THE CASE Of the CITY of Londonderry in Ireland.
Humbly Represented to the Honourable House of Com­mons in Parliament Assembled.

THE said CITY having by Petition to the late Honourable House of Commons, and by a Printed Case and Account of the Sufferings during the late Siege there, truly set forth what they had Done and Suffered on the late Happy Revolution, for Securing and Defence of that Important Place, need not now be repeated, being generally Known, and Acknowledg'd by the Votes of that Honourable House, of the 9th of April 1698, and their Address thereupon to His Majesty; as the same likewise were by the Votes and Address of the Honourable House of Commons in Ireland, in December, 1695, as by the said Petition, Votes and Addresses, herewith Printed, may ap­pear; but have hitherto had no Effect, no proper Fund being found to an­swer that End: So that a great Part of their Suburbs, and many Houses within the Walls, lie to this Day in Rubbish; besides the many other Losses and Dis­bursements of the Inhabitants of that Place, for the Publick Service, they have hitherto had no Satisfaction for, yet are never without Hopes to be at length Consider'd, according to the Circumstances of their Case.

AND forasmuch as the Services and Sufferings of the said City contributed much to the Reduction of Ireland, by which the Estates of those there in Rebel­lion became Forfeited: They therefore do now Humbly lay their Case before this Honourable House, hoping, That in Appropriating the said Forfeitures, they may be Remembred, and some Clause be inserted in the Act to be pass'd, touching the same, for and in Behalf of that City, as may answer the Intent of the said Petition, Votes and Addresses.

All which is Humbly Submitted to the Great Wisdom and Consideration of this Honourable House.

The Humble PETITION of the Mayor, Common­alty, and Citizens of the City of Londonderry in Ireland.

Sheweth,

THAT Your Petitioners Services and Sufferings, on this late Happy Revolu­tion, and the Good Effects thereof, by the Mercy of God to these King­doms, are not Unknown they hope to this Honourable House, nor as yet Forgotten, How early the City of LONDONDERRY Appeared and Defended it self to the utmost, and was the only Place in Protestant Hands, and for the Present Govern­ment, that endured the Miseries and Calamities of a SIEGE, very Fatal to the Popish Interest and Measures.

THAT Your Petitioners have been Great Sufferers thereby in many Respects, and in a singular manner, not only in the Destruction of the far greatest Part of the Suburbs of that City, and all Improvements about it, (as it still remains,) and in the Ruine of many Houses within the Walls then laid in Rubbish, and the rest greatly shatter'd by the Enemies Bombs and Cannon; but also by their many Disbursements [Page 2]for Securing and Fortifying the Place; Buying and laying in Arms and Ammuni­tion; Raising, Paying, and Subsisting of Forces; Provisions of all sorts consumed in the Siege by the Garrison; Cloaths, and other Necessaries afforded to the Officers and Soldiers that Defended the City; And Debts contracted for the Publick Use and Safety, amounting in all (as on a Moderate Computation appeared) to about Thirty Thousand Pounds, besides Private Losses in common with the rest of the King­dom, and the Charge of Relieving many Thousand Protestants, fled thither for Refuge. All which has brought them to Great Poverty and the said City and Suburbs to a very Ruinous Condition.

THAT as they willingly Exposed Themselves and their All for the Publick In­terest and Service; so they have patiently, these Eight Years past, lain under their Losses, Supporting Themselves with the Hopes, That in good time, especially if the Wars were once ended, and the great Affairs of the Kingdom might admit, Such Consideration would be had of them, as they should no longer remain a Poor Ruin­ous Spectacle to all, a Scorn to their Enemies, and Discouragement to Others, as they now are: But should (as the Happy Result of what they have undergone) be made (as they still hope they shall) a Lasting Monument of His MAJESTY's Royal Favour and Bounty, if their CASE should then come before Him, Re­commended by this Honourable House.

