Tyrconnel's Proceedings in Ireland, AND Motion in Council, as to the Burning of Dublin Together with a Speech then made against it.
Sent to a Person of Quality in London.
WEre your Lordship here, you would not so much admire that you have not Money remitted you: Tyrconnel hath in several Bodies of old and new raised Men 30000, 24000 of which have neither Pay nor any Subsistence but what they take from the Country, who are also Robbed of their Corn and Cattle, twenty, thirty, forty at a time, insomuch that some Farmers are fled with their Rent in their Pockets: Some have left all the Robbers left them, and are gone forEngland; where we hear many good Families of them want Bread; many more would go, but cannot make Money of any thing: the best EnglishCow is offered for Ten Shillings, and all other Stock proportionable; nay, some have offered black Cattel at Elve Pound a Score, and cannot get it. For three Weeks past there hath not been bought or sold the value of Twenty Pound, besides what is absolutely necessary for support of Life, in this City, where Money is so scarce that one Neighbour will not trust another for Two pence. Tyrconnel hath declared, he cannot expect Money for the King's Revenue, but will take the value in Kinde of the growth of the Country; and how it will be livied, that way your Lordship may imagine. Four Thousand persons have desertedDublin, and more than Eight Thousand other parts, and gone out of the Kingdom; those that remain secure, only preparing for flight; and unless some speedy stop; by Protection f [...]nd England, the Country will be waste, and reduced to a worse condition; and those Protestants who have Estates here, be in the same case as if they had none. The Tories march boldly through the [Page 2] Country, a hundred and two hundred in a Company, and drive away black Cattel, and Sheep at noon day. And the Irish say already, they wonder at the Impudence of any English, to pretend a Title to any thing in Ireland. And those of them that are rich, have given great Sums for support of a War, which the Priests and Fryers call a Holy War, and preach Damnation to all who Assist not in Purse or Person. The Lord Mayor of Dublin hath given 6000 l.the late Lord Mayor, Sir T. Hackett 2000; Mr. Kenedy, the Marchant in Bridge street, 1500; the Mayor of Drogheda 2000; the City of Galloway, in Money and Goods, 30000 l. and all the other Papist Counties, Cities, and Towns are following their example. So that they expect in three Months a Bank of Five Hundred Thousand Pounds. To which may be added, the Encouragement given this Week from the French King, by the Marquess Du Ponte, who hath brought Arms and Ammunition for 15000 Men, and assured more Men and Money, and this day went hence for Waterford, where he Embarques back for France. The Irish fear nothing but an English Army of 20000 Horse and Foot, and the Protestants, that they will not come time enough to deliver them.
Tyrconnel hath not only publickly threatned, in case of Invasion from England, to Burn Dublin, but to Motion it this Week in Council, in order thereto; to which one of the Council replied, in the Speech following; and notwithstanding their Boasting, it's believed they dare not do it for the reasons herein mentioned.
A Speech, or Disswasive from the Burning of Dublin, pronounced at a Juncto of Council, The Five and Twentieth of January, 1688.
THE warmth and flames of this Debate, kindled by the Subject Matter thereof, hath proceeded so far, as to incense us so much among ourselves into Passion; and I hope that those flames will never reach to the Destruction of this Noble City, and the Inhabitants thereof: The Question is, Whether the Circumstances wherein we are, it be adviseable [Page 3] to Burn this City? The matter in debate, is of great weight, and, as I conceive, of as equal concernment to the Roman Catholicks, as to the English Protestants interested and Residing therein; for if we shall consider the Freehold, Goods, and Chattels belonging to the one or the other, you shall not find any great difference in the Value: Why, therefore, should we destroy those whom we effect, and are bound to preserve, together whith those whom we think fit to punish; for we know that in the flames of a general Conflagration, the Interest of one and the other cannot be distinguished. In the next place it's to be considered, how far the whole Country, and Foreigners, may be concerned in so vast a Distraction; Consider how much the Country will be impoverished by destroying their great Commerce with the City; and whether Lands in the Country will continue in the half Value they now bear, should they be deprived of venting their Corn, Cattle, and other their Commodities in this City: Consider furthermore, that according to the Rules hithertofore observed in the prosecution of War, nothing can prove more dangerous, than for the over mastered Party, or at least fear to be such; What can be reason to burn so famous, so great, so opulent a City, as we are now possest of? If we be, or shall soon be upon the access of English Forces, or burning of this City, will prove an Example to them, at whose mercy we shall lye, to prosecute the whole Country with Fire and Sword; and then it will be known, that our Party, tho' not so much concerned in the Freehold of Ireland, are greater Masters of Corn both in Field and Haggard; which they, upon so great provocation, would set on fire, whereas now they have no design to destroy the Country, or the Inhabitants thereof, they intending no more than to deliver the English Protestants from the the terrour of a new raised Army of the Irish, and the setling of them in safety; so that unless we should begin Acts of Hostility, such as the burning of Dublin would be, the whole body of the Country and City, Inhabitants thereof, and even the common Souldiers, laying down their Arms, may follow their former Callings without being further questioned, leaving the Landed Officers of the new raised Irish Forces, whereby the English have so much been terrified, together [Page 4] with the Unqualified Judges, and Civil Officers, to the punishment of the Law, or to the Mercy of those who do or shall bear sway in England; Furthermore, we cannot forget that the burning of Houses is Treason by the Law of Ireland, How great a Treason therefore would it be to burn this famous City? If a War were so severely prosecuted against us, as by Force to drive all the Inhabitants out of this Kingdom, leaving no hope ever for us to return again, it might then seem, perhaps, reasonable to destroy the Country and City; but no Hostile Act being intended, to the Disquiet of the Nation, the whole scope of the Power of England being no more than to give vigour to the Laws of the Kingdom and the Exercise thereof: Why should we burn Dublin ingaging our selves and the whole Nation in a War, and thereby bring Misery to our selves and the whole Nation, under pretence of doing that which we are no way able to effect? Let us therefore by a wise submission, while our Adversaries are on the other side of the Water (and I know the Officers and Souldiers of the old Army will consent) passifie them, by ondering a general laying down of Arms, which I am confident, will, not only deliver the whole Irish Nation from Destruction, th [...] also assure them of greater prospect & felicity then ever they yet enjoyed, so far as may agree with the Laws of the Land. And why should we expect in so prostrate a Condition more advantage than the Law will afford us. I am sure I have hither to said nothing but what intended for the service of the Irish Nation, for whom I am very much concerned as a Native thereof; and I am perswaded, that all of you in a right Judgment, cannot but approve of what I have said; If so, it is sufficient, and I shall add no more then this my last Advertisement. The Attempt of Burning the City will be very difficult: the Opposition you will meet in doing it, will be very great and bloody; and being once Attempted, whether Effected or not, will prove the most ruinous Destraction that ever befel this Nation, which I wish may by your Prudence be prevented.