Certain Propositions, whereby the distressed Protestants of Ireland, who have lost their goods, and personall estates there, by means of the present Rebell [...]on, may be relieved.
1. THat such distressed Protestants, their losses may be first Examined by Commission, and ascertained and returned to the Parliament.
2. That every one, who upon such Certificate, shall appear to have lost, in Gold, Money, Plate, Jewells, Housholdstuff, Rents, Debts, Cattle, Corn, Hay, and other like Goods, and personall Estate, to the value of 1000 l. The person and persons which have thus suffered, paying 200 l in money more, towards the maintenance of this present Warre, may have a proportion of Lands to be allotted unto him out of the Rebells Lands in Leinster, the first Propositions of the Undertakers being first satisfied 2000 Acres, paying to His Majesty, 6d per Acre yeerly Rent, and to hold as the said Undertakers shall hold, their Lands in free and common Soccage, as of His Majesties Castle of Dublin and this to be regulated for the manner of the proceedings, in all things, as in those Acts of Parliament already passed for those Undertakers, saving in the matter of time, for proof of their losses and payment of their moneys, to be set down by the Parliament.
3. That he that hath been such a loser, and shall pay 50 l may have 2000 Acres in Munster, at [...] Acre Rent.
4. And he that hath been such a loser, and shall pay 100 l. may have 2000 Acres in Connaght, at [...] Acre Rent.
5. And he that hath been such a loser, and shall pay 100 Marks, may have 2000 Acres in [...]
And the same proportion of money to be paid, and Rents to be re [...]erved in all cases, where the said distressed Protestants shall have their losses, to be above or under 1000l.
And he that hath lost 1000 l. and upwards, to have a Mannor, and the same priviledges and proceedings to be therein also, as for the Under-writers in the first Propositions.
That every Officer and common souldier, employed, and which shall be employed in this Warre in Ireland, against the Rebells, and is desirous to have any Lands to be assigned unto him for his pay or entertainment, or any part of it, may have for every 20 s. he shall give an Acquittance to the Treasurer at War there, for the time being, of such moneyes so due, or which shall grow due unto him, and shall receive an Attestation thereof under the hand of the said Treasurer, an Acre of Land in Leinster, paying 8d per Acre yeerly Rent unto His Majestie.
And for every 18s. an Acre of Land in Munster, at 6d per annum Rent:
And for every 16 s. an Acre of Land in Connaght, at 4d per Acre Rent:
And for every 15 s. an Acre of Land in Vlster, at 3d per Acre Rent;
To be holden as the other Lands: And he that shall have 1000 Acres or more thus to be assigned unto him, in any of the Provinces aforesaid, may have a Mannor to be regulated for the proceedings therein, in all things as the former Under-writers of the propositions formerly setled by Act of Parliament, shall have theirs: And after these Under-writers shall be first satisfied, as the distressed Protestants shall have theirs. And the said Officers or Souldiers to elect and choose in which of the said four Provinces he will have his Lands to lie, and to declare himself therein to the said Treasurer at the time of his receiving the said Artestation, and to [Page 5]have his said election and choice to be intimated therein, together with the sum and sums of money so discharged to the Treasurer at Wars aforesaid, and others that shall also be appointed to pay the Officers may be appointed as the Treasurer in the severall Provinces, to receive Releases, and to give Attestations.
That this be declared, That it shall not hinder any of the said Officers or Souldiers in the Army for such rewards, to be given them out of the residue of the Rebels lands; for their good service in this Expedition of War to be done, as they shall merit, but be interpreted as an act of their more forwardnesse, and good affections to the better proceeding of the work in hand.
That there is land enough forfeited, aswell to satisfie the first Propositions, as the Underwriters; and these Propositions now moved, and restitution to be made to the Protestants of Ireland of all their lands besides, may readily be conceived, when as the whole Kingdom is computed to consist of Twenty Millions of Acres English measure, at the least, and but Two Millions and an half thereof are designed for the Undertakers. The Papists of Ireland, as is conceived, have much above half of the lands of that Kingdom, and all, or the greatest part of them are well known to be in action, or Confederates together in the plot; so that their estates are forfeited, out of which, there is sufficient to satisfie all these, and the former Propositions, and to reward Servitours, and otherwise to dispose of as shall be thought fit.
Reasons to move this Proposition, are;
1. It is but Charity, and not against common Equity, that these distressed Protestants should receive some satisfaction [Page 6]of their losses, out of those Rebels estates, who by their robbery, and stealth of theirs, have thus lived upon their goods and cattels, the rather, when thus they shall in some measure contribute to the reducing of those Rebels, whose M [...]te considered, will be much more then the abundance put into this Treasury by the Adventurers.
2. They shall not much come short herein of the Adventurers themselves, (all things considered;) For if the monies to be put in, over and above their losses, and the further increase of rents yearly to be paid unto the Crown, more then the Adventurers, be thought upon, it will (tant amount) or very near, to the monies by them to be disbursed, for their lands they are to have in the present Undertaking, besides the priority of the Underwriters satisfaction herein, and their expectation onely, after they shall be so first satisfied.
3. The distressed Protestants, all of them are such, as from their infancies have been bred, and lived Protestants; well affected in Religion, and very many of them having served in places and Offices of eminencie and trust in that Kingdom, and done good service in the Common-wealth there, and may be again of good use in the present Expedition of War in hand, against those Rebels, and service of the Common-wealth, as better knowing the state of that Kingdom, the manners, and conditions of those people, their alliances, dependances, places of residence, strengths, subterfuges, and places of retirement, and best how to finde out, and discover their proceedings, practises, and confederacies, and otherwise ready to advance and forward whatsoever undertakings shall be designed by the Parliament, for the good and welfare of that Republique.
4. It will be a great furtherance to the Design in hand, to bring this War to a more speedy Conclusion, and a [Page 7]thing very considerable, to make these Nations the more happy: when thus some thousands of Acres more of those Rebels lands shal be thus peopled; for the better civillizing of the Kingdom, and setting a plantation of Religion there, most principally intended.
5. It will give incouragement, not onely to the said distressed Protestants, with all possible diligence, and indeavour to further the said intended Plantation and Reformation there; but will animate and incourage their friends and Allyes here, upon whose Bounty and Charity they are now relieved, the more cheerfully to contribute to their assistance herein, rather then to maintain them still, as a continued burthen, and draw many of them to joyn with them in the work, rather then to have it left undone, by which means, this whole Realm upon the matter, will be ingaged in the businesse.
6. Thus the Kingdom will be also setled with Free-holders, inabled to serve in all Juries for trials of matters in the Common wealth; which being heretofore performed performed by those who are now in Rebellion, and were and are Papists, or Popishly affected, brought such a prejudice to the Government of that Common wealth, that nothing of that nature could there proceed with that evennesse and regularity, as the Laws of the land required, especially in matters that concerned the better welfare and propagation of Religion, and suppressing of Popery there.
7. It may be no little incouragement to others also, with more cheerfulnesse to underwrite in the first Propositions, when thus they shall perceive, those being thus necessitate, forward to adventure all they have, and more, to bring this great Design about.
8. It will leave all pretenders without excuse, that after [Page 8]the time limited, for such proofs of their losses to be made, shall afterwards presse upon the charity of the Parliament, for any relief of their sufferings, and will take off many thousands more, which now under a colour of such damages, by them supposed, sustained, do with much carnestnesse folicite for a consideration of their distresses, out of the Contribution-money, who peradventure will so be found to have lost nothing at all.
9. It will draw down from Heaven a better blessing upon the proceedings, as so many prayers will be more daily added, for its prosperous and good successe.