DIE Lunæ, videlicet, 1 die Novembris.

PRAYERS.

Lord Keeper acquaints the House with the Discovery of the Rebellion in Ireland.

The Lord Keeper informed this House, "That the Lord Lieutenant General of Ireland having Yesterday Morning received a Packet of Letters and Examinations, from the Justices and Council of Ireland, discovering an Insurrection and Treason in that Kingdom; and that the Rebels have already committed divers Murders, and fired Houses and Villages of Protestants there; upon this the Privy Council Yesterday met, at Four of the Clock in the Afternoon, at Whitehall, and considering it to be a Matter of so great Importance, thought it not fit to omit (fn. *) any Opportunity, nor lose Time; therefore, because this House was appointed not to sit until this Afternoon, the Lords of the Council, as Privy Counsellors, thought it expedient to communicate the same speedily to the House of Commons; and this Morning, in a full House, their Lordships in Person caused the Letters and Examinations concerning the Business to be publicly read unto them, and desired the House of Commons to take the same into Consideration."

Hereupon this House caused the said Letters and Examinations to be read, as followeth: videlicet,

First, a Letter was written from the Council of Ireland to the Lord Lieutenant General.

Letter from the Council of Ireland to the Lord Lieutenant.

"May it please your Lordship,

"On Friday the 22d of this Month, after Nine of the Clock at Night, this Bearer, Owen Connelly, Servant to Sir John Clatworthy, Knight, came to me the Lord Chief Justice Parsons, to my House, and in great Secrecy (as indeed the Case did require) discovered unto me a most wicked and damnable Conspiracy, plotted and contrived, and intended to be also acted, by some evil-affected Irish Papists here. The Plot was, on the then next Morning, Saturday, 23d of October, being Ignatius-day, about Nine of the Clock, to surprise His Majesty's Castle of Dublin, His Majesty's chief Strength of this Kingdom, wherein also is the principal Magazine of His Majesty's Arms and Munition; and it was agreed (it seems) amongst them, that, at the same Hour, all other His Majesty's Affairs and Magazines of Arms and Munition in this Kingdom should be surprized, by others of those Conspirators; and further, that all the Protestants and English throughout the whole Kingdom, that would not join with them, should be cut off, and so those Papists should then become possessed of the Government and Kingdom at the same Instant.

"As soon as I had that Intelligence, I then immediately repaired to the Lord Justice Borlass, and thereupon we instantly assembled the Council; and having sat in Council all that Night, as also all the next Day, the 23d of October, in regard of the short Time left us for the Consultation of so great and weighty a Matter; although it was not pos sible for us, upon so few Hours Warning, to prevent those other great Mischiefs which were to be acted even at that same Hour, and that so great Distance, as in all the other Parts of the Kingdom, yet such was our Industry therein, having caused the Castle to be that Night strengthened with armed Men, and the City guarded, as the wicked Counsels of those evil Persons (by the great Mercy of God to us) became defeated, as they were not able to act that Part of their Treachery, which indeed was principal, and which, if they could have effected, would have rendered the rest of their Purposes the more easy.

"Having so secured the Castle, we forthwith laid about for the Apprehension of as many of the Offenders as we could, many of them having come to this City but that Night, intending (it seems) the next Morning to act their Parts in these treacherous and bloody Crimes.

"The First Man apprehended was one Hugh Mac Mahowne, Esquire (Grandson to the Traitor Tyrone), a Gentleman of a good Fortune in the County of Monoghan, who, with others, was taken that Morning in Dublin, having, at the Time of their Apprehension, offered a little Resistance with their Swords drawn; but, finding those we employed against them more in Number, and better armed, yielded. He, upon his Examination before us, at first denied all; but, in the End, when he saw we laid it Home to him, he confessed enough to destroy himself, and impeach some others, as by a Copy of his Examination herewith sent may appear to your Lordships. We then committed him, until we might have further Time to examine him again, our Time being become more needful to be employed in Action, for securing the Place, than in examining.

"That Mac Mahowne had been abroad, and served the King of Spaine as a Lieutenant-Colonel.

