IRreland being to this day the Sole Right and a con­trey subiect to the Governement of the King of great Britaine where the warre now is, which is the princi­pall subiect of this Historie; and the Parliament of Eng­land imputing to that war one of the causes of the division with his Maiesty of Britaine, as if some Manifesto had in­terressed him in it, it will bee important not onely for the illustration of the Historic but also for the discussing of the truth of that objection, & because they condemne the Irish to live without rule and discipline, and to exercise many cruelties against the Protestants, to understand what lawes they are under which they live, and the Articles of their new confederacy.

To the better understanding whereof, wee are to pre­suppose that Ireland having bin sometimes governed by five severall Kings (every one of which reigned in one of those five Provinces▪ in the ye [...]re [...] [...]here arose a divi­sion betwixt two of those Kings namely hee of Lageny whose Royall [...]e was at Dubling, and was called Di [...]r­m [...]th Omorochon, & he of Connaught who was called Ochon­noch. Donn, the first whereof having called the English to his succour, Richard de Strongbow repaired to him who be­haved [Page 3] himselfe so valiently that ioyning with the King of Lageny, he made himselfe Master of one part of that Island, and became an Introduction to Henry the second, then King of England, who came thither with a great Army, which the other Provinces perceiving, they willingly did submit unto him to be delivered by him from the calami­ties that did attend their civill warre; but as new plantions doe seldome agree with the antient Inhabitants whose lands they came to usurpe and to possesse, these two Nati­ons had alwaies some difference, which traversed daily the successe of the Irish, and hindered them that they could not retire themselves from their obedience to the English, especially at that time when Oneale Earle of Tyrone tooke armes for the maintayning of the liberty of the Catho­licks against the Protestants in that great and universall subiect of division which the diversity of religion had caused to arise throughout all Christendome, who did in­courage and conduct them as discreetly and as valiantly as all other people, and added to the first and greate diffe­rence which arrose in that countrey betweene the natu­rall Irish and those who were called English-Irish, that is to say descended from the English and the Inhabitants of Ire­land, another difference to it of Catholickes and Prote­stants, which now is growne so strong as to make them forget their antient quarrell, and to recombine all those into the same body which are found of the same beliefe, two Lords onely excepted, to wit the Earle of Clenricard, and of Antrim, Catholicks both in their profession, and are not yet openly ioyned to the Catholiks now in armes, but remaine as newtralls, although they impute the cavse to the Estates they have in England, the first being Earle of S. Albans, & invested with the honours of three other Ba­ronys, the other with the rich dowry of the Dutchesse of Buckingham his consort. Now there being no society [Page 3] which can subsist without lawes, behold those which they have lately published to entertaine their mutuall corre­spondence and military discipline with the oath taken by them to the same intent.

1. It shall not bee lawfull for any under paine of death to take away the Catholicks goods, or to doe any dam­mage to them, whither they be Irish, English, or Scotts, or of any other Nation whatsoever inhabiting within this Realme, those onely excepted who shall be declared ene­mies to the common cause, or shall refuse to take armes for their defence, in which last case it shall not bee lawfull under the former payne to indammage the said Catho­lickes without expresse order from the Lords, Directors, or Intendants of Iustice established in every County, or in the greatest part of them.

2 If any either of the one or othe sexe which to this present hath made profession of the Protestant Religion, shall reconcile himselfe to the holy Church of Rome, pro­vided that he persevereth in it he shall suffer no dammage either in his Body or his goods, howsoever to prevent deceits the Castles and strong places which shall be found to appertaine unto them shall remaine sixe months in pleage in the hands of the directors or of those who shall bee committed to that charge who shall give them an ac­count of the revenues of the said places.

3. If the Husband be a catholick and his wife a Protestant they shall suffer no dammage in their goods, moveable or Immoveable, but if the Husband bee a Protestant, and his Wife a Catholick, the thirds of the goods shall bee ta­ken from the disposing of the Husband, for the lively hood and maintenance of his wife, and from them both a third remaining shall be taken according to the arbitration of the abovesaid directors for the education of their chil­dren.

