ACcording to your desire, I herein freely give you my thought of that great Question which so much concerns the King, his Government, and the Protestant Interest, which is the readiest way to reduce the Kingdom of Ireland, Is a Declaration, or no Declaration? I [...] a De­claration, shall it consist all of Terms or Tenders of Grace and Favour on laying down of Arms, which seems to have obtained the Approbation of some? Or shall there be instances of Justice made, by excepting the chiefest and most notorious of those of the Irish Papists now in Rebellion? which seems to be the general sense and humble desires of the Protestant Lords and Gentlemen of Ireland.

And I humbly conceive, with submission to better Judgments, and the resolves of our Superiors, that a Declaration is necessary for these Reasons.

First, If no Declaration go with the Army, this will make all the whole Nation of the Irish, as well those who are not of the Army, as those who are, alike desperate, and that by no means seems advisable, for they are too ma­ny. They will be all desperate, because by the cunning of the Priests they have all been involv'd in Guilt, all Arm'd that came to Mass, and all in­gag'd in the Plundering and Robbing of the Protestants; and being thus con­serous to themselves, and perswaded by the Priests and Gentry, that there is no Mercy to be expected for them, there being no assurance of protection or incouragement for them to continue in their Dwellings and Occupations. Hereupon the Husbandman, Ploughman and Labourer, with what little Corn or Cattle they have will fly before the English Army into the Irish Quarters, and unto Bogs and Mountains, and such great numbers betake themselves to the Towns (as in the former War) that by their multitude a Famine will soon come amongst them; and that probably as heretofore be followed with a Plague; The consequence of which will be not only the pre­sent wasting and depopulating of the Countrey; but for many years the same will continue Untill'd, and there will be a scarcity of Corn, for tis the Irish that do Plough three parts of four, if not more of the three Provinces, and one half at least of the fourth; and 'tis but some of the best of the Eng­lish in the Countrey do Plough only for their own use, and the meaner sort of Protestants cannot fare so hardly (as the Irish, who live upon Milks and Potatoes,) as to be able to raise any Rent by Ploughing, Corn being so cheap in that Kingdom, there being so much more Land than Inhabitants. But also the Nobility and Gentry will not for many years to come be able to raise their Rents unto half the value their Estates yielded them of late years, except those Farmers and Ploughmen of the Irish be taken into protection, and retained in their Dwelling and Occupations by a Declaration.

Secondly, A Declaration is necessary to assure the greatest part of those [Page 2]who are in Arms, of mercy and protection on their submission, there being no Assurance now remaining to them from the Declaration of Feb. 22. 1685. which they rejected, and having no certainty of their lives, but that they may escape for their number, and they may not, but be destroyed, which they have deserved. This uncertainty, and the guilt they have contracted by Robberies, &c. will keep them in [...]ire in their resistance to the la [...]t.

Thirdly, A Declaration is necessary for the incouragement of the Prote­stants, that they may see His Majesties care for their Restoration to their E­states, and for some reparation for their losses, who otherwise are utterly consumed and irreparably beggar'd, and in vain is it for such to return and in­deavour to plant Ireland, but must continue Servants or Beggars here in England, except they are relieved and ass [...]ted out of the forfeited Lands.

As to the second Question, I humbly conceive some instances of Justice must be made, and some o [...] the Chief excepted from their Estates for these Reasons.

Omitting several Arguments that have been discoursed of; as the reason­ableness of discouraging future Rebellions; and that this will not obtain the end intended, of reducing that Kingdom; for the Estated Men, who have armed all the rest, may lay down their Arms, and others carry on the War with greater vigour, &c. I humbly conceive,

1. 'Tis not for the Kings Honour a second time to prostitute His Grace and Mercy in a general Offer, to all without exception.

2. This His Majesties Lenity will but make them more insolent (as in all Ages) instances have been given, and more may, for let none perswade the King that there ever was the least spark of good Nature or Ingenuity appearing in the Irish Nation, or that any thing but the dread of a terrible re­venge from God and Man keeps those Bloody Irish Papists from a general Massacre of all the Protestants within their power, or that they ever made other use of all the Grace and Favour by which they have had Honours and Estates conferr [...]d upon them by the Crown of England (after they have been Conquered and Subdued; but to take hold of the first opportunity they ever have to murder and destroy the English and Protestants, and to cast off the Government of England, and every time by a more universal and malicious Rebellion than the former, and they will construe this to be out of fear, or the urgency of His Majesties Affairs which proceeds from the greatness and goodness of His Royal Heart towards those who have plung'd themselves in this general Rebellion.