"Upon Conference with him and others, and calling to Mind a Letter, which we received before from Sir William Cole, a Copy whereof we send your Lordship here inclosed, we gathered that the Lord Magwire was to be an Actor in surprizing the Castle of Dublin, (fn. *) wherefore we held it necessary to secure him immediately, thereby also to startle and deter the rest, when they found him laid fast: His Lordship, observing what we had done, and the City in Arms, fled from his Lodging early before Day (it seems disguised), for we had laid a Watch about his Lodging, so as we think he could not pass without disguising himself; yet he could not get forth of the City, so surely guarded were all the Gates.

"There we found at his Lodging hidden some Hatchets, with the Helves newly cut off, close to the Hatchets, and many Skenes and some Hammers.

"In the End, the Sheriff of the City, who (fn. †) was employed in a strict Search of his Lordship, found him hidden in a Cock-lost, in an obscure House, far from his Lodging, where they apprehended him, and brought him before us.

"He denied all, yet so as he could not deny but he had heard of it in the Country, though he would not tell us when or from whom; and confessed that he had not advertised us thereof, as in Duty he ought to have done; but we were so well satisfied of his Guilts by all Circumstances, as we doubted not, upon further Examination, when we could be able to spare Time for it, to find it apparent.

"Wherefore we held it of absolute Necessity to commit him close Prisoner, as we had formerly done Mac Mahowne and others; wherefore we left them on the 23d of this Month in the Morning, about the same Hour they intended to have been Masters of that Place in the City.

"That Morning we laid wait for all those Strangers that came the Night before to Town; and so many were apprehended, whom we find Reason to believe to have Hands in this Conspiracy, as we were forced to disperse them into several Gaols, and since found that there came many Horsemen into the Suburbs that Night, who, finding the Plot discovered; dispersed themselves immediately.

"When the Hour approached which was designed for the surprizing the Castle, great Numbers of Strangers were observed to come to Town in great Parties, several Ways, who, not finding Admittance at the Gates, stayed in the Suburbs, and there grew numerous, to the Terror of the Inhabitants: We, therefore, to help that, drew up and instantly signed a Proclamation, commanding all Men not Dwellers in the City or Suburbs to depart within an Hour upon Pain of Death, and made it alike penal to those that should harbour them; which Proclamation the Sheriff immediately proclaimed in all the Suburbs by our Commandment; which, being accompanied with the Example and Terror of the Committal of those Two eminent Men and others, occasioned the Departure of those Multitudes; and in this Case, all our Lives and Fortunes, and above all His Majesty's Power and Regal Authority, being still at the Stake, we must vary from ordinary Proceedings, not only in executing Martial Law, as we see Cause, but also in putting some to the Rack, to find out the Bottom of this Treason, and all the Contrivers thereof, which we foresee will not otherwise be done. On that 23d of this Month, we, conceiving that as soon as it should be known that the Plot for seizing Dublin-Castle was disappointed, all the Conspirators in remote Parts might be somewhat disheartened, as on the other Side the good Subjects would be comforted, and would then with the more Confidence stand on their Guard, did prepare to send abroad to all Parts of the Kingdom this Proclamation, which we send you here inclosed; and so, having provided that the City and Castle should be so well guarded as upon the sudden we could provide, we concluded that long-continued Consultation.

"On Saturday, Twelve of the Clock at Night, the Lord Blayny came to Town, and brought us the ill News of the Rebels seizing, with Two Hundred Men, his House at Castle-Blayney, in the County of Monoghan, and his Wife, Children, and Servants; as also a House of the Earl of Essexe's, called Carrickmacrosse, with Two Hundred Men, and a House of Sir Henry Spotswood's, in the same County, with Two Hundred Men, where there being a little Plantation of Brittish, they plundered the Town, and burnt divers Houses; and since appears that they burnt divers other Villages, and robbed and spoiled many English, and none but Protestants, leaving the English Papists untouched as well as the Irish.

"On Sunday Morning, at Three of the Clock, we had Intelligence from Sir Arthur Terringham, that the Irish in the Town had that Day also broken up the King's Store of Arms and Munition at Newry, and where the Store for Arms hath been ever since the Peace, and where they found Threescore and Ten Barrels of Powder, and armed themselves, and put them under the Command of Sir Con. Magenis, Knight, and one Creeley, a Monk, and plundered the English there, and disarmed the Garrison.

