"CONNAUGHT.”

"A true copy: Examined by Arthur Padmore."

Endorsed." Thirty-seven troops of horse, forty-one foot companies." "A list of militia troops and also of militia companies to be

raised in Ireland."

V.

PHILIP ALDEn, Secret Agent.

"The 6th of January 1662.-Colonel Vernon intending the next morning for England, was acquainted by Mr. Phillip Alden, a confidant of General Ludlow,1 who had trusted him considerably in his affairs and (whom Vernon had engaged to find out and discover to him what the fanatics were doing) that there was a design on foot to subvert the government and engage the three nations in a new war, and gave Vernon the names of the general persons that sate daily in Dublin in a close committee, being most of them members of the then Parliament, which were to treat with all persons, but none else to know their whole design or names or persons engaged, with the heads of their intended declaration, which the said Alden did in order that Vernon should acquaint his Majestie with their design, and that he would from time to time give Vernon an account of their proceedings, to detect and frustrate their intended rebellion.

"But Vernon, stopping his journey for some days, prevailed with Alden to consent that he should first acquaint his grace the Duke of Ormonde, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland with it, and to bring Alden to his Excellency, which he did, and his Grace giving Alden all fitting encouragement for his service, and to proceed in his discovery, Vernon went into England, and by his Grace's directions left his servant Conyers to receive and convey letters from Alden to his Grace under covers that Vernon had left with Alden the better to conceal Alden; and in the beginning of March following, bis Grace wrote to Vernon to return into Ireland for the better understanding of Alden in that affair, that proceeded very fast, which Vernon did accordingly.

"And coming to Dublin from time to time acquainted his Grace from Alden, with the Colonels and other officers and soldiers that had been of Cromwell's army, and what other persons were engaged, the numbers and names of the Parliament men, with some officers and soldiers that had been of the rebels' army, and were continued by the Earls of Orrery and Montrath in that army then in being, most of which the rebels were confident would join with them, with the names of the fanatical and Presbyterian clergy both English and Scotch, the great numbers they engaged to raise, their meetings and the persons of quality at their private conventicles to seek the Lord for a blessing upon their intended rebellion, the transactions of Charnock, Henry Cromwell's chaplain, in England, the great sums of money and numbers of friends promised from thence; Col. Gibby Carr's and others' endeavours in and correspondency from Holland and Scotland, and this continued until the 20th May 1663, when it was resolved by the confederates not to stay longer (having great numbers with their arms, garrisons and towns, as they gave out and believed) to second them in that country, in Scotland and England, but the next morning to surprize the Castle of Dublin, and afterwards to march northwards to join the Scots, which his Grace by his great prudence had got the knowledge of, and of the day and manner of their surprize, which was so soldier-like and subtly laid, that the most knowing and watchful governors could not have prevented the taking the Castle in all probability, had they not been knowing of their way before attempted with the persons that were to head and lead on each party of horse and foot, where they lodged, and where they

1 Edmund Ludlow, sometime Commander-in-Chief of the forces in Ireland and Member of the Council of State.

MARQUIS
OF ORMONDE.

MSS. OF MARQUIS

OF ORMONDE.

were to meet with the numbers each had to command, and the places they were to attack.

"But the secret committee with the officers having met that night and from observations taken by Blood and Chambers and some small disappointments, they thought it was not so safe to fall on the next morning as designed (which if they had it would have been more fatal to them), for that his Grace having commanded those that he could rely upon into the Castle (of which number the Earl of Anglesey was not), and having planted his three sons in the places they chiefly designed to attempt both in the Castle and city, they resolved to disperse themselves the next morning into the country, and leave off their attempt upon the Castle at present; and being confident of their great numbers and friends, and to have some towns and garrisons delivered to them, resolved not only to appear in four days after in arms in Dublin, but in several other places of the Kingdom, as Tredagh, London-Derry, Cork, Lymerick, Waterford and Clonmel and other places.

"But his Grace prevented them by seizing some of the chief officers as they were going out of Dublin, early in the morning into the country, and others at their quarters in the town, and at their houses in the country; and appointing other persons of quality that he could rely upon in the most remote parts of that kingdom to secure the places where they were and seize their persons. And so caused several of them to be tried, some of which were executed, amongst which were Colonel Warren and Colonel Jephson, two members of the then Parliament, and Lakey, the Scotch minister, brother in law to Lieutenant Blood, which Blood was their agent, they sent upon errands, and not the chief of the rebels as generally reported to be.

"It is to be observed that in their debates in order to carry on their rebellious design, they were often divided in their opinions upon three considerable points. The first two were whether to put the king to death, or govern the army by a committee or General.

"Cormack, a Presbyterian minister, was sent to the Scots ministers and officers to know their opinions and resolves, for Mr. Hart, the minister, had made some scruples about killing the King, but upon Cormack's return, who assured them of 20,000 Scots in the north, with Derry and other places to second them, it was resolved the King should be put to death, and the army governed by a committee not by a general, being the Scots refused to trust the nobility, and upon those debates many persons of great quality were named, amongst which Sir Theophilus Jones, whom they all earnestly desired to engage as a person of great courage and conduct, and interest in the country and army; and Jephson was the person employed to Sir Theophilus to treat with him, who waiting upon him at his house at Lucan1 a day or two before they were to attempt the Castle, Jephson acquainted Sir Theophilus with the design in general and that they had engaged considerable persons, numbers and towns, and proposed if they had success in their undertakings whether he would come in and head them and be one of their Generals, which Jephson said he promised he would, and appointed him a further meeting; but Jephson told the committee he had not acquainted Sir Theophilus with their present design upon the Castle of Dublin.

"Jephson believing he had engaged so considerable a person, with great joy hasted to Dublin, acquainting Mr. Alden and the rest with what had passed between him and Sir Theophilus, which his Grace

1 In county of Dublin.

2 See Eighth Report of this Commission, 1881, Appendix i., p. 623.