BY how much I was more affectionately apprehen­sive of the present calamities and deplorable estate of the Kingdome of Ireland, and whilest the voice of my friends there seemed to make one Chorus with the foules under the Altar, of them which were slaine for Rev. 6. 10. the Word of God, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud. So much the more this proposition was unto me (if I may without presumption make such an ap­plication) honey to my taste, imusick to mind eares, joy to mine heart: towards which, whilest others offer great summes, give mo leave to cast my mite into the treasury, and because I cannot subscribe as a cotracter, permit me yet to subscribe as an insurer.

These Irish Esaus have long expected such a day, though like Lupus est & tre­mens & fremens. Aug. burnt children they dreaded the fire, but a woolfe whether he be fearful or furious is still a woolfe. Now when they thought they had their opportunity, (what I write is most certain) and that they had committed us together, like the Lion and the Bore in the Greek Apollogist, they hoped well that they with the Vul­ture might steal away the prey from both parties. But this Con­tract [...]ill quickly same the courage of the Rebels and abate the triumphs and insultations of the Popish partie. The [...] concurrence of all degrees of men will soon change their Harp Iob 30. 31. into mourning, and their Organs into the voice of them that weep.

As if there were a revolution of the great Platonicall yeare, those dayes seeme to be reinuned wherein the Israelites did pre­sent their free will offerings, towards the making and adoming Exod. 36. of the Tabernacle; or the Consulate of Le [...]us & Marcellus at­ter the overthrow of Cannoe, when the Citizens of Rome emptied their private Coffers, to supply the pressing necessities of that State. They know that the publick may subsist without the Pri­vare but the private never without the publick. This alone gave that Citie the advantage of Carthage, and the prehemineace of the whole world, onely the want of this (to forbeare nearer in­stances) was the ruine of Constantinople, which made the conque­ting Turk [...] laugh to finde such poore enemies, and rich captives.

It is thought there were two speciall remorahs which did re­tarde the prosperous successe of the late Irish wars. The one was slow and short supplies, coming like Cains sacrifice in processe Gen. 4. 3. of time, and in such a thristy unthristy way, that they lost an hog for an half penie worth of Tar. It is a great fault in Client [Page 2] to starve his cause, but worse in a State. I know not whether it have been the fate or fortune of our late expeditions, that still our wings wanted impinge, just when we should have made an ad­vantagious flight. Our late renowned Deborah, Q Eliz being much perplexed with the bad successe of her Irish affaires, sent over that expert Commander Sir Roger Williams to find out the true reason thereof; who returned her Majesty a true report veiled in this homely story, of an Oxford man that bought a goose in Dublin for a groat, and a penie fagot to rost his goose, but his fagot was consumed by that time the goose was well warmed, so of necessitie he was to buy another fagot, which made his goose begin to drop; and after that a third fagot: but because it cooled between fagot and fagot, his goose was little better: Then the man grew angry, and bought a whole g [...]oats worth of fagots together, and rosted his goose well in the turn­ing of an hand. The application is easie.

The other rub was conceived to be the too much correspon­dence between some of the Commanders and the Earle of Ty­rone, who would not stick in private to brag to themselves, how much they were beholden to him. Surgeons often pro­long their cures, and beggers ordinarily nourish their fores for advantage. It would trouble a mans mind to hazard his life, and for his reward thrust himselfe out of all his imployment, unlesse he might be sure either of triumph at his returne, or a good Dividend out of the spoiles: Both these inconveniences will be removed by this contract; The warre will not coole betweene one supplie and another; the great and inferiour Of­ficers will themselves become adventurers, which is a conside­ration of great weight, able to inspire valour into a pale-liverd coward, when (as Tacitus said of Catilines Souldiers) Divitias decus glorians libertatem patriam in dextris portunt: When men beare their countrey, their riches, their portions, and their hopes in their right hands.

In a word, this proposition is a center wherein all the lines of Piety, Charity, Justice, Policy, and Utilitie do meet together. Hence is a cord not onely threefold, but fivefold, almost as double as Ajax his shield.

