The Interest of England in the Preservation of Ireland, Introduction
The Introduction.
THERE were two things which mainly contributed to the Ruine and Deſolation of Ireland, and reduced it to that deplorable Condition, under which it now languiſheth; Reſiſtance, and Non-Reſiſtance. The latter ſprung from a fond and tame ſubmiſſion to the Arbitrary Government in Ireland; the other was occaſion'd by a vain and fruitleſs Expectation of Relief from England. If the People of that Country had not been over-laviſh in their Loyalty, they had not been ſo unfortunate in their Oppoſition. In the Reign of King JAMES, they were unreaſonably paſſive; in the Reign of King WILLIAM they have been unproſperouſly active. Strange Fate! To be Loſers by the One, and not to be Gainers by the Other! To be poſſeſt of their Eſtates under a Popiſh Prince; and to be kept out of them under a Proteſtant! Had they been independent, and truſted to their own Legs, poſſibly they had ſtood firm at this Day: but they are miſerably overthrown, by leaning too much on their Supporters. If there were any room in our Church for Merits, the Proteſtants of Ireland would be intituled to a great Stock, for ſuffering under King JAMES; and for acting under King WIELIAM: but alas! they are deſpiſed for the one, and derided for the other: ſo difficult a matter it is to walk ſteddily upon the uneven ſurface of ſublunary Places; here you encounter a Precipice, there a Quagmire: That very way which ſeemed the direct Road to Safety and Tranquility, may perhaps lead you into inextricable Troubles, and often ends in certain Miſery and Deſtruction.
When the Late King (in purſuance of his Deſign to ſubvert that Church, which He complemented with the Character of Loyalty, and as ſolemnly promiſed to defend and ſupport it) was ſo far diſtracted by pernicious Counſel, to proſtitute the Kingdom of Ireland to the licentious Will of a Jeſuitical Tyranny; and to make an Eſſay of ſetling that Idolatrous Worſhip there, which was too early, and unſeaſonable for Him to attempt in England: when the Sword was put into the Hands of a bigotted Zealot, and more than a million of Britiſh Proteſtants ſubjected to the Dominion of an Iriſh Papiſt; there was no Murmur heard, no mutinous Whiſpers ſpread abroad to diſcompoſe the People, or affront the Government: men ſigh'd, and ſubmitred; they groaned, and gave Obedience, with a patient Reſignation to the Will of God, and the Commands of the King: The Proteſtants through the Kingdom were diſarm'd; the Officers of the Army were diveſted of their Commiſſions; the Soldiers disbanded and caſhier'd, ſtript and diſarm'd, without demanding a Reaſon for ſuch unwarrantable Dealings, or diſputing the Pleaſure of their Superiors: the Papiſts were obtruded into the Privy Council, and Chief Miniſtry of State; all Juſtices of the Peace were ſuperſeded, who did not carry the Mark of the Beaſt: the Publick Revenue committed to ſuch Hands, as would ſurely imploy and improve it to the ſinal extirpation of Hereticks; yet all things proceeded in a ſilent Calm, without Noiſe, or Grumbling: where Maſs houſes were erected, and publickly frequented; no man offer'd to pull down their Altars: where the Fryers walk'd the Streets in their uncouth Habits; no man threw Dirt at them: the Popiſh Religion was prohibited by Law; yet never contravened by Force: The People abominated that Superſtitious Way; yet never expreſt their Reſentments by Rage, or Diſcontent: The Charters of their Towns and Corporations were condemned and vacated; yet no ſpark of Sedition was kindled among the Inhabitants: The famous Act of Settlement was daily eluded; Poſſeſſion and Property were no ſufficient Guard againſt Iriſh Incroachments; yet no man incurr'd the Penalty of a forcible Deteiner: the Doctrine of Non-reſiſtance (which was ſo frequently preach'd in other Places) was there actually and really practiſed; and Obedience) if there be not a Contradiction in the Terms) was truly paſſive. Thus poſting themſelves under the Covert of Privacy, and Retirement, they ſilently expected a Day of Deliverance from the Appointment of Heaven, without the interpoſition of any Humane Machinations.
