THough the countenance of Warre be horrid and formidable to all Nations, in regard of the inevitable ruine, and certaine destruction which it carries along with it (for nulla salus bello, there's no safety, but all vastation and desolation in the time of Warre) yet when the matchlesse tyranny of Popish Rebells shall exalt it selfe over the liberties, conscien­ces, and lives of our deare brethren in Ireland, who pro­fesse the Protestant Religion, when their horrible out­rages have been there committed, are still perpetrated and continued, to the stupifying even of Amazement it selfe, to the hazard of that Kingdome, and perill of this; in such a case, the aspect of Warre is both ami­able and acceptable.

De nobis narratur, The case is our owne. Those ne­farious miscreants, have not only unlawfully surprized many Townes and Cities in that Island, but their cur­sed rage hath been so implacably bent against the poore Protestants (their selves being violently transported beyond all bounds of nature and humanity) that they have most unmercifully and unchristianly fired divers places which they have invaded, and savagely sacrificed the inhabitants to their mischievous malice, and insati­ate insolency. Never were Tartars, Turkes and Mahu­metans so bloodily minded, as these villaines have been. Those Monsters of nature (for men I will [...]ot terme them) have not onely sacked and pillaged wheresoever they have come, but they have taken delight to torture [Page]the Protestants without any bowells of compassion. They have ravished, and deflowred chaste women, and virgins, throwne small children into R [...]ers with Pitchforkes; they stripped 1500 stark-naked, driving them (like Dogges) towards Dublin, drowned and killed many of them by the way, cutting off Pious, Protestant Ministers and their wives in pieces. I tremble to speake it, they have searcht Womens privities for money, and in a most horrid and stupendious manner, they have ript up their wombes great with childe, and slaine with the sword, both them and their infants.

The Cruell enemie (whose very mercies have been cru­elties) hath powred out their blood in every street, and there hath been no friend to helpe them: but in much mercy of late, it hath pleas'd the Almighty to consider their distresse. Hee will not suffer the rod of the wicked alwayes to lie upon the back of the righteous. Vengeance (though slow) is sure: And God will be ávenged for the blood of his Saints, their blood being in conspectu Domini, in the sight of the Lord, as precious as their death.

Sinne has a crying voice, and the effusion of innocent blood is of all other sinnes peccatum clamans: It cryes a­lowd from the bortome of the earth, to the top of heaven. As the sinnes of Sodome were great, and the cry of them came up before the Almighty; So the Sanguinean sinne of cursed Caine cryed unto heaven, to the God of Heaven for vengeanc. In like manner, the blood of those poore Protestants, so undeservedly and lamentably spilt, hath made such a clamour in the All-hearing eares of the Al­mightie, that hee hath been graciously pleased in pitty and compassion of their manifold miseries, and most grie­vous massacres, by a coelestiall voice, to speake to the [Page]heart of his deare Anointed, our dread Soveraigne, and to his heavenly-minded Parliament, to commiserate their deplorable calamities, and forthwith releive them with a powerfull (heaven-prospering) Army.

Hereupon the voice of Warre is proclaimed, a statute for it by the King, and the high and Honourable Assem­bly of Parliament, hath been enacted, the Commission to his Maiesties Officers to presse both land and Sea-men, hath issued forth.

The Lord of Hosts goe along with our hosts, guide and direct them in all their wayes, prosper their cause, grant them a propitious successe, and glorious victory over his and their blood-thirsty enemies: And I pray God send more auxiliary Forces to them who are already there ar­rived, that in so iust a quarrell they may be the better co [...] ­solated, and animated, that the Rebells may with more fa­cility be quelled and conquered, and that the Kingdome of Ireland may be the sooner reduced to their due subie­ction, and awfull obedience to the Crowne of England, and to the lawe and ordinances made by his Maiestie, and his States of both Kindomes.

There was never any King that had more iust and weighty cause to warre against a people at any time, then his Maiestie hath against the Rebells at this time. And as the cause is urgent, so the expedition of it is as important. There was never a more requisite necessitie of a speedy supply, then at this present; For the Rebellion there is so generall, that it is not the force of a small Army from hence that can suppres them. Though there are no spiders in the Kingdom of Ireland (as many have averred & main­tained) yet the Romish Spider hath spun so fowl a web in that faire Island, that it hath need of a great beesome to sweep it out again. And for the better confirmation here­of, It is not only publikely rumor'd, but credibly reported, [Page]that neighboring Princes have taken up Arms, the one of Spaine, & the other of France, both of them at this present very potent at Sea; and it is generally supposed, that they are intended for Ireland, to assist these Assassinates against the Protestants.