"And this (though too much) is all that we yet hear is done by them.

"However, we shall stand on our Guard the best we may, to defend the Castle and City principally, those being the Pieces of most Importance.

"But, if the Conspiracy be so universal as Mc. Mahowne saith in his Examination it is, namely, that all the Counties of the Kingdom have conspired in it, which we admire should so fall out in this Time of universal Peace, and carried with that Secrecy that none of the English could have any Friend amongst them to disclose it, them indeed we shall be in high Extremity, and the Kingdom in the greatest Danger that ever it underwent, considering our Want of Men, Money, and Arms, to enable us to encounter so great Multitudes as they can make, if all should so join against us; the rather, because we have pregnant Cause to doubt that the Combination hath taken Force by the Incitement of Jesnits, Priests, and Friars.

"All the Hope we have here is, that the English of The Pale, and some other Parts, will continue constant to the King in their Fidelity, as they did in former Rebellions.

"And now, in these Straights, we must, under God, depend on Aid forth of England, for our present Supply, with all Speed, especially Money, we having none, and Arms, which we shall exceedingly want; without which we are very doubtful what Account we shall give to the King of His Kingdom.

"But, if the Conspiracy be only of Magwire, and some other Irish of the Kindred and Friends of the Rebel Tyrone, and other Irish in the Counties of Downe, Monoghan, Cavan, Fermanagh, and Armagh, and no general Revolt following thereupon, we hope then to make Head against them in a reasonable Measure, if we be enabled with Money from thence, without which we can raise no Forces, so great is our Want of Money (as we formerly have written), and our Debt so great to the Army; nor is Money to be borrowed here, and, if it were, we would engage all our Estates for it; neither have we any Hope to get in His Majesty's Rents and Subsidies in these Disturbances, which adds extremely to our Necessities.

"On Sunday Morning the 24th, we met again in Council, and sent to all Parts of the Kingdom the inclosed Proclamation, and issued Patents to draw hither Seven Horse Troops, as a further Strength to this Place, and to be with us in case (fn. *) the Rebels shall make Head, and march hitherward, so as we may be necessitated to give them Battle. We also then sent away our Letters to the Presidents of both the Provinces of Munster and Connaght; and we likewise then sent Letters to the Sheriffs of Five Counties of The Pale, to consult of the best Way and Means of their own Preservation.

"That Day the Lord Viscount Germanstowne, the Lord Viscount Nettervill, the Lord Viscount Fitz-William, and the Lord of Howth, and since, the Earls of Kildare and Fingall, and the Lords of Dunsany and Slane, all Noblemen of The English Pale, came unto us, declaring that they then, and not before, heard of the Matter, and professed all Loyalty to His Majesty, and Concurrence with the State; but said, they wanted Arms, whereof they desired to be supplied by us, which we told them we would willingly do, as relying much on their Faithfulness to the Crown, but we were not yet certain whether or no we had enough to arm our Strengths for the Guard of the City and Castle; yet we supplied such of them as lay in most Danger with a small Proportion of Arms and Ammunition for their Houses, lest they should conceive we apprehended any Jealousy of them; and we commanded them to be very diligent in sending out Watches, and making all the Discoveries they could, and thereof to advertise us, which they readily promised to do.

"And if it fall out that the Irish generally rise, which we have Cause to suspect, then we must of Necessity put Arms into the Hands of The English Pale in present, and to others as fast as we can, to fight for Defence of the State and themselves.

"Your Lordship now sees the Condition wherein we stand, and how necessary it is, First, that we enjoy your Presence speedily, for the better guiding of these and other the public Affairs of the King and Kingdom; and Secondly, that the Parliament there be moved immediately to advance to us a good Sum of Money, which, being now speedily sent hither, may prevent the Expence of very much Treasure and Blood, in a long continued War; and if your Lordship shall happen to stay on that Side any long Time, we must then desire your Lordship to appoint a Lieutenant General, to discharge the great and weighty Burthen of commanding the Forces here.

