_A short Account of the general Insurrections of the Irish,
Anno 1641._
But though the mercy of these inhumane Villains extended to the saving
of our lives; yet they had so little consideration and commiseration, to
expose our bodies (by stripping us) stark naked to the extremity of a
cold winter night, nor so much as sparing my tender age. Thus without
Shooes or Stockings, or the least Rag to cover our nakedness, with the
help of our Guide, we travelled all night through Woods as obscure as
that black darkness that then environed our Horizon. By break of day we
were at _Belfast_; about entering the skirts of the Town, this honest
and grateful servant, (which is much in an Irish man) being then assured
of our safety, took his leave of us, and returned to the Rebels.
Here were we received with much pitty of all, and entertain’d, and
cloth’d and fed, by some charitable minded Persons; to gratifie their
souls for what they had done for my mothers body, and those that
belong’d to her, my Father frequently preacht, which gave general
satisfaction, and continued thus in instructing his hearers, till the
_Sark_ or _Surplice_, was adjudged by a Scotish Faction, to be the
absolute Smock of the Whore of _Babylon_. Then was he constrain’d to
flee again to _Linsegarvy_ taking his charge with him.
Before I proceed, give me leave to digress a little in giving you a
brief account of the _Irish_ Rebellion. Not two years before it broke
out, all those ancient Animosities, Grudges, and Hatred, which the
_Irish_ had ever been observed to bare unto the English, seemed to be
deposited and buried in a firm Conglutination of their Affections, and
National Obligations, which passed between them, for these two had lived
together forty Years in peace, with such great security and comfort,
that it had in a manner consolidated them into one body, knit and
compacted together with all those Ligatures, of Friendship, Alliance,
and Consanguinity, as might make up a constant and everlasting Union
betwixt them there. Their Inter-marriages were near upon as frequent as
their Gossippings and Fosterings, (relations of much dearness among the
_Irish_) together with all Tenancies, Neighborhoods and Services
interchangeably passed among them. Nay, they had made as it were a
mutual Transmigration into each others manners, many English being
strongly degenerated into Irish Affections and Customes, and many of the
better sort of Irish studying as well the Language of the English as
delighting to be Apparrel’d like them. Nay, so great an advantage did
they find by the English Commerce and Cohabitation, in the profits and
high improvements of their Lands, as Sir _Phelim O Neal_, that
Rebellious Ringleader, with divers others eminent in that bloody
Insurrection, had not long before turn’d off their Lands, their Irish
Tenants, admitting English in their rooms; who are able to give far
greater Rents, and more certainly pay the same. So as all those
circumstances duly weighted & considered with the great increase of
Trade, and many other evident Symptoms of a flourishing Commonwealth; it
was believed even by the wisest and most experienced in the affairs of
_Ireland_, that the Peace and Tranquility of that Kingdom was fully
settled, and most likely in all humane probability to continue,
especially under the Government of such a King as _Charles_ the First,
whom after-ages may admire, but never match. Such was the serenity and
security of this Kingdom, as that there appeared not any where any
Martial preparations, nor reliques of any kind of disorders, no nor so
much as the least noise of War whisperingly carried to any ear in all
this Lands.
Now whilst in this great calm, the Brittish continued in the deepest
security, whilst all men sat pleasently enjoying the fruits of their own
labors, sitting under their own Vines, without the least thoughts of
apprehension of Tumults, Troubles, or Massacres; there brake out on
_October_ the Twenty third, in the Year of our Lord, sixteen hundred
forty and one, a most desperate, dierful, and formidable Rebellion, an
Universal Defection and Revolt, wherein not only the meer Native Irish,
but almost all those English that profess the Name of _Roman
Catholicks_, were totally involved.
Now since it is resolved by me to give you a particular account of the
most remarkable Transactions and passages of my life, it will be also
necessary to acquaint you with the beginning and first motions. Neither
shall I omit to trace the Progress of this Rebellion, since therein, I
shall relate summarily my suffering, and what others under went, the
horrid cruelties of the Irish, and their abominable murders committed,
as well without number, as without mercy, upon the English Inhabitants
of both Sexes, and all Ages.