Thus the Hydra of the Romish Faction doth dayly mul­tiply, their Army doth encrease, yet God be thanked, some of their Men and Ammunition have been of late intercep­ted and prevented; and I pray God, in this particular, con­tinue his goodnesse still unto us. Their Forces are very strong, their Assistants and adherents for the present being potent, their insolencies are grown to the utmost height of impious impudence & impudent impietie: They are resol­ved, no more to be subiect to the Crowne of England, and the Lawes & Statutes of the Kingdome; but their unreaso­nable demand is, to have such a Vice-Roy, or Gubernator, as may be well accepted of by them, and no other.

Thus as they have cast out of their hearts Christian com­passion to the K. subiects, so they have cast off from their necks the yoke of due subiection to the King himselfe. Re­bels they have proclaim'd themselves to the whole world, and that in summo gradu, in the highest degree, of as high a nature, as ever Histories have recorded, or age of man can cōmemorate. Never did the wildfire of their hideous Con­spiracies so circumvolve it selfe into one violent flame, the actors thereof being so unanimous in their Diabolicall de­signes, (that Hellish Gunpowder-Plot of Treason onely excepted) as this last yeere hath bin attempted by them.

'Tis not long since a Roman Priest was sent from the Pope, who was landed here in England, and hath cunningly and closely wrought with diverse English Catholiques a­mongst us, to prepare themselves to put in execution such determinations and resolutions as shall be propounded to them, for the defence of their Religion, and ruine of our [Page]Brotestants: which Priest (as we are really informed) h [...]th had frequent accesse to an expert Romanist, who is very skil­full in making Gra [...]does, and all forns of Fire-works; with whom the aforesaid Priest hath privately dealt, and con­stantly perswaded to practise his Art, and to put the same into execution against the chiefest Cities of England, for the better overcomming them, so soone as those dissolute and resolute Rebels had conquered Ireland, & landed their Forces here in England. Thus you may evidently see, that their exorbitant offences have bin so haynous and, facino­rous, and their crimes are still so capi [...]all, that that saying of the Lyrick Poet (one word inverted) is verified of them:

But what mean ye, O ye besotted sonnes of Insurrection? Will ye, through your Rebellion, desperately perish? Fooles & mad men as ye are, Quae vos dementia cepit? How long will ye abuse the divine Patience? What, or who hath deluded & bewitched you? for Rebellion is as the sinne of Witchraft. Hath Ambition, the Pope, or the Devill in­stigated, and seduced you thereunto? Or rather, have not all these three bin Agents (though one of them were suffici­ent) for your confusion? To these three, take three more to your consideration; which if they doe not worke in your hearts an impression of contrition, they will serve for an addition of horror and astonishment to your wretched soules. Is there not a severe Iudge above you, that can con­demne you? Is there not a gnawing Conscience within you, that wil terrifie you? And lastly, Is there not a tormenting Tophet below you, that gapes for your obstinate Rebellion? Know thus much (ye unfortunate sonnes of mischiefe) that as soon as ye have made up the full measure of your iniqui­ties, as the Amorites did then the Sicle of Gods Iudgement will cut you all off. For God is righteous, the Truth of God is eternall, Hell is where it was, and your damnation without contrition, will be iust.

And now brave Souldiers, that have already encounter [...]d with these Rebells, your and our enemies, and ye valiant spirits that are preparing to meet them, Sun Theo, in Gods Name, for Gods cause, go on, & prosper: undantedly stand, and couragiously fight the battells of the Lord, for the defence of his people, the propagation of his Gospel, and preservation of his Religion. If there were no other argu­ment, but the effusion of the poore Protestants blood, who were worried to death by these Wolvish Rebells, it were sufficient to animate you; blood requires blood: but there are many more mo [...]ives to induce you to this War: Piety to God (whose honor and Gospel are enteressed therein) Allegiance to the King, whereby ye expresse your loyall hearts to his Maiesties honour, peace, crowne, and dig­nitie; Love to your native Countrey; for the safety of our persons, and security of our present and future estates de­pends upon the happy successe of this war. There's no as­surance of peace or tranquility, without the rebells be re­duced. Remember 'tis for Religion, your King and Coun­trey that you fight. Besides all these, Providence and Pru­dence for your selves: If ye live, ye shall be sure not to loose, but to get what will be worth the keeping; and if ye dye, yet ye have no cause to be disheartned, but rather great ground to be consolated: For as there is no blessed­nesse in this life, so there is all happinesse after death. 'Twas the saying of a Heathen, Dignum & decorum est pro p [...]tria mori. 'Tis a worthy and comely thing to dye for a mans Countrey: And the Roman Orator was of this opi­nion, that there cannot come an evi [...]l death to a valiant man, nor an untimely death to a wife man. To conclude all, whether ye stand or fall, ye are certaine of a famous victory, or a renowned death; so that come what will come, conquest, or the losse of life, an Eternity of Fame attends you on earth, an immortality of glory expects you in heaven.