An Answer to that Seasonable and Important Question. Which Party of the Irish Rebels may be invited to Submission by a second Declaration, or Offer of Pardon, with most Advantage to His Majesty, to England in respect of Charge, and to the Protestant Interest in Ireland.

ALL the Papists in that Kingdom, as well those of English Extraction, as the Natives, are joyned in this Rebellion; this being noted, it is expedient (for resolving the Que­stion) to consider the several Parties amongst them, and the distinct Interest of each of these Parties which will open the matter, so as it will be easie to observe which of them are like­liest to be charm'd to any Advantage.

The Popish Clergy and Lawyers have a right to the Van, for they are the Contrivers and Incendiaries to Rebellion, sworn Vas­sals to Rome and France, restless in their Endeavours for Extirpa­ting the Protestant Religion, and regaining the Church Lands: Should His Majesty offer them any of those Lands, to buy them off, it would be resented worse than the taking away of Mag­dalen Colledge, for our Clergy think them little enough for themselves, and will not consent that a third or half should be given their Brethren of the Church of Rome, yet less than the whole (nor that) will not satisfie, for these pant after the Lives as well as the Livings of the Hereticks.

And that this work may be done effectually, both these sorts of men are now commissioned, and actually in Arms: The Bi­shops, Priests, &c. (according to their degrees) are Colonels, Captains Lieutenants, and Ring-leaders of the People; to the greatest Mischiefs of their Secular and Regular Clergy, there are four Titulur Arch-Bishops, 23 Bishops, 2 [...] 28 Parish Priests.

Next comes the most numerous part of the Gentry and No­bility, who by their Rebellion in 1641. forfeited their Estates, of which the Protestants are seized, these having gain'd some Mili­tary Experience, in foreign parts, are the flower of the Rebels Arm [...]d their condition cannot be made worse by any improspe­rous event of War; dig they cannot, and they will not easily be perswaded to return to beggary, nothing less than a good part, or the whole of the Estates they forfeited will be a bait for them.

[Page 4]As to the common Soldiers, part of them have been dragoon­ing the Protestants in France, the residue have from their Cradles lived by Theft and Robbery, are incapable of labour of industry; did these and the former submit being disbanded, protected and disperst, they would be more dangerous than now together in Arms, for they would fill that Kingdom with particular Mur­ders, Rapes and Robberies, render the Planting of it dangerous of impracticable: These cannot be saved to any good use, nor transported, but they run to France, to strengthen that Enemy of Mankind.

As to the Nobility and Gentry that were restored to their Estates by Charles the Ild's Court of Claims, they were as bloody Rebels as the former (such as the Marquess of Antrim, &c.) yet had better luck, for these were rewarded with better Estates for their Murder's, than they lost by their Rebellion: And good reason if they were commission'd to that Villany by Charles the First, as they alledge and Charles the Second seemed to coun­tenance in the case of that Marquess, who was proved by many credible Witnesses to have been in the first contrivance of the Rebellion in 1641 and to have perpetrated many horrid Mur­ders, yet that King commanded his Estate to be restored, giving for reason that he acted nothing in that matter but by Commis­sion from his Father Charles the Martyr, and by order of his Mother, pursuant to the Royal Commands she received from his Father.

Of eight millions of Acres profitable Land in Ireland, these Popish Proprietors possess about three millions, or a little more than one third of the whole; they are neither persons of Con­duct nor Interest; 'tis certain they have little influence on the common people; for by their Oppressions and Exactions, they have so far lo [...] their hearts, that where Protestant Landlords will receive them, they will not live under those of their own Nation and Religion: 'Tis not there as here in England, where Tenants have Leases for Lives, long Terms of years, or such Tenures as lays them under many tyes of Interest and Obliga­tion to venture for, or be swayed by their Landlords, but the quite contrary; for the Popish Landlords sett their Lands but from year to year, that they may the oftner rack their poor Tenants; and hence it is, that tho' those people live in the most [Page 5] plentiful Countrey in the world, yet they feed almost wholly upon Milk and Potatoes, only now and then, they have a little Barley or Oaten-bread:

This party are as deeply concerned in the Rebellion, dispoiling and plunder of the Protestants as the former, should any of these submit, it will be but singly, or with very few, probably with consent of the rest, that they may save their Estates, preserve an Interest for the Papists in future, that they may give private Intelligences to their brethren, that England may be at the whole Expense of the War, the dispoiled Protestants of Ireland be left without reprize for their Losses, and his Majesty less capable to prosecute the War against France; should these be pardoned, they will be in a better Condition for a future Rebellion than yet they have been, being disciplin'd and now inriched with the spoils of the English.