YOƲR Petitioners therefore Humbly Pray, That this Honourable House would favourably please to look on them, and take their Case and Sufferings, and the Ruinous Condition of the Poor City of Londonderry and its Su­burbs, into Consideration, and so to lay the same before His Sacred MAJESTY for His Royal Favour, in order to Your Petitioners Relief in the Kingdom of Ireland, as to Your Honours Great Wisdom shall seem meet.

And Your Petitioners will ever Pray, &c.

VOTES of the House of Commons of England.

SIR Robert Clayton Reported from the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Mayor, Commonalty and Citizens of the City of Londonderry, in Ire­land, was Referred; That thay had Examined and Considered the same, and come to several Resolutions, which they had Directed him to Report to the House, which he Read in his Place, and afterwards Delivered in at the Table, where the same were Read, and (with an Amendment of One of them) Agreed unto by the House, and are as follow, (viz.)

Resolved, That the Allegations contained in the Petition, are True.

Resolved, That it appeared to the Committee, upon Examination of the Petiti­on, That the Publick Losses, Disbursements and Damages sustained by the Inhabi­tants of that City, are, in the said Petition, very moderately Computed; and that the Losses, besides to particular and private Persons, are very great.

Resolved, That the Services and Sufferings of that City, on this late Revolution, were very Eminent, and of great Consequence to his Majesty's Service, and the Preservation of the Three Kingdoms.

Resolved, That in regard thereof, the said City hath well Deserved to be Con­sidered, for the Damages in the Petition mentioned, and to have some special Mark of His Majesty's Bounty, for a lasting Monument to Posterity.

That in order thereto, it is humbly Proposed, That something in particular, which the Wisdom of this Honourable House shall think fit, be humbly Recom­mended to His Majesty, to be done for the same.

Ordered, That it be Referred to the same Committee, to Draw up an Address, to be Presented to his Majesty, setting forth the Substance of the said Petition, and the said Resolutions, and humbly Praying, That His Majesty will please to make some Compensation for the said Damages, out of the Customs of the said City, or otherwise, as His Majesty, in his Princely Wisdom, shall think fit.

Sir Robert Clayton Reported from the Committee, to whom the Address relating to the City of Londonderry, in Ireland, was Committed; That they had Drawn [Page 3]up an Address, which they had Directed him to Report to the House, which he Read in his Place, and afterwards Delivered in at the Table, where the same was Read, and Agreed unto by the House; and is as followeth, viz.

Most Gracious Sovereign,

WE Your Majesty's most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects, the Commons in Parliament Assembled, having Received a Petition from the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citi­zens in Your City of London-Derry, in Ireland; Setting forth their Early and Singu­lar Services and Sufferings on the late happy Revolution, by the Securing and Defence of that City, against a Long and Cruel Siege (which Eminently contributed to the destroy­ing the Designs of the Enemies of these Kingdoms,) And shewing, That thereby not only the greatest Part of the City and Suburbs was Demolished, or rendred Ruinous, but also that their Disbursements upon this Occasion, for Fortifying, Providing Arms and Am­munition, Raising and Subsisting Forces, and other Publick Ʋses, did Amount to a very considerable Summ of Money.

And that as they had willingly Exposed Themselves, and their All, for the Publick In­terest and Service, so they had patiently, these Eight Years, lain under their Losses; in hopes, at the End of the War to be so considered, as they should no longer remain a poor ruinous Spectacle to all, a Scorn to their Enemies, and a Discouragement to Your Ma­jesty's well-affected Subjects: And Praying our Recommendation of their Case to Your Majesty, for Your Royal Favour, in order to their Relief in the Kingdom of Ireland.

And it also appeared upon Examination, That the Governour and Garrison who, through the utmost Sufferings and Extremities defended the same, do likewise deserve to have so signal a Service taken into Consideration: And the said City, who have so Emi­nently Suffered, to have some special Mark of Your Majesty's Favour, for a lasting Mo­nument to Posterity.

All which we do most humbly Represent to Your Majesty, Praying, That in Conside­ration of the Premisses, Your Majesty would be graciously Pleased to make some Compen­sation to the said City, Governour, and Garrison, by such Ways and Means, and in such Manner as Your Majesty, in your Princely Wisdom shall think fit.

