VVHereas I have often before now: since the beginning of the commotion; interposed my best indevors without re­gard of fortune; pains; or health; by all the wayes I could pos­sibly conceive (for integrity and candor of intention therein, I appeal to God the true searcher of hearts) for the composing the [Page 3] grieving; and still growing distractions of this kingdome; my Native Country; and to reduce the same and the interest of religion; loyalty; and just liberties; thereby pretended; to the best and happiest conditi­on I could; being constantly of opinion that a long continuance of war; would at last prove fatall and ruinous to the Natives (as by the present wofull experience of dearth; famine; and civill contentions doth to eve­ry one appear) then destructive to the foresaid; by them pretended; pro­tested and sworn ends; though through mine owne & the Natives sins: or some secret judgement of God; produced no other effect then the in­creasing of jealousies and misconstructions; which at length forced me into the resolution of banishingmy self from my Native Country; and all that was dear unto me therein▪ rather then bee a spectator of its in­creasing calamities; or at leastwise not to intermeddle with its pub­lick affaires untill their own wayes and wilfulnesse made them sensible of their omission and lost opportunities: Yet notwithstanding the feel­ing sense I have of the now threatning ruines; or rather present irreco­verable destructions; like to fall generally on all parts of the kingdom; as well by the power and invasion of his Majesties present; and the king­domes professed enemies; the Parliament of Engl. Forces; and their ad­herents; as they yet stand in opposition to his Majesties just rights and authority, as by the sad effects of civill discord arising between the Na­tives themselves; the consequence whereof (if not timely prevented by a speedy reconciliation; or suppressing) will soon root out Religion; di­vert the due course of Loyalty; and instead of just liberty bring slavery on the Subjects; besides all kinde of incident losses and miseries.

After a deep and serious consideration and recollection of the premi­ses; and especially of the desperate & deplorable condition this Province of Connought is in now; questionlesse intended to bee made the seat of Warre; and civill dissention.

I doe hereby declare my setled and unalterable resolution, to as­sume the command in chief of the Forces of this Province, both by former commission immediately derived from his Majesty, and the power and authority or the Supreame Councell of the confederate Catholickes of this Kingdom, intrusted to be over the party in this Province, by their Letters bearing date the twenty eight of May last and doe take upon me so far forth, as my ability can extend the de­fence thereof, against all His majesties knowne Enemies, and all o­ther unauthorized invaders, and intruders, untill His Majesties plea­sure for the happy settlement of this Kingdome, and advancement of his service be made knowne.

I doe likewise protest and declare, on the word and honour of a [Page 4] Peere, so God vouchsafe to blesse my actions and intentions, that even as I had grace of being bred, and intrusted (as also my Ancest­ors before me) in the truth of the Roman Catholicke Religion, so I shall til death persevere in the same, and to the uttermost of my power, by all just honourable and fit wayes, advance the same, and preserve its splendor, and lawfull interest, and uphold and maintain His Majesties Rights, Power and Prerogatives, and of the Crown of England in this Kingdome, preserve the Rights and due Liberties of the Subjects therein.

And I doe further declare that I doe fully agree and concurre in opinion with the supreame Councell, and the Generality of this Kingdome, that the late Ces­sation by them concluded, with the Lord Baron of Inchequeen is of present great advantage to the Kingdome, and for the further advantage of these ends above expressed, the said Councell for quieting tender Consciences, having pro­vided by an appeale, in the behalfe of the confederate Catholicks, from the Lord Nuntio, his proceeding in point of Ecclesiasticall censures, and by him allowed of, I shall indeavour to have the said Cessation accepted, and admitted in all parts of this Province, according to the Directions and Orders of the said Coun­cell, to those in authority over their party therein, and wil to the best of my pow­er oppose any Forces, that shall attempt to enter into this Province, and to sup­presse all persons, that shall presume to raise Forces there in, without publique Authority.