First for pietie, he that had viewed the beaten wayes to their Masse-houses, and the narrow paths to our Churches, in the most parts of Ireland, might justly have taken up that of the [Page 3] Prophet Jeremy, The wayes of Sion do mourn, because no man com­eth Lan [...]. 1. 4. to the solemne Assemblies. Of that of our Saviour, Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, &c. Strait is Matth. 7. 13. the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, &c. But this course if it be pursued, will spread Religion throughout the whole Kingdom in an instant, as the lightning which shineth in the East, and appeareth in the West. Next after the glory of God, hallowed be thy Name, we are taught to pray for the di­lating of Religion thy Kingdom come: When the owner heard that the Lord had need of his goods, he presently let them go. Matt. 21. 3. If there were no certain expectation of profit, yet in this case we ought to offer freely, and blesse God who hath given us means and hearts to lend unto him some part of his own store. When Solomon bestowed such an infinite masse of treasure upon 1 Chron. 29. 16. 1 King. 10. 27, the Temple, yet we read that silver was as common as stones in Jerusalem.

Next for charity. It was not without cause, when the Lord offered David his choise of three plagues, that he prayed, Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, but not into the hands of men. Their 2 Sam. 24, 14. mercies are cruell; sure I am, the Irish mercies have been very cruell, like the mercies of a prevailing coward, in cold blood to be cruell, without provocation to be cruell, to be cruell to that sex and that age (women and little ones) whom God would Deut. 20. 14. have spared even after peace, is rejected. To be cruell (extreme cruell) to that unarmed profession, which should it self be a pro­tection, the Ministers of the Word of God, yet the garrison of the Philistines did not hurt the colledge of the Prophets. But for these butcheries there can be no reparation, Numb. 35. 31. ex­cept 1 Sam. 10. 5. the blood of the murtherer, he that sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed, without which the Land can­not be cleansed from the guilt of innocent blood; nay to be cru­ell Numb. 35. 33. even to the very fruit-trees, which God expresly forbiddeth. To be cruell to the very wals and roofes, which the civill hea­then Deut. 20. 19. did abominate. Tully cals it nefarium bellum, a wicked warre, which is made with wals, and roofes, and pillars. And Livy commends the Romanes, that having taken Capua, they did not tirranise over the wals and houses. But it seemes these men despaire to hold them themselves, and they would not have them to become receptacles for us. All this while I speak not of those goods and moveables which they took from the [Page 4] Protestants, which in the space of ten weeks were stimated by a moderate survey at ten hundred thousad pounds. Then if it be a blessed thing to them to receive, what a blessing will this be to joyn with others in the reliefe of so many desolate widows, di­stressed orphans, & banished persos. That very day that Zacheus made such a proffer, he heard, This day is divation come to thine house. And this likewise will be a second fruit of thy subscriptio.

Thirdly, for Justice, There are three grounds of a just warre. First, The defence and protection of the innocent. Secondly, The recovery and repetition of things wrongfully deteined. Thirdly, The punishment and revenge of injuries received. Here all these considerations or rather obligations do concur; The persons to be protected, are brethren by Nation, by Reli­gion, and by the same bond of subjection under a gracious So­veraigne. The things deteined are their lands, their goods, their wives, their children, their friends, and whatsoever a man can call deare in this world: And not deteined onely, but abu­sed, famished, starved, and used worse than dogs. The injuries received are of all sorts, reflecting both upon soul, and body, and estate. So this Contract is pious, charitable, and just.

In the fourth place, it stands with the rules of good Policie. Is it not one cause of our distemper, that the head wants a due proportion of aliment, and is necessitated out of proper course sequi pabulum? Now in respect Vlster is the lowest ra­ted and most planted, and by consequence the least expecta­tion of Escheats there, by a probable Medium, which cannot much erre, this Million of money to be contracted for, will not take up above 25 or 2600000 of English Acres; and out of this will arise to his Majestie a constant yeerly Revenue of 23000. l. or thereabout: To which all the rest of the Escheated Lands being added, and improved in like manner, it will raise such a considerable Revenue as may in a great part ease the Subject of extraordinarie Subsidies.