"Amidst these Confusions and Disorders fallen upon us, we bethought us of the Parliament, which was formerly adjourned to November next, and the Term now also at Hand, which will draw such a Concourse of People hither, and give Opportunity under that Pretence of assembling and taking new Counsels, seeing the former seems to be in some Part disappointed, and of contriving further Danger to this State and People: We have therefore found it of unavoidable Necessity to prorogue the Parliament to the 24th Day of February next; and therefore we do, by Proclamation, prorogue it accordingly, and do direct the Term to be adjourned to the First of Hillary Term, excepting only the Court of Exchequer, for the hasting in the King's Money.

"We desire that, upon this Occasion, your Lordship will be pleased to view our Letters concerning the Plantation of Connaught, dated the 24th of April last, directed to Mr. Secretary Vane, in that Part thereof which concerns the County of Monoghan, where now these Fires do first break out.

"In the last Place, we must make known to your Lordship, that the Army we have, consisting but of Two Thousand Foot and Two Thousand Horse, are so dispersed in Garrisons, in several Parts of the Four Provinces, for the Security of those Parts, as continually they have been since they were so reduced, as, if they be all sent for to be drawn together, not only the Places where they are to be drawn, and (fn. *) for whose Safety they lie there, must be by their Absence distressed, but also the Companies themselves, coming in so small Numbers, may be in Danger to be cut off in their March; nor indeed have we any Money to pay the Soldiers, to enable them to march. And so we take Leave, and remain, from His Majesty's Castle of Dublin, 25th October 1641,

"Your Lordships to be commanded,

Dublin, 25 October 1641.

"POSTSCRIPT.

"The said Owen Connelly (who revealed this Conspiracy) is worthy of very great Consideration, to recompence that Faith (fn. †) and Loyalty, which he hath, so extremely to his own Danger, expressed in this Business, whereby, under God, there is yet Hope left us of Deliverance of this State and Kingdom from the wicked Purposes of those Conspirators; and therefore we beseech your Lordship that it be taken into Consideration there, so as he may have a Mark of His Majesty's most Royal Bounty, which may largely extend to him and his Posterity, we not being now able here to do it for him,

"William Parsons."

"As we were making up these our Letters, the Sheriff of the County of Monoghan and Doctor Teate, having fled, came unto us, and informed (fn. *) us of much more Spoil committed by the Rebels in the Counties of Monoghan and Cavan; and that the Sheriff of the County of Cavan joins with the Rebels, being a Papist, and prime Man of the Irish.

"William Parsons,
J. Dillon,
Ro. Digby,
Add. Loftus."

"Right Honourable,

Letter from Sir William Cole to the Lords Justices.

"Upon Friday last, Two of the Natives of this County, Men of good Credit, came to my House, and informed me that Hugh Boy, Mc. Tirlagh, Mc. Hewry O'Neale, Captain, which came from Flanders about May last, hath since that Time had the chiefest Part of his Residence in Tyrone, at or near Sir Phelim Roe O'Neale's House, to which Place it hath been observed that there hath been more than an ordinary, or former usual, Resort of People; so frequent, that it hath bred some Suspicion of evil Intendments, in the Minds of sundry Men of honest Inclinations. But these Gentlemen my Authors do say, that they do hold no good Opinions of it, rather construing an evil Intention to be the Cause thereof; for my own Part, I cannot tell what to make, or think of it.

"The Lord Magwire in all that Time (as they inform me also) hath been noted to have very many private Journeys to Dublin, to The Pale, into Tyrone, to Sir Phelin O'Neale's, and many other Places this Year, which likewise gives divers of the Country Cause to doubt that something is in Agitation tending to no good Ends.

"Upon Saturday last, one of the same Gentlemen came again to me, and told me, that, as he was going Home the Day before, he sent his Footman a nearer Way than the Horse-way, who, meeting with one of the Lord of Inskillin's Footmen, demanded from whence he came; who made an Answer, That he came from Home that Morning; and the other replying, said, You have made good Haste to be here so soon; to which he answered, That his Lordship came Home late the last Night, and writ Letters all that Night, and left not a Man in or about his House, but he hath dispatched in several Ways, as he hath sent me this Way to Tirlagh, Oge Mc. Hugh, and others also; with Letters charging them to be with his Lordship this Night, at his House; of which Passage I would have given your Honours sooner Notice, but that I deemed it fit to be silent, in Expectation that a little Time would produce some better Ground to afford me more Matter to acquaint your Honours withall:

