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The same sir Charles Wilmot, having at another time gone to seek the enemy in their camp, "entered," says the same historian," without any resistance; for there he found nothing but hurt, and sick men; whose lives, and pains, by the soldiers, were both determined."

One would imagine, from the virulence of the expressions, and the barbarity of the actions, mentioned in this history, that it was written rather by an enemy than a chief commander of her majesty's forces; or that the Irish had, at that time, given some new, and extraordinary provocation for such inhu man actions and expressions. But it is manifest, even from this history, that during the last two years of this war, these Irish were in no sort aggressors, or assailants; for the president himself assures us, from his own knowledge," that, ever since the siege of Kinsale, they were so much afraid of the queen's forces, that they lived in their fastnesses, supporting themselves with their own victuals, and the wines that had been sent them out of Spain."

CHAP. XI.

A dreadful famine in Ireland.

THUS did her majesty's ministers in Ireland execute her orders of clemency, and forgiveness, towards these misguided people. Nor were even these incessant acts of cruelty suffici ent to appease their enmity. That destruction, which their swords had left unfinished, they now industriously completed by a general famine. Mr. Morrisson mentions this method of ending the war, with a seeming complacency, at least, without dislike. But the effects of it were too horrible to be unfeelingly related, even by an enemy. "Because," says he, "I have often made mention formerly, of our destroying the rebels corn, and using all means to famish them, let me now, by two or three examples, shew the miserable estate to which they were thereby reduced." He then, after telling us, that sir Arthur Chichester, sir Richard Morrisson, and other com

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manders, saw a most horrid spectacle of three children, whereof the eldest was not above ten years old, feeding on the flesh of their dead mother, with circumstances too shocking to be repeated; and that the common sort of rebels were driven tounspeakable extremities, beyond the records of any histories, that he had ever read in that kind; he mentions an horrid stratagem of some of these wretched people, to allay the rage of "Some old women,' hunger, in the following manner. 992 says he," about the Newry, used to make a fire in the fields, and divers little children driving out the cattle in the cold mornings, and coming thither to warm themselves, were by these women surprised, killed, and eaten; which was at last discovered by a great girl, breaking from them by the strength of her body and capt. Trevor sending out soldiers to know the truth, they found the children's sculls and bones, and apprehended the old women, who were executed for the fact. No spectacle," adds Morrisson, "was more frequent in the ditches of towns, and especially in wasted countries, than to see multitudes of these poor people dead, with their mouths all colored green by eating nettles, docks, and all things they could rend up above ground."

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The lord deputy and council,3 in a letter to the lords in England concerning their receiving the submissions of some Irish chiefs, acquainted them," that they had received these submissions partly for the good of the service, and partly out of human commiseration; having with our own eyes (say they) daily seen the lamentable state of the country, wherein we found every where men dead of famine." They add, "that they had been credibly informed, that in the space of a few months, there were above three thousand starved in Tirone."

2 History of Ireland, fol. 272.

3 Morriss. Hist. Irel. fol. 237.

CHAP. XII.

The greater and better part of the Irish, in this war, fought for the queen against their countrymen. The hard terms on which they were received to mercy.

IN the Irish parliament of 1614, the catholic members, in order to obtain a suspension of some penal statutes, then strictly executed against those of their religion, alleged their ancestors' signal services, exhibited in the royal army, during the wars in the former reign.' "Chronicles of blood," said a member of that house of commons," shew the glory of our progenitors, as the queen's army was full of natives." Nay, it was openly affirmed in the same parliament, and it might have been then easily contradicted if untrue," that the gentlemen of Ireland had spent as much in that war, as the queen herself; and that one gentleman, of only three hundred pounds a year, expended ten thousand pounds on that occasion." Most certain it is, that the principal nobility and gentry of the kingdom, and all the cities and corporate towns, persisted in their allegiance to her majesty, notwithstanding the many tempting offers made them by the Spaniards, in order to with. draw them from it. It is also certain,3 that more than one half of that gallant army under lord Mountjoy, which so successfully attacked, and at last entirely defeated Tirone, was Irish; nor did their having4 less pay* than the English, or their being exposed to endure the brunt in every action, " lessen their zeal or activity in the service." Yet the terms on which the submitting Irish were received to mercy, seem to have been calculated, not so much to reclaim them, as to make them still continue desperately in action. For besides the usual pledges of their wives and children, with other cautions, which, contrary to her majesty's merciful order of December, 1600, (before recited) were extracted from them; as a further proof of their sincere submission, and previous to their pardon, it was also required, that they should perform what was called,