The poorer sort are yet sensible of the late charge of Subsi­dies and Poll-money, This course will free them, and transfer the burthen upon such as are both able and willing to undergo it, this will much quicken and accelerate the supplies; lesse bo­dies are more capable of sudden motions; By this means Ire­land shall be speedily rescued before it be lost out-right. If our enemies had the command of that back-doore, we should not [Page 5] long want them here. When the Romanes had once gotten Sicily, they soon after invaded and gave Laws to Africke. You remember the old Proverbe, He that will England win, with Ireland must begin. Let us defend Aras & focos, our Re­gion, our Religion, rather at a distance than at home. This will amplifie and extend the power and glory of the English Nation: whilest trees grow in a throng, on an heap, they can­not spread out their bowes at libertie, as they may do when they are removed and planted at a greater distance. There are two reasons why Rome did flourish more and longer than Athens or Sparta; the one by incorporating those whom they conquered with themselves, as the Sabines and the Albanes, by this meanes changing enemies into Citizens, which course suc­ceeded prosperously to Henry the eighth, in the union of Wales to England. The other was their Colonies which they sent abroad: when Rome was the Mistresse of a great part of the world, their chiefest strength was in their Colonies, out of which the greatest part of their Armies were ever raised, Ha­num subsidio imperium populi Romani stetit, saith Livie, If this con­tract Lib. 27. proceed with effect, I doubt not speedily to find another England in Ireland, and to see that old saying proved false, Ireland will not be reformed till the day of judgement. For­mer Plantations sell by drops here and there, Rari [...]autes in gur­gite vasto, (that was the reason why so many of the old Eng­lish degenerated and turned Irish.) They could not operate be­yond the spheere of their own activity, but this by the blessing of God will presently give a settlement both to it self, and that Kingdom. Hitherto a great part of those who have gone over, have been poore Farmers, or necessitous persons, that were not able to make a considerable improvement. These contracters will be able to make it a gallant Kingdom forth­with. So you see Religion, Charitie, Justice, and Policy, are foure great incouragements to subscribe this Contract.

But yet there is one wanting which is as much looked after in the world as any of them, that is, the smell of gaine, Quid dabitur viro? What advantage shall a Contracter reape by it? If there be a concurrence of this also, Omne [...]ulit punctum qui mi­set utile dulci. Yes surely, be it spoken with all due submissi­on to the All-mighty providence, in whose hand is the event of battells, and by his grace and blessing upon the just Armes [Page 6] of his Royall Majestie, and his loyall Subjects, I doe not con­ceive the adventure to be much greater than a voyage into the Weiles, especially if we beginne with speed before they get forraine ayde, and not a velitation but a just warre.

It was the Spartane errour, that with Skirmishes rather than Battells, they taught the Thebans to become their Masters. Now if a man would set out one hundred pounds for the insu­rance of another, which were a great proportion, considering the adventure, yet the contract would beare it over and over a­gain. To speak modestly within my compasse, That w ^th might have beene sold for sixe thousand pounds within this yeare, a Contracter shall now have for lesse than one thousand pounds, besides the expectation of a mightie improvement by this plan­tation. So as it is cleerely the most gainefull trade that can be driven in this Kingdome in these dead times, and more secure than that which is rudentibus apta, which hanges upon Cable­ropes, where his sacred Majestie, the honourable members of both Houses of Parliament, and the whole body of this King­dome are so deeply ingaged in the insurance. So I may twist this fifth threed of Profit, with the other foure, of Religion, Charitie, Justice, and Policy.

But weake eyes are offended with the light of the Sunne, Though this Contract be never so pious, charitable, just, bene­ficiall to the publick State, to private Contracters, yet the tooth of envie will not want something to bite at, nor the tongue of malice to barke at.

First, they say, Christ never planted Religion in bloud, when the Disciples demanded leave to call for fire from Heaven, to destroy the Cities that did not receive them, our Saviour an­swered, Yee know not what spirit yee are of. Luk 9. 54.