"Whereupon this Day I understood, by one Hugh Mc. Gwire, that the said Tirlagh Oge Mc. Hugh Conconaght Mc. Shane, Mc. Enabb, Mc. Gwire, and Oghie O'Hosey, reported themselves to have been appointed Captains by his Lordship to raise Men; and that he had the Nomination of Seven other Captains, to do the like, for to serve under the King of Spaine in Portingall; and that One of the said Three Captains, namely the said Conconnaght, entertained Twelve Men: What Authority or Commission there is for this, is not here known, but it makes some of us that are of the Brittish to stand in many Doubts and Opinions, concerning the same; and the rather for that those Three Men, so named to be Captains, are broken Men in their Estates and Fortunes, Two of them being his Lordship's near Kinsmen; and that, if any Evil be intended, they are conceived to be as apt Men to embrace and help to act their Parts in it as any of their Degrees in this Country.

"These Matters seem the more strange unto me for that they are so privately carried; and that, upon Friday last, I heard Sir Frederick Hamilton say, that the Colonels, that at my last being in Dublin were raising of their Men to go to Spaine, were since stayed, by Command out of England.

"I have now therefore sent this Bearer purposely, by these to make known unto your Lordships what I have heard in this Business; which I humbly leave unto your Honours Considerations; and, desiring to know your Pleasures herein, with Remembrance of my most humble Service unto your Lordships, I will end these, and be ever,

"Your Lordships in all Duty to be commanded,

Eniskillin, 11 Oct. 1641.

"Wm. Cole.

"To the Right Honourable His Majesty's Lords Justices for the Kingdom of Ireland, these, Haste, present."

"The Examination of Owen Connelly, Gentleman, taken before us whose Names ensue, the 22d of October 1641:

Examination of Owen Connelly before the Lords Justices, &c.

"Who, being truly sworn and examined, faith, That, being at Monimore, in the County of Londonderry, on Tuesday last, he received a Letter from Colonel Hugh Oge, in Mahon, desiring him to come to him to Connogh, in the County of Monaghan, and to be with him on Wednesday or Thursday last; whereupon he this Examinant came to Connogh on Wednesday at Night last; finding the said Hugh come to Dublin, followed him hither. He came hither about Six of the Clock this Evening, and forthwith went to the Lodging of the said Hugh, to the House near The Boot, in Oxmantown; and there he found the said Hugh, and came with the said Hugh into the Town, near the Pillory, to the Lodging of the Lord Mc. Gwire, where they found not the Lord within; and there they drank a Cup of Beer, and then went back again to the said Hugh's Lodging. He saith, That at the Lord Mac Quire's Lodging, the said Hugh told him, that there were, and would be this Night, great Numbers of Noblemen and Gentlemen of the Irish and Papists from all the Parts of the Kingdom in this Town, who, with himself, had determined to take the Castle of Dublin, and possess themselves of all His Majesty's Ammunition there, and To-morrow Morning, being Saturday; and that they intended first to batter the Chimneys of the Town; and, if the City would not yield then, to batter down the Houses, and so cut off all the Protestants that would not join with them. He saith further, That the said Hugh then told him that the Irish had prepared Men in all the Parts of the Kingdom, to destroy all the English Inhabitants there To-morrow Morning, by Ten of the Clock; and that, in all the Sea Ports and other Towns in the Kingdom, all the Protestants should be killed this Night; and that all the Posts that could be could not prevent it: And further faith, That he moved the said Hugh to forbear the executing of that Business, and to discover it to the State, for the Saving of his own Estate; who said, that he could not help it; but said that they did owe their due Allegiance to the King, and would pay Him all His Rights, but that they did this for the Tyrannical Government that was over them, and to imitate Scotland, who got a Privilege by that Course: And he further faith, That, when he was with the said Hugh in his Lodging the Second Time, the said Hugh swore that he should not go out of his Lodging that Night; but told him that he should go with him the next Morning to the Castle; and said, if that Matter were discovered, somebody should die for it. Whereupon this Examinant feigned some Necessity for his Easement, went down out of the Cham ber, and left his Sword in Pawn; and the said Hugh sent his Man down with him; and, when this Examinant came down into the Yard, finding an Opportunity, he this Examinant leaped over a Wall and Two Pales, and so came to the Lord Justice Parsons.