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"The Irish companies, says lord Mountjoy, should not have any pay for apparel; there being no reason that their pay should be equal to that of the English."-Morris. Hist. fol. 208,

some signal service on their own people; which, in reality, was nothing less, than that they should basely betray, or perfidiously murder, some of their nearest kindred, or former friends. Mr. Morrisson acquaints us,5" that lord Mountjoy never received any to mercy, but such as had so drawn blood on their fellow rebels. Thus," says he, " McMahon and M'Artmoyle offered to submit; but neither could be received without the other's head." But barbarous as these terms of acceptance were, they were sometimes reluctantly complied with. "I have it seems made,” says lord Mountjoy, "some of the subjects, already reclaimed, and in these times suspected, put themselves in blood already; for even now I hear, that lord Mountgarret's sons have killed some of Cloncare's and some of Tyrrill's followers, since I contested with their father about somewhat I heard suspicious of them." I shall mention one notable instance of this kind of service, contrived and related by the lord president of Munster himself.

"About this time," says he, « Nugent came to make his submission to the president; by whom he was told, that as his crimes and offences were extraordinary, he could not hope for pardon, unless he would deserve it by some extraordinary service; which, said the president, if you will perform, you may deserve not only pardon for your faults committed heretofore, but also some store of crowns to relieve your wants hereafter. Nugent, who was valiant and daring, and in whom the rebels reposed great confidence, presently promised not to be wanting in any thing that one man could accomplish; and, in private, made offer to the president, that if he might be well recompensed, he would ruin, within a short time, James Fitzthomas, the then reputed earl of Desmond, or his brother John. But the president, having before contrived a plot for James, gave him in charge to undertake his brother John. Accordingly some few days after this, Nugent riding in company with John Fitzthomas and one Mr. Copinger, permitted this great captain to ride a little before him, minding, his back being turned, to shoot him through with his pistol, which, for the purpose, was well charged with two balls. The opportunity offered, the pistol bent, both heart and hand ready to do

5 Morriss. Hist. fol. 43.

7 Morriss. Hist. fol. 132.

6 Ib. fol. 77.

8 Pacata Hibernia, fol. 37-8,

the deed, when Copinger, at that instant, snatched the pistol from him, crying treason! wherewith John Fitzthomas turning himself about, perceived his intent. Nugent thinking to escape by the goodness of his horse, spurred hard, the horse stumbled, and he was taken; and the next day, after examination and confession of his intent, hanged. In his examination, he freely confessed the whole intent, which was to have dispatched John Fitzthomas, and immediately after to have posted to his brother James, to carry the first news thereof; intending to call him aside in a secret manner, to relate the particulars of his brother's murder, and then to execute as much upon him also; adding, that although they should take away his life, which he would not intreat them to spare, yet was their own safety never the more assured; for that there were many others, whom himself perfectly knew to have sworn unto the president, to effect as much as he intended: this confession, being sealed with his death, did strike fearful terror into the two brethren; and although the plot attained not fully the desired success, yet it proved to be of great consequence." Yet these submitting Irish, who, upon every light suspicion, were obliged to comply with such cruel injunctions, were eminently serviceable to lord Mountjoy in the prosecution of this

His lordship acknowledges, in several letters to the English council, the great assistance they had given him; and in one of them expressly says, "That' if these submittees had not furnished his army with beeves, it would have been in great distress." "Yet the commanders of that army often took their cattle without payment in ready money;10 which," says Morrisson, "grieved them :" or, if they meant to shew them particular favor, "they paid them in the new base coin, then made current by proclamation, in a shilling of which there was not more than two-pence value in silver.""

9 Morriss. Hist. fol. 115.

10 Id. ib.

11 Id. ib. fol. 23.

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