I answer in the first place, that this warre is not meerly as they would make the world beleeve, a warre of Religion, but mixt with other considerations. I omit the native and heredi­tary love of the Irish to the Spaniard, as to the root from whence they spring. I passe by the Spanish Pensioners in Ireland, among whom the Romish tributary Archbishop of Cashell was not long since questioned for one, and dismissed meerly for his simplicitie, as a more probable enemy to a cup of Usquebah than to a State. Yet I heare and feare that the party who was imployed to apprehend him, hath since lost his bloud for that D. S. P. [Page 7] service. But I cannot omit a Treaty in Spaine about two yeares since, between some of the greatest instruments of State there and sundry Irish Papists, wherein it was proposed by the Irish party, what revenue, what provision for shipping, what other This story is in the Clerk of the Coun­cels books in Ireland. advantage Ireland would bring to his Catholick Majesty, and how facile it was to gaine it; how the Irish stood affected to him. It is well knowne to some persons of great eminency both in England & Ireland, who were present at this consultation, what was their resolution, to imploy two Fryers with Letters of cre­dence thither, to a great number of the Nobilitie and Gentry of that Kingdome as well Irish as old English. (I confesse the choice argued no depth of understanding,) The Fryers are knowne, the persons to whom they were to addresse themselves are knowne, and if it had not been for some accidentall troubles, they had been apprehended, or escaped narrowly. If you ask how I know this, Suppose one of the Fryers was as big with the secret as Mi­das his Barber, and forfeare of bursting did vent himself among some rootes of reeds, which after made the discovery. The re­lation is most true. So you see there is something more in it than Religion.

I have seene a Letter from the late Earle of Tyrone, and the Earle of Terconnell, to the now Cardinall Protector Barberino, wherein they professe that though they did for a time supersede from their right in Ireland, yet they did not intend to desert it. I have seene another Letter from a company of meane and con­temptible persons, saving that they had some old Irish bloud in them, to the same Cardinall Protector, wherein they style themselves Barones and Dinastae, Nobles and Peeres of the Realme. This shewed they had not forgotten their Progeni­tors pretenses; but here was nothing of Religion in it. I have seene two Letters of late dated from Sir Philomy O Neale and his brother Tirlogh, since they were in rebellion, to two emi­nent Gentlemen of the Scottish Nation, wherein they offer and desire not onely quarter but friendship, alledging this reason, that both Nations were one in their originall, and intreating that they might continue so in affection: I urge not this as though those Gentlemen did credit it, but to shew that there is more in their designes than Religion, otherwise they would have sought other Confederates.

I might adde those Prophesies which of late did flie abroad familiarly among them; as that of the three Cockes, the red [Page 8] Cocke and the blacke, which continued wounding one ano­ther, till the white Cocke (whereby they denoted the Earle of Tyrone) came and destroyed them both. These people had their thoughts taken up with something else than Religion. Surely if there had been nothing in it but Religion, they would never have perswaded a Gentleman to goe to Masse, upon assu­rance of life, and presently when he had done it, have hanged him up, so farre as was in them to kill both body and soule; yet thus wee heare from all hands they used Master Mi [...]aletor. Surely if it be Religion, it is such a Religion as that of the She­chemites, Shall not their cattle and their substance be ours? Shall Re­ligion Gen. 34. 23. then become a cloake or a stalking horse for those who robbe and burne and ravish and kill unarmed enemies? Were all our houses, Townes, stackyards, heretickes, that they were condemned to be burned?

This is most certaine, that every one of the Rebells upon the first insurrection, did seise all those Lands which his Fa­ther, or his grand-father, or his great grand-father had held before Tyrones Warres, or before the Artainder of Shane O Neale, although all these were invested in the Crowne by Act of Parliament 1 ^o. Eliz. and have since been quietly posses­sed builded and planted by the English. There is no question, but this was the Religion which they thirsted after. Their debts were great, their fortunes and estates desperate, even ge­nerally. They had no other way left to repaire themselves but this. And yet our old English Gentry in the pale, are so dull as to be fooled with this grosse conceite, that this warre is onely for Religion. Let them take heed, their Land is the flower of the whole Kingdome.

The old Irish have the same pretenses to it which they have to the rest, and if it should come to that, they would finde by wofull experience, that the goodnesse of the soyle would much inflame their devotion. What favour could they expect in such a case, but that which Polyphemus promised to Ulysses. That he should be the last devoured?

Though they have an equall appetite unto both, yet we and they together have been too much for the stomack to digestat one meale. Admit they are confederate with them, have they not offered the same termes to the Scots? But they were not so credulous to be gulled by them. My hope is that my Coun­trey-men shall buy their repentance at a readier market.

