Letter from Henry Jones

fol. 33r

198

No: 12

Worthy Sir
Beeing enforced with many others to flee hither, whither with hazard of my life I ame come, I had the hope of waiting upon you to whom I might apply myselfe in all matters for the publique; but as my stay so long where I was was the loss of all that was mine, so hath it deprived me of this happines of seeing you, you beeing gonne before I could reach this place . I found my brother gathering up some letters of mine which I directed to him, & by him which he would purpose d to send the m se nding away vnto you. they did containe much of what came into my knowledge of the present state of thinges as they lay in my way; of which I laboured to informe myselfe, out of my desire of doing my prince & Country that service I owe both. neither could they be committed better then into your hands whom (I had almost said alone) I find labouring & that solicitously for the publique: whereas others were content to beare, but what use was made thereof we all finde. give me leave [ ] to adde to the rest nothing to some passages whereby you shall find faire warnings to have beene given vs long before of these greate evils. It may be, moste of them might allready be knowne unto you in regard of your place but when I consider how matters have beene heretofore caried in a cloude I thought that Perhaps the best meaning men might be the least knowing; besides I suppose moste if not all of them might have beene before your comming into this kingdom so as I thought it not impertinent to adde heere what I knowe of that fewe others knowing or not taking notice of them.
There were three particulars within these 3 last yeares which if well heeded had given sufficient warning of these present troubles.
The first was at Limerick in Mounster: where among many prohibited bookes brought thither by sea & seized upon by the Bishop, one had an addition of paper written, & containing the state of the Friars of the Augustine Order whereof the chiefe seate had beene at Armagh but, as that Manuscript imported was now at Limerick. That while it flourished in Armagh it found the old E. of Tirone the chiefe Countenancer of it: but that before many yeares were passed Ireland should find he had a sonne left who should returne & restore it & that Religious house within the whole kingdom to there former luster, with much more to that purpose. & with this did agree a popish priest in Limerick who spake no less. the priest was committed & how since disposed off I heare not. the booke was by the Bishop sent to the Lo: president of Mounster & as I heare shewed to the late Lo: Liuetenant & the Councel heere, but without further care had of the matter.
The second was that about the Naas 12 miles from Dublin, a popish priest (about the same time with the former passage) made meanes to appeare before the Lo: Liuetenant & informed his Lordship that he was at Bruxels & elwher in Flanders & Spaine where he sawe Letters pass to & fro betweene the E. of Tirone & others & the popish primate of Ireland, whose name was Rely concerning an invasion within a short time to be made for restoring of pop Religion, & offerred if he might be secured in his person to go to the place where the letters which were sent to the said primate (whose name was Rely) might be found. the man would not be beleeved but was dismissed with a suite of clothes & 10 li.Rely indeed was sent for put into the Castle & seaven after a fortnight [ ] sett at liberty.
The third was about the same time in the County of Westmeath & in the diocess of Ardagh where I was then resident. one Nugent upbraiding an irish protestant with his Religion uttered these words in latin I ntra tres annos veniet tempus et po tentia in Hibernia quan do In longa [ (I suppose he meant his)] pendebis in cruce prop ter diabolicam vestram religionem. the party to whom this was spoken upon examination deposed it; & beeing demanded whether the wordes were in Hiberniam or in Hibernia the one imply invasion, the other insurrection at hoome, he deposed the later as nowe by experience we find it. these examinations were by the Bishop of Ardagh taken & returned to Sir George Radcliffe & Nugent was sent for & committed close prisoner to the Castle. but after a while he was dismissed as the former It is said with Nugent having first given Sir G.R. 300 li. or thereabouts as it is reported: & Nugent beeing urged by his friends to petition in the parliament house against Sir G.R. for the money & cost of his [accusers?] refused to do either, it is supposed at fi wisely suffering a bad busines to sleepe. And how fitly all these fall together & suite with the present conditions of those times any { }

fol. 33v

forces (of we [ ] call them forces) decrease as fast for such as are taken up if [ ] papists or natives, having taken armes & beeing trained by us dayly runne from vs which giveth us litle hope of better from those that of that kind yet held with us, for we may well doubt of the like measures from them when all shall by at the stake which is expected ere it be long. These doubts have moved the state to disband all papists, but whom to put in there roomes we find not, so that it is a greife to many to se companies made vp of h more then halfe of boyes to whom the cariage of armes (not to speake of there use) is worke enough, & this because no other can be found. all [ ] {we do in this is but to make a showe of strength & preparations, but without a speedy supply from thence you may by this judge of the event. droghedah doth still hold out. Some loose wings of the Enemy in companys of 300 or more are often within a mile of vs heere having spoiled Finglas & Sanntry & some alsoe adventuring to spoile our backes in the haven. these are but forerunners of greater Evils if not prevented, wherein a greate part of the worke must be youres.
As for mine owne particular had I respected my private & not r ather to serve my prince I might at first have shifted away from the County of Cavan where I was resident & have saved the best of my substance whereas now by my stay hitherto I lost all & with the rest my regiment on the way hither beeing stripped well nigh naked. Soe that I ame in greate want, & shall be vnservicable for his majesties service in that respect if not releeved. I have goods a party in the enemies campe of my friends, some also of my servants were pressed by them who would store mee with inteligence fitting for the state, but beeing disenabled to continue a chargable enterrage betweene us that must be to{ } I did propound do the llords that I might be alowed as chaplaine general to the Army with the alowance but of a one farthing [ ] ech weeke out of ech soldiers pay & one ob their pay beeing but raised which is but 12 or at the most 2 s. per annum from ech. the answer giuen me was that it was a place in the Lo: Lieutenants disposall whom they would not in the disposall thereof anticipate. Therein therefore I do address myselfe unto you that his Lordship would honour me with a dependance upon him as his chaplaine in Ordinary & to admitt me into this place for the Army; the place was by the late Lo: Lieutenant reserved to his chaplaines in time of peace without use, which now would be more proper Captaine Theophilus Jones my brother is a servant of my lords to whom I have formerly written for my dependence on his Lordship as his chaplaine, of whom hitherto I have heard nothing
Pardon [ ] this greate trouble I pre ss [ ] you withal, whereby you shall oblige unto you.

<Dec 14 1641>
Sir
Your most thankful & ready servant
wind x
{ Michael Colonel
{ Chap laine & preacher to the Army
{ Sir Phelim Neale prince, or Tirone, knighted his brother . wordes of an king the common
Passages. forces landed under Sir S. Har Dec: 30: 1641 x beeing 1400 an [ ] age o f horse / Francis Enemy seene but fleeing with [ ] colours of townes taken in Mounster/ greater forces to land heere/ [ ] on of corne./ gent of pale
a letter dated Jan. 3. 1641
Michael Colonel X
preacher to the Army X
Sir Ph. Neale X
Comon King X
this letter date Jan 4. 1641} the letter dated Jan. 12. 1641
the L.of the Pales declaration: generals. ships for the coast. hasten the succours. Swordes Sir Lorenzo cary dead. 120 horse - Michael