A COLLECTION Of Certain Horrid MURTHERS IN Several COUNTIES OF IRELAND. Committed since the 23. of Octob. 1641. Abstracted out of certain Examinations taken by vertue of several Commissions under the Great Seal of IRELAND.

HEB. xi. 37. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.

London: Printed for Henry Brome, at the Gun at the West-End of St. Pauls. 1679.

TO THE READER.

THE Publication of these Irish Barbari­ties is not intended to heighten animosities between Protestants and Papists, much less to excite to a Retaliation by a Curse ye Meroz. But because the impudence of many who are of the Romish persuasion, is such, as to deny that General Rebellion and Massacre in Ireland, which is here proved, and that those Sons of cru­elty, the Jesuites and other Priests, do still persist in the like execrable and bloody designs, as appears by the present conspiracy so happily detected: it becomes necessary to revive in the minds of Protestants the former inhumanities of this sort of people, that every Loyal subject, considering what manner of Ephesian Beasts we have to fight with, may be upon his guard, to preserve His Majesty from the Tray­terous and bloody designs which are against his Person, and to defend themselves, their Wifes and Children from the like Butcheries.

It is observable that in the Year 1641. Ireland was in great tranquility, and that not by accident or from any seeking of the Irish: but by reason of many Acts of Grace, which had newly passed in favour of them. So that Prote­stants and Papists lived very friendly together: When on a suddain upon the 23. of October, this storm arose and these and thousands more of Murders were committed. And let us consider whether any age since the Reformation can parallel the great gentleness which has been used towards those of the Romish Religion since His Majesties happy Restauration. For some years, till the prompt and busie Zeal of some of that party, had provoked to an inquiry; till the Papists to weaken our Nation by division, took up the Buckler for the Non-Conformist, reconciling Herod and Pilate to destroy Christ: it was hard to discern in the Government, whether there was such a thing as a Papist among us. And yet we now see the restlesness of these mens spirits advanced to a degree as Barbarous, as the Irish: that nothing less than the utter extirpation of He­resie, as they call it; though by cruel Murders, will serve their turn. A new way to establish that Kingdom which is not of this world, by the most abhorred of worldly pra­ctices.

These Collections are but a gleaning taken out of the Voluminous Records of Authentick Books, now remaining in the Clerk of the Councils Hands at Dublin. The Earl of Essex, when Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, did peruse them [Page] himself, and compare many of them with the Originals, find­ing all that he compared, to be true. If any doubt; they may have recourse to the Books themselves; which being public remembrances, may be seen by any, the Citations di­recting to the Volume, Page and Mark where each is to be found.

Now these few Testimonies, out of many, are not Pub­lished out of any great hopes of Converting Papists, though they may operate upon some of the more serious sort; but to dispose all Professors of the Protestant Religion to a just sense of what would have been the Fruit of this in­stant Hellish Plot, had it succeeded, from what has been formerly upon the like occasion: and hence to improve this admonition of Mercy in the midst of Judgment, by hast­ning (in this, we know not how short breathing time) to put on the whole Armor of Righteousness, that we may be able, if not to defeat, at least to stand in the day of tryal.

But what can be expected from a Kingdom divided a­gainst it self! Our divisions, like so many wide breaches, let in our enemies so fast upon us, that we are never se­cure: Yet if ever we shall be persuaded to enter into the Uni­ty of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace; if ever the healing Balsam of Charity will be applyed among us; if ever one time were more necessarily inviting to it than another; it is now doubtless, when our familiar Friends and Neighbours have conspired with our greatest Enemies abroad to take a­way [Page] our Place and Nation. Let not the Dissenter then complain any longer in Libels and secret Whispers. Let those of the Church of England still continue with open Arms and Hearts to receive all such as will look towards them. Let us all come Face to Face, and vie in humility, meek­ness, and easiness to be intreated. Let things in themselves indifferent no longer rend the Seamless Garment, and give scandal to those, whose every Ordinance, that is not sin­ful, ought to be submitted to for the Lords sake. Let us beware of making that an offence, which the Lord has not made so, least those come upon us which are so in­deed. Let Gentleness move, and Love create that Union a­mong all Protestants for the future, which may remove all names of distinction; and so knit us into a perfect body, that one and the same spirit may have so free a Communication in us, as becomes the Members of Christ.

Methinks such awakening dangers, not yet passed over us, should make us inquire, whether the false and carnal prosecution of a true Religion has not provoked the Holy Spirit: that in this our day by amending our lives, we may invite God to avert those judgments, which press so near upon us.

For then and not before, shall we be free from ter­rour and amazement: when we strive to be as eminent in all Christian Vertues; as Rome is in worldly Wis­dom and Superstition: when our Obedience to Magistrates, which is Gods Ordinance, when our Patience, and Hu­mility, [Page] when our Charity, forgiving all injuries, even the cruelties herein recited, returning good for evil, and bles­sing for curses, which are the true marks of Christs Church, shall be as well known unto all men, as Rebellion and Mas­sacres have been notorious both in the Principles and Pra­ctices of the Papists in all Ages.

THE CONTENTS.

  • Counties. pag.
  • KIlkenny 1
  • Catherlagh 3
  • Kildare ibid.
  • Dublin ibid.
  • Meath 4
  • Kings County 7
  • Queens County 8
  • Wicklow 9
  • Westmeath ibid.
  • Galway 10
  • Longford ibid.
  • Roscommon 11
  • Sligoe ibid.
  • Mayo 12
  • Tipperary 13
  • Letrim 14
  • Clare ibid.
  • Tyrone ibid.
  • Armagh 15
  • Donnegal 18
  • Down ibid.
  • Cavan 19
  • Monaghan 20
  • Fermanagh 21

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