WE your Majesties most humble and Loyall Subjects the Protestants of the Province of Munster doe with all humility acknowledge your Majesties speciall care to­wards our preservation, and wee should esteeme our selves guiltie of two high an ingratitude if we should not discharge our duties to God, and your sacred Ma­jestie, by acquainting you that no peace can be concluded with the Irish Rebells; which will not bring unto your Majestie and the Eng­lish in generall, a farre greater prejudice then the shew of a peace here will bring us an advantage; and since your Majestie hath shewed us so high a degree of your pious care in all things that might take from our afflictions as our Declaration doth manifest to the world; those acti­ons shew so piously in your Majestie that you have entrusted us, and makes us humbly beg your Majestie, that you would not so much re­gard so inconsiderable a handfull of people as we are; as to purchase but a seeming securitie by leaving the Protestant Religion in all likeli­hood to be extirpated, and your Majestie obnoxious to the losse of this your Kingdome. Indeed it is too truly called a seeming securitie, as in our Declaration which we humbly present unto your Majestie doth largely and plainly appeare, as also with how much reason we have ta­ken up armes, to defend our Religion, lives, and your Majesties Inter­ests, and we firmely hope that our infinite wrongs and miseries will be a sufficient motive and rise for your Majestie to send unto the Parlia­ment for the procuring of a peace in England, without which we must [Page 2]be (as speedily) as unavoidably ruin'd, and, the Protestant Religion quite rooted out of this Kingdome; We have likewise sent our humble desires to the same purpose unto the Parliament, with a strong beliefe that both your Majestie and they will so seriously consider the justnesse and necessity of the Irish war, that it will wringe the sword out of both your hands, and imploy those armies (which are likely to be de­structive to the Protestant Religion) for the suppressing of those blou­dy enemies of the Gospell; and truly when we consider how corre­spondent this blessed motion is with the goodnesse of your Majesties owne inclination: We doe not despaire but that God which brings the greatest things to passe by the weakest meanes, may through our great necessities and humble prayers, restore England to that just Peace which it hath been so long deprived of. But if the judge­ments of the Almighty are not all falne upon that Kingdome, and that the just quarrell to this nation, which would be farre more glorious to the English armies, then the wars there, is not a sufficient power to produce our agreement between your Majestie and the Parliament. We doe most humbly beseech your Majestie not to give care to any that shall strive to blemish the Integritie of our proceedings, since we take God to witnesse we aime at nothing but Gods glory, your Majesties ho­nour, and the safetie of the English Nation.

And that the world may see that your Majestie beleeves us to be (what really we are) we humbly beg your Majestie, as we have like­wise done the Parliament to send us what supplies of Men, Armes and Ammunition your sacred Majestie thinkes fit for a people, which value not their lives and fortunes, where your Majesties honour is concerned, and that we may die as perfect Martyrs in the opinion of men, as we are certaine all those that suffer in this cause will be in the eye of God; that your sacred Majestie would be pleased to proclaime againe the Irish to be rebels, and not pardon those who have committed so many barbarous crimes, that they are as farre above description, as they are short of honestie, nay, more publiquely, professe they had your Ma­jesties Commission for what they did: The true sence of this divellish aspertion cast upon your Majestie, with all those other reasons, which we have set down in our Declaration, makes us resolve to die a thou­sand deaths rather then to condescend to any peace with these perfidi­ous Rebels; and since death is a tribute we must all pay, who will ap­prehend the payment of it somewhat the easier to purchase by it a [Page 3]Kingdome as full of glory as this is now of misery to all honest men, neither is this onely the resolution of all the most considerable men amongst us, but of all in generall; for our gracious God hath so inspired the hearts of all the Commonaltie, that they have vowed never to de­sert the cause that is so visibly God Almighties, and we beseech the Almightie so to direct your sacred Majestie, that our great miseries may through your Majesties pious furtherance beget that blessed peace in England, which is so zealously praid for by

