The Tears of Ireland, Title page – Part
The teares of IRELAND VVherein is lively preſented as in a Map, a Liſt of the unheard off Cruelties and perfidious Treacheries of bloud-thirſty Jeſuits and the Popiſh Faction.
As a warning piece to her Siſter Nations to prevent the like miſeries, as are now acted on the Stage of this freſh bleeding Nation.
Reported by Gentlemen of good Credit living there, but forced to flie for their lives, as Iobs Meſſengers, to tell us what they have heard and ſeene with their eyes, illuſtrated by Pictures.
Fit to be reſerved by all true Proteſtants as a Monument of their perpetuall reproach and ignominy, and to animate the ſpirits of Proteſtants againſt ſuchbloudy Villains.
LONDON, Printed by A. N for Iohn Rothwell, and are to be ſold at his Shop in Pauls Churchyard at the ſigne of the Sun, 1642.
Courteous Reader:
IT is my hearty pray- for thee which was the laſt deſire of Luther for his friends, that thou mayeſt be filled with the love of Chriſt, and hatred of the Pope; He that loves not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be accurſed, hee that hates not the Pope, loves not Chriſt;aAbbot Downham, Sharp, &c. de Antichriſto. The Pope is that Antichriſt; This indeed is queſtioned by ſome Factors for Rome, but determined by the Apoſtle. Who is Antichriſt, butb2 Theſſ. 2. the man of ſin, and ſon of perdition? who is this man of ſin & ſon of perdition but the Pope? There were never ſeene greater monſters, and prodigies in the World for all kinde of accurſed abominations, then they were that have ſate in that Chaire of peſtilence, as their owncS…egedin. Spec. Pontificum Rom. Platina relates▪ In which there are reckoned ten Sodomites, fourteene infamous for adulteries; nine Simoniacks, twelve Tyrants, three and twenty Necromanticks, that gave themſelves to the Devill, ten Traitors, fifty in an ordinary ſucceſsion unworthy that name,dSeln…ccer v. …ae Pontif. many that have juſtified the vileſt of the Heathen Emperours in the moſt abominable of their exceſſes. There were never any that ſo puld up the floud-gates to open a way for the inundation of Wickedneſſe as the popes; eIdea reform. antichriſt. tom. 1. part. 2. ſect. 2. c 7.by diſpenſations for Sodomie, Inceſt, Murther, fornication, &c.fEſpenſ. in tit. 1. dig. 1. muſ…. loc. com. and by indulgencies, gBellar. de pont. Rom. lib. 4. c. 5.by doctrine. If the pope ſhould declare that vertue is vice, and vice vertue, the Church is bound to believe it to be ſo, and practice accordingly. There was never ſuch a ſonne of perdition; hee is that Apollyon, or deſtroyer of whom Saint John, a deſtroyer of ſouls, and ſhedder of bloud; but eſpecially drunke with the bloud of Saints. It is crediblyhIdaea refor. Antichriſt vide ſupra c. 6. related that in the ſpace of eight hundred yeeres, hee hath been the death of twelve Millions, one alone popeiBaleus de actis Rom. Pontif. l. 7. Iulius the Second in ſeven yeeres of his papacie deſtroyed 200000 Chriſtians. But their outragious fury againſt the Saints who can relate? How bloudy were the perſecutions raiſed againſt the Waldenſes, in which there was nokHiſt. Waldenſ. mercy ſhewed to any age, ſex, condition, their rage extended it ſelf to the deſtruction of the bruitiſh beaſts, and ſenſleſſe trees?lSleidanus. what internecine wars were ſtirred up againſt the Huſsites in Bohemia? what Country or Kingdome cannot produce inſtances of crueltie more then barbarous? The Low-countries lament the death of eighteen thouſand executed by the Duke of Alva in the ſpace of three thouſand yeeres in the cauſe of Religion.mThuanus. Bartholomeis ſlaughter will be for ever infamous in France? where by a prodigious Treaſon and