[Page 5] 4. The Tributes, Revenewes, Rites, and temporall pre­rogatives of this King of great Britaine shall exactly bee preserved and maintained, and all subiects and tenants pre­cisely constrayned to pay them into the hands of the Far­mers and ordinary receivers for his Maiestie for the use and service of him.

5. There shall be no distinction betweene the naturall Irish and the antient English Irish or any other true Catho­licks whatsoever, but they shall indifferently bee conside­red and advanced to offices according to their deser [...]s, being faithfull to the King and preserving and pro­moting with all their power the common cause of the foresaid Religion.

6. It sh [...]ll not bee permitted to any to depart beyond the confines of his owne County to go to forraigne with­out order from the directors.

7. They who shall appropriate to themselves the goods of their kinred of the contrary party shall bee constrained to leave them to the administration of the directors, or to give them an account of them or to bring in unto them the greater part; in which first case the Directors shall dispence unto them a fitting & considerable recompence, and the usurpers who shall bee convinced to have dealt falsely with them shall bee condemned to pay unto the common cause the double of the value of the said goods.

8. It is forbidden to all on the forfeit of their lives, ei­ther under the pretext of warre or under any other pre­tence to invade any house whatsoever it bee, no not of those who make open profession of the protestant religion, or are not yet declared open enemies to the cause if they have not a sp [...]ciall warrant from the Directors, and for the time past, if any one hath so offended, hee shall bee bound on the first demand to restore the goods of him or them from whom he hath usupt them.

[Page 6] 9. All indifferently and of whatsoever condition they are shall proportionably contribute of the goods which they poss [...]sse within every County to the necessities of the affaires of the said Counties those summes which the Di­rectors or the greatest part of them shall appoint under the penalty of paying amends by them the said Directors so appointed.

10. None onthe paine of Death sh [...]ll ravish or offer violence to any married woman, widdow, or Catholicke maide or Protestant, or shall goe about to take away any habit from the body of any man, maide or woman of whatsoever Religion they are.

11. As often as any Castle or strong place shall be taken by composition, it shall bee a capitall crime to breake the Articles and condition of the Treaty▪ or to enter into it with a greater number then was accorded too, to hide or take away any of their goods, and to imploy them to his particular use, but all shall be left to the free disposition of the Directors to bee imployed for the subsistance of the Souldiers, and that with as much Iustice as possible can be.

12. No Souldier or any other shall be so bold, as to steale, pillage, burne the fruits or the houses of the Enemies themselves, or to commit any preiudicialle offence with­out the expresse commandment of the Directors.

13. But above althings it is forbidden under the same penalty es to steale from, or make any trespasse on the bo­dies or goods of Tradesmen or Marchants, in this Country exercizing their Art and commerce, and the directors doe take them into their protecton and speciall safeguard so long as they shall not bee found guilty of any treason a­gainst the common cause, but shall follow their honest exercise.

14. It is forbidden on the same penaltie to all labourers, [Page 7] Sheepheards or other persons not intolled and being not un­der the charge of any, and who are no members of any of the catholicks armies to renounce their condition to cary Armes, but they shall be inioyned to stay at home to continue the ex­ercise of their arts and manufactures, if they beare not with them a certificate from some person of quality containing the place from whence they came, & whether they would goe.

15. They shall proceede against the Catholicks refusing to assist the common cause, as if they were but Protestants, which neverthelesse shall not bee done but by the order from the Di­rectors.

16. All the tenants of the Catholicks of whatsoever Religi­on they are shall be grievously chastized according to the ar­bitration of the said Directors, in case they shall deferre or re­fuse to pay their rents and anuall duties.

17. Every twelfth day, provided it falles not upon a Sunday or upon a Festivall day, which if it doth the assignation shall be then remitted to the day following, the Directors shall bee bound to assemble themselves in a conv [...]nient place chosen by them to determine all differences, to appease all commotions and to avoid all confusions which are too ordinary in all new designes.

18. Lastly, it is fo [...]bidden under paine of death to carry or cause to bee carried any provision or ammunition into places where the enemy doth quarter, or to have any intelligence or commerce either by word or pen with any Captaine or Soul­diers of theirs to the preiudice of the cause.