3. If they are not now weaken'd in their Estates, and the Protestants by those Estates in some measure repair'd and strengthen'd; I mean those who are consumed by this late Rebellion (their substance for the most part consist­ing in Stock) His Majesties Revenue will not recover in many years suffici­ent to maintain an Army to defend that Kingdom: and next, no Militia will be to assist the standing Army in that Countrey for many years.

1. His Majesties Revenue will not recover to any considerable degree for many years, for it was this sort of English Farmers, who stock [...]ng their Land with Sheep and black Cattle, (as the Irish generally followed the Plough) traded with their Wooll, their Butter and Cheese, their Hides, Beef and Tal­low, which with Leather, are the staple Commodities of the Kingdom, and the subject matter of the Trade and Exportations, which being answere with Importations of other Commodities of Wine, Cloth, Silk, Stuff, Grocery Wares, and other Goods from England, were the Fund of His Majesties Revenue of the Customs and Excise, all which Goods for Exportation are consumed by these Robbers, and the vast Armies rais'd in Ireland by Tyr­connel and his Adherents.

But may not this loss be soon made up by others as English and Dutch? &c.

I answer, Strangers to the Countrey, and to the Nature of the Soyl, know [Page 3]not how to turn them, they will find it difficult to pay the Quitrent or Crown Re [...] in most places, it is grown into a Proverb, That a man must be undone in Ireland before he thrives, even those who bring good Stocks with them out of England. So necessary is experience in the Climate, Soyl, Trade, Markets, manner of Liv­ing, &c. besides the right and property by Lease is Vested in these consumed and despoiled Protestants and those of them who have not Leases of their Lands at ea­sie Rents, such as they way be able to raise out of their Farms, (when as [...]ed by the Forfeited Lands) will look upon themselves as intituted in Conscience and Equity to have preference to the Tenancy of their Lands and Abatements of their Rents to such an easie rate as they may be able to pay the same, until the Kingdom be better planted, and Trade improved. Besides French and Dutch are for Manu­factures, which is the Form of Trading, and most desirable; but the [...]e despoi [...]ed Protestants are conversant in Commodities that are the matter of Trade, and mat­ter must always of necessity precede form.

2. Without these despoiled Protestants be assisted by the Forfeited Lands in their Planting, and Stocking of the Countrey, there can be no considerable Militia in the Kingdom of Ireland for several years, (for these men the Body of the Mi­litia, and especially of the Horse, the Landed men were generally Officers these in one County made 22 or 23 Troops of Horse, and throughout the Kingdom be­tween 4 and 5000 Horse, besides 13 or 14000 Foot; now instead of Horse, Arms and Accoutrements, they want Bread, and will not have Shoes to walk on Foot, except assisted and provided out of the Forfeited Lands.

The consequence of this want of Revenue in Ireland, and of a considerable Mili­tia of the Inhabitants is evident, that the charge and burthen of an Army to retain that Kingdom (when 'tis gotten to the Crown of England, must wholly he upon the Kingdom of England, and this may bring His Majesties Affairs into disorder, and in a little time prove very burthensome to the people of England; and as f [...]r want of a Revenue in Ireland, England must be at double the charge to pay the Ar­my in Ireland; So for want of the Militia, such as formerly they h [...]d, the King must have double the number of men in the Standing Army to preserve that King­dom; and in a word, the King must be at near four times more charge in maintain­ing His Army in Ireland, unless this course be taken in restoring and repairing the despoiled Protestants, and with them the Revenue and Militia of that Kingdom. Besides as 'tis the best Husbandry in his Majesty thus to dispose of the Forfeited Lands, and will turn to His Majesties great and speedy advantage, so there is a kind of Justice that these consumed Protestants should be repair'd out of the Forfeited Lands to His Maiesty in this Rebellion. For this reason, that besides they are the Martyrs and Sufferers for all the Protestants of the thee Kingdoms, they have been destroy'd by those very men who were Owners of these Forfeited Lands; for they have armed the Souldiers and the Rabble, and incourag [...]d them to Plunder and Rob, to provide for the Armies these Forfeiting Persons rais'd, and undertook to maintain for three Months, and the only Fund they had for so doing was the Sub­stance and Stocks of these despoiled Protestants, now seeing the Protestants cannot Sue these Forfeiting Persons at Law, or if they could, their Estates being Forfeit­ed cannot be liable to their Judgments and Executions in the Kings Hands can there be any thing more equitable, if not just, than that some reparation and satisfaction be made these despoiled Protestants out of the Estates of those that spoiled them, &c. From these considerations amongst many others it appears 'tis necessary and just the King should except the Chief and most Notorious of the Irish Rebels, or else these men shall have no Fund for any satisfaction, and next, that some part of the For­feited Lands as may be advised by Parliament may go towards such their reparation. But who are those most notorious Persons? and why these named more than others?