unparalled cruelty, the Rivers did run with the bloud of Hugonets; England hath ſtill in freſh remembrance Queen Maries fires; Italie, Spaine, &c. doe yet groan under the mercileſſe inquiſition. The report of theſe cruelties doth aſtoniſh the Readers and relators, but not quench the thirſt, glut the never to be ſatiated ravine of theſe bloud-thirſtie Monſters, whoſe delight is that of the oIdaea reform. Antich. tom. 1. part. 2. c. 6.Cardinall Farneſius to ſee Rivers of the bloud of Lutherans to his horſe bridle. But thou wilt ſay what is this to the pope, that he ſhould be hated? Conſider this bloud was ſhed by his inſtigation, by his approbation. It was hee that granted a Croiſado againſt thepHiſt. Waldenſ. Waldenſes, andqBooke Martyrs tom 1. Bohemians, promiſing pardon of ſins to all ſuch as ſhould die in the expedition for their extirpation; It was hee that hearing of the Maſſacre in Paris skipped for joy, and commanded a ſolemne triumph, and panegyrick for that cauſe; But what is that to us? What? Have wee never heard of the popes good will to England? rBulla Pii 5…. againſt Queen ElizabethHow long wee have ſtood proſcribed, expoſed to the fire, and ſword of a Catholike invader? have wee never heard of thoſe many horrid treaſons hatched, and furthered againſt our Kings, and State, by that bloudy Moloch and his inſtruments, and ſworn Vaſſals? What treaſon was ever intended againſt our Church, or State, in which a prieſt, or Jeſuit hath not had a hand? And as a learned Biſhop hath ſhewedsB. Carleton.: that moſt devilliſh, and hel-borne plot of the Gun-powder Treaſon, by whom ſhould it have bin acted? by whom was it invented?tPrideaux Serm. on the Gunpowder Treaſon. It hath found an Apologie from Eudaemon, approbation from Claudius Aquaviva, excuſe from Bellarmine, abſolution from Hamon; al Jeſuits. But yet there is nothing done againſt us? And papiſts amongſt us abhor this bloudineſſe; What intentions, and deſperate machinations are againſt us the Lord diſcover, and diſappoint; but conſider. That in their account we are hereticks, and declared to be ſo by the pope; Now conſider of their doctrine;uAzorius inſtit. moral. li. 8. de poenis haeretic. A hereticke loſeth all right to all that hee hath; And beingwSymanch. inſtit. lib. 23. 5. 11. Saunders de viſibil. Monarch. l. …. c. 4. declared to be ſuch, any one may kill him though a King, nay, though the pope ſhould be willing to ſuffer himxBannes in 2 2. q. 12. artic. 2. yet may not the people, nay,ySymanch… ubi ſupra. though hee would change his Religion, and leave his hereſie, that can give him no ſafety. Witneſſe Henry the Fourth of France, who after he was turned papiſt, was ſtab'd in the mouth by one John Caſtile, and to the heart by Ravilliack; zAzor. inſt. mor. l. 8. c. 13.By hereſie all bonds and obligations of nature, of covenant, of oath, of duty are diſſolved, witneſſe the practices of theſe Iriſh Rebels: Hereticks may be ſlain by ſword, by treaſon,aEudaem. Apol. pro Garnet. cap 4. Collect for Gunpowder treaſon. D. Davenan. determ. qu 17. D. Prideaux. ſex. Higgajon and Selab. even with the deſtruction of many innocent Catholikes. O devilliſh! Upon theſe, and ſuch like grounds, our Liturgie juſtly cenſured their religion rebellion, and the ſometime worthy profeſſors of our two famous Univerſities cōcluded, that it was impoſsible, but that an abſolute Papiſt living under a Proteſtant Prince, and ſtanding to his own gounds, ſhould be an abſolute traitor. And that wee feele not the effects of this Romiſh doctrine, it is God's providence, in them not want of will, but want of power; bIn 32. …. …ide ſuprà.Bannes ſpeaks plainly. The Engliſh and Saxon Catholikes are to be excuſed