98 
This account is extracted from that 
very rare book, ‘* The Englifh Rogue.” 
The author, R. Head, was an Irifhman. 
Hume, in noticing this Irith Infurrection, 
vol. 6, p. 434, has defcribed the ftate of 
the Englifh Government in Dublin, in very 
remarkable language; in fuch language 
that the future hifforian’ of England may 
tranfcribe his words, if he would give an 
accurate ftatement of the recent infurrec- 
tion. "The king (Hume writes)had in- 
deed received information. from his ambaf 
fadors, that fomething was in agitation 
among the Irifh in foreign parts ; but tho’ 
he gave warning to his adminiftration in 
Treland, the intelligence was entirely ne- 
‘gleGied. Secret rumours were heard of fome 
' approaching confpiracy, but no attention 
svas paid to them. The two juftices, Sir 
Wiiliam Parfons and Sir John Borlace, 
were men of fall abilities, owing their 
advancement to nothing but their zeal for 
that party by whom every thing was now 
governed. Tranquil from their ignorance 
and inexperience, thefe men indulged them- 
felves in the molt profound repofe, on the 
very brink of defrudtion.” 
The author of the -‘¢ Englifh Rogue’ 
defcribes the apparent tranquillity of Ire- 
land in thefe words : 
** Not two years before the Irifh Rebellion 
broke out, all thofe ancient. animofities, 
grudges, and hatred, which the Irith had 
ever borne unto the Englith, feemed buried 
ina firm conglutination of their affeGtions 
and national obligations. Thefe two had 
lived together forty years in peace, with fuch 
" great fecurity and comfort, that it feemed as 
if! an everlafting union exifted between them. 
Their intermarriages- were near as’ frequent 
as their goflippings and fofterings, (relations 
ef much dearnefs among the Irifh), together 
with all tenancies, neighbourhoods, and fer- 
' vices interchangeably pafied among them. 
They had made a mutual tran{migration into 
each others manhers, many Englith being 
ftrotigly degenerated into Irith affections and 
cuftoms, and many of the better fort of Irith 
ftudying as well the language of the Englith 
as delighting to be apparelled like them.— 
They found great advantage by the Englifh 
commerce and cohabitation in the profits 
and high improvements of theirlands, as Sir 
Phelim O’Neal, that rebellious ringleader, 
., with divers others eminent in that bloody in- 
- furre&tion, had not long before turned of their 
lands their Irifh tenants, admitting Englith 
_ in their rooms, who were able to give them 
_. far greater rents, and more certainly pay the 
_ fame. ‘The. wifeft and moft experienced in 
“the affairsof Ireland believed that the peace 
and tranquillity ef that kingdom was fully 
_-fettled. There no where appeared any mar- 
~ tial preparations, nor relics of any kind of 
- -@iferders 5 no, not fo much as the leaft ngife 
Anecaotes of the Irifo Rebellion in 1641 
(Sept. #, 
of war whifperingly carried to any ear in all 
this land. 
‘‘In this great calm the Britifh continued 
in the deepeft fecurity, whilft all men fat 
pleafantly enjoying the fruits of their own 
labours, fitting under their own vines, with- 
out the Jeaft thoughts of tumults and maf- 
facres.. On O@ober 23, in 1641, there broke 
‘out a moft defperate, direful, and formidable 
rebellion, an univerfal defection and revolt, 
wherein all the Roman Catholics were totelly 
involved. © I will not omit to trace the pro- 
grefs of this rebellion, the horrid cruelties 
of the Irith, their abominable murders, 
without number and without mercy, on the 
Englifh of both fexes and all ages. . 
‘¢It was carried with fuch fecrefy, that 
none underftood the confpiracy till the very 
evening that immediately fucceeded the night 
of its general execution. Owen O’Comnor 
(though mere Irith was notwithftanding a 
Proteftant) was the firft difcoverer of this 
general infurre€tion, giving in the names of 
fome of the chief confpirators. Hereupon 
the lords fat in council, and fome of the 
ringleaders were inftantly feized. They con © 
Feft that on that very day of their furprizal, 
all the ports and places of ftrength in Ireland 
would be taken; that there were twenty out 
of each county who were come up exprefsly 
to furprife the caftle of Dublin. Adding fur- 
ther that what was to be done in the country 
no mefienger, however {wift, could now pre- 
vent. Hereupon a ftri& fearch was made for 
all ftrangers lately come to town. Notwith- 
ftanding the proclamation giving notice of .the 
horrid plot againft the Englifh, yet did the 
rebels affemble in great number, principally 
in the north, in the province of Ulfter, 
taking many towns, as Newry, Drumore, &c, - 
burning, fpoiling and committing murders . 
every where. . 
‘© Now begana deep tragedy. The Eng- 
lith having either few other than Irifh Land- 
lords, tenants, fervants, neighbours, or fami- 
liar friends, as foon as this general conflagra- 
tion broke out, made their recourfe prefently 
to fome of thefe, lying on them for protec- 
tion and prefervation, and with great confi- 
dence trufted their lives and all their concerns 
in their powers, But many betrayed them~ 
to others, or deftroyed them with their own 
hands. The Popifh priefts had fo charged 
and laid fuch bloody impreffions on them, as 
it was held, according to their doétrine, a 
deadly fin to give an Englifh Proteftant any 
‘relief. 
‘¢ All bonds of faith and friendfhip now 
fra&tured, Irith landlords now preyed on their 
_Englifh tenants; Irifh tenants and fervante” 
facrificed their Englifh landlords ; one neigh- 
bour murdering another 5 nay it was looked 
on as an act meritorious tofupplant an Erglith- 
man; the very children imitating the cruelty 
of their parents, of which I fhall carry a'mark 
with me to. my grave, given me with a fkene 
_by one of my Irith playfellows.” -. 
Such is the plain and homely defcrip- 
OL A. A  110R 