SOme Councellors about the King have prevailed with him to make such an agreement with the Rebels here as leaves the interest he now has in their power, whereof we find they meane to make up for the Extirpation of the English Nation and Protestant Religion out of this Kingdome: and this being discovered unto us by certaine and un­doubted intelligence, we have given notice thereof to King and Parlia­ment, whose Assistance we have craved for our owne defence, and the meane time we have turned out the Irish, who we know were the Rebells confederates, now we doubt the King will not approve of what we have done, because the papisticall faction about him will oppose us, but we are confident the Parliament will send us great supplies to follow the warre against the Irish, wherefore, and seeing our cause is so good, we are hopefull as many forces as went from us will come to us forth with, and you I must desire to come with your whole Regiments to Milford Haven, where you may recrewt your Regiment and bring them away in the Parliaments ships, and that you may not scruple at this action, we have sent you our Declaration, [Page 4]which will shew open the realityes of our intentions. Then for incou­ragement for the Officers and Souldiers, I can assure you to have all arrears allowed in adventures, and that we shall have very good pay for the time to come, I am so confident of your coming that I have writ to the Parliament to make you Major Generall of the forces that shall be now on foote here, which I beleeve will be no lesse then 10000 horse and foote, we have already 3000 of our own besides the expectation of my owne Regiments and yours; So that if they send but 2 or 3000 forth of England, and order for the like number of Scots to come by sea hither we shall make up that number. I have likewise sent to the Parliament to get a stipend setled upon you as Governour of (Halboling) which I am confident will be done, for that I hope these inducements calling you to a cause of comfortable, as we may terme it, Gods owne cause, that will make all speed unto us, in expectation whereof I remaine

VVE find that his Majesty is strangely beguiled by the Irish re­bells, who making great and faire promises unto him, have gained such trust as that we see the Kingdome, save what the Scots have, is to be left in their power, whereof we know most certainly, they meane to make such use as that no English (if Protestants) shall be left therein, for they resolve to leave no professors of that Religion; But their wickednesse will not stop there neither, for seeing the King of England unable to give them assistance against the Scots; they have imployed agents abroad to treat with forraigne Princes, and to give assurance unto him that will undertake to supply them with mo­ney and utensils of warre, that they will become his subjects; when we were sufficiently assured of this, we resolved to resume our armes and rather to dye gloriously, then to live miferably; But although we [Page 5]know these actions of ours are effectuall, condueing to his Majesties service; Yet we feare the instruments that gained favour for the Irish, will have power to possesse his Majestie with an ill opinion of our pro­ceedings, because we receive assistance from the Parliament of Eng­land, notwithstanding (knowing the goodnesse of his Majesties own disposition, and hoping for Gods assistance to make him apprehensive of our reall love to him) we have presumed to write unto him, signi­fying how undoubtedly our Religion had bin extinguished, and his Kingdome lost, if we had not prevented it, and desiring that his Ma­jesty would not only approve of the Parliaments sending us supplyes for the following of this warre against the perfidious Irish rebells; but that he would gratiously reflect on us with what assistance his conditi­on will permit, and proclaiming the Irish Rebels; This if his Ma­jestie approve of may happily be a good recourse for such a treatie to be had betweene him and the Parliament, as may produce a happy Ac­commodation, which may give them both leave to imploy the Armies now destructive to England against these malicious enemies of our Re­ligion, and most dangerous enemies of his; but if he doe not, our Con­sciences beare witnesse we intend nothing but loyaltie to him, and we hope this will appeare when they see the grounds of our proceedings, which we have partly set forth in a Declaration, though we have left out things that we thought might displease his Majestie, who we know cannot chuse but extend a gracious eye of favour towards us, when things are come a little more to light, and that the Villaines of those Irish now smiled on shall be discovered; In the meane time, I pray you Brother to consider, who we fight against, namely Papists and Rebels, and that it is a happinesse to be imployed in such a Quarrell, ra­ther then against Protestants, whatever their Loyalties be, we are sure we fight neither against the Kings Person nor Lawes; neither against his profit; but you are not sure there but that you fight against the two last, neither doe you know but that you fight against Religion, which Implicitly is against God, and that sure you will confesse to be more then doing the first. Wherefore I beseech you to get away hi­ther as soone as you can; And get what Officers and Souldiers, espe­cially W. Kingsmill to come with you; the best way for you to come by, will be to come to Milford Haven, where the Parliament shipping will take you in, and transport you hither, with what horse or foot, you can get; There you will have good pay, halse your Arreares in [Page 6]Adventures; and if God prosper our designes we shall surely possesse the estates of our enemies, with the comfort of having all our neigh­bours English and Protestants. Your Mother hath written to you car­nestly desiring your repaire hither, the which she doth with teares of­ten pray that she may see; God put it into your heart to obey her therein, which would exceedingly rejoyce