for not rebelling, becauſe they want ſtrength ſufficient to make their party good; I pray God they may alway want it;cAbbor. Antilog. c. 6. p. 85. The Pope ſent a Breve or Bull againſt our bleſſed Queene Elizabeth, with this limitation; that it ſhould be always in force againſt her and the hereticks, but ſhould not oblige the Papiſts as matters did then ſtand, but ſhould oblige them when it might be put in execution; ſo they wait for a time, and I pray God their eyes may ſinke in their heads while they wait; But Reader doe not think there is nothing done againſt us; Is not Ireland our ſiſter Nation? Doe not our fleſh and our bloud ſuffer there? Doe we not heare of their threatnings breathed againſt us? That when they have finiſhed their worke there, they intend England for the Aceldama, the ſeat of war, and field of bloud; I will not ſtay thee longer ſtill in the porch; Enter in and behold, the miſeries of Ireland, and if thou findeſt cruelties unexampled, remember they are Papiſts, and have, as I am informed, ten thouſand Prieſts in the head of their armies, who beſides their tyranny towards our bodies would (was it in their power) ſend our ſouls in fiery chariots into hell! So Hoffeus the Jeſuite. Well reade, and beſtow ſome pitty, prayers, relief on poore Ireland, prayſes for England, increaſe in the love of Chriſt, and hatred of the Pope; I reſt
Thine I. Cranford.
Irelands warning to England.
LOok on me (your ſiſter Nation) and pitty me, I am your bone and your fleſh, I am wounded by them that I have too long truſted and harboured in my boſome (I mean bloudy Papiſts) rather then better friends, take warning by me on ſad experience: Was there ever ſorrow like my ſorrow?
Look on me, Repent, Amend, let my ſins be your ſummons, my judgements be your feare, and learne righteouſneſſe by them. When thy judgements are on the earth, the inhabitants thereof ſhall learne righteouſneſſe.
Look on me, pray and fight, my enemies are yours, my cauſe is yours, wee have one God, one Chriſt, one Goſpel, one Religion, united under one King, if we fail one another now, the proud enemy will blaſpheme our God, diſhonour our Royall King, ſcorne our Religion. Hold out faith and prayer, ſurely the victory is yours, you pray, and the enemy blaſphemes, up and be doing, and the Lord ſhall be with you. Shall wee be leſſe zealous for the Lord of hoſts, then they are for their wooden Idols.
Solicit my Cauſe to his Majeſty, to the Parliament, make my caſe yours, be with mee as in the body, ſtir now or never, Helpe the Lord againſt the mighty, your work will be glorious▪ You ſhall be called the repairers of our breaches.
Look on me and adventure you that are Gods Stewards, who knows but God intruſted thee with an eſtate for this Deſigne. The Deſigne is honourable, your purchaſe a Kingdome for Chriſt. Back your ſelves with friends, weaken the bloud-thirſty enemies, ſecure your ſelves better, try God if hee will not be your Enſurer double and treble. Caſt thy bread on the waters, and after many dayes thou ſhalt finde it. They are bloudy men, The bloudy men ſhall not live out halfe their days. They are cruell to the faint, to the weary, cruell to women, to poore children, mark what God threatned againſt Amaleck for the ſame thing.Remember what Amaleck did unto thee,&c. how hee ſmote the hindermoſt, even all that were feeble behind thee when thou waſt faint and weary, and hee feared not God. Therefore when the Lord thy God ſhal give thee reſt from all thine enemies round about in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to poſſeſſe it: that thou ſhalt blot out the remembrance of Amaleckfrom under heaven, thou ſhalt not forget it,Deut. 25. 17, 18, 19.