The Irish rebellion: or, An history of the beginnings and first progresse of the general rebellion raised within the kingdom of Ireland, upon the three and twentieth day of October, in the year, 1641.: Together vvith the barbarous cruelties and bloody massacres which ensued thereupon. / By Sir Iohn Temple Knight. Master of the Rolles, and one of his Majesties most honourable Privie Councell within the kingdom of Ireland.

THis Proclamation was presently printed, and severall copies sent down by expresse messengers unto the principall Noblemen and Gentlemen in severall parts of the country, where they caused them to be divers wayes dispersed, hoping that when the timely discovery of this conspiracie, and the happy prevention in a great part, should fully appeare abroad, it would prove so great a discouragement to such of the conspirators as had not yet openly declared themselves, as that they would thereby be contained within the bounds of their duty and obe∣dience to His Majesty. The same night the Lord Blaney arrived with the news of the surprisall of his house, his wife and his children, by the Re∣bels of the county of Monaghan: Next day came advertisement from Sir Arthur Tyringham, of the taking of the Newry; and then the sad relations of burning, spoiling, and horrible murders committed within the Province of Vlster, began to multiply, and severall persons every day and almost every houre in every day for a good while after, arrived like Jobs messengers, telling the story of their own sufferings, and the fearfull massacres of the poor English in those parts from whence they came. These things wrought such a generall consternation and astonishment in the minds of all the English and other inhabitants well affected within the city, as they were much affrighted therewith, expecting every houre when the Irish already crept into the Town, joyning with the Papists there, should make the City a Theater whereon to act the second part of that Tragedy most bloodily begun in the Northern parts by them.

And it added most extremely to these present feares, that severall un∣happy rumours (the great tormentors of the weaker sexe) were vainly spread abroad of the sodain approach of great numbers of Rebels out of the adjacent Irish counties unto the city: Some would make us believe that they were discerned at some distance already marching down from the mountain side within view of the Town; a report so credibly deliver∣ed by those who pretended to be eye-witnesses, that it drew some of the State up to the platform of the castle to behold those who were yet in∣visible, though there were there that would not be perswaded but that they saw the very motions of the men as they marched down the moun∣tains. It was at the same time also generally noised abroad, that there were 10000. of the Rebels gotten together in a body at the hill of Tarah, a place not above sixteen miles distant from the Town, and that they in∣tended without any further delay to march on and presently surprise the same. These false rumours being unluckily spread, and by some fomented out of evill ends, exceedingly increased the present distractions of the people, and raised such a panick fear among them, as about seven of the clock at night, the Lords Iustices and some of the Councel being then in

the councel-chamber within the castle, there came in to them a Gentle∣man of good quality, who having not without much difficulty, as he pre∣tended, recovered the gate of the castle, caused the Warders then at∣tending to draw up the bridge, assuring them that the Rebels gathered together in great numbers, had already possessed themselves of a good part of the Town, and came now with great fury marching down the street that leads directly towards the castle gate. But this feare was quickly removed by Sir Francis Willoughby, who being that day made gover∣nour of the castle, caused the draw-bridge to be let down, and so found this to be a false alarum occasioned by some mistake fallen among the peo∣ple, who continued waving up and down the streets, prepossessed with strange feares, and some of them upon some slender accident drawing their swords, others that knew not the cause thought fit to follow the example, and so came to appeare to this Gentleman who was none of their company, as so many Rebels comming up to enter the castle.

These were the first beginnings of our sorrows, ill symptomes, and sad preparatives to the ensuing evils: Therefore the Lords finding by several intelligences, though some purposely framed, that the power of the Re∣bels was suddenly swollen up to so great a bulk, and likely so fast to mul∣tiply and increase upon them, thought it high time to consider of the re∣medies, and in what condition they were to oppose, since they could not prevent so imminent a danger. The rebellion now appeared without all manner of question to be generally raised in all parts of the North, and like a torrent to come down most impetuously upon them: besides, it was no wayes improbable that all other parts of the kingdome would take fire and follow their example, they had the testimony of Mac-Mahon positive therein. The first thing therefore which they took into consideration, was, how they were provided of Mony, Arms, and Muni∣tion; Then, what Companies of Foot, and Troops of Horse of the old Army they were able to draw presently together, as also what numbers of new men they could suddenly raise. For the first, they had this short accompt from the Vice-treasurer, That there was no mony in the Exche∣quer. And certainly it was a main policie in the first contrivers of this Rebellion, to plot the breaking of it out at such a time when the Ex∣chequer should be empty, and all the Kings revenues both certain and ca∣suall, due for that half year, as well as the rents of all the British through∣out the kingdome, should be found ready either in the tenants or col∣lectors hands in the country, and so necessarily fall under their power, as they did to their great advantage. For Arms and Munition, the Stores were indifferently well furnished at this time: Besides severall Peeces of

Artillery of divers sorts, most of them fitted for present service, there were Arms for near 10000. men, 1500 barrels of Powder, with Match and Lead proportionable, laid in by the Earle of Strafford late L. Lieu∣tenant, not long before, and designed another way, but so op∣portunely reserved for this service, as the good providence of God did exceedingly appeare therein, but principally in the miraculous preserva∣tion of them out of the hands of the Rebels, who made the surprisall of these provisions, then all within the castle of Dublin (the common store∣house of them) a main part of their designe. The old standing Army, as appeares by this List, consisted only of 41 Companies of Foot, and 14 Troops of Horse.

Notes

• The Irish rise first in the pro∣vince of Vlster, and there burn, spoil, and de∣stroy the Eng∣lish.
• False rumours spread of the Rebels ap∣proach to the City of Dublin.
• The Lords Iu∣stices and Councell con∣sult what course to take for the suppressing this rebellion.
• No money in the Exchequer.