"Owen O'Connelly.
William Parsons.
Tho. Rotherham. Robt. Meredith."

"The Examination of Hugh Oge Mac Mahowne, of Connagh, in the County of Monoghan, Esquire, aged Thirty-five Years, or thereabouts, taken before the Right Honourable the Lords Justices and Council:

Examination of Mac Mahowne, taken before the Lords Justices.

"The said Examinant said, That he thinks there will be Trouble this Day throughout all the Kingdom of Ireland; and that all the Fortifications of Ireland will be this Day taken, as he thinks. And he faith, That he thinks that it is so far gone by this Time, that Ireland cannot help it. He faith, He was told this by Captain Brian O'Neale. He saith, That Captain Bryan O'Neale and Captain Hugh Burne were designed for the surprising of the Castle of Dublin; and that, if this Examinant were one for surprizing the Castle of Dublin, those Captains were principal therein. He faith, The Place of Meeting was to be at the Examinant's Lodging. He faith, That Twenty prime Men out of every County in Ireland were to be at Dublin this last Night, concerning this Matter; and that they were to consult of it this Morning at the Examinant's Lodging; their Weapons were to be Swords and Skenes; and that the Captains that were raising Men in the Irish Countries were they that should (fn. *) send Men hither to second the Business. He saith, When they had Dublin, they made sure of the rest, and expected to be furnished with more Arms at Dublin. He said, I am now in your Hands, use me as you will; I am sure I shall be shortly revenged. And being demanded whether the Lord Magwire was one appointed to this Business, he at last said he thought he was.

"William Parsons.
R. Dillon.
Ad. Loftus.
J. Temple.
Thomas Rotherham.
R. Meredith."

"The Examination of Richard Grave, of Drombote, in the County of Monoghan, Yeoman, taken the 25th of October 1641:

Grave's Examination, before the Lords Justices, &c.

"Who faith, That, on Friday last, the 22d of this Month, a little before Night, a Son of Art Oge O'Neale, of The Fues, whose Name he knoweth not, accompanied with about an Hundred of the said Art Oge's Tenants, armed with Swords, Pitchforks, and some Muskets, came to Drombote aforesaid, to the House of William Grave, Brother to the said Richard; and, having broken down the Doors and Windows of the said House, they rifled it, and robbed him of all the Money they could find there, and of sundry other Goods which they were able to carry away; and, when they had so done, they came to the House of William Grave the Elder, Father to this Examinant; and, having broken down the Doors of the said House, they robbed him of all his Money, Linen, and Cloaths, and sundry other Goods. He saith also, That the same Night they broke into and robbed Sir Henry Spottswood in the same Town, and took from thence all the Money and Plate which they found there, and also divers Household Goods, and a fair Stone-horse. He saith also, That, about Twelve a Clock the next Day, the same Persons came again to the said Town, accompanied with Two or Three Hundred more, and then robbed and spoiled it of all the rest of the Goods and Chattels which they found; and presently after they set Fire upon all the Houses there, and burnt them to the Ground. He faith also, That the Goods which his Father and himself and his Brother did lose thereby, were worth Five Hundred Pounds; and that he verily believeth that the Goods which Sir Henry Spottswood lost thereby were worth One Thousand Pounds at least. He saith further, That, on Friday aforesaid, while the said Art Oge's Son was in this Examinant's Father's House, he heard him the said Art Oge's Son and one Patricke Mc. Cadron of Drombee, who was one of them who were then in the Company, say, that it was but the Beginning; but, before they had done, they would not leave one alive, neither rich nor poor, who went to Church. And faith also, That the said Art Oge's Son and Patrick Mc. Cardon said there, that, by the next Night, Dublin would be too hot for any of the English Dogs to live in.

"James Ware."

Letters from Sir John Borlace and Sir John Temple.

Next was read Two private Letters, sent to the Lord Lieutenant, the one from Sir John Borlace, One of the Lords Justices of Ireland, the other from Sir John Temple, declaring the State and Danger which that Kingdom is in, if there be not present Supply both of Arms, Men, and Money from hence.

Letters from Ireland staid.

Likewise the Lord Keeper acquainted the House, That the Lords of the Council, being informed of the Packets of Letters which came this Week from Ireland, have sent out their Order, and staid them, and committed them into the Hands of the Gentleman Usher, until their Lordships further Directions herein."

Committee for opening Letters from Ireland.

Hereupon a Committee of Lords were appointed to open and read such Letters as conduce any Thing to the Discovery of the Affairs of Ireland, and to report the same to this House; and to return those which concern Merchants Affairs to the Post-master, to be delivered to the Owners.

The Names of the Lords Committees for opening of Letters were these: videlicet,

Their Lordships, or any Seven or more of them, to meet when they please, and have Power, by virtue hereof, to divide themselves into several, by any Four or more, as they shall see Occasion.

A Message was brought from the House of Commons, by Sir John Clattworthy, Knight:

Message from the H. C. for a Conference about the Rabellion in Ireland.

To desire a present Conference, by a Committee of both Houses (if it may (fn. *) stand with their Lordships Conveniency), touching the Troubles in Ireland, and the Security of this Kingdom.

The Answer hereunto returned was:

Answer.

That their Lordships will give a present Meeting, as is desired, in the Painted Chamber.

The Lord Keeper is appointed to report the Conference.

Then the House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the Lords went to the Conference; which being ended, the Lord Keeper reported the Conference, to this Effect: videlicet,

Conference reported.

"Mr. Pym said, he was commanded by the House of Commons to desire their Lordships to let the Earl of Leycester, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, know, that they take his diligent and timely acquainting the Parliament with his Intelligence, concerning the Rebellion and Treason in Ireland, very well; for which he was commanded to give his Lordship Thanks from the House of Commons, for his good Service done therein to the King and Kingdom.

Propositions of the Commons about the Irish Affairs, and for securing this Kingdom.

To borrow 50,000 l. of the Cuy for the Irish Affairs.

"He was further to acquaint their Lordships with some Resolutions, which the House of Commons have made concerning the Affairs, and the securing of this Kingdom: To this Purpose they Resolved, That Fifty Thousand Pounds shall be forthwith provided; and they desire that a select Committee of the Members of both Houses may be appointed to go to the City of London, and to make a Declaration unto them of the State of the Business in Ireland; and to acquaint them that it will be an acceptable Service to the Commonwealth to lend Monies; and that the Committees propose to the City the Loan of Fifty Thousand Pounds; and to assure them that they shall be secured both for the Principal and Interest, by Act of Parliament.

To appoint a Committee of both Houses to manage the Irish Affairs.

"2. That the House of Commons desires, That a select Committee of both Houses may be appointed, to consider of the Affairs of Ireland, and of the raising and sending of Men and Ammunition from hence into Ireland, and of the Repair of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland thither, and of a Declaration of both Houses of Parliament to be sent into Ireland; and that Committee to have Power, from Time to Time, to open Packets sent into Ireland or from Ireland.

To reward Owen Connelly for discovering the Treason.

"3. That Owen Conncllies, who discovered the Treason in Ireland, shall have the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds presently paid him, and a Pension of Two Hundred Pounds per Annum, until Provision be made of Inheritance of greater Value; and that he be recommended to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, for some Preferment there.

To appoint a Committee of Lords for the further Examination of Owen Connelly.

"4. That the House of Commons further desires, That a Committee of Lords may be nominated, to take further the Examination of Owen Connellies, upon Oath, upon such Interrogatories as shall be offered by a Committee of their House, and in the Presence of that Committee.

To sequester the Isle of Wight into other Hands.

"5. Also the House of Commons desires that the Custody of the Isle of Wight, for the present, may be sequestered into another Hand.

To secure Papists.

"6. That the Persons of Papists of Quality, in the several Counties where they reside, may be secured, and such English Papists as within One Year last past removed themselves into Ireland (except the Earl of St. Albane's, and such other Persons as have their ancient Estates and Habitations there) may, by Proclamation, be commanded to return hither within One Month after the Proclamation there made; or, otherwise some Course to be taken, by Act of Parliament, for Confiscation of their Estates."

Answers to these Propositions.

The House, (fn. *) having taken these Propositions into Consideration, severally, Resolved as followeth:

1. To the First Proposition, this House agreed, That a select Committee of Lords should join with a proportionable Number of the House of Commons, to go to the City of London, for to borrow Fifty Thousand Pounds for the Irish Affairs. And these Lords were named Committees: videlicet,

To go To-morrow, at Four a Clock in the Afternoon.

2. To the Second Proposition, this House agreed; and Ordered, That the former Committee, this Day appointed for opening of Letters, shall serve for this Business.

3. To the Third Proposition, concerning the Reward to be given to Owen Connellies, Agreed to.

4. To the Fourth Proposition, touching the further Examination of Owen Connellies; Agreed, That the Committee appointed for the Second Proposition shall examine Connellies; with this Liberty, that any Peer may be present, unless he be forbidden by this House.

5. To the Fifth Proposition: Agreed to be laid aside for the present.

6. Concerning the Sixth Proposition: Touching the First Part, it is Agreed, That such as are convicted Recusants shall be secured as the Law hath appointed; for such as are not convicted Recusants, it is referred to the select Committees of both Houses, to consider what Course is fit to be taken to secure their Persons, in those Cases where the Law is defective.

Concerning the latter Part of this Proposition, touching the Proclamation, this House agrees with the House of Commons therein, and thinks it fit that the Minutes or Draught of a Proclamation be sent to the King in Scotland, that He may from thence send His Warrants and Directions for issuing out a Proclamation to that Purpose in Ireland.

Thanks to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for his Vigilance.

This being done, the Lord Keeper, by Command, gave Thanks (in the Name of this House) to the Earl of Leycester, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, for his Care and Vigilance in the Affairs which concern the Kingdom of Ireland; and for his speedy communicating the Letters and Examinations to the Lords of the Council and the Parliament, touching the Treason and Rebellion in that Kingdom.

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to write to the King of the critical Situation of Affairs there.

And further, the Lord Lieutenant was desired by the House, speedily to write to the King, and acquaint Him with the Affairs of Ireland, and the Danger that Kingdom is now in; and to let Him know what Course the Parliament here hath taken, for to give Supply and Aid for the reducing of the Rebels; and also the Lord Lieutenant was commanded to write to the Lords Justices and Council of Ireland, to let them know that the Parliament hath taken into their Care to send them a Supply of Men and of Money with all convenient Speed, and are resolved to give them Assistance in this great Defection; wishing them to persist in their Diligence and Care in defending that Kingdom against the Rebels, until Succours can be sent them; and that they give Intelligence, with the First Opportunities, how the State of that Kingdom is, and how the Rebels behave themselves.

Message to the H. C. for a Conference, about an Answer to the last one relative to the Irish Affairs.

A Message was sent to the House of Commons, by Mr. Baron Hendon and Mr. Justice Mallett:

To desire a Conference, by a Committee of both Houses, touching an Answer to the last Conference concerning the Affairs of Ireland.

Subject of the Conference.

The Lord Keeper was appointed "to give the House of Commons Thanks from this House, for their Readiness in giving their Resolutions touching the Affairs of Ireland, which import that Kingdom so much." And further, to let them know, at this Conference, "That this House agreed to all their Propositions (the sequestering the Isle of Wight into another Hand excepted, which is not to be spoken of at this Conference); only they consider the Papists under a double Capacity; those which are convicted, and those which are not convicted Recusants: Those which are convicted, their Lordships agree that their Persons be secured according to Law; but those which are not convicted, and the Law therein extends not so far, their Lordships desire the House of Commons to consider of some Way how they may be secured in these dangerous Times."

The Messengers return with this Answer from the House of Commons:

Answer from the H. C.

That they will give a Meeting presently, as is desired, in the Painted Chamber.

The House was adjourned during Pleasure, and the Lords went to the Conference; which being ended, the House was resumed.

Guards of the Parliament.

Ordered, That the Lord Chamberlain shall have the sole disposing and appointing what Guards of Soldiers shall guard the Houses of Parliament.

Committee for opening Letters.

Ordered, That the Lords Committees for opening and reading of Letters shall meet To-morrow Morning, at Nine of the Clock.

Adjourn.

Dominus Custos Magni Sigilli declaravit præsens Parliamentum continuandum esse usque in diem crastinum, videlicet, diem Martis, 2^m diem instantis Novembris, hora 1^a, post meridiem, Dominis sic decernentibus.

Footnotes