ALthough I have been earnest in prosecution of all the Commands come unto me from his Majestie; yet I was ever as industrious for the perservation of the English here, and the Protestant Religion, as my weake abilities would give me leave, and now that I perceive his Majestie to be so deluded by a Papisticall Councell, as that his Prore­stant people are like to be all extirpated, and our Religion extinguished; I confesse it is no longer my dutie to execute those Commands, know­ing them to proceed from the advice of those, who expose Religion and the Common-wealth to shipwracke, under pretence of advancing his Majesties service, whilst indeed they doe but contrive their owne deliverance from the hand of justice: The Bearer will tell you more of this, and of my resolutions to use all endeavours to prosecute the warre against the Rebels in Ireland, and crosse those who are more mischievous (then any Rebels can be) in England; and if the Parlia­ment doe speedily supply us, I am very hopefull (with Gods assistance) to put the worke here suddainly into a good forwardnesse, for I am consident my Brother Harry will (if he can) deliver Wareham againe into the hands of the Parliament, and will come away with my whole Regiment hither, when you send Ships to fetch him, which I thinke will be greatly advantageous to them there, and us here,

If notwithstanding my new Professions the Parliament should di­strust me, because it is true, I have served the King with all my power according to his owne commands, I shall in the first place let you know, that I forsake a plentifull fortune, for the good of this Cause. And then I shall desire you to say only to them that (if the placing of another person in my roome be thought an advantage for the prosecu­tion of the warre,) I shall be well-pleased with it; and doe most ear­nestly defire it; for truly no preferment or prosit can be so pleasing to me, as to see this warre followed with effect against the Irish Rebels.

I found that having the disposall of what money we had here, I lost the favour of many, because I could not comply with their particular desires, wherefore if I should be thought fit to command againe, I would by no meanes meddle with that taske, and shall in that case pray the Houses to send one or more Commissioners to see the carri­ages of affaires, and to disburse the treasure as shall be requisite. This Course I conceive will give much satisfaction both to the Parliament and us, to them in regard of the assurance they shall have that the mo­ney is imployed to the best advantage, and that they shall have com­plaint of none but reall wants; to us, because we shall then expect to be better supplyed then otherwise.

Another thing that I desire you would offer to the Honourable Hou­ses is, that they would take the poore English here into their conside­ration, and to take a course for their satisfaction, concerning those debts due unto them from the Army, which I conceive may be done out of the Houses and Lands of the expulsed inhabitants, as if their mo­ney had been given upon adventure for them; I could write a volumne of things that would cause your admiration, as they have done my Al­teration from the course I was in, but I know you have been told some of them by your Wife and P.S. and others you will heare from the bearer; wherefore I will now say no more, but that I am

AS I must confesse I had alwaies great inducements to love your per­son, so must I acknowledge an obligation now, both to increase that affection, and professe my selfe infinitely your servant, for I have it from many good hands, that you were noble, just and friendly, zealous in defence of my honour, being wounded very much by my Lord of Corks traducing me for betraying his Townes unto the Irish rebells. Sir I could wish now that I had tould you somewhat more then I did of that businesse, which truly I forbeare, because I thought it would be deemed vaine glory in me, for if ever I did any thing towards the de­fence of this Province against the Irish, this was that I had cause to bragge off, whereof I shall take you for a witnesse; for you know that at the time when the enemy came to Lismore we had no provisions in any of our stores; and a weeke before their coming (that false friend) my uncle Edmond came unto me to let me know, that the Irish Army were advancing towards our ports, and that if I would give way to their taking of Cappoquin and Lismore they would spare the rest of our quarters, which he said they would otherwise burne and destroy, but before he delivered me this message from my Lord of Muskerie, he made me promise him secrecy, which as I made good, so I made use of what he tould me for my owne advantage, for presently I sent all the provision I could get in Corke and Yawhall with all hast to Cappo­quin, and with it 400 commanded men, Lismore was of it selfe well provided, but if it had not, you know I was not then able to helpe it, at that time I communicated to your selfe and the Officers the intelli­gence I received of the enemyes advancing, and after advice taken of what was fit to be done; we found our wants, and the scarcity that was in all places, would make it impossible for us to keepe the field with our. Armie, part whereof, to the number of 1200 were with Colonell Mynn in the West, where they had no foode, but what corne they cut, burnt and drest the same day to eate, so that all we were able to doe was only to draw 1600 foote and 250 horse to Tallowe, out of the severall garrisons, for whom I had not one dayes victualls to march, they being onely on billets in their severall quarters; when I found that this was all we could doe, then I bethought my selfe to make use [Page 9]of the motion made unto me by my uncle, and whereas he (under pretence of giving me intelligence) went about to worke upon me, in hope to make me an instrument to betray the English, I did in the like manner indeavour to make use of him, for the overthrowing the rebells designe; Which with Gods assistance I did thus happily effect.

