Reasons for the continuation of the commission for dispoiled protestants

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184

No: 8

Reasons for the Contynuation of the Commission for the dispoiled subjects
<1> There are uery many men of good estats & great power in this kingdome: Whoe haue secretly abetted the Rebells: fraudulently deliuered vp to them strengths which they might haue mainteined to his Maiesties good service & the true harted subiects security; whom they haue miserably betrayed; many of theis men Many of theis men would by their greatnes dependencies & the confidence their frends haue in them escape due notice if there were not standing Comissions to or men to whom the despoiled subiects might resort, vnder hope of some consideracion to be had of his loses & thereupon be pressed with deliuering of his whole knowledg concerning the Rebellion: whereby many such ill members become daily discouered against whom men wold, (otherwise, then thus, drawne in) not open their mowthes
<2> By meanes of this Commission those seemeing neutralls & Protestants that have cowardly revolted to the Romishe profession, or otherwise goe vntouched without in their estates, amongst the Rebells a r e discouered some of whom to have Joined with the Rebells in their trayterous practises. And yet now (fynding that side to decline) wold daily come in, pretending themselues to haue beene by the Rebells detained against their wills, concerning whose carriage amongst the Rebells, in time Conveinent the state here may haue good information by deposicions of men from al parts resorting to the Commissioners to depose their losses; & soe the guilty shall not escape.
<3> It is not vnknowne to them whoe are any way versed in the former stories of this kingdome, That nothing hath more hindered a full reducement thereof: then the indulgence from time to tyme of great men here to their dependents fosterers kinred & allys [ ] of the Irishry: It being an ancient Custome in this kingdom that men nowe of the best subiects wold turne tennants of their former freeholds to great men thereby secureing themselues & their estats in part, and in such tymes as these often, defeating the crowne,) which is in part prevented by this Commission, whereby there shall hardly escape one man that hath beene a Rebell; be he neuer soe well befrended, but by the deposicion of one other he wilbe found out.
<4.> By meanes of such discoueries as daily are made by this Commission: we doubt not but the Crowne wilbe estated in many thowsands (haply some millons) of acres, of lands which might otherwise be deteined by such meanes as aforesaid to the great hindrance of the Crowne, the defeating good deservers of their rewards, & the vnderwriters haply of the more advantagious & sweete plantacions
<5> There are many good subiects That haue Lost their estats and evidencs yet deteined in seuerall parts among the Rebells whoe may haply die (as many such haue don already) before any peace be setled, what way is more convenient for the future assesting the poore orphants, or other heires to their right, then that while men live theire Losses shold be deposed, with the state, whereof the Rebells have dispoyled them. That soe they might be capeable of restoracion of their owne with what consideracion shalbe though fit out of the Rebells estates: There being the same Justice for restoreing of men dispoyled of their estats by the rebells, (what may be done) to their Rights, as for the avenging the wrong done to them./
<6> The daily recording all those inhumane cruelties, murders, perfidious treacheries, & vngratefull dealings of the rebels together with their monstrous hatred of our nation and religion, wilbe not only be a Justification to all our neighbor kingdomes, & euen to posterity itself of what Course by presente armes or future Lawes & plantacions shalbe iustly taken against the Rebells, but alsoe a contynuall incorragement to our armyes on whose swords the presente remembrance of our sufferings & the Rebells wickednes, will daily set a fresh edge, & the often publishing of them in England, will not only breed a iust hatred of that Religion, which thus disposeth of her professors, but a ready willingnes both with their bodyes & purses to relieue us & chasten them, (thinges equally conduceing to the honor of god & his truth, their glory, & their & our future happines.
<7> There are very many to whom liffe, restauration of goodes, & great promotions haue been tendered In case they would renounce the protestant profession & imbrace the romish religion: yea to some, if they would but heare one masse; & yet have made happy profession of their fayth and many proved Constant and glorious martyres, even to the wonder of the Rebells themselues soe That such martyres shold certeinly susteine great Iniury, and our Religion want a good incorragement, to have their bloud and Confessions couered in sylence, which can come noe way soe [faily?] to publique light, as by being deposed before the Commissioners of the ministry
<8> It hath pleased god by many strange prodigies & extrordinary interpositions of his divine power to manifest, even to the convinceing of the Rebells the iustnes of our cawse, & the horrid guilt of their wickednes: which were it not for this Comission, would to Gods [ ] dishonour be buryed in oblivion
<9> Nor yet, for the foresaid ends, and service, conduceing to the publique good, is the work already nowe effected, for that there are still very many in sundry forts and Castles & many yet scatteringly throughe the kingdome deteined by the Rebells, whoe haue not given in their losses, nor knowledg concerning this rebelljon, and which daily yet from seuerall parts come in, & haue of late made more materiall discoueryes then formerly haue beene by others

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<10.> There are Comissions issued to some perculier place for this end, which the state thought meete should be returned to this Commission here in dublin, being for all placs, That soe the whole sufferinges of the subiecte and wickednes of the Rebells might be at once presented to the State, and made vse of as occasion should require, which (the other Comissions and this ceaseing) cannott be done, And indeed, the work being not perfected, much of the Labour already bestowed will become Lost
<11> By the recalling theis Comissions vpon the pretence of their chargeablenes: Many painfull ministers whoe together with this work exercise their functions (We thrice in a weeke in the Cheefe Church of this Citty) shalbe deprived of subsistence, and inforced to starve here or begg in England: Nor yet is the pay such though the Commissioners here and elswhere be many & theire paines here be daily (or almost howrly) But that one vnder comander in a Regiment or twoe Captaines here, have for their owne particuler entertainment, more then all the Commissioners whoe (without offensive comparison hope their labours though another way bestowed; are as deserveing and shall aswell conduce to the publique good.
<12> And Lastly vnder favour, we presume there cannot easily be devised a better way for the former service then this of the Comission wherein how effectually the Commissioners here in dublin have already Laboured, their Late Remonstrance, and a supply thereto shortly may give some taste in England how impartially they haue demeaned themselves They leave to the Judgment of their superiors, with challeng of the least impeachment of their integrity: Nor (to conclude) can others probably enter vpon their Labours & perfect what they haue begun with that facility which the present Commissioners may Haueing now for theis 8 or 9 monthes taken the greatest paines therein & being taken from seuerall parts of the kingdome, know most parts thereof, and such as can giue the best informacion