I answer; The Lords of the Council publickly appointed the Lords & Gentlemen of Ireland to bring in a List, for that they best were acquainted with the persons, and what they have done to deserve to be excepted; hereupon these Lords and Gentle­men to the number of many Grand-juries have Publickly and Unanimously [two or three dissenting] agreed to return this list, and have left out others, in order to raise a lealousy amongst them to the intent to divide them thereby, and those who are omitted may be in a capacity to do considerable service, to instance a few, the Earl of Clanrickard about Galway, the Earl of Tyrone about Waterford, Lord Brittas near Lymmerick, Lord Nettervil near Droghedah, and many more. They have named none but those of whose carriage and deportment they have receive evidence from se­veral of their number and altho' his Majesty and Council unto whom all must be [Page 4]humbly submitted, may omit all or alter them as they think fit, yet there seems these reasons to the contrary, and to hold to this number in the presented List.

First, It is most certain this work will never be so indifferently and impartially done again, either for his Majesties service, or general satisfaction: For that List which was made immediately upon the Lords and Gentlemen parting from the Council-Chamber, was done without design, or particular pique; but those who were named were known to all the Assembly to be the chief Ring-leaders in this mischievous Rebellion, and their particular actions related by those present, with­out any time to deliberate on any sinister design.

Secondly, The King will avoid troublesom Importunities, and those about him undesirable Reflections; and if the chiefest should be omitted who have been most malicious and destructive of the Protestants, the same may be resented by the Par­liament in Ireland, as a great Grievance, and beget ill Blood, if not troublesom Re­monstrances and Addresses.

To instance, the Two Chief amongst them (next Tyrconnel) are the Earl of Clan­carty in the one end of Ireland, and the Earl of Antrim in the other; these two ha­ving the greatest Estates, and the most Followers, and Dependants, and Tenants, have raised the most Men, and despoiled more of the English and Protestants than twenty others; and especially the former. Now 'tis whisper'd, this is a young Man, and hath an excellent Mother; his Mothers Estate will not be toucht; but he is not so young, but he has been guilty of a barbarous Murder; is an Apostate from his Religion that he was bred in under his good Mother and the Bishop of Oxford; has followed his grand Father; & his Uncle, and exceeded them in their persecution and destruction of the Protestants, meerly for being Protestants. These Families were the chief Actors in the bloody and fatal Rebellion in 1641 have receiv'd Honours & Estates since more than their own, and are capable at any time to do more mischief than 20 other Noblemen who may be named; and shall their Malice and Cruelty be let loose a third time to worry the Protestants, and manage another Rebellion with­in the memory of Man? God forbid, may the King forbid it, and the Lords of his Council, and all good Protestants must needs say, Amen. To conclude that I may keep within the bounds of a letter to may observation, this is the Universal Groan of the Protestant Nobility and Gentry of Ireland, and I make no doubt but in all the applications and importunities in favour of the Irish, his Majesty will remember this one great and necessary Truth;

That if the King and his Council [upon this General Rebellion and Universal Revolt from the Crown of England] do not take the Advantage effectually to weaken the Irish Popish Interest in Ireland;

The Protestants there will ever hereafter live in extreamest dread and danger, and consequently none will reside there who can have Bread in any other Country with security, and the King and Kingdom of England be never freed from infinite CHARGE and TROUBLE, infinite EXPENCE of BLOOD and TREASURE, by which the whole Protestant Interest will be s;o effectually weakened, that it will be ALWAYS in hazard of a TOTAL Subversion and Destruction. Yours, &c.

Since the writing this Letter, I met with a Pamphlet (Licensed the 30th of August) with an Immodest Reflection on the Lords and Gentlemen, to whom the forming of a Declaration was referr'd, which if it be not an Arrow drawn out of a Popish Quiver, 'tis feather'd with Pride and ill Nature.

And how frivolous is that Exception, that they have not consulted those Noble­men and Gentlemen of Ireland, who are now hazarding their Lives in that service; it being impossible to consult their persons? 'Tis evident they have their Interest; for who will be so desirous as those honourable Lords and Gentlemen, to gain some Interest in Ireland worthy their great hazards; or who have more reason than the Parliament and People of England, to expect some further Assurance of that King­dom that may be worthy of their vast Expence of Blood and Treasure? And would not (as our Reflector) that the Irish inricht and made strong with the Spoils of the Protestants (the greatest number of whom they have utterly beggar'd) may have it in their power to lay down for the present, and take up their Arms again as soon as the French, on pretence of the late King, or the Prince of Wales may offer an opportunity; and then all the Hazards, Charges and Expences will be cast away to no purpose, as often heretofore has been: After which the Protestant Interest must again win Ireland, whatever it cost, of lose England.