But to take their case at the best, admitting, but not granting that it [...] warre of religion. There is a vast distance betweene these two, to plant [...]eligion with the sword, which whether, or how far it be lawfull, is no way pertinent to this present case, and to protect true pietie against super­stitious vanitie, to defend Orthodox Christians from Heterodox Papists, [...]oyall Subjects from rebellious Traytours, To breake the jawes of the Iob 29. 1 [...]. wicked, and to plucke the spoyle out of his teeth. Shall it bee lawfull for them, being but Subjects, to usurp the inseparable rights of the Crowne, to trample upon the Lawes of the Land, to pursue the religion established by Parliament with fire and sword, to overthrow totally the proprietie of the Subject: and shall it not bee lawfull for his Majestie to vindi­cate Himselfe, Religion, his Lawes, his Subjects? It is true, this war may concerne Religion in the consequents, otherwise I should be right [...]rt [...]e, but antecedently in it selfe it is no war of religion.

Secondly, it is objected, that the Protestants beyond seas will smart for this, that this course will deprive his Majestie of all power to mediate for them, and take away that correspondence which is observed betweene Princes in point of state.

It will not be needfull in this case to consider, whether toleration or connivence in religion may be admitted, or of whom, with what cauti­ons and conditions, whether it extend to the persons only, or to the pra­ctice also, who are tares in the Lords field, how far these tares may be, or must be suffered. Whether Iustine the Emperour of Constantinople did well, to surcease from persecuting the Arrians in his Dommions, upon the humble suit of the Orthodox Christians in Italy, who groaned then un­der the persecution of Theodorick their King, an Arrian Prince, nor how far this historie may be applyable to these times. It is sufficient to answer this objection, to shew that the Irish are not called to an account for reli­gion, but for robberies▪ rapes, murthers, treasons. If ever Protestants shall make themselves so unworthy, so uncapable of any mediation, Lu­ant peccata let them suffer according to their demerits, and let no eye pi­tie them.

Thirdly, it is objected, that this course will prolong the war, and har­den the Rebels, when they are excluded from all hope of pardon, that it will hinder all accommodations whereas now they offer to come in upon termes, that it will make the conquest more difficult, that it will take a­way all meanes of reparation from the poore Protestants, who are rob­bed and stripped, and have no hopes of satisfaction, but out of the lands [Page 10] som of the arch Rebels, that it tyeth his Majesties hands from pardo­ning whom he pleaseth, and abridgeth the power of the chiefe Governer, disabling him from rewarding good servitours; that it were a safer way to take in the greater part upon submission, and afterwards to punish them insensibly, and by degrees.

This argument is more specious than substantiall, in true reason this course will rather shorten the war, when the enemies shall see that they are not like to be dallied, or to be trifled withall, it will soone humble them and make them present themselves with sack-cloth upon their loyns, 1. Kin. 20 32 and ropes upon their heads, as the Syrians did to the King of Israel. So those who have been drawne into action, by feare or fained shewes, may leave objects of his Majesties grace, either for the pardon of their lives, or restitution to their estates, according to their respective deserts, or the fa­vour they shall find in his royall eyes; and yet those be left to exemplarie justice, whose black outragious villanies have rendred them, even in the judgement of their owne consciences, uncapable of all favour. Whose lands being escheated, will be able to counter-balance this fumme, accor­ding to the proportion contracted for. And yet I think no man will be so vaine, to ask how then shall this great summe be employed, whilst this Crowne and Kingdome are so far engaged in debts, whilst the poore rob­bed Protestants cry for reparation, and this bloudy rebellion hath shewed us how necessarie it is to have some more places of strength in Ireland. If they meane any other accommodation than this, I understand it not, un­lesse they would have us, who have escaped their Butcherly hands to re­turne among them, and gently to hold out our throats to be cut at their discretion. Who will not rather chuse to forsake his estate there, and beg an halfe-penny from passengers with Belisarius, than after so evident a demonstration of their universall rancour, to expose himselfe and his poste­ritie to their barbarous crueltie? If they were only thornes in our sides to vex us, as the Canaanites were to the Israelites, it were more tolerable; Num. 33. 25. but to be skenes in our sides to murther us, is worse. No, no, there is no thought to be had of an English mans abode in Ireland, without the wals of a Citie, unlesse the Kingdome may be reduced to a better temperature and constitution. Wee often see a feaverish distemper ushers in a better habitude of the body. Now is the time when it may be affected with ju­stice, but after a free pardon, that which is justice now would become murther. Now is the time when their forraine Confederates have their [Page 11] hands full at home, and can afford them no great store of reliefe. All wise and flourishing Kingdomes and Common-wealths, have ever made choyse to undergoe a present charge, rather than a future and perpetuall inconvenience. Neither will this project either give impediment to the reparation of those who are robbed and damnified, seeing that if the Re­bels submit, they may be repaired out of the summe contracted for, and if they stand out, there will be as much more land for them, upon the like rent; and yet sufficient left over and above both these proportions, to be disposed unto good servitours.