The only party that remains to be spoken of is the Husbandman and Labourer which constitutes the body of that people, and are Nineteen parts of Twenty of the Papists in Ireland. For the whole of them, Men, Women and Children, are but one Million, of which we suppose 40 or 50000 in Arms unfit to be pardoned or transported (except to the East-Indies) and that these should perish in their Rebellion, and that His Majesty and the wisdom of the Parliament think good to spare such of the common people as are not guilty of Murder, the body of that people will remain intire tho' all the former parties should be destroy'd. These (to say the truth of them) are least dangerous, being in themselves a well-natur'd people, and may by easy methods be made useful, if freed from their Clergy and great men, the generality of them speak or understand English, which the twentieth man did not in 1641. They willingly yield their Children for Servants to Protestants, and are content they become such, their Clergy have of late been so extreamly burthensom to them, that they are more than ever dispos'd to admit a Reformation, and to part with them and their Irish Landlords, and indeed such is the Ascendant that the Priests have over the Consciences of that bigotted people, that it will be difficult and very chargeable, if not impossible (whilest these remain amongst them) to keep them from rebellion on the least Forreign incouragement, as 130 years sad experience verifies beyond Contradiction. They natu­rally [Page 6] love Learning for their Children, and were there Free Schools set up to instruct them, they would (without compulsi­on) insensibly become Protestants. For which great and good works the present Rebellion, and their Reduction will furnish their Majesties with a fit Opportunity.

All that this part of that Nation can expect or desire is Pardon and Indempnity, which His Majesty and both Houses of Parlia­ment, may extend as they think fit, but if any of the former par­ties be comprehended with them, it will render them dangerous and formidable to the English there.

Thus I have set down the several Parties and Interests of the Papists in Ireland, whereby it plainly appears that there is danger in sparing any of them, tho' least (according to my sence) in tak­ing the Pesants, or (in that Countrey language) the Skulloges into Protection, as for the Clergy, Lawyers and those who lost their Estates in 1641. we have no bait for them; if they must live, they would be least mischievous in the East-Indies; were they charmed at present, these Cockatrices would in a little time bring forth Scorpions; which is true also of their landed men.

The Common Souldiers are less mischievous in open hostili­ty than under our Protection; their Nobility and Gentry who possess about one third of that Kingdom are as deep in guilt and rebellion as the rest, have little influence on the other parties, the receiving them to mercy will not shorten the War, but give heads to, and strengthen the Papists for the future. Subject us to innumerable mischiefs, impoverish England by bearing the charge of the War at present, and keeping up a numerous standing Ar­my in future to keep these from rebelling, all which by their Forfeitures may be prevented; the despoiled Protestants in part reprized for their Losses, and His Majesty reimbursed, which money imployed against France would expedite the bringing down of that Christian Turk.

Let it not be forgotten that King James and the supposititious Prince of Wales pretend Title to the Crown. And that both their Titles have been recognized by Act of Parliament in Ire­land. That not only the Papists in these three Kingdoms, but a numerous party that declare for Passive Obedience and Non-re­sistance long for and are industriously endeavouring his Restau­ration, and the destruction of the Protestant Interest, the par­doning [Page 7] the Estated Papists in Ireland will strengthen and in­courage these, furnish the French King with the means [...]o distract us at pleasure, intail dangers on posterity, discourage the planting of that Kingdom; for the Protestants whose houses and Estates are ruined will not in that case repair them, because they know that the pardoning of one Rebellion in Ireland, is alwaies the preludium to another. For Cambden truly observes, that by long use it was grown a mischievous Custom in Ireland, That Rebels might with part of the money they got by Pillage and Plunder, (of the English) procure themselves pardon and pro­tection, and escape without punishment, and that the Costly re­bellions of Ireland spread under pretext of Religion; were cherish­ed and nourished by contempt, lenity and pa [...]simony in England. As also that great Sums of money were spent about Ireland, but to little purpose, for that by a certain infelicity, common as well to England as to Ireland, where for the most part to such publick work, such men thrust themselves forward, and are admitted, as sordidly prefer their own private, before the publick good, I hope these passages were Historical and not Prophetical.