After I had taken advice with you and found that we could not drawe the westerne forces unto us, and that without them there was no fighting; I seemed to him to have put on a resolution with your advices presently to gather all our forces together, and tould him of a great strength that we were able to make; letting of him know that I was glad the Irish were comming into a trap to us, for that I knew there would none of them get off againe, and then to fetch him about, I told him that I was sorry that my Lord of Muskery was not more reall in his professions to the King, which I perceived were all but dissilmuations, or that otherwise he would not now presse so hard upon our quarters, being he expected a cessation soone after, and being that then it was professed by them that they would goe in­to England with forces, so soone as that was agreed on, I marvailed that they would be so much the Kings and their owne enemies as to seeke the destruction of those people (meaning theirs) whose assistance I did soone expect in his Majesties service, which I tould him was a thing I would vvillingly avoid, if I could, and then finding by him that they were resolved to come, notwithstanding all my threats, I tould him that I would not draw our forces together till such a day, if they aimed at nothing but my Lord of Corks townes, for that I cared not if they tooke them, and that therefore I had so ordered it that the for­ces should be there no sooner to hinder them, which would be time enough for them to take them in; But said that if they tooke them not by that day, that then they must resolve to retreate, or that other­wise I must fall upon them, this they thought was enough, and there­fore they promised that they would retreat that day, whether they tooke them or not, though with as little intention to performe as I expected. Now that I might seeme unto him to be able to doe this, I presently made all the noise I could of my resolution to fight with the enemies, and wrote unto all the Garrisons to let the inhabitants know that if they did not make some shift to furnish the Souldiers knapsacks for the field, that they were all lost, whereupon they furni­shed us with five dayes provision, so that you and I made a shift with [Page 10]the before mentioned number, to get thither by the day that I threat­ned to fight with them, if they were not gone, which you know was the soonest that I could be there; you being a witnesse of the dili­gence I used to get the men into the field, and certainly if I could have come thither sooner, I would have threatned the enemy accordingly, but when we were come to Tallow, the rebells belike having notice of our weakness continued the seige notwithstanding the promises, which I perceiving, and being fearefull they might take Lismore, offered un­to your selfe, Lieutenant Colonell Appleyard and the Officers, to fall upon them if you should advise, whereupon you all advised to send presently for Colonell Mynn, and not to attempt any thing till he came. This delay, after I had threatned to fight with them, I I was fearefull would make the enemy contemne us, and thinking that it was very likely that before Colonell Mynn (who could not in lesse then five dayes time be with us) should come that the place must needs have bin lost, I bethought my selfe to send Iack fitz Gerald private­ly to them, to let them know that they were very happy in that Mynn was not come yet unto me, and that I had received letters from him intimating his being on his march towards me, whereof I gave them notice out of my desire to preserve them whom we thought would soone become his Majesties Subjects and servants, and therefore let them know that if they did not goe away the next day, that I must of necessity fall upon them, but all I could doe could not divert them from their owne ends, till my Lord of Cork landed and brought me a Letter from the King commanding me to give credit to what he should tell mee, who told me that it was his Majesties Com­mand that I should forward the Cossation by all the meanes? could, whereupon I desired a Conference with my Lord of Muskerie, and you know how my Lord of Corke delivered the Message sent unto me there before my Lord of Muskerie, and did assure my Lord that if he would with-draw the siege, he knew his Majestie would take it well, which my Lord (thinking that I would have fallen upon them the next day) assented unto, now let the world judge whether I did intend to give up my Lord of Corks Towns, they knowing our wants, our condition, our strength, Nick Mynns being in the West unable to come to us, my offering daily to fall on, if a Councell of warre should advise it, and all other circumstances to be as I have related, and let them also that