Fourthly, it is said that this way is cruell, and tends not to a reformati­on, but to an utter extirpation, that it doth involve the nocent and inno­cent in the same punishment, That it were better to offer conditions Deut. 20. 1 [...]. of peace, and then let the obstinate suffer. I answer with Saint Am­brose, Gravissimus nodus, &c. An hard knot must have an hard wedge. When Titus, the darling of mankind, saw the infinite mortalitie which accompanyed the siege of Ierusalem, by famine, pestilence, and the sword, hee wept, and casting up his eyes to Heaven, called God to witnesse, that hee was innocent of those miseries. So his Majestie may justly say, that whatsoever they suffer, they may thank themselves for it, Hee and his Kingdome are guiltlesse of all the bloud that is shed 2 Sam. 3. 28 for ever, especially since they have yet time of grace, the red flag is yet up of mercie, mixt with justice; the black flag of utter ruine and desola­tion is not yet advanced, yet they have time to remove and flit from under the signe of the Sword, to be under the signe of the Crowne, to use Saint Anselmes comparison. If they fall, they fall wilfully into the pit which themselves have digged; they have first unsheathed the sword, or rather, they have sheathed it in the bowels of innocents, and left their carkasses as dung upon the face of the earth; Can they imagine that these doe not cry for vengeance? If the same sword take his course about, and themselves feele the lashes of Bellona's bloudy whip, whom can they blame? They have malitiously destroyed the good creatures of God and made willfull wast of his blessings, and offered the come of whole Coun­tries for a sacrifice to the fire. Now if famine punish excesse, if wofull want follow wilfull waste, if others mete the same measure againe into their bosomes, pressed downe and running over, if condemnation merci­lesse light on those that shewed not mercy, whom can they condemne? I confesse no vertue makes a man more like his Creatour then mercy, but [Page 12] there is a terrible lenity, a sparing cruelty, a foolish pitty, that is, when indulgence to the bad becomes cruelty to the good. When demerit and necessity doe both concurre, there punishment was never yet ac­counted severity. But that the innocent should bee extirpated, God for­bid, be that far from the Throne of my Soveraigne. Reward and pu­nishment (as said Lycurgus) doe preserve the Common-wealth. And these two have two sutable Ojbects, Well-doers, Ill-doers; The Magi­strares care must be not to mistake either the Act or the Object, as Death and Cupid are fained to have done their Bowes, which made so many old doting Lovers; and young herses, that he inflict not pu­nishment upon good doers (the teares of Innocents are more dangerous then any deluge) nor fasten rewards upon the Nocent; He that justifieth the wicked is an abhomination to the Lord. Nay rather it is to be wished by all good Christians, that even those who are not transcendently nocent may find favour, at least for life, and principally those who (as God pleades for the Ninivites, cannot discerne betweene their right hand and their left, but alwaies with this caution, so farre as it may consist with the [...]nah. 4. 11. security of the good Subject.

Charity pleades for pardon, except it be where a greater charity pleades against it. I onely propose a quaere (I presume not to apply) why the more stubborne and refractory sort of guilty persons, and yet not Ring­leaders of sedition, may not be removed from their native soyle, as the Romans dealt with the Ligurians a rebellious people, that if they will bee sitting upon the Cockatrices eggs of mischiefe and Treason, yet as the Florentine said they may never hatch them, being so far from their nests. In our memory, the King of Spaine thought feare of danger a just ground to banish all the Moores out of his Kingdome, here both danger and desert concur to make it lawfull. Others who are more apt to bee conformed, may be partly dispersed in England, and partly continued in Ireland, so as they assume English names, weare English Apparrell, speake the English Language, inhabite English houses, and above all im­brace the Religion protested in England.