Five hundred years have not furnish'ed one instance of the Irish, being reduced, when in Rebellion, by kind Offers, (unless made them at the last extremity) but there are innumerable of their growing insolent, and obstinate thereby. He that knows not this, understands not an Irish man, nor how rightly to deal with him.

If we imagine that Liberty for their Religion, a share in the Civil Justice, will oblige and restrain them from violence and treason; we shall be mistaken; for in 1641. the Papists in that Kingdom had their Titular Arch-bishops, and Bishops, their Frieries and Nunneries, their Secular and Regular Clergy, they were Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs of Counties, Mayors and Bay­liffs of Corporations, &c. they were seized of three fourths of the Lands there all the Laws against them (which are but few in Ireland to what they are in England) were suspended, as to their Execution. There was then a Parliament sitting in that Kingdom mostly of Papists, wherein they remonstrated all their imaginary Grievances; the Government concurred that they should send their Deputies into England to represent them to the King, whereupon they had many forfeitures (some of whole Coun­ties) [Page 8] released to them, and all the rest of their grievances re­dressed, which only put them into a better condition to rebel. For notwithstanding all these Concessions, in a few Months after, (being stirred up by their Clergy) they broke out into that bar­barous and horrid Rebellion, wherein 150000 Protestants were massacred in cold blood (without any provocation) besides as many more that perished by Famine and Sword, in the prose­cution of that Rebellion; which is demonstration to all the World, that these people are not to be retained in obedience by Immunities, Priviledges and Kindness, nor restrained from Murders and Massacres any longer than they are kept under by a powerful standing Army.

In 1650. Oliver being in Ireland the growth of Charles 2d par­ty in Scotland calling him into England, he was put to it how in a little to divide, and break the power of the Irish; as the best expedient he elected to hold a solemn debate for three days successively, whether that Nation should not be wholly ex­tirpated, which had the desired Effect: For on notice thereof they instantly were terrified, divided and scampered, and many submitted on condition to be transported.

Let it be remembred that the Tragedy which for three years past, and now is acting in Ireland, was intended also for the Theatre of England, God forbid that by weakness, good nature, or out of good husbandry, we should be prevailed on to bring ruin on England also, by preserving the Instruments of our destruction; If they abide among us, they will certainly prove goads in our sides, and thorns in our Eyes.

The Lives of the Protestants in Ireland can never be secured whilst these remain among the Natives. If (as Sir Walter Rawleigh relates) the wise State of Venice, when their Senate is met, will not enter on any Consultation, until solemn Pro­clamation be made that all Priests shall depart (because they know them pernicious Councellors of State, even amongst those of their own Religion) why should it be thought rigorous, that we should remove such Instruments of mischief, to such distance as may secure us from dangers by them.

If against what has been said; that vulgar Objection be started, That His Majesty must deal tenderly with the Papists at home, else he will possibly disoblige his Popish Allies: I answer, this [Page 9] Objection is foppish, are not all the Papists in these Kingdoms in the French Interest? Have they not contributed most to that Kings present Greatness and Tyranny? Are not all the Irish and several of the English Papists now in Arms against their Majesties? Therefore the Rooting out or suppression of these is as serviceable to the Confederates (at present and in future) as the taking of Mentz or Bonn, for these are they that direct their Majesties Arms from invading France, yet were the Rebels Estates in Ireland by the Par­liament declared forfeited as in 1641. It is demonstrable that money may be raised to reimburse His Majesties pro­bable charge in that War, which imploy'd against France, will save much to this Kingdom, gratify the Confederates, and expedite the bringing down that French Tyrant.

'Tis certain there is a very ancient Prophecy in the Va­tican at Rome, which saith, That that Mother Church fal­leth when in Ireland the Catholick Faith is overcome; if it be duly pondered, there is very much in it; were these three Kingdoms once intire, being free'd from the Effects of the Plots and Treasons of the Papists, Popery would soon tumble in the World; 'tis pity we should be so stu­pid as to support that Chair by cherishing those vipers in our bosoms.

May their Majesties that have been the Instruments of so much good to these Nations, have the Eternal honour to give this blow also to that Interest!