. Item, It is further granted, accorded and agreed by the said Earl, for and on the behalf of His most Excellent Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, That an Act shall be passed in the next Parliament to be holden in this Kingdom, the tenour and purport whereof shall be as fol∣loweth, viz. An Act for the relief of His Majesties Catholiques Sub∣jects of His Highnesse Kingdom of Ireland: Whereas by an Act made in Parliament held in Dublin the second yeer of the Raign of the late Queen Elizabeth, intituled, An Act restoring to the Crown, the an∣cient Jurisdiction over the state Ecclesiastical and Spiritual, and a∣bolishing all Forraign power repugnant to the same; And by one other Statute made in the said last mentioned Parliament, intituled, An Act for the Uniformity of Common-Prayer and Service in the Church, and the Administration of the Sacrament, Sundry Mulcts, Penalties, Restraints and Incapacities, are and have been laid upon the Pro∣fessors of the Roman Catholique Religion in this Kingdom, in, for and concerning the use, profession, and exercise of their Religion, and their functions therein, to the great prejudice, trouble and dis∣quiet of the Roman Catholiques in their Liberties and Estates, and the general disturbance of the whole Kingdom. For remedy whereof, and for the better setling, increase, and continuance of the Peace, Ʋnity and Tranquility of this Kingdom of Ireland; His Majesty at the hum∣ble suit and request of the Lords and Commons in this present Parlia∣ment assembled, is graciously pleased that it may be Enacted, And be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by Authority of the same, That from and after the first day of this S••ssion of Parliament, it shall and may be lawful to and for all the professors of the Roman Catholique Religion, of what degree, condition or quality, to have, use and enjoy the free and publike ex∣ercise and profession of the said Roman Catholique Religion, and of their several and respective functions therein, without incurring any mulct or penalty whatsoever, or being subject to any restraint or in∣capacity concerning the same; Any Article or Clause, Sentence or Provision in the said last mentioned Acts of Parliament, or in any o∣ther Act or Acts of Parliament, Ordinances, Law or usage to the contrary, or in any wise notwithstanding. And be it also further Enacted, That neither the said Statutes, or any other Statute, Acts or

Ordinance hereafter made in Your Majesties Raign, or in the Raign of any of Your Highnesses most Noble Progenitors or Ancestors, and now of force in this Kingdom; nor all, nor any branch, article, clause and sentence in them or any of them, contained or specified, shall be of force or validity in this Realm, to extend to be construed, or adjudged to extend in any wise to inquiet, prejudice, vex or molest the professors of the said Roman Catholique Religion, in their Per∣sons, Lands, Hereditaments or Goods, for any thing, matter or cause whatsoever, touching and concerning the free and publike use, exer∣cise and enjoyings of their said Religion, function and profession. And be it also further Enacted and Declared by the Authority aforesaid, That Your Majesties Roman Catholique Subjects in the said Realm of Ireland, from the first day of this Session of Parliament, shall be, and be taken, deemed and adjudged capable of all Offices of Trust and advancement, places, degrees and dignities, and preferment what∣soever, within Your said Realm of Ireland, any Acts, Statutes, U∣sage or Law to the contrary notwithstanding. And that other Acts shall be passed in the said Parliament, according to the tenou•• of such Agreement or Concessions as herein are expressed; and that in the mean time the said Roman Catholique Subjects, and every of them, shall enjoy the full benefit, freedom and advantage of the said Agree∣ments and Concessions, and of every of them,

5. Item, It is accorded, granted and agreed by the said Earl, for and in the behalf of His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, That His Ex∣cellency the Lord Marquesse of Ormond, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, or any other or others authorized or to be authorized by His Majesty, shall not disturb the professors of the Roman Catholique Religion in their present possession and continuance of the profession of their said Churches Iurisdiction, or any other the matters aforesaid in these Articles agreed and condescended unto by the said Earl, until His Majesties pleasure be signified for confirming and publishing the Grants and Agreements here∣by articled for, and condescended unto by the said Earl.

6. Item, And the said Earl of Giamorgan doth hereby engage His Majesties Royal word and Publique Faith, unto all and singular the professors of the said Roman Catholique Religion within the said King∣dom of Ireland, for the due observance and performance of all and every the Articles, Grants and Clauses therein contained, and the Concessions herein mentioned to be performed to them.

7. Item, It is accorded and agreed, That the said Publike Faith of

the Kingdom shall be ingaged unto the said Earl, by the said Commissi∣oners of the said Confederate Catholiques, for sending ten thousand men to serve His Majesty, by order and publike Declaration of the General Assembly now sitting, And that the Supreme Councel of the said Cen∣federate Catholiques, shall engage themselves to bring the said number of men armed, the one half with Muskets, and the other half with Pikes, unto any Port within this Realm, at the Election of the said Earl, and at such time as he shall appoint, to be by him shipped and transported to serve His Majesty in England, Wales or Scotland, under the command of the said Earl of Glamorgan as Lord General of the said Army, which Army is to be kept together in one intire body, and all other the Officers and Commanders of the said Army are to be named by the Supreme Councel of the said Confederate Catholiques, or by such others as the General Assembly of the said Confederate Catholiques of this Kingdom shall intrust therewith:

In witnesse whereof the parties to these presents have hereunto interchangeably put their hands and Seals the 25. day of August. 1645.

Glamorgan.

The Commissioners for the Rebels were.

• Lord Viscount Mount Garret,
• Lord Viscount Muskerry,
• Alexander mac Donnel Esquire,
• Nicholas Plunket Esquire,
• Sir Talbot Baron••••,
• Dermer O Bryan Esquire,
• John Dillon Esquire,
• Patrick Darcy Esquire,
• Jeffery Brown Esquire.

Now for Digbies part it plainly appears, that he was at the very moulding of this designe; Here followeth the Copy of a Letter which he sent to the Irish Commissioners before he went from the King.

A Copy of the Lord Digbies Letter to the Irish Commissioners.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

TO disabuse you, I am Commanded by His Majestie to declare un∣to you, that were the Conditions of His Affairs much more de∣sperate then they are, He would never redeem them by any Con∣cession of so much wrong, both to His Honour and Conscience: It is for the defence of His Religion, (principally) that he hath undergone the extremities of War here, and He would never redeem His Crown by ratifying that there: So that to deal clearly with you, as you may be happy your selves, and be happy instruments of His Majesties re∣storing, if you would be content with Reason, and give him that speedy assistance, which you well may: So if nothing will content you, but what must wound His Honour and Conscience, you must ex∣pect, howsoever His condition is, and how detestable soever the —of this Kingdom, are to Him, He will in that point joyn with them, the Scots, or with any of the Protestant Religion, rather then do the least Act that may hazard that Religion, in which, and for which, He will live and die. Having said thus much by His Majesties Command, I have no more to adde, but that I shall think myself very happy if this take any such effect, as may tend to the peace of that Kingdom, and make me

Your affectionate humble Servant George Digby.

This Letter of Digbies, was before the Earl of Glamorgan was sent over to Ireland in the Infantry of the Designe, which it seems came not to maturity until now.

FINIS.