Hitherto the Romish Priests have preserved these markes of distincti­on, as a wall of separation to prevent an Union; hereafter let it be as capi­tall for a Priest to come there, as it was for an armed English-man to bee seene in Callis. I confesse some Irish have done good service against the Rebells, these deserve to bee rewarded: I confesse in some places the [Page 13] chiefest abuses were acted & committed by the meaner sort of people. But do we beleeve it was ordinarily done without the consent, nay without the command of their Land-lords? It is scarce credible to those who know the absolute power of an Irish Lord over his dependents, why did they not re­strainthem where they could, Qui desinit obviare cum potest, consentit. The Benjamites refusing to punish the guilty persons were prosecuted the­selves: plotters and contrivers, I adde also concealers and smotherers of Judg. 20. 13. this horrid Treason, deserve as much to bee punished as the Actors and Executers, or rather more, as being commonly more eminent, and more dangerous. It was Tarquins silent, but in that case unjust advice to his Sonne, when with his Rod hee strake off the heads of the Poppies. It was the just practise of the Romans upon the tumultuous Ardeates, the rebellious Cyprians, and many others. It would be known what was that good successe which was fasted and prayed for weekely in publike, before this plot was discovered, and who were present at that meeting, or privy to it; where it was questioned how this businesse should bee managed, some advising that the English should be kindly used, onely their Forts and strengths be seised; others that they should bee stripped and turned out of all; others that they should not onely be stripped, but Massacred: All which were followed in severall parts. It brings to my mind the ad­vice which Heremius gave to Pontius the Captaine of the Samnites, when he had the Romans in a straite, either to dismisse them all with love, which would produce an honourable peace, or else to kill them to to one man, Dead men bite not. But Pontius tooke a middle and most pernicious course to himselfe, first to abuse them basely, and then to dis­misse them, irritating thereby a powerfull enemy to the ruine of the Sam­nites. Lastly, conditions of peace are to bee offered to forraine Enemies; but to bee petitioned and sued for by domestick Rebells. If they desire Peace, in the first place let them deliver up to Justice the heads, and Au­thours of the Rebellion, as the Citizens of Abell did Shebah the sonne of Bickrs, and the Lands, Forts and Goods, which they detaine unjustly, and then come in and submit themselves to his Majesties Grace. This is the onely way left them to obtaine mercy.

There is one Objection more, that the event of Warre is doubtfull, That it is not comely to sell the Beares skin before the beast is killed.

It is true indeed, it is not good to fish too far before the Net, nor to boast presumptuously of to morrow, for wee know not what a day may bring forth; And therefore let not him that girdeth on his harnesie, boast [Page 14] himselfe as hee that putteth it off. The eleven Tribes had the bette [...] 1 Kin. 10. 11. Iudg. 20. cause, and did much exceed the Benjamites in numerous preparation, yet it was the Will of God they should be beaten in two Battells. But that was before the eleven Tribes had humbled themselves before the Lord, so it be done without presumptuous pride, with a due submission to the Will of God, placing our chiefest confidence, not in our owne strength, but in his blessing: I doe not see what can be taxed in it, for manifesting whereof I onely lay downe these two conclusions.

First that spoiles in a just War and Escheats of rebellious Subjects were ever held lawfull, it was Israels Legacy to Ioseph: I give thee one portion Genes. 48. 22 above thy Brethren, which I tooke out of the hand of the Amerites with my Sword and with my Bow: The Law is generall, Thou shalt take unto Deut. 20. 14. thy selfe, and thou shalt eate the spoile of thine enemie.

Secondly, that the dividing and apportioning of the spoile before hand is grounded upon the same reason and equity, with the judiciall Law of Al­mighty God for the dividing of the spoiles. Numb. 31. 37. And with those rules for dividing the land of Canaan, before it was conquered. Num. 34. So I conclude, notwithstanding all Objections, that this contract is pious, charitable, just, politick, and profitable; And though I will not make the subscription or not subscription thereof, to bee like Shibboleth, and Sibboleth, a marke to distinguish betweene an Ephraimite and a Gi­leadite: yet as in the body natural, when any member is ill-affected, all the bad humours flow unto it, and on the other side when any part needeth aliment, the good humours have recourse thither; so let that union and conjunction which is among the Rebels to destroy the body of the Cōmon wealth, teach all loyall Subjects with mutuall and reciprocall affection to indeavour the preservation thereof. My heart is towards the Governours of Israel, which offered themselves willingly among the people. Iudges 5. 9.