know how we were, say if it [Page 11]had not been easie for their 3000 foot, and 800 horse to have taken all our Quarters, if I had not by this meanes prevented it, by giving them occasion to stay where I had provided against their attempts, whereas if they had marched on in to our Quarters, I could never make head against them, knowing the Countrey to be readie to rise and afford them their assistance against us, and that we could never bring our Army into a bodie to have given them Battell, so that truly I never was so happy in any thing concerning this warre, as in that diversion, which (by my Unkle Edmonds and my Lord of Muskeries ambush) it pleased God I gave them, and thereby preserved all the poore En­glish that were abroad in our quarters: and Sin for confirmation here­of you know we were frequently told that it was a common report amongst the Irish that I had fool'd my Lord of Muskerie, and he them; then let all the world thinke whether I could be so foolish as to give way that so many of them should know such a secret, if I had not my own ends in it, or if those ends had been to favour them, whether that favour must not proceed from hope of reward, of effection to their par­tie; the first of these I am confident no enemis will alleage against me; And I hope my Actions have never given Cause to suspect, me for the last; perhaps my Lord of Corke will say I did it out of malice to him: to which I answere, that it were strange I should put my safetie into the hands of the Irish, onely to doe him a prejudice, who I knew durst not affront me, not any man that durst strike a knowne Coward unlesse I did intend to become one of the Irish partie, which sure now I shall not be suspected for, s [...]eing I have put on a resolution to follow the warre against the Irishe whereunto my selfe, and the rest of the Offi­cers here have been induced by the certaine knowledge of their de­signes, being no losse (then to extirpate all the Protestant and their Religion, and give▪ this Kingdoms into the hands of another Prince, who they thinke betten able to assist them against the Parliament then the King of England is; Sir, we have made this knowne to the King and the world in a large Declaration; but we feare that the same instruments that gained such trust for the Irish (as that the King condescended to leave this in their power, supposing them to be more faithfull to him then that they would doe any such thing) will also prevaile to make him discredit our Declaration, and disapprove of our proceedings, which yet shall appeare to be effectuall for his ser­vice: But because we knew that his Majestie (by reason of the Parlia­ments [Page 12]strength at sea could not assist us,) we have applyed our selves to the Parliament, also desiring their Assistance against the Irish, and have besought both King and Parliament that they would (from the knowledge of their treacheries) take a rise to beget such an Accom­modation, as that by their joynt consent this warre might be followed, and that in England may surcease. I know not what effects this may produce for the good of that Kingdome. But I know we shall have large supplies here, and good pay for 10000. horse and foot to keepe the field, and that it may be an incouragement for our old friends to come over to us againe, the Parliament doe undertake to pay the Ar­reares due unto all the Officers and us in so much Adventure; besides which there is no doubt (if God make us vanquishers) but deserving 01 men will have estates conferred on them in the end of this, as it was in the end of the last warres (I meane Tyrones warres) of Ireland; I should thinke it a great happinesse that I might have your Assistance in this businesse, promising you that (if it lie in my power) your condi­tion shall be one of the Chiefe in the Armie; but I know your Noble­nesse and Uprightnesse to be such as that I shall offer nothing as an in­ducement to you, but that here you may fight in a Cause which first is Gods owne, then that we fight against those who are Papists and Re­bels, and who we know to be enemies to the King and our Religion: And lastly, I would desire you to consider that if the King should get the upper hand with the help of these men, whether it be likely that it will be in his power to establish the Protestant Religion: if you think fit to come, you must not make knowne your Resolution till you see how the King approves of our Declaration; But if that be not come to his hands, I would advise you to come without the knowledge of any (but such as you thinke will come with you) to Milford Haven, where the Parliament shipping will receive you, and transport hi­ther any that desire to come: I pray God direct you for the best, which is heartily wished by, Sir,