WE might be held prodigall of our own honour and give occasion of suspition of our loyalty to our Soveraign if in the midd'st of the multitude of calamities & impostures that are belched forth against us, we should neglect to appologize for our integrity, we have by free and full consent without any reluctancy, in the view of the whole World taken the oath of Assotiation appointed by universall Vote, to be ta­ken by all the Confederate Catholickes of Ireland, wherein wee have manifested our Religion towards God, and secure our loyalty towards our Soveraigne, this Oath wee have as frequently, and freely iterated, as any the rest of our Confederates in this Kingdome, We have also a­vowed [Page 5] that Solemne Protestation made by the Catholicke Clergy of the same confederacy, protesting to give unto Caesar what is due unto Caesar, and to God what is due unto God, as we never resolve to violate this Oath and Protestation, so do we resolve never to adhere to any that have, or shall indeavour to suppresse the one or the other, such boast most of loyalty, but are most conscious of disloyalty, who have by this Cessation given to the Kings sworn Enemies, two entire Counties in Munster, which were in the possession of the confederate Catholicks without receiving any assurance of his Loyalty or the restitution of the same Counties after the expiration of the Cessation, they have (as if they were Lords Paramount of the Subjects living) disposed as well of the spiritualty as temporalty without the Subjects consent, and to the use and maintenance of the Kings Enemies, Kilkenny and other quar­ters belonging to the confederate Catholicks, they have actually deli­vered unto that great personage, whom their soules knew to be wholly disposed to betray the Kingdome, unto the Parliament, unto this great parsonage, they doe still adhere, notwithstanding those horrid treasons committed in the delivering over to the Parliam. the Castles of Dublin, Drogheda, Trime, Dundalke, all those Garrisons remaining in his quar­ters: For him all industry is used to procure vast summes of money, even in the Quarters of the confederate Catholickes, by way of Loan, mor­gage, and otherwise, as the 11th. and 12th Articles of the unwarant [...] ­ble Cessation doe aboundantly insinuate, yet these would need be held Loyall Subjects, and all others who oppose their smister practises though therein bound by oath, must be held disloyall, if wee have as freely and as often as any other our fellow Catholicks bound our selves with li­gatures of Loyalty since these commotions, unlesse the depraved judge­ment of the disloyall (to choake their owne crimes) will censure it dis­loyalty in us, to defend with Christian resolution the freedome of our Religion, the Prerogatives of our Soveraigne, and Liberty of our Free borne Nation, whereby we are oblieged unto the present observance of this Oath and Protestation, The Sea apostolique, by its apostolicall Mis­sions frequently exhorted us, and to second our indeavours therein, hath sent to the Catholick confederates frequent [...] Subsidies, so far is it from truth, that either his holinesse or we, is against the Allegiance due by Subjects unto their Soveraigne, others who looke upon state policy more then Religion, and continue no longer in allegiance then the con­dition of time will permit, have no longer adhered to their Soveraigne, [Page 6] then while they were necessitated, necessity being taken away they have sided with the Kings Enemies (the Parliament) against their So­veraigne, Ve auplice corde, unto such wee may not unlesse we wilfully violate our Oath, and adhere without some assurance of their Loyalty and Ingagement, not to prejudice the Catholick Faith, for which two points the late Cessation made by the Malignant party, of the supreame Councell, and of the whole Clergy, hath not so well provided as we could wish, who for their owne mischevous ends endeavour to set for­ward the same Cessation, by blemishing our integrity, and by that means to draw upon us the indignation of all such as either seemly or really are for His Maje. for not being capable to move the heavens, to second their Designes, they make their recourse to Archeron, unto these that truly and really adhere unto His Majesty, without prejudicing of our Religion we do and ever shal adhere to those who only counterfeit such adherents to avoid the Force of the Catholicks we may not adhere, and upon this resolution not only we, but all the confederat catholicks, together with these corporal Towns that christian-like resolved to observe two bran­ches of their Oath, denyed to yeeld obedience on unreasonable and pre­judiciall cessation, Therefore our Armies are taken to defend our selves as well against those distressed exiled catholicks that depend upon us a­gainst all others that have actually declared themselves against his Ma­jesty and are knowne to continue still in resolution, beseeching the Lord of Hoastes who penetrates the secrets of our hearts never to blesse our Designes longer then we intend truly and unfainedly, even without re­sp [...]ct of private ends, to observe that command of our Lord Jesus, give unto Caesar, what is due unto Caesar; and give unto God, what is due unto God, for accompishing whereof we conjure all the confederate Ca­tholicks, together with those faithfull Subjects, of what Religion so­ever) that unfainedly adhere to His Majestie to joyne with us against all Parliamentary Rebels and all factionists, who for their own ends comply with them to the violation of their Oath, the prejudice of our Soveraigne, and ruine of the distressad Nation,