In this Poſture Affairs ſtood in Ireland, during tho ſhort (if it had not been ſharp) Reign of King JAMES: and ſo probably they had continued, at leaſt for ſome time, after the miraculous Revolution in England. But He, having Abdicated the Government, and deſerted the Throne, and unnaturally truckt One Kingdom with that Chriſtian Monſter of Turkiſh Barbarity, for the empty Hopes of re-poſſeſſing the other Two; it ſeem'd convenient to his Iriſh Baſhaw, and the Jeſuitic Cabal, to make ſure of a retreating Place, and that of Neceſſity muſt be Ireland; which having formerly been given to the Pope, and by him transferred to the King of Spain, muſt now be ſold, or mortgaged to the French Uſurper; to facilitate whoſe Entry by removing all Obſtacles, the preſent Poſſeſſors muſt be put out of Doors, that ſo Livery and Seiſin might be given, in imitation of the due Form of Law. Hereupon Plots were invented; ſeveral Proteſtant Gentlemen were committed to Priſon, Indicted, and Tryed for their Lives; abundance of Commiſſions were iſſued, and the Army multiplied into many Regiments of Horſe and Foot; for whoſe Entertainment, there being no Fund of a growing Revenue, the Goods of the Proteſtants were conſigned to their ſubſiſtence; which they did not pilfer by Night, but drove away whole Flocks and Herds at Noon-day; and in caſe of Reſiſtance, ſecuring their Prey by the Murder of the Owners. Thus the Province of Munſter was expoſed to a Military Execution: Conaught was entirely plunder'd; and had not the Gates of Londonderry been opportunely ſhut, when a Regiment of Iriſh were ready to enter it, all Ʋlſter had been under the ſame Fate, and probably had been followed by an Univerſal Maſſacre. But the ſurprizing News of the Prince of Orange's Adventure, and the total Excluſion of Popery and Arbitrary Government in England, awakened the Proteſtants in Ʋlſter to ſtand upon their Guard; and animated them with an Aſſurance, That their Redemption was drawing nigh; flattering themſelves with a Confidence, That as they were under the Laws of England, ſo they ſhould be no leſs under their Protection. They firmly believed, that the ſame methods would be taken in Ireland, which had been ſo ſucceſsfully practiſed in England; every puff of a fair Wind, revived them with a ſmiling expectation of Succor; they were eager to retrieve their drooping Religion from the Jaws of Death; and ready to rally under a Proteſtant Standard; their Numbers were very conſiderable, and their Courage great; but they were naked and undiſciplin'd, they wanted an Expert Leader; and no Aid appear'd to ſupport them: The Deputy having too ſure and quick Intelligence of the Tranſactions in the Court of England, and the dilatory Proceedings there, poured a mighty Army into the Bowels of Ʋlſter, who rifling the deſerted Houſes, ſeizing and carrying away all portable Goods, and exerciſing all Cruelty on ſuch as did not ſubmit to their Protection, they marched (or rather chaſed the affrighted People) without Interruption, till they received a ſlight Check at Colrane, and were ſhamefully bafled at Londonderry. But all the Towns and Forts through the Kingdom (except that sturdy place, and its neighbour Eniskilling) being Gariſon'd by Papiſts, no Arms nor Horſes permitted to remain with any Proteſtants, (whoſe enjoyment of their Lives was wholly precarious, and reverſible at the will of mercileſs men); all things concurred to advance the long-hatch'd Deſign, which now began to ripen; and King James, with a Rabble of French Reformers, intermixt with a ſew Renegado-Engliſh and Scotch, landed among his dearly-beloved Iriſh Catholics, where he remains under Pupilage to the French; He the Reputed King, and Monſieur d' Avaux the Protector.
I need not place any Remarks upon the ſupine Negligence and fatal Indifferency demonſtrated by England in their cold Concernment, and ſlow Motions toward the Recovery of Ireland; it is obvious to every eye; and if any have been wilfully acceſſory to the Ruin and Depopulation of ſo flouriſhing a Kingdom, everlaſting Vengeance will purſue them: I wiſh the good People of England may ſee in the Mirror of our Misfortunes, that Scheme of Miſery and Confuſion which was prepared for them, and which aſſuredly will be re-acted on their Theatre, if ever the French and Iriſh be permitted to tread the Stage. To undeceive that giddy ſort of men, who think to gather Grapes from Thiſtles; to enjoy the Profeſſion of the Proteſtant Religion under a Popiſh Ring, and the Adminiſtration of Jeſuits; to continue in Peace and Safety in this Kingdom, if the other be torn from it; I offer the following Conſiderations; which, weigh'd impartially, may help to convince all ſorts of men, That it is not only the Interest of England to preſerve Ireland, but that it is neceſſary for their ſelf-preſervation to uſe all imaginable Induſtry and Expedition to reduce it to its former State and Condition.