It was carried with such secresie, that none understood the Conspiracy,
till the very evening that immediately preceeded the night of its
general execution. I must confess there was some such thing more than
suspected by one Sir _William Cole_, who presently sent away Letters to
the Lord Chief Justices, but miscarried by the way. _Owen O Conally_
(though meer Irish, was notwithstanding a Protestant) was the first
discoverer of this general Insurrection giving in the Names of some of
the chief Conspirators. Hereupon the Lords convened and sat in Council,
whose care and prudence at that time was such, that some of the
Ringleaders were instantly siezed, and upon examination, confest that on
that very day of their surprizal, all the Ports and Places of strength
in _Ireland_, would be taken; that there was a considerable number of
Gentlemen and others, twenty out of each county, were come up expresly
to surprize the Castle of _Dublin_. Adding further, that what was to be
done in the Country (where _Mercury_ the swift Messenger) could neither
by the wit of man, or by Letter, be prevented. Hereupon a strict search
was made for all strangers lately come to Town, and all Horses were
seized on, whose owners could not give a good account of them. And
notwithstanding, there was a Proclamation disperst through all
_Ireland_, giving notice of a horrid Plot designed by Irish Papists,
against English Protestants, intending thereby a discouragement to such
of the Conspirators, as yet had not openly declared themselves. Yet did
they assemble in great number, principally in the North, in the Province
of _Ulster_, taking many Towns, as the _Newry Drummoor_, &c., burning
spoiling, and committing horrible murthers every where. These things
wrought such a general consternation and astonishment in the minds of
the English; that they thought themselves no where secure, flying from
one danger into another.
In a very short time, the meer Irish Northern Papists by closly Persuing
on their first Plot, had gotten into their possession most of the Towns,
Forts, Castles, and Gentlemens Houses within the Counties of _Tyron_,
_Donegal_, _Fermanah_, _Armah_, _Cauan_, &c. The chief that appeared in
the Execution of this Plot, within the Province of _Ulster_, were Sir
_Phelim O Neal_, _Tourlough_ his Brother, _Ronre Mac Guire_, _Phillip O
Rely_, Sir _Conne Mac Dennis_, _Mac Brian_, and _Mac Mahan_, these
combining with their Accomplices dividing their Forces, and according to
a general Assignation, surprised the Forts of _Dongannon_ and _Montjoy_,
_Carlemant_, with other places of considerable strength. Now began a
deep Tragedy: The English having either few other than Irish Landlords,
Tenants, Servants, Neighbours, or familiar Friends, as soon as this fire
brake out, and the whole Country in a general Conflagration, made their
recourse presently to some of these, lying upon them for protection and
preservation, and with great confidence trusted their lives and all
their concerns in their powers. But many of these in short time after,
either betrayed them to others, or destroyed them with their own hands.
The Popish Priests had so charged and laid such bloody impressions on
them, as it was held according to their Doctrine they had received, a
deadly sin to give an English Protestant any relief.
All bonds of Faith and Friendship now fractur’d, Irish Landlords now
prey’d on their English Tenants; Irish Tenants and Servants, made a
Sacrifice of their English Landlords and Masters, one Neighbor
murthering another; nay, ’twas looked on as an act meritorious in him
that could either subvert or supplant an English man; The very Children
imitating the cruelty of their Parents, of which I shall carry a mark
with me to my Grave, given me with a Skene by one of my Irish
Play-fellows. It was now high time to flie, although we knew not
whither; every place we ari’vd at we thought least secure, wherefore our
motion was continual; and that which heightened our misery, was our
frequent stripping thrice a day, and in such a dismal stormy tempestuous
season, as the memory of man had never observ’d to continue so long
together. The terror of the Irish and Scotch incomparably prevailed
beyond the rage of the Sea, so that we were resolved to use all possible
means to get on Shipboard. At _Belfast_ we accomplisht our desires,
committing ourselves to the more merciful Waves. This Relation being so
short, cannot but be very imperfect, if I dare credit my mother, it is
not stain’d with falshood. Many horrid things (I confess) I purposely
omitted, as desiring to wave any thing of aggravation, or which might
occasion the least Animosity between two, though of several Languages,
yet I hope both united in the demonstration of their constant loyalty to
their Soveraign _Charles_ the Second.