Resolved,

That the said Address be Presented to His Majesty by such Members of this House as are of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council.

VOTES of the House of Commons of Ireland.

MR. Anderson Saunders Reported from the Committee appointed to take into Consideration the Petition of the Mayor, Citizens and Commonalty of the City of Londonderry; That they had come to several Resolutions in the Mat­ter to them Referred, which he Read in his Place, and after delivered in at the Ta­ble, where the same were again Read, and are as followeth.

Resolved,

That it appears fully to this Committee, That the Extraordinary Losses, Dis­bursements and Debts, Contracted by the Inhabitants of Londonderry, from and af­ter November, 1698, in Securing and Fortifying the Place, in Buying and Laying in of Arms and Ammunition, in Subsisting with Provisions of all sorts, Cloaths, and other Necessaries, those that were in that Garrison, for its Defence, during the Siege, and in Houses ruined thereby, and for Defence of the Place, doth amount to a great Summ. And it further appears to us, That David Cairnes, Esq a Mem­ber of the said City, and now one of their Representatives in Parliament, was Remarkably Instrumental in the first Securing the said City against the Irish, and afterwards underwent several hazardous Journeys for Preserving the same; and that he was a great Sufferer by the Siege.

Resolved,

That it is the Opinion of this Committee, That in Regard of the Premisses, and of the Services and Sufferings of that City, on the late Revolution, that were of such Consequence to these Kingdoms, and the whole Protestant Interest, That an Humble Address be made by this House to His Excellency the Lord-Deputy, on the [Page 4]Petitioners Behalf, That he would be pleased to lay their Case before His Majesty, and to Recommend the same in the most Effectual manner to His Royal Considera­tion and Favour, to do therein for the Petitioners Relief, as he in his Princely Wisdom shall think fit.

To which Resolutions, the Question being severally put, the House did agree.

Ordered,

That it be Referred to the same Committee to Prepare an Address of this House to His Excellency the Lord Deputy, Pursuant to the said Resolutions, and Report the same to the House.

Which was accordingly done, and Agreed to by the House; and here follows.

To His Excellency Henry Lord Capel, Baron of Tewksbury, Lord Deputy-General, and General, Governour of Ireland: The Humble ADDRESS of the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, in Parliament Assembled.

May it Please Your Excellency,

THE Mayor, Commonalty and Citizens of the City of Londonderry, having, by a Petition lately preferr'd unto us, set forth the Great Losses, Disbursements, and Sufferings by them sustained in the late Revolution, and great Debts contracted on the Publick Account, by their early Securing and Fortifying that Place, for Their Maje­sties and the Protestant Interest, Buying of Arms, Ammunition, and Subsisting with Provisions, Cloaths, and other Necessaries, those that were in that Garrison, for its Defence, during the Siege; and that a great Part of their City and Suburbs were Ruined and Destroyed thereby, and for Defence of the Place, to their great Impoverishment, praying us to Recommend them to Your Excellency as proper Objects of His Majesty's Princely Favour, to be Considered by His Majesty, as he in his Royal Wisdom should think fit.

We humbly lay before Your Excellency, That we have Considered the Matters in the Petition contained, and Carefully Examined a Particular State or Account, produced before us, of the Extraordinary Losses, Disbursements, and Debts contracted by the Inhabitants of the said City, from November, 1688, on the Grounds and Occasions in the Petition set forth, and do find that the same doth amount to a very great Summ.

And being very sensible how well that City hath deserved by its Eminent Services and Sufferings, that were of so great Importance to these Kingdoms, and the whole Prote­stant Interest.

We therefore humbly desire, That Your Excellency would be Pleased to lay the Petitioners Case before His Sacred Majesty, and to Recommend the same in the most Effectual manner to his Princely Consideration. And that Your Excellency would be also Pleased to take Notice therein of David Cairnes, Esq a Member of that City, and one of their now Repre­sentatives in Parliament, in Regard of his Early Services, in the first Securing the said City against the Irish, and several hazardous Jour­neys made by him, in order to the Relief of the same, and